Sophie Reads YA: Mimi Matthews

Mimi Matthews

Waiting On Wednesday: The Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London #3) by Mimi Matthews

10:00

Mimi Matthews

Waiting On Wednesday: The Belle of Belgrave Square (Belles of London #2) by Mimi Matthews

10:00

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: The Belle of Belgrave Square (Belles of London #2) by Mimi Matthews

10:00

The Belle of Belgrave Square
Series: Belles of London #2
Author: Mimi Matthews
Published October 11th 2022 by Berkley

Goodreads 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…
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

In The Belle of Belgrave Square, Julia Wychwood starts the day with a hard ride on her beloved horse, before she's forced to face he social anxiety and navigate the marriage mart. Because of her parent's many ailments, she's forced to care for them, but longs to escape, and hide away from society once and for all. Every morning, she sees the handsome Captain Jasper Blunt, but she's never really been able to talk to him, until she decides to take the plunge and propose. Jasper may be a war hero, but he has a crumbling castle, and bevy of illegitimate children in the Yorkshire moors, that even the shyest of debutantes would think twice. But in exchange for freedom, Julia is more than willing to risk it, and soon finds more than she ever imagined.

This book just blew me away. After enjoying The Siren of Sussex, I had high hopes, but they were blown out of the water completely here. As soon as I started it, and saw the romance between Julia and Jasper brewing, I just couldn't put it down. Julia was such a dear person, who I couldn't help but love immediately. She adored her horse, and her reading, and because of her parents selfishness, she was kept with them, and treated like a nursemaid. She longed for freedom, and that's why she took the plunge and proposed to Jasper. Jasper was a broody hero, whose home and life in the Yorkshire Moors was perfect for his character. He's hiding a big secret, which you learn early on, but Julia doesn't yet know, and the true story of it all was gripping, and made the book so unforgettable. I am quickly falling in love with this author's books, and am desperate to read by next by her!

Dates Read:
April 18, 2022

Rating
4 Stars

2022 New Release challenge

Review: The Siren of Sussex (Belles of London #1) by Mimi Matthews

10:00

The Siren of Sussex
Series: Belles of London #1
Author: Mimi Matthews
Published January 11th 2022 by Berkley

Goodreads Synopsis
Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?
Goodreads

Review
Though Evelyn Maltravers is from a good family, her 'worth' on the marriage mart is not much, and she knows that she needs to make a name for herself in a different way, to save her future. A gifted equestrienne, she wants to be like the Pretty Horsebreakers, but she needs a tailor who can create haute couture riding habits, at a cost she can afford. But as she searches for a tailor, she finds that many don't want to take a risk on her, except for Ahmad Malik, who has been relegated to alterations for too long now. Taking a chance to work together, hoping that Evelyn can make a name for herself, and for Ahmad's designs, the pair work in close proximity, and soon the sparks fly.

This was my first book by this author, but definitely won't be my last. I'd heard a lot about this series, and as soon as I picked up my book, I knew it was going to be good. Evelyn and Ahmad were characters that you couldn't help but love, and they had both faced hardship and bigotry in the past. Ahmad, as someone who was half-Indian, was relegated to working in the back room of the tailor's, and not listened to, or valued, except for by Evelyn. Though this is a romance, the couple clearly respect, and adore each other, and their friendship was one of the best parts of the book. That being said, their chemistry is fantastic, and so believable. Neither of the pair underestimated the difficulty that they could face by being together, but their love for each other was enough for them, and the support of their friends, particularly Evelyn's new friends, Anne, Julia, and Stella. A great start to a new series, and I look forward to the next book, The Belle of Belgrave Square.

Dates Read:
April 16-17, 2022

Rating
4 Stars