Belles of London #1
The Siren of Sussex was the last in a Regency reading spree. I try not to read too many Regency or Victorian romances back to back because they blend together if they are the usual run-of-the-mill stories. I’ve read four or five over the last week or two. It was a good book to end on, as it doesn’t follow the usual cast of characters.
Evelyn isn’t titled. She’s seeking a wealthy match to keep her horse and support her family. Her family isn’t entirely impoverished, but the male figure responsible for her and her sisters is absent-minded and distant. He can’t be relied upon to provide seasons for her younger sisters, so it’s up to her to ensure she can.
Ahmad is half-Indian and is already fighting an uphill battle to get his dress-making business noticed by the Haute Ton. His patroness is despicable, but he doesn’t have a lot of other options to get his creations noticed by the exclusive upper classes. The descriptions of the fabrics were so descriptive, it really brought them to life.
I enjoy when Victorian romances include people of colour. It’s not historically inaccurate, either. People of Colour existed in Victorian England and it’s wonderful to see them included in fiction. Of course, that’s not to say there wasn’t rampant racism and prejudice. The Siren of Sussex doesn’t hide from the darker aspects but softens how much it would have affected Ahmad and Evelyn.
Evelyn is independent and unwilling to let anything get in her way. I relished how she scandalized Mr. P in the last chapter to provide for her family. Her story broke conventions but was realistic for the period. I find it annoying when a historical romance gives the heroine modern sensibilities, and somehow, it works out. There’s no way there wouldn’t be massive social repercussions for behaving like a hoyden, which is how modern sensibilities would be perceived. Ahmad’s care and consideration for Evelyn was adorable. The two of them slowly circled each other and it was really sweet.
Summary
I’ll read the following books in this series. This book was a slight pivot on the typical Victorian romance, which made it enjoyable to read.