Review: The Siren of Sussex

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The Siren of Sussex The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If a romance novel is about the journey rather than the destination (the destination being the HEA), then this first Belles of London novel was a very satisfying journey indeed.

Evelyn Maltravers has to make a good marriage so her sisters can be supported. Her parents are dead, the family is running out of money, and they're under a cloud of scandal because of her eldest sister's running off with a neighbor's son. But to make a splash in Victorian society bookish Evie needs to stand out, so the talented horsewoman turns to tailor Ahmad Malik to design a riding habit that will make heads turn and bring her the right kind of attention.

Half-Indian Ahmad has no place in society either in London or in his native India, but if he can become a successful tailor he can support himself and his sister. He knows he can't let his career be derailed by a relationship with a woman who's of the wrong class and the wrong ethnicity, but the more time they spend together, the more they realize the bond that exists between them.

Watching Evie and Ahmad navigate their relationship while fully understanding the risks, and knowing that "love conquers all" only happens in stories, not in Victorian society, is the journey that makes this book so satisfying. In addition, we meet friends of Evie's who will clearly have their own stories in upcoming books, which makes Ms. Matthews entertaining tale even more enjoyable.

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