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!

This Victorian historical romance mashup of Bluebeard, the Blue Castle,  Beauty and the Beast, and the Gothic novels of the mid-1800s scratched an itch I didn't realize I had. I gulped it down in less than two days. I found anxious, kindhearted, gentle Julia relatable, and Jasper intriguingly complex and remarkably patient. I am not clear if the big reveal was meant to be a secret, with really heavy-handed foreshadowing, or if the reader was expected to have made the connections and be anticipating the reveal to Julia. Either way this was enjoyable, sort of a cozy Gothic vibe with mental health rep. The author is biracial, but there seemed to be only white characters in the story, so this didn't count for #23for23 after all. But I'm still glad I read it, and hope to check out some of Matthews' back catalog in the future.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:

secret identities, marriage of convenience, he falls first

Steam level: 🌶

Once I got into this story, I couldn't put it down. I read it on my way to work. I read it during every minute break during a two-day conference, to the detriment of my phone battery, which was at 12% when I got home. I wanted to know what the next obstacle for Julia and Jasper would be, and how they would overcome it and exceed my expectations while doing so. Because if there is one compliment I can give this book, it's that it really didn't go the way I was expecting.

The plot isn't very subtle, and I found it easy to figure out what exactly was going on. There was a lot of potential for relationship drama here, and especially for miscommunication, but there was surprisingly little of that going on. Secrets were revealed, they would discuss it, and their bond would grow stronger without anyone flouncing off.

I was enthralled by both Jasper and Julia. Julia's anxiety was depicted in a way that doesn't make her a regular shy wallflower of the kind historical romances are full of. But despite that, she's also brave and willing to stand up for those she cares about, even if she can't always stand up for herself. Jasper, meanwhile, appears to be a man of many layers, but the way he cares about Julia was incredibly sweet, and I loved seeing all the concessions he made just to be with her.

My only issue is the ending, which felt lackluster compared to the rest of the book. It's clear very early on that Julia's parents' motivations are incredibly self-centered, but it made for a weird plotline and an even weirder resolution. There are things that are conveniently ignored or swept under the rug, but I still really loved this book, and would recommend it.