The Lost Apothecary was such an unexpected gem! I was drawn to this because of its beautiful cover and it sounded like a unique historical fiction.

The book alternates between present day and 1700s with three distinct voices. I loved the historical pieces married with the investigation from present day. Without spoilers, the echoes of Nella and Eliza’s past in Caroline’s present were excellently done.

This one is giving me my first five star historical fiction in a long time! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Centuries apart, it would seem surprising that Nella - an 18th century apothecary in London - and Caroline - an American historian-turned-office manager on vacation in present-day London - would have anything in common... When Caroline finds an old vial while mudlarking in the River Thames, she winds up delving into a dark history of murderous revenge while hiding from the conflict in her marriage. In the late 1700's, Nella is doing her own hiding in her mother's old apothecary shop -- but instead of providing women with the herbs and potions to heal them, as her mother once did, Nella has made it her life's work to give women the poisons they need to rid themselves of the terrible men in their lives. Having been betrayed in the most terrible of way by her lover, Nella finds it difficult to trust anyone - including the young Eliza who is enthralled with Nella's work - and finds some semblance of satisfaction in knowing that, while it pains her to create poisons, she has committed herself to righting the wrong she could never fix in her own life. Caroline, who just recently found out her husband of 10 years has cheated on her, is looking for her own distraction from her pain. Both Caroline and Nella's stories intertwine through shared pain and a realization that happiness and fulfillment are not synonymous, and a grave misunderstanding will change both of their lives forever.

Thoughts: This was surprisingly a quick read, especially given the alternating chapters of three different characters -- Nella, Caroline, and Eliza. Author Sarah Penner does not laden the story down with too many details, providing just enough for readers to envision each character's lives while leaving some to their imagination. The plot could've had a bit more weight to it, but it moved fast while also providing enough action to hold interest. And even though the weaving of the three women's stories together had a smidge of predictability there were enough surprises to give readers a nice payoff by the end. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who are thinking of "dipping their toes" into the historical fiction genre.

**Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

The Lost Apothecary is a dual timeline historical fiction that doesn't do justice to either time period.
This could have been a fantastic ride of a book if the author focused on the historical time period and delved into the reasons why women of that era would have needed to resort to the fatal help of the apothecary.

If you're like me, when I read a historical fiction I'm hoping to learn a little about the time period. With this book, I felt like I learned so very little about London in the 1700's. The story itself is engaging and a quick read, so if you are looking for entertainment, this is a good fit. And the endings of both storylines seemed too quick and convenient to be believable.

Oh, and maybe an amateur historian shouldn't be able to solve a centuries old murder case with a quick trip to the library while on vacation.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes reality doesn’t meet expectations, which was the case for me and this book. If you are into Hallmark holiday movies, but enjoy a good horror flick every now and then, this one might be for you. The book starts out a little bit formulaic for my tastes, and the dialogue can be a bit cringe-worthy at times, but I’m always willing to dive into something, even it means putting my fine literary tastes aside (*sarcasm*).

The novel follows three characters: Nella (1791), Eliza (1791), and Caroline (present-day). The modern day protagonist has a history degree and can’t find a job, so she has to work on the family farm. Maybe this hits too close to home for me because I have a history degree, am roughly the same age as the protagonist, and grew up on a farm. Luckily, I’ve been gainfully employed as a librarian, but I digress.

My suspension of disbelief only goes so far. Distraction or no, I have a hard time believing that someone who was just wrecked by the infidelity of her husband can find the strength to travel alone to a city you’ve never been (especially when you are a country mouse), manage to find some dirty old bottle in the Thames, and be so enraptured by it, that you decide to unravel its mystery on a vacation. Yeah, right. Normally, you are so jet-lagged by the time you get across the pond, that all you want to do is sleep. I can only imagine how that would go if you were alone and under emotional duress. I read the book in its entirety. The description of the novel sounded interesting, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

I enjoyed both timelines of this story -- particularly the present time with its elements of archeology, research, history, and mystery, despite being followed to London by her husband. The apothecary's story and that of the young assistant had a satisfying resolution as well.

I absolutely devoured this novel. An old apothecary shop only selling to women and tje dRk arts, a young 12 years old girl desperate for xonnexrion and knowledge and a modern day timeliness of a woman in England with a broken heart. An absolutely wonderful novel that transports.

I did not really enjoy this. I found it to be extremely dense, and actually noticed that I was skimming for dialogue quite frequently. I could not get invested in any of the characters. I found that parts of the story were quite interesting, and some of the chapters ended on cliffhangers that actually had me wanting to read more, but for the most part it was easy to put the book down and forget about it.

3.9
Unfortunately, I can’t write the in-depth review I’d like to without spoiling the book so this might be choppy. What I can say is The Lost Apothecary is one wild ride; a proper page-turner full of suspense. What’s more intriguing than a secret apothecary shop that sells poison to women seeking vengeance against the men who’ve wronged them ?

Though I didn’t particularly care for the modern-day protagonist, I felt truly emotionally attached to the protagonists of the past. The characters themselves, as well as the adoration they hold for one another, are heart-wrenching. Their bond is unlikely, their deep affection is subtle-yet-not. Their connection (and how it plays out) is precisely what I love most about this book.

I had my doubts about certain aspects of the plotline, such as the oh so familiar ‘my husband cheated on me and now I’m going to live for myself’ narrative, but by the end, I was pleasantly surprised with how well each component of the story ties together. Debut author, Sarah Penner, clearly has a knack for drawing parallels. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future (hopefully).

Ps: there’s a yummy cookie recipe at the end! ;)

This book was frustrating.
There were parts, whole sections even, that I liked. And then it’d come back to Caroline’s perspective, and I’d have to restrain myself from yelling at her.
Caroline drove me up the wall. She’s in London by herself on what’s supposed to be her tenth anniversary trip with her husband. Caroline just discovered he’s been having an affair. Still, she decided to make the trip anyway to have space to sort through her feelings. Caroline comes across an old vial while on a mudlarking tour of the Thames. She dives into researching its history, partly as a way to avoid her problems at home. What follows is a former history student breaking into a historic site, disturbing it, hiding it from people with actual knowledge of the period and how to process sites (not to mention her new friend that works for the British Museum) and manages to be suspected of murder because she’s so protective of this site she won’t explain why she was researching poisons. Or hey, maybe showing the cops THE PICTURES ON YOUR PHONE OF THE REGISTER WITH THE SUSPICIOUS INGREDIENTS YOU WERE GOOGLING (Oh, sorry, not googling. Or searching. Navigating to the phone’s web browser).
My issues with the story that aren’t based on my dislike of Caroline:
• There were attempts to create suspense and mystery when it wasn’t there and just made the story lag. Honestly, if I had been reading the book instead of listening, I would have skimmed large chunks of the text because it just wasn’t necessary.
• The descriptions around any use of technology were weird and just too descriptive. For example, Caroline would navigate to her camera app. I’m not planning on visiting the British Library and replicating her archival searches, so I didn’t need a step-by-step guide on using the filters.
I did not like the ending whatsoever, but perhaps my biggest problem with it is that Caroline throws the vial back in the river. The vial that led Caroline to this whole journey of uncovering the apothecary, which she’ll be writing her dissertation on at Cambridge. And she threw it away because she was keeping Eliza’s story to herself? Was this a purposeful juxtaposition to Nella keeping a register of customers so history wouldn’t forget those women? At the same time, Caroline quite literally throws a record away? Either way, it was a stupid and unnecessary ‘symbolic moment.’

Told through multiple points of view, The Lost Apothecary follows the stories of women across time. Each chapter alternates from the past to the present and focuses on the lives of Nella, Eliza, and Caroline whose lives become intertwined. Nella is an apothecary from 18th Century who specializes in creating poisons to help women in difficult situations and take revenge. The modern-day aspect focuses on Caroline who learns her husband has been cheating on her and decides to set off on their London anniversary trip alone.

I love the constant shifting of povS and how it works well with the story’s format of linking women across time. The apothecary Nella’s narrative is really interesting because her background and how she chose to use her knowledge to help other women. I also could resonate with Caroline’s excitement of researching history from a random artifact discovery. It’s fascinating how she finds one piece of the past and it sends her on a journey across London.

I think what is most interesting about this novel is the time parallels are executed within the narrative and the suspenseful elements. The reader has a heavy sense of curiosity trying to unravel all of the mysteries. Caroline is trying dig up a mystery from the past while Nella is trying to allude the authorities and keep her business afloat. The science of the apothecary work is so detailed and descriptive of the concoctions they put together.

This was a great debut novel and perfect for fans of the historical fiction genre who also enjoys mysteries.

Apothecary in 1791. Mudlarking in the present day.
The two are tied together when Caroline discovers a blue vial in the Thames River while mudlarking. She eventually figures out the vial came from an apothecary.
The 1791 apothecary serves women only. Women who have physical problems and ailments, or who have problems with the males in their lives (such as bullies, abusers, adulterers) go to the apothecary for assistance in getting rid of their problems. You read that right, yes, get rid of the man!
This was a very satisfying and absorbing read. The three main characters have problems, big problems. The chapters alternate among them, from 1791 to today and back again.
What's mudlarking? It is looking in the river mud for unusual items. Penner, the author, mentions @flo_finds on Instagram.
Many thanks to @HarlequinBooks @Netgalley @ParkRowBooks and @sl_penner for #TheLostApothecary I won't be forgetting this novel for a long long time.

Murder with a difference!

I’m conflicted about this story. I felt like I’d wandered into a secretive hidden world that exists between brutal reality and surface pretences. A supportive apothecary in the eighteenth century, hidden in the back alleyways of London, turned ‘serial killer!’ What drove the change? I loved the idea of the female apothecary line and the rules set forth to guide them. Only at some stage they moved from supporting women in their illnesses and health necessities by using various herb mixtures, creams and tinctures; to helping them get out from under the tyranny of husbands or others who use them badly. Unfortunately the apothecary finds herself at the mercy of one she assists. The code to never harm a female is broken. (I wonder, how far back did the line go really? Would these women have been accused of witchcraft once?) Whether in the past or today, the fact is they are assisting with murder. The apothecary needed to tread carefully. Hence all the fronts, the hiddenness that were put in place to conceal their efforts.
I confess, I’m never too keen on split time sequencing. Here it worked really well. The story walks between 1791 and the apothecary Nella, and today. Caroline is an American woman whose marriage is in turmoil. She’s flown to London to think things through. A British history major, she joins a group mudlarking, scrounging along the banks of the Thames like the Victorian mudlarkers looking for something valuable or interesting. What Caroline finds opens up the story to this fascinating historical aspect, the female apothecary. I enjoyed Caroline’s initial search for finding Bear Alley, searches in the British Library, the using of old digitalised map overlaid with more modern maps. Wonderful!
In the book’s introduction publisher Loriana Sacilotto writes that this is,
“a jaw-dropping, subversive, intoxicating read about women rebelling against the society that limits them...”
It is! I couldn’t put it down.
BTW I love the richness of colour in the cover design!

A Park Row / Harlequin Trade ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I received an advanced copy of The Lost Apothecary through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Some apothecaries save lives, others end them. Once a successful healer, Nella has shifted her skills to provide a different sort of salvation. Nella sells poisons to women willing to kill to escape their husbands, allowing them a chance at a new life. With each poison that she dispenses, Nella records the names of the murderer and her victim in the apothecary’s register. Nella’s world is thrown off course when her latest client, Eliza Fanning, arrives at her shop. Eliza, who is a mere twelve-year-old, quickly endears herself to Nella, beginning an unexpected friendship that could have devastating ramifications for the security of Nella’s apothecary business. In present-day London, Caroline Parcewell discovers a discarded apothecary bottle which she believes could be linked to the centuries-old cold case. Caroline, Nella, and Eliza’s worlds collide across time, dredging up consequences that not everyone will survive.

You can get your copy of The Lost Apothecary on March 2nd from Park Row Books!

One of my favorite storytelling mechanisms is the use of dual timelines, as I always love watching the ways the author ties two separate times together. The Lost Apothecary is a fine example of why I adore dual timeline narratives, as it wove together present and past to create a compelling plot. Each chapter alternated between Carolina and Nella’s perspectives, which served to immerse me even further in the story. Sarah Penner wrote an impressive and unique debut novel in The Lost Apothecary, and I cannot wait to see where her writing will go next!

My Recommendation-
If you enjoy darker stories with elements of mystery and historical fiction, you should pick up a copy of The Lost Apothecary! This book would be perfect for fans of The Immortalists and The Da Vinci Code!

A fun adventure through history and London. Sneak into an eighteenth-century apothecary that caters to women, treating their maladies but also dispensing poisons to dispense the cruel men in their lives. Explore alongside a former aspiring historian, trying to get space from a struggling marriage who finds a vial that reignites her desire to dive into history. Rejoice when these worlds start to intertwine.

Recommended for lovers of historical mysteries and hidden history, and also a nice complement to the many revenge thrillers making the rounds. This is already getting a lot of attention from customers, and I'm looking forward to recommending it to those who may have missed the online buzz.

1791 London: Nella, an apothecary who dispenses more than remedies for the women she serves--she also dispenses the means for these women to exact revenge on the men who have betrayed and hurt them.
Present day London: Caroline, a young woman, vacationing alone after discovering her husband's infidelity on the eve of their 10th anniversary, discovers a mysterious vial which leads her on a search to learn more about its origins, and stumbles upon a shocking story.
This novel was moody and dark, but somehow not morbid considering the subject--death by poison. But this book is so much deeper than that. The women who seek Nella's help are desperate, and in that era there were not many options for those who found themselves stuck in marriages that were causing them heartache. In Caroline's story, there were similarities to those women; she, too, had been deeply hurt by her husband's infidelity. While Caroline unearths the story of the apothecary and all of the secrets hidden in ledgers and cupboards, she is also unearthing her own dreams and passions, just as the women before her. I was transfixed by every aspect of this story, with twists and turns as sharp as the alleyways of London. This is author Sarah Penner's debut novel, and I will be seeking out her books in the future!

An engaging historical fiction narrative told between the past 1700s and the present time. I was intrigued by both storylines. Usually, I connect more with one over the other. In the past, we have Nella, the apothecary who inherited the shop from her mother and served to help women get caught up in dangerous situations or need some good medical help. She vows to never kill or harm other women with her crafted poison, but a dangerous situation with a customer and a young child of 12 unravels all that she has strived to do.
Present-day, we have Caroline, who has come to London on her wedding anniversary trip alone after being betrayed by her husband. It all starts with an adventure in Mudlarking, which to me sounds like a lot of fun. What she discovers unravels everything in her life and helps her to rediscover what she lost over the years.
Despite the picture painted of men in this book, it is historically accurate and can ring true still today; the actions of the men in these women's lives placed them on a path and, in the end, propelled them toward brighter futures. This one may bring out the mudlark in you.

The Lost Apothecary is exactly the story I believed it would be. I was drawn in immediately to the premise of an apothecary and the little bottles of poison for women who are in need of enacting revenge against men who have been cruel and horrible to them. The timeline is a couple hundred years ago, starting in 1791. Nella, Eliza and Caroline with interest in the "apothecary murders" make for a marvelous read! Thank you #netgalley#parkrow#thelostapothecary

This is a debut novel from an American author. It is an historical fiction set in London. In 1791 Nella runs an apothecary shop. It is a secret, hidden shop only known by word of mouth by women who use her services. She provides poisons to free women from men who have harmed them. She only serves women and everyone she dispenses to is recorded in her register. Twelve year-old Eliza shows up to procure something at the bequest of her employer. Her curiosity and helpfulness leads to Nella and her to develop a friendship...that will eventually threaten everything. The alternate chapters are set in present day, where Caroline is on what was supposed to be a tenth anniversary trip to London, but after discovering her husband had cheated, she is there alone. On a lark she joins a group mudlarking (searching for treasures in the mud when the tide is out) and finds a small vial. Researching its origins leads her to information about the apothecary murders and results in life changing decisions. This is a lovely recommendation for historical fiction fans who are looking for something other than war stories.

"And it all started due to a little vial in the Thames River."

THE LOST APOTHECARY by debut novelist, Sarah Penner captured my interest with its beautiful cover. I had an idea, but honestly wasn't totally sure what an apothecary was. I'm glad I dug into this book. It will certainly be one of my favorites of 2021.

London, England 1791. Nella, the owner of the Apothecary, once a healer, now uses her talent for a darker purpose. She creates potions to liberate women from the disgusting men who have abused, cheated on and bullied them.

"The apothecary was a friend to all us women, the brewer of our secret: the men are dead because of us."

Twelve-year old, Eliza Fanning is sent by her Mistress to bring home a potion so she can get rid of her cheating husband. Eliza and Nella form an unusual friendship based on magick and death.

Present day, London. Caroline Parcewell is on what is supposed to be her ten-year wedding anniversary trip. But she discovered her husband is a cheating bastard, so she's in London alone. Caroline wanders around the city and learns about a mudlarking tour on the Thames. Not quite knowing what it is, she's game. People go out on a boat and scavenge for relics in the river muck. She goes and finds a blue vial dating back to the eighteenth century. With the help of Gaynor, an employee of the British library she's off to solve a two-hundred year old murder mystery.

THE LOST APOTHECARY is about vengeance, betrayal, trust and grief. Readers learn that gifts of the earth, while valuable are not infallible. THE LOST APOTHECARY is a suspenseful story of three women wronged by men and how their different paths bring them together. It is absolutely wonderful.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade/Park Row Books for my own copy and inviting me to take part in this blog tour!
The Lost Apothecary will be published on March 2, 2021.

Wow! What an extraordinary story! I absolutely loved The Lost Apothecary. This book completely transported me and the escapism it provided was priceless. The history, scandal and camaraderie in these pages formed its own little tincture that eased the pain of all the friends I’m missing right now. Do yourself a favor and grab this book!