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Title: The Belle of Belgrave Square
Series: Belles of London (Book 2)
Author: Mimi Matthews
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Berkley Romance (October 11, 2022)
Length: (432) pages
Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook
ISBN: 978-0593337158
Tour Dates: October 3 - 23, 2022
A BookBub Best Romance of 2022
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 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…
ADVANCE PRAISE
“A grand cross-class romance, a twisty mystery, and emotional internal struggles combine to excellent effect…fans and new readers alike will root for this well-earned love story.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“[C]ombines deception, risk, and a resourceful heroine to create an intoxicating, suspenseful romance. Highly recommended.”— Library Journal (starred review)
“If you’re a fan of Beauty and the Beast, this regency romance will rapidly become a new favorite of yours. Wallflower meets an infamous war hero in this fascinating and intriguing love story.”— BuzzFeed
“Mimi Matthews never disappoints, with richly drawn characters and couples whose individual shortcomings become strengths, when paired together. In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, we get to root for two underdogs who get to rewrite their own stories.”— Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
“The Belle of Belgrave Square is such tremendous, good fun: a heroine with a big horse, an even bigger novel-reading habit, and a hidden anxiety; a hero with a crumbling estate, a trio of wary children, and a literary secret—what's not to love? Mimi Matthews paints Victorian England with vivid humor, and her Belles of London is set to go on for at least a few more much-anticipated installments. Julian Fellowes fans will rejoice!”— Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS
USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS
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READ AN EXCLSUIVE INTERVIEW WITH MIMI MATTHEWS
The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews
Excerpt from Chapter Three, pp. 24-27
“That must be quite a book to hold your attention in all this din.”
Julia’s head jerked up. Her heart lurched.
Captain Blunt stood, silhouetted, at the entrance to the anteroom, his broad shoulders nearly spanning the doorframe. His scarred face was shadowed in the gaslight, making him appear even more sinister than he usually did—something she hadn’t thought possible.
He wasn’t old enough to be her father. Indeed, he couldn’t be much above thirty.
“What is it?” he asked.
Julia hastily closed her book. She cleared her throat. “It’s, um, Lady Audley’s Secret.”
“Ah. I see.” He advanced into the room. Slowly. Deliberately. As if he was approaching a wild horse that might shy away from him.
Julia rather felt like one.
Her heartbeat quickened as he drew closer. She instinctively shrank back against the silk-papered wall behind her, wishing she could disappear.
No such luck.
She was well and truly caught. And it was her own fault. She was the one who had chosen to hide in this particular corner. There would be no escaping him now.
He came to a halt in front of her. “Don’t be afraid.”
Don’t be afraid? He could say that when he was looming over her like a great beast in a fairy tale?
“I won’t spoil it,” he said.
Comprehension came like a lightning strike.
Julia inwardly groaned.
He wasn’t talking about himself. He was talking about the book.
She felt more than a little foolish. “You couldn’t spoil it. I’ve read it six times before.”
“Six times?” His black brows lifted. “Any particular reason?”
“Some stories are better the more you read them. You notice things you didn’t the first time. And not only that.” She hesitated. “Books you’ve already read are like old friends. It’s comforting to revisit them.”
He nodded once, as if in unspoken understanding. “And this is why you slipped away from the drawing room? To revisit an old friend?”
“No. That is…yes.” She couldn’t keep the stammer from her voice. Neither could she formulate a creditable excuse. The truth tumbled out unchecked. “I was feeling lonely out there.”
He gave the empty room a dubious look. “As opposed to in here?”
“Here I’m alone, but I’m not lonely. There’s a difference.”
Here, there were no fashionable crowds to exclude her from their midst. No one to provoke her anxiety. To make her feel unwanted or unworthy. There was only herself.
And now him.
“You must like the story tremendously,” he said.
“Oh, I love the story. It’s one of my absolute favorites.” Her gloved fingers fidgeted on the book’s cover. “Did you like it?”
“I did. Very much so.”
She stared up at him, speechless.
His mouth tipped at one corner. It was a semblance of a smile. A brief one at that. It vanished as soon as it materialized, his mouth reverting to its characteristic, scar-snaggled sneer. “You look surprised.”
“I am rather. Most gentlemen wouldn’t deign to read a novel. And if they did, they’d never admit to liking it.”
He shrugged. “Novels provide an inexpensive escape from the realities of life. One would be a fool to discount them.” He cast a glance at the empty place beside her. “May I?”
Julia’s mouth went dry. “Er…yes. If you wish.” She moved her flounced skirts out of the way, making room for him on the silk-cushioned bench.
He sank down next to her. The bench creaked in protest beneath his weight.
He was close. Too close.
His leg brushed hers. She felt it through the barrier of her petticoats and crinoline, as surely as if their knees had touched without anything between them. Her already racing pulse skipped a beat.
She’d never been this near to him before. Never yet had the opportunity to fully appreciate his size and strength. The peculiar power of his presence. It was commanding. Almost menacing. And why not? He was a soldier. A dangerous soldier if rumors were to be believed.
If she knew what was good for her, she’d stand up and walk straight back to the drawing room. Instead, she remained where she was, a hair’s breadth away from one of the most ruthless men in recent military history.
He may have been known as the Hero of the Crimea, but the moniker was rarely spoken with honorable connotation. Captain Blunt had been notorious during the war.
She wasn’t privy to the particulars of his conduct. At the time, she’d been too young to read the papers. And now, among the ladies with whom she associated, there was only the vaguest of murmurings. All Julia knew for certain was that his notoriety had increased since returning to England.
If what her best friend, Lady Anne, said was true, the captain’s haunted estate in Yorkshire was presently playing host to his brood of illegitimate children. A scandalous fact. What sort of gentleman flaunted his sins in public? The answer was evident: a man who was no gentleman at all.
If he wanted to compromise Julia, he could, and easily.
She contemplated running away, but glancing up at the captain, she found him gazing down at her with single-minded attention.
“Miss Wychwood…”
“Yes?” Her voice was a breathless whisper.
“I wonder… What is it that appeals to you about that novel?”
Julia blinked up at him. “You want to know about Lady Audley’s Secret?”
“I do.”
She owned to a flicker of disappointment. What had she thought he was going to say? Something scandalous?
Something thrilling?
Stupid of her. One might think she wanted to be thrilled by him.
Copyright © 2022 by Mimi Matthews
GIVEAWAY
Mimi has generously offered a fabulous giveaway that book tour participants can add to their post and on social media. Here are the details:
Giveaway period: October 3 – October 30
Terms & Conditions:
Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. All information will remain confidential and will not be sold or otherwise used, except to notify the winner and to facilitate postage of the book to the winner. Void where prohibited.
Giveaway Details:
1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives a paperback copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square, signed and annotated by the author with personal comments, underlining of her favorite lines, and other highlights by Mimi Matthews.
The giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 10/03/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 10/30/22.
The winner will be announced on Mimi's blog on 10/31/22.
Rafflecopter Form:
Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92989f07662/?
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