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The Siren of Sussex Mimi Matthews
336 pages | Published by Berkley US Publication Date: January 11, 2021
Evelyn arrives in London for her one chance to find a husband after her older sister has left her family in scandal. Knowing her only skill is that of an equestrienne, she commissions riding habits from Ahmad - half-Indian tailor with a dream of becoming a sought-after dressmaker. Evelyn and Ahmad recognize that a partnership is mutually beneficial - he can create her wardrobe for the season that will help her secure a husband, while she showcases his dresses to the fashionable London society. As they work together Evelyn and Ahmad grow closer despite what is considered acceptable, and their relationship could put both their futures at risk.
My first read of the year did NOT disappoint! This was the first book from Mimi Matthews that I've read, and I'm absolutely intrigued to read more! She built out an incredible world of the London society, focusing not only on the fashionable society but on the particulars of tailoring and dressmaking, Ahmad's feeling of displacement within both England and India, and even the growing interest in the occult.
Evelyn and Ahmad had AMAZING chemistry that read as the best kind of slow burn. I loved how much they truly felt like partners - their relationship was purely built on mutual trust and respect for each other. Ahmad was consistently described as looking like a brooding, fallen angel which is absolutely My Type. I loved Evelyn for her independence and goodness, and despite the hardships of Ahmad's life he was still honorable and sweet. (he sewed POCKETS into her dresses!!! 10/10.)
I assume Matthews is writing books focused on all of Evelyn's friends - all viewed as oddballs and just trying to do their best. Stella, Julia, Evelyn, and Anne had such a fun dynamic and I'm excited to read more about each of them!
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced e-book!
USA Today bestselling historical romance writer Mimi Matthews makes her Berkley debut with a boldly feminist tale about a daring equestrienne in her quest for independence just as the birth of haute couture takes the echelons of Victorian society by storm.
Matthews’ novel is inspired by the real-life Pretty Horsebreakers, a scandalous group of equestriennes and infamous courtesans at the forefront of fashion trends in Victorian London who defied the rules of polite society, and Charles Worth, the father of haute couture. THE SIREN OF SUSSEX (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; January 11, 2022) introduces Evelyn Maltravers, an incurable bluestocking determined to make her first and only season in London a roaring success.
Evelyn Maltravers is not exactly the woman who comes to mind when picturing a distinguished lady of the ton. More suited to riding than dancing, and much more opinionated than a young lady ought to be, her chances of securing a successful match have always been slim. But after her eldest sister is embroiled in scandal, that is exactly what she must do. Freshly arrived in London, Evelyn has one season to secure a husband and ensure both her own future and that of her four younger sisters. While Evelyn knows she will never dazzle the ton in a ballroom, there is one place where she has the advantage over all the ladies of polite society—on horseback in Rotten Row. But if she is to rival the alluring beauty of the Pretty Horsebreakers, she will need a tailor unafraid to take risks to make her the most fashionable equestrienne of the ton.
Evelyn turns to half-Indian dressmaker Ahmad Malik, who has a unique talent for bringing out his clients’ best features. Despite the inherent barriers he faces to becoming part of high society, Ahmad is working toward owning his own shop by designing the eye-catching habits of the Pretty Horsebreakers. Evelyn is convinced that Ahmad is the only person who can make her debut at Rotten Row a success. Ahmad knows that Evelyn, a fierce and confident woman on horseback, is the perfect muse, and an alluring subject to display his designs to the ton, if only he can set aside the intense attraction he feels for her.
With both their futures at stake, Ahmad will have to turn the diamond in the rough into the diamond of the season—while they both strive not to lose their hearts in the process.
Mimi Matthews delivers an enthralling romance while exploring themes of race, class, and the lingering effects of British colonialism. Drawing from her own Indian heritage and experience as an avid horse rider, Matthews brings to life Ahmad and Evelyn, two outsiders who change the course of Victorian society.
USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, 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, and two Siamese cats. Learn more online at mimimatthews.com.
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