Gentleman Jim

Gentleman Jim (2020) Mimi Matthews (Somerset Stories #2)

Set in England in 1817.

Maggie and Nicholas have been friends despite their difference in station. But Maggie’s neighbor Fred despises Nicholas and so frames him for a crime to get him away from the girl he believes is his.

Sir Roderick and Squire Honeywell had long ago agreed that one day their offspring would wed.

And that’s why I didn’t enjoy the story. Fred is awful.

As are pretty much all the men in Maggie’s life.

But Fred is horrific.

“Fred holds all of my money and property in trust until the date of my marriage. As long as that marriage is with his approval. And he’ll never approve of my marrying anyone but him.”
…
If I don’t marry within the time allotted, Beasley Park will go to Fred for good, and I’ll be left nothing but a small income on which to live out my spinsterhood.”

“Fred already runs Beasley as if it were his own. He’s joined it to the Burton-Smythe estate. I haven’t any say, not even over the tenants that I’ve known my whole life.”

I just didn’t enjoy waiting for whatever horrible thing Fred would do next–and those horrible things including constantly grabbing and bruising her as well as an attempted sexual assault.

I almost noped out, but decided I wanted to know if I was correct in how the story resolved, and I was, but even that felt somewhat lackluster, considering it involved men failing to believe Maggie was telling the truth about—pretty much anything important.

I was correct in how things worked out, except that nothing awful happened to Fred, and that was a terrible let down. A HEA for me would have been Fred getting what he deserved far more than things working our perfectly for Maggie and Nicholas.

Characters: Maggie Honeywell, Nicholas Seaton, John Beresford Viscount St. Clare, Frederick Burton-Smythe, Jane Trumble, Earl of Allendale, Daphne Honeywell, Mrs. Applewhite, Bessie, Miss Jenkins, Jenkins, Dr. Hart, Mr. Wroxham, George Trumble, Lord Mattingly, Astrid Mattingly, Miss Louisa Steele, Harriet, Jenny Seaton, Mrs. Lavinia Beresford, Lionel Beresford, Harold Trumble, Ed Mullens

Cover by James T. Egan

Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press

Rating: 6/10

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