The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

 

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 set his sights 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 in his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes….

My Review:

Stories like the ones we read in novels help us understand the human condition,” he said. “They teach us empathy. In that way they’re more than an escape from the world. They’re an aid for living in the world. For being better, more compassionate people.”

Oh, The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews is absolutely amazing and I am still in my book hangover. Captain Blunt is a war hero with a past from the Crimean War. He is on the hunt for a wife for his children back in York. Julia is an anxious bookish spinster who lives with her ailing and sick parents who are far from loving.

I loved everything about this book. I was drawn in and literally enchanted! The slow burn romance, the mystery involving Captain Burk, and all the bookish references. The story has all the great parts of a Victorian romance with balls, the rules of society, and servants with strong opinions. A fantastic read!

Mimi Mathews is a favorite of mine and she has written a wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I highly recommend The Belle of Belgrave Square.

“Real life was more complicated than that. And Real love was more complex still. It wasn’t faint or feeble. It was rich and nuanced and strong. So relentlessly strong. It had to be. Human beings were fallible. They stumbled and fell. They made mistakes. Love didn’t crumble in the face of those errors. It held fast and true. “

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Photo by Vicki Hahn  2021

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. Learn more online at mimimatthews.com.