Rules for Ruin

The Crinoline Academy, Book 1

By: Mimi Matthews

Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden, Will Watt

A Most Anticipated Romance for Paste Magazine · The Nerd Daily · BookBub · 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.©2025 Mimi Matthews (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"No one writes Victoriana like Mimi Matthews!...Sparks fly between Effie and Gabriel in a thoroughly enchanting romance that promises the start of a new series—I can't wait for the next installment from the Crinoline Academy!"​—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author

“Thrilling, poignant, and romantic, Rules for Ruin is a delight! Mimi Matthews’s evocative prose carries readers on an unforgettable adventure through London’s bustling streets and elegant drawing rooms. Euphemia and Gabriel’s romance simmers with electric chemistry, witty banter, and powerful emotion. Readers will love Rules for Ruin!"—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author

"Rules for Ruin is the ultimate cat-and-mouse romance with witty banter, sizzling attraction, and twists of excitement—a perfect first installment to kick off Mimi Matthews’s new Crinoline Academy series. Matthews’s exemplary research brings the Victorian world to life in a visceral way that creates an immersive backdrop as Euphemia and Gabriel go tete-a-tete with one another in the most delicious way."—Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Booklover's Library

Excellent. Pleasantly interesting.

Excellent! . I pre-ordered e-book and audible, and read while I listened. This was very enjoyable and I intend to do it a second time sometime in the future. I liked the Heroine, and the story had enough tension to hold my interest without becoming unpleasantly suspensful. For me, it was the perfect balance. I own, and have read and listened to all of the author's previous books. This is one of the author's best, and I have placed in in my Favorites file, together with "The Matrimonial Agreement"; "A Holiday by Gaslight"; and "The Winter Companion".

Ripping good story

Pretty impressive mix of historical fact, characters and pulse pounding plot! The narrators are superb.

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.