The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews, Book Review

I’m always on the lookout for good arranged marriage/marriage of convenience books because I believe this trope has so much potential, and I’m always chasing the high of that one fanfic I’ve read. Alas, this is almost impossible to find, and this book didn’t do it either. 

But I didn’t know that at first! I found it recommended on Reddit and I was very excited to read it. 

The spoiler-free TLDR is: While The Matrimonial Advertisement promises a marriage of convenience, it focused more on the circumstances that led to it (and resolving those circumstances) rather than the marriage itself. It’s a well-written book, no doubt, but the couple needed more time to fall in love (it was pretty quick), and more time spent alone, together. The ending kind of fizzles out as well. But if you like this trope, and you also enjoy more plot than romance, this would be a great read for you. 

One caveat I have to add is that some of the hero’s backstory is based in a real-life historical event, the Siege of Cawnpore, and I don’t believe it was handled well. It felt as if there were some racist undertones, and it was unnecessary to include this, it could have been any other war (even just “war” in a vague sense), it didn’t have to be this.

• My rating: 2.5⭐
• Heat level: No steamy scenes, some kissing.
• Standalone or series? This book is the first of four books in a series, each following one of four orphan boys/men (one of whom is this book’s hero, Jason). You can read it as a standalone. 
• Content warnings: Torture, war, poor treatment of mental health, death of a loved one, abuse.
• Page count: 348 pages (on my e-reader)
• Read if: You don’t mind romance books more focused on plot, and some darker themes. 

Summary

Jason Thornhill has a house he needs help maintaining, and he’s lonely, so he places an advertisement in the newspaper looking for a wife. Helena Reynolds is desperate to get away from her family, so she responds, and this book begins with the two characters meeting. 

Initially, Jason tries to convince Helena to leave; he expected an older woman, and believes Helena will be unhappy with him since his house is so isolated and he doesn’t like society, but she’s adamant she’ll be fine. So, the two get married quickly, but it’s not a happily ever after… not at first, at least. 

Thoughts & Feelings

So, here’s what I expected: Jason and Helena get married and live in a Gothic, isolated manor where they slowly but surely fall in love and grow to care for each other, but oh, no! At the very end, someone from her past comes to disturb their hard-won peace but they manage to fight them off, stronger now that they’re together. 

What actually happens is… not that. 

Jason and Helena meet and fall in love? lust? pretty much instantly. Then they get married, and go to his house (the aforementioned Gothic manor), but alas, Helena’s secret is found out. Her uncle is after her because he wants to put her in an asylum and take the inheritance which her brother left her when he died in war. And you’d think she’d give it up, only she (for some reason?) believes her brother will be back and so she endures tons of torture (actual torture, electricity and ice water) for the slim chance her brother comes back and wants the money. (???)

It makes no sense to me, but whatever. Anyways, her uncle’s ruffians come to Jason’s house literally in the evening after Helena and Jason get married and want to take her away. Jason doesn’t let them, but they threaten to annul the marriage by saying that Helena was not in her right mind when she agreed to marry. Jason makes them go away, but then he leaves for London to see what can be done to protect Helena. 

And you see, that’s all gallant and great but 1) he doesn’t consult Helena about this at all and 2) the simplest way to get them to back off is to consummate the marriage. Voila, done! 

But no, instead they come up with this complicated plan (well, Jason and his friend do), that Helena and Jason will parade around London to prove that she’s not mentally ill, and she gives an interview to a reporter on how her uncle treated her. Which again, good for Helena I guess, but none of this is fun to read. 

I’ll admit, the ruffians arriving to get Helena on her wedding night was exciting but everything after that was tedious. The couple spends no time together alone and even when they do, it’s brief and not that interesting. 

From the moment Jason finds out that Helena is a Lady, he goes into this spiral of thinking that Helena doesn’t want him, that she should be in London with her friends, at parties, plays, etc. Meanwhile Helena repeatedly says (to him) that she doesn’t like any of that, that it gives her anxiety, that even before her brother died she disliked parties, and that she cannot wait to go back to the isolated manor.  It’s pretty obvious from her behavior as well that she isn’t comfortable. 

But no, Jason ignores all of that in favor of his own stupidity and decides at the end, when everything else is resolved, to annul the marriage (???) so she can be happy (???). 

It could have gone any other way, and it would have been better. It could have been a creepy Gothic mystery/romance where this tortured heroine escapes her abusive uncle via a marriage to a stranger who might be more dangerous (but isn’t really). Or what I said, cozy, tender falling in love. But it did something completely different, and not in a good way. 

It is well-written though, and I can’t fault it for that, so I’m willing to give this author another chance in the hopes that it’ll work out next time. 

For now, I can recommend The Matrimonial Advertisement to you if you’re okay with reading a book that isn’t especially romantic (in my opinion) and if you like your historical romance more focused on plot/society. 

And if you have any recs for arranged marriage books where the romance develops slowly and there’s no insta love, lust or attraction, drop them in the comments below, I’d be grateful!