Mimi Matthews’ second Crinoline Academy romance, The Marriage Method, delivers another action-packed historical love story that’s so good it will have you loosening your corset to swoon properly.
The Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies takes pride in training young women in only the most important educational endeavors: literature, needlepoint, swordsmanship and espionage. All these skills can and will be deployed to take on Victorian England’s most powerful men on behalf of women everywhere. Teacher Penelope “Nell” Trewlove has been in the care of the academy since childhood. When Miles Quincy, newspaperman and general nuisance, starts to sniff around the academy, convinced the school is up to something, Nell is sent to fend off the nosy journalist. What should be a simple task proves difficult when Nell’s visit coincides with the murder of one of Miles’ journalists and the disappearance of an incoming student at the academy. Even more of a problem? Nell and Miles are discovered in a compromising position. With both of their careers and reputations at stake, they enter into an engagement. As the two form a tentative partnership while investigating the young journalist’s death and the girl’s disappearance, they quickly find there is nothing businesslike about their impending marriage of convenience.
Matthews is simply one of the best historical romance writers working today. In her incredible Belles of London books and now with the Crinoline Academy series, she creates worlds you want to return to again and again, full of characters you cherish and stories you can’t forget. This book has everything: fast-paced adventure on one page and achingly sweet romance on the next, a heroine who knows her worth and is learning to ask for what she deserves, and an absolute grump of a hero who looks up from his work only to realize he is “absolutely mad” for the woman across from him. From the moment a cat that Miles rescued (one of many he has adopted, cue the aws) dashes under Nell’s skirts and is caught on her crinoline, giving Miles a look at not just her ankles, but also her calves and—gasp—her knees, he’s an absolute goner—and he isn’t the only one. Even if you have previously written off historical or closed-door romance, try The Marriage Method. You may just find yourself reaching for all of Matthews’ backlist.
