No one betrays the Academy. But now Euphemia must decide: break the rules for her enemy, or let the rules break her heart.
On the outskirts of London sits a seemingly innocuous institution with a secretive aim-train young women to distract, disrupt, and discredit the patriarchy. Outraged by a powerful politician's systematic attack on women's rights, the Academy summons its brightest-and most bitter-pupil to infiltrate the odious man's inner circle. A deal is struck: bring down the viscount, and Miss Euphemia Flite will finally earn her freedom.
But betting shop owner Gabriel Royce has other plans. The viscount is the perfect pawn to insulate Gabriel's underworld empire from government interference. He's not about to let some crinoline-clad miss destroy his carefully constructed enterprise-no matter how captivating he finds her threats.
From the rookeries of St. Giles to the ballrooms of Mayfair, Euphemia and Gabriel engage in a battle of wits and wills that's complicated by a blossoming desire. Soon Euphemia realizes it's not the broken promises to her Academy sisters she should fear. . . . It's the danger to her heart. Praise for Mimi Matthews
"Shiveringly Gothic…For best effect, save this one for a windy night when trees scrape against the windowpanes."-New York Times Book Review on The Belle of Belgrave Square
"Mimi Matthews never disappoints."-Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"No one writes Victoriana like Mimi Matthews!...Sparks fly between Effie and Gabriel in a thoroughly enchanting romance that promises the start of a new series-I can't wait for the next installment from the Crinoline Academy!"-Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author
"Mimi Matthews has become one of my favorite authors. She never disappoints."-Mary Balogh, New York Times bestselling author
"A delicious crumpet of a novel: sparkling characters, lush romantic chemistry, and a woman on a mission made me fly through the pages!"-Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author on Rules for Ruin
"To say Mimi Matthews is a master of historical romance would be an understatement."-Culturess USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Shelf Awareness, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, a miniature poodle, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
