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

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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.

Ebony LaDelle's This Could Be Forever is a beautifully crafted romance that explores themes of vulnerability, hope, and the transformative power of love. The novel centers around two vividly drawn characters whose paths cross during a pivotal time in their lives. LaDelle skillfully portrays the intricacies of relationships, making their connection feel both authentic and deeply moving. With richly descriptive prose, LaDelle immerses readers in the characters' world, balancing moments of joy and heartbreak. Fans of contemporary romance will appreciate the relatable dynamics, emotional depth, and the uplifting journey toward self-discovery. This Could Be Forever is an inspiring tale of love's ability to heal and redefine life's possibilities.

Well I had reading slump for 2 weeks and I thought this book is gonna get me out of it and guess what! It did it , I loved this book the first chapter where she was talking about her marriage I was like nahhh gonna be boring book but the second chapter and the nest got me on my knees . Loved it and highly recommended

"The Rebel of Seventh Avenue" instantly became one of my top ten favorite books, feeling deeply personal and resonant. As a costume designer, I saw my own journey reflected in Maisie's—her struggles, risks, and triumphs felt vividly real and powerful. The story captured her rise from poverty to success and paralleled the broader women's movement. The rich, tactile descriptions of fabrics, buttons, embroidery, and design details brought Maisie’s creations to life; they became tangible. I rooted for her every step of the way, and when the book ended, I was left with joyful tears for her victory—and a deep, bittersweet ache that the journey was over.

As much as I wanted to live this book I just didn't. The synopsis really intrigued me - Scottish roots (my maternal grandparents), NYC (my birthplace), fashion and a strong female (who doesn't love that). However, hard as I tried I just couldn't connect with the main character - I just didn't like her. I also felt the book was way to detailed on the descriptions of fabrics, colors, movements of fabrics, etc. Unless you're really interested in that it's kind of boring. It didn't get really going until about 50% and I thought finally it had found its footing but then it got lost again. Not for me. Thanks to Netgalley, author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fantastic, well researched historical fiction. The characters and their relationships are well written and nuanced. I loved how multi-faceted so many of the characters were.

For me, this novel was a throwback to the kind of novel that made me an avid reader. It’s a Barbara Taylor Bradford Woman of Substance kind of book. The undaunted heroine rises from meager circumstances. With talent, grit, and ambition she faces many obstacles but becomes successful and climbs the rungs of society.

This is not a criticism. Maisie McIntyre is such a character. She grows up in a hardscrabble neighborhood in early twentieth century Edinburg . Her mother is a seamstress and teaches Maisie to sew. Maisie dreams dress designing and masters their sewing machine. The small apartment becomes even more crowded when her sister, Netta, gets married and begins having children. When Maisie’s mother dies, she finds savings hidden in a drawer. With the money and a stolen bolt of elegant fabric, she sails to New York and becomes a wealthy, renowned fashion designer.

Threaded through the story is the history—the Triangle factory fire, the Depression, two wars—and the social issues of race, sexuality, corruption. Maisie fights her way through it all having success and failure, heartbreak and triumph.

There may be nothing new to learn in this story but I enjoyed my trip back in time with Maisie, Oti, Joseph, Aiden, Rosa and the rest of the colorful cast.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read the advanced readers copy and give my honest opinion .

This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction. If you were a fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this is sure to be right up your alley. The character development of Maisie invokes much emotion in following her ambitious story. As a whole, covering many historical events and the personal journey of Maisie, this story brings love, heartbreak, joy, struggles, pain, and resilience.

Check out this beautifully written novel on publication day May 21st.

This is certainly a humdinger of a book and I loved every minute of it! It tells the story of Maisie McIntyre from her humble beginnings in a Edinburgh tenement to becoming couturier to the finest ladies of New York society, dressing movie stars and a successful business woman in her own right. Because the timescale of the book covers a huge chunk of the 20th century many historical events and major issues of the day are effectively used as markers in Maisie's life. The Rebel of Seventh Avenue will be the book for you if you like a family saga, a historical novel, a woman's success story or just a really good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.