Bringing Up Books

About The Book:

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

My Thoughts:

Mimi Matthews never fails to provide a historical romance rich with detail, romance and a unique and intriguing story. I enjoyed that The Siren of Sussex was not a typical love story where the characters must overcome simply a class difference, but they were dealing with cultural differences as well. There were so many vivid descriptions of the fashions that Ahmad created that you can easily picture the gowns and riding habits. The chemistry between Evie and Ahmad was off the charts. These characters were drawn to each other and seeing their feelings develop in the shared moments they had was my favorite part of this story. Ahmad was such a meticulous and hard worker and I loved how diligent he was to his craft. His no nonsense attitude really endeared me to him! There were a lot of mentions of spiritualism and seances in the second half of the book. It was something that the author noted was authentic to the time period and setting of this story, but it definitely wasn’t an aspect of the book I enjoyed. It added a bit of eccentricity to this story, but I personally didn’t enjoy talk about mediums, energy, crystal balls and talking to the dead. The main characters didn’t really dabble with spiritualism themselves, so it wasn’t something that affected my view on the story as a whole. All that said I did enjoy this love story and was really happy with the books conclusion. I think this series is setting up to be really great and I can’t wait to read the next book!

*I was given a copy of this book by the Publisher, however I was not required to write a positive review.

PURCHASE LINKS

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, 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, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway will run from Jan 4 – Feb 7, 2022

Terms & Conditions:

Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. Void where prohibited.

The Giveaway Package:

1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives the following:

Signed print copy of The Siren of Sussex

Horse scarf

Pewter sidesaddle brooch (made in Sussex, England!)

The Siren of Sussex tote bag

Three candles in scents: Fresh Hay, New Saddle, and Winter Ride

Box of Ahmad Tea (60 count, assorted flavors)

The Siren of Sussex bookmark

The giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 1/4/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 2/7/22.

The winner will be announced on Mimi’s blog – mimimatthews.com – at 8:00 pm Pacific time on 2/8/22.

Click here to enter the giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92989f07650/

About The Book:

When a man arrives at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire them to find a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her . . . and that she may no longer be able to hide under the disguise that has kept her safe for so long.

Arthur Livingston’s goal in life is to make his mark on the world as a mining industrialist, but after the man who could help him achieve his goal is murdered, Arthur feels compelled to seek justice for the family–but he’s left with more questions than answers after the eccentric Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency refuses to take on his case.

Desperate to conceal her real identity and avoid the irritatingly handsome Arthur, Eunice takes on a different case that requires her to go deep undercover and entangles her in one troublesome situation after another. When other secrets come to light, Eunice has no choice but to confront her past, hopeful that it will set her free but knowing it could very well place her life–and the lives of those she loves–in jeopardy.

My Thoughts:

This was such a delightful and humorous story! I can absolutely count on a Jen Turano novel to keep me entertained and laughing. This cast is characters was charming and witty! Eunice, who has made appearances in previous novels, was finally given opportunity to tell her own story and it was full of danger and mystery. I enjoyed both Eunice and Arthur’s characters. The tension between the characters created great romantic chemistry and their argumentative banter was a delight to read. There were many characters from the previous novels who made appearances in this story which was really fun! I enjoyed getting to dive a little deeper into Eunice’s characters and found her to be independent, capable, but enjoyed her romantic heart. I enjoyed this story and thought it was a great conclusion to this really fun series!

*I was given a copy of this book by the Publisher, however I was not required to write a positive review.

Bringing Up Books

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano