For the most part, I enjoyed this. It was a good mix of history, details about an industry I don't know much about, and good characters.
HOWEVER. I had a VERY hard time with the surprise pregnancy and Maisie keeping the baby, despite really not wanting to become a mother, because Oti told her she should. That sent a very gross message to women, like me, who do not desire motherhood. I think her getting an abortion, losing the pregnancy naturally, or giving the baby up for adoption would've been a better choice for the character and sent a better message to childfree readers.

This is absolutely one of the best books I've read recently.

I think this might be due to a recent personal bias, but I have been searching for a book about successful women and their journey.

We follow Maisie on her journey as a New York couturier and we follow her stories alongside the tumultuous and ever changing world of fashion and life from 1900 to 1950s. We see discussions of race, femininity, sexism concerns around motherhood and of course the journey of creating a business from nothing and the innovation that it entails.

The book feels real in the conversations and concerns the characters have and the reality of artist block and creativity spurts that creatives have.

A thing that stood out to me was the main character's characterisation, unlike quite a few "blank-canvas" characters in modern day who have little to no personality so that the reader can project onto them, the determination, temper, drive, and constant innovation of the character truly made her feel like a person who could exist in the cut-throat world of fashion and come out successful.

There are also too few books that truly drive into the nitty gritties of the hobbies or industries that they are based in and whilst reading this book I could get a true sense of the research that was undertaken to get the intricacies of the style of dress at any specific era correct. I enjoyed learning about the fabrics and fashions.

I really wanted to love this book and I didn’t. The time and places in history in which it was set, the fashion industry and the details about the fabrics and clothes are all things I’m fascinated by. However, the story didn’t grab me. I found it difficult to relate to the characters, which meant I didn’t really care what happened to them.
2.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an advance copy.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The book started well, creating a strong presence of fashion and its influence on Maisie, the main character. Her interest in fashion is evident, as she seems to come to life when designing and making clothes that she admires so much. Her penchant for creativity pulls together so many strong female friendships in her life, which was truly heartwarming. Unfortunately, because of how much the timeline stretches, I began to lose interest. The Aiden T Cruikshank romance felt a bit unnecessary and forced to me, especially since I felt he was wasting Masie's time, especially since we had to wait so long to find out his true intentions. I had to take a star off due to the usage of a slur towards Arctic indigenous people at the end of the eighth chapter, Knitting. I understand that it was a commonly used word back then, but we know better now, and there are better ways to describe affection. The ending gave a satisfactory sense of resolution and was well written.
I give this 3/5 stars.

Maisie's challenging younger life prepares her for her future when she leaves Scotland to seek success as a fashion designer in New York. Life is still difficult, not very different from Scotland, but she uses her contacts, harnesses her ambition, and begins establishing her own business. It portrays the importance of the fashion industry to women and the way it mirrors female emancipation in this absorbing and emotional story. Maise is a trailblazer, but her life is not without loss and sacrifice, as she and those she cares for have to overcome New York society's poverty, prejudice, and misogyny in the early 20th century. I like the relatable characters, the historical details relating to the fashion industry and the emotional storytelling that immerses you in the characters' lives.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

So many emotions I felt while reading this. I’ve always loved the 20’s era and adding fashion to it, I was so excited to read this. Some parts were difficult to read due to the racism and misogyny but it is also an important read and gives us a glimpse of what life was like then. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this. I will not soon forget it.

Lies, theft, mystery and finding ones true self.
between the fabrics and colors you find Maisie in a struggle with herself to find her creative path. With the changing paths of war, economy depressions and racism is alot for one to handle.

This is my first book by this author, it is a powerful story of friendship cruelly torn apart, of tragedy, of deep racial prejudice, of closet homosexuality, of women's suffrage, it is one woman's fight to climb from the bottom, clawing her way up to the very top using any means possible to get that start, that woman is Maisie McIntyre.
Maisie, with the help of stolen money, a stolen bolt of expensive fabric and her late mother's Singer sewing machine, leaves the rest of her impoverished family behind in her native Scotland and heads for the bright lights of New York.
Maisie isn't well educated but she does have some things in her favour, her imagination, her ability to design, her talent for sewing and most of all her ambition, belief in herself and her work ethic.
Maisie started small but with good luck and beautiful, innovative designs her business grew but tragedy struck and now Maisie needed help. Help came in the shape of Oti, the sister of Joseph Jackson, the man that Maisie fell in love with, the man she couldn't have. Oti's embroidery and bead work were exquisite, she soon became irreplaceable but Oti had to be kept hidden, Oti was black and Maisie's clientele were New York's very prejudiced high society.
This is Maisie's story, she is selfish in some ways but in others she defies society to bring work to dozens of women who society looked down on.
I like that this story is like a timeline of things that are happening in the world through Masie's lifetime, the story is enjoyable and informative, it moves quickly although sometimes it does seem a little long winded.
Thank you Storm Publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is totally voluntary.

The Rebel of Seventh Avenue is an ambitious, sweeping historical fiction that follows Maisie McIntyre, a bold and determined seamstress from Edinburgh, as she builds a new life in early 20th-century New York. From a traumatic start in Scotland to rising through the fashion world in Manhattan, Maisie’s journey is filled with heartbreak, reinvention, and resilience.

I was drawn in by the setting and the rich historical detail—especially the backdrop of immigration, the women’s movement, and the early days of American fashion. Maisie is a compelling character who never stops pushing forward, no matter what life throws her way. Her relationships, particularly with Rosa and Joseph, add depth and emotion to the story.

That said, a few things didn’t quite work for me. The use of heavy Scottish dialect ("tae" for "to," "nae" for "no") was difficult to read at times and pulled me out of the narrative. There were also some strange timeline inconsistencies early on, and the story becomes a bit chaotic with so many plot twists, time jumps, and dramatic turns packed into one book.

Over the course of the book, Maisie experiences tragedy, success, love, loss, and more than a few shocking twists—(view spoiler) The pacing can feel rushed in the second half as years—and entire eras—fly by.

Despite that, I admired the ambition and emotional depth of this story. If you enjoy generational sagas, fierce female leads, and historical fiction with lots of drama, this one delivers. It’s not perfect, but it kept me turning the pages until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having read this book I can honestly say that it will not leave my thoughts. A truly stunning piece of work. Simply enchanting. One of those that I will NEVER forget.

The Rebel Of Seventh Avenue is a story of a woman who has been through it all and still created beauty during the hardest times of her life. Thrilling, beautiful, stunning and creative all in one! 💫💫💫💫💫


Maisie McIntyre was most definitely ahead of her times. She starts off in Scotland with little to her name and big dreams. When her mother dies, sewing brings into life all of the wonders that live in her head. But Scotland is not enough for her so when she finds spare money hidden away in her mom's things she sets her eyes on New York. Here is where her whole life starts and all the trials and tribulations of the 1920s, with its racism, homophobia, hatred and misogyny.  This book is perfect for lovers of fashion, historical fiction and those who love a book with a strong heroine who suffers along with the changes of the world and survives.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

4.5 ⭐️

An excellently written, rich story. It was a tad too long for my liking but otherwise I loved it. I look forward to reading more from Annabella Marx, starting with The Herbalist’s Secret.

The Rebel of Seventh Avenue

"Nobody was going to own me, nobody was going to tell me how to live my life." Maisie mclntyre

TW: Racism, Violence, Homophobia, and SA.

Happy Release day and hello, my sweet, awful creatures!

I hadn't expected this ARC to be sent to me, as I got the email a week before the release date, but I quickly realized that the story and book are so well narrated that I ended up finishing it quite quickly.

Maisie McLntyre, a young Woman stuck in a life consisting of working in a textile factory with bad working conditions and taking care of her mother and sister, decides in a moment of courage that she wants to follow her dream and become a famous fashion designer in New York. This story follows all the hardships and happenings on her path to fame, including the lives of the people she meets along the way. The question is, will Maisie be able to achieve her dreams and become New York's most requested fashion designer, or collapse under the pressure of being a woman in a man's world and make her way back home?

This is a heartbreaking, rage-inducing story of a woman trying to survive through the misogyny, racism, and upcoming wars at the beginning of the 1900s as she climbs the stairs of fame and realizes that misogyny is not just caused by men, but also by women. Feminism at its finest!

I don’t know how to put the emotions I felt as I read this book into words, but I can tell you that I had moments where I had to put the book down and take a breather. I am too much of an empath and feel for someone intensely which is why I try to move past stories like this one. However, I do not regret reading this book, on the contrary, it became one of my favorite feminist stories.

Usually, I tend to build a connection to the FMC and relate to them slightly, and I do not deny that I had a few moments in which I sympathized with her. Though when she became the mistress of the Senator, all the sympathy I had for her disappeared... You guys know that I cannot stand women like that, as I don't see how any reason would make it okay for a woman to hurt another by doing that. Even if it was or is normalized for powerful men to have a mistress, I will not be justifying that. Ever.

In conclusion, I loved this Story for the women who held onto each other since the first days of working in a small room until they made it to a whole couture house together, hand by hand.

Until next time

Mira

I love historical fiction & so when I saw this book on NetGalley, I requested it right away. The cover is so beautiful & I really wanted to enjoy this book.

I was so disappointed when I could not connect with the FMC & the story. The plot spans over decades & it just felt a bit drawn out for me. The book was repetitive. The historical setting and the potential for exploring an interracial relationship in early 1900s NYC were intriguing but the book ultimately fell flat for me. The characters felt shallow and underdeveloped, and I never felt truly invested in any of them.

If you are into fashion, overly detailed descriptions of fabrics and fashion design, you will probably like this book.

Auch! I loved, I very much loved the Maise McIntyre story. I like fashion very, very much despite having been a food engineer and a university professor for more than 40 years. So, reading a book that allowed me to swing into the fashion industry was a tremendously happy task. Mrs Annabell Marx kept me sitting on my chair reading as long as I could, every single day. The story of Maise and her friends is very appealing. I recommend reading the book.

Overall, I liked this! It was cozy and a great bedtime read to relax and unwind.

This is a more character driven book, not plot driven. It takes the first quarter of the book to really get the plot moving. Plenty happens, but Maisie’s transformation is the dominant point of the book. I really liked the book and found Maisie fascinating and fun, but it was a slower read for me.

The dresses are described in so much detail that I started to skim those parts. It’s supposed to be immersive so you can see the dress, feel its texture, hear its ruffle, but it got a bit repetitive. I would’ve loved to see sketches of each dress!

7.5

Maisie McIntyre's life story, spanning across decades, is leisurely contemporary tale of female liberation, breaking societal norms and fighting for one's own, set against the backdrop of true events and figures from the 20th century. On the one hand, the classic "rags to riches" story, on the other, a discreetly smuggled social commentary, of which I feel there could have been more, but at a time when the myth of the "American dream" seems to be falling apart, the plot resonates with additional force.

Is this a novel for everyone? Probably not, but it's definitely worth giving it a chance.

A sweeping, heartfelt journey through history, identity, and resilience — this novel is everything I hope for in historical fiction and more.

From the very first page, I was drawn into the world of Maisie McIntyre — a bright, ambitious young woman whose dreams are bigger than the circumstances she’s born into. Her story is one of courage and transformation, and watching her fight for a better life, for herself and for others, was deeply moving. Maisie is a character who lingers in your heart long after the last page. She’s not perfect, but she’s honest, determined, and full of hope — and that’s what makes her so real.

The novel beautifully and thoughtfully explores the complex issues of race in America. It doesn’t sugarcoat the harsh realities, yet it approaches them with sensitivity and depth, allowing the reader to connect emotionally with the characters' struggles. It was eye-opening and deeply emotional to witness how systemic injustice and prejudice shaped not just lives, but entire communities — and how love, kindness, and resilience still found a way to thrive in the face of it all.

One of the most powerful elements of the book is how major world events — war, economic upheaval, societal shifts — are interwoven into Maisie’s personal journey. History doesn’t just serve as a backdrop here; it’s an active, sometimes brutal force that shapes her path. Yet through it all, Maisie never stops striving, growing, and dreaming. I found myself rooting for her every step of the way.

The novel also celebrates the spirit of giving and community through its depiction of philanthropy, which was uplifting and inspiring. And on a lighter note — the fashion! The descriptions of styles through the decades were vivid and joyful, offering moments of beauty and fun that balanced some of the heavier themes.

Despite the sorrow and hardship that Maisie and others face, there is so much light in this book. Moments of joy, of triumph, of deep connection — they shine brightly. I laughed, I cried, and more than once, I paused just to sit with the emotion a scene stirred in me.

Spanning a wide timeline, the story gracefully captures the evolution of social attitudes and daily life, making each chapter feel like a new window into a world that is both distant and achingly familiar.

This is more than just a well-written novel — it’s an emotional experience. A tribute to hope, perseverance, and the power of chasing your dreams even when the odds are stacked against you.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this unforgettable book in advance. I won’t soon forget it.

An epic rags-to-riches tale, I enjoyed following the career of Maisie McIntyre. She made an interesting character: hard to like in some ways, she is utterly driven, possessing great talent but also great selfishness. However, she is a loyal friend and highly motivated.
The secondary characters of Oti, Joseph and Aidan were endearing, and the story of the fashion industry underpinning Maisie’s career was well researched.
I loved the descriptions of changing fashions in this book. Fashion is depicted as a means of not only self expression and of status but also for a woman to improve her confidence.
Although I enjoyed the story, it did feel quite lengthy, and I never quite managed to empathise with Maisie. Somehow her road to success seemed too charmed: while she met obstacles, each was quickly defeated without much difficulty. And I’m not sure I ever forgave her for stealing from her sister and running off to New York
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved it! Well written, beautifully descriptive and well paced. It takes you on an amazing, historically based, transatlantic adventure in fashion/couture through two world wars. Maisie, the story of Maison McIntyre and all the characters are so well developed. Clear your schedule to be able to read it cover to cover- it’s a hard one to put down. I highly recommend it!
Thank You to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Annabelle Marx for
the pre-approved access to read and thoroughly enjoy this ARC.