Review: Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews

I haven’t met a Mimi Matthews book that I didn’t love and Gentleman Jim is no exception! I absolutely loved this one! Mimi Matthews is an auto-buy author for me. She always writes such wonderful romances with heart, chemistry, and they always leave me satisfied with a smile.

I will say that I didn’t love the title of the book but when I read the author’s notes about why she went with Jim instead of Jack, I could understand but I still liked Gentleman Jack better.

But no matter, Gentleman Jim is a large part of the story but not necessarily a principal character. If you love The Count of Monte Cristo and Wuthering Heights, this is the book you have been waiting for!

Summary

From USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews comes a swashbuckling tale of Regency era romance and revenge.

She couldn’t forget…

Wealthy squire’s daughter Margaret Honeywell was always meant to marry her neighbor, Frederick Burton-Smythe, but it’s bastard-born Nicholas Seaton who has her heart. Raised alongside her on her father’s estate, Nicholas is the rumored son of notorious highwayman Gentleman Jim. When Fred frames him for theft, Nicholas escapes into the night, vowing to find his legendary sire. But Nicholas never returns. A decade later, he’s long been presumed dead.

He wouldn’t forgive…

After years spent on the continent, John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare has finally come home to England. Tall, blond, and dangerous, he’s on a mission to restore his family’s honor. If he can mete out a bit of revenge along the way, so much the better. But he hasn’t reckoned for Maggie Honeywell. She’s bold and beautiful—and entirely convinced he’s someone else.

As danger closes in, St. Clare is torn between love and vengeance. Will he sacrifice one to gain the other? Or with a little luck—and a lot of daring—will he find a way to have them both? (summary from Goodreads)

Review

I read The Count of Monte Cristo in 2008 and to be honest, I didn’t love it. I adore the film and will watch that all day ever day but the book was just ok for me. But the film has so much to love and I was thrilled to see that Matthews wanted to incorporate some of the things that I loved most about the film. A wronged hero, a mysterious fortune, fake identity, a bold heroine who cannot forget the man who stole her heart, and of course villain you cannot wait to get their come-upping.

I couldn’t read this one fast enough. I was fully invested in Nicholas and Maggie’s romance and I loved how it had a little bit of Cathy and Heathcliff to it without all the angsty moodiness that their romance if so famous for. It had all the passion and ‘soul mates’ feels of Wuthering Heights which I loved. I also liked that Nicholas didn’t try and keep his identity a secret for too long. She wore him down fairly quickly and I appreciated that and thought it was fitting for their rekindled romance.

On the flip side, I absolutely hated Fred and was on pins and needles for him to get what was coming his way in the end. I liked how the book resolved that aspect of the story but I would have liked to have seen Fred suffer a little more than he did because I just hate bullies so much.

The only thing I would have liked to have seen elaborated on more was Maggie’s passion for her estate. I wasn’t entirely convinced that she loved the estate enough to not marry Nicholas or to even consider it. I would have liked to have seen that played up more than it was but overall it was a minor thing that didn’t take away from the story for me. I still ended up giving this one 5 stars and easily put it on my ‘books to give for Christmas’ list because I just loved it that much! Great read and as per usual I am eager to see what Matthews comes up with next! Swoon!

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 Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, 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. Her next romance, The Siren of Sussex, will be out in 2022 from Berkley/Penguin Random House.

GOODREADS

Book Info and Rating

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: November 10th 2020 by Perfectly Proper Press

ASINB0842YLCNF

Free review copy provided by author in partnership with Austen Prose book tour, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: romance, historical fiction