The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews Book Review + Blog Tour Giveaway (US Only)

Publication Date: October 11, 2022
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Length: (432) pages
Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook
Series: Belles of London #2
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

Synopsis

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…

My Thoughts

Captain Jasper Blunt, a veteran of the Crimean War and a reputation for brutality, has come to London for one purpose only - to find himself an heiress. Not only is he notorious for his exploits during the war that hailed him a hero, but also for having three illegitimate children, whom he has acknowledged and who now live with him at his dilapidated estate in Yorkshire. His facial scar and large build are enough to deter any future bride, but Julia Wychwood is attracted to the man despite his reputation.

Julia Wychwood suffers from anxiety. She loathes the unending rounds of social engagements that are part of the London season. Reading novels and riding her large black gelding, Cossack, in Hyde Park are her means of escape. Her only true friends are three other equestrienne bluestockings who are inconveniently out of London when Julia needs their advice. When life becomes too demanding, she feigns illness which brings some respite from the pressure placed on her by her hypochondriac parents.

When Julia's father arranges a match between her and a much older, London-based aristocrat to ensure she will remain at their beck and call even after marriage and subject her to archaic medical treatment to make her compliant, Blunt comes to the rescue.

What follows is another charming romance from an author well-versed in the Victorian age and who writes without the melodrama that often forms part of romance novels. Yes, there are misunderstandings and secrets kept and exposed, but with a sensible and likeable heroine such as Julia, and an equally sensible hero, hurtful and upsetting as some of the revelations are makes for a superb denouement and shows how capable Julia is when her newfound happiness and independence is threatened.

The Belle of Belgrave Square is another great read from Mimi Matthews. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Where to Purchase

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

Meet the Author

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. 

 

Connect with Mimi:
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

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 (US only)

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.

Enter HERE.