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Book Review of A Modest Independence (Parish Orphans of Devon)

A Modest Independence (Parish Orphans of Devon)
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This book is the return of two secondary characters from the first book in this series: Jenny Holloway and Tom Finchley, an attorney. Jenny was a companion to Lady Helena (in the last book) and received a modest independence of 5000 pounds from Helena. Jenny plans to use it to travel to India to find her lost (and presumed dead) cousin Giles, the 6th Earl of Castleton. Unfortunately, during a native uprising, Giles was cut down, but no body recovered.

Tom was horrified by Jenny's plan to travel that far without companions. So he hires two native Indians living in Britain. Tom also decides to go along; this is so out of character that I'm amazed. Tom has been the logical one in the past. I also cannot imagine Tom could have made those travel arrangements so quickly.

Frankly, I'm surprised by the stodgy tone of this book. This is the eighth book I've read by this author, and I'm disappointed. I never expected anything by Mimi Matthews to be ponderous and slow-moving as this book is. As a result, I won't be able to recommend it.

Parish Orphans of Devon â Total of 4
1. The Matrimonial Advertisement (2018)
** 2. A Modest Independence (2019)
3. A Convenient Fiction (2019)
4. The Winter Companion (2020)