This book is quite compelling. I love the blending of a bit of history and a bit of mystery. Arguably, the start of the book was a bit slower than I would have liked. But by the halfway mark I was hooked. I appreciate reading about things like apothecaries and mud larking, which are not often found in contemporary fiction and the author's notes do indicate the research that went into the subjects.

For Libraries: I have no doubt this book will fly off your shelves. Do yourself a favor and get this preordered.

*I received an advance e-copy of this title in exchange for my honest review*

I sat down with this book and could not put it down until I'd finished it. Sarah Penner mixes history, realistic fiction, and dual narratives into a gorgeous tale about women enduring heartbreak through lifting up other women. It was so much fun to see a library staff member featured prominently who fit the idea of librarians I carry as a librarian myself- curious and excited people who genuinely get invested into the little mysteries our patrons bring to the desk.

I loved the idea that this book felt as though it might be the product of the ending...if that doesn't give away too much! I just truly loved the heck out of this book!

I'll be honest: I was drawn to this book because the cover looked so lovely. And the book was just as good! Fascinating story about an apothecary that gave women an out when there was no other one available. A little dark but also enjoyable to read,

This was an enjoyable book, though I had a couple of issues with it. Mostly I didn't understand why Caroline felt bad about not sharing every detail of her life and research with Gaynor. They'd only known each other a few days.
I did like the alternating points of view, and I wish we'd gotten to hear from Eliza one last time in her own words. I will definitely recommend to fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.

I really loved the concept of this book; an apothecary helping women escape from bad situations that they otherwise would have no way out of. It really reminded me of the story of Giulia Tofana.

While I did enjoy this book, I loved the dynamic between Nella and Eliza and I just overall really loved Eliza as a character the book didn't turn out exactly like I hoped it would.

I wasn't huge on the overall message with all of the women not feeling "complete" without a baby.
I wasn't a huge fan of the story in present day. The whole mystery about what happened back in the 1700s was a lot less mysterious when we were reading about it all happening on our own and I found I didn't really enjoy Caroline's parts as much until her husband arrived in London.

Overall I did still enjoy this book and will still recommend it to others, I was just hoping for something a little darker and a little more mysterious

For the most part this was a pleasant read and I give it 3 solid stars for that. I would say it is worth reading. However the book suffered from a lack of depth and complexity. It was a story told on the surface. I was quite invested in the beginning. I liked the concept of the story and enjoyed trying to figure out how the different story lines were going to connect. Then around the middle I thought it all started to lose steam. The author had the whole skeleton constructed to create a very rich plot but then she never built on it. So many aspects of the story were underdeveloped or just dropped. I would have preferred way more plot detail and way more character development. I would have liked to see the author take her idea and develop it into a big chunky tale full of intrigue and detail and character development. It would have worked beautifully with this story line.

I really liked this book. The premise was really interesting and while I normally don’t like the back and forth of having each chapter be either Caroline’s point of view in the present or Nella/Eliza in the past it really helped the story and correlated to what Caroline was finding in the present. I really like the parallels with Caroline’s cheating husband which was just the thing that would bring someone to Nella’s shop to procure something to get rid of him and with what accidently happens. Poor Nella and her thirst for vengeance that started her journey into being a poisoner and her loneliness that led her into the arms of the wrong man and how every poison she sold just kept making her feel worse like it was rotting her from the inside. It was the perfect mix of the two things I love historical fiction and English history. All in all, a really fast and great read.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Caroline is in London on her wedding anniversary trip; unfortunately, she is alone. Stumbling upon a mudlarking group, she makes her first venture into the Thames, discovering a blue vial stamped with a bear and partial address.. With this in hand, she makes a quick trip to the British Museum where she meets Gaynor, an enthusiastic partner in research. With her past love of history she pursues the address and comes across a sealed room in an alley behind modern construction. Illegally entering, she finds the remnants of a register of poisonous activity. She is positive she has found the shop of the apothecary who had dispensed this bottle. Delighted, she has found a project to take her mind off her husband’s other woman and her disappointing career. When he suddenly arrives at her hotel and within days is close to dying from poison, Caroline is interrogated by the police who find her notes from the ancient ledger. Through a dual storyline Sarah Penner shares the shop’s history along with Nella, the apothecary, who assists women in ridding themselves of unworthy men and Eliza, the young woman who assumes the role of apprentice. So many questions arise. Will her marriage survive? Why did Nella kill? Who really jumped from the bridge into the Thames?

This is a very good debut for Sarah Penner. It switches back and forth to the late 18th century and the present. There are 3 main characters. Nella and Eliza Fanning (12 year old) and Caroline from the present. Caroline is from Ohio and comes to London because of her 10th anniversary. Sadly, her husband has betrayed her so she uses the trip to get some time for herself. She finds a vial while mudlarking in the Thames and traces it back to an 18th century apothecary who makes poisons to help women get revenge on their men. It is a dark and clever atmospheric tale with a good plot and interesting characters. The author did great research and I look forward to her next book. I recommend this book to those who love historical mystery mixed with women's fiction. Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Books for a free copy for an honest review.

A decent time-slip story that will be relatable to many readers but which didn't especially appeal to me due to its somewhat plodding prose.

This book took a few chapters to become truly interesting to me, but once it did I was hooked! I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys reading Then and Now type historical fiction, especially those keen on women's history and their lack of representation throughout history. Stick around until the end to find a surprise ending as well as a recipe or two!

For: Historical Fiction lovers, books clubs, feminists, lovers of women’s fiction, those who need a little dose of magick, and amateur sleuths.

This delightful book is a mystery at heart, it’s heroines’s lives fraught with disaster—swirling ever closer—with each turn of the page. It’s every bit as fun on the inside as the out.

THE LOST APOTHECARY is a dual timeline, as Caroline Parcewell latches onto the mystery of an unsolved vial with the tenacity of a woman who’s life is quite wrecked. Her story as mixed with poisoner Nella and youngster Eliza weaves a tale that’s at once compelling and immediate. And just downright fun! Strange how women’s married lives, in some aspects, haven’t much changed through the years.

So here we have a woman at the beginning of life, a woman at the end, and a woman “in the middle.” Caroline’s voice is compelling as we look at her with the eyes of a friend, saying—honey, take charge of your life! Nella’s voice is wise and sad, yet so very strong, as we take notes from her and her life choices. Eliza’s is both hopeful and heartbreaking, as we cheer her on with the hope that, despite her circumstances, she can rise above. And then there are the men, who, if they could lecture us, would be glad that poison is now completely detectable. We are glad they can’t lecture us.

I like books that take their time to build and then become a compulsory read. While APOTHECARY jumps right in, the twists lying in wait are great surprises, worth the read. Most will find this hard to put down both going in and coming out.

Also HUGE bonus for the recipes at the end. I wonder how many book clubbers will be bringing their own wine and food to eat from on their night of discussion?


Thank you to the publisher for providing me an arc.

If you like a story that causes you to lose track of time and feel fully immersed in the lIves of the characters this is one for you. In the late 1700s many women decided to take matters into their own hands when it came to the untrustworthy men in their lives. The local apothecary could help with such matters. Little was known about the lives of the apothecary or the women she helped, but in a dual timeline, 200 years later, a woman on a solo trip to London finds a vial along the Thames and decides to do some research.
Fantastic story! Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC!

Great book! Engaging from the beginning to the end. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommended!

The Lost Apothecary kept me guessing until the very end! I loved the characters of Nella and Caroline, and the historical aspect of the story was fascinating and obviously well-researched.

An intriguing premise for a historical novel, unfortunately afflicted with the dual timeline trend.

The section set in the late 18th century apothecary shop, where Nella uses her knowledge of poisons to help ordinary women trapped in desperate circumstances by men, had great promise, and I would have liked to read more. I was especially interested in Eliza, a cool customer who calmly gets rid of her master at age 12 and continues to take matters into her own hands as needed.

As is often the case with this format, the modern section is the less interesting one. Finding the apothecary vial while mudlarking was a neat introduction, but Caroline's marital problems and her haphazard research efforts aren't enough to sustain another storyline. A prologue/epilogue would have sufficed, and more time could have been spent on the main story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting novel about an apothecary that dealt with only female clients and supplied poison to them as needed to rid themselves of abusive men. Great storyline.

I en joyed this novel a lot. It was gripping, exciting, I loved the idea of women taking back their power. The world building was engrossing and the seamless ability to switch between past and present was excellent.

This story goes back and forth from present day London to London 1791. Interesting story of the life of a woman who has an apothecary store with a different type of function. The characters are well developed. There are a couple of twists and turns I didn't see coming. Easy to read and kept my attention.

Wow! What a delicious read! I loved Nella & Eliza and all their apothecary secrets, and I rooted for modern-day Caroline the whole way, never wanted to shake her for a moment!

Great read, NetGalley. Watch for this book, coming in March.