Read This Book…

Evelyn Maltravers has two passions in life: riding, and her family. With her family’s security in question and four younger sisters behind her, her aunt and uncle have scraped up enough money for her to have one season in London—and one shot at finding a husband. Knowing that she has little to offer in the ballroom, she decides to distinguish herself on horseback, riding daily in Hyde Park. But in order to stand out, she needs a truly spectacular riding habit. For that, she turns to Ahmad Malik, a British-Indian tailor with aspirations of becoming a lady’s dressmaker. He agrees to Evelyn’s unusual request for an attention-grabbing and sophisticated habit, but as she returns for fitting after fitting, sparks fly between them and Evelyn must contend with the fact that she’s falling for a man who cannot offer her the security she hopes for.

I do love a good Victorian and Regency novel that takes into account class and explores what life was like for the lower class and marginalized people of the time period. This Victorian novel balances these worlds gracefully, giving insight into Evelyn’s attempts to break into the upper crest of English society while also showing her more at ease with a simpler life, in the country. We also get to explore life from Ahmad’s perspective as a biracial man deeply affected by English colonialism, and his struggle to find a place in a world that can’t accept his whole self. I really enjoyed the dressmaking aspects of this book, and I loved that the story isn’t afraid to get political! There is also a good mix of current events, politics, and insight into the early days of the spiritualism craze, all of which contribute to an atmospheric and detailed historical novel with plenty of clever turns. Overall, this is a lighter, sweeter romance with no one-the-page sex but plenty of yearning and delicious scenes of tension as our hero and heroine are left alone in a fitting room, and find themselves weighing virtue and reputation against desire.

We are also introduced to three other delightful young ladies in Evelyn’s social circle who are also riders and also bluestockings, setting up what’s sure to be some delightful series—in fact, look for secondary character Julia’s story in The Belle of Belgrave Square, out later this year! This is the perfect series to satisfy your itch for more Victorian romances in the style of Evie Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women books!