Seeking Love, Belonging, and Redemption
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Blog Tour
Margaret Honeywell is the wealthy heiress of Beasley Park. While growing up on the estate, she found her best friend and soulmate in Nicholas Seaton, a groom in her father’s stable of illegitimate birth. But her father has other plans for her future and has all but promised her in marriage to their neighbor’s son – Frederick Burton-Smythe. Maggie completely abhors Fred. He is a possessive and entitled bully who constantly wields his position over Nicholas and rages over Nicholas’s close connection to Margaret. And so Fred executes a most dastardly plan to remove Nicholas from Margaret’s life forever. But Margaret knows that their love is true and patiently waits for Nicholas to return…
Ten years later, Margaret is still unmarried and still tormented by Fred. She believes Nicholas is long dead, and because of her father’s will is almost at the point of capitulating to a marrying Fred. But then she encounters the arresting and dangerous Viscount St. Clare, who bears a striking resemblance to her lost soulmate… Who is Viscount St. Clare? Is he really who he says he is? And can there be any hope for Margaret and St. Clare when they both have complicated forces barring any sort of path for their future?
What an exhilarating and immensely consuming romantic adventure! I instantly fell in love with all the characters and was swept away with the intense emotions and dramatic tension of this tale. Margaret is sensational – with her fiery temper, indomitable spirit, and loyal devotion. She is selfless and strong even though she suffers from a weakened constitution and an oppressive guardian. And Viscount St. Clare is incredibly swoony with his rigidly cool reserve and secretly-suppressed passion. His suffering and heartache, his perseverance through all challenges, and his steadfast pursuit of Margaret all easily won him my fervent regard. Be warned…Lord St. Clare poses a danger to your heart!
Gentleman Jim is the first story I’ve read Mimi Matthews and I am already deeply in love with her writing. This story has everything I could hope for in a Regency romance – compelling characters, ramped up emotional tension, and an abundance of sigh-inducing and heart-stopping romantic scenes. Mimi Matthew struck an excellent pace and balance with her narrative; everything was perfectly proportioned – the historical details, the dialogue, the action, the intrigue. There were even some nods and allusions to other works of literature – although in this case it wasn’t Jane Austen, it was The Count of Monte Cristo and The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. I’m wondering if I will find more literary references in her other works… 😉
Full of spirit and suspense, Gentleman Jim is a Regency romantic adventure that will hold you utterly in thrall. Mimi Matthew skillfully weaves together a bounding tale about indelible first loves, notorious family legends, and finding where you belong. I highly recommend!
This does sound like a story I would enjoy. Thanks for bringing it to our attention with your excellent review, Meredith.
Yay! I am so happy you are interested in checking it out! If I know your reading speed like I think I do, you will read it one day! 😉
I absolutely LOVED this story Meredith. Looking forward to more of her books.
I am not surprised to hear you loved it, my friend! I need to get more of her books in TBR pile!!
Great review, Meredith! I, too, utterly adore Mimi’s novels. I have this one and her previous one still to read, and I am looking forward to them when I do! There is not one novel that I didn’t love!
Thank you, Carole! Do you have a recs for what I should read next? I am sure they are all terrific!
Yes, they are all excellent but the Parish Orphan series is one I think you will really enjoy. The first book is “The Matrimonial Advertisement’!
Great review, Meredith! I just downloaded the ebook. Something new the check out. Thanks
Indeed! It was new to me too! Hope you love it as much as I did!
I love Mimi Mathews! Thanks for the review.
Awesome! Do you have any favorites?
Love this book!
Christina! I finally read my first Mimi Matthews! After seeing your love for her writing over the years I am finally hopping on the band wagon!
ooh, swoony and a danger to my heart…
denise
You have been warned…
Wow! I was reading your review and believe me: it came to my mind “The Count of Monte Cristo” and then, you mentioned that very novel!
It sounds really promising!
Thanks for the recommendation 😉
Ah! Good for you! I wish I could catch the references for it myself…I haven’t read The Count of Monte Cristo yet!
Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Great review, Meredith. This is holding its place at the top of my wish list. Mimi Matthews’s name had been on my radar for a good while before I sat down to my first read of hers. I had actually acquired several before starting because they sounded good. Once I started I couldn’t quit. I love her writing. Oh my gosh. I’m so glad you have discovered her. I wish Mimi all the wonderful luck she deserves.
Thank you, friend! I was the same as you…I have heard of her name for years! I am so glad I finally got the chance to read one of her books!
Do you have any favorites of the ones you have read?
I tried to do this yesterday but my server went belly-up. I had to go to her author page to remind myself of her titles and was surprised again how many books of hers I’d read. I enjoyed all (actually, I think I still have to read the last one,) the Parish Orphan series of books, but I think I might have favored the second one in the series ‘A Modest Independence’ a bit more than the others. Since I read them in order, I can’t think of them in any other way, book 1 sets the rest up. Of the individual stories I especially liked The Lost Letter, and Holiday by Gaslight. But you can see by the ratings her books get that all of them are highly regarded and I have to agree.