Gentleman Jim

With only one other experience reading Mimi Matthew’s work, I have still come to the conclusion that she has a gift for marrying the classical to vintage historical romance. I hadn’t gotten five chapters in before my head was full of Alexander Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo or Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Kidnapped. No retellings here, but an engaging story of struggle, heartache, and the triumph of love.

Gentleman Jim opens on a terrifying and tragic scene of a stable boy accused of theft from his best friend, the fiery-tempered local squire’s daughter. Nicholas has born trouble from his employer’s son, Frederick Burton-Smythe, who bullies him and from everyone else because he’s the illegitimate son of a tavern wench. But, to be thrashed and then hanged for stealing Maggie Honeywell’s jewels when it was Fred? Perhaps his love with Maggie would have come to nothing since their stations in life were so different, but now escape is his only option leaving Maggie free to marry the baronet’s son as her father always wanted.
Ten years later, Maggie has endured much as a result of her father’s death. His heartbreaking will that will legally force her to marry Fred if she wants to keep the beloved family lands and her inheritance and the further clause that made Fred her guardian and have veto power over any man she may marry to get said inheritance. It is no wonder her health broke and she is a shadow of her once vibrant self. The time allotted is nearly up and her father may win his way after all.
John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare, has spent many years on the Continent and now he has returned to England in the company of his venerable grandfather, the Earl of Allendale, who insists he settle down and take a wife. He is a matrimonial prize, but, from the moment he encounters a frail Maggie Honeywell, there is only one woman for him. The cost will be great if he fails, but he determines to see his way clear of all the obstacles including the still bullying Fred Burton-Smythe.

The characters and situations are introduced and then the story leaps forward a decade for a reset on characters and situations. Or, is there a connection to what came before? This could have been like many other Regency romances before it in that two characters are attracted when they encounter in London and at subsequent London society events. Both have competition for their hands and both have drawbacks in their homes. However, there is a swashbuckling, roguish quality to it from St. Clare’s actions and personality and Maggie’s own emerging indomitable spirit. I enjoyed the suspense of ‘is he or isn’t he’ when it comes to St. Clare’s mysterious past and I liked the journey he and Maggie took to get to the truth once and for all. The villains were such that I wanted them all to come to a nasty end and that includes St. Clare’s noxious relations. Maggie’s bestie Jane was a brick. I do love how the author slipped in some winning minor characters with their own background story going on.
Oh yes, my instinct that this had a classic connection proved true when I spotted some very familiar situations or even lines to Count of Monte Cristo. I missed the Tom Jones references since I am less familiar with it.
The romance was a growing element that had its own villain, revenge, to contend with making Maggie unsure what would ultimately win out. That epilogue was full of delicious sweetness after all that had come before.
From the well painted Regency back drop to the sparkling three-dimensional characters and also the winding, tension-filled plot, Gentleman Jim stand and delivered. Those who have delighted in the author’s earlier books will find this has a distinctly different flavor worth the savoring and those who come for the first time will see her well-stocked backlist as a joy. Sweet historical romance lovers should snag this one at their first opportunity.

On retrouve dans Gentleman Jim les qualités de l’auteur (maîtrise de l’intrigue, élégance du style), mais le roman ne me semble pas à la hauteur des autres productions de Madame Matthews. Dans cette bluette sentimentale un peu fade, les invraisemblances sont surprenantes pour une romancière qui d’habitude propose une splendide évocation du contexte historique dans lequel elle place ses personnages (per exemple l’extraordinaire A Modest Independance) : une héroïne qui semble toujours libre de ses mouvements en dépit des interdits qui pèsent sur elle, le mariage possible avec le fils d’une servante d’auberge (mariée ou non). Les personnages eux-mêmes sont des archétypes simplistes et l’on a du mal à s’attacher à leurs tribulations tant l’histoire est convenue, et leurs personnalité peu fouillée. La note finale de l’auteur nous fait comprendre qu’elle était en proie à des problèmes personnels, ce qui explique cette production un rien décevante.

WHAT IT’S ABOUT
She couldn’t forget…

He wouldn’t forgive…

MY TAKE
Another wonderful addition to my Mimi Matthews library. I loved The Count of Monte Cristo and this book has just a taste of that in it. The nonsense Maggy and Nicholas have to endure before they can find their happily ever after! But the ending is so satisfying. *sigh*

I listened to the audiobook. As always, Alex Wyndham does a wonderful job.

Around the turn of this century, I was fresh out of an abusive marriage. I read a book by John Gottman entitled When Men Batter Women. He classified abusive men as either “Pit Bulls” or “Cobras”. As I read this historical romance, red flags of abusive behavior kept popping up in my head regarding Fred’s character. That fellow, I thought, is a real Snake! Women had little to no rights in the post Napoleonic era. What would a woman who was about to be forced into marrying a Snake (aka Fred) do? Maggie, the female lead whose overbearing but doting father had written his will in such a way as to force her to marry the Snake, had also been raised to ride, hunt, and know the business of the estate like a man, given she was his only child. (Never mind that those two actions of the father are incongruent). Then this headstrong, sassy, independent woman suffers a series of setbacks that leave her even more helpless and dependent. She’s been pining for a love interest who is beneath her station for 10 years or so, when a handsome swashbuckling gentleman comes along… now she will be forced to choose to marry for love or marry the Snake to save her estate (an estate that women of this era were not even considered to be in line to inherit—and if she marries the Snake, or even the Swashbuckler, by law it wouldn’t ever really be hers anyway).

Now this is where the story could’ve been written with more interesting plot twists. Really. I would’ve like to have read that story. Why go to the trouble to create a woman with moxie in post Napoleonic England who has to squirm out of this Snake’s grasp only to…well, no spoilers here. But I bet you had the story figured out when you read the book blurb, just like me. Don’t get me wrong. I chose this book because of its fairytale type plot. I’ve liked reading this kind of story since I was a teen girl. However, having been married to a “Pit Bull”, when those red flags of abuse kept popping up in this story, I hoped I might be surprised just a little. This author knows her historical fiction. I like reading her books. This one was just ~ for me. If you’re a lady who has been in the pit with a Snake, then consider this your trigger warning.

The narrator for Audible version has a pleasing voice, however, he reads in a singsong fashion. In this book, he practically whispered every conversation. I found reading on my Kindle w/Whispersync more enjoyable. I only listened to Audible version when I was driving in my car—with volume way up so I could hear what he was whispering over the road noise.

Romance, clean, period;
M.M. creates a vivid period novel of romance, and revenge. Maggie is upper class, and Nicholas the bastard son of a loose woman, rumored to be the son of a notorious highwayman. They have an innocent friendship, that grows into a romance. Maggie is however intended for the son of a neighboring landowner. As they are pulled apart, Maggie has to try to remain true to her promise to keep her heart for Nicholas. The neighboring son, tyrannically holds Maggie’s home, and her ability to inherit and live there after her father’s passing in order to force her hand. Maggie will have to choose between her heart and her home.
St. Clare appears, and there are hints to the reader as to his real identity.
Lovely romance, sweet revenge, and Maggie staying true to her heart’s promise to Nicholas. St. Clare is a great character as well, and his backstory and relations made for an interesting subplot. M.M. always writes compelling novels, with heartfelt emotions, and characters that you want to find their HEA.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, my opinions are my own.

When Margaret Honeywell was sixteen years old, her best friend and first love—who also happened to be the stable boy—runs away after being falsely accused of stealing her jewelry. Nicholas Seaton believes his father was the notorious highwayman Gentleman Jim, and sets off to find the man and a place to truly belong.

Maggie has never forgotten Nicholas, though a decade has now passed. Grief and illness have changed her life, and she’s near to accepting the marriage proposal of her odious neighbor Frederick Burton-Smythe in order to fulfill the terms of her father’s will. It’s not what she wants, but she’ll do anything to keep Beasley Park. When she hears Fred has challenged the mysterious Lord St. Clare to a duel, she pleads with him to call it off. Fred refuses, and Maggie calls upon her spirited upbringing to visit Lord St. Clare herself.

But Lord St. Clare looks shockingly familiar—and yet not familiar at all. He protests her claims that he’s her childhood friend come back to her at last. But is he really? Has her first love returned, or will the cold and aloof stranger turn out to be someone else entirely?

This gripping story held many twists, turns, and delicious layers. If you’re a fan of Mimi Matthews or Regency romance, you are going to want to check out this title.

Content warning: This is not a Christian fiction book, which I knew ahead of time. There is quite a bit of PG-rated swearing. If you’re familiar with any BBC shows like Poldark or Downton Abbey, it’s very much in line with what you would hear there. Use your own discretion.

I received my copy of the book through NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own.

As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1oX

Nicholas Seaton is the illegitimate son of a maid, and works as a groom. While growing up, he and Margaret, the daughter of a wealthy estate owner, became the best of friends. They played, frolicked, danced, and generally reveled in each other’s company, all to the dismay of Fred, the neighbor who wanted Margaret for his own. When Fred could no longer endure seeing their happiness in each other, he framed Nicholas for a theft, ensuring that Nicholas would be hanged, or, at least, deported. Margaret was able to free Nicholas before he was taken away. Nicholas had no choice but to flee, but he begged Margaret to wait for him. He promised to return, no matter how long it took. But he never did.

As a child, Margaret “Maggie” Honeywell was fearless and determined, but things have changed. It’s ten years since Nicholas left, and she’s never received any word of him. During those years, Maggie suffered a severe illness, one which left her weak, and nowhere near being the robust, active girl she once was. In addition, her father has died, leaving none other than Fred in charge of her beloved estate, as well as having approval over who she marries. Of course Fred wants the groom to be himself, so that he can combine his neighboring estate with hers. He also longs for the kind of affection she bestowed on Nicholas but never on him. Maggie is now approaching a deadline – she has six months to marry, or her estate will become the property of Fred, who is certain he will finally achieve his goals.

Feeling trapped, Maggie decides to take a trip to town. Though not very hopeful of finding an alternate solution, Maggie still intends to contact her attorney on the slim chance she won’t have to marry Fred. While in town, she meets the man everyone is buzzing about, John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare. John is the grandson and heir to the Earl of Allendale, and has lived his whole life abroad. His father, now deceased, was somewhat of a scandal. The sudden appearance of John has severely crushed the plans of his distant cousin, Lionel, who for years presumed himself to be the heir to the earldom.

Maggie immediately felt a familiarity with John, though she couldn’t say why – that is, until she got close enough to look into his unique grey eyes. She’s certain that John is her long lost beloved friend, Nicholas. John, however, shows no sign of recognizing Maggie from the past, though he appears to be quite interested in her at the present time. When Maggie finally tells John that she knows his identity, he’s incredulous, and denies that he is Nicholas.

John intends to court Maggie, which seems to be impossible, as she will lose her estate if she doesn’t marry Fred, and John’s grandfather insists that a girl who is country gentry is not toplofty enough for a future earl. Meanwhile, Fred has come to town, and immediately takes exception to the time John has been spending with Maggie. And Cousin Lionel is not going to give up his chance at an earldom without a fight, so he begins to start rumors that John is illegitimate.

GENTLEMAN JIM is so skillfully written that I was continually guessing whether John was really Nicholas, as I truly hoped him to be. Also, both characters would have to give up something they valued greatly if they chose to be together – Maggie would lose her beloved estate, and John would lose the backing of his grandfather, and possibly his title. It was heartbreaking to see how Maggie had been beaten down from the joyous, brave girl she was, to the weaker version that she is today. There are multiple villains, and they are despicable. Fred is a lying bully, while Lionel is a foppish schemer. Throughout the whole story, there is the underlying question of the identity of Gentleman Jim, a legendary highwayman from years ago, and how he can possibly relate to the other characters. The developing love between Maggie and John is strong, sweet, and satisfying, as they choose to make a future together, regardless of the cost to their dreams. Mimi Matthews continues to excel at writing a beautiful and tender love story, this time adding some mystery, which makes for a captivating read. There’s also a lovely epilogue, guaranteed to bring happy sighs for a hard won happily ever after. GENTLEMAN JIM is a book that goes to my keeper shelf, as it’s one that I will want to read again and again, and I highly recommend it for all fans of historical romance.

I love all of Mimi Matthews books and this one was wonderful! Loved the unusual story, the strength of Maggie and her belief in true unending love. Nicholas and Maggie are meant for each other. Unusual, lovely book and love story!

This was an captivating read with engaging characters. I did like Margaret ( Maggie) Honeywell, she was a strong character and even though she was recovering from her illness, she was determined not to give in to Frederick’s domineering wishes. John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare was a handsome man, but he had his problems. Some relatives were trying to cast aspersions on his birth. John does seem familiar to Maggie but she isn’t sure if they have met before. As with the other books I have read by this author, it will keep you reading until the end. There are a few villains as well as some interesting secondary characters, such John’s grandfather, the earl.

Never assume. And always believe. And if you arrive at that belief, stick to it, despite what one may say to the contrary. I refuse to let any of the plot go — you need to read it for yourself. However, I read it in an evening, because I just HAD to find out how it ended.