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Jaded Gentlemen #2
Matthew
Theresa Jennings strayed from propriety as a younger woman, though now she’ll do anything to secure her child’s future among decent society. She’ll even make peace with the titled brother who turned his back on her years ago.
Matthew Belmont, local magistrate and neighbor to Theresa’s brother, is a widower who’s been lonely too long. He sees in Theresa a woman paying a high a price for mistakes long past, and a lady given far too little respect for turning her life around. Theresa is enthralled by Matthew’s combination of honorable intentions and honest passion, but then trouble comes calling, and it’s clear somebody intends to ruin Theresa and Matthew’s chance at a happily ever after.
Matthew Belmont, local magistrate and neighbor to Theresa’s brother, is a widower who’s been lonely too long. He sees in Theresa a woman paying a high a price for mistakes long past, and a lady given far too little respect for turning her life around. Theresa is enthralled by Matthew’s combination of honorable intentions and honest passion, but then trouble comes calling, and it’s clear somebody intends to ruin Theresa and Matthew’s chance at a happily ever after.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2015
156 people are currently reading
545 people want to read
About the author
Grace Burrowes
190 books2,917 followersGrace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
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May 22, 2024
Review from 2017
I've given this a B+ for narration and a B for content at AudioGals.
I am a fan of Grace Burrowes’ historical romances and always enjoy a visit to “Burrowesworld” the corner of the South of England that she has peopled with her various, numerous and inter-related characters and series. I admit though, that she’s published so many books now, that I sometimes have to stop and take stock of which book and which series I’m listening to or reading and work out where it falls in the canon, as publication order is not always the same as chronological… so for instance in Matthew, one of her more recent publications, and the second book in her Jaded Gentlemen series, we meet Nicholas and Beckman Haddonfield before they appear in the Lonely Lords books and before Nick inherits his earldom; Alice Portmaine is still a governess/companion, and some of the other Lonely Lords – Gareth: Lord of Rakes, Andrew: Lord of Despair, Douglas: Lord of Heartache and David: Lord of Honor– are all happily settled with their wives and families. This wealth of previously introduced characters may be a bit daunting for someone new to the author’s work, but actually, it’s perfectly possible to listen to Matthew as a standalone, as characters like Nick, Beckmann and Alice are secondary and their roles here don’t really have anything to do with the parts they play in the books in which they are principal characters.
Matthew Belmont is a widower of thirty-five years of age with three sons on the verge of manhood. His wife has been dead for some years and his marriage was not a happy one – the late Mrs. Belmont was in love with someone else and regularly unfaithful – although he loves his boys very dearly. He’s the local squire and magistrate, and his reputation in the locality is exceptional. He’s admired and respected by the men as well as the women (many of whom would love to become the second Mrs. Belmont) and while not completely celibate (he has had the occasional, discreet affair at the odd house party) he has no pressing desire to remarry.
Until, that is, he meets Miss Theresa Jennings, the older sister of Thomas, Baron Sutcliffe (hero of the previous book in this series), a lovely woman of close to his own age who makes no bones about the fact that she has a young daughter, despite never having been married. Theresa has lived most of the last decade or so at the family seat, which she has managed very successfully for her brother, and has moved temporarily to Linden in Kent while he and his new wife are staying at Sutcliffe Keep as part of their wedding trip. At Linden, she encounters her neighbour – the attractive squire – who treats her with the sort of kindness and respect she has not encountered all that often before, owing to her status as an unmarried mother and her past as something of a wild child.
There’s an immediate attraction between the pair, although Matthew senses that Theresa is trying to keep him at arm’s length by making it clear that she believes herself to be completely unworthy of the notice of such an upstanding and widely respected figure as he. Matthew thinks that’s all nonsense, and as they come to know each other better, what emerges is the picture of a young woman of seventeen who was led astray by loneliness, negligence and a couple of rakehell cousins. Matthew doesn’t blame Theresa for her past, insisting that it’s IN the past and reminding her that she has led a blameless life for the past decade, but she has a hard time accepting this, her views coloured by both the disapprobation of society and most especially that of her brother, who has practically disowned her and has not communicated with her throughout the last decade, regardless of the fact that she has lived in virtual penury while acting as a very competent steward at Sutcliffe.
Matthew is fairly standard Grace Burrowes fare, but I don’t mean that as a criticism, because this sort of gently moving romance between two lonely, emotionally bruised people is something she writes extremely well. Matthew is everything one could want in a romantic hero, handsome, kind, perceptive and protective; Theresa’s daughter, Priscilla likens him at one point to a knight on a white charger, and it’s an apt analogy, because he really is Theresa’s champion. One of the highlights of the book is his taking Thomas to task about his treatment of his sister, and forcing him to see the truth of the situation; that she had been subject to bad company and influence but was focused on protecting her younger brother to the extent that she pushed him away deliberately. I admit that I thought Thomas was a complete dickhead the first time he appeared in this story, and wondered how on earth he could possibly have been romance hero material in his own book – which I haven’t yet listened to or read. Fortunately, however, when confronted with Matthew’s common sense approach and, I suspect, his new wife’s calming influence, Thomas comes to see the error of his ways, and I very much enjoyed listening to their eventual reconciliation.
While all this is going on, it also seems that someone is out to harm Matthew following a series of events which – at first – appear unconnected, but which later begin to assume a more sinister significance. The mystery is very much secondary and well-integrated and the identity of the villain isn’t immediately obvious, but I confess I’m getting a teeny bit tired of the tacked-on mystery in romances. Not just in Ms. Burrowes’ stories; many authors feel the need to inject a bit of drama by means of a mystery and it’s getting old.
What isn’t getting old, however, is the (by now) long-standing association of Grace Burrowes’ stories with James Langton’s narrations. His well-modulated, slightly husky baritone is always a pleasure to listen to, and it’s obvious that he understands the specific requirements of narrating in this particular genre, something not all narrators do. As is the case with most of Ms. Burrowes’ titles, there is a fairly large secondary cast, but Mr. Langton handles that with aplomb, expertly employing a variety of accent, timbre and tone to differentiate between the numerous male characters, who include Matthew’s somewhat smarmy brother-in-law, his older brother, the crotchety Axel (his book is next up), and his three sons, who are aged (I believe) between about fourteen and seventeen or eighteen. That last is especially impressive, as he has to pitch them as young men without making them sound like children, and he does it very well. Matthew himself sounds exactly as he should – confident, capable and completely sigh-worthy; the perfect romantic hero.
While Mr. Langton’s female voices aren’t the best I’ve heard, they’re more than half-way decent, and his portrayals of Theresa, Loris (Thomas’ wife) and Alice, Priscilla’s governess, are good, although he does sometimes push the pitch just a little too high at emotional high points. It doesn’t happen often, though, so it’s not something that spoiled my overall enjoyment. The one place he does fall down though, is in his interpretation of Matthew’s sister-in-law. I think he may have been going for something a bit “dowager-esque”, but he misses the mark, and she just sounds… odd.
Overall, however, it’s a very strong performance, and fans of both author and narrator will, I’m sure, enjoy this tender romance between two more mature characters who have both been buffeted about by life.
I've given this a B+ for narration and a B for content at AudioGals.
I am a fan of Grace Burrowes’ historical romances and always enjoy a visit to “Burrowesworld” the corner of the South of England that she has peopled with her various, numerous and inter-related characters and series. I admit though, that she’s published so many books now, that I sometimes have to stop and take stock of which book and which series I’m listening to or reading and work out where it falls in the canon, as publication order is not always the same as chronological… so for instance in Matthew, one of her more recent publications, and the second book in her Jaded Gentlemen series, we meet Nicholas and Beckman Haddonfield before they appear in the Lonely Lords books and before Nick inherits his earldom; Alice Portmaine is still a governess/companion, and some of the other Lonely Lords – Gareth: Lord of Rakes, Andrew: Lord of Despair, Douglas: Lord of Heartache and David: Lord of Honor– are all happily settled with their wives and families. This wealth of previously introduced characters may be a bit daunting for someone new to the author’s work, but actually, it’s perfectly possible to listen to Matthew as a standalone, as characters like Nick, Beckmann and Alice are secondary and their roles here don’t really have anything to do with the parts they play in the books in which they are principal characters.
Matthew Belmont is a widower of thirty-five years of age with three sons on the verge of manhood. His wife has been dead for some years and his marriage was not a happy one – the late Mrs. Belmont was in love with someone else and regularly unfaithful – although he loves his boys very dearly. He’s the local squire and magistrate, and his reputation in the locality is exceptional. He’s admired and respected by the men as well as the women (many of whom would love to become the second Mrs. Belmont) and while not completely celibate (he has had the occasional, discreet affair at the odd house party) he has no pressing desire to remarry.
Until, that is, he meets Miss Theresa Jennings, the older sister of Thomas, Baron Sutcliffe (hero of the previous book in this series), a lovely woman of close to his own age who makes no bones about the fact that she has a young daughter, despite never having been married. Theresa has lived most of the last decade or so at the family seat, which she has managed very successfully for her brother, and has moved temporarily to Linden in Kent while he and his new wife are staying at Sutcliffe Keep as part of their wedding trip. At Linden, she encounters her neighbour – the attractive squire – who treats her with the sort of kindness and respect she has not encountered all that often before, owing to her status as an unmarried mother and her past as something of a wild child.
There’s an immediate attraction between the pair, although Matthew senses that Theresa is trying to keep him at arm’s length by making it clear that she believes herself to be completely unworthy of the notice of such an upstanding and widely respected figure as he. Matthew thinks that’s all nonsense, and as they come to know each other better, what emerges is the picture of a young woman of seventeen who was led astray by loneliness, negligence and a couple of rakehell cousins. Matthew doesn’t blame Theresa for her past, insisting that it’s IN the past and reminding her that she has led a blameless life for the past decade, but she has a hard time accepting this, her views coloured by both the disapprobation of society and most especially that of her brother, who has practically disowned her and has not communicated with her throughout the last decade, regardless of the fact that she has lived in virtual penury while acting as a very competent steward at Sutcliffe.
Matthew is fairly standard Grace Burrowes fare, but I don’t mean that as a criticism, because this sort of gently moving romance between two lonely, emotionally bruised people is something she writes extremely well. Matthew is everything one could want in a romantic hero, handsome, kind, perceptive and protective; Theresa’s daughter, Priscilla likens him at one point to a knight on a white charger, and it’s an apt analogy, because he really is Theresa’s champion. One of the highlights of the book is his taking Thomas to task about his treatment of his sister, and forcing him to see the truth of the situation; that she had been subject to bad company and influence but was focused on protecting her younger brother to the extent that she pushed him away deliberately. I admit that I thought Thomas was a complete dickhead the first time he appeared in this story, and wondered how on earth he could possibly have been romance hero material in his own book – which I haven’t yet listened to or read. Fortunately, however, when confronted with Matthew’s common sense approach and, I suspect, his new wife’s calming influence, Thomas comes to see the error of his ways, and I very much enjoyed listening to their eventual reconciliation.
While all this is going on, it also seems that someone is out to harm Matthew following a series of events which – at first – appear unconnected, but which later begin to assume a more sinister significance. The mystery is very much secondary and well-integrated and the identity of the villain isn’t immediately obvious, but I confess I’m getting a teeny bit tired of the tacked-on mystery in romances. Not just in Ms. Burrowes’ stories; many authors feel the need to inject a bit of drama by means of a mystery and it’s getting old.
What isn’t getting old, however, is the (by now) long-standing association of Grace Burrowes’ stories with James Langton’s narrations. His well-modulated, slightly husky baritone is always a pleasure to listen to, and it’s obvious that he understands the specific requirements of narrating in this particular genre, something not all narrators do. As is the case with most of Ms. Burrowes’ titles, there is a fairly large secondary cast, but Mr. Langton handles that with aplomb, expertly employing a variety of accent, timbre and tone to differentiate between the numerous male characters, who include Matthew’s somewhat smarmy brother-in-law, his older brother, the crotchety Axel (his book is next up), and his three sons, who are aged (I believe) between about fourteen and seventeen or eighteen. That last is especially impressive, as he has to pitch them as young men without making them sound like children, and he does it very well. Matthew himself sounds exactly as he should – confident, capable and completely sigh-worthy; the perfect romantic hero.
While Mr. Langton’s female voices aren’t the best I’ve heard, they’re more than half-way decent, and his portrayals of Theresa, Loris (Thomas’ wife) and Alice, Priscilla’s governess, are good, although he does sometimes push the pitch just a little too high at emotional high points. It doesn’t happen often, though, so it’s not something that spoiled my overall enjoyment. The one place he does fall down though, is in his interpretation of Matthew’s sister-in-law. I think he may have been going for something a bit “dowager-esque”, but he misses the mark, and she just sounds… odd.
Overall, however, it’s a very strong performance, and fans of both author and narrator will, I’m sure, enjoy this tender romance between two more mature characters who have both been buffeted about by life.
January 4, 2016
Gosh I'm an enormous Burrowes fangurl. GB doesn't change much with this one, it's the same fare one expects with her books and, for me, it remains an entirely winning formula. This one is not spectacular five star territory (so few books are) but it was enjoyable and lovely. Often Burrowes's heroines skirt towards the realms of underdeveloped. Probably because she feels beholden (in this aspect of her writing, at least) to the mores of her time period and she doesn't want to write about lady newspaper editors or scientists or spies because woman in 1820 or so, for better or worse, were not usually operating in any of those arenas. It seems she doesn't really know what to do with women, who could only be (and remain respectable) daughters, wives or spinsters. Theresa didn't have that problem so much. She was strong and thoughtful. A fallen women who fell for entirely justifiable reasons [I would like to read a Burrowes one day, with a heroine who wasn't a virgin when she married because she liked sex rather than some awful reason out of her control] but who is undeterred in the face of criticism. There's a great scene when she's verbally attacked by a horrible letch at a party and she parries him off and smiles at the hero. It was a real moment of triumph. Matthew is handsome and kind and too perfect and thus typically GB in every way. I wish we'd seen more of his practical farmer side which was exhibited in the first few chapters. I love the way Burrowes writes children and Priscilla, Theresa's child is adorable (daft name, though). There's a standard Burrowes murderous subplot but for once I didn't guess the villain correctly. A couple of gripes - Thomas (hero of the previous book in the series) comes out of this one looking like a complete pillock because he treats Theresa appallingly and, for an sensible, clever woman, Theresa keeps the secret of her background for far too long. This was my first Burrowes of 2016. I know it won't be my last.
today-is-not-that-day
October 3, 2020It was too much effort to get here. A poorly formatted ebook that I had to convert after contacting the ebook seller, the slooow buildup of admiration that is typically lovely in Burrowes feels too round and fluffed to me at the moment. I'm feeling I'd rather read anything but this today.
So, this is not a first tier "life is too short" but a second tier "today is not that day."
Paused at 30%
October 13, 2015
Can we clone this hero? If so, I want my very own Matthew.
He's funny, generous, fair, intelligent, and insightful...and he refused to back off and let the heroine continue her well-earned pity party when he not only could see her situation in a brand new light, he was more than willing to Take Measures to assure her future happiness.
Up to and including slugging her judgmental, self-righteous prig of a brother (sorry, those of you who read the first of the Jaded Gentlemen series and loved that hero...in this one, he's a jerk).
In addition to this irresistible hero and a likeable heroine, there's also some very nice suspense, a bit of a mystery with a surprising twist,, and Burrowes' usual engaging secondary and minor characters.
A lovely, beautifully written and emotionally mature bit of a cozy, escapist read.
He's funny, generous, fair, intelligent, and insightful...and he refused to back off and let the heroine continue her well-earned pity party when he not only could see her situation in a brand new light, he was more than willing to Take Measures to assure her future happiness.
Up to and including slugging her judgmental, self-righteous prig of a brother (sorry, those of you who read the first of the Jaded Gentlemen series and loved that hero...in this one, he's a jerk).
In addition to this irresistible hero and a likeable heroine, there's also some very nice suspense, a bit of a mystery with a surprising twist,, and Burrowes' usual engaging secondary and minor characters.
A lovely, beautifully written and emotionally mature bit of a cozy, escapist read.
July 6, 2017
Look at that, another audiobook with a narrator I have to listened to more than once now. I am getting there audiobook world :D
Theresa was kind and troubled, but not showing it. She does have a wild past. Her brother might be a Baron, but she has an illegitimate daughter and we all know what people think about that. I liked her calm ways and how she had just moved on.
Matthew was such a good guy. A true gentleman. Standing up with the wallflowers and driving widows to church. It is seldom you come across a gentleman like that (I read about too many rakes ;)
Together they just made sense. He saw past her past, it did not bother him because he enjoyed her company. But since she is sensible she does understand how her past might tarnish him. So therein lies some drama.
The book is truly about them getting to know each other. They have long talks. They get to know each other and I believe when they fall in love.
A sweet romance.
Narrator:
James Langton
This is my second Langton book and he does a good job with Burrowes. His calm voice fits her style. The women does sound a bit too something at times, but I do not mind. Because if I am to listen to a book by her, it should be by him now.
Theresa was kind and troubled, but not showing it. She does have a wild past. Her brother might be a Baron, but she has an illegitimate daughter and we all know what people think about that. I liked her calm ways and how she had just moved on.
Matthew was such a good guy. A true gentleman. Standing up with the wallflowers and driving widows to church. It is seldom you come across a gentleman like that (I read about too many rakes ;)
Together they just made sense. He saw past her past, it did not bother him because he enjoyed her company. But since she is sensible she does understand how her past might tarnish him. So therein lies some drama.
The book is truly about them getting to know each other. They have long talks. They get to know each other and I believe when they fall in love.
A sweet romance.
Narrator:
James Langton
This is my second Langton book and he does a good job with Burrowes. His calm voice fits her style. The women does sound a bit too something at times, but I do not mind. Because if I am to listen to a book by her, it should be by him now.
March 2, 2020
I have a thing for (fictional) beta heroes, and Matthew Belmont is the perfect beta - kind, generous, intelligent, and a loving father. Book 1 really set Theresa Jennings up to be an interesting heroine, and she did not disappoint. The only disappointment was that Thomas (hero of Book 1) was a jerk to his sister for far too long, although at least he did come around before it would have become unforgivable.
As in Thomas, there is a murderous plot to kill Matthew and/or Theresa, but I had it mostly figured out. And for the most part, I was satisfied with the resolution.
As in Thomas, there is a murderous plot to kill Matthew and/or Theresa, but I had it mostly figured out. And for the most part, I was satisfied with the resolution.
September 23, 2015
As I have said in the past, reading a GB for me is like eating Chicken and Dumplings, comfort food for my eyes. I know some feel like her books are too formulaic and I have my authors that I feel like that as well, but GB isn't one of them. I know the book is called Matthew, but it should have been called Theresa, because this was really Theresa's book. Don't get me wrong, I loved Matthew Belmont. He was a solid, hardworking man with 3 boys that he truly loved and a secret that shadowed his heart. He reminded me of Harry Pye from the Leopard Prince, just because he was such a solid guy. It was Theresa though who really stole the show, you just knew her story was going to be heart-rending once we got it and it was.
Theresa has been living the last 10 years in penury on the coast in an old castle of a house taking care of her natural daughter and Thomas's (Baron Sutcliff from the last book.) interest and making him a profit as well. The siblings have been bitterly at odds for the last 10 years when Theresa got him sent away to school and from everything he held dear. So she could sin and be wild without her young brother looking on. But was it? Was that all it was? He refused to read any of her letters, so therefore he didn't even know he had a niece. Ohhh if there was ever a little brother who needed to be spanked it was Thomas Jennings. I would read his book first though, not because this book can't stand on its own, because it does, it is just we get Thomas's thoughts about Theresa in his book.
I had sympathy for him, but didn't here. Being an older sister I got Theresa, it just took us awhile to get her backstory and she couldn't have loved him anymore, I just hate that it took so long for Thomas, the stupid head to see it. That is why Matthew was such an awesome man for Theresa, he never held one shred of her past against her and knew that there was more to the story than Theresa was revealing. I do hope that we get Matthew's son's trilogy at some point down the road because what a bunch of awesome young men they turned out to be. If you haven't read a GB then Matthew's book is a great place to start.
Theresa has been living the last 10 years in penury on the coast in an old castle of a house taking care of her natural daughter and Thomas's (Baron Sutcliff from the last book.) interest and making him a profit as well. The siblings have been bitterly at odds for the last 10 years when Theresa got him sent away to school and from everything he held dear. So she could sin and be wild without her young brother looking on. But was it? Was that all it was? He refused to read any of her letters, so therefore he didn't even know he had a niece. Ohhh if there was ever a little brother who needed to be spanked it was Thomas Jennings. I would read his book first though, not because this book can't stand on its own, because it does, it is just we get Thomas's thoughts about Theresa in his book.
I had sympathy for him, but didn't here. Being an older sister I got Theresa, it just took us awhile to get her backstory and she couldn't have loved him anymore, I just hate that it took so long for Thomas, the stupid head to see it. That is why Matthew was such an awesome man for Theresa, he never held one shred of her past against her and knew that there was more to the story than Theresa was revealing. I do hope that we get Matthew's son's trilogy at some point down the road because what a bunch of awesome young men they turned out to be. If you haven't read a GB then Matthew's book is a great place to start.
March 21, 2018
Picking up shortly after the conclusion of Thomas, Matthew opens with Thomas’s sister Theresa and her daughter Pricilla taking care of his estate while Thomas is away on his honeymoon travels. Running into difficulties with a mare, Theresa calls on Thomas’s neighbor, Matthew. Both Theresa and Matthew are lonely soles (she spending 8 years in self-inflicted exile, he the widower magistrate with bothersome in laws), and the pair strike an early friendship.
Following the mold of the preceding book, Matthew tells the tale of an unconventional woman who defies the times and a jaded gentleman who discovers a new joy in life with the help of the right woman. I like Theresa a lot. I like that despite the hardship of her past and the unkindness of her brother, her only living relative, she remains kind-hearted and gentle. Matthew is a true gentleman who recognizes the wrongs places upon Theresa, and defends her every action to both her brother and to Theresa. Through his love, she learns to accept her own faults and appreciate the person she’s become.
The only real negative I had was with Priscilla, who is mostly lovely and an excellent supporting character. However, the author shares a few sections from her point of view, and she is entirely too astute for to be an eight-year-old. Although her observations are spot on, I just didn’t like that they came from an eight-year-old.
Once again, Mr. Langton provides the narration for the tale. His voices, expressions, and characterizations have become familiar and enjoyable. His cadence is well-suited for the slower-paced and historically-set romance.
Even though Matthew is the second book in the Jaded Gentlemen series, it’s the third title I’ve listened to, and I continue to enjoy the titles. The book was delightful and lovely. I like that Theresa and Matthew find love early on, and it’s solving the mystery that delays the HEA.
My Rating: B+
Narration: B+
Following the mold of the preceding book, Matthew tells the tale of an unconventional woman who defies the times and a jaded gentleman who discovers a new joy in life with the help of the right woman. I like Theresa a lot. I like that despite the hardship of her past and the unkindness of her brother, her only living relative, she remains kind-hearted and gentle. Matthew is a true gentleman who recognizes the wrongs places upon Theresa, and defends her every action to both her brother and to Theresa. Through his love, she learns to accept her own faults and appreciate the person she’s become.
The only real negative I had was with Priscilla, who is mostly lovely and an excellent supporting character. However, the author shares a few sections from her point of view, and she is entirely too astute for to be an eight-year-old. Although her observations are spot on, I just didn’t like that they came from an eight-year-old.
Once again, Mr. Langton provides the narration for the tale. His voices, expressions, and characterizations have become familiar and enjoyable. His cadence is well-suited for the slower-paced and historically-set romance.
Even though Matthew is the second book in the Jaded Gentlemen series, it’s the third title I’ve listened to, and I continue to enjoy the titles. The book was delightful and lovely. I like that Theresa and Matthew find love early on, and it’s solving the mystery that delays the HEA.
My Rating: B+
Narration: B+
January 9, 2016
What a great book. Each time I read a book by Grace, I think it can't possibly top the last...but it does. Her writing is exquisite and insightful, showing that she truly knows what makes people tick. She knows the best and the worst in people. I have to wonder if her experience as a family lawyer informs her writing; I think it must.
Matthew is the kind of man you wish you could meet, the kind you're afraid is too perfect. He's a wonderful father, not afraid to say or show how much he loves his sons. He put up with a marriage from hell for their sakes. He's not entirely selfless, though, nor is he the type of person to wallow in the past. He admits to being lonely and does something about it when he meets the right woman.
I think his deep caring and "Feingefuehl" is forged from his intimate familiarity with pain. He's compassionate, empathetic, not posturing like so many lesser men. But he's no wimp, either; he goes after what he wants, which is Theresa. He senses immediately that she is a like spirit, someone who has sacrificed personal happiness for the sake of her child.
The instant connnection she feels with Matthew unnerves her. She's spent so much of her life in purgatory that she's afraid to open her heart. She has been betrayed by her own brother even though she sacrificed her life for him. What I love about Matthew is his protectiveness; he doesn't studiously ignore the wrong done to her as so many would do today. He is not only protective, he wants to make her happy if it's within his power. So when Theresa's brother continues to treat her unkindly, Matthew lets Thomas know what a jerk he is, willing to pound some sense into him.
Priscilla has the right of it; Matthew is a hero, complete with white horse.
It is eminently satisfying when two like souls find each other.
The ending may surprise you, too!
Matthew is the kind of man you wish you could meet, the kind you're afraid is too perfect. He's a wonderful father, not afraid to say or show how much he loves his sons. He put up with a marriage from hell for their sakes. He's not entirely selfless, though, nor is he the type of person to wallow in the past. He admits to being lonely and does something about it when he meets the right woman.
I think his deep caring and "Feingefuehl" is forged from his intimate familiarity with pain. He's compassionate, empathetic, not posturing like so many lesser men. But he's no wimp, either; he goes after what he wants, which is Theresa. He senses immediately that she is a like spirit, someone who has sacrificed personal happiness for the sake of her child.
The instant connnection she feels with Matthew unnerves her. She's spent so much of her life in purgatory that she's afraid to open her heart. She has been betrayed by her own brother even though she sacrificed her life for him. What I love about Matthew is his protectiveness; he doesn't studiously ignore the wrong done to her as so many would do today. He is not only protective, he wants to make her happy if it's within his power. So when Theresa's brother continues to treat her unkindly, Matthew lets Thomas know what a jerk he is, willing to pound some sense into him.
Priscilla has the right of it; Matthew is a hero, complete with white horse.
It is eminently satisfying when two like souls find each other.
The ending may surprise you, too!
November 5, 2015
Grace Burrowes is an auto-buy for me, and I had been looking forward to this next installment of her "Jaded Gentlemen" series.
Widower Matthew Belmont is solid and unassuming local gentry. His long-ago marriage was a disaster, and he has no desire to repeat his mistake, though there are times when he misses having someone in his life. When he meets Theresa Jennings, he's intrigued, and decides to discover why she's determined to keep him, and anyone else, at arms' length. Theresa cannot risk her heart; she's still paying for her long-ago mistakes, and all she wants is to reconcile with her brother Thomas, who has been devastated by her ruin. As she and Matthew grow closer, they must both confront the shadows in their pasts before they can find their HEA.
It's a typical Burrowes story. Matthew is caring, supportive, honorable, and pretty hot. Theresa is smart, kind, loving, and really needs to get over that Scarlet Woman thing she has going. Kudos to Matthew for making her see sense!
Interestingly, Theresa's brother Thomas comes across in this book as a narrow-minded and callous jerk who can't forgive his sister for her long-ago disgrace. However, in his own story (the first book in the series), he's a much more sympathetic figure as he falls in love with Loris -- a remarkably independent and resourceful woman who's been forced to make her way in a man's world. Seems strange that he's so supportive of his wife, but at the same time so unforgiving of his sister.
However, the writing, as always, glows and is such a pleasure to read!
Widower Matthew Belmont is solid and unassuming local gentry. His long-ago marriage was a disaster, and he has no desire to repeat his mistake, though there are times when he misses having someone in his life. When he meets Theresa Jennings, he's intrigued, and decides to discover why she's determined to keep him, and anyone else, at arms' length. Theresa cannot risk her heart; she's still paying for her long-ago mistakes, and all she wants is to reconcile with her brother Thomas, who has been devastated by her ruin. As she and Matthew grow closer, they must both confront the shadows in their pasts before they can find their HEA.
It's a typical Burrowes story. Matthew is caring, supportive, honorable, and pretty hot. Theresa is smart, kind, loving, and really needs to get over that Scarlet Woman thing she has going. Kudos to Matthew for making her see sense!
Interestingly, Theresa's brother Thomas comes across in this book as a narrow-minded and callous jerk who can't forgive his sister for her long-ago disgrace. However, in his own story (the first book in the series), he's a much more sympathetic figure as he falls in love with Loris -- a remarkably independent and resourceful woman who's been forced to make her way in a man's world. Seems strange that he's so supportive of his wife, but at the same time so unforgiving of his sister.
However, the writing, as always, glows and is such a pleasure to read!
September 25, 2015
Love these stories.
This story is about Matthew and Theresa. Neither have been treated well in life but they will get thru the troubles they have and have a happy everafter.
This story is about Matthew and Theresa. Neither have been treated well in life but they will get thru the troubles they have and have a happy everafter.
November 8, 2017
MATTHEW
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Grace Burrowes looks to the application of double standards by a man who had sex with his wife before marriage and his sister who had a child outside of marriage. It asks her brother the question both obliquely and directly. This leaves him a little shaken but will it be enough that he stops being an ass?
With Matthew — an accepting, forward-thinking man — Theresa has found a gem. He’s even on the fox’s side in the hunt. But there is a mysterious cloud casting shadows on his future; casting doubt on whether he even has a future. If they can’t get beyond that there’s much to be said for the couple. And, of course, they are a couple I was rooting for.
Now, in historical fiction no man wants to hear that his sister is promiscuous. But, Thomas not listening to the whys and wherefores of his sister’s reputation pisses me off. He doesn’t seek to learn why his sister ended up as she had. One aspect is that her parents were absent and or uncaring. It gives responsibility to parenting for the morality of the child. I don’t know if that is how it usually works but it gave me something to think about.
So we have Theresa, an essentially good woman, and a good sister with a history of sexuality. And we have Matthew, a nice widower whose wife was of the same reputation. But, Matthew accepted his wife’s issues; and his position as magistrate has given him the training to look at all sides of an issue and to look deeply. The truth when it all comes out is shocking and twisty.
It all offers up a lot of interesting ideas about double standards and second chances for Matthew and Theresa as romantic partners but also for the sibling relationship between Thomas and Theresa. It also brings up how bastardy was approached in that period and how utterly arbitrary this twist of fate is. Punishing a child because of the circumstances of his or her birth is ridiculous.
James Langton has a great voice for this series, consummately British, and with an amused edge as if there is a punch line coming.
I enjoyed this one and felt it is a lot deeper than one might think a Regency romance would be.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Grace Burrowes looks to the application of double standards by a man who had sex with his wife before marriage and his sister who had a child outside of marriage. It asks her brother the question both obliquely and directly. This leaves him a little shaken but will it be enough that he stops being an ass?
With Matthew — an accepting, forward-thinking man — Theresa has found a gem. He’s even on the fox’s side in the hunt. But there is a mysterious cloud casting shadows on his future; casting doubt on whether he even has a future. If they can’t get beyond that there’s much to be said for the couple. And, of course, they are a couple I was rooting for.
Now, in historical fiction no man wants to hear that his sister is promiscuous. But, Thomas not listening to the whys and wherefores of his sister’s reputation pisses me off. He doesn’t seek to learn why his sister ended up as she had. One aspect is that her parents were absent and or uncaring. It gives responsibility to parenting for the morality of the child. I don’t know if that is how it usually works but it gave me something to think about.
So we have Theresa, an essentially good woman, and a good sister with a history of sexuality. And we have Matthew, a nice widower whose wife was of the same reputation. But, Matthew accepted his wife’s issues; and his position as magistrate has given him the training to look at all sides of an issue and to look deeply. The truth when it all comes out is shocking and twisty.
It all offers up a lot of interesting ideas about double standards and second chances for Matthew and Theresa as romantic partners but also for the sibling relationship between Thomas and Theresa. It also brings up how bastardy was approached in that period and how utterly arbitrary this twist of fate is. Punishing a child because of the circumstances of his or her birth is ridiculous.
James Langton has a great voice for this series, consummately British, and with an amused edge as if there is a punch line coming.
I enjoyed this one and felt it is a lot deeper than one might think a Regency romance would be.
October 3, 2015
If only I could give 10 stars :) :) :) I love the writing of Grace Burrowes!!!! This book was tender, poignant, funny at times, deep, and surprised me at the (almost) end!
Yessssss. Can't wait for her next book.
Yessssss. Can't wait for her next book.
June 29, 2016
Grace Burrowes must put some kind of special Jo addicting drug into her books. I gobble them up like popcorn!
November 4, 2022
You have to understand that I’m always stressed. This is why I read Romance. I know that it will end happily. Very stress relieving. But even in Romance, things can get tense. Grace Burrowes writes stories that minimize stress without being boring. Matthew is perfect for this! Plus there’s happy resolution of family drama.
Matthew is a really decent man with a necessary blind spot. His wife has never been faithful but he stays for the 3 sons she bears. And in order to get through that, he cuts his wife a lot of slack. Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place if all of us turned suffering into kindness?
The heroine, Theresa, has also suffered a great deal and has not turned bitter. She is a lovely match for Matthew and their romance is slow and very sweet. She is a fallen woman with a 9 year old daughter and alienated from her younger brother. There’s a wild, nearly gothic mystery at the heart of this. At one point, there appears to be someone trying to kill Matthew. WTH? He’s so nice butter wouldn’t melt but he is the local magistrate. Maybe someone he condemned is out for revenge?
I really didn’t guess who the culprit was. I thought I guessed near the end, but was wrong. Well plotted! And no one is stupid, although there is a lot of discussion when action might have been preferable . But hey! Enjoyable, distracting, heartwarming and suspenseful towards the end. Had to repeat to myself ‘this is a romance, it has a happy ending’ at the conclusion.
Matthew is a really decent man with a necessary blind spot. His wife has never been faithful but he stays for the 3 sons she bears. And in order to get through that, he cuts his wife a lot of slack. Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place if all of us turned suffering into kindness?
The heroine, Theresa, has also suffered a great deal and has not turned bitter. She is a lovely match for Matthew and their romance is slow and very sweet. She is a fallen woman with a 9 year old daughter and alienated from her younger brother. There’s a wild, nearly gothic mystery at the heart of this. At one point, there appears to be someone trying to kill Matthew. WTH? He’s so nice butter wouldn’t melt but he is the local magistrate. Maybe someone he condemned is out for revenge?
I really didn’t guess who the culprit was. I thought I guessed near the end, but was wrong. Well plotted! And no one is stupid, although there is a lot of discussion when action might have been preferable . But hey! Enjoyable, distracting, heartwarming and suspenseful towards the end. Had to repeat to myself ‘this is a romance, it has a happy ending’ at the conclusion.
February 21, 2023
This is book 2 of the Jaded Gentlemen series, bringing to a close the Jennings family saga first plotted out in book 1 Thomas. While Thomas and his sister Theresa reunite, air the dirty laundry of the past, and reach forgiveness, acceptance, and a resumption of a familial relationship, Matthew Belmont, the local magistrate, falls in love and has a number of his own family skeletons rattled and brought out into the open after the requisite threatened death at the hands of one if those skeletons. Meantime, Theresa's daughter Priscilla enchants all with her spirit, intelligence, and fanciful imagination that she puts to good use in writing stories of princesses rescued by princes, unicorns and dragons.
The two books really benefited from being read back to back.
The two books really benefited from being read back to back.
October 17, 2017
I love Grace Burrowes writing style and I've read tons of her books, so there is always a character that I'm already familiar with, which is something that I really enjoy.
This book is the story of Thomas's sister Theresa, who had a daughter out of wedlock and helped her cousins vanish her brother from the family estate, a fact that ended up separating the siblings for ten years.
Now Thomas is married and decided to finally open Theresa's letters, founding out about his niece and allowing mother and daughter to come for his wedding and to visit his new home.
At his estate, Theresa meets honorable, strong and reasonable Matthew, the squire and local magistrate.
They fall in love, but her brother objections, his three sons and other relations get on their way.
Light and sweet, a good read!
This book is the story of Thomas's sister Theresa, who had a daughter out of wedlock and helped her cousins vanish her brother from the family estate, a fact that ended up separating the siblings for ten years.
Now Thomas is married and decided to finally open Theresa's letters, founding out about his niece and allowing mother and daughter to come for his wedding and to visit his new home.
At his estate, Theresa meets honorable, strong and reasonable Matthew, the squire and local magistrate.
They fall in love, but her brother objections, his three sons and other relations get on their way.
Light and sweet, a good read!
December 21, 2022
I really liked the nontraditional heroine in this historical romance novel. Theresa had a rough childhood and was thoroughly ruined in her teenage years, and comes complete with a fierce and creative bastard daughter. Matthew is even-tempered and compassionate with a knack for looking below the surface. He's the magistrate for his area, and is the ideal person for such a position (made kinder and wiser by what he sees everyday, as the best judges are--those that are humbled rather than corrupted by power) The life circumstances of these characters lead to a lot of conversations about morality and worthiness, as well as gender roles and opportunities. I highly recommend this story for people who enjoy a little introspection with their historical romance.
February 9, 2018
Matthew is one of my favorite Grace Burrowes heroes. He was a genuinely good and nice man. But don't mistake good and nice for boring! He was like the perfect man. I loved the descriptions of his eating. Sounded like my husband. He had a bad first marriage and was a widower. He was a great father to three sons. Theresa had a difficult life and was ostracized by most, including her beloved brother, Thomas. She did have a wonderful child as the result of her sketchy (and, it turns out, loving) behavior. They each totally deserved a happy ending! There was nothing about this book that I didn't love. The main theme was family, at its most loving and messy best.
July 24, 2018
SO my quest continues. I am attempting to read all of Grace Burrowes' books in the order she recommended. I am now done reading Matthew which continues the story of characters we met in Thomas. In the Windham World everyone is related to somebody who will pop up in another story, or find true love in another. I don't need to do a plot summery, read the books yourself.
I love every book I have read so far. Entertaining, intelligent, fun, even a little educational and of course very English in the early 1800s.
I love every book I have read so far. Entertaining, intelligent, fun, even a little educational and of course very English in the early 1800s.
September 1, 2019
I could guess a Grace Burrowes book if someone read me an excerpt and I was not looking at the book. Her consistency is what draws me to her, and this book was no exception. I read Thomas awhile ago, but remembered his story. For some reason I have not read these in order, so I recognized many if the characters from future books. A love story, a mystery, an unusual heroine, I enjoyed how this played out.
May 14, 2021
Middle of 3 good stories
How I love Grace Burrowes way with words. I learn at least one new one with each book. And I also love the way she weaves old characters in with each story. This one only has Nick and Beckham in small roles, but Theresa’s daughter and Matthew’s sons more than make up for that lack. And theses stories feature slightly older characters which is wonderful too.
How I love Grace Burrowes way with words. I learn at least one new one with each book. And I also love the way she weaves old characters in with each story. This one only has Nick and Beckham in small roles, but Theresa’s daughter and Matthew’s sons more than make up for that lack. And theses stories feature slightly older characters which is wonderful too.
August 28, 2022
It’s odd that “Matthew” is part of the Jaded Gentlemen series. He’s the exact opposite of jaded: weary and lonely, yes, but not jaded. He’s also decent, kind, and intuitive, which makes him perfect for a “fallen” woman who turns out to have been more fierce than fallen. I could nitpick some plot points, but this book contains too many charming, thoughtful characters, too much hope, too much love, and too much attractive Matthew to be so petty. Loved it.
April 29, 2021
Polecam, przyjemny romans na wytchnienie - ma wspaniałego, poczciwego, kochanego głównego męskiego bohatera, odpowiednią ilość scen łóżkowych oraz uroczą małą dziewczynkę. Polubiłam także postacie drugoplanowe takie jak synowie Matthew, stryjek Alex. Wyjawienie tajemnicy trochę trwało, mogło nastąpić wcześniej, ale nie jest to duża wada.
October 8, 2025
I realized listening to this second book in the series that the stories are ok, but I really don't like the narrator, James Langton. His male voices are good but his female voices grate. Since so much about these books is about the roles of women and men during the era, when the women and girls sound high pitched and whiny, that grates.
August 27, 2017
Love Grace Burrowes, always charming, with the romances developing naturally! Loved the hero of this one, noble, intelligent, loyal, and a sense of humor, it made for an engaging read! Can't wait for the next in the series!
March 20, 2023
A journey for Thomas
And it’s a good thing Matthew was there to make sure he took it. Theresa finally introduces her daughter to Thomas, and he behaves badly to her (Theresa). Matthew has the patience to find out the truth about Theresa, and to make sure Thomas hears it.
And it’s a good thing Matthew was there to make sure he took it. Theresa finally introduces her daughter to Thomas, and he behaves badly to her (Theresa). Matthew has the patience to find out the truth about Theresa, and to make sure Thomas hears it.
December 2, 2024
The things we do for love
Deception, lies, and being coerced into a life not imagined, has both Theresa and Matthew adrift and very lonely. When they meet, sparks start to fly, and danger ensues. Good mystery, great romance. Highly recommended.
Deception, lies, and being coerced into a life not imagined, has both Theresa and Matthew adrift and very lonely. When they meet, sparks start to fly, and danger ensues. Good mystery, great romance. Highly recommended.
January 21, 2025
Loved the book. Great story. Loved Tereasa and Matthew. Loved that Matthew saw qualities in Teresa that she did not see in herself. He showed patience with her and scolded Thomas, her brother, for his lack of faith in her. He constantly reinforced that she was worthy of happiness.
November 17, 2017
I cannot imagine live in time when even relatives are so judgemental.
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