I absolutely loved this book, and I cannot wait for her next one! I loved the blending of historical fiction and mystery. I think the author did a really wonderful job in the research. I appreciate that the author staying close to the themes-she didn't really feel a need to stray off task. Everything in the book wove together beautifully, and readers weren't left with any unnecessary cliffhangers.

Edit-It was selected for BOTM! I added a copy to my box, even though I've already read it. I can't wait to pass it around!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me an arc of this book for my honest opinion!

The Lost Apothecary is a story which switches between a hidden apothecary in 18th Century London and present day London. The topic is interesting and I appreciated the older story. However, the modern story was too unrealistic and forced to fit.

Wow. Where to start. This whirlwind story takes place over the course of a couple of days, in both timelines.

Once a reputable apothecary shop, time and tragedy have turned it into something darker and secret. Nella helps women in need, mostly those who wish to be free from the harm of the men in their lives. They seek her help though the mysterious underground voices of other women who tell them where to go.

Young Eliza is sent to Nella's shop at the request of her mistress, for a potion to end the life the master. Eliza connects with Nella and they form a reluctant friendship. Nella has been alone in her grief and in the knowledge of what she does for far too long.

Caroline is in the present. Falling out of love with her cheating husband and going on their 10th anniversary trip to London, alone. On a whim, she accepts an invitation to mudlark in the Thames and finds an old vial with a mysterious symbol on it. This sends her on a research adventure and she discovers the unsolved apothecary murders from 18th century London.

Nella's strength and her story were as captivating as much as they were heartbreaking. Eliza was a little spitfire.

Caroline was the weak link in this story. I know the premise was for her story to weave in with Nella and Eliza and it does, to a point. Caroline has none of the inner strength that the other two have. She has let her terrible husband dictate her life and she's given up dreams of her own. I could have done without James at all. He was awful.

However, I love the premise. I enjoyed the conversations, but wished for more detail about Nella and Eliza's lives. Honestly, this would have been a fantastic historical novel on its own, with no alternate timeline.

Everything wraps up very neatly and a little too conveniently. And I would like to have seen more detail at the end or more of an epilogue.

All that said, I devoured this story, anxious to see it come to a satisfying conclusion. But while surprising and somewhat ambiguous, it wasn't quite as satisfying as I hoped. Nevertheless, this is a story I enjoyed immensely.

The historian and author's notes at the end were valuable. The Apothecary Starter Kit and Tincture Recipes were a genuine treat.

I think this was a terrific debut novel and I look forward to more from Sarah Penner.

The Lost Apothecary is a great mix of old and new. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and their stories. The peak into the lifestyle of an apothecary was also very interesting.

Caroline is a historian that lives in the states with her husband. A trip for their 10th wedding anniversary in London. becomes a trip for one.
Caroline finds a Jewel found- in the mud of the river shore. Where did it come from? who made it? who was it made for?

Caroline along a path from the past to the present , with help of a new historian friend, she met at the library- the answers of the past come to light.

This long ago story of Nella and Eliza their secrets -to help Local woman in unfortunate circumstances.


This story weaves from past to present day.

The writing was compeling and detailed.

Charming yet tragic, a beautiful mix of historical fiction and modern feminism. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, an outlier in my personal reading choices, but glad I listened to the audio.
Well done!

The synopsis was intriguing, the cover is gorgeous. I was immediately hooked and loved that I was swept into the story. I loved that both story lines complemented each other instead of overpowering each other. Overall, The Lost Apothecary is a beautifully written historical fiction mystery and was a fantastic experience.

This is a real page turner! With an unexpected discovery of a small antique apothecary bottle with a bear engraved on it in the Thames, begins a mystery begun a hundred years before.

In 1791, Nella, a London apothecary, distributes poisons from a hidden shop, carefully recording the names and purposes of each sale. In present-day London, a heartbroken historian stumbles upon a link to this secret past, and to a string of long-unsolved murders that resonate down the years and begin to affect her own life.

This is an interesting concept for a novel, told through two narrators, one in the late 1700s and the other present day. The story is about a hidden apothecary from the 1700s that sold poisons to women to kill their wayward husbands (who would often leave them with no means to care for themselves). In the present day, a young woman dealing with her own wayward husband stumbles upon some information about the apothecary from long ago and seeks to unravel its mystery. Overall, this is really enjoyable, but there are some contrived moments to be taken with a grain of salt. For me, these did not put me off the novel as a whole, and I found it to be a good read.

I had really high hopes for this book and while some of the intricacies of the apothecary were interesting, I kept waiting for a real twist, which was really just ways in which men mistreated women. Also the "perfect ending" was extremely unrealistic and really undercut the whole book for me.

This is one I think I'll keep in mind for book clubs, but not for me. I was expecting something more, and what I got wasn't enough. Maybe if the book was just about the apothecary, without Caroline? Or if Caroline's story wasn't so dramatic?

The story was interesting and compelling. I love how it came full circle. I definitely could have done without Caroline's husband and his antics.

This was such a unique story, one I might not have picked up if not for all the great reviews. I'm so impressed with the research that went into this fun history of apothecary shops hundreds of years ago.
I was enchanted with young Eliza and her spunk, curiosity, and perseverance, and the author did a wonderful job of weaving present-day Caroline's emotional journey with Nella's apothecary business and the bottle Caroline finds.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this entertaining and informative historical fiction novel!

A magical read! A “finish in one sitting” kind of book. I highly recommend this book anyone that enjoys historical fiction laced with “remedies” and “potions”

Good read! Enjoyed the mystery of the apothecary's life. Caroline's present day probably wasn't even needed!

What a wonderful book to read. There are several twists and turns in this story. Like the characters and how the book keeps you hanging on until the end. Hard to put this book down.

I adored this book! At first I was a bit skeptical about it being labeled Historical Fantasy, as I don't usually enjoy reading Fantasy, but this was one I had trouble putting down! I loved the duel timeline and how descriptive the author was in this book. The writing style is superb, and makes me want to read another book by this author.

I enjoyed this book, the sections set in late 18th century London especially. With an ambitious plot that will provoke many thoughts and discussions, to me the book is worth reading. Some may love the present-day characters more and relate to the varied perspectives of the couple struggling with their marriage. 3.5 rounded to 4 stars

An interesting tale of the underground apothecary world for women in London in the 1790s. There was also a contemporary story about a woman traveling to London from Ohio to figure out the future of her marriage. No question that the story from 1790s was a much more compelling story. Not sure why the author felt she needed the current story in order to explore the older story. My book group agreed with this consensus. Will be looking forward to other books by Sarah Penner.