Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Crinoline Academy, #1

Release Date: May 20, 2025

Euphemia Flite “Effie” has been recalled to England by Artemisia Corvus, the founder and director of Miss Corvus’s Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies (but called the Crinoline Academy by the locals). Effie has been in Paris for the last five years working as a companion, but she owes Miss Corvus her loyalty and returns with the hope of finally repaying her debt to her and earning her freedom and pursue her dream of independence and a home of her own with her poodle Franc. She quickly learns her mission will require her to move in society, so she can collect information to ruin Viscount Compton. All she knows is that Lord Compton ruined a young lady’s life by jilting her and stealing her fortune, and while that ship has sailed, Miss Corvus is sure that he has done the same to other women and wants the proof to bury him and if Effie succeeds, she will be free of the Academy and will be given a generous stipend to start her new life. Sounds easy enough, especially since Miss Corvus has called in a favor and has a well-respect society matron to sponsor Effie. But that was before she met Gabriel Royce, a man who is bent on protecting Lord Compton. He is clearly her enemy, so why does she find him so enticing when she knows he will do nothing but destroy her chance for independence?

Gabriel Royce was not born in the Rookery, but he has lived there most of his life and has fought his way to the top. He has a successful betting shop and has made a decent fortune, but he knows that the Rookery is shrinking and without the support of parliament to revitalize it, it will soon be gone, along with his business. Lucky for him, he has a nobleman in his pocket, thanks to some incriminating letters that came into his possession. He knows what Lord Compton did to his former fiancée and has used the knowledge to force the viscount to help him by keeping the police from raiding his not quite legal betting shop, but now that is not enough, he needs to save the Rookery and will need more than Compton’s support to do it, so he once again forces Compton to help him, by introducing him to other parliament members who could support his efforts. Sounds easy enough, but that is before he met Effie Flite, a woman bent on destroying Lord Compton. She is clearly his enemy, so why can’t he get her out of his mind when he knows that she will do nothing by destroy his life?

What a great start to a new series, this was a well-written, nicely paced story with wonderful world building and likable characters. Effie and Gabriel have an instant chemistry, and it was a delight to read their story. This book has a lot going on and it is filled with secrets, lies, betrayal, heartbreak, amazing secondary characters, an adorable poodle named Franc (he is a poodle NOT a dog!), some levity, low-steam love scenes, surprising revelations, and finally a well-earned HEA complete with an epilogue. I really enjoyed this book and am eagerly looking forward to the next installment! If you are a fan of strong heroines and heroes who fall hard – this is the book for you!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *