Length: 432 Pages
Genres: Historical Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
A special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing with an ARC of this book!
Trigger Warnings in this book for Mentions of Violence and Parental Mental Abuse
I was lucky enough to have gotten an advanced copy of the first book in this series, The Siren of Sussex, and just adored Matthews' prose, her amazing knowledge of the time period, and her wonderful characters! I was really excited for the next one because the couple was hinted at in the previous installment and I couldn't wait to see where their romance went!
Julia Wychwood is a young lady bound by her anxiety, bed-ridden by her fear and controlled by her hypochondriac parents. She has never left London, but travels the world via her beloved novels, and dreams of a romance worthy of the pages. Her only strength comes in the form of her beloved Black gelding, Cossack, and she wakes early every morning ride in the park. But as she grows older, these little freedoms gain an expiration date. She must marry at her parents' will, and soon. When she fakes yet another illness to stay hidden away in her room, her parents' doctor demands she read no more novels, as they are undoubtedly the root of her sickness, and bleeds her twice in one day, leaving her weak and trapped.
Jasper Blunt may be called "The Hero of the Crimea", but it is a known fact that he acted anything but heroic during his time as a Captain. His dark deeds and scarred face are the gossip of all of London, just as much as his three illegitimate children and purportedly haunted Yorkshire estate is. He has come to London in want of a wife with a sizeable dowry, enough to make repairs to his estate and to provide for his children. And he thinks he's found the perfect one: Julia Wychwood. Over time, he even begins to harbor affection in his heart for her, only to be told point blank by her father that should she marry she would have to remain close to her parents so that she can care for them. And Yorkshire is a long ways away from London. Then, he goes to her on her sickbed and she asks of something he cannot deny, dowry or no. She asks him for his hand in marriage.
I really appreciated this romance with an anxious and doubting heroine because she so often reminded me of myself and I connected to her on a deep basis, with her love of books and romantic imaginings, her fears and woes, and cheered for her when she finally stood up to her parents, all on her own. Jasper was an excellent brooding type of hero with dark secrets and an inside that was as gooey as marshmallow. And though there was no explicit sex scenes, there were stolen kisses and sensuality that was so scorching you won't miss any of it! Another thing I greatly enjoyed was the influence of gothic literature (one of my favorite genres) on this book, complete with references and quotes from Wuthering Heights. Opening up one of Mimi Matthews' books is like sinking into a bubble bath, or indulging in a big mug of hot chocolate--it's pure pleasure, and one you'll quickly be addicted to!
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