February 3, 1971 Nella is waiting for the latest of her ladies who require her assistance to right a wrong. Nella knows nothing of this lady, nor of any of those who came before, only that she wants someone dead. A poisoner and secret-keeper, she toils behind false walls conjuring the potions that will help her ladies. Simply told, she is a murderer. Her world is about to be upended and she will take Eliza, a perhaps not so unwitting young girl on a suicidal journey. This part of the story was interesting and flowed well.

Present day, Caroline Parcewell has been betrayed and takes off across the ocean to lick her wounds and make some decisions which turn from bad to worse and back again. This part of the story could have been a throwaway. So much of it just did not work for me. Further, Penner seemed to have trouble embracing present day language and I felt she never shed the nuance of Nella’s time.

Not a bad debut, but not as great as it could have been. The potential is there, the history is interesting, the present less so, the endings disappointing. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for a copy.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this ARC. I really enjoyed this author’s debut novel. I’m excited to read what she does next. The two story lines, one present day and one in 1800s London are woven together beautifully. Three strong female characters were easy to root for. A bit of mystery and a lot of heart. I highly recommend!

Really enjoyed the premise of this story and the timeline of Nella and Eliza, but the present day timeline of Caroline was not my favourite. This trend in historical novels to go back and forth isn't being done well at all, and this one particularly where it synced up the same plot was just a bit too cutesy-wutesy for me. Which is too bad, if it was just the story of Nella and Eliza, it would've been much higher rated for me.

This was a quick and easy historical fiction novel set In London with dual timelines and, to be honest, it would have been better without the part set in the present day. The story of the apothecary was intriguing and I would have liked to have seen it expanded into its own full novel. The characters were deep and rich and had so much potential. I was left wanting more of their story. Unfortunately, the opposite was true of the present day story. I found these characters to be shallow and the story, frankly, a bit predictable.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

Thank you to Harlequin, Net Gallery and Sarah Penner for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This novel goes on sale March 2, 2021.

Umm..can we please talk about how GORGEOUS this cover is?! The colours are amazing. I will absolutely be buying a physical copy of this when it goes on sale so I can add some more purple in to my bookshelf. Okay, back to the review:

Brief Synopsis:
18th Century London - a secret apothecary shop stays hidden in the dark alleys and caters to a very specific clientele....woman looking to acquire poisons to use against men in their lives who deserve it. However when a fatal mistake is made, the consequences affect various individuals tied to the shop.

Present Day - Caroline spends her 10th wedding anniversary alone in London and stumbles upon an old and curious vial in the river. Curious to find out more, she unearths the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London hundreds of years ago, which pulls her further in to the history of the mysterious apothecary shop.

My Thoughts/Opinions:

I've been really enjoying historical fiction books lately that have that dual timeline with characters. I like having part of a story in the past and seeing how it all ties together in the future. With this one however, I wish we spent a bit more time in the 18th Century London period as I was really interested in learning more about the apothecary shop, the owner's past and also her relationships with some of the characters in there. I still enjoyed reading the present timelines but it felt like it couldn't have been it's own separate book as the connection between the two stories was slightly weak.
But, I feel like Caroline's story could be made in to a series if the author really wanted to and have her uncovering more historical finds, since the way her story ended felt like there was a good opportunity to keep watching her grow.

3.5 stars from me as, maybe 4 if we include that cover as part of the rating! Wonderful debut novel from Sarah Penner and I'm excited to see more of her work in the future.

I really enjoyed this book so much, I never thought was going to be so magical but at the same time with the right doses of drama that will make this book more intriguing and more appealing.

Nella has been living under the shadows for a long time she was more like a ghost now, a betray made her this way, a betray from the worst person, someone whom she loved so much and believed blindly, but circumstances weren't the great ones and she had to move on bowing to help many women with similar experiences, she will help them to recover their happiness and dignity. even if that meant poisoning a few of these bad men.

The Apothecary came with rules, rules Nella's mother was so determined to keep in place no matter what

Rule 1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule 2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

The lost apothecary is the story of three different women in a different time and ages that were suffering from the same betray, the Apothecary store was somehow what links them and made their story merge into one.

Caroline was ready to celebrate 10 years of marriage but she didn't know her celebration was about to be postponed or better said cancel thanks to something she found out before their trip. she leaves alone hoping she will find an answer or a solution to her pain, not knowing this trip will change her life forever especially when she found the Apothecary. she is not ready to forgive him but she is ready to move on.

Eliza Fanning a 12-year-old with a very special heart that will save Nella and so many ways, Eliza was an amazing character for me she was the strongest of the three even if she was so young she was a character that I really love. strong, bold, and sometimes more aware of things that you can expect from her young age.

Eliza came to Nella's life when Nella was very lost, she was determined to only provide help to other women in need, but life played tricks on her and she was not ready to break that promise. Eliza helped Nella in so many ways to recover the faith and the trust she lost a long time ago but at the same time, Eliza came to fill something in Nella's heart that has been so empty.

Overall it was a great book, the story of three women facing the challenges of being in love and betrayal, three women fighting to recover themselves in a world made for men.

4.5⭐
Oh man I really enjoyed this historical mystery!! I had no idea what to expect going into this book. The cover and synopsis immediately intrigued me and knew this was something that I needed to give a read. But I wasn't expecting to be as swept away into this story as I was.
This is told in dual timelines - in 1791 London at secret apothecary and present day following a woman struggling in her marriage. I love dual timeline stories but oftentimes one timeline is stronger than the other. But in this case I was equally invested in both timelines! I loved how the two timelines played off each other and we got to see Caroline learn and deduce things we as a reader learned in the past chapters.
I loved the grey morality and feminist themes throughout this book. I loved the characters, the writing, and the audiobook narration was absolutely fantastic. All in all I can't recommend this book enough! It was a seriously immersive experience and I 'm still thinking about this story a month later. I can't wait to read more from Sarah Penner in the future!

Review live on blog 2/10 at 9am!

Like a bottle of poison, The Lost Apothecary should come with a warning label.

WARNING: May cause insomnia and drowsiness the next day at work because you could not put this book down and read it until all hours of the night. Side effects include sitting on the edge of your seat, audible gasps, and a burning desire to take a London vacation. Please read responsibly.

However, if you like to live dangerously and you love discovering books that you will binge read until three thirty in the morning because you absolutely couldn’t tear your eyes away from the page, then The Lost Apothecary is your book.

This book hits five stars on every level: the prose, character development, plot, and pacing are all superb. It was utterly engrossing. I just HAD to know what happened.

There are three points of view in this book, two set in the past and one in present day. When I first heard that there was going to be a modern day POV, I’ll admit I was a smidge skeptical about how well it was going to work out. But the two storylines are expertly woven together, parallel heroines each fighting their own battles across the centuries. I was invested in both timeframes. Each chapter leaves breadcrumbs and enticing cliffhangers that keep you reading to the satisfying conclusion.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ummm, dark 18th century feminism via murder by poisonous potions and concoctions? I. AM. IN. I knew I would love this book before I even cracked it open, and then cracking it open proved me right.

This story flips back and forth between late 18th century London and present day London, with the present day character, Caroline, discovering glimpses into the past. Caroline is an aspiring historian who was looking forward to spending her 10-year wedding anniversary in London with her husband, except she just found out about her husband's infidelity, and now she's on their trip alone. Her aimless grief leads her to stumble upon a very old apothecary vial near the river Thames, and the historian in her can't help but investigate. Soon she realizes she has found a link to the unsolved "apothecary murders" that occurred two centuries ago.

Nella is an apothecary in 1791 London, but this apothecary is special. It's hidden behind a wall, making it appear to be a vacant shop, but behind the wall, Nella uses her expert knowledge to help desperate women get rid of the men plaguing their lives. She has vowed to never hurt another woman with her skills, keeping all their names in a register so they may never be forgotten. But Nella's life changes when she meets Eliza, a 12-year-old girl sent by her mistress to procure a deadly poison, and Eliza's interest in Nella's work sparks a close relationship between them. Not long after, a woman enters the shop who will jeopardize Nella's livelihood and everything she stands for.

Atmospheric, steeped in mystery, and peppered with poetic justice, this is a deeply satisfying historical novel about creative ways women took control of their lives and their futures. I think I would have liked this book just as much if the entire novel took place in the 18th century, but the present day story was a fine juxtaposition and offered some perspective as to how far women have come regarding the power and conrol we have over our lives (it's still not perfect, mind you, but it's a far cry from 1791), and how even when we feel disatisfied or out of control, we have the power to change our circumstance.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about historical time periods and empowered women. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

https://www.krittersramblings.com/2021/02/review-lost-apothecary-by-sarah-penner.html
Told from three perspectives, two from 1791 and one from present day. In 1791 there is a female apothecary who inherited an apothecary business from her mother and she has changed the business a bit and her life takes a turn when a young girl, Eliza walks into her shop. Eliza is the second perspective from 1791 as she is sent to get help from the woman she works for from the apothecary and she will set all sorts of things in motion! The present day perspective is Caroline and she has gone a trip that was intended to be an anniversary trip and instead ends up being a solo vacation, but her story is still uplifting as she finds herself and her passion for history when she finds something mysterious in the Thames river.

I love a historical fiction book that has a present storyline where you know the link between the two stories pretty early on in the book. I don't love to have the mystery go on for too long and it overshadow the true story - not the case in this one. The reader quickly knows why Caroline's storyline is in this book and her investigation was fun to follow. I wish I could do what she did in this book and find an artifact and follow it until you uncover truths.

Although I don't love a book where there is marriage strife, especially the cheating husband kind, I could look over it in this one as it didn't take complete center stage, instead for me the story really revolved around Nella the apothecary and the things she did for the women of her time.

What a great historical fiction that took place at a unique moment in time, with a splash of present day to help move the story along. And I found out after finishing, this was a debut, so I am hoping for much more from this author in the future!

This was such a fun read and I devoured it in one sitting! I was immediately attracted to this book because of the gorgeous cover and the premise had me hooked. Set in the 1700s and modern day, this book tells the story of a woman Nella that makes poison for women to use against the cruel and abusive men in their lives, and Caroline in modern day who finds herself on a now solo trip to England after discovering her husband's infidelity.

This was such an easy and engaging read. It's perfect for fans of historical fiction featuring strong female characters and fans of Kate Morton.

First of I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Park Row Books/HarperCollins -HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada), the author Sarah Penner , and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it.When I first got the email about this is it already had three things going for 1: was the beautiful cover and second it was historical fiction ( one of my favorite genres to read) and the 3rd thing was it a woman serial killer in .And that's all I need to know, what can I say when it comes to pick what I want to read and its something that catches my eye its either one of five things : the cover, the title, the author, or its part of a series I'm reading , or there's something in the synopsis of the book ( but mostly its first four things listed since I love going in blind and not known to much about the book) . And this time around it was the cover, the genre and just the word woman serial killer. As I started reading it I was pulled into the story and there was no turning back. And it was all thinks to how the author intertwined Nella and Caroline’s stories so well that you just fell for both characters and just wanted the best for them

The writing in this story was pretty elementary. I wasn't impressed with the prose, and the story itself had good bones but wasn't very well developed. The feelings that developed between the characters in both timelines happened too fast to be believable. I kept with it despite it being difficult to get into between the basic, uninspiring prose and the shallow character development, because the reviews and hype have been so positive but ultimately I was left disappointed and confused about the rave reviews.

Right before Caroline and her husband James are about to head to London from Ohio to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Caroline discovers that Richard has been having an affair with someone at his office. Devastated, she heads out to London on her own. After all, she’s the one who pushed for the trip to London, to satisfy her history loving heart.
While mudlarking (an interesting pastime!) in the Thames, Caroline pulls a small, blue vial out of the mud. It’s only identifying mark is a small, crudely drawn bear. This find sets Caroline on an adventure you don’t want to miss. With an interruption in her plans by her husband who arrives with minimal warning, Caroline sets out to solve the mystery of the bottle, and its ties to a tiny, hidden shop down a back alley that hasn’t seen the light of day since the late 1790’s.
I couldn’t stop reading this story. It has me up to the wee hours of the morning, and when my eyes refused to stay open no more, I fell asleep, only to dream of the story. That’s when you know you’ve hit upon a particularly great story. As soon as I could, I got back to the story and dove back into the lives of not only Caroline, but those of Nella and Eliza as well. This book is well written, there’s a storyline that you can’t stop reading, and characters that tug at your heart. This is definitely going to be a story I won’t soon forget.
**I received an ARC of this story and this is my honest and voluntary review

An interesting concept that fell a little short in its execution. It was interesting to see how the three perspectives (Nella, Eliza, and Caroline) fit together and, at times, even mirrored each other, but the pacing of the story felt off. Personally, I found that the exposition took too long, especially considering that there were three perspectives that needed to be established. While Nella and Eliza’s storylines supported each other from the beginning, Caroline’s felt like a separate novel until she began to learn more about the apothecary. Once the past and present began to come together, the story was more cohesive and intriguing; however, the ending felt rushed and somewhat predictable.

Thoughts:

The premise intrigued me very much so. It was a different type of read for me but I thoroughly enjoyed my time in London, my favorite book destination!

I loved the dual timelines. The transition between chapters moved swiftly. Historical fiction for me is always hit or miss but I loved the mystery fantasy aspect intertwined, that's what sealed the deal for me. The characters were amazing and each added something special to the story. If you're looking for a strong atmospheric read in these genres with women supporting women, look no further! This feminist historical fiction is for you.

Thank you @netgalley & @harlequinbooks for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

In the late 18th century, Nella is an apothecary who was once a respected healer but now uses her skills to help women permanently rid themselves of the men who treat them badly. When a precocious pre-teen comes asking for help, she starts a chain of events that can ruin many lives, including Nella's. In the present day, Caroline, who has recently discovered that her husband has been cheating on her, takes her planned 10th anniversary trip to London – alone. While mudlarking, something she took on just for something to do, she finds an old apothecary vial. She feels compelled to investigate the source of the vial and learn its history.

The cover of this book caught my eye right away, and the book's summary on Goodreads caught my attention almost immediately as well, although I was a bit hesitant when I learned that this is the author's first novel. Luckily, it did not read like a writer's first book – I was sucked into the story almost from the very first page. The historical background was obviously well-researched, and the details provided made me feel almost like I was walking the streets of London in the late 1700s.

The characters were well-developed as well, and I cared about what happened to most of them, although not as much about those in the present-day part of the story. That was almost as predictable as most of the romance books I've read, but I appreciated Caroline's tenacity and research skills. The historical storyline, however, kept me guessing right up till the end of the book, and I did come away with a desire to learn more about mudlarking. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I really really loved this book.

A blending of then and now, it tells a magical tale of a woman in today's world who finds a small token of history from the late 1700's.

I thought the author did a beautiful job of creating two different characters and blending them together. Although at times I felt there was irrelevant detail, it did not take away from the flow of the book and the unique storyline.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Murder, heartbreak, women supporting women

Book Review
The Lost Apothecary
Sarah Penner

The cover of this book is gorgeous and is what attracted me to it! Historical fiction is not a genre I normally read, but I really enjoyed The Lost Apothecary. It makes me want to read more historical fiction books!

This is more than a book about an apothecary helping women heal their aliments, or poison a deserving man in their life. This was about grieving women, trying to figure their way out of heartbreak. It was about recognizing females and not letting them fade into history never knowing their stories. It was about kinship, love, and motherhood, and the struggles they endured, being a woman.

I loved the past and present points of view in the book. It was written beautifully with depth, and so much emotion. The characters were amazing! I loved each one of them and was inspired by their stories.

There are many underlying themes in this book but the main is women supporting women. I loved the ending of the book. It made me smile and made my heart so happy! I truly wished the best for these women, and want to know what other journeys their lives took them on!

I would love to see a sequel!

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a fascinating book told in dual timelines about a vigilante apothecary who helps women enact revenge on the men who have wronged them and a historian who uncovers the story centuries later.

This is a mystical tale with a feminist twist, and it kept me guessing until the very end.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.