Blog Tour //The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews//

Welcome to my stop of the The Siren of Sussex Blog Tour. I’m here to spotlight The Siren of Sussex on my blog and share a few of my thoughts with my fellow bookworms.

Blog Tour: The Sire of Sussex

I absolutely LOVE historical fiction.

Yep, all caps for me today friends.

Getting lost in a time period only experienced on the silver screen or in the pages of a well written book. And if the latter, turning the warn and loved pages of a well crafted story that takes place hundreds of years ago is a dream. Feeling like you’ve been transported into Victorian London. Experiencing it as though you are the characters themselves.

Walking the streets of nineteenth century London. Your senses drinking it all in. Beguiled by its rich beauty: a tailor with exquisite taste in fashion and a young woman with a mind of her own and a knack for all things equestrian.

Which is why I’m excited to spotlight Mimi Matthews’ novel, The Siren of Sussex.

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.

The Siren of Sussex Blog Tour

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

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, her chances of securing a successful match have always been slim. 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 find the perfect suitor, 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.

Ahmad knows at once 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.

The Siren of Sussex Blog Tour Mini Book Review by Sheaf & Ink

What an incredible book!

The Siren of Sussex is one of those books you want to savor. Even though you could easily finish it in less than a day, you definitely want to take your time. Relish in how Matthews crafts a historical romance that breathes life into two characters who may seem worlds apart, but perfectly fit together like the gowns fashioned by Ahmad Malik.

I inhaled this story about two people.

Not Queens, Dukes, or any nobility.

People.

A tailor and an upper middle class young English woman. One a tradesman the other an equestrienne. Each wanting something more. And it’s over the course of the novel that they find that something.

Each page is a new stitch into the elegantly and vibrantly envisioned story Matthews brings into existence. The fabric of the story is soft, lush, and sturdy. The cut not too revealing, though there are plenty of swoon worthy moments between these endearing human characters.

There’s simply no other way of saying it, I adored this book.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

Find my full review here >>

RATING: – Exceptionally Inked

Publication Details

Title The Siren of Sussex
Author Mimi Matthews
Pages 432
Intended Target Audience Adult
Genre & Keywords Historical Fiction
Part of a Series? Yes, Belles of London #1
Source & Format NetGalley, Digital Copy

Publication Date January 11, 2022 by Berkley

Find it on Bookshop ● Goodreads ● Amazon ● Barnes & Noble ● Book Depository ● IndieBound● Indigo

Author Details

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.

Photo Credit: Vicki Hahn 2021(TR)

Find Mimi on Website ● Goodreads ● Instagram ● Twitter ● Facebook

Exclusive Excerpt of The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

*From THE SIREN OF SUSSEX published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Mimi Matthews. This excerpt was provided by the publisher’s publicity team and is copyright material. Copyright infringement is against the law.