Book Review

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Historical Fiction has always been one of my favorite genres. The research that goes into writing a book so rich in detail never goes unnoticed when I’m devouring the pages.

I loved this book. A story of rags to real riches, a woman hell bent on doing things her way and finding color in an otherwise colorless world.

Maisie Mcintyre takes on the fashion industry in a way that makes you feel like you are part of it. The attention to detail in the writing made me see the designs, the gowns, the embellishments. I can’t say enough about that. The doors that were opened for Maison Mcintyre were on her own accord. Set in the early 1900s, a time when women did not own businesses, buildings, secure loans, or remain unmarried.

Maisie did it all and she did it well. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop for her, but her character was so headstrong and so determined and made so many things happen. Not just for herself, for her loved ones as well.

This is a story about perseverance, friendship, love, family, and strength. A wonderful read for any woman who wants to make her mark.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stormhauspublishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Releasing on May 21st, you won’t want miss this one!

#rebel #seventhavenue

There is so much to say about this book I hardly know where to begin. Maise was born in Scotland into a poor family. She never knew her father but lived with her mother and sister in a tenement. Her mother sewed for a living and as Masie grew she helped her out while her older sister Netta did housework and cooked for everyone. After her mother passed away she managed to get to New York with hopes of becoming a dressmaker. She never let her limited resources and the fact that she knew very few people hold her back. With lots of hard work and even more ambition she soon was in business and became very well known for her unique use of color and design. This is a great story that starts at the beginning of Maise's life and goes to the very end. There is a lot of historical content which makes the book even more interesting. I recommend this book for anyone.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this very interesting arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a great story, impossible to put down. A girl from Edinburgh moving to New York City in the early 1900’s. She builds her life in a time of a man’s world. Loved it!!

I wholeheartedly loved this from start to finish. The story of maisie macintyre from her humble beginnings in Edinburgh to being one of the world famous dress designers in new york. A real story of what is achievable but at what cost to life, love, friendship and time. A strength shines through on every page.

What an exquisite couture gown of a novel this is, with every word and sentence like a perfectly placed stitch, to give us the maximum effect of our heroine, Maisie McIntyre.

This is an epic tale that expertly weaves real-time historical events into Maisie’s story as she escapes life in an Edinburgh tenement to become a fashion force to be reckoned with both in New York and later, back in Scotland once again. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and two World Wars, our resilient Maisie is way ahead of her time in both her personal and professional life.

So well-researched, I’ve never read such stunning evocation of high fashion in a novel. If you like frocks and trousers, this is the read for you but also, if you like a diversity of feisty characters who battle against the odds, this is also the one for you!

The Rebel of Seventh Avenue is a compelling and captivating read that is hard to put down.

Maisie is a seamtress and after her mother's death she boldly moves to New York determined to make a new life for herself and escape poverty.

I really liked Maisie, she is determined, resliient and faces the challenges of the time where women in the fashion industry are thought unacceptable.

Maise wont let anything get in her way on the road to success.

Annabelle Marx writes beautifully and transports the reader to the early 20th century and you feel like you are living right there with Maisie.

I highly recommend The Rebel Of Seventh Avenue so grab your copy and settle in for a heartfelt read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for introducing me to Annabell Marx and her wonderful storytelling.

Born in Edinburgh Scotland at the beginning of the 20th century, Maisie McIntyre raises herself from her beginnings to become a major courtier New York city. Taking money that was hidden in her deceased mother's drawer she leaves Scotland and sails across to America. As she becomes well known amongst the wealthy and the elite we take the journey with her. There are many issues she has to face along the way and this historical novel gives you a glimpse of the social issues of the time - including the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire racism, and social conventions where women are still fighting to vote and to be heard. For those who love historical fiction, this is a book to be read. Well researched and well written. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Rebel of Seventh Avenue paints a vivid picture of early 1900s New York, from the glittering world of high fashion to the gritty realities of factory life and social unrest. The historical detail is impressive—sometimes too impressive. I found myself getting bogged down in lengthy descriptions of fabrics, stitching, and silhouettes. While I appreciate the research, it started to feel more like a fashion textbook than a novel at times.

Maisie, our fiercely ambitious heroine, never quite clicked for me. Her drive is admirable, and her rise from seamstress to couture designer is inspiring, but I struggled to connect with her on a deeper level. She felt distant—more of a symbol of grit and ambition than a fully fleshed-out character.

That said, the romance with Joseph and the backdrop of historical events (especially the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire) added emotional weight and urgency. This book has a lot to offer, but I just wish I had felt more with Maisie.

A fascinating story of a woman's struggle to survive and then thrive in a man's world. At the time even fashion was dictated primarily by men. When women couldn't even open a bank account without the aid of a man, Maisie managed to cross the Atlantic and open her own company, championing both women and people of different races. The history of fashion and the details included were compelling.
A delightful, if somewhat bittersweet story.

"Fashion, I came to realise, wasn't just about beautiful dresses. It was about self-respect, freedom of expression and power.

1910, Edinburgh. Young seamstress Maisie McIntyre's world shatters with her mother's death. Desperate to escape the grinding poverty that has defined her life so far, Maisie makes a daring choice: she steals a bolt of peacock-blue silk, a stash of money and sails for New York City.

With nothing but raw talent and fierce determination, Maisie's gift for dressmaking opens doors she never imagined. As she builds her couture empire, designing bold, modern fashions for Manhattan's elite, Maisie falls for Joseph Jackson, a talented Black architect with dreams as ambitious as her own. But in a world steeped in prejudice, she finds herself facing an impossible choice.

Vividly recreating the glamour and grit of early 20th century New York - from the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire to the emerging women's rights movement - comes a sweeping tale of ambition, love and a woman determined to fashion not just beautiful clothes but her own place in a man's world. Fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, An American Beauty and novels by Marie Benedict will be spellbound by The Rebel of Seventh Avenue."

Maisie must not compromise! Grab her dreams, all of them!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

While I enjoyed the descriptions of period fashion, I could not connect with the characters, specifically the main character. Her life was a bit too uncomplicated, surviving major moments in history by suddenly deciding to make lipstick or lampshades. I am all for a powerhouse working woman, this character just didn’t resonate with me and the struggles of being a female boss in the early 20th century glossed over.

Maisie McIntyre is being raised in the tenements of Scotland. She decides that life is more than making ends meet,
Maisie lands in New York to pursue success in the fashion world..
This is the epic journey of one woman going from poverty to success. The people she meets become family. Her company is successful, but it is also unconventional. Maisie answers to no one and does life and business on her terms-with one exception.
This is one of the best books I have ever read, and my favorite read of 2025. Do not miss this beautiful story!

This is a historical fiction that will take you from Edinburgh to New York to Hollywood and back again. Masie McIntyre is a driven young lady after her mother dies. She knows that she cannot stay where she is. She makes an impulsive decision and it starts the motion of movement in her life. This book was vividly written, with the descriptions of the dresses and the surrounding are beautifully written. If you close your eyes, it will take you from the sewing factories, to the beautiful work room and to the factory floor in Edinburgh. This book is both wonderful and heartbreaking. Such a beautiful book.

Thank you!
Stephanie

Stephanie Maines, MSN RNC-OB
Clinical Informatics Specialist - Nursing
Quorum Health| 1573 Mallory Lane, Brentwood, TN 37027
Cell: 618.315.4275 | smaines@qhcus.com

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"The Rebel of Seventh Avenue" is a thrilling historical novel, that combines great characters, a wonderful storyline and a topic that amazes me. Annabelle Marx decided to follow the life of a young seamstress throughout her novel. Therefore, the topic of dress-making was prominent. Interesting insights in the choice of fabrics, materials and dress-making in general were provided. Especially, the time, in which the novel is set (early 20th century) this changes a lot and therefore brings interesting facettes with it.
I really liked the protagonist Maisie. The description of hers and the life she leads is depicted in a colourful and interesting way. Readers follow her from Edinburgh to New York and tackel the challenges with her. The time, in which the novel is set brings quite a lot of challenges, that I found interesting. The author has done her research and everything fits together well.
The main story line evolves around Maisie and her dress-making but there are also love-interests, challenges that people faced during that time which get a part in the book. For me, this enhanced the reading-experience.
I would definitely recommend this book!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC book. Maisie McIntyre escapes her miserable life in Scotland, comes to America and becomes an extremely successful clothing desinger. But along the way she struggles and works very hard to achieve that success. Racism, women's role in the work force, horrendous conditions in sweatshop sewing factories, loss of love and friends and loneliness are a very real part of her every day life. She is surrounded by a very mixed cast of characters who fill her life with love, support and friendship. Great read.

A compelling protagonist carries the narrative, even when the plot meanders. There are some rough edges, but the heart of the story shines through. It’s easy to root for the characters, flaws and all.

An utterly amazing read.
From the minute you read the first page you will not be able to put it down until you read the last page.
It is the story of Maisie McIntyre a young Scottish women with great dreams who took the risk of going to America to fulfil her dreams of becoming a couturier in 1890.
We are taken on a journey of how she achieved her ambitions but also introduced to parts of social history of that time that she encountered such as women’s rights and men’s autonomy over women . More importantly though the way that the black population was treated and the consequences of mixed race relationships.
This is a beautifully written book which once you have read it you will never forget it

The Rebel of Seventh Avenue was such a poignant, awe inspiring story of Maisie McIntyre. From living in poverty of Edinburgh to fashioning the high society women of New York, dressing actors for big time roles and taking herself from rags to riches.

Every step of the way for Maisie is filled with struggle after struggle. She's a young woman trying to make her way in a man's world. A world where you can't always be with the person you love and it can only take one incident to have your life tethering like a house of cards. Maisie is a fighter though and will always fight for what is right.

I absolutely loved everything about this book and all of the fascinating characters. Such an easy tale to get completely lost in.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed.**

Rich evocative descriptions of the times -from poverty stricken Scotland and New York through to lush luxurious circumstances as Maisie's ambitions come to fruition. Vivid descriptions of fabrics, culture, working conditions. I am interested in textiles and the history of fsahion so this was right up my alley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this story about a young woman who grew up poor but built an empire using her fashion sense and sewing skills. I appreciated how the main character grew as a person as she aged.