The Belle of Belgrave Square (Belles of London)
“Shiveringly Gothic.”—New York Times Book Review
A PopSugar and BookBub Best Romance of 2022!
A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.
Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.
For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.
In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…
A PopSugar and BookBub Best Romance of 2022!
A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.
Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.
For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.
In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
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.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.