Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy)

Mimi Matthews

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One of Kirkus's Best of Fiction 2025 · NYPL Best Books of 2025 + Top Ten Best Romances of 2026 · An NPR Books We Love Pick for 2025 · A Library Journal Best book of 2025 · BookBub's Best Romances of 2025 So Far · BookPage's Best Books of 2025 · A Marie Claire Best Romance of 2025.

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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.

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Posts about this title from Boozhoo Books

Naomi
Jun 14

I have found the 3rd book that I want to publish.
We still have to go out with an offer, they still have to accept it. It's a whole thing- and I've been here before and they don't always accept, but as of right now, I WOULD LOVE TO PUBLISH THIS BOOK.

It's very different from the books that I am publishing so far and it wasn't the book that I was looking for, but it is a book that found me and I don't think that I'm going to be able to let it go.

If I read horror, will I like it?
I think if you only read books that are found in the horror section, probably not.
But if you dip your toes in other genres, you're going to love it. People are going to love it.

Here are the Audible tags I could see for the book: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal.
I think the book would sit most comfortably in fantasy or mystery, but romance fans, especially fans of Mimi Matthews, will be drawn to this, too!

It's a little bit Jane Austen style comedy of manners, a bit mystery, a bit paranormal fantasy, and A LOT of fun. It's very clever.

What's it about?
It's 1875. We've got a Chinese matchmaker who matches people by reading astrology. We've got a vendor and his fortune telling parakeet. We've got some local gangsters. We've got a shaman.
Our matchmaker has been asked to do the impossible- find a suitable match for A WHITE WOMAN!
It gets a bit complicated because the woman is supposed to be married off to her father's legitimate wife's brother who has.......something SERIOUSLY wrong with him?

This book is the perfect fall read. Perfect for spooky season. It's a little spooky. It's a little mystery. It's a little cozy with a little gore. Perfect to curl up with some hot cocoa on a rainy day.

I also really like that, similar to What Feeds Below, we have some chapter openers that are notes and letters and think this could be really cool for design.
I think that while not entirely genre specific, the book falls under the mission of stories that haunt and heal.
I would love to know what you all think? Are you ready for something a little different?

4 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery
Naomi
Jun 14

I have found the 3rd book that I want to publish.
We still have to go out with an offer, they still have to accept it. It's a whole thing- and I've been here before and they don't always accept, but as of right now, I WOULD LOVE TO PUBLISH THIS BOOK.

If I read horror, will I like it?
I think if you only read books that are found in the horror section, probably not.