“Rules for Ruin” by Mimi Matthews

Title: Rules for Ruin
Author: Mimi Matthews
Publisher: Berkley Romance (Penguin Random House)   
Year: 2025    
Genre(s): historical romance
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1 of The Crinoline Academy

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: Effie Flint is recalled from Paris by the headmistress of her former home and school, The Crinoline Academy. She is tasked with bringing down a powerful viscount who is poised to destroy legislation that could benefit women in the United Kingdom and beyond. Effie poses as the daughter of wealth and focuses on her task. And then she meets Gabriel Royce, a prosperous betting shop owner who needs the viscount to support legislation that will benefit the slums where Gabriel grew up. Are Effie and Gabriel destined to always be on opposite sides…or will they realize they are better as a team?

Rating: 

Review: I hop from Georgian England to Victorian England for this book. I was excited when I saw this book as the Once Upon a Book Club pick because I felt I got a lot of mysteries lately. So it was nice to get another historical fiction book.

Especially one with such an intriguing premise like this one.

I liked the idea of a school where girls were taught and trained to go into society to fight the patriarchy from the inside. I wish we were able to see more of it. Because though it’s called The Crinoline Academy series, it really isn’t about the girls currently in school but the school’s alumnae. Maybe Matthews will show us life in the school one day.

However, the book we got was still very good.

Matthews clearly did a lot of research to bring Victorian England to life – both the world inhabited by the upper class and the slums the poor called home. The pieces of legislation that affect Effie and Gabriel respectively were real. And Matthews does reference some real historical events and people, though they don’t really play a role in her story. It doesn’t matter as the mere mention of them makes the setting more realistic.

Effie and Gabriel were good characters. I found myself rooting for both, even when they were at odds. Each supported good causes for their own reasons and it was easy to hope they would find a way to work together. Especially as they had great chemistry, making the romance an integral part of the story.

I do wish some of the supporting characters had been a little more sympathetic or likeable. Matthews didn’t have to completely lean into the “rich people are all terrible” trope, in my opinion. I also felt a revelation about Effie’s past was brushed over a little too quickly.

However, those are small quibbles regarding an otherwise good book.

Bottom line: A good historical fiction read.

Sex: Not that I recall.

Moonlight Musing

How well do you think you would go going undercover?