Belle is the second book in the Belles of London series and I believe it is better than the first. I liked how the author incorporated touches of Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Bluebeard’s Wife, along with a few others, to tell the story of Julia and Jasper. There was a mysterious tone to Jasper’s character, and though I figured him out pretty early on, knowing them didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. I really loved his character.

I also really appreciated the Author’s Note at the end where she laid out her research. I learned so much about the time period.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars

The Belle Of Belgrave Square is a delightful regency romance full of swoon-worthy moments and mystery. I loved the subtle way the author weaves Beauty and the Best elements into this story. I am a sucker for a marriage of convenience plot, especially in regency romances so I had a feeling I was going to love this book.

As a horse girl in real life, I absolutely loved all the equestrian elements in this book. From the very first page where Julia and Captain Jasper Blunt meet on horseback, this book hooks you in. Julia is a wallflower with social anxiety who despises nothing less than being forced into a marriage she does not want. Captain Jasper Blunt is in need of a wealthy wife in order to care for his children and estate. Captain Blunt's dark past follows him and he is still full of secrets.

There is an undeniable connection between Julia and Jasper but secrets threaten to pull them apart. Overall this was a highly enjoyable romance read that I could not put down. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews is the second book in her popular Belles of London series but can be easily read as a stand-alone. I really enjoyed this marriage of convenience story, with a lot of heart and emotion.

Story Recap:
Julia is the daughter of two sickly parents, who want her to marry and stay close to them. She has a handsome dowry, but she hasn’t had any proposals. The fact that nobody has asked for her hand in marriage could be due to her severe social anxiety. She’s happier to stay home with a book than go to balls with all of London Society.

Captain Jasper Blunt has quite a reputation. He’s known as a war hero and a bit of a mystery. His Yorkshire home has several of his illegitimate children, a scandal that they live with him in his stately home. When he returned from the war, his family home was left needing many repairs, and Jasper needs to find a woman with a hefty dowry in order to fix up his home. When Jasper proposes a marriage of convenience, the only condition that Julia adds is that she must be allowed to live as she pleases and read and ride whenever she wants.

My Thoughts:
I love a good marriage of convenience story, and this is one of the better ones I’ve read. I loved both these characters very much. I felt so bad for Julia and her social anxiety. Her sickly parents only needed her around to fetch and carry for them as they spent most of their time in their sickbeds. She hates going to balls and social events, but her parents make her go anyway. I really empathized with her issues. All she wants to do is lead a quiet life with her horse.

Jasper has a lot of secrets and I was surprised when one of his big secrets was revealed. He has a tough reputation as a philander and a bit of a brute, but, his tenderness toward Julia belies his reputation.

The scenes set in his home in Yorkshire are a lot of fun. Jasper’s children are not too fond of him, or his new bride and their antics are delightful. And this is where Jasper and Julia start to fall in love. They are perfect together and complement each other perfectly.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Belle of Belgrave Square to anyone who enjoys historical romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 stars
I quite enjoyed the first book in the Belles of London series, but this one was even better! Julia is a bookish, reserved main character, while Jasper is strong and more serious. Their relationship progresses nicely and the whole marriage-of-convenience trope begins around 50%. It seemed natural in parts, but in the grand scheme of things the initial attraction/marriage happens within only a few days, so it did feel a little rushed. I really enjoyed the twists at the end, though I did predict them from practically the time the storyline was initially introduced. Overall, I really liked this book and look forward to continuing this series!

This Regency romance had a couple of my favorite tropes: marriage first, leading to courtship and not just hotcha on the Beautyrest (which is fine, especially with a comedic voice) but mutual respect and friendship. Add to that found family, and I was in for a non-stop read.

Matthews does a splendid job with the details of the period, adding just enough reality to ground the story (though I could do without the blood-letting descriptions, because I'm a wimp). I liked the characters, the hero had convincing reasons to be a bit of a Bluebeard, and it was altogether a satisfying read, leaving me wanting to see more by this author.

Special thanks to Penguin Random House International for providing me an e-ARC of this title.

Mimi Mathews is renowned for her historical fiction and that’s why I’m a huge fan of her. Her other novel The Siren Sussex was an epic read for me.

What I liked:

Detailed and impressive character description.
Setting of the regency England
A little bit of mention of Crimea, Sebastopol and Constantinople (Istanbul)
Author’s note at the end of the novel as they were very helpful and informative. I can bet that she did a great search for writing this.

What I loved:

I loved the character of Julia Wychwood. Her devotion to novels is amazing 😂.
Reference of Bluebeard’s wife, Beauty and the beast and Sleeping beauty.
The children especially Daisy.
Twists, surprises and revelations that I saw coming when I reached the middle of the book.
There were many thoughtful lines in the book that I loved a lot.
It got a bit boring after a few chapters at the start. But Overall it is a great historical novel. If you are a fan of Bridgerton series you might love this novel.

wists of this book!! Having finished, I'm tempted to re-read knowing all that I know now.

Julia is all of us bookish people who would much rather be cozy at home with a book than out at a social function. By the time this book ends, Julia has really come into her own and learned to believe in her own worth. She's really an incredible character.

Julia and Captain Blunt have the sweetest, most pure friendship and relationship. What a JOY to read. He was so protective yet gentle, really just swoon worthy, to be honest. They were just right for each other, and you could tell that they were great friends and partners.

What I didn't love: Julia is so disconnected from her friends. While I can understand that maybe she needed to be feeling a bit isolated to make some of the decisions she did, I really wish we had seen more of her own relationships other than with her parents. We know that her friendships are incredibly important to her and I would have liked to see a bit of that.

That said, we did get a bit of Anne towards the end and I'm hoping that her story is coming next, because I can feel that it's going to be a good one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced e-book!

The Belle of Belgrave Square is a beautiful, romantic loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Julia is such a sweet character and as an avid reader, I can totally sympathize with her desire to stay in bed all day with her books and chocolates. I mean, is there anything better?

Captain Blunt seems to be her complete opposite in every way. Hailed a war hero despite his horrific deeds, he comes across as cold. But he's hiding a lot behind the scar running across his face.

Julia and Blunt are wonderful together and I love how they help each other grow stronger.

As always, Ms. Matthews draws you into the world she's written and keeps you glued to the pages until the very end.

I cannot wait for Lady Anne and Hartford's story!

*I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

"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..."

A girl with dreams I totally relate to!

Julia and Jasper's romance is lazer-focused, and it hooked me immediately. For the most part, I was surprised by Julia and Jasper. Almost every time I thought I knew what one of them would say or do...they didn't say or do the thing. I was glued to the page!

Matthews gets no points for mystery: You will know what ALL of Jasper's secrets are as soon as those scandalous seedlings are tossed onto the page. Also, the ending was marred by the perpetuation of one of the more serious secrets, in my opinion.

But I really liked Julia. She has social anxiety, which goes a little deeper than typical wallflower nerves. I feel that, so it was very gratifying to see Julia come into her own on her terms. I could not help but like her and Jasper, for seeing her true worth.

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for an advanced copy of this book! I really enjoyed it!

Star Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: Historical Romance
Pub Date: October 11, 2022

I was lukewarm on the first book in this series, but I am all in for book two! Julia and Jasper were multi-faceted, unique, complicated characters that I enjoyed getting to know throughout the story. Julia is a blue-stocking and Jasper's reputation (for brutality) precedes him, but together...they are dynamite! This is a slow burn romance where the characters are consistently drawn to each other. Of course, they connect over their love of reading, and I thought the scenes involving book-talk were especially swoon worthy! Their characters opened up so much when books were discussed.

Another element of this book I really enjoyed were the positive aspects of their relationship. They build each other up and support each other. Julia is painfully shy and is often gossiped about, but Jasper's support really helps her come out of her shell. I love a story in which the main characters make each other better, and Julia and Jasper undoubtedly do that for each other. Both characters are really relatable, too, even though it is a historical fiction book. Julia's anxiety especially will identify with a lot of readers, I think, and her self-confidence issues + triumphs will hopefully inspires others to do the same.

This story is a combination of Beauty and the Beast vibes + gothic romance with a slow-burn love. I really think readers are going to fall in love with these characters and this story!

Will his past revelation tear them apart…

Each time I pick up a Mimi Matthews’ book I know the words will flee by the window, cheer my heart and this one is no exception.
I read it in no time, turning page after page, entranced by Jasper and Julia’s story, needing to uncover all his secrets.
Julia is the young Miss who always followed the flow, her mortifying shyness leading her to believe it was the easiest and safest way. Easiest as it avoided confrontation and safest as it protected her from others’ scrutiny.
And for years, it was her only means of escaping, of getting some personal time outside society’s whirlwind whatever the price she had from time to time to pay for these respites.
She lives passionately through her readings, transported by others’ adventures and life experiences while she hides in the crowd.
Jasper is in the city for one purpose, sweep of her feet an heiress to change his circumstances, who he did not expect was Julia. She is all his answers and even more, yet sort of unattainable.
From the beginning, Jasper is a conundrum, he is so many different faces, a hero, a ruthless soldier, a profligate, a caring father, a knight, a man of contradictions.
Only one thing is sure and certain, he is bewitched by Julia but respect her too much to go against her wishes and desires, yet what if …

I just loved how smoothly Mrs Matthews bring them together, soothing Julia’s anguish until she sees the man behind the soldier’s facade. Then unravel everything playing with well known tropes and fairytales to patch them back together.
5 stars for this striking tale of two damaged people healing under one another’s care, for Julia to find her inner strength to reach for what she wants and Jasper to leave the past behind to built a new future, a new family.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses and non explicit love scene.

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

This was an entertaining historical romance. Julia Wychwood is an heiress who suffers from severe social anxiety and who is under the thumb of her electively invalid parents. They are determined that she would never leave them through a marriage that would take her out of London. Unbeknownst to her they have turned away any potential suitors who would remove her from London and their influence.

Captain Jasper Blunt has come to London looking for an heiress so that he can restore his newly inherited estate and care for his three bastard children. He is a hero of the Crimean War but his scarred countenance and lack of funds don't make him the most eligible of suitors.

However, Julia and Jasper bond over their love of novels. He is also very helpful when the crush of society gets to be too much for her. When her parents' chosen suitor becomes overly familiar, Jasper is there to send him on his way. He also rescues her from her home when her parents call in a doctor who bleeds her twice in a very short time period leaving her too weak to leave on her own.

He takes her to his home in rural Yorkshire where she is much happier even though the children aren't immediately cordial. However, her father isn't so quick to let her go. He does what he can to hold up her access to the money she inherited from an aunt which is needed to make estate improvements.

Also Jasper is keeping a number of secrets which make it hard for them to become closer. Those secrets threaten their relationship more than her father's actions. She will have to overcome some of her fear of her parents if she wants her new life to become permanent.

I enjoyed both characters. The time period was interesting as well. Women's rights and the laws of the time have a lot to do with the plot of this story. I loved the information about the growth of novels and novel reading and the beliefs about novels that were prevalent.

Fans of historical romances with accurate history will enjoy this story.

This was such a wonderful read - I loved the characters quite a bit and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. Mimi Matthews is a new author for me but I'll definitely be going back and reading The Siren of Sussex!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early!

Mimi Matthews has such a way with words. Her stories are sweet and swoony, delightful, charming, and so much more.
This book is no exception!
I loved getting to know Julia.
And Jasper. (who, if you've read the first book in this series, you already know) As I read, this book, though, I quickly realized that all my preconceived ideas about Jasper....were wrong.
These characters sucked me into the story, and I was charmed by them, and their relationship.
If you are looking for a sweet romance. One that shows a beautiful depiction of those long-ago days...then look no further!


Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Captain Jasper Blunt is in need of an heiress wife to save his moldering estate in the wilds of Yorkshire as well as help with his children born on the wrong side of the sheets, which is quite unheard of in the London ton. A hero whose wartime deeds are known to be brutal, Jasper’s scowling demeanor and scary visage give the season’s debutantes quite a flutter. Jasper desires to marry for a variety of reasons and is attracted to the shy and retiring Julia Wychwood who is practically on the shelf at twenty-three.

Julia would rather spend her time reading and hiding out than go to the fancy balls of London elite. Her odious parents want Julia to make a match but only if she stays near to care for theme as they are extreme hypochondriacs. Since Julia’s life has been dark and dreary, she escapes into romance books even though they are considered harmful for women of her class. The author references several well known popular such books of the time period. When Julia’s parents threaten her with an untenable marriage, she does the unthinkable proposing to the mysterious Captain Blunt to escape her parents’ tyranny.

Captain Blunt swiftly agrees but he has some unusual conditions: stay out of the locked tower in his gloomy estate and no talking about the past. Rumors have abounded about Captain Blunt for some time and most of them are not complementary. Julia is determined to make a success with the near stranger she married and all of the challenges including unruly children, a dearth of servants in her new home, and continued struggles on the parental front who will not let go.

In this Beauty and the Beast style tale, the first half of the book is taken up with Julia’s dreary and restricted life and nearly being of forced by her horrible parents to marry their choice of husband for her. Her tortuous and practically abusive life, with the only relief of having some close friends who are currently out of town, pushes Julia to seemingly rash behavior that finally gives her some of the freedom she so ardently desired but not without cost and unexpected challenges. This book is the second in the Belles of London series but can be read as a standalone.

Julia is an heiress who takes her marriage into her own hands, she wants to read and wants to be left alone. Her sickly and controlling parents are trying to keep her right where they want her, but she has too much spirit for that. Jasper needs an heiress, but also wants to keep his secrets.

The story of the two of them learning about each other and growing together. Jasper's secrets threaten to come out and eventually do in unexpected ways.

Julia is a delightful character who seems content to be in the background. Her journey through the story brings out her strength and her tenacity. She is a strong young woman that didn't know her strength and courage. Jasper has a reputation of a brute, but Julia sees something more. Julia's friends who have appeared in the Siren of Sussex are shown in this one as well and are as loyal as friends can be.

Mimi Matthews has a winner on her hand in this second serving of the Belles of London. These stories challenge society's rules and strictures and are purely delightful.

I received an early copy through the publisher and Netgalley and this is my honest review.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Belle of Belgrave Square is a wonderful romance set in Victorian England. This is a follow up to The Siren of Sussex, second in The Belles of London series, but you don't need to read one before the other for it to make sense.

Julia Wychwood is shy. After two failed seasons, she can't imagine why any man would express interest in her, especially the war hero, Captain Jasper Blunt. Her parents keep her on a short rein, using their illnesses as an excuse to keep her on hand. Escaping into a book is Julia's favorite pastime.

Captain Blunt has a wicked scar across his face. He's unpolished, and rumor has it that he has a house full of children from his philandering ways. Blunt needs to marry an heiress to restore the mansion. He's a secretive man and upfront at the same time—what is Julia supposed to think?

And thus, Julia and Jasper are on a collision course. But neither of them are what they seem.

I adored this book! It still touches on the theme of women's rights and equality, though not as much as the first in the series. I consider this a sweet romance because the door is closed.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did.

ARC e-book via NetGalley
Provided by Berkley Publishing Group
Publication: 11 Oct 2022

Of the books I've reviewed on NetGalley, this is probably the one I was most excited to receive, so far. I enjoyed several of Matthews' other books (3 of the 4 in the "Parish Orphans' series, of which, as an aside, the 3rd book seems very difficult to find), and the first in this series, "The Siren of Sussex."

In the Siren of Sussex, we have one of a group of 4 somewhat-unconventional-for-their-time women falling in love with a tailor who understands the value of pockets in women's attire. Here, we have another of this friend group who is a bookworm ("... Julia collected her gloves and her silk-fringed reticule. Opening the drawstring closure, she dropped her novel inside. A society musicale was no place for reading. But it never hurt to be prepared."), who falls in love with a former soldier over a shared love of reading novels. It's like Matthews really, truly knows the important priorities in life -- pockets & books. (I'm not sure what will be next - wine? chocolate? comfortable shoes?)

It is slightly tedious at times when the heavy hints the reader is given take a while to sink in & for Julia to figure out what's going on - but the journey is mostly enjoyable and Matthews also weaves in a somewhat 'meta' defense of the value of romance novels into her... romance novel.

Also, the covers for this series have a great style. I've already ordered this one for the library and look forward to the next in the series.

This was a very entertaining, light romance read. Belle was a treat to read and the brooding captain with the heart of gold was a great foil to her delicate nature. Her parents could have easily appeared in a Jane Austen book and were just short of cartoonish in nature.
This was an ARC through Netgalley. Thanks for the enjoyable read!