The Belle of Belgrave Square

Mimi Matthews

Oct 2022 · Belles of London Book 2 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

“Shiveringly Gothic.”—New York Times Book Review

A PopSugar and 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 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…

Ratings and reviews

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews, the second book in the Belles of London series, follows Julia Wychwood and Captain Jasper Blunt. Julia is a timid, reserved wallflower; preferring her novels to finding her way in society. She would rather pretend to be ill than attend a ball or dinner. Her lack of confidence in social settings is a result of her cruel, hypochondriac parents. Julia, however, is confident on horseback. According to her friend, Lady Anne, only a special gentleman can

The Belle of Belgrade Square is book two in the Belles of London series. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first book in the series The Siren of Sussex. I loved both books. This one in particular is a masterpiece with twists and turns I never expected. Julia is a wonderful depiction of a shy Victorian lady. I felt her pain as she experienced social anxiety in crowded ballrooms and musicales. Captain Blunt is the amazing dark and fierce figure.

After reading the sneak peek at the end of The Siren of Sussex, I pre-ordered this (can be read as stand-alone). I much enjoyed reading this, how Julia overcomes her social anxiety and finds loves in the bargain.

About the author

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.