The Muse of Maiden Lane

Two high-society underdogs find an unlikely connection in Matthews’s effervescent fourth Belles of London Victorian romance (after The Lily of Ludgate Hill). Only 22 and already sporting a full head of gray hair, Stella Hobhouse is getting ready to conclude her second season. Though marriage would free her from living with her disrespectful brother and the judgment of his equally disdainful fiancée, Stella would much rather continue life as a spinster, indulging in her passions for riding her horse and dabbling in art. Following a bout with scarlet fever, Teddy Hayes, an artist and part owner of his family’s perfume company, uses a wheelchair and lives with his sister and her husband. When he sees Stella, and her striking silver hair, he becomes determined to paint her portrait, sparking first friendship, then unexpected love. Stella’s outspoken nature and Teddy’s tender honesty, together with their mutual disregard for societal norms, result in powerful chemistry. Full of both wit and heart, this is another winner from Matthews. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Nov.)