The Earl's Egyptian Heiress

by Heba Helmy

A season with the earl
For the Egyptian heiress

Ranya Radwan’s mission is clear: restore her family’s honor by retrieving the deed to their business from the Earl of Warrington. Until she finds herself enthralled by the new earl, Owen. Accompanying him from Egypt to England to find the deed, Ranya’s swept into an unfamiliar world of society balls and luncheons, but is captivated waltzing in Owen’s arms. Yet her duty to her family means returning to Egypt, not following her heart…

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Victorian, Harlequin Historical, Historical, Egypt

288 pages, ebook

First published June 22, 2023

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

The cover is staggeringly good. God that's lovely. I preordered on the basis of that plus histrom that gets outside English balls (as it were).

A debut and it does show a bit. The leads are both charming--heroine is a firebrand, with immense dignity, hero is kind hearted and works to be aware of his privilege, and their romance is sweet. The plot is ingeniously conceived but a tad clunky in the execution.

I was a bit sorry how much of the book was set in England rather than Egypt, in large part because the Egyptian passages were really lively and evocative, where the England bits didn't quite ring true to me and didn't feel as secure in the writing. This is not really a fair thing to criticise a book for ("I wanted it to be a different book!" ffs get a grip) but the Egyptian parts were so great, with real consciousness of colonialism and the multicultural world, and I just wanted to know so much more and see so much more of that, and the characters operating in that milieu. I hope the author writes more. And I hope every cover she gets is this good, because cracking job. However, slap on the wrist to the editor who let the reference to Pakistan through, and that's not even the first time I've seen this in a Victorian-set romance. Come on, guys.

[آية · Rating 3 out of 5]

8/22/23: full review
It was a solid 4 stars for the first half, and I might've even rounded it up to 5 stars if it stayed that good to the end because I loved the Muslim rep and the anticolonialist vibes. There was frequent mention of dua, prayer, calling out to Allah in times of need, and I absolutely loved that. I also loved the specifically Alexandrian rep--we don't get enough Egyptian rep as it is and when we do, it's usually of Cairo. So I really appreciate the depiction of the Alexandrian seaside and its cosmopolitanism and food. Also as far as Muslim representation goes, this book is actually one of the better ones. The cover and title made me deeply suspicious--was this one of those books in which a hijabi/Muslim gives herself to a white dude? Turns out the white dude is only half-white--his mother is Egyptian--and he deeply respects Ranya's culture, boundaries, and religion.

However, the second half made me dip it to 3 unfortunately. And that's not just because the MCs go to England very early on in the book and most of the book's setting is switched to there.

At first I was rooting for both MCs and wanted them to get together, because Owen/Iskander was charming, willing to work against British colonialism/exploitation, and very supportive of Ranya's new business ideas. AND Ranya seemed to have a strong personality and set her hijabi boundaries (no touching, keeping her hair covered, etc.).

But that quickly changed around midway, when suddenly they were not just touching but touching very intimately. Although Ranya acknowledged some of the things she did was wrong, that never went anywhere--she only continued to touch him and let him touch her all the way to the end of the book. The plot could've been so much stronger if it was based more heavily on their separate issues--Owen taking on his duties as earl/owner of Malden Trading and navigating his relationship with his stepmom and mom, and Ranya with her ambitions for changing the cotton trade and freeing her father from jail. I mean, how COOL of a premise is that? But instead, the plot felt like it was based way more on the two MC's horny lusting for each other.

What bothers me the most is that it started off with lots of promise to be a halal romance--Ranya setting strong hijabi boundaries, super anticolonialist vibes, frequent mention of prayer, dua, etc.--but ended with an engagement between her and Owen--who wasn't even Muslim, so their marriage wouldn't even be valid unless he converted and there was no mention of that at all, PLUS they shared intimate physical touch again after Ranya admitted she knew it was wrong (which is why I feel like the admission of doing something wrong wasn't really genuine).

As Muslims, we already have enough stories of hijabis taking their hijabs off for non-Muslim white dudes, so why did this have to be one too? Ranya--strong, boundary-setting Ranya--ended up belly dancing for Owen and I don't think she even regretted it.

The ending was also very rushed and although it feels like most loose ends were tied, it was too quick to be believable and it was not very thorough. It more than anything emphasized Ranya's relationship with Owen (and her engagement to him, which the narrative made it seem like he was doing it the right way by going according to Ranya customs but actually wasn't bc he wasn't even Muslim and they kissed so passionately without any regrets). It would've been much stronger if it emphasized Owen's relationship with his mother, his relationship with his Egyptian heritage, and Ranya's new path in life independent of Owen.

So basically my thoughts on this book before I started were deeply suspicious bc of the sus cover and title that seemed very orientalist, then I raised my hopes up way too high in the first quarter of the book, then I was deeply disappointed in the second half.

But I still believe this author has lots of potential because of all the positives this book has and I'd definitely be willing to try out her future publications.

8/12/23: reading update @8%
Yup, it's very anticolonialist! AND the characters are cute AND complex. AND GUESS WHAT. This book doesn't just have Muslim rep, nor even just Muslim Arab rep, nor even just Muslim Arab Egyptian rep--it specifically has Alexandrian rep. I'm so excited--when it comes to Egypt, Cairo usually gets all the credit, but Alexandria deserves her time in the spotlight!

(I kinda wish the cover and title didn't make the book seem orientalist. They made me very suspicious at first, and the only reason I decided to give it a chance was because the author is an Egyptian hijabi.)

8/11/23: pre-reading thoughts:
Judging by the title, cover, and blurb, this book is either very orientalist or it's very anticolonial. I have very high hopes that it's the latter!

[Paige]

DNF at p54 (beginning of Ch5)

Both of these lead characters are quite interesting and I like the writing, but I am just bored by business machinations right now.

Second recent DNF for that reason. This is what happens when I pick up whatever comes off the hold shelf rather than reading blurbs!

9.6.23

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an arc e-copy by the publisher Harlequin Historical by Heba Helmy
my honest review. 


I really need to read more Harlequin Historical books romance. I love reading about different countries. 


Ranya and the new earl Owen  were so great together loved this love story. I'm giving The Earl's Egyptian Heiress 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟




Happy Reading 

Lisa 

[Bree Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Earl's Egyptian Heiress is a sparkling, much needed perspective debut set in a fan favorite historical time period. Thank you Heba Helmy for giving us Ranya and Owen's romance. This book delivers on conflict which keeps you turning the pages out of that looming question, How will these two every be together? I adored Ranya's strength and determination; the love of her family and her country, her awareness and intelligence. I can't resist a truly smitten hero which we get in Owen. Amidst the ballgowns and fancy parties, there was a lot going on in the world and I appreciated a heroine who acknowledged that. The Earl's Egyptian Heiress is a fantastic read and I hope we see much more from Heba!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an arc e-copy by the publisher Harlequin Historical by Heba Helmy
my honest review.

I really need to read more Harlequin Historical books romance. I love reading about different countries.

Ranya and the new earl Owen were so great together loved this love story. I'm giving The Earl's Egyptian Heiress 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟



Happy Reading
Lisa

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The romance was sweet, and the historical complexities are handled so well. I was swept up in this compelling story and loved Ranya's character arc!

[Erin S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put down this Victorian romance. The dual-POV features Rania, an Egyptian cotton pasha's daughter trying to get justice for community, find her missing brother, and get her father out of jail, and Owen, who recently succeeded his father to an earldom and a cotton company. In addition to an ADORABLE romance, this book has big labor feels (workers rights! unions!) and Muslim rep (and not only is Rania stated to be Muslim, but she is portrayed as a person of faith who is complex, who is trying to live out her faith, and who sometimes finds that challenging, while also finding her faith a source of comfort and strength; all of this without the book reading as inspirational romance). And (a favorite of mine), a character with parent issues who will "never fall in love" because of his issues. (I'm a sucker for this.)

Next paragraph has a minor spoiler for one plot point, so if you don't want that, I will just note here my usual end note for romance reviews, which is the heat rating: low. A few sensual kissing scenes, not graphically detailed.



I will say that this book commits what is usually a major red flag for me, but in a way that did not bother me so much, because it served a clear purpose. I have, in general, become EXHAUSTED by the trope of romance heroines being threatened by sexual assault, only to be saved by their love interests in what frequently turns into a romantic moment. What made this instance not-exhausting to me was that (a) it happened early in the book, not at a climactic or late-rising-action place, (b) it happened basically as soon as Rania made landfall in Europe, and was clearly about establishing how Europeans would see her/her growing friendship with Owen (her assaulter frames his advances as permissible because *obviously* she's already sleeping with the earl), and (c) while Owen does intercede to stop the assault (and before it gets far, so she is frightened, but not physically harmed), she gets a talk-back moment that I LOVED because it challenged common metaphorical language that I see all the time in my teaching of literature and that always skeezes me out.

[Samantha Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it!

Review: Ranya is determined to get her father's deed from the English earl by any means necessary. She is smart, hardworking, and a strong character with a deep religious commitment. The Earl of Warrington, Owen, has to return to England immediately and convinces Ranya to come with him. He isn't what she expected. He is handsome, honest, and kind. Owen is torn between his dual heritage and his family's lies. His father was English and his mother Egyptian. Owen sees how poorly Ranya is treated by his stepmother and other aristocrats. He will have to choose between love and duty.

I was intrigued from the first page and in love by the last one.

Content: Sweet! (There is one mild scene, where their emotions may have gotten the best of them, if Owen hadn't respected Ranya's religious beliefs and waited for marriage).

[Sarmat Chowdhury · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Actual Raitng: 3/5/5 Stars*

RTC

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ranya's family is in trouble, and she's on the verge of doing something desperate to save it. Born in the Nile Delta to a pasha, she's found her way to Alexandria on a particular mission. Her family grows cotton, and with the Civil War in the States, the Egyptian government is looking to interfere in an increasingly profitable venture. To avoid that, her family needs to retrieve a deed her father signed with his friend and business partner in England, the now deceased Earl of Warrington. Her brother went haring off to England with funds raised in the community to buy it back, per the terms of the agreement. When he never returned and sent no word, everyone assumed the worst about his character and intentions with the money. Ranya's father was imprisoned, leaving only her to save them. She intends to catch the attention of the new Earl by whatever means necessary and take back what's theirs. She's a skilled businesswoman and mathematician with an intimate knowledge of the cotton business, but she also sets herself to learning English in preparation for the confrontation.

Owen, the new Earl, is not what she expects. For one, she first meets him in the guise of a common laborer who leaps to assist her with a thief on the docks. He's going by Iskander, a name gifted by his secretly Egyptian mother. His parentage was covered up in society, but Owen still feels desperate to understand and maybe even know the mother who left him behind to return to Alexandria. Ranya and Iskander have an instant attraction that sours a bit when she discovers he's the man standing between her family and their safety. Owen, a lover of theater and adventure, is only just stepping into his responsibilities at his adoptive mother's insistence. Without enthusiasm, he is preparing to take on the business and political roles left by his father and settle down with a wife of the Countess's choosing. Meeting Ranya both fuels and douses his commitment to those plans. On the one hand, her passion for the business and doing it ethically has a great impact on him. On the other, a loveless society marriage looks less and less appealing. He asks her to return with him to England to search for the deed and advise him on the cotton trade. Ranya leaps at the chance to look for her brother and set the family to rights, even though she's not sure what to think of Owen/Iskander.

This is certainly a whirlwind of a romance. Our characters get some strategic unchaperoned time as they journey to England. On the Mediterranean leg of their voyage, Owen reads aloud to her, they play spirited games of chess, and they form a true friendship. In France, Owen leaps to her rescue when his mother's business associate gets handsy and threatening. And in England, that same mother does her level best to keep the two separate and in what she perceives as their "places." There's plenty of pining, but Ranya also refuses to cower in front of a woman and a culture she doesn't respect.

This is a story that gains steam as it goes. The more I knew of Ranya, the more I liked her. She's a character with a big heart and firm principles. For Owen's part, he's dealing with the inner conflict that comes from being secretly of two different cultures. He has much farther to grow than our leading lady, but he's very earnest about doing better and always treats Ranya with respect. Those were the two things that eventually won me over to his side. He listens to her, goes out of his way to support her publicly and privately, and embraces opportunities to know and do better.

My only thing is... you know I'll always prefer a slow burn. This one isn't instalove, but it's in that vicinity. Conflict comes more from an easy-to-despise villain. And while I liked that, I would have taken a more romantic journey alongside it. Also, it's steamy in intent but closed-door-ish. Not in a secretive, door-slam kind of way, but in a way that the characters are careful not to cross too many lines that would interfere with Ranya's religious beliefs and familial expectations. They're not sure they have a future together, and in some moments are confident they don't have one at all. Because of that, it wouldn't be a matter of getting ahead of themselves but of potentially making a grave mistake. The result is that I fully respected the writing decision and what it represented for the characters; I just still happen to prefer an open door.

I love the way this story takes a more global view to historical romance and more specifically spotlights an Arab, Muslim woman as a romantic protagonist -- one who doesn't assimilate to make white characters more comfortable. Both leads are strong in different ways, and I think readers who love an angsty whirlwind will get the most enjoyment from this. Thanks to Harlequin for my copy to read and review!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book that gives a different perspective than the usual Regency or Victorian romance. Here we have Ranya, the daughter of a prominent Egyptian businessman and cotton grower. He has had a long and prosperous partnership with the Earl of Warrington, but the current political climate means he needs to buy out of his partnership. With her father in custody and her younger brother disappearing in his attempt to confront the Earl, it is up to Ranya to save her father.

The book opens as she plots a way to meet the earl, who is visiting Alexandria. On the way, disaster strikes, and her dress for the event is stolen. A disturbing confrontation with the thief ruins Ranya's plans but introduces her to Iksander, one of the dock workers. He gives her a way to acquire a new dress and attend the event. Ranya doesn't know that Iksander is Owen, the new Earl of Warrington, who is immediately intrigued by Ranya.

Owen appears to be the typical nobleman of the time. He has shown no genuine interest in the family business or the estate, preferring to spend his efforts on his interest in the theater. When he meets with Ranya that evening, she isn't pleased about his deception but willingly tells him about her need to get the partnership deed. She makes quite the impression on Owen with her head for numbers and her knowledge of the cotton industry, so he offers to take her to England in exchange for her teaching him what he needs to know.

They spend time together on the voyage to England, teaching each other what they need to know. Owen is a man with his feet in two worlds - one foot in the world of an English nobleman and the other in the world of his Egyptian mother. I ached for Owen and the story of his life, abandoned by his mother and raised by his cold stepmother. Those Egyptian roots helped him connect with Ranya, and I enjoyed watching them grow closer on the trip. Upon arrival in England, Owen wants his stepmother to take Ranya under her wing while he looks for the missing paperwork.

There was something off about the countess from the start. She is determined to get Owen to marry before the end of the season and doesn't hesitate to push her choices at him. She also wants him to sell the family business and devote himself to the estate and Parliament. She remains cold and disparaging to Ranya. I frequently got the feeling she was hiding something from Owen. That feeling intensified as the book went on.

I liked how impressed Owen was by Ranya's intelligence and knowledge about the industry. It was terrific to see him support her participation in various meetings with mill owners and unions. I found these sections fascinating reading with the clear explanations of the issues around mill workers, mill owners, and cotton growers.

The more time they spend together, the closer Owen and Ranya grow, and the stronger the sparks of attraction flare. Owen would love to convince Ranya to stay in England. But Ranya has made it clear that she must return to Egypt with the deed within three months. She also finally confides in Owen about her missing brother. He is determined to help her find the truth there, too. There is some mystery surrounding his disappearance, and I had suspicions about what they would find. I ached for Ranya when the truth came out because she felt betrayed. She realizes she has lost her heart to him, but their worlds are too far apart for anything to come of it.

I wondered how the author would resolve the problem and was not disappointed. Owen had a little maturing to do while he faced the mess that his life had become. I liked the ending and seeing how he resolved his inner conflicts, business issues, and his title. I liked the new Owen and seeing him come for Ranya. I also liked her joy at seeing him again and hearing of the changes in his life. I wish there had been an epilogue because I would love a glimpse into their future.

#netgalley

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical romance set in part outside of England, in Alexandria, Egypt during the Victoriam era featuring cotton trade and production as well as labor and union organization rights.

Genre: historical romance, category romance
Alexandria, Egypt and England, 1862

Ranya Radwan, the daughter of the Pasha of Damanhour, Egypt, has a head for numbers and ideas. But six months ago, her brother Muhammad disappeared with the last of their money trying to reclaim a portion of their land caught up in government and business bureaucracy with Malden Trading Company. Ranya meets a charming stranger who calls himself Iskander, only to discover he is actually Owen Alexander Malden, the Earl of Warrington, and the son of her father’s former business partner. A bastard by English law but claimed by the old Earl’s wife, the half-Egyptian half-English gentleman is trying to set thing to rights, and invites Ranya to England to help investigate the missing land deed and also to consult on matters of the cotton industry.

The Earl’s Egyptian Heiress is a strong category romance with rich layers of history and 19th century political undertones. Author Heba Helmy comes from an academic background of post-colonial 18th and 19th century literature, which has a strong influence on Ranya and Owen’s story. One of the “white golds” of the trade industry, cotton from Egypt was a sought after commodity, but usually shipped raw to England for refining. Ranya’s experience with cotton and as a woman gives her unique perspective to consult for Malden Trading Company.

The overall length of the novel (under 300 pages), the multiple locations, and the research itself, means that the romance itself falls a little flat for me. There’s a measure of insta-lust to bring Owen and Ranya into one another’s orbits, and the evolution from attraction to love felt lacking. All of the elements of a Victorian romance were there for me, but I didn’t get a well-rounded romantic relationship - much of it happened through internal monologues rather than the couple interacting on page.

This is a strong debut, and as a category romance it’s also a quick read. Definitely a “Meggiest” book that hits the Egyptian, Victorian, political, and labor organization interest points for me, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an eARC for review. The Earl’s Egyptian Heiress is out 6/27/23!

[llamallamacallurmama · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Most of my reviews contain detailed Content Notes (including CW/TW) sections, which may include spoilers and general tags. I have tried to mark them appropriately, but please use caution.**

2.75/5

Ebook

* Summary: Desperate to connect with her father’s business partner to resolve some business/legal issues, Rayna meets the charming Iksander (secretly Owen, Earl of Warrington - just the man she has been trying to contact). They agree to trade her knowledge/experience of cotton growing and manufacturing and presence in England for her father’s business and contract - as well as assistance searching for her missing brother.

* Stats: HR (Victorian), M/F, open door, part of a series but stands alone.

* Notes: This one didn’t land for me - and I took some additional points off for the intimate partner violence between MCs towards the end of the story (she slaps him). It read as a debut, and wandered and bogged down, with significant anachronism and creative costuming. I did enjoy the detail of the Egyptian setting, and a muslim FMC, but found a lot of the backstory confusing, and some of the attempts to discuss sociopolitical issues weak and clumsy.

OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
Muslim FMC, death of parent, disappearance of sibling, incarcerated parent, FMC is slutshamed/called a whore by strangers, mixed heritage MMC (English/Egyptian), parental abandonment, infidelity in parent’s marriage, religion (references and prayer), homophobia (mentioned, against side character), some rougher sex, fistfight, racism/xenophobia/misogyny (from side characters), POC MCs, vomiting, forced proximity, seafaring, alcohol, threatened sexual assault, child labour, random mention of death in childbirth and stillbirth (random person), fistfight, death of sibling (off page), domestic violence/intimate partner violence (FMC slaps mmc during an argument), grief, 24 M, 21F

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regency and Victorian romances, with the marrying season, and the grand balls are all very well and good, but as readers, we often don’t think of the reason the British Empire had all these lords and wealthy people. It was not on their backs that the wealth was made, but on their colonists, and trading partners, and that is where this historical romance gives us the twist. We get to see this time through the eyes of one of those trading partners.

Ranya needs to find the deed and her brother both of which have gone to Great Britain. She thinks the best way to do this is to seduce the Earl, but things don’t go quite the way she plans, and she starts to have real feelings for him, even while she despises this side of him, the British side, for he is half Egyptian, on his mother’s side.

The author says, in her introduction, that she paces this on her ancestors, who hail from Egypt, and she fends that they are all strong women, just as Ranya is.

This novel was so well written, so well researched, and so careful to throw in translations of Arabic words, or things, by mentioning, casually what they are in the next sentence, or letting the reader pick it up by usage.

Amazing to think this is a debut novel, but often those are the best, because the author has been writing them all their lives.

Highly recommend this novel, even if you think you don’t like romances, or even historical romances.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 27th of June, 2023.

[Catherine Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and charming romance. I love seeing Harlequin incorporating more diversity into their category lines. Heba Helmy's debut brings us an Egyptian heroine and an Anglo-Egyptian hero, with an absolutely stunning cover to draw the eye to them. The story inside lives up to that promise, with a beautiful love story between cotton pasha's daughter Ranya and earl Owen. At the start, both characters are uncertain of themselves and of their place in the world. But as they spend time together and fall in love, they both also find who they really are and who they want to be. Owen's respect for Ranya from the first, including her culture, her religion, and her desire to help her people, won me over easily. Ranya is a wonderful heroine: out of her comfort zone for most of the book, but refusing to let that stop her, while holding to her principles. The historical detail of the book is also richly drawn. Helmy doesn't shy away from the details of the Egyptian cotton market and the English factories. We see the oppression by the British colonizers, the exploitation of the workers in Egypt and in England, and the lack of empathy from the wealthy in both countries. Still, the book is ultimately hopeful, with main characters who acknowledge the wrongs and actively seek to make improvements. Though the physical relationship does not progress beyond some extensive kissing and touching, it is still a very sensual book, and the sexual chemistry between the leads is strong. Very much recommended for any fans of historical category romance.

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and I am sure it won't be the last. I greatly enjoyed it, not least because of her obvious knowledge of Egypt.

I love a story where I can't tell how the main couple could possibly have a believable happy ending only for them to have one. The Earl, Owen, and his Egyptian heiress, Reyna, have a chemistry that sizzles from the moment they meet. They both have reasons that they can't allow that chemistry to turn into anything real, but both have a terrible time sticking to their reasoning.

Their story was wonderful to read, both Owen and Ranya were likeable characters, and, of course, there were equally nasty characters who were determined to make the couple's plight more difficult.

There wasn't a dull moment in the story and I am happy to recommend it.

[Anika (Encyclopedia BritAnika) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so so happy to have a historical with a Muslim FMC. The authentically integrated Salaams and talk of wudu and Fajr prayer were all a delight to see in print with a woman who an earl is in love with. I will be honest, the romance of it all was overall kind of meh. It started out very strong in Egypt but once they went to England, the pacing and story fell off for me. The pieces I loved were the anti-colonialist parts and anti-aristocracy-look-at-these-labor-conditions-you-have-caused parts. Those were my jam. This is a debut and I'm glad it exists and I look forward to more with a little more experience and editing. Again, the Egypt parts were great and I wish it had been 75% there. Maybe next time!

Also, what a *gorgeous* cover. Like swoon city.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This is a delightfully original historical romance, highlighting the diversity of the Victorian era, courtesy of their colonial ventures. I enjoyed the way the Alexandria, Egypt setting was depicted, as well as some relevant social issues.
I really liked the dynamics between Alexander and Ranya, both in terms of how they’re impacted by the politics going on around them, and how their similarities bring them together, what with Ranya beimg a rebel, who doesn’t fit the “traditional” English mold, and Alexander being half-Egyptian and of illegitimate birth, but claimed by the countess as her son.

[Cosmogyral (Gav) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of romance, but this was my first Harlequin! I was specifically drawn to it because of the appeal of a historical in Egypt (that isn't about white Egyptologists), and Helmy's sense of place and portrayal of the characters' relationships with their culture are vivid and memorable. Rayna has a wonderful, compelling dignity and self-assurance, while Owen is a mixed-race man shedding a life that both sheltered and alienated him. There's some debut shakiness in the middle bits set in England, but I think Helmy has a lovely voice with a lot of skill, and it's clear throughout that she loves writing romance and has a strong point of view. I'll look for her future work.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Victorian times, this romance has a good sense of time and place., Vibrant characters and sensory imagery vividly bring the historical Egyptian setting to life. The socio-political element adds authenticity and depth; the two main characters are well-written. The story has believable conflicts, and both protagonists' characters develop as the story progresses. The romance is gentle. I enjoyed the characters, the historical setting and the romance.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were so many things I liked about this book, but I felt the characters--both their initial characterization and their development as the book went along--was uneven. It was hard to reconcile the characters often even as fundamentally the same people from chapter to chapter, well before any growth or change should have happened narratively, or to reconcile the characters' actions to how they were described. Still enjoyable, but the lack of strongly defined characters sometimes took me out of the narrative.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Victorian romance set between Egypt and London, Egyptian heiress Ranya Radwan and Owen the Earl of Warrington's story. This is a new Author to me and it seems to be her debut story, I will be watching to see what else she puts out. I found the story to be well written with a very good storyline that held my interest. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dannie Lynn Fountain · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read and fun romance where the woman is tremendously empowered in her self-identity and independence despite the expectations of the timeperiod. An interesting exploration of the cotton trade in places beyond America. And a (minor) mystery mixed in for good measure! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

[Loretta Chefchaouni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the swoony romance and the glimpse into history, but the highlight for me was the main character praying and using Arabic phrases. Seeing "Allah is the best of planners" appear on the page made my heart so full! Books like this give me so much hope and I hope we get more of them!!

[Dani]

DNF at 36%. There's nothing wrong with this, but I'm not especially invested; I put it down and haven't picked it back up in more than a month. I think it's the pretense of getting Ranya to England instead of just staying in Egypt that doesn't work for me.

[Mary M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters, the setting, the story— 10/10 romance.

[Margib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written take on British history from an Egyptian and female point of view. The story telling is excellent and easily followed

[K Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

[Kait]

DNF at 15%.
I really wanted to love this one; alas, it wasn’t pulling me into the story and also had a few elements i don’t particularly enjoy