The Boxing Baroness
By Minerva Spencer
ISBN: 9781496738097
384 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audio CD, Audible Audiobook, and on Kindle
Trigger Warning: Semi-Graphic Death, One brief attempted Suicide mention
Synopsis:
Of questionable birth, but made for greatness, the Regency-era heroines in Minerva Spencer’s thrilling new historical romance series possess both clever minds and unusual skills that enable them to go head-to-head—and heart to heart—with the best of men, including those of the ton . . .
Magnetic and educated, Marianne Simpson has the manner of a lady and the looks of a lover, not a fighter. Neither of which explains her occupation as a boxer in her uncle’s circus, Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre. Nonetheless, when St. John Powell, the exquisitely handsome Duke of Staunton, begins turning up at her shows, she finds herself dangerously distracted by the powerful peer’s mysterious presence. With her safety at stake, Marianne’s days in the ring are numbered. But how long can she fight her attraction to the man the ton calls Lord Flawless?
St. John Powell doesn’t just want Marianne Simpson, he needs her … to rescue his brother, who is being held for ransom by a treasonous English baron—the man all of Britain knows as the Rake of Rakes. No matter how little Marianne wants to see her duplicitous ex-lover, the man responsible for the humiliating nickname the Boxing Baroness, St. John must convince her. Even if it means climbing into the ring with the beautiful boxer and taking everything she’s got . . .
My Thoughts:
The Boxing Baroness is mainly the story about a young woman, Marianne Simpson, who lost her mother at a young age and was raised by her uncle at his circus. As she neared adulthood, she was trained as a boxer and became one of the circus' acts. She is known by the moniker the "Boxing Baroness" due to an ugly incident in the past that severely tarnished her reputation, where she had been tricked into marrying her lover Baron Strickland, believing the marriage to be legitimate until it was discovered that he had already secretly married another a year before her nuptials. She returned to the circus and went on with her life. Then one day after her fight, she was introduced to the Duke of Staunton, who had recently been coming to see her act. The duke sought her out because he had received a letter from Baron Strickland, who had been reported deceased in a fire a year prior. The letter offered information on his own missing brother, who had been assumed killed during a military operation. The apparently undead (but not in the supernatural way) baron demanded that Staunton bring Marianne to him in France if the duke wanted to save his brother. After much coercion and a bit of manipulation, Staunton convinces Marianne to accompany him to France to meet with the baron.
What follows is a story of romance, mystery, and suspense - with several parts well etched into history. Shortly after the protagonists arrive on the continent, Napoleon escapes his exile from Elba and marches on Paris. So mixed in with the unfolding series of storylines about the resurrected baron, Marianne's complex background, and her growing relationship with the Duke of Staunton, is a peek at what life was like for the French during that chaotic 100 days of war. This was very interesting to me, as a former study of both French and History. I don't often see historical fiction books set in this time period, and never have I read one that delved so much into Napoleon's legacy and his relationships.
The Boxing Baroness has plenty of twists and turns and isn't too predictable to be engaging, unlike many "mystery" books that I read. Yes, I was able to figure out some of the big reveals long before they happened, but other parts did surprise me a bit. Within the narration the author's scenic descriptions paint a detailed picture of several different settings, such as the circus, a dreary castle, and many different views of the French country. At its core, this book is a romance novel, and there are many "steamy" bits that are definitely NSFW, but there is so much else going on in the pages that it doesn't feel cliché.
Marianne and Staunton are both well crafted characters, with interesting backgrounds and moments of growth. In addition to the lead roles, The Boxing Baroness features a colorful selection of side characters that are equally appealing. The friends present on their trek to the continent are funny and likable. I particularly liked Cecile, who it turns out is the protagonist in The Dueling Duchess, the second book in this series - so brb while I add that to my reading list. Even the "villain-type" characters are depicted well, in such a way to have reasonable motivations yet still be appropriately bad. According to the author, some of the characters are based on actual historical figures - though other than for Napoleon and the other members of the royalty mentioned, I would call the connections tenuous at best. For example, there was a woman known as the "Boxing Baroness" around this time period, however her actual name was different, she had no known connection to anything having to do with either boxing or a barony (though she was mistress of an Earl for a bit), and her story ended quite differently.
I opted to read The Boxing Baroness in both a physical (e-book) and audiobook formats. Which meant reading the e-book quietly at night, listening to the audio while driving in the car, and at some points following along in the book WHILE listening to the audio. I have read a lot more books via audio recently and I have to say this - the audio narration done by Clare Staniforth is superb. Her voice is clear, the accents used are well placed, and the pacing is perfect. For many audiobooks, I have to speed up the timing a little to make them easier to listen to, but that was not needed with this one.
In conclusion, if you like reading steamy romance with a good mystery included, I would absolutely recommend The Boxing Baroness. If I'm being honest, I can't remember what put this book on my radar. I think it might have been one of the suggestions on the NYPL summer reading list, or a "related title" suggestion on another book I read. But, whatever it was, I am glad that it was suggested to me, because this was a very enjoyable read.
Parent's Guide:
This is not a book for kids. There is quite a bit of violence and sexual content.