Miss Ashbury and the Anatomy of Mending a Heart

Love from London #4

by Jill M. Beene

In Vera’s defense, the man certainly looked like an intruder…

Miss Vera Ashbury has always done precisely what her mother says…until now. When she absconds to the countryside to support her dearest friend, Vera can’t possibly expect the repercussions that follow. Newly alone and penniless, she throws herself on the mercy of others, only to find herself house-mates with the most boorish man of her acquaintance.

In Stephen’s eyes, Miss Vera Ashbury is a cunning charlatan, nothing more…

Lord Winthrop feels he deserves a bit of rest and relaxation after doctoring the populace of India for six years. He’s keen to forget his broken heart—along with all eligible ladies in general. But when he arrives home to find a particularly violent one living in his own house, he’s convinced she must have nefarious plans for his dear mother’s fortune…

Can Vera and Stephen look past their initial impressions and find forgiveness—and something far more precious—on the other side?

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Romance, Historical Fiction, Forced Proximity, Regency

408 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2025

About the author

Be sure to follow me on Goodreads to get every update! I live in sunny California with my handsome husband and my slobbery English Mastiff, Rupert. I've always loved stories and wanted to write novels. When I'm not getting words on the page, I'm walking my dog or cooking something (hopefully) delicious. Feel free to ask me a question or connect with me here, but you can also find me on Instagram or my website, JillMBeene.com. I so appreciate my readers! Thank you!

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Faith | The Wholesome Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

📝 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲:
Regency romance with forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers tension, emotional healing, and strong character growth. Quietly angsty but ultimately tender, with an emphasis on personal boundaries and becoming whole again.

💬 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
This turned out to be my favorite installment in the series. I had been anticipating Vera’s story, and watching her slowly come out of her shell was deeply satisfying. Her journey toward self-worth, confidence, and speaking up for herself felt earned and meaningful, especially given what we’ve seen of her in previous books.

I’ll admit I was genuinely annoyed with Lord Winthrop at the start. His tendency to overstep Vera’s boundaries made me pause more than once, and I struggle with main characters who disregard consent or personal space. Thankfully, the story doesn’t excuse this behavior. His growth comes through accountability, self-awareness, and a sincere shift in how he treats Vera, which makes their eventual connection feel more believable.

Once their dynamic softened, the story truly shone—the forced proximity allowed for honest conversations, emotional vulnerability, and the gradual development of trust. I especially appreciated how neatly everything wrapped up, both romantically and emotionally, without feeling rushed or forced.

❤️‍🔥 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿:
Vera’s character arc, her emotional healing, and the way the story centers the FMC’s growth rather than sacrificing it for romance.

⚠️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁:
Emotional vulnerability, grief and past loss, boundary-crossing behavior early in the story (addressed and corrected), mild emotional angst. Closed-door romance.

✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲:
• Regency romances with strong character development
• Enemies-to-lovers that focus on emotional growth
• Forced proximity used for healing rather than drama
• Quiet, introspective FMCs finding their voice
• Closed-door romance with depth and heart

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely witty, beautiful (and clean!) enemies-to-more Regency romance with deep lessons

I know I’ll be absolutely biased but I love this series so much, and this book only adds to its charm. It’s witty, delightful, and at the same time, deep (the reconciliation and forgiveness are incredible lessons here).
Mrs. Beene creates such a wonderful atmosphere one can’t help but wish for the characters to live next door. With their own share of secrets, heartaches, and the feeling of lostness in the circumstances they’re thrown into, this pair of true enemies-to-friends-to-more is one to cheer for. Also, the meet cute is simply fantastic! However, it’s the mending of their hearts as well as the growth in their relationships that occur afterwards that are truly a gem.

And the dual POV, engaging style (oh the humor!) and a well-developed plot make this book a delight to read. Give it a try (but I’d highly recommend to start with the first one in the series - because all the reappearances of the other characters will make so much sense).

Possible triggers: diseases, death, orphan/adoption, dysfunctional family, loss

I had a privilege to read an advanced copy and absolutely loved it! All opinions expressed are my own.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fabulous. Regency characters in unusual plots with some great humor - the raccoon in the bathtub had me in stitches! Now I have to wait several months until the next one comes out. Meanwhile, I'll look for other books by this delightful author!


Amazon synopsis:
n Vera’s defense, the man certainly looked like an intruder…

Miss Vera Ashbury has always done precisely what her mother says…until now. When she absconds to the countryside to support her dearest friend, Vera can’t possibly expect the repercussions that follow. Newly alone and penniless, she throws herself on the mercy of others, only to find herself house-mates with the most boorish man of her acquaintance.

In Stephen’s eyes, Miss Vera Ashbury is a cunning charlatan, nothing more…

Lord Winthrop feels he deserves a bit of rest and relaxation after doctoring the populace of India for six years. He’s keen to forget his broken heart--along with all eligible ladies in general. But when he arrives home to find a particularly violent one living in his own house, he’s convinced she must have nefarious plans for his dear mother’s fortune…

Can Vera and Stephen look past their initial impressions and find forgiveness--and something far more precious--on the other side?

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

── .✦ "…in order to be fully truthful with others, first one must be fully truthful with oneself."

~

˗ˏˋ˗ˏ 4 🌟 ● 🫑

~

Well, that's that! Until book five on Feb 1st, of course.

I cannot believe how quickly I have gone through this series. How easily i ate them all up. And i can happily tell you that they are very easy to read, given you don't mind a formal way of writing. As if the book is from the 1800s itself.

We love to see a bit of enemies-to-lovers. Or rather, a misunderstanding-to-love. Loved the way these two were written. The way Stephen had a way of thinking re: Vera, and was swiftly told otherwise.

And how he spent the majority of the book trying to fix his own misstep. And how, unlike the third act conflict in the earlier books, this one was an actual accident with the rain and the carts.

Also enjoyed seeing a doctor being our MMC for once. And the FMC being a 'nurse' of sorts. And how they got their little girl.

[Cynthia Houser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Ashbury

This is another good book in this series. I love when the characters from other books are in the books in the rest of the series. It is refreshing to read a clean romance book. I found this book very engaging with all of the animals. I laughed out loud when the good doctor woke to find a fox in his bed. Lol

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I'm enjoying the series, I'm becoming frustrated with the similarity in the plots and situations. I realize that social rules limited communication between the sexes but the constant misunderstandings that arise from the inability to communicate is making me rethink. I don't know if I'll go on to the next one.

[Dobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3-1/2 stars, rounded up to 4 because I'm not going to finish the series. This book's lack of effective editing was slightly less intrusive, which is faint praise indeed. The author has such potential; it's unfortunate that wrong-word choices and grammatical errors became issues I couldn't overlook.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really like grumpy heroes (enough of those irl), and heroines giving up their jobs when they marry. Not to mention slobbery mastiffs. But I liked the menagerie, and Vera's development of her fashion sense.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet series. Enjoyed the gentleman with a job angle. Also…this series/author always includes a GREAT dinner scene. The dialogue!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I loved the personalities, the growth, and the enemies to lovers. Definitely one of my favorite ones in the series.

[Bryony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bah - I have to wait two months to finish this series

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

an enjoyable story

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

fave