I had the privilege of reading Mimi Matthews’ latest Regency Romance months ago and I knew immediately it would be one of my top reads for 2020. I will be re-reading it once my paperback copy arrives – it was that good! You’ find my complete review here on the blog on 4th December, as part of the Gentleman Jim blog tour.

I’m delighted to host Mimi once again on the blog, this time she introduces us to her wonderful characters, John Beresford, the Viscount St. Clare, and Margaret Honeywell.

Generously, Mimi is offering the chance to win a signed print copy of Gentleman Jim for my US readers, and a digital copy for my international readers. Enter via the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post!

Enjoy getting to know these two and be sure to add Gentleman Jim to your TBRs and wishlists!

She Couldn’t Forget…

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?

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, Nick is the rumored 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.

He Wouldn’t Forgive…

ADVANCE PRAISE

“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

“Equally passionate and powerful…Mimi Matthews proves once again that she is a master of historical fiction in Gentleman Jim.”— Readers’ Favorite

“Rollicking and romantic, passionate and intriguing…Regency romance does not get any better than Gentleman Jim.”— Relz Reviewz

Introducing St. Clare & Maggie

Physical Stats

Height: John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare is a tall 6’ 1”. Margaret “Maggie” Honeywell is a petite 5’3.

Hair colour & style: St. Clare’s hair is golden blond. He wears it cut short. Maggie’s hair is a glossy mink brown. When unpinned, it falls in waves halfway down her back.

Eye colour: St. Clare’s eyes are stormy gray. Maggie’s eyes are a deep blue, the same shade as the forget-me-nots that grow on the grounds of her estate, Beasley Park.

Dress sense: Both St. Clare and Maggie dress with elegance and style in clothing made by the finest tailors and modistes in town. They meet in London during the season and are required to look their best.

Resembles…

On the Pinterest board I made for this novel, I have James Norton (Grantchester) cast as St. Clare and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) cast as Maggie. The pinned pictures are exactly how I imagined them to look. https://www.pinterest.com/MimiMatthewsEsq/gentleman-jim/

Can’t live without…

In the beginning of the story, Maggie believes she can’t live without Beasley Park. While St. Clare is convinced that he can’t live without his fortune and title.

Strengths

One of Maggie’s biggest strengths is her loyalty. She remained true to her first love even when it was clear he’d never return to her. St. Clare’s strength is his sense of justice. He’s also an excellent marksman—and a phenomenal kisser.

Vulnerabilities

Maggie has a fearsome temper. When angry, she’s prone to act recklessly. St. Clare has a temper as well, but he’s worked very hard to overcome it. At the beginning of the story, he’s more ice than fire.

Passions

St. Clare is a Corinthian (i.e. a sportsman). He enjoys riding, driving, fencing, boxing, and shooting. Maggie shares some of those passions. Before being weakened by a bout of influenza, she was known to ride and shoot as well as any man.

What book would they recommend?

They would both probably recommend something on the management of horses.

Your inspiration for the character

St. Clare was inspired by two characters: Tom Jones from Henry Fielding’s 1749 novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, and Edmund Dantès from Alexandre Dumas’s 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

Maggie was partly inspired by the character of Sophia Western in Tom Jones, with a dash of Anne Elliot from Jane Austen’s Persuasion and a sprinkle of Scarlett O’Hara from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind.

Background to the story

Gentleman Jim was very much inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo and The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling.  

Thanks for sharing these insights, Mimi!

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.

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Join the virtual blog tour of GENTLEMAN JIM; A TALE OF ROMANCE AND REVENGE, Mimi Matthews’s highly acclaimed new historical romance novel, November 9 through December 6, 2020. Forty-five popular blogs specializing in historical fiction, historical romance, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with exclusive excerpts, interviews, spotlights, or reviews of this new Regency-era novel set in Somerset, England.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

Nov 09           Relz Reviewz (Character Spotlight)

Nov 09           Life of Literature (Review)

Nov 09           Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

Nov 10           Savvy Verse and Wit (Interview)

Nov 10           Greenish Bookshelf (Review)

Nov 11           Library of Clean Reads (Review)

Nov 11           Silver Petticoat Reviews (Excerpt)

Nov 12           Bookworm Lisa (Review)

Nov 12           Heidi Reads (Review)

Nov 13           Lu’s Reviews (Review)

Nov 14           The Green Mockingbird (Review)

Nov 15           Bookish Rantings (Review)

Nov 15           The Lit Bitch (Review)

Nov 16           The Historical Fiction Reader (Review)

Nov 16           Austenesque Reviews (Review)

Nov 17           Inkwell Inspirations (Review)

Nov 17           Robin Loves Reading (Review)

Nov 18           Christian Chick’s Thoughts (Review)

Nov 18           My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt)

Nov 19           Laura’s Reviews (Review)

Nov 20           Jorie Loves a Story (Spotlight)

Nov 20           Foxes and Fairy Tales (Review)

Nov 21           Gwendalyn’s Books (Excerpt)

Nov 22           Romantically Inclined Reviews (Review)

Nov 22           Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review)

Nov 22           Vesper’s Place (Spotlight)

Nov 23           Fiction Aficionado (Review)

Nov 23           Historical Fiction with Spirit (Review)

Nov 24           Let Them Read Books (Interview)

Nov 25           The Caffeinated Bibliophile (Review)

Nov 25           So Little Time… (Spotlight)

Nov 27           Among the Reads (Review)

Nov 28           Chicks, Rogues and Scandals (Review)

Nov 29           Book Bustle (Review)

Nov 30           Cup of Tea with that Book Please (Review)

Dec 01           Nurse Bookie (Review)

Dec 02           Confessions of a Book Addict (Review)

Dec 02           Impressions in Ink (Review)

Dec 03           From Pemberley to Milton (Review)

Dec 04           Relz Reviewz (Review)

Dec 04           Rosanne E. Lortz (Review)

Dec 05           Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Review)

Dec 05           Probably at the Library (Review)

Dec 06           The Calico Critic (Excerpt)