It’s release day for my new Victorian Christmas novella A Holiday By Gaslight! To celebrate, I’m over at the USA Today Happy-Ever-After Blog with an exclusive excerpt. I’m also embarking on a virtual book tour, complete with reviews, excerpts, and a special giveaway. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Note: I’ve received quite a few questions about this book. You can find my answers in the FAQ section below.
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A Holiday By Gaslight
A Victorian Christmas Novella
England, 1861. Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run of the mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion—or perhaps no emotion at all. Can the two of them ever find common ground?
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ebook: $2.99 / paperback: $8.99
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Advance Praise for A Holiday By Gaslight
“Matthews (The Matrimonial Advertisement) pays homage to Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South with her admirable portrayal of the Victorian era’s historic advancements in addition to courtship struggles arising from societal castes…Readers will easily fall for Sophie and Ned in their gaslit surroundings.” -Library Journal, starred review
“Matthews’ novella is full of comfort and joy—a sweet treat for romance readers that’s just in time for Christmas.” -Kirkus Reviews
“A graceful love story…and an authentic presentation of the 1860s that reads with the simplicity and visual gusto of a period movie.” -Readers’ Favorite
“A perfect holiday treat for Victorian-loving romantics. Sophie and Ned’s sweet romance is sure to steal your heart.” -Lena Goldfinch, bestselling author of The Unexpected Bride
“[A] wonderfully charming and vividly rich romance, that will have the readers swooning with absolute delight. Perfect!” -Chicks, Rogues and Scandals
“Blending the rapidly evolving scientific discoveries of the 1860s with changing societal ideas and prejudices makes for a fresh approach to the Victorian Christmas novella…Gaslight brings all the charm and magic of a Victorian Christmas to life on each page. Fans of Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflowers series will love Mimi Matthews’ A Holiday by Gaslight!” -BookWyrm Reader
“A surprisingly lovely and feminist, sweet romance. Feminist? In Victorian England? Hell, yes. Sophie is a capable woman, a voracious reader, an admirer of Charles Darwin. She’s a custodian of her own agency even (and maybe especially) when so little power is afforded her. I mean, I loved it, y’all. This is smart and adorable and it just feels ‘good’.” -Flavia, NetGalley
“Pairing Prince Albert’s death with the theory of evolution and gaslight making its way into English homes is ingenious…It’s Christmas and there’s a house party – the scene is set for angst, romance and a happy ending. Loved it.” -Rekha, NetGalley
A Holiday By Gaslight Blog Tour Schedule
You can enter to win a signed paperback copy of A Holiday By Gaslight at most of the stops; or go directly to the blog tour page HERE.
Tuesday, November 13
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Wednesday, November 14
Review at Proverbial Reads
Feature at Tea Book Blanket
Feature at The Caffeinated Bibliophile
Friday, November 16
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads
Feature at View from the Birdhouse
Monday, November 19
Review at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, November 20
Review at A Darn Good Read
Review & Excerpt at Clarissa Reads it All
Wednesday, November 21
Review at Amy’s Booket List
Friday, November 23
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Monday, November 26
Review at Jennifer Tar Heel Reader
Wednesday, November 28
Review at Donna’s Book Blog
Friday, November 30
Review at The Lit Bitch
A Holiday By Gaslight FAQ
Q: Is this a retelling/reimagining of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell?
A: No. Emphatically no. However, I felt it would have been literary malpractice to write a mid-19th century cross-class romance and not pay some homage to Gaskell’s 1855 novel. I did this mainly through the hero who—like John Thornton—is a stern tradesman with a rather severe mother. I mention this in the author notes at the end of the book.
Q: Does this book contain gaslighting?
A: Gaslight (noun: light made from illuminating gas) is a central part of this story. Gaslighting (verb: psychological manipulation) is not.
Q: Why couldn’t this have been a longer novella?
A: A Holiday By Gaslight is just shy of 40,000 words. That’s the maximum length a novella can be and still qualify as a novella.
Q: Will there be a sequel?
A: I wrote A Holiday By Gaslight as a standalone Victorian romance; however, I am considering expanding it into a trilogy. It all depends on how quickly I can finish my other writing commitments.
A Few Extra Goodies
A Holiday By Gaslight Pinterest Board
If you’d like to see some of the visuals that inspired me while I was writing this story (including who I’d cast in each of the roles), you can click through to the A Holiday By Gaslight Pinterest Board.
Victorian Christmas Shopping
If you’d like to learn more about what kinds of Christmas gifts Victorians bought for each other, check out my Victorian Lady’s Christmas Gift Guide!
If you purchase a copy of A Holiday By Gaslight (or any of my books!) this week, please do stop by my Facebook or Twitter page and let me know so that I can thank you personally. And please don’t forget to leave a review at Goodreads and/or Amazon. I truly hope you all enjoy Sophie and Ned’s love story!
This is the best Christmas story I have read in years! Thanks to the exquisite writing I felt like I was there. Thank you Mimi Matthews for a delightful Christmas Gift!
You’re very welcome :) I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
How do I enter your Giveaway for A Holiday by Gaslight? Both your newsletter and your blog say that you can enter at your blog tour but I went to your stops for the 12th and 13th and did not see anything there about a Giveaway.
I would dearly love a chance to win your book.
I’m so sorry, Venette! Apparently the entry form isn’t available at every blog stop after all. However, you can find it at the main blog tour page here: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/aholidaybygaslightblogtour/
Thank you very much!! That worked.
Halfway through the book and Love it. Can’t wait to finish it. If only I didn’t have to go to work i could finish it! Excellent.
Thanks so much, Laurie :) I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!