Laura's Reviews: Matthews

Showing posts with label Matthews - Mimi. Show all posts

Saturday, October 22, 2022

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews (Austenprose PR Book Tour and Giveaway!)

What is your favorite fairy tale? My two favorite fairy tales growing up were Beauty and the Beast and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I loved fairy tales and reading all of the different versions of them. I still love them.

I was excited to review The Belle of Belgrave Square and discover it was a Beauty and the Beast story. I loved, loved, loved The Siren of Sussex and I felt the same way about The Belle of Belgrave Square. Although this is a series, these are standalone novels. The characters were first introduced in The Siren of Sussex, but The Belle of Belgrave Square is its own independent story.

Julia Wychwood is a sheltered heiress who has never left London. Her parents are always on their sickbed and her only escape is through reading novels or riding her horse, Cossex. When Captain Jasper Blunt starts to take notice in her, Julia is not sure what to do. He is hailed as a hero from the Crimea, but the tales of his treatment of his soldiers is horrifying. Since his return, the stories of his haunted estate and illegitimate children do not paint a better picture. As Julia gets to know him thought, she believes maybe he has changed. After her parents take bloodletting too far on her, she realizes she needs to make a change. Would marrying Captain Blunt be just the change she needs? What secrets is he hiding?

I felt like this was a perfect book for the fall. It had perfect Gothic vibes. Matthews had wonderful notes at the end to fill in the history of the Victorian times discussed in the novel. I also loved that she said it was also based not only on Beauty and the Beast, but also The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery which is another one of my favorite novels. After I read that, I connected the dots and saw how much it was inspired by The Blue Castle. I was able to figure out the twists in The Belle of Belgrave Square ahead of time, but that probably was because it was inspired by some of my favorite works. I enjoyed it just the same. My favorite scene was Jasper showing Julia his library for the first time. Now that is love!

I liked the inner look into Julia and Jasper as well. For Julia she had to deal with anxiety, especially at social events that she was required to attend. She was constantly working on ways to deal with her anxiety. Jasper is dealing with both the internal and external scars from being a soldier in the Crimea as well as a traumatic childhood. I love how they both had to build trust with each other and understanding through the novel.

This book has a very low level of spice at the end. It is a marriage of convenience trope – which I love.

I can’t wait for the next book, The Lily of Ludgate Hill, which is previewed at the end of this book!

Review Copy from Berkley Romance and Netgalley as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

· Title: The Belle of Belgrave Square

· Series: Belles of London (Book 2)

· Author: Mimi Matthews

· Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

· Publisher: ‎Berkley Romance (October 11, 2022)

· Length: (432) pages

· Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook

· ISBN: 978-0593337158

· Tour Dates: October 3 - 23, 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A BookBub Best Romance of 2022

A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.

For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.

In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…

ADVANCE PRAISE

“A grand cross-class romance, a twisty mystery, and emotional internal struggles combine to excellent effect…fans and new readers alike will root for this well-earned love story.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[C]ombines deception, risk, and a resourceful heroine to create an intoxicating, suspenseful romance. Highly recommended.”— Library Journal (starred review)

“If you’re a fan of Beauty and the Beast, this regency romance will rapidly become a new favorite of yours. Wallflower meets an infamous war hero in this fascinating and intriguing love story.”— BuzzFeed

“Mimi Matthews never disappoints, with richly drawn characters and couples whose individual shortcomings become strengths, when paired together. In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, we get to root for two underdogs who get to rewrite their own stories.”— Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

“The Belle of Belgrave Square is such tremendous, good fun: a heroine with a big horse, an even bigger novel-reading habit, and a hidden anxiety; a hero with a crumbling estate, a trio of wary children, and a literary secret—what's not to love? Mimi Matthews paints Victorian England with vivid humor, and her Belles of London is set to go on for at least a few more much-anticipated installments. Julian Fellowes fans will rejoice!”— Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

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 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, 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.

VICTORIAN READING ROOM

Join Mimi at her Victorian Reading Room Facebook Group for exclusive access as she shares her love of writing, historical romance, Victorian fashion, brooding heroes, independent heroines, and of course, her beloved pets

READ AN EXCLSUIVE INTERVIEW WITH MIMI MATTHEWS

Discover intriguing insights into The Belle of Belgrave Square and Mimi’s writing life in this exclusive interview at austenprose.com.

GIVEAWAY

Mimi has generously offered a fabulous giveaway that book tour participants can add to their post and on social media. Here are the details:

Giveaway period: October 3 – October 30

Terms & Conditions:

Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. All information will remain confidential and will not be sold or otherwise used, except to notify the winner and to facilitate postage of the book to the winner. Void where prohibited.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives a paperback copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square, signed and annotated by the author with personal comments, underlining of her favorite lines, and other highlights by Mimi Matthews.

Giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 10/03/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 10/30/22.

The winner will be announced on Mimi's blog on 10/31/22.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, January 28, 2022

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews (Austenprose PR Book Tour) Review and GIVEAWAY

What are your favorite outdoor sports or hobbies? I love to go for walks, hikes, and bike rides. When I was younger, I also loved to climb trees and read in them. In this novel, the heroine loves horseback riding.

Evelyn Maltravers knows that her future hangs by a thread. She is an orphan and the family hopes had all been placed on her beautiful older sister. After her sister has scandalously run off with a neighbor, Evelyn knows it’s up to her to find a suitable match to help out her younger sisters. She travels to London to stay with her uncle. She decides to stand out from the crowd, that she will order a beautiful riding habit and show off her riding skills.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has made a name for himself designing beautiful and unique riding habits for the Rotten Row’s infamous “Petty Horsebreakers.” His dream is to own his own shop and he is trying to get unique gowns worn by someone in society to market his skills. When Evelyn Maltravers stops by his shop to order a new riding habit, he realizes that she may be the person who can market his designs. As he gets to know her, he discovers that he has feelings for her. Will these two be able to pass the hurdles that society places on them to find their destinies?

I LOVED this novel. In particular items I enjoyed included:

- The cover is gorgeous, and it also matches that description in the novel.

- Evelyn is an independent and unique character. As I also wear glasses, I love that she wears them and tells people the truth that she actually wants to be able to see.
- Speaking of glasses, I love that Ahmad designed Evelyn’s dresses with pockets so that she could put her glasses in them. I want functioning pockets on all of my clothing now and can’t always find them!
- Ahmad Malik is a unique and honorable character. I loved his artistic vision, but also his caring for his family and friends.
- The book faces the fact that as a half Indian man in Victorian England, Ahmad faced prejudice and had a harder time trying to build a business and find love.
- Evelyn also makes it clear that trying to catch a husband is a serious affair. She is not just a giggly girl. Having a husband is the only way she as a woman during the Victorian era, can make sure that her and her sisters have support.
- The book also looked at double standards. Her neighbor, Anthony, ran off with her sister, Fenny, and hasn’t married her to keep his inheritance. Anthony’s family won’t let him marry her because she has lived with a man that is unmarried – Anthony! The hypocrisy with the situation is shocking, but also sad because this was how things worked in that time.
- Evelyn loves to ride horses and trained her horse herself. She is proud of it and doesn’t shy away from her strengths.
- Lady Heatherton was a great villain. She only thinks about herself and her needs and is ruthless.
- The spiritualism subplot was interesting. I know it was very in vogue during that time period in England and the United States. Poor Evelyn is not amused by her uncle’s obsession with it.
- I loved the author’s note which detailed the real history that was used in the novel. I also thought the discussion questions looked interesting. This would make a great book club book.
- This is the start of a new series, the Belles of London, and I want to read more. Evelyn’s friends were all interesting and unique and I want to learn more about them. I in particular also loved the mysterious Captain Blunt in this novel. I was excited to see in the excerpt for the new novel (The Belle of Belgrave Square) found at the end of this book, he will be prominently included!
- The Siren of Sussex is a clean read.

Overall, The Siren of Sussex is an engaging new historical romance with great characters, romance, historical details, and conflict. I highly recommend it.

Book Source: Review Copy from Berkley Publishing as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

· Title: The Siren of Sussex: Belles of London (Book 1)

· Author: Mimi Matthews

· Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

· Publisher: Berkley Romance (January 11, 2022)

· Length: (432) pages

· Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook

· Tour Dates: January 10-30, 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she's worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she'll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London's attention she'll need a habit-maker who's not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row's infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

ADVANCE PRAISE

“…a tender and swoon worthy interracial, cross-class romance in Victorian London…Readers will delight in this paean to women’s fashion and horseback riding.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Matthews brings the Victorian era to vivid life with meticulously researched details and an impossible romance made believable and memorable.”— Booklist, starred review

“Matthews deftly underscores racial and gender discrimination in Victorian London in this excellent start to ‘The Belles of London’ series; rather than overshadowing, it propels the romance. Romance aficionados who love fashion and animals will delight in this tender romance and will be excited to see Evelyn’s friends in future installments.” — Library Journal, starred review

"Unflinching, tender, and moving, the delicately crafted The Siren of Sussex might just be my favourite work from Mimi Matthews; it certainly is one of my favourite historical romance reads this year."— Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author of Portrait of a Scotsman

PURCHASE LINKS

AUTHOR BIO

GOODREADS

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Mimi has generously offered a fabulous giveaway package that book tour participants can add to their posts and on social media. Here are the details:

Timeframe: Jan 4 - Feb 7, 2022

Terms & Conditions:

Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. Void where prohibited.

The Giveaway Package:

1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives the following:

Signed print copy of The Siren of Sussex

Horse scarf

Pewter sidesaddle brooch (made in Sussex, England!)

The Siren of Sussex tote bag

Three candles in scents: Fresh Hay, New Saddle, and Winter Ride

Box of Ahmad Tea (60 count, assorted flavors)

The Siren of Sussex bookmark

The giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 1/4/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 2/7/22.

The winner will be announced on Mimi's blog - mimimatthews.com – at 8:00 pm Pacific time on 2/8/22.

: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow by Mimi Matthews (Blog Tour)

Join the virtual book tour of JOHN EYRE: A TALE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOW, Mimi Matthews’ highly acclaimed Bronte-inspired Gothic romance, July 12-25, 2021. Thirty-five popular on-line influencers specializing in historical fiction, Gothic romance, and paranormal fiction will join in the celebration of its release with an interview, spotlights, exclusive excerpt, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in Yorkshire, England.

My Review

What if Jane Eyre was a man instead of a woman? How would the story of Jane Eyre play out? That is the question that John Eyre answers in a very clever way. John Eyre combines two classics, but I don’t want to ruin the story, so I won’t say which is the second classic.

John Eyre is a schoolmaster who must leave his position after the wife of his patron, Lady Helen Burns, falls in love with him. He accepts a position at Thornfield as the tutor to two mysterious boys from Europe. As he works to break them out of their shell, he wonders about his employer, the mysterious and missing Mrs. Rochester. When Mrs. Rochester returns, he finds her even more of an enigma. What is Mrs. Rochester hiding from her past? Why are there mysterious almost supernatural happenings going on at Thornfield?

I really enjoyed this novel. I really liked the unique premise with the gender flip and the combining of two classics stories. They worked well together. The story is told from John’s perspective in the third person and a past narrative where a young Bertha Mason narrates letters to her best friend Blanche Ingram. Bertha narrates her voyage through Europe and her meeting and marriage to Mr. Rochester. I loved the way this book was written like this.

I enjoyed the Victorian Gothic novel and the supernatural elements. I don’t want to ruin it for others, but I think this would be a perfect book to read leading up to Halloween. Matthews knows Jane Eyre was able to change elements of it while keeping the elements that make Jane Eyre its own unique story.

Overall, John Eyre by Mimi Matthews is a gender swapping supernatural retelling of Jane Eyre that is thoroughly enjoyable.

Book Source: Review Copy from Perfectly Proper Press. Thank-you!

QUICK FACTS

· Title: John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow

· Author: Mimi Matthews

· Genre: historical fiction, Gothic romance, paranormal fiction

· Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press (July 20, 2021)

· Length: (364) pages

· Hardcover ISBN: 978-1736080207

· Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1736080221

· eBook ASIN: B08NPLVHVN

· Tour Dates: July 12 – 25, 2021

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he's ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John's new employer—a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn't on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she's powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn't quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Bertha Mason Rochester shines, dominating her scenes with vitality and strength. The style, too, is spot-on, reprising the spirit of 19th-century Gothic prose without descending into mimicry.”— Publishers Weekly

“An entertaining spin on a classic with thrilling twists and turns…Matthews skillfully transforms a well-known story into a truly original tale.”— Kirkus

“[Matthews] retells Charlotte Bronte's classic story in a way that will keep fans of the original novel totally gripped from cover to cover... Fresh and dynamic... Fast-paced and spellbinding...a book you will have a hard time putting down.”— Readers Favorite

“One of the most moving, suspenseful, innovative and remarkable retellings of a classic in the history of, well, ever... Every page is sheer rapture as [Matthews] moulds popular source material into a spell-binding creation so wholly her own.”— Rachel McMillan, bestselling author of The London Restoration

“[A] captivating and ingenious retelling of Jane Eyre with a supernatural twist. Smart, suspenseful, and deliciously spooky, JOHN EYRE is a must-read; I loved everything about it!”— Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries and the Electra McDonnell series

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Regency and Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, 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 Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.