3.5 stars
The premise of this novel really drew me in. I mean: a mysterious school, a dangerous mission, romance? Sign me up.

The first entry in the series follows Euphemia (Effie) as she returns from living abroad in Paris. Effie is an orphan and therefore the money the academy spent to raise her is now due. However, if Effie completes one last mission for the academy she will earn her freedom and then some. Of course complicating matters is betting shop owner Gabriel Royce who is working directly opposed to Effie's mission. That doesn't stop the two from being attracted to each other.

I really enjoyed Effie as a character and she's so competent and brave but also willing to accept help (and affection) when needed. We also get insight into her tragic backstory and how she ended up the the Crinoline Academy. The novel really focuses on Effie and her motivations though we do get some insight into Gabriel's past as well.

The romance between the two is sweet and pretty believable and the ending in the park was very cute.

I think my only complaint is I wanted more info on the Crinoline Academy like what exactly the girls were taught. But this is the first in a series so hopefully we'll find out more in the next book.

Overall this was a fun read and I would definitely recommend to romance novel fans.

I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley.

WOW. That's really all I need to say. The book seemed interesting enough, to be sure, but I couldn't put it down once I had started.

The characters are delightful. The writing is phenomenal. The plot is well-done. I legitimately have no complaints.

This is the first book of Matthews' that I've read and I'm going to be reading many more of them from now on. She has me hooked.

The book is well-researched, which is to be expected given that she writes non-fiction as well as historical fiction. It grabbed me from the very beginning and did not let go. I'm so very sad to be leaving the world she created for the time being, though I anxiously await the next installment.

We are given two characters who are rivals and whose goals are at direct odds with each other and we love them both so much that we want them both to win. There's a slight hint of mystery throughout the story that keeps you putting pieces together as the reader. It's just good, okay? Read it.

Mimi Matthews has done it again! I could not put this book down. It's very Dickensian (a little darker than some of her past works that I've read) if Miss Havisham had more nuance and Pip had more edge. What I loved about Rules for Ruin:
- strong characters who overcome tragic pasts with help, hard work, and determination
- a focus on seeking justice for the oppressed and forgotten
- friendship and found family
- impeccable writing rich with historical detail and fantastic character development (I'm not a fan of morally gray heroes, but Gabriel won me over!)
- great animals (primarily an adorable poodle named Franc)
- lots of sizzle (but no spice)

There were a few moments that felt out-of-character or a bit rushed. But overall, this novel is absolutely incredible, which will shock no one who has read anything by Mimi Matthews. If you're a fan of quality historical romance and can handle some darker, more tragic aspects in a novel, do not miss Rules for Ruin!

Thank you so much to Mimi Matthews and her team for the complimentary ARC for review purposes. I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is cross-posted to Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram within one week of the book's publication.

This is the first book in Matthews’ new The Crinoline Academy series. When I read an early excerpt of the prologue of Rules for Ruin, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. The setting seemed very dark and gloomy and off-putting. Once I was able to start reading the whole book, I got into it easily and had a hard time putting it down.

Matthews takes the reader on a wild ride through both the slums and the glittering ballrooms of Victorian England. The main female character Effie has learned to act like a lady, but she’s still seeking her roots, looking for family and home. She’s been tasked with exposing one of the aristocracy in order to strengthen the case for married women’s legal rights (and earn her own financial freedom if she succeeds). In the process she encounters another escapee from the slums, Gabriel, only to find herself drawn to him while he’s trying to protect that same aristocrat so he can support Gabriel’s projects.

The interactions between the various characters, the many plot twists and the breathtaking climax make for a fun read. The rules women were supposed to follow in Victorian days add to the enjoyment. I look forward to the next book in the series.

“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." #RulesForRuin #NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

"I love you, Effie Flite. That's what brought me back from Epsom. It's what brought me here. What's been driving me since the moment you threatened to knock me down."

This is such a great premise and an enjoyable read.

The idea of women being brought up as spies in this era is so amazing and makes for a very compelling storyline. Both of the main characters were written so well and they really complemented each other. Effie had a very strong character, she was good at what she did, and she was also very emotionally grounded and not too flat. Gabriel had a fairly dark exterior and some questionable qualities, but it was for a good cause. And any man who holds respect for outspoken and independent women in this era are 🔥🔥

As a whole, the story didn't absolutely wow me but it was a fun read.

I have enjoyed Mimi Matthews other historical romances, so I was excited when I saw that she had a new series coming out!

I love strong female characters and the thought of women being specially trained to "to distract, disrupt, and discredit the patriarchy". I think it was a very fun book, but I wish we could have seen more of the strong woman. We got a cool fight scene towards the end, which was cool though!

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was... fine. I enjoy Matthews' books. And this one was her usual millieu -- a young intelligent woman using her wits & wiles to get by in London, despite less than ideal beginnings. Some mentions of women's rights, some past wrongs trying to be righted. The love interest/rival Gabriel had a similar back story. The plot mostly holds together but sometimes just didn't quite.... It had a lot of good ingredients, but I'm struggling to get excited about it -- I didn't buy too much into the romance. Effie is a bit changeable - one minute very independent, the next quite helpless. And did she really need to stitch her messages into samplers to send back to the orphanage.... I mean, who is trying to listen in? And that would be SO slow... It was alright. We met some interesting characters, and there's a nice set up for the next in the series -- Effie's friend from the orphanage and Gabriel's newspaper friend.... I may read on in the series, but am not RUSHING to put this at the top of my list.

Rules for Ruin is the next book in Mimi Matthews' latest series, The Crinoline Academy. The book will have romance readers rooting for women’s rights and savoring over Euphemia Flite and Gabriel Royce’s journey to a happily ever after.

Friends, Mimi has spiced things up in her latest historical romance. There’s more banter, more tit-for-tat, and this cat-and-mouse chase between Effie and Gabriel makes this a read worth pick up. Plus Effie isn’t some hapless lass, where she is fully capable of defending herself with words and actions. I enjoyed Effie's no nonsense attitude and it made the blooming relationship between her and Gabriel so much more fun.

Definitely make sure to add this one to your TBR!

Effie Flite is called back to England from France, which she hopes it will be her lasr mission for The Crinoline Academy. Effie is tasked to find scandleous papers that will upend Lord Compton's seat at Parliment. With these documents the bill that would let women keep their money either by working or inheritances. Effie thinks that this task will be an easy one , all she has to do is to use her training from what she learned at the Crinoline Academy while acting as a lady. Her plans are soon thrawted when she is caught by Gabriel Royce, a bookmaker in the slums of St Giles. Gabriel needs Lord Compton's influenance to help clean up the rookeries so that the people have better living condtions. When Effie and Gabriel are together all of their conposure and armour come crashing down due to their attraction to each other. This was a quick read that was both romantic with a twist of mystery . I would like to thank both NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

Rules for Ruin is a slightly new direction for Mimi Matthews. This story was more adventurous, yet still showcased her rich writing and endearing, fully-fleshed out characters, and swoony romance. Can’t wait for the next!!

That balance point between easily accessible for the modern reader not familiar novels before the 20th C and striving for a period feel is a difficult one, as it varies from reader to reader. This novel certainly entertained me! And I appreciated the work that went into giving us a Victorian London that wasn't all Hollywood backdrop.

I am a total sucker for the outsider penetrating upper society trope, but I want my protags to be likeable, with laudable goals at least some of the time, and the author gives us two of these in hero and heroine. But have admirable goals for their desperate masquerades, but unexpectedly find one another in each other's way because of how their goals misalign.

How the author disentangles these snares while developing the wary attraction between H and H, then bringing us to a satisfying ending, was fun to watch. The villains get what they deserve, the good guys win, and there is a setup for another follow-on romance in the same setting. Just the sort of escapism I'm looking for these days!

omg I loved this!

I love anything about a secret society of women to be honest... this one was so fun and I loved effie!

of course though the best thing about this book for me was effie and gabriel! the chemistry, the banter, some good "who did this to you?" moments, the KISSING, and the genuine love between them was just SWOONWORTHY.

I already can't wait for the next book -- hoping it will be about nell and miles~

p.s. if only the evil men in power in real life were so easily taken down...

Mimi Matthews is just so good. She writes historical novels about common people instead of the upper echelon. It was a fun almost spy vs spy story where they get a happy ending. Who doesn't love someone growing and changing themself in a good way for the person they love?

Glorious! I adore the author's historical romances, and her first in the new Crinoline Academy series takes her signature slow-burn style up many sizzling notches, with dazzling characters (women's rights activist Euphemia and betting shop owner Grabriel), whose gray-area activities make them that much more intriguing. Plus, there is a charming minature black poodle! Fans loyal and new will swoon and cheer and wait excitedly for Book Two. Huzzah!

Rules for Ruin is a feminist, cat-and-mouse, rivals-to-lovers historical romance that has the heroine, Effie Flite, poised to take down the patriarchy one slimy aristocrat at a time. Her mark is a viscount who has continuously felled women's rights one vote at a time. And Lord Compton is a man who more than deserves to be taken down. The problem? Gaming shop owner, Gabriel Royce. For not only does he need the viscount's support to further his own ends, but he keeps impeding Effie's efforts at every turn, sparking first her incense then her heart when he shows he's much more than meets the eye.

This was a pleasant deviation from Mimi Matthew's usual historical romances. The slowburn tension she's known for was still there, kindling, smoldering, but I liked the edginess she explored with two characters decidedly not from the upper classes. There was a hint of danger, of cloak and dagger subterfuge, that was delicious. There was also substantial heart and vulnerability, what with Effie's longing for information about her origins and Gabriel's fight for St. Giles Rookery. It made for a rich and immersive exploration of mid-19th century English society.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This is my first book my Mimi Matthews and it did not disappoint; this was a romance rife with sexual tension emphasis on the TENSION and had exactly the kind of high emotions and higher stakes I adore in a historical. I don't say this lightly but for a closed-door romance, Rules for Ruin was kinda BANGIN.

There's something so delicious about a hero and heroine who are not only attracted to one other right off the bat, but they recognize each other as one and the same: predator in a roomful of prey. Euphemia was a poor orphan when she was picked up and unconventionally educated by the secretive headmistress of a girl's school. To what end.... well, she's just found out: Her mission is to infiltrate high society and destroy an aristocrat because he's about to come out against a women's property rights bill. Unluckily for her, Gabriel is cultivating the same politician so he can improve the slums of St. Giles, and a ruined politician would spell the ruin of his plans.

What follows is plenty of push and pull, your classic battle of wills between a *dastardly* underworld hero and a sharp, clever heroine of mysterious origins who's willing to push most boundaries to achieve her ends. There's plenty of moral ambiguity despite the admirable goals both of them have, and I quite enjoyed that as opposed to your simple goody-two-shoes reformer types you sometimes get in romances of a similar ilk. It's lovely to see Effie and Gabriel, both of whom are extremely closed-off and self-reliant people, soften towards one another and open up in a way they never really have with anyone else.

Like I said earlier, this is a closed door romance and we get a few well-timed kissing scenes that are doing the most on top of the CRACKLING sexual tension between Effie and Gabriel.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 2/5
Pub Date: May 20th

A bit slow to start, but once it got going, the story and intrigue did not let up. Gabriel and Effie are two feral cats both circling each other the entire book, and when they finally kiss for the first time, I cheered like a madwoman. The characters were morally gray (loved how they were working for the common good, in a very ends-justify–the-means way), incredibly prickly, and quite devious. Again, slow to start, but once the kissing started, I sailed through this story.

This was an entertaining Regency romance with a mystery, which is my favorite subgenre, and I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next one.

What a poignant story that sparkles with history and richly engaging characters. Hidden plots, scandal and enemies to lovers - all with chemistry and depth that we’ve come to expect from Matthews. You will find yourself staying up way too late and rooting for two struggling leading characters to overcome the obstacles and find their happily ever after.

Outstanding story telling! With vivid description and beautiful imagery, reading this book is a feast for the imagination. Upon first meeting Effie, Gabriel feels an immediate connection, though he doesn't know why. Throughout their continued interactions, a delightful relationship is created and the author does a magnificent job gradually revealing the similarities between Effie and Gabriel, both in backgrounds and desires. Their passionate natures result in fiery feuds and crackling chemistry. Effie and Gabriel's face-paced story may be my all-time favorite of Mimi Matthews. Also fascinating is the historical component to the story, during a time of change and pushing boundaries. The author notes at the end of the book are enlightening and should not be missed. Every bit a fantastic read! Eagerly awaiting book two.

I received an advance copy of this story. I was not required to write a positive review.