John Eyre, a laudanum-addicted tutor, finds himself employed at Thornfield Hall by the beautiful widow Mrs Rochester, to take care of the education of her wards, two little boys that she brought home from her travels in Europe. But from the moment he arrives, strange things happen at the house, and it soon becomes apparent that Thornfield houses many secrets.

More than just a gender-swapped Jane Eyre, this novel mashes together two great works of gothic literature to form a story that works surprisingly well, the original and recognisable story of Jane Eyre sitting very comfortably with more supernatural elements woven into it. I really enjoyed reading it.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

If you like books that are relentlessly suspenseful and heavy with foreboding, then this is the book for you. It borrows elements from several famous gothic romances, particularly Jane Eyre. Readers need to know that while characters may have the same or similar names, their positions in this book may be different than in the originals. I was puzzled at first, for example, to see that Helen Burns from Jane Eyre had been the wife of a nobleman in this book.

John Eyre is based on the original character of Jane Eyre. Like Jane, John is alone in the world. While he has plenty of strength and intelligence of his own, he knows his place in society but doesn't seem to rebel against it (unlike Jane). John has been newly employed to be the tutor to two young boys who are wards of the owner of Thornfield Hall. I liked that John was not a swashbuckling hero although he also has plenty of courage, will, and a strong protective instinct.

The other main character is Bertha Mason, who inherited Thornfield Hall from her father. Bertha Rochester reminded me of Edward Rochester as both are strong-willed and passionate. Bertha was also adventurous. After she was left orphaned around 18 months earlier than the beginning of this book, she went on a grand tour with a friend.

The chapters of this book alternate John's present-day experiences at Thornfield with the letters Bertha wrote from abroad to her best friend at home. I was riveted as the two timelines grew closer to converging and the sense of danger grew.

Thanks to the publisher Perfectly Proper Press and Netgalley for an advance reading copy. It was my pleasure to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed Ms. Matthews twist on two old classics, one of which is Jane Eyre. I thought that flipping the roles where the turtor is a man was clever and lent itself to a fresh take on the storyline. Once I realized that the author was also blending in another classic, I was totally sold. In addition, the gothic feel of this book was off the charts - - a fact that I greatly enjoyed.

I found that the part of the storyline which is shared through Bertha Rochester's letters and journal made it feel more realistic. It demonstrates how the life she thought she was committing too initially wasn't at all what she ended up with. She was much more naive than she realized.

John Eyre shows up to Thornhill Hall to tutor Bertha's wards, two young boys she brought back from her travels overseas. He has "baggage" that he's dealing with after leaving his last teaching post following a tragedy that he still can't shake. This all creates doubt and uncertainty for him. He loses confidence and blames himself for many of the events that led to his departure from his last position.

These two join together to fight against a threat which may be supernatural in nature. Either way, their battles is a classic story of good versus evil and it was done with flair.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

John Eyre
By Mimi Matthews

I loved Jane Eyre and I loved this re-telling - with all the gothic atmosphere you come to expect with a little bit more - supernatural. I found this read to be riveting and uniquely original that Mimi Matthews adoringly wrote to perfection. I absolutely love it and I am delighted with this retelling I am recommending this to everyone!
I was so absorbed into the story and somehow Matthews continued the story for me in ways that I had questioned reading Jane Eyre in the past. The what ifs.... and here it is delivered in the most monumental of ways while combining two classical works of fiction into a book that will runt he test of time.

The writing is impeccable and John Eyre is an enthralling read - historical and classics readers will have a hard time putting this book down.

All the stars for this book.

John Eyre is the Jane Eyre - Dracula mashup I didn't know I needed! Before I go any further, I should clarify: I haven't read either of the classic novels, though I have a rudimentary knowledge of both; I've also watched a few Jane Eyre movie adaptations over the years ... and I haven't really liked them. All this is to say that you can go into this book without a real idea of what will happen and still enjoy it immensely. It's definitely not something that only fans of the classic novels will enjoy!

Bertha Mason Rochester. While she is ostensibly not the main character (that would be the titular John Eyre), there's no doubt that this is her story. I found Bertha to be a fascinating woman who was clearly shaped by her experiences and came out stronger. I loved how Matthews slowly revealed her story, both in letters and journal entries as she met and married Edward Rochester, and later through the main story back at Thornfield.

There's a touch of romance here (nothing like in Matthews's Regency and Victorian romances), but that's certainly not the thrust of the novel. Still, it's Mimi Matthews, so the romance aspect was certainly enjoyable!

I would call the novel spooky but not scary (though I know everyone's definition of those terms will be different). I usually can't do anything remotely supernatural, but this didn't bother me at all. All in all, I loved John Eyre, and once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down! I definitely recommend it. 4-1/2 stars.

My Thoughts:

John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness is a story strong in atmospheric tension and mystery. It is a story re-written from two famous stories of the 19th century. Both of these stories are favorites of mine. When I had the opportunity to read and review John Eyre I jumped at the chance with excitement.

There are several reasons why I love John Eyre:
1. It is a story thick with tension, mystery, anticipation, fear, and dread.
2. I love the details in the story. Human mannerisms and the small things that are done every day that bring a realness to the story. For example, the winding of a pocket watch.
3. I love the descriptions of the scenery and homes. In an atmospheric story like Gothic literature, it is important to show the reader an impact of the gray and grim; and a mist or fog or other objects that obscures what maybe behind it. It is writing that brings mystery and tension.
4. There is a level of sexuality or sensualness in some of the characters, but it is not to a point that takes the story to a level that is too revealing. It is subtle but noticeable.
5. John Eyre is the lead character or hero in the story. If you recognize his last name, and if you remember the character in the famous 19th century story, Jane Eyre, you are correct. He is the male form of Jane. The story Jane Eyre is my number one favorite story!
6. John Eyre comes across as a Byronic type hero. One of the anticipations for me while reading is I waited and hoped for his character to mature or blossom. I wanted to see a full revealing of his person. I also had strong empathy for him.
7. The story towards the end has gruesome details. This is necessary and is apart of the revealing of what the story has been building up to.
8. Bertha Mason is the female lead character. She is strong, assertive, intelligent, and bold. She is beautiful and has a vibrant personality. She is a person people notice. She is the opposite, because of her language and behavior, in how many of the women are portrayed in l9th century literature. Her character is more of a contemporary written figure. However, her character is a solid balance for the whole of the story. She is certainly intriguing.

Themes in John Eyre: honesty, loyalty, jealousy, obsession, courage, bravery, kindness, heroism, innocence, fear, good and evil, deception, romance, empowerment, hope, and charity.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-book copy

This gender-flipped retelling of Charlotte Bronte's classic novel has intrigued me since the moment I heard of it. Jane Eyre has been a part of my life since I was quite young. I remember when some friends introduced me to the story via the 1943 Orson Welles movie—I was 12 or 13 years old at the time, and quite confused as to what was going on.

In this retelling, John Eyre is a tutor seeking a fresh start after a disastrous conclusion to his previous post. He arrives at isolated Thornfield Hall, ancestral home of the absent Mrs. Rochester, where Mr. Fairfax introduces him to his charges: two young boys who have a ghostly appearance and do not speak.

Mrs. Rochester arrives at Thornfield, and she is a brash, dashing woman in widow's weeds. Yet John sees a delicate, vulnerable side that she normally keeps locked deep away, and as mysterious happenings swarm Thornfield, it draws John and Mrs. Rochester together for a perfect storm.

Mimi Matthews has said this is a Jane Eyre retelling mixed with that of another classic novel whose identity she couldn't reveal without spoiling things, so I won't reveal it, either. I will say I was about 40% into the story before I realized what the second one was, and it does pair surprisingly well. Bertha Rochester definitely steals the show. For some reason I never felt connected to John or his emotions, and I missed the faith element that makes Jane Eyre such a strong character. Overall, I feel this is an interesting retelling which many will enjoy, and I'm glad I read it.

Content warning: This is not a Christian fiction book, which I knew ahead of time, and it contains instances of PG-rated swearing. If you're familiar with any BBC shows like Poldark or Downton Abbey, it's in line with what you would hear there. Use your own discretion.

I received my copy of the book through NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I'm not going to lie. I hated the ending of Jane Eyre.

But this book was amazing. I loved the gender flip and the *ahem* twist of Mr. Rochester *no spoiler here*.

I would definitely read more classic books with this type of twist if the author wants to continue!

”Jane Eyre” meets “Dracula” with a touch of “Woman in White” in this thought provoking gender bending twist on the traditional gothic thriller. Here the woman, Bertha Mason, has travelled the world while John Eyre has stayed in England. She has had adventures and been in danger, but is the danger real or a product of a disturbed imagination? John is pretty much the main character, we see most of the events from his point of view while Bertha’s story comes from letters and diary entries. I often felt like I didn’t get to really know Bertha or John as people, for a large part of the book they were variations on their original characters and what they represented- John as stability and rational thought, Bertha as the strong woman rarely seen in original gothic thrillers. But when things took their turn into uncharted territory is when things got really good and I loved how the ending worked. It was, for me, much more satisfying than the ending of “Jane Eyre”.

It’s hard to go into more detail than that without giving away spoilers, but for me, as someone who found myself agreeing with the Author’s Note on all Mimi Matthews’ views in “Jane Eyre”, “John Eyre” was a satisfying adventure. Quite different from what readers are used to from Matthews, this fanfic retelling has all of the power of description and brilliant writing one expects from a Mimi Matthews book. “John Eyre” is the perfect new thriller to curl up with on a stormy night for thrills and chills.

I received an Arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

With her latest novel, John Eyre, Mimi Matthews has successfully ventured into the Victorian Gothic genre by cleverly meshing together two classics, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Bram Stoker's Dracula, in a gender swapping novel that despite its familiar plot line still manages to engross and entertain.

I've enjoyed Matthews' Victorian romances in the past and expected to enjoy this one just as much, although a little dubious of the Dracula thread as I'm not a huge fan of this type of gothic fiction. But it did work well here, especially the subtle way in which it is introduced through John's reactions to the odd and disturbing events happening around him which he attributes to his use of laudanum.

John's courage, kindness and steadfastness, make him the ideal hero. Shocked by the strange appearance of his two mute, young charges, he treats them with patience and gentleness. As his tutelage continues, they become more boy-like and less wary of him, but he still can't explain their continued silence or interpret the looks that pass between them.

John's first meeting with Bertha does not go well, but he is drawn to the enigmatic and formidable woman who he later learns is his employer. An unhappy experience in his past is a constant reminder of the mistake he made, one that he doesn't wish to repeat, but he cannot help but be drawn to Bertha's strength and the fear and vulnerability he glimpses at times. As their friendship develops, he is aware she is keeping secrets from him. When these secrets are revealed in all their horror, she finally shares with him how she thwarted Rochester's plans, became guardian of the two little boys and the efforts made to keep her household safe.

John Eyre is another triumph for Mimi Matthews. It offers a unique and exciting take on an old favourite that I'm sure will be enjoyed by other readers whether they have read the originals or not.

October 1843 After the death of Lady Helen Burn, at Lowton, tutor John Eyre takes a position far away in Yorkshire. At Thornfield Hall home to Mrs Rochester and her two young wards, Stephen and Peter.
Following the deaths of her parents and acquiring her inheritance, Bertha Mason, travels the continent and meets her future husband Mr. Rochester. The story of her life from then is told in conjunction with Eyre's until they met.
An entertaining and well-written Victorian Gothic story, blending seamlessly two classic books. With its wonderful portrayal of the two main characters and their story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mimi Matthews is one of the best writers — not of romance, not of gothics — just one of the best writers around. Period. She has the ability to surround readers, pulling them away from the modern world to a different place in time. In the case of John Eyre, this is a world many of us know. Who hasn't read Jane Eyre and thrilled to its revelations and tragic lovers, crying at the somewhat bittersweet ending?
Now we meet John, a disgraced school teacher who becomes a tutor in an isolated mansion, entering a world unlike any he has known. The subtitle — 'a tale of darkness and shadows' — is played out on the pages of what is a delightfully thrilling story. John's counterpart, widow Bertha Mason Rochester, is both intriguing and worldly, yet damaged from her marriage — we find out through letters and journal entries how spectacularly her marriage to Edward Rochester fell to pieces. And, oh, what pieces!
Because in the hands of this master, John Eyre is not just a tribute to the original Charlotte Bronte classic. No, Matthews brings in threads of another famous tale, one with perhaps the most frightening leading man in all of literature, This is uber Gothic, the kind of book best read at night, under the covers (no flashlight needed thanks to Kindle backlighting) to enjoy all the shivers. Brilliant, more than one reviewer has called it. And they are correct. (I received an advance copy via NetGalley. Opinions my own.)

Thanks to #Netgalley and #johneyre for the eARC (opinions are my own).

I’m a big fan of Mimi’s historical romances so when I saw she was coming out with a supernatural historical suspense novel I was so excited. I can’t speak to how good of a retelling it is since I’ve never read Jane Eyre but on its own it was so well done. This was overflowing with an eerie atmosphere, creepy undertones and a classic romance. From the first chapter I was drawn in. John takes on tutoring Mrs Rochester’s two sickly wards at her country estate filled with secrets. It’s told part from John’s POV and part flashbacks through Mrs. Rochester's letters and diary entries. If you’re familiar with the Jane Eyre story it might be predictable but regardless I recommend this one!

Adult Content Note: Little to no swearing, no sexual content and mild violence
⚠️: domestic violence

John Eyre by Mimi Matthews is an adaptation of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte with a bit of Bram Stoker's Dracula thrown in for good measure. It is an interesting story, as was the original. Matthew has does a wonderful job of recreating a classic gothic novel and turning it into something even more horrifying than the original. The pacing was excellent, building the horror slowly, through the use of old letters and journal entries. Masterful. Chilling.

John Eyre is a schoolmaster, running from himself, looking for a place to hide. What better than an isolated Yorkshire mansion with an absent mistress? His charges are small, and haunted-looking. They do not speak. They do not resist. John starts slowly with them and his efforts begin to pay off. He discovers they are being given a tonic, twice a day, loaded with small amounts of laudanum. He puts a stop to it. They gain ground even more quickly. Then, Mrs. Rochester, the mistress, returns home. She is furious the boys are no longer taking the tonic, but otherwise happy with their progress. She is frightening, difficult to talk to, harder to relate to. As she comes and goes she and John develop a friendship and then more. Mrs. Wren, a friend from the past, visits and nearly gets killed. It is all very odd. Then, as they are to be married, Mrs. Wren pays another visit and accuses Bertha Rochester of keeping her brother, Bertha's husband, imprisoned. Then things really start happening. You know the story.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of John Eyre by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #johneyre

'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?'
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3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

John Eyre by Mimi Matthews is a gender-flipped, supernatural gothic retelling of two classic novels.

This one is a bit tough to review without giving some important plot points away, so I will be intentionally vague, but as is clear from the title, one of the two books that this story draws from is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

I love essentially all books with a supernatural element to them and Mimi Matthews is one of my favorite authors, so I knew going in that I would enjoy the book. But as this is so different from her others, I was curious to see how she would twist these classic novels to blend them together and put her own spin on them. The creepy vibes were great and my favorite element of the story.

What prevented me from giving this book a higher rating was how closely it followed the storyline of one of the books it was based on. It followed very closely and so it hindered the suspense aspect of the plot. I felt that I knew what was coming. As retellings go, it was very well written and enjoyable though, I just wish there had been a greater element of surprise so that it could feed the   feeling of suspense, rather than detract from it.

John Eyre is very different from Matthews' previous books and was a fun blend of two classics. I would love to see more gothic style romances by her in the future.
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I would like to thank Perfectly Proper Press and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of John Eyre with me. This is my honest review.

This is a gender swapped retelling of Jane Eyre.
Now anyone who knows me knows that Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books ever. The writing, dialogue and romance are certainly entertaining but one of my favorite parts of the story is Jane herself. John is very different from Jane but I still liked him. He struggles morally and has an opium addiction. I think these things make him more relatable to the modern reader. The reader is also introduced to adult John rather than having his whole life story jammed into 300ish pages. I liked that the author begins the story with Thornfield since that section is the most exciting part of the original story.
I enjoyed the changes the author made and think it helped make the story feel fresh to a seasoned reader like myself. I liked the added mysteries and think the gender swapped worked in this retelling.
If you enjoy cozy romantic mysteries or Jane Eyre retellings, I would definitely recommend picking this up!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I loved this wonderfully gothic and atmospheric retelling of Jane Eyre. John’s character was very well written. He was tortured but still very relatable. I also enjoyed the addition of Bertha Rochester’s perspective through her letters and diary entries. I loved how they added mystery and suspense to the plot in a very Victorian way. I love Mimi’s romances, but I’d love more gothic novels from her, too.

John Eyre by Mimi Matthews
A Tale of Darkness and Shadow

I am on the fence after finishing this book. It is a well written gothic story with some horror, a bit of romance, more than a hint of supernatural elements, and basically a retelling of Jane Eyre with gender swap of the main characters. I liked John and enjoyed his part of the story but felt that he was not as strong as many of the male main characters in Ms. Matthews previous books. I also felt that Bertha Rochester was an overwhelming character that was difficult to warm up to.

What I liked:
* The dark atmosphere
* The writing
* John: honest, stalwart, subordinate, calling to teach, an enigma – would have liked to get to know him better
* Stephen and Peter: two young boys with much to overcome and the wards of Mrs. Rochester
* Fairfax: Butler and confidant
* Bertha: strong, resilient, enduring, did what was necessary, intrepid, hopeful, abrupt, a survivor, and a conundrum
* The way the story developed
* The use of journals and letters to tell the backstory
* The resolution

What I didn’t like:
* Having trouble warming up to Bertha
* The difficult pasts of John, Stephen and Peter
* The evil I was meant to dislike

Did I enjoy this book? Yes, but not quite as well as previous books by this author
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Perfectly Proper Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

“Another apparition? But no. There was a rider atop the horse. A lady in a fitted black riding habit. Her presence at once broke the spell. She was all too real, and so was her horse. John leapt out of their way as soon as he realized it.”

Wow, wow, and double wow! If you are a fan of gothic lit classics like “Jane Eyre,” you will LOVE “John Eyre.” It was riveting seeing the different perspectives and thoughts of John Eyre and Bertha Rochester. I was thoroughly intrigued with the background of this reimagined storyline . While it may seem like a Jane Eyre flip there is so much more to the story.

This is not a book for the light hearted reader as the Gothic aspect is pretty intense. There are darker aspects that made me pause at times and wonder where it was going. However, Matthews draws out areas from the original that always had me wondering what was happening in the supernatural. I was still so intrigued by that area of madness and romance wrapped up in so much mystery. It kept me up late into the night wondering what would happen next.

“It’s a choice we make daily, for ourselves and for each other—to choose light rather than darkness.”

Spine tingling and romantic, Matthews weaving of this tale made for a riveting dance with darkness and light. I would love to say more, but I feel this is a story that has to be read and experienced for yourself. *There are supernatural and fear elements that may be too much for some readers.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and are given honestly.

Part Gothic Romance, part Paranormal Fiction, and part Historical Fiction, Mimi Matthews’ new twist on Jane Eyre is an entertaining page-turner full of romance, suspense, and spellbinding gothic twists.

John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow is a fast-paced, thrilling novel with a spooky atmosphere and good prose fitting to a book paying tribute to 19th-century gothic fiction. The book is an enjoyable read for fans of classic gothic stories with hints of monsters and romance.

It doesn’t take long when reading John Eyre to realize that it’s not just a retelling of Jane Eyre – but a mashup of Jane Eyre and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I also saw elements reminding me of Rebecca, The Vampyre, and The Turn of the Screw – all five books I love, so I was thrilled by the book’s influences.

Without giving much away, the mashup mostly works well, as do the characters. However, I found myself more intrigued with the letters and diary entries from Bertha Mason Rochester than the protagonist John Eyre.

He’s not as dynamic as the original Jane but is still a likable character you root for throughout the gothic historical fiction novel. The romance is also lovely, leading up to a fabulous ending.

Now, I think Jane Eyre fans could take exception to the characterization of Edward Rochester (especially after reading the Author’s Note at the end) – being the beloved character he is.

I didn’t mind his characterization in John Eyre – even though I’m a huge lover of Brontë’s original character (and Byronic Heroes in general) and am not a fan of the anti-Rochester classic Wide Sargasso Sea.

I sympathize with Bertha and Rochester as characters in the original novel and find him more of a redemptive Byronic than an abusive Weinstein. And I do read Jane Eyre as a fabulous love story.

Even so, if you’re a huge Rochester lover like me, you can still appreciate the mashup as a separate entity to Jane Eyre. This “Edward” is a combination of Rochester and Polidori’s Lord Ruthven, which I think is an innovative, clever amalgamation – as Polidori based Lord Ruthven on Lord Byron.

Later, the Brontë sisters were also influenced by Lord Byron when they created the more romantic and sympathetic Byronic Heroes with Edward Rochester and Heathcliff.

So, in John Eyre, the combination of the characters is a way for Matthews to pay homage to classic romantic monsters without souls (IE: Lord Ruthven) and to Charlotte Brontë’s timeless novel.

I also think Matthews writes with an affection for Jane Eyre. The book is a fun read, and the twists are clever.

OVERALL THOUGHTS ON JOHN EYRE:

Overall, I recommend reading John Eyre if you’re a fan of both Jane Eyre and Dracula and appreciate homages to classic novels of the past. Matthews’ writing is good, the characters interesting (especially Bertha), and the gothic atmosphere deliciously spooky.

It’s also a compelling novel – as you keep wanting to find out what happens and what all the secrets are. So, read it if you enjoy literary retellings with a paranormal twist and are looking for some good old-fashioned gothic thrills.

ADAPTATION RECOMMENDATION:

John Eyre would be a fun, gothic romance movie perfect for streaming or a feature film in theaters.

Content Note: Some violence and dark themes. The romance is pretty wholesome.