Tartly elegant. . . . A vigorous, sparkling, and entertaining love story with plenty of Austen-ite wit.” -Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review“Matthews ups the ante with a wildly suspenseful romance…” -Library Journal, STARRED review“This page-turner shouldn’t be missed.” -Publishers Weekly, STARRED review“Readers who love lots of intrigue and historicals that sound properly historical will savor … of intrigue and historicals that sound properly historical will savor this one.” -NPR
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 other? Or, with a little daring, will he find a way to have them both?
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Mimi Matthews has more talent in her little finger than most writers can eek out in a lifetime. Her stories are always super entertaining, compelling, and swoony; Gentleman Jim is no different. This book has all the elements a reader looks for and then some. I will note, however, a slight trigger warning for some. Because of the Count of Monte Cristo themes, there is some gaslighting going on by the hero to the heroine. This made me slightly uncomfortable, although I knew why he did it. But for someone that’s been a victim of gaslighting before, they may have a problem with this element of the book.
A forbidden love between the young stable boy and daughter of a country squire will never be when young Nicholas Seaton is wrongly accused of stealing Maggie’s jewels and must run for his life. But not before she promises to wait for his return. After ten years of no word from him, and years of loss and strife, her father’s will was drawn in such a way to give all her rights to the untrustworthy Frederick Burton-Smythe, unless she marries—and Fred must approve the marriage!—Margaret Honeywell heads for London to find a husband with aid from her own friend, Miss Jane Trimble. But when Fred, the very man who has control of her property and monies and, seemingly, her destiny…and the last man in the world she wishes to marry despite his own wishes—finds he has an appointment with Viscount St. Clare for pistols at dawn, she takes it upon herself to stop the duel. (She only fears what will happen to her inheritance if he is killed!) But what happens when Maggie meets this handsome viscount, newly returned from the continent, and believes she recognizes the grown man as someone she used to know…?
Well, all this happens within the first few pages! And the fast pace does not stop.
From start to finish, my heart was in my throat, cheering for Maggie, hoping for Viscount St. Clare to triumph, and wishing Fred would just go away. “Gentleman Jim” is a charismatic combination of drama, historical saga, and romantic intrigue that you must read sooner than later! Outstanding.
Full to the brim of a passionate spirit that almost bursts from the pages… This will charge your brain and light your heart… I freaking LOVE this book.
Be warned this review will consist of extreme fingerling and random words in CAPS. Okay, here goes. There’s SO much to love about Mimi Matthew’s newest release Gentleman Jim. First off, I’m a HUGE- I repeat-HUGE fan of intelligent heroines that ALSO have tender hearts. Maggie Honeywell has spunk, and lots of it. After her father’s death she finds herself in a not-so-fab situation, yet she continues to hold her chin high. And St. Claire? All the sighs for St. Clair and his swoony self. He also lands himself in a peculiar situation and together he and Maggie navigate the tumultuous waters of the London society.
The romance between these characters was crackling HOT. Yet their relationship was not surface only. There were deep moments as well as sweet ones. The pacing was perfect. The plot kept me guessing. You guys there’s a duel!! And ballroom scenes! And a whole bunch of awesomeness tucked into the pages!
So yeah, you need to read this and join me in my gushing because this story is worth ALL the accolades!
I received a copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I have loved each and every one of Mimi’s novels. This one, especially, deserves ALL THE STARS and a place on my favorites list!
Gentleman Jim is a thrilling Regency adventure that’s one part hope, one part daring, and one part hopelessly romantic. This twist on a tale of revenge spins a Count of Monte Cristo-esque trope of secret identities and the clash of formidable adversaries with true love in the balance.
The hero, St. Clare, is at once capable, bold, and swoon worthy with a deep well of unabashed emotion he reveals only to the heroine. Likewise, Maggie fulfills her role as heroine with a balance of spunk, femininity, and a daring personality as she holds her own in the drawing room and brandishing a pistol. Their romance is full of spark and undercurrents of tension, born of their fantastic chemistry and the many layers of history each character brings to the story. It’s the kind of story you wish you could read again for the first time, discovering the surprises and enjoying the beautiful turns of phrase along the way.
I enjoyed Matthews’ return to the Regency setting for this novel, where duels, waltzes, and horseback riding abound with surprising twists of action and challenges to inheritance. Naturally threaded in this story are important themes of hope, home, and the power of truth leading to justice. But I’d recommend reading it for the clean-yet-amazingly-sexy friends-to-more romance alone
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.
Gentleman Jim drew me in from the very beginning. The more I read, the more exciting and romantic it got. This one is full of adventures with a nod to the Count of Monte Christo. (a favorite of mine) The dialogue and banter is so wonderful. I loved the heroine with her fiery personality and her quick wit. Maggie is a passionate young woman who knows her mind. She had me laughing with her remarks not only to the Viscount, but also towards the horrible antagonist. The hero, oh my goodness! I’m swooning now just thinking about him. He is suave, heroic and his love and passion towards Maggie is so heartwarming and precious. Please, don’t miss this one.
*I was given a copy of this book by the author and this is my honest opinion.
Oh My…..My Gosh…..Dang Girl! Man alive that was a good romance! Swooning, sighing and so happy and sad it’s done. Mimi out did herself with this one. There was tension and romance on every page. I never felt for one moment I was not getting thoroughly entertained. I did not want to put this down, I was so mad when I had to go to work. Set this aside if you have that kind of will power and wait till you have a whole Sunday or Saturday to read this. I have loved almost all of Mimi’s books, but this is by far my favorite. The two leading characters were so well done The love story pulls you in from the first pages and doesn’t let you go. I was so worried and really wondering at one point and then it all began to click together and I could see how it would all work out. It is a rare author that can get me to feel stressed that things won’t work out. I also love how real it all is that you can see that everything won’t be sunshine and roses but if the choose they can make the best of it. So wonderful! I can’t say enough good:} Mimi if you ever need a cheerleader just message me girl, you are a new favorite of mine.
So good. So, so, so good. I couldn’t put it down, and I was so invested in the story, that I honestly lost track of time over two different days. Mimi is one of my favorite authors. She writes books like no one else and delivers the ultimate in reader satisfaction. I never know what story she will tell and I absolutely adore that. There is nothing predictable in her books. I’d give this a 10 star if I could. 🙂
The release of a new book by Mimi Matthews is always cause for celebration. It’s like hitting the lottery…on Christmas! Each one is an absolute joy to read. Haven’t read any of her work? Why not? Seriously, what is wrong with you?! Of course I jest (kind of). If you love romance in general and historical romance in particular, you will get lost in the beautiful stories created by this talented writer. If she is new to you, this is the perfect book with which to start, as it is a stand-alone story.
Margaret Honeywell is the daughter of a wealthy squire, said squire wanting his daughter to marry neighbor Frederick Burton-Smythe when she is grown. Maggie, however, wants nothing to do with him. Her heart and soul belong to Nicholas Seaton, a bastard who works for her father. Fred frames Nicholas for stealing Maggie’s jewelry in order to get rid of him. Nicholas escapes with Maggie’s help, and he’s determined to find his reputed father, an infamous highwayman known as Gentleman Jim. Ten years later Maggie presumes that her love has died. Enter handsome and dangerous John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare. He is recently returned from Italy and is helping his grandfather restore family honor; a little revenge wouldn’t go amiss, either. When Maggie meets St. Clare, she believes him to be someone else. St. Clare wants his revenge, but he cannot help but be drawn to fiery Maggie. Will they find the love they each crave, or will danger tear them apart?
SO. DARN. ROMANTIC. I’d swoon if I was the swooning type. This was such a beautiful story! Both the heroine and hero were strong characters, and neither overshadowed the other. Maggie was incredible – she was in mourning for two years and suffered from frail health after a dreadful bout of influenza, yet she never lost her boldness and strength. No withering wallflower was our Maggie! St. Clare was so focused on revenge and helping his grandfather keep his estate from falling into the hands of an odious cousin, yet Maggie’s beauty and strength called to him. He was a hard man, but allowed Maggie to soften his heart. Besides passionate kisses, intimacy was behind closed doors. However, the passion was real; it was tangible and permeated the story. The romance was perfect, but we also had the excitement of a mystery, fisticuffs and even a duel. Dive into this divine book, and I guarantee you will be a fan of Ms. Matthews for life.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Could a groom and a Viscount possibly be the same person?
Nicholas Seaton was a groom in a country estate in Somerset, England. He was the son of a scullery maid and an unknown man, but it was said that he was the bastard son of a rogue called Gentleman Jim.
Raised without love, Nicholas found in Margareth Honeywell, the daughter of the estate owner, an unexpected friend. She meant the world to him, but their class difference was an insurmountable barrier.
When unjustly accused of theft, Nicholas fled Somerset, and Margareth never saw him again.
Years later, Maggie was on the verge of succumbing to her neighbor’s marriage proposal to keep possession of her estate when she met Lord St. Claire.
St. Claire strongly resembled Nicholas, but he was a Viscount, grandson of the Earl of Allendale.
I loved all the mystery around Lord St. Claire and how complex was his relationship with Maggie and his Grandfather.
Maggie was lovely, so full of energy and loyalty. It hurt me to see the situation she found herself in. I connected to her from the beginning and enjoyed every minute of her journey to HEA.
Highly Recommended!
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com *
Wealthy squire’s daughter Margaret Honeywell was always meant to marry her neighbour, Frederick Burton-Smythe, but it’s bastard-born Nicholas Seaton who has her heart. Raised alongside her on her father’s estate, Nick is the rumoured son of notorious highwayman Gentleman Jim. When Fred frames him for theft, Nick escapes into the night, vowing to find his legendary sire. But Nick never returns. A decade later, he’s long been presumed dead. 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 honour. If he can mete out a bit of revenge along the way, so much the better. But he hasn’t reckoned for Maggie Honeywell.
I’m always excited to read one of the author’s books & once again she didn’t disappoint. I loved everything about this book, the writing is brilliant, the characters jump out of the page at you, the story is very well paced & never lags. This was a different romance from the author & the tension began at the beginning & held my interest all the way through plus you were left guessing. Definitely not a book to start late in the day, in fact clear the decks before starting it as I found it extremely hard to put down. This has to be in my top ten best reads of the year & I would give it ten stars if I could
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I started reading this as a serialized novel on Mimi Matthews website. Every month a new part would be released and I had such a hard time waiting because I always wanted MORE. Finally, I got it. Right here in a whole entire book to devour at once.
It’s no secret that I adore all that Mimi Matthews writes. She really hits my sweet spot as a reader. Her characters come to life for me bringing with them emotion and struggle that I connect with. I always feel so lucky to be reading her books.
As I said before, I’ve been anticipating this book for awhile since I started with it in a serialized format. My heart has loved both Nicholas and Maggie from the beginning. I loved the tension in this book between all the characters. It grew as the story progressed and it led to some explosive and satisfying scenes. Think duels, bar room brawls, secret rendezvous, and yes, some revenge. The story and the characters were well developed. I loved it all. It was so, so good.
Content: some profanity (God, Lord used as exclamations), mild peril, mild violence. Kissing.
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. I will be buying my own copy as soon as it is available. All opinions expressed are my own.
Every time I see Mimi Matthews has a new book coming, I can’t wait to read it! She brings her readers such great stories from her marvelously talented pen. And this one is no exception. It just might be my favorite. But then, I think that with each book she writes. I am just a forever fan.
The opening chapter sells you on the book at once, and then the more you read, the deeper you are drawn into the story. This Regency is so well done and the characters, as usual with Matthews, leap right off the pages. I think I fell in love a little with St. Clare myself! His character was so heroic, chivalrous, courageous, romantic (oh!) that a girl just can’t help from loving him. And Miss Maggie Honeywell did, as a young girl, and as a grown woman. She never stopped loving him. That’s what made their story so precious: they knew from childhood they were meant for each other. I loved every single minute. Totally. I highly recommend this author.
*My thanks to Perfectly Proper Press for an advance copy of this book. The review is expressly my own.
Wow! In the past 48 hours when I was not working or reading this book, I was dreaming about it. Many months ago when I was initially reading the preface to this book in Mimi Matthews newsletter I absolutely knew it would be incredible. It is not an exaggeration to say that I have thought about it so many times in the past months, wishing it would be released sooner. I was incredibly joyful to discover that I had been the lucky recipient of an early release of the book! What joy!
I am wildly in love with this story, let alone with Nicholas and Maggie. This book had everything that could hold my heart in so many different directions. There was pain and heartache, a multitude of mystery, intriguing side characters, and most of all an incredibly winsome, delightful, intense, and beautiful romance… and a heartwarming epilogue to boot!
Oh how I love this story and how much I will miss these characters! I feel sure I will be dreaming of them again tonight. I understand the audible version will be released in the not-too-distant future and I will most certainly have it on pre-order as soon as it is available.
Not just a beautiful love story, but also a story of learning and growth. Another favorite from my favorite author.
I have read a dozen Mimi Matthews book, but I’m certain this is my favorite. IMO, Matthews is one of the finest writers in the romantic historical fiction genre of this decade and I always watch for her books to come on sale. She never fails to accurately set the language, place and culture to the time period, and she also never fails to write beautiful, substantive prose that makes her books more than just leisure entertainment. Gentleman Jim sat in my Kindle queue for months before I decided to read it, mostly because the back-facing man on the cover was a little odd for the genre. It wasn’t until the story ended that I came to appreciate the nuances of that choice, and I loved it. While the cover was unusual, the pages were filled with Matthews’ lyrical style. Nicholas’ resistant yet constant love for Maggie as he hides behind his transformation is so intense it’s almost palpable, while Maggie’s devotion in light of his resistance to be honest, is so excruciating at times that you plead aloud that she not give up. Gentleman Jim is an endearing tale of transformation while learning that who you truly are should be accepted and embraced; and steadfastness when all hope seems to be lost.
With Gentleman Jim Mimi Matthews has created a swoon-worthy second chance, childhood sweetheart romance with elements reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Margaret Honeywell is practically an old maid at twenty-six, and determined not to marry the man her father left in charge of her inheritance. The same man who, as a young man, caused her childhood soulmate to be ripped from her life. But with her first sight of John Beresford she is sure she recognizes him – that the stableboy she loved has returned as the devastatingly handsome Viscount St. Claire.
But there is more at stake than her heart, and Mimi Matthews has crafted a fascinating and wonderful tale of love and family, inheritance, heartbreak, misunderstandings, gorgeous Regency gowns, and not a little gossip.
As ever, I cannot recommend this romance enough, having loved the writing and the deft portrayal of her characters from my first Mimi Matthews book, and this is no exception.
This review refers to a temporary digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.
Alex Wyndham’s voice is like smooth whiskey!!
Gentleman Jim would have been a four-star read easily but Alex Wyndham’s narration really took this book to the next level for me. His voice made me fall in in love with John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare. It was as if I was there listening to him tell the story, I was absorbed into his beautiful voice like a bubble bath on a cold winter’s night.
I didn’t want this story to end because while it was a rather tame romance it was no less romantic than some of the best out there. There was romance and suspense on every page and while I was listening to this book it was as if the whole world had faded away.
This review is kind of leaving me stumped because I don’t what to say anything that could give away the story and there are plenty of 5-star reviews that you could read that are way better than mine would be. Basically, you will fall in love with this story!! That is coming for a girl who is not a huge fan of Historical Romances.
Gentleman Jim is my first Mimi Matthews novel. I’ve heard so many great things about her writing, so when I saw this book available for request on Netgalley, I had to try it. And I loved it! It was full of all the Regency fun: the social season in London, ball gowns, and suitors coming to call. But it was also daring, adventure, secrets, and rendezvous. I loved how the truth was always just out of reach, and the story kept me guessing about the Viscount. The Viscount was a typical swoony hero with a soft spot for Margaret Honeywell. And Margaret was fantastic in her spunk and spirit. I loved watching their tempers collide–as well as their passion.
Overall, I absolutely loved this story and could hardly put it down until all was revealed! I will be reading more Mimi Matthews in the future, and I hope you do, too.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Mimi Matthews is a favorite author! Unique plot, intriguing characters. Loved it!