Tales of the Mistress, A Novel

this worked well in the historical genre and I was hooked from the first page. It had everything that I was looking for and it worked well overall. Dorette E. Snover does a great job in bringing this universe to life and worked in the time. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their story. I was invested in what was happening to them and glad I was able to read this.

"I have followed her path in reverse. How many of Psomi’s grains were planted in the North Field? Maman would not foolishly plant all of Psomi’s seeds in one field. There were fields near Condatóm with Fabrizio, then more fields near Angeline & Grigne. How many fields is that? The fields leading to the Efta. Antaia kept the seeds in the box, but which box? If they are safe, they can still grow. Follow the doves to Antaia."

Tales of the Mistress travels with Epi Gerroux as she flees her bread terrace in 16th Century France to escape prosecution by the Bread Guild who charged her with the murder of Antaia Gerroux, her mother, who was the leader of the Guild’s enemy, and keeper of the underground agrarian cult, Psomi. When Epi’s search for her mother leads her further into Guild conflicts, she finds her mother’s hidden world of Psomi’s Mistresses. The long physical journey across Languedoc and the Mediterranean pushes her to also face and grow from challenges, relationships and consequences resulting from family betrayals and not only survive, but heal, and find the strength to discard the persona of the young boy, Epi, she has been hiding as, and return to her true identity as Antaia’s daughter.

Really enjoyed this story. Will recommend to others.

This book follows Epi as she flees accusations of her mothers murder, taking her away from her bread terrace where she finds secrets and conflict. She faces challenges and opportunities for growth.
This story has strong characters with wonderful growth and a pull into the story from the first page. I thoroughly enjoyed this read

This imaginative and descriptive debut novel follows the adventure of Epi Gerroux in sixteenth century Languedoc, France.

As a young girl, Epi suffers from the disappearance (death?) of her mother, Antaia, a bread baker, enemy of the Bread Guild and member of the secret agrarian society, Psomi. Knowing her daughter will be left to fend for herself, Antaia urges her daughter to disguise herself as a boy to continue work as a baking apprentice. This is how Epi lives, in solitude, for many years – baking the bread that will go to the French nobility and ensuring she steers as far as possible from the Guild.

But when Epi learns the Guild wants to charge her in her mother’s alleged murder, she departs on a long journey through Languedoc and beyond, where she pieces together her past and the mysterious disappearance of her beloved mother, discovers unexpected family ties and, most importantly, begins the voyage of internal discovery and her search for her place in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

Tales of the Mistress follows Epi Gerroux as she journeys in order to avoid being prosecuted by the Bread Guild, who accused her of killing Antaia Gerroux, her mother, who was the enemy of the Guild and the guardian of the clandestine agrarian cult Psomi. Epi discovers her mother's secret world of Psomi's Mistresses when her quest for her mother pushes her deeper into guild disputes. The arduous physical journey across Languedoc and the Mediterranean forces her to confront and learn from relationships, challenges, and the fallout from family betrayals in order to not only survive but also heal and find the strength to drop the persona of the young boy, Epi, she has been hiding as, and reclaim her true identity as Antaia's daughter.
Tales of the Mistress is a Historical Fiction. I loved how the author has sketched relatable characters. I love development of each of them. The plot is beautiful too. I enjoyed the prosaic quality of this book. The text hooked me from the very first page. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC

I was captured by the cover of this book when I first saw it, and the story sounded intriguing. I ended up really enjoying this historical fiction. It's imaginative and a tale of self-discovery that had me hooked from the first page. Sadly I started it right before I moved house, so I had to put it down for a short time, but I'm glad I picked it back up because it was certainly worth it.

In Tales of the Mistress, Dorette Snover follows the life of Epi Gerroux, a breadmaker surrounded by lies and half truths, and her journey to uncovering the truth around her place in the world. Snover sets her novel in sixteenth century France, centering Epi’s life around the conflicts between the Bread Guild and her mother Antaia’s Psomi Mistresses. As the novel progresses, Epi becomes entangled in the web of Guild conflicts and confusing familial relationships. Snover’s characters appear complicated to the reader as they do Epi, and Snovel’s use of first-person from Epi’s point of view immerses the reader into the story, limiting their understanding of the events to Epi’s knowledge. Snover has created a fascinating world full of complicated social groups and rebellions, and she has masterfully created a cast of characters perfectly suited to this dynamic and unsafe world. Her characters shine in Tales of the Mistress, their personalities, motivations, and agendas all adding to the complexity of the novel and muddying the waters of the reader’s understanding of loyalties and events. Snover successfully creates a massive, transformation journey for Epi, who brings the reader along with her in the struggles, questions, answers, and triumphs found along the way.

Set in 16th century France, a young girl Eleone, is deserted by her mother and then is believed to be her murderer so she becomes Epi, a male Baker of special bread in order to escape.

As Epi, she journeys across the Mediterranean in search of the truth about what happened to her mother in this detailed and vivid description of another world. This is a multi layered and fascinating coming of age tale!

Mystical realism, medieval France, bread... What more could I want? Only to be there while the events of this enchanting book unfolded. With Dorette Snover's lush prose and imagery, I was.

I was drawn in by the cover of the book and wanted to know what it's about. I am happy to say I enjoyed reading this historical fiction because I am super picky about them. It's very imaginative and a tale of self-discovery. We are placed in the sixteenth century France, centering around the main character who is Epi. Epi deals with the Bread Guild and her mother Antaia's Psomi Mistresses. We are limited to first person in the story so we learn and understand things as Epi does. It is beautifully written and you won't regret checking it out.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am happy to say I enjoyed reading this historical fiction because I am super picky about them. I
t's very imaginative and a tale of self-discovery.

We are placed in sixteenth century France, centering around the main character who is Epi. Epi deals with the Bread Guild and her mother Antaia's Psomi Mistresses.

I think my absolute favorite part is probably how the cover eventually ties into the book itself.

"You have to listen, follow the doves."