Starred review from October 11, 2021
Matthews (Fair as a Star) opens her Belles of London series with a tender and swoonworthy interracial, cross-class romance in Victorian London. White British equestrienne Evelyn Maltravers is desperate for a successful London season; following the disgrace of her older sister, Fenny, it falls to Evelyn to make a match that will secure both their futures. Half-Indian, half-English dressmaker Ahmad Malik knows that the right society lady wearing his designs will secure him enough business to purchase the dress shop where he works. When Ahmad’s client, Lady Heatherton, rescinds her order after Ahmad rejects her sexual advances, Ahmad pins his hopes on designing for Evelyn instead. As the necessary intimacy of dress fittings and consultations gives rise to attraction, Evelyn finds her prospects on the marriage market lacking compared to Ahmad. But confessing their mutual desire is just the first step in conquering the varied threats to their happiness. The societal obstacles to their relationship and thoughtful exploration of multiracial identity ground the romance, striking a delicate balance between grim period-typical attitudes and fluffy joy. Ahmad and Evelyn both marry impressive fierceness with understandable insecurities, making them a couple to root for. Readers will delight in this paean to women’s fashion and horseback riding. Agent: Sarah Hershman, Hershman Rights Management.
June 1, 2022
Evelyn Maltravers, confirmed bluestocking and excellent horsewoman, leaves her Sussex home for London in order to create a better future for her younger sisters. Without many prospects in society, Evelyn plans to use her riding skills and fashion sense to capture a potential husband's attention as she rides through Hyde Park's Rotten Row, much like the courtesans known as the Pretty Horsebreakers. Pursuing her plan, Evelyn searches for someone to make her exquisite new riding habits and finds Ahmad Malik, a half-Indian tailor who also needs a leg up in society to secure his shop and his sister's future. Striking a deal to help each other, Evelyn and Ahmad must balance their growing feelings while trying to secure their futures in a society that would struggle to accept their relationship. VERDICT Vidish Athavale and Lydia Hanman bring Victorian London to life with their narration, capturing both the lush details in Ahmad's fashion creations and Evelyn's love for her stallion and search for a partner worthy of her. A must-have for library collections, this romance from Matthews (John Eyre) is great for those looking for stories with exquisite historical details and chaste heat.--Elizabeth Gabriel
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