This was so much fun to read and such a refreshing take. I could actually picture a Hijabi during this time period and I loved that!!

Ranya Radwan, heroine of Heba Helmy’s The Earl’s Egyptian Heiress, is the daughter of a cotton pasha whose family honor is at stake: her brother was sent to buy out the Earl of Warrington’s shares in the cotton production business, but he has disappeared with all of the town’s money. It’s now up to Ranya to find the earl (as well as her brother) and finish the sale. Meanwhile, Owen, the Earl of Warrington, also lives as Iskander, the name given to him by his Egyptian mother before she returned to Egypt. This book has a new perspective on a country we see a lot of, an insider’s look at a country we generally see from outsiders, and characters who are well developed in their identities.

First, let’s talk about what I loved.

The author is Egyptian by birth and now lives in Canada. Her love for, and deep personal knowledge of, her birth culture and country come through so clearly here.

There are plenty of romances set in Egypt, especially during the nineteenth century, but I’ve only ever seen ones written by outsiders. Heby gives us an insider’s Egypt, both when the story is set there and when Owen and Ranya visit the Egyptian community in London. A child’s lullaby about a father who is a lemon seller, people who would never wear shoes into the home, drinks made from apricots, and meals, like lentil and rice koshary eaten with your fingers, a community that knows the exact number and identity of all of its members in a foreign country, the rhythms of a day based on the five Muslim prayer times. Even in England, Ranya observes her faith, including covering with a hijab.

She washed, made wudu and then prayed. She wasn’t sure of the direction of the Ka’aba. Nor of the timing for which prayer it was, but she knew God was all-forgiving. And her parents had taught her that whenever people remembered Him, He would be there for them.

With each prostration Ranya expected the flood of tears she’d been holding back to come, but there was only a trickle. More than anything, she felt a kind of calmness come over her.

How lovely to see a Harlequin heroine practicing and deriving peace from Islam, in the way that heroines of Christian inspirationals have been able to do for decades.

Owen, whose mother is Egyptian and whose father is white English, could have been one of the many ‘half-X’ (Greek, Sicilian, Arab, etc) Harlequin loves to milk for ‘exoticism’. The author, however, refuses to take that route, making Owen’s relationship to his Egyptian identity rich and absent the stereotypes we unfortunately still see. As mentioned, he feels more connected to and often lives under the name Iskander, given to him by his mother. An African barber taught him how to take care of the thick, curling hair he inherited from her. He visits the London immigrant neighborhood to maintain his Arabic (I liked how the author explores the nuances of bilingualism, with Ranya wanting to avoid using Arabic with Owen because it feels excessively intimate). The ending, which requires the author to address Owen’s dual heritage, genuinely surprised me - and also satisfied me.

It’s also interesting to see England from a less glamorized perspective. Ranya is served “a tepid broth that tasted like something given to babies without teeth.” She is challenged to maintain the reputation of Owen’s mother, her hostess, and retorts, “If correctly memorising a sequence of waltz steps and knowing which of three forks matches which course is knowledge which will make your family proud, then you can count on me to demonstrate it.” (Well, when you put it like that…) The author also gets into the labor movement and the treatment of workers within the company that Owen has neglected. The historian in me applauded and appreciated the realistic depiction of the challenge of locating Ranya’s brother alive or proving that he is deceased. In one scene, Ranya and Owen walk graveyards to check individual plots.

So, with all those positives, why doesn’t this book get an A?

It’s overwritten. There are pages of text which could have been paragraphs, paragraphs which could have been sentences, and sentences which could have been omitted altogether.

The plot is all over the place. The book opens with Ranya planning to seduce Owen into handing over the document by going to a ball in a skimpy dress. This is… not generally how business works. Owen agrees to bring Ranya back to England in the capacity of corporate cotton advisor, which seems wildly unlikely. Yet for some reason, which does not seem consistent with Ranya’s 'business advisor' role, his mother is going to bring her out in society. Oh, and also his mother is his stepmother because his mother, his father's Egyptian wife, is alive and living in Egypt, and the stepmother, who couldn’t have children, passed Owen off as hers. I still am not completely sure how this could work, with both wives alive and both claiming to be married to the Earl at the same time. I think maybe the mother was only legally married in Egypt, perhaps in an Islamic ceremony, and then also got a divorce? It’s confusing.

And then, it’s excessively clear that there is some kind of scheme afoot within the company, and that it definitely involves the white English company officer, because he’s a gross human being, and Owen’s stepmother, because she’s so obviously sketchy around company matters. Yet Owen takes forever to bother to do anything about any of this.

The Earl’s Egyptian Heiress is Heba Helmy’s debut, and I loved how different it is from everything I’ve been reading lately. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a read. And I am extremely excited to welcome Helmy to this genre, and to see how she grows as a storyteller.

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.

This one just felt really unmemorable to me. I had a hard time focusing on what was happening, and also I was not super invested in the story.

I wanted very much to like this romance: the premise was great, the cover, as all Harlequin covers, enticing. Unfortunately, the prose was silted and I couldn't believe in Helmy's protagonists. I did research Helmy's academic background and was impressed. Her research interests show through, but they are not well-integrated into the narrative. The historical background sounds like quotations from cue cards notes and this makes the narrative not only stilted, but disjointed. Maybe there'll be some smoothing over of these writing issues in Helmy's next romance?

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Earl's Egyptian Heiress was a refreshing, lovely, and romantic read! This was my first time reading a historical romance novel with a Muslim character, and I absolutely loved the representation. The author, Heba Helmy, did a beautiful job of portraying the culture and religion. There's small details of Owen showing his knowledge and respect of Ranya's religion and honoring those beliefs. We also get some belly dancing and wow, could you feel the heat in that scene!! In the midst of the growing romance, there's also some secrets and mysteries that Owen and Ranya work together to figure out, and it was just a lot of fun to read! I look forward to reading more of Heba's books one day!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Historical for this e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a lifelong romance reader, this has been exactly what I needed to read: another sign of romance embracing BIPOC marginalized voices that do NOT center around our trauma.

Heba Helmy's THE EARL'S EGYPTIAN HEIRESS takes the well known tropes of historical romance and adds her own voice to the canon. I can't wait to get my hands on this at release and rediscover every single moment of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for access to this arc.

I was excited to try this book. The cover is lovely and I was looking forward to a Muslim main character in a Harlequin Historical. The representation is good. Ranya is a strong woman who is determined to find out what happened to her brother and also to regain her family's control of the cotton grown on their land. Helmy makes sure that we understand the colonialist attitude of the British towards the commodity that so many of them were building their wealth on. All for us (the British) and none for you.

But unfortunately it ultimately didn't work well enough for me to finish it. The writing is clunky and in need of another round or two of editing. For instance, Owen is a native (aristocratic) English speaker, born and raised in England but says 'I thought you slept and did not want you to miss my favourite part, forthcoming.’ Um, what native English speaker says this? Even if this is an attempt at "period" speaking, it still fails and it's not the only time I noticed something like this.

Then there is the whole situation behind Owen's birth. I'm sorry but I just can't believe that the truth of his parentage could be kept a secret and he be allowed to inherit the title. I will keep watching for more books by Helmy but I couldn't finish this one.

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.

Ranya seeks to secure her family's business by retrieving their deed from the Earl of Warrington. She falls for Owen, the new earl, during the voyage from Egypt to England. His stepmother, the countess, introduces her to the strict world of London society, but Ranya rebels against the rules. Will she follow her heart or her family obligations?

I enjoyed the Egyptian setting of this book and the depiction of the heroine's Muslim heritage. The plot seemed a little convoluted to me, but the romance was heartwarming.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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.

I just loved that we got two settings with Egypt and London along with two cultures. I really enjoyed this debut by Helmy- it was well researched and a fun Victorian romance with cotton trade as a major backstory. Loved Ranya and her bold- adventure self for getting on the boat and standing up for herself- also enjoyed her takes of London life.
I can’t wait for more of this series and more of Helmy writing!!

Enjoyed this historical romance with an Egyptian Heiress. This is the first time I read a romance with a heroine of that Nationality and I loved it.

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

Wonderfully written and immersive. There are some reservations in terms of some things in conflict with Islamic viewpoints BUT those are flaws of human characters, not necessarily the story, and Alhamdulillah, the story itself has the presence of Islam and you feel these are in fact Muslim characters, flawed though they may be. Things like stopping to make salah and reminders about Allah being the best of planners and us accepting His decree because He knows better than what we may have planned are naturally worked in and don't stand out as random preaching or anything. It all feels like a natural part of the characters and their lives.

I loved spirited Ranya, the math-genius heroine whose commitment to her family (and to fair working conditions for laborers all over the globe!) takes her across the sea to England. I was less enamored with hero Owen, but this is still well worth reading for its heroine, setting, and thought-provoking story. I look forward to more books from Heba Helmy and to LOTS more diverse historicals from Harlequin.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.