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.

I loved every minute of The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews. This story grabs the reader from page one and doesn’t let up until the very end. I so enjoyed following along as Julia grows from a secluded, lonely, anxiety-ridden young girl into a strong, capable, independent woman. By the end of the novel, Julia is a force to be reckoned with. It’s AWESOME! I also thoroughly enjoyed figuring out Jasper. He is an enigma wrapped up in mystery. His storyline is my favorite — he’s so interesting! And he’s also the sweetest, strongest, most fierce Beast ever. I loved his almost-immediate need to protect Julia from all the villains of this world. As a former soldier, Jasper is all about paying attention to details. He assesses Julia and sees who she is and understands what she needs, he sees how her parents mistreat her, and he sees how much protection she needs against the approved suitors her parents have in mind for her. I love, love, love Jasper’s character. His ability to assess, his need to protect, and his sweetness towards Julia is perfection. And the chemistry between the two…I’m surprised I didn’t catch on fire! LOL! This story has some seriously steamy moments that had me swooning! And, yes, the nod to Beauty and the Beast is excellently done. Matthews has taken the beloved storyline we all know and love and has expertly turned it into something all her own. If all this isn’t enough to get you to pick up a copy of this fantastic story, I’ll add that the attention to historical detail is excellently done. I learned so much about the Crimean war experience, Victorian marriages, and some very uniquely interesting details about fake names. Matthews has definitely done her homework with this book!

The Belle of Belgrave Square is a truly wonderful Historical Romance that I cannot recommend enough. This book is GOOD! If you are a fan of well-written, well-researched Historicals with amazing Romance, then you definitely will want to purchase a copy of this novel ASAP!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Berkley Romance, via AustenProse PR. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

London - 1862

Julia Wychwood, age 22, lives with her parents who are both hypochondriacs. They are always complaining of something, taking the waters at Bath, and having doctors visit them.

Captain Jasper Blunt is considered a hero of the Crimea. People gossip about him as he is known to have 3 illegitimate children who live at his estate in Yorkshire. He is staying in London with his friend Nathan Grainger, Viscount Ridgeway, while he searches for a wealthy heiress to marry. He is in desperate need of money to fix up his estate.

As Jasper and Julia see one another at various events in London, they realize they have many things in common. Julia loves to ride her horse and she would also love to be able to read her books all day long. She is especially fond of an author named J. Marshland. They are attracted to one another but Julia’s parents are against her marrying anyone without money. When they decide to elope, Julia tries to get money left to her from her aunt but her father’s power with the bank puts a roadblock to her getting it.

When Julia meets the 3 children that Jasper sired years ago she falls in love with them. Although Jasper’s estate is in dire need of repairs, Julia is happy there. However, her father’s meanness becomes too much for her and she decides to confront the man and fight for what is hers for her new family.

I hope I have not given out too many spoilers here but I think not. There are so many secrets that become revealed in this book that leaves the readers surprised with every twist and turn. It kept me on my toes and I was totally delighted with it. Don’t miss it. Mimi Matthews is an incredible writer whom I have come to greatly admire.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Belle of Belgrave Square is set in 1862 England. Julia Wychwood is considered to be nearing spinsterhood at 23 and unmarried. Captain Jasper Blunt is seeking a wife with a fortune to help restore his ramshackle estate and take care of his three children. He is magnetic but brooding, with a dangerous reputation. Julia and Jasper meet and sparks fly. Her father, a controlling invalid, intervenes. Julia decides to take matters into her own hands and make her own decisions. Then the adventure truly begins, with a mysterious estate, a locked room in a tower, and mysteries and secrets abounding!

I wanted to read this novel because I have loved all the Mimi Matthews books I've read. I love her amazing attention to period detail, down to the language of the storytelling. (It often requires looking up some arcane older words - but I love that!)

I am glad that I finished this novel today -- because it was taking up all my waking hours! I could not put it down. I stayed up late reading, I read every time I had a break in the day ... it is such a wonderfully engrossing story.

There is a lot of Beauty and the Beast in this novel. Julia is a renowed beauty and Jasper is brooding, with a scar across his mouth from a battle in the Crimean War. Their relationship is initially a marriage of convenience, but their love story unfolds slowly after that, as Jasper courts Julia and secrets are revealed in surprising ways. In the Author's Notes, Mimi Matthews also references inspiration from The Law and the Lady (Wilkie Collins) and The Blue Castle (Lucy Maud Montgomery, so I now want to read those novels too.

I loved the mysterious setting of this novel; Goldfinch Hall is almost another character in the book. I also loved the mystery storyline that is intertwined with the romance.

And the romance! Jasper is the most swoonworthy romantic lead I've enountered in ages. I absolutely loved the love story in this book.

This is a novel for true book lovers -- there is so much about a love of reading (considered dangerous for young ladies in this time period), the writing process, and a fabulous old library.

I have already started recommending The Belle of Belgrave Square to my friends. It's sure to be high on my top 10 list this year, and it is a must read for fans of historical fiction -- especially for anyone who loves Victorian settings. Five stars - highest rating from me.

It’s no secret that I have been a long time Mimi Matthews fan. I have loved all of her books but of course some more than others. Over the years I have seen her move from a smaller publisher company to the big time with Berkley publishing. It’s been so exciting to see her grow as an author and or course see other new readers discover her and see how amazing she really is as a writer! I read the first book in this series and liked it quite a bit but this was the story I was most eager to explore since meeting these characters in the first book.

Matthews writes wonderful romances that are more on the sweet side than the spicy side and I am absolutely ok with that. There is something more sensual and romantic about the sweet side of romance and she has a great way of hinting at simmering physical attraction between the characters without being crass. When I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down! I also took it with me on my trip to Cabo and basically read it in a day. I was absolutely hooked on the characters and loved my time with Jasper and Julia.

Personally I think this series should have started with this book and then went on to Evelyn’s story. I thought the chemistry and story of Julia was much better—-and that’s saying something because I loved Evelyn’s story too! But now that I have read this one, I feel like I would probably rate this one higher than the first on (Evelyn’s story). In this book Julia and Jasper had so much more chemistry and I just loved how their story came together, especially Jasper’s backstory!

Summary

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 (summary from Goodreads)

Review

I loved how much fairytale went into this one! This book contained elements of Beauty and the Beast, Bluebeard’s Wife, and some of my favorite classic literature references like Wuthering Heights and some other stories like knights tales and other adventure elements. I absolutely loved how familiar this book felt while at the same time feeling like it’s very own story. I really loved how this one unfolded and I don’t want to give too much away but just know that it had all the makings of a fairytale mixed with it’s own slightly darker content. It was truly a wonderful retelling that for uniquely its own. I adored it!

I thought that Jasper and Julia were so evenly matched and while Julia might have started off being more timid and unsure of herself in some ways, as the story went on we really saw her grow and evolve into a woman grown who had a mind of her own and who could articulate and express herself more boldly than I anticipated when I first started reading her. I loved that Julia’s character really struggled with social anxiety in the Book 1 of this series, and then it carried over into this book. I thought it made her interesting and having her be so timid really left the author with a lot of room to grow her character which is exactly what we see in the book. It was fun to see her grown into her character and also see how she grew into Jasper’s affection.

Jasper was a wonderful hero. Throughout the book there were plenty of times I was wondering how Matthews was going to justify or explain some of the elements of Jasper’s character and have readers still LIKE him. But as always she is an old hat at this and the way it resolved was perfect and I loved how she made it all come together. I also felt like this was one of her only books that really had a little more heat to it. Generally her books are more proper but in this book I definitely felt like there was a little more lust than she normally writes—-when I say lust I mean more heat and chemistry not necessarily sex. I liked it and I hope we see more sexual chemistry and tension in upcoming books!

As I mentioned earlier, I think this should have been the first book in the series. While I loved the first book, now that I have read this one I feel like this is the better book. The characters and attraction were stronger and the story more interesting. Not that the first book was bad (it was a 5 star for me!) but after reading this one I loved it A LOT more than the first book. It’s rare for me to have that happen so that’s why I mention it here in this review. Normally the second book rarely meets my expectations when the first book is a 5 star but in this case this book is superior in my opinion and I can’t wait to see what the next book holds!

Book Info and Rating

Paperback, 432 pages

Expected publication: October 11th 2022 by Berkley

ISBN 0593337158 (ISBN13: 97805933371

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books in partnership with Austen Prose tours, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: historical romance, historical fiction

I've recently been in quite the reading slump, exacerbated by the fact that I don't really have much time to read anymore. So when I started reading The Belle of Belgrave Square, I'll admit I wasn't sure I'd be in a state of mind to enjoy it (maybe some of you have experienced this?)

Oh, but I was so wrong. This book was exactly what I needed. And it helped me to remember my love of reading--and the amazingness of a Mimi Matthews novel. Because, guys, if you haven't read anything by her yet--you're reading life is probably lacking.

This romance was clean and sometimes clean doesn't work for me. But Mimi Matthews doesn't need any extras to exhibit love and yearning between her love interests. She's a wizard at romance. And at storytelling. Have I convinced you to read this yet?

Matthews wrote Belle while dealing with her own personal struggles. It was a happy moment when I'm sure she wasn't feeling all too happy. And it shows. This book is just full of fairy tale romance that harkens back to a time when life wasn't always simple--but, love was worth fighting for.

Also, Matthews, herself, acknowledges a nod to L.M. Montgomery's Blue Castle--anyone who loves and incorporates one of my most beloved authors is a MUST READ.

Do yourself a favor. Pick up a Mimi Matthews book. Whether it be this one or anyone one of the other beautiful stories that she's told. If you enjoy historical romance with fairy tale elements--you won't be disappointed.

My eternal thanks to Berkley for sending over this gifted copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square.

Y’all. I knew I would like this one just based on the teensy glimpse we got of Jasper and Julia at the end of The Siren of Sussex but I did not realize how much I would LOVE it. Definitely a favorite of the year and a new book boyfriend alert for sure in this historical romance heavily inspired by Beauty and the Beast, Hades and Persephone, Sleeping Beauty, and Bluebeard’s wife.

Captain Jasper Blunt needs a wealthy wife in order to fix up his failing estate and secure futures for his three children. Julia Wychwood must escape her parent’s house and their control—her very life depends on it—and a well timed marriage seems like the perfect solution. Except, Jasper has fallen hard for Julia and agrees to marry her even though her father has told him they’ll get nothing by going against his wishes. One of my favorite aspects of historical novels with marriages of convenience are when the two MCs negotiate a marriage contract together and the one in this book was SO good. Julia is all of us, she believes one can never have too many books, spends her evenings in bed reading and eating chocolate (same girl, same), brings a book everywhere (even a society musicale) and for the very first item on her freshly negotiated marriage contract she says, “First, that you promise never to restrict my reading.”

The Belle of Belgrave square has so much to love

- shy, bookish, headstrong heroine meets notorious, brooding, protective war hero
- marriage of convenience & he falls first
- he helps her dress & brushes her hair when she’s without her ladies maid
- mistaken identity
- Beauty and the Beast vibes
- anxiety rep
- sexual tension that can be cut with a knife
- great communication as they learn to trust each other

A few lines that made me swoon:

“I’ll try my hardest to fit in,” she went on in the same halting tone. “I hope I shall. But if I don’t—“
“You’ll fit.” He smoothed a damp lock of hair from her brow. “You’ll be mine.”

and

“A little,” she admitted, glancing up from her book. “I hope the children will like me.”
“I like you,” he said.

A Beauty and the Beast Retelling? Oh yes! I am all here for it. I absolutely fell head over heels over Julia and Jasper’s characters. ⁣
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Julia loves reading and riding her horse, and if she can do it all day long she would. Captain Jasper Blunt once a hailed military hero is in need of a wife, and has secrets of his own. For convenience sakes, he agrees to Julia’s conditions not to Interfere with her passions, but he has conditions of his own, and that is for Julia never to snoop in the towers of his estate.⁣
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Mimi Matthews write such beautiful well drawn characters. The perfect dashing and brooding war hero and the charming and strong headed heroine with hidden anxiety are the perfect couple in this gothic romance. In a tender narrative, I just can’t have enough. This series just keeps getting better and better, and of course each can be read as a standalone. ⁣
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I love the twists and surprises Mimi Matthews offers in this addictive read.

Great story, but if you’re an open-door fan exit here.

First and foremost, Matthews writes one hell of a historical romance. Steeped in historical details and settings, of course with some artistic license to how things play out for our heroines, this one is another compelling read. Just like the first Belles of London series.

Captain Jasper Blunt is tall, dark, and dour as the book blurb says. He doesn’t say much and when he does speak it’s meant to be as his name says… Blunt. He has three illegitimate children, a moldering estate, and is in need of an heiress. Our London Belle, Julia, is such an heiress and yearns for a life away from her parents, whose poor health and whims end up punishing Julia as much as themselves. It seems a match made in convenience and turns into a scandal of fabulous proportions.

I enjoyed both characters, whose mannerisms are so different and yet suited for each other. The pair bond over a love of fiction novels, which I love too so I can easily support both Jasper and Julia. I also appreciate Matthews’s stories because the conflict is so sharp and so real that I couldn’t see the resolution for these characters. Both for their future romantically and in general.

So, why a three? I’m glad you’re wondering. It’s because Matthews creates so much romantic tension, enough to drown a person only to have the characters use the most pitiful excuses to back away. With the first Bells of London series, it made sense why things were kept to a kiss, but I feel Matthews had an opportunity to show range in writing ability by going open door, repeatedly, through the marriage of convenience, and instead took the easy way out. This was a big letdown for me.

Will I read the third? Yes. Will I enjoy Matthews’s penchant for being less descriptive and detailed on the naked bits? No. Overall, this book is for those who like historical romance right in story and filled with longing. If you’re a closed-door fan I highly recommend.

~ Landra

This was an unexpected Victorian-era romance with unique characters. The pacing was decent and the twists were fairly well executed. Would recommend!

Julia has a large dowry, but she has yet to make a match and she marks that up to her social anxiety. Not that she minds. She has her books, friends, and her horse to keep her happy. In fact the social season of London is a torture to be endured only able to get out by begging off sick which is a double edged sword because then her awful, hypochondriac parents call for doctors, brutal in their treatments: bloodletting being their preferred cure.

When Julia captures the attention of the infamous Captain Jasper Blunt she’s a little alarmed at first. He’s a big, imposing man with a dark reputation, but as they keep meeting, she they start to bond over horses, and surprisingly books. I just loved the whole book connection here that I won’t elaborate on.

Jasper needs to marry for money. He has three children in his charge and a crumbling estate with tenant cottages that are all in desperate need of repair. He can’t let his heart factor into the equation, but Julia makes his heart sing and she’s got the money he needs. It seems like the easy solution to all his problems. Unfortunately, it’s not all that simple and there are some bumps in the road to get over.

I felt for Julia with her horrid parents and feelings of being boxed in and then the relief and joy of connecting with Jasper and the unexpected rush of attraction for him. I loved the tender way Jasper dealt with Julia and his steadfastness to her and the children. Their romance was so beautiful, swoony, and passionate!

The Belle of Belgrave Square was oh-so-lovely! I relished every word and didn’t want the story to end! Definite recommend!

The Belle of Belgrave Square is heartwarming and swoonworthy second book in Belles of London series that focuses on Julia and Captain Blunt’s love story. The story is about marriage and women’s position in time of Victorian era, marital and criminal laws, moral conduct and justification, manipulation, trust, betrayal, family, friendship, and love.

Plot is super interesting. From the first book of the series we know Jasper has taken interest in Julia and while Anne and Evelyn are on trip for four days, Jasper is going to marry Julia and take her to his estate in York. If you haven’t read first book I think this will be super interesting to read and will make you more curious to know what’s going to happen next that means you can read this standalone but I suggest you read this in order as you get to know about Julia’s friendship more in first book.

I loved both main characters in this book. I loved reading about their personalities, their strength and vulnerability, their passion not just in each other but individually. I found Jasper Blunt most interesting.

Romance is the best part of the book. It’s slow building, very swoonworthy and magical with marriage of convenience arc. Jasper’s connection with Julia through their love for literature, saving her from Gresham and her parents in first half; and courting her and winning her by sharing biggest secret of his life in second half is utterly heart-melting.

Overall, this is refreshing, swoon-worthy and heartmelting historical fiction. I have to say this is most romantic book I have read so far.

I received a free copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square through Austenprose PR for a book tour. Thank you so much for this opportunity!

Even before starting this, I just knew I was going to love it. And it did not disappoint. From start to finish this had me enchanted. The Belle of Belgrave Square is a historical romance with a slight hint of Beauty and the Beast vibes. I say slight because it’s only small minor details that give it that BATB vibe, but for the most part it’s very unique.

I will say, we do get a bit of a drawn-out plot. We don’t get to the details we see from the synopsis until well into the book. So yeah, we know what’s going to happen up until we do get there. But I honestly loved every moment. I appreciated seeing the backstory that led us to Julia marrying Jasper. I especially adored seeing Jasper care for Julia despite being known as this cruel and callous military hero, proving to her he wasn’t marrying her for her dowry. He’s very much just like the Beast in BATB, secretly being so kind and caring. And being around Julia, Jasper can’t help but want to protect her. Oh… I want a Jasper.

And I loved Julia’s character, especially seeing her confidence grow. We first meet her as a socially anxious person, willing to fake an illness just to get out of going to a social outing. Just so she can read a book in solitude. I think all of us readers can relate! I felt for Julia as we see how controlling her parents are, and the expectations they had of her. Another thing I was able to deeply relate to. I simply loved seeing her confidence grow and find who she wanted to be.

Though I will say, I did in a way find the plot a bit predictable. However, there were definitely moments that surprised me. And a few that I truly didn’t see coming. But even with being able to predict the overall plot, it didn’t make me love this any less. I loved seeing Jasper court Julia. The way he doted on and cherished her. Ah! Just made my heart swell.

As historical romances go, I truly loved this one. I especially loved that it had some Beauty and the Beast elements incorporated into it, while still being uniquely its own story. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical romances, Beauty and the Beast retellings, and books about books!

Julia Wychwood is beautiful, wealthy and a talented equestrian. She also suffers from terrible social anxiety. In trying to please her sickly parents and make a marriage that will make them happy, she has made herself miserable.
Captain Jasper Blunt is a military hero with a mysterious past, a haunted estate in Yorkshire and a desperate need to marry an heiress.
Although their initial meeting does not go well, rides on Rotten Row help them become friends and they work together to overcome challenges and find happiness.
I have never met a Mimi Matthews novel I did not love, and the Belle of Belgrave Square is no exception. Julia is loveable and Captain Blunt quickly reveals his softer side. It is hard not to root for this beauty and her beast. While some of the plot was a wee bit obvious the ride was very enjoyable. As always, Ms. Matthews delivers with an interesting story, snappy dialogue, historically accurate details, and characters with great chemistry. I cannot wait to read the next Belle of London’s tale. Highly recommended for fans of historical romance. 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an advanced readers copy of this novel.

This book is simply amazing! I loved every minute reading this beautiful love story with nods to beloved fairytale Beauty and the Beast, L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, Lady Audley’s Secret, and other classic favorites. Mimi Matthews delivers a masterfully written novel with twists, turns, and an achingly beautiful romance that left me thinking about it for days after. It’s an epic love story that’s become an instant favorite.

Captain Jasper Blunt is a broodingly dark, mysterious hero whose past is as complicated as Heathcliff or Mr. Rochester. His disfigurement from the war makes him an even more imposing figure. But all is not as it seems, underneath the gruff exterior is a tender soul who strives for love, understanding, and redemption. Seeking a wealthy bride to help support his crumbling estate and three illegitimate children, he attends various ton events and has set his sights on Julia Wychwood, the wealthy daughter of an invalid hypochondriac couple.

Julia is a romantic dreamer who uses novel reading to escape her parents’ stifling home and the anxiety she suffers from. When she meets Captain Blunt, she’s immediately frightened by him, but over time, their friendship grows especially through thier mutual love of reading. Rescuing her from an untenable situation, Captain Blunt takes her to his estate, but that’s when the mystery really begins. There are secrets abounding that threaten their tenuous relationship and just when one secret is unraveled, there’s another waiting.

With mystery, intrigue, and a gorgeously written romance, Mimi Matthews has spoiled me for other historic romance novels. This is a favorite I’ll defintely be rereading. It’s like an exquisite 5 star meal you’ve been hungering for and want to savor. Highly recommend! While there are some sensual moments between the married couple, it’s a clean, closed door romance. Though it’s the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone, however it’s more enjoyable if you’ve read the previous book where Capt. Blunt and Julia are first introduced. I can’t wait for the next book in the series! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinons are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

A Fall, rainy day just simply calls for a regency romance and this book fits the bill.
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Julia is a society lady but her crippling anxiety makes navigating the ballrooms quite difficult.
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Jasper has a reputation but needs to find himself a proper wife. They form an arrangement of sorts and a marriage of convenience, but like any good regency marriage of convenience it doesn’t take long before real feelings get involved. I really loved the two of these characters.
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I don’t want to say too much more because there are some surprises here but I really enjoyed this one !
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Huge thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I gave up reading historical romances for a little while because they started feeling dated and repetitive. I understand that it’s hard to write about independent women and diverse characters in times that don’t lend themselves to that. I’m grateful to Evie Dunmore – and now Mimi Matthews – for bringing me back to historical romances. I love Evie Dunmore’s books because she explores feminism in the context of the suffrage movement, and despite the restrictions of the era, her books don’t lack in character or romance.

The Belles of London series is about four friends in Victorian-era London who defy the rules of propriety to find love and independence. There’s nothing original about this setup, except the friends are also avid horsewomen (as is the author). The horse-riding adds a nice note to the character development in both books, as these women are knowledgeable, athletic, and thoughtful about their “sport”. I was happy to receive an Advance Review Copy of the second book in Matthews’ series, as I’d heard good things about the first one, The Siren of Sussex. When I received the ARC for Book Two, I picked up the first book and loved it.

Sussex is the story of Evelyn Maltravers, who comes to London to find a wealthy husband who can help her support her sisters. She commissions a tailor, Mr. Ahmad Malik, to design a riding habit for her that will let her shine in London’s very competitive marriage market. Mr. Malik desperately needs a society woman who can show off his talents, because otherwise no one will come to a tailor who is half-Indian.

These books won’t surprise in terms of structure or plot, but I was very happy to find compelling dialogue and deep character development. Evelyn and Ahmad’s story was fantastic, full of rich historical detail about British colonialism and how London treated immigrants from India, particularly those who were fathered by English soldiers. There was quite a lot of detail about clothing design, which sometimes was a bit much for me, but I’d always rather a book be too detailed than not detailed enough.

Book 2, The Belle of Belgrave Square, tells the story of Julia Wychwood, who is first afraid of, and then intrigued by Captain Blunt, a Crimean war hero with an intimidating scar and rough demeanor. Julia, unlike most romance heroines, is timid and nervous, and prefers to be home in bed with a novel over any ball. Their romance is built on the fact that both are uncomfortable in society, yet they find they are comfortable with each other. While the first book deals with pretty serious topics like racism and colonialism, the second book is more playful, echoing the tropes of gothic romances of the time with a crumbling mansion, a locked tower, mischievous orphans, and a brooding hero who’s something of a “beast”. There are literary references to Jane Austen, Wilkie Collins, and L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, which is a book I’ve been wanting to read. I loved that the author explains her source material and historical information at the end of each novel.

While the characters in Book 1 are very open and honest with each other, Book 2 is built around secrets. The story of Captain Blunt’s past kept me guessing – some of it was obvious, but it turned out to be more complicated, which I appreciated. Though I struggled a bit with the idea that he could be so emotionally honest with her but so secretive about other parts of his life.

If this book has a fault, it’s that it throws so many barriers at our hero and heroine, so they felt a bit too easily dealt with by the end. I also would have liked more insights about Julia’s personality – is she just shy or are there deeper issues related to trauma or anxiety, or neurological issues like being on the spectrum. Matthews leaves much of this open to interpretation. Ultimately, I rooted for these two characters throughout. I liked the way Julia comes to see the darker side to her very privileged upbringing, and I found myself moved by Blunt’s blend of toughness and gentleness.

Matthews’ books are much less “open door” (in other words, not explicit) than Dunmore’s, which will please some readers. I don’t mind romances being explicit so that’s not a selling point for me – but it wasn’t a big detraction either. Both Belle and Siren are fantastic slow-burn relationships with strong character development. What I enjoyed most about both books was that the characters really build a friendship before they’re even thinking about romance. I look forward to reading the other two books in the series, or some of Matthews’ other works.

Note: I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley and publisher Berkley Publishing. This book was published October 11, 2022.

Julia Wychwood is plagued with social anxiety to the point that she can not attend any of the London balls without having a major panic attack. She feels most comfortable on her horse. Captain Jasper is intent on finding ding a rich wife and his sites are set on Julia. The two make a deal to wed but Julia insists that she is allowed to pursue riding as well as read as much as she likes. Jasper in turn expects her to stay out of his business affairs. The 2 coexist without much trouble at 1st until Julia decide she wants to know more. What will happen when Julia starts to snoop around in Jaspers life?
This is a great historical fiction novel with forced proximity trope. I really enjoyed the stubbornness of both these characters. I also really enjoyed the writing style as this is my second book by this author. I loved the 1st book in this series, and I think I love this one even more

Once I got into this story, I couldn't put it down. I read it on my way to work. I read it during every minute break during a two-day conference, to the detriment of my phone battery, which was at 12% when I got home. I wanted to know what the next obstacle for Julia and Jasper would be, and how they would overcome it and exceed my expectations while doing so. Because if there is one compliment I can give this book, it's that it really didn't go the way I was expecting.

The plot isn't very subtle, and I found it easy to figure out what exactly was going on. There was a lot of potential for relationship drama here, and especially for miscommunication, but there was surprisingly little of that going on. Secrets were revealed, they would discuss it, and their bond would grow stronger without anyone flouncing off.

I was enthralled by both Jasper and Julia. Julia's anxiety was depicted in a way that doesn't make her a regular shy wallflower of the kind historical romances are full of. But despite that, she's also brave and willing to stand up for those she cares about, even if she can't always stand up for herself. Jasper, meanwhile, appears to be a man of many layers, but the way he cares about Julia was incredibly sweet, and I loved seeing all the concessions he made just to be with her.

My only issue is the ending, which felt lackluster compared to the rest of the book. It's clear very early on that Julia's parents' motivations are incredibly self-centered, but it made for a weird plotline and an even weirder resolution. There are things that are conveniently ignored or swept under the rug, but I still really loved this book, and would recommend it.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews is the second book in the charming Belles of London series. The first was The Siren of Sussex. I’ve been eagerly awaiting book two.

In this recently-released Victorian Romance, we meet Julia Wychwood, a shy heiress who prefers hiding away to read novels over making the rounds of London social events to display herself to potential suitors. She has made a few close female friends, but they are all away from London for four days, leaving her on her own with no one to run interference for her at parties. This exposes her to the attentions of the dreaded Captain Blunt, a hero of the Crimean War with a brutal reputation. Gossips report he is hiding a brood of illegitimate children at his haunted country estate. He is absolutely the wrong man for her. But he is in need of funds – in need of an heiress.

Captain Blunt is not the cruel monster the ton makes him out to be. He is the strong, silent type – silent because he has secrets he needs to keep. He pursues Julia very politely and backs away when she indicates that he should. However, he can’t keep his thoughts from returning to her. None of the other heiresses appeal to him the way she does. And so he finds himself stepping forward to shield her from unpleasantness at various social events rather than moving on to woo someone else.

The two bond over…novels. Julia finds it hard to believe, but Captain Blunt is as big a fan as she is. They even share favorites.

Julia is an only child and her parents are awful. (Practically caricatures of awfulness.) Both believe themselves to be invalids. They are selfish to the extreme. They treat Julia terribly. And they want to condemn her to a life of servitude, caring for them in their old age, catering to their presumed illnesses. If Julia marries against her father’s wishes, he will cut off her inheritance. The suitor he has in mind for Julia is a lecherous old man who killed his first wife with his repeated failed attempts to get an heir, but who has promised to keep Julia imprisoned in London so she can continue to serve her parents’ wishes.

Yikes!

Julia yearns for a romantic hero to come to her rescue. Captain Blunt just might be that man.

The novel plays with a lot of Romance tropes and with gothic novel situations, homage rather than satire. The start is a little slow, but the tension builds. The attraction between the two is believable. Julia’s mix of romanticism and level-headedness is what makes the novel truly shine. This is a not-to-miss series!