Laura's Reviews: Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews (Gentleman Jim Blog Tour)

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews (Gentleman Jim Blog Tour)

Gentleman Jim was another novel that I picked up and had a hard time putting down. The story was rollicking good fun and riveting.

Margaret Honeywell is a fearless teenager. She was overindulged by her father as his only child. She loves two things, their estate and young Nicholas Seaton, a servant. Her mean-spirited neighbor, Fred Burton-Smythe loves Margaret and is jealous of Nicholas. One day he frames Nicholas for a theft, and Nicholas is forced to flee into the night. He vows to find his father, the legendary highwayman, Gentleman Jim. Margaret vows to wait for Nicholas to return and she does.

Year later firmly on the shelf at age twenty-six, Margaret has spent the last two years mourning her father and her aunt. Alone in the world, her father has decided to force his hand with his will stating that Margaret must marry two years after his death to inherit the estate, and that Fred has to approve the match. Until then, odious Fred serves as her guardian. Margaret arrives in London to visit a friend and runs across the mysterious Viscount St. Claire who has recently returned from Europe. Margaret instantly recognizes her long lost love Nicholas. St. Claire denies any knowledge of her or of Nicholas, but Margaret is not convinced. What happened to Nicholas and what is the mystery behind St. Claire?

I loved this book. The characters were brilliant. I loved the Regency England setting. The dialogue and writing were wonderful and really drew me into the story. This is a clean romance, but the passion and love between the two main characters leapt off the page. I loved the secondary characters as well, especially Margaret’s friend Jane. I loved the swashbuckling adventure that occurred at different points of the novel. I also loved that revenge was a large part of the plot as well as St. Claire tries to control his own desires for revenge. It reminded me of The Count of Monte Cristo. I also loved that Margaret was a strong character and no shrinking violet. The story kept me guessing throughout and I once again stayed up too late as I just couldn’t put this book down.

The book was a five-star historical romance. My only complaint is a rather strange one. I LOVED the cover, but it made me think I was going to read the story of someone with African heritage in Regency England and I was excited on that prospect. I was disappointed when the hero was a tall blond man, and no one appeared that matched the cover. I am still waiting for that story!

Favorite Quotes:

“The fact is, he and I were more than friends. More even than lovers. We were soulmates. As essential to each other as light or air.”

“I’m not some damsel in distress for you to rescue.”

Overall, Gentleman Jim is a perfect Regency romance with intrigue, love, revenge and swashbuckling adventure. It’s another book that I couldn’t put down!

Book Source: Review Copy for being a part of the Blog Tour. Thank-you!

QUICK FACTS:

· Title: Gentleman Jim: A Tale of Romance and Revenge

· Author: Mimi Matthews

· Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Regency Romance

Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press (November 10, 2020)
Length: (376) pages
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1733056991
eBook ASIN: B0842YLCNF
Tour Dates: November 9 – December 6, 2020

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

She Couldn't Forget...

Wealthy squire's daughter Margaret Honeywell was always meant to marry her neighbor, Frederick Burton-Smythe, but it's bastard-born Nicholas Seaton who has her heart. Raised alongside her on her father's estate, Nick is the rumored son of notorious highwayman Gentleman Jim. When Fred frames him for theft, Nick escapes into the night, vowing to find his legendary sire. But Nick never returns. A decade later, he's long been presumed dead.

He Wouldn't Forgive...

After years spent on the continent, John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare has finally come home to England. Tall, blond, and dangerous, he's on a mission to restore his family's honor. If he can mete out a bit of revenge along the way, so much the better. But he hasn't reckoned for Maggie Honeywell. She's bold and beautiful--and entirely convinced he's someone else.

As danger closes in, St. Clare is torn between love and vengeance. Will he sacrifice one to gain other? Or, with a little daring, will he find a way to have them both?

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Tartly elegant. . . A vigorous, sparkling, and entertaining love story with plenty of Austen-ite wit."— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Matthews ups the ante with a wildly suspenseful romance..."— Library Journal, starred review

"Equally passionate and powerful...Mimi Matthews proves once again that she is a master of historical fiction in Gentleman Jim."— Readers' Favorite

"Rollicking and romantic, passionate and intriguing...Regency romance does not get any better than Gentleman Jim."— Relz Reviewz

AUTHOR BIO:

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. Her next romance, The Siren of Sussex, will be out in 2022 from Berkley/Penguin Random House.

GOODREADS

THE BLOG TOUR BLURB:

Join the virtual blog tour of GENTLEMAN JIM; A TALE OF ROMANCE AND REVENGE, Mimi Matthews’s highly acclaimed new historical romance novel, November 9 through December 6, 2020. Forty-five popular blogs specializing in historical fiction, historical romance, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with exclusive excerpts, interviews, spotlights, or reviews of this new Regency-era novel set in Somerset, England.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

Nov 09 Relz Reviewz (Character Spotlight)

Nov 09 Life of Literature (Review)

Nov 09 Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

Nov 10 Savvy Verse and Wit (Interview)

Nov 10 Greenish Bookshelf (Review)

Nov 11 Library of Clean Reads (Review)

Nov 11 Silver Petticoat Reviews (Excerpt)

Nov 12 Bookworm Lisa (Review)

Nov 12 Heidi Reads (Review)

Nov 13 Lu's Reviews (Review)

Nov 14 The Green Mockingbird (Review)