Rules for Ruin

De: Mimi Matthews

Narrado por: Elizabeth Knowelden, Will Watt

One of Kirkus's Best of Fiction 2025 · NYPL Best Books of 2025 · An NPR Books We Love Pick for 2025 · BookBub's Best Romances of 2025 So Far · BookPage's Best Books of 2025

A Most Anticipated Romance for Paste Magazine · The Nerd Daily · Marie Claire · Book Riot · Bookish · Fangirlish

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 lord’s systematic attack on women’s rights in Parliament, 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.

Unexpected! Loved it!

I love the uniqueness of this novel. Mimi at her best. Loved it, as always!

Amazing from start to finish

This book fed my soul and brain at the same time. A rare combination with romance that felt real, difficult, and matched for both the hero and heroine. I won’t give anything away here. Bravo Mimi. Excellent narration for both narrators. I did have to up the speed to make it sound more natural to my ear, especially for the male voice. Use the credit on this one you won’t regret it. Ten stars. Can’t wait for the next one.

Great characters!!

Oh, I just love your books!! I can’t stop listening to them! Your characters are so real and I love all the detail and research into each story. I always learn something. (Great narrating too by both!) I love how you always incorporate pets into your books too. I’m just a little sad that I have to be patient and wait until November for book 2. Thanks again!!

You just gotta read this!

This was so unique and So great! Kept me riveted and going back for more! Fast paced, great characters, and love the Victorian era/history. Clean romance with action and plot twists. Highly recommend!

The Storytelling

The characters, the scenery: London, the milieau!
Colourful…”never a dull moment” as Ms Matthews guides the reader through a new and wonderfully imaginative take on Victorian Romance.
Also Ms Knowelden and Mr Watt are are bringing the characters to life in real and heartwarming ways.
I couldn’t stop listening!
Will definitely return for a second enjoyment of this story at a later stage!

Love the duel narrators!

Loved the story and Both narrators are great! Good readalike for Evie Dunmore. Enjoying early feminist romances.

Beautiful and addictive

I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end! Elizabeth Knowelden is my favorite Brit narrator!! She makes the stories come to life!

Wonderful book!

Just love this author and the narrators did well also. You really can hardly go wrong with a Mimi Matthews book. Highly recommend. Clever, witty and romance to boot. Enjoy.

A riveting tale!

A breathtaking beginning to a series that promises to be audaciously feminist and indelibly romantic. In Rules for Ruin, Mimi Matthews demonstrates her writing prowess as she ingeniously weaves a plot that brims with action, drama, and romance. Her attention to detail and historical research are impeccable. Through her characters, readers can vicariously experience historical events, Victorian life and fashion. Crinolines aren’t merely a fashion statement; they can also be used to derail patriarchy. LOVED IT!!

Will Watt did a good job and Elizabeth Knowelden is currently my FAVORITE historical romance narrator!

Excellent in Every Way

Mimi Matthews knows how to draw a reader in to the point where you are totally immersed in her world. Effie and Gabriel (the two main characters) are no two-dimensional characters. You absolutely know them by the time you turn the final page of the second chapter. These are not the typical characters to be found in a Victorian romance novel, nor is theirs the sweetly drawn romance of the gently born girl and a lord of the manor. Rather it's an emotional tug of war and an underlying furnace of escalating emotions.

Euphemia (Effie) has an iron backbone forged into her through her years of training at the Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies (aka The Crinoline Academy). She has a goal and she is determined, unafraid and unapologetic --- and an unexpected force that has Gabriel Royce (an orphan of the Rookery, hardened and immovable and rather menacing) reeling....and reluctantly responsive.

The Crinoline Academy is an intense story on every level. Two people somewhat fraudulently living on the fringes of high society with opposing and unrelenting goals, and yet with an attraction that is undeniable. From their first meeting, Gabriel says "like recognizes like" and, as a reader on the outside looking in, I agree --and, as much as I think it is a term greatly overused, I would even use the word soulmates.

Read this book, but buckle up. You will be taken on a wild ride of emotions that you can taste. But the story is beautiful and the relationship is obviously fated.

I also highly recommend the audiobook, as the narrators are spot on.