Clever Romantic Suspense with a Strong Female Lead

Image courtesy of Penguin Random House

I have never read any of Mimi Matthews's historical fiction before. I also did not realize that this was the second book in a series. Her Crinoline Academy series. However, that didn't matter for this novel. I had no trouble following along with the characters or the plot and I have to say I absolutely loved this book!

The characters were all very well developed and the romance that develops between Miles and Nell was so tender and sweet. They are intrigued by one another and Nell's path gets derailed in a major way. But Miles is patient and understanding towards her and I was totally invested as they grow to care for one another. I also found the mystery elements to be well balanced with the romance and the pacing of the plot. The characters gathered just enough clues throughout to keep me interested and guessing how the threads might all weave together. I really felt that I was solving the puzzle right along with Nell and Miles. The two are a strong partnership, and while Miles is protective of Nell, he never tries to take away her agency or to discount her intelligence. 

The historical elements in the story added to the world building as well. Matthews does not shy away from the dark underbelly of Victorian society, which adds plausibility to the mission of the Academy where Nell has grown up and become headmistress. At least until a misunderstanding forces her and Miles to get married to save both their reputations. I loved Miss Corvus's Academy and wish there could have really been such an institution for young women in this time period. Honestly, we could probably still use a school like the Academy in this day and age, too.

I read quite a few books each year and many I have found thoroughly entertaining. But there are only a few that I would willingly read over and over again and The Marriage Method is one of them. If you love historical romance with a good mystery woven in, then you should definitely give this one a read!

My next review before Christmas will be a fantastical mystery set in a holiday village near the North Pole. Check out the cover and book blurb below for Cocoa Curses. Both are copied from Goodreads.

 Have yourself a very Merry Witchmas in Holiday Haven, where the magic and mystery of Christmas is snow joke!Hardworking witch, Rudie Hollybrook, adores her quaint town of Holiday Haven, located near Santa's Workshop at the North Pole, but can't help feeling like an outsider. Not only does she have the unique ability to see ghosts, but she also runs the Hollybrook Funeral Home with her sisters. In a town where the holiday cheer is turned up to eleven all year round, Rudie's slightly eerie abilities make her feel like a misfit. While volunteering at the Christmas Market days before the big celebration, Rudie witnesses a tragedy. One of the volunteer club's chairwomen is murdered by poisonous hot cocoa, sending the charming town reeling.When Rudie's tasked by the dead woman's ghost to find her killer, she teams up with her crush at the local paper to do some sleuthing. Together, they uncover embezzlement, bribery and an illegal potions ring, all with ties to the murdered woman. Could it be the rebellious teenage granddaughter with a less-than-stellar taste in men? Or maybe the town doctor with a mysterious past? Rudie's investigation even leads her to suspect her nemesis, the bully with a history of getting what she wants--no matter the cost. With the countdown to Christmas nearly at an end, and the restless spirit threatening to haunt her holiday, Rudie races to catch the cocoa killer and make her beloved town safe again. Will Rudie unmask the culprit and prove she's a vital member of this charming Christmas town? Or will a murderer roam free and ruin Christmas for all of Holiday Haven?Grab your cup of cocoa, sit in a comfy chair by the cozy fire, and find out now in Cocoa Curses ! And be sure to check out the other magical mysteries of the Winter Witches of Holiday Haven series!