REVIEW: JOHN EYRE by Mimi Matthews

About the novel:

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he's ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John's new employer--a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn't on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she's powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly-disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn't quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

Quick Review by Christina Boyd: Read till 3a.m.—eerie fog, mysterious happenings at Thornfield Hall. Pitch black but for Kindle. Then something pounced on bed, I screamed, then it sprang off. MrB: What the hell was that? Me: Either the cat or a demon. John Eyre is the proof that author Mimi Matthews can write any genre. It’s a supernatural gothic retelling of the Bronte classic. Like most successful fanfics, the basics from the original ensures the reader will recognize familiar characters and theme while incorporating her own spin. It was equally enjoyable to read Bronte’s dialog and lines interspersed to aid in the setting too. I read straight through with my hair standing on end and can easily recommend to historical fiction and suspense readers. Well done!

About the author:

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances, including Fair as a Star, a Library Journal Best Romance of 2020, and The Work of Art, winner of the 2020 HOLT Medallion. Mimi’s novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus, 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 a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. Her next romance, The Siren of Sussex, will be out in 2022 from Berkley/Penguin Random House.

To learn more, please visit www.MimiMatthews.com