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Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'
Belles of London - Die Wahrheit deiner Worte by Mimi Matthews
12 reviews
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is one of the purest Beauty and the Beast retellings I've ever read, and I absolutely loved it. A lonely only daughter to abusive older parents, Julia Wychwood is determined to escape the confines of her home, which has become an increasingly dangerous place for her. Captain Jasper Blunt, returned from The Crimea a feared (and morally bankrupt) war hero, is desperate to find an heiress to sustain his crumbling estate and support his three illegitimate children. While initially it is the convenience of their pairing that brings them together - a fortune in her dowry for him, and an isolated remove to the country, for her - they discover true kinship in each other. Their marriage of convenience quickly becomes complicated, though, and the specter of the captain's past and the machinations of Julia's scheming parents haunt them.
What I love most is how isolated the story feels - this is Gothic and introspective and wholly suited to both its source material and the Victorian-era London it depicts. There are so many wonderful homages to popular Victorian stories - several of which are referenced on page by the characters and in specific plot points by Matthews herself - and the novel feels like the story-within-a-story of a well-told fairy tale. Matthews is known for writing deeply romantic closed-door romances, and the tension and chemistry between these two is palpable all the way through. The central mystery - the captain's backstory - is deftly alluded to, so that the reader can piece together the available clues (including many from captain's inner monologue) before Julia can, increasing the dramatic irony for the reader as we watch Julia circle the truth of her new husband. With threats to never enter his secret tower room, entreaties to ignore his past and demands to ask no questions of him, our captain is a real Beast, soothed and secured by the persistent and trusting Belle of Belgrave Square.
This is one I will easily recommend to any and all historical romance readers! I particularly enjoyed the audiobook's dual narration by Ell Potter (one of my very favorite narrators) and Sebastian Brown.
What I love most is how isolated the story feels - this is Gothic and introspective and wholly suited to both its source material and the Victorian-era London it depicts. There are so many wonderful homages to popular Victorian stories - several of which are referenced on page by the characters and in specific plot points by Matthews herself - and the novel feels like the story-within-a-story of a well-told fairy tale. Matthews is known for writing deeply romantic closed-door romances, and the tension and chemistry between these two is palpable all the way through. The central mystery - the captain's backstory - is deftly alluded to, so that the reader can piece together the available clues (including many from captain's inner monologue) before Julia can, increasing the dramatic irony for the reader as we watch Julia circle the truth of her new husband. With threats to never enter his secret tower room, entreaties to ignore his past and demands to ask no questions of him, our captain is a real Beast, soothed and secured by the persistent and trusting Belle of Belgrave Square.
This is one I will easily recommend to any and all historical romance readers! I particularly enjoyed the audiobook's dual narration by Ell Potter (one of my very favorite narrators) and Sebastian Brown.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
mira_the_book_dragon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love that the story continues past the moment where the characters admit to having feelings for each. Happily ever afters are not guaranteed after marriage and it was lovely to glimpse into the world of after "I do" a little. As a married woman who loves historical romance this is something I often find lacking especially when so many marriages in those days would have been convenience marriages or based on very little knowledge of the other person
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse
fivecatsinacoat's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Death
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I devoured this. I listened on audiobook and I cooked/cleaned for like 5 hours straight because I was enjoying this book so much and didn't want to do something else where I'd have to stop listening. If you love the drama and romance of fairy tales like Beauty and the Beast, and you also love it when characters communicate and treat each other with respect and compassion, you will probably enjoy this as well. Yes, it's incredibly romantic to be swept up in the arms of a steadfast man and carried off to a safe haven, but it's also incredibly romantic to have someone listen to you when you talk about your interests and always consider your advice and opinions. There's plenty of both here. Like The Siren of Sussex, the sex scenes are closed door, but omg this book presses you right up against that door. I was flustered and blushing through certain parts. For me, this was a perfect mix of the grand gestures and dramatic imagery of classic fairy tales, the subtleties and sweetness of real human experience and emotion, and the grounding and informative qualities of good historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Blood
Minor: Child abuse, Torture, Violence, and War
wilybooklover's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Well, colour me surprised! Mimi Matthews actually got me to like a romance with the secret identity trope. I think it worked for me because the stakes were so much higher than the usual bullshit 'they'll reject me if they knew who I really was!' reasoning. And also because it's not a You've Got Mail retelling, which I seem to dislike across the board. I thought it was executed very well in the text in the way that the clues and foreshadowing make it obvious to the reader, but it isn't explicitly mentioned until the actual reveal.
I adored this Beauty and the Beast-esque romance with a sort of subverted Gothic vibe to it. I loved how Julia came out of her shell and began to thrive when she got away from the crowds of London (and her parents). Even though she's shy, socially anxious, and needs rescuing from her initial situation, she's still portrayed as strong and capable. And I do like a hero who is secretly a gentle cinnamon roll but hides it behind a grouchy exterior. The way he so patiently courted Julia was swoon-worthy. I don't normally enjoy children in romance, but they were a great addition here; not overly precocious or taking over the story. This also felt slightly hotter than the other books I've read from Mimi — it's still fade-to-black, but there is the vaguest description in there, which I'm not mad at. I do wish there'd been a bit more of the haunted house aspect though — I was a bit disappointed that there were no suspected ghosts or spooky happenings (even if they'd later turned out to be pranks from the kids or something).
Loved all the nods to The Blue Castle too!
I adored this Beauty and the Beast-esque romance with a sort of subverted Gothic vibe to it. I loved how Julia came out of her shell and began to thrive when she got away from the crowds of London (and her parents). Even though she's shy, socially anxious, and needs rescuing from her initial situation, she's still portrayed as strong and capable. And I do like a hero who is secretly a gentle cinnamon roll but hides it behind a grouchy exterior. The way he so patiently courted Julia was swoon-worthy. I don't normally enjoy children in romance, but they were a great addition here; not overly precocious or taking over the story. This also felt slightly hotter than the other books I've read from Mimi — it's still fade-to-black, but there is the vaguest description in there, which I'm not mad at. I do wish there'd been a bit more of the haunted house aspect though — I was a bit disappointed that there were no suspected ghosts or spooky happenings (even if they'd later turned out to be pranks from the kids or something).
Loved all the nods to The Blue Castle too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism
plainromance's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and War
eamily's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, and Classism
wildflowerleahg's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
💙 There's no where to go but up! 4.5/5 💙
OH BOY THIS WAS GOOD!
It’s giving beauty & the beast, blue beard’s wife and THE BLUE CASTLE.
The siren of Sussex was a ride. When we met Julia in the first book I absolutely loved her, so when I found out the next book was about her, I was so excited.
So what’s going on? Miss Julia Wychwood is the Ton’s sweet yet reclusive rose. Finding herself without her gang of horse loving girls, she strikes up a friendship with the scandalous Captain James Blunt, the hero of the Crimea. Two book nerds falling in love? Say less. I really cared about Julia and loved seeing her grow into a better and more confident character. I think there are a lot of interesting turns in the story.
Mimi Matthews does her homework. The only thing is this carried on to long. As a fellow history nerd, I totally get rambling on about things that excite us.
Ugh…I’m so happy this was so good!
Having A sneak peak into Anne’s book was just the icing on the cake!
OH BOY THIS WAS GOOD!
It’s giving beauty & the beast, blue beard’s wife and THE BLUE CASTLE.
The siren of Sussex was a ride. When we met Julia in the first book I absolutely loved her, so when I found out the next book was about her, I was so excited.
So what’s going on? Miss Julia Wychwood is the Ton’s sweet yet reclusive rose. Finding herself without her gang of horse loving girls, she strikes up a friendship with the scandalous Captain James Blunt, the hero of the Crimea. Two book nerds falling in love? Say less. I really cared about Julia and loved seeing her grow into a better and more confident character. I think there are a lot of interesting turns in the story.
Mimi Matthews does her homework. The only thing is this carried on to long. As a fellow history nerd, I totally get rambling on about things that excite us.
Ugh…I’m so happy this was so good!
Having A sneak peak into Anne’s book was just the icing on the cake!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
sydapel's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Despite my middling rating, I do believe that this series is a really good starter for those looking to foray into historical romance. Both of our main characters are deeply interesting and play off one another very well, and there's the right amount of pining and wit. I wish they weren't closed door, but I understand not all authors feel comfortable writing those scenes. That and the slow pacing to reveal the final conflict (I guessed both twists before the 40% marking which made things quite frustrating) keep this from a higher start ranking for me personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Medical content
heather_freshparchment's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
Minor: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent