Thank you to NetGalley for the copy.
I give the book 4.5 stars (with taking back an half a star for a little bit not polished ending part).
It was a big pleasure to read this book. The Lost Apothecary was a captivating journey trough time , beautifully written, with addictive atmosphere. The book grasped me in reading just from the start. The author's way of leading the story was very subtle making a reader compassionate and fully understanding actions and feeling of the characters.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this amazing book!! I absolutely loved it! It was exactly the kind of historical fiction that I enjoy reading: focused on unknown individuals and their contributions to the time period in which they lived, rather than well known historical figures. The characters and the storyline gave me a clear understanding of the time period of the late 18th century, and I loved the focus on female characters and their interactions. I also loved the timeline switching between past and present, and the ways in which Caroline's story in the present intertwined with Nella's and Eliza's stories in the past. It was fun discovering more about the characters through both their own narrative voices and through the the eyes of others. This is a beautifully written, beautifully crafted book, and I highly recommend it, both to lovers of historical fiction and to anyone else who loves a delicious mystery filled with great character building.

Nella is an apothecary in 1791 in London who secretly helps women poison men. She refuses to take part in any harm to other women. Eliza is 12 years old when she comes to the apothecary shop and unknowingly finds herself involved in a plot to poison someone's mistress. Nella and Eliza must figure out how to extricate themselves from the plot and the chaos that ensues.

In present day, Caroline is looking forward to a trip to London to celebrate her 10 year anniversary when she finds out her husband has been cheating on her. She sets out for the anniversary trip alone instead. After arriving in London, she goes on a walking tour and finds a vial in the mud on the River Thames. Caroline puts her former research skills to work to find out the origins of the vial.

Each chapter is told from the POV of one of the 3 main characters, jumping back and forth between Nella and Eliza's shenanigans in 1791 and Caroline's soul searching and research in the present time. I got a lot of Kate Morton vibes with this book, which I love.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Penner's The Lost Apothecary is a love letter to everyday women's history. The alternate perspectives shift between 1791 with world-worn apothecary Nella and her accidental apprentice Eliza to contemporary London, where American traveler Caroline is spending her tenth wedding anniversary apart from her unfaithful husband. When Caroline finds a blue bottle engraved with a bear etching on the banks of the Thames, it leads her down a frenzied path as she hunts down a mysterious apothecary murderer in the archives and the streets of London. The truth reveals itself to readers along with Caroline, with Nella's and Eliza's chapters filling in the gaps of Caroline's research. The 1791 plot bubbles with the energy of a brewing potion, and Caroline's desperation to find fulfillment through these women's pasts is a profound and relevant way to explore the societal pressures for women in our own society.

[4/5: Great historical fiction that showed Penner's true appreciation for social history. My only issue with the novel was Caroline's approach to research (her reliance on Google made me desperate to help her improve her information literacy and historical research skills!!!). But she did ask a librarian for help, and she happened to be a great character! :-) This was a really engaging read, one that readers of historical fiction and even mysteries or fantasy will enjoy.]

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. Fast moving story involving mystery and revenge from three different POVs, two in the past and one in the presents. Highlights the history of London and also interesting information on herbs and their usage.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was a very entertaining book that did keep me guessing on what was next.

I really enjoyed the herbals and women's relationships.

Good read. I like a book that has two linked stories that are very easy to keep up with. I especially enjoyed the parts in the British Museum.

It was a lot of fun reading about the plants and their various uses, nefarious or otherwise. Jumping back and forth between present and historical doesn't always work for me but there was a nice balance in this story: you ended up wanting to learn more about each character who all had nice resolutions to their stories.

Three heroines and one riveting story about poisons, revenge, and courage. The Lost Apothecary is a  page-turner from debut author, Sarah Penner. 
Travel back in time to 1791 where the actions of Nella, an, apothecary who makes poisons for women who wish reparation against men that have wronged them and her helper ,twelve year old Eliza, are uncovered 200 years later by Caroline, a woman traveling to London after learning of her husband’s infidelity. As these three women's lives become intertwined, they find an inner strength and resilience.

I definitely recommend buying this  fast-paced, highly enjoyable book that will keep you guessing until the very last page. A special thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin  for sending me an e-ARC.

Lovely story which kept me reading late into the night. Unexpected twists and turns. I'm so glad I got to read this book!

Great mix of feminism, old london and new london. Interesting mystery, but well played in the end. I thought the younger female character was the brightest star in the book. And i loved the librarian!

A unique, well written, historical fiction told from 3 point of views. The timeline alternates between Nella and Eliza from 1791, and Caroline in present day London.

Nella is an apothecary who lives in secret, making poisons only intended for women to kill men who hurt them. Eliza only 12 years old helps Nella at her shop, and Caroline is a woman traveling to London alone after the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. With the help of an employee at the British Library, Caroline pieces together a 200 year old mystery. Though at different stages of their lives, these 3 women are intertwined, finding strength within their own circumstances.

This novel would be an excellent choice for book clubs. If you love history and research check this one out!
A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC.

The Lost Apothecary follows three strong women finding their power in their own circumstances. The idea of a female run apothecary that dispenses poisons only for women to kill the bad men in their lives is intriguing and well executed. Sarah Penner does a lovely job of making you care about Nella, Caroline, and Eliza deeply, even though two of the characters are morally grey. The multiples perspectives were different enough in time period, age, and personality that it was never difficult to remember which character was narrating (as too often happens with shifting POVs). The vibes of the book very much reminded me of Deborah Harkness's A Discovery of Witches series. Not in the sense of a supernatural/magic focus (much more minor here) but in the lush descriptions of the minutia of common lives and of course the London location. I read this one in less than a day, which is always a good sign.

A secret apothecary providing poisonous tinctures to women looking to seek revenge or to right a perceived wrong against men ties together the lives of three women across the centuries. Moving between the late 18th century and modern day, the Last Apothecary focuses on themes of love and loss, and the impact that can have on a person.

To prevent being discovered by the police, 18th century Apothecarist Nella must break her oath to create a tincture to harm a women. She finds herself unwillingly partnered with Eliza, a lady’s maid, in order to create the poisonous mixture. This tincture comes with devasting consequences for Nella and her apothecary, however. While staying one step ahead of the law (and the gallows), the pair must attempt to preserve the identities of all the women who have used Nella’s illicit services, their identities and crimes having been documented in her ledger down through the years. The outcome of this endeavour will change their lives forever.

In modern day London, Caroline stumbles upon an unusual, historical vial with direct links to Nella’s apothecary. In her attempts to learn more about the vial, she also unearths some truths about herself and her marriage. Her life too, is altered by the Apothecary and the secrets it holds.

This was an enjoyable and engrossing female-centred tale that seamlessly intertwined the stories of Nella/ Eliza and Caroline. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Curate Whimsy and Wonder
this Fall with titles from Harlequin" was the publisher's quote that caught my attention...

I started reading and I was upset with every disruption- just let me finish this book!!
I was at the Apothecary Shop that dispenses honorary healing potions to women only
(and can help with with some poisonous ones also!)

Help for women by women
Wishes -- Secrets -- Suspense -- all wrapped up in a bottle

1 small piece - "...tops of my arms prickled with goose bumps, and I jumped at the sudden tickle of a loose
hair on my neck. Every muscle in my body tensed, ready to run or scream -- or look closer. ..."
Writing had me spellbound!!
You want to read this book!

Lovely, dark, intertwined lives, murky waters, and strong women finding their voice. I truly enjoyed this story of a present day woman facing the fact of her lost marriage, and two 18th-century women giving"strength" to those women of their time. Both centuries collide beautifully. I will read this author again!

This book was SO GOOD! I just loved it. In 1791, Nella is a healer with an apothecary, and after a vicious betrayal by a man she loved, she starts creating poison tinctures for women in similar predicaments. On the surface, her workshop seems sparse and plain, but she has a hidden room where she does her work. She has a few rules, the main one being that her potions never be used to harm other women, only men. She has quietly been helping women take care of their problems when a young girl name Eliza arrives at her apothecary one day. While there on behalf of her employer, who is a wealthy woman, Eliza becomes fascinated by Nella's work and wants to learn how to do it.

In the present day, Caroline has been betrayed by her husband of 10 years and has gone to London to clear her mind. A series of events leads her to discover the apothecary and the hidden notebook that lies within. Betrayal and loss are huge theme in this novel, and we experience both through the two women and the two timelines. This book is also about women being empowered and the choices they make. It had me captivated.

This is an incredible debut, and if you like female driven historical novels like those of Philippa Gregory, you will enjoy this one.

I truly enjoyed the themes that coursed through this novel, fierce females, unlikely friendships, and revenge.

This brilliantly written novel will capture your love for history and your womanly desire for revenge.
Carefully crafted dueling storylines introduce you to Nella, an Apothecary in 1791, London, and Caroline a women who has travelled to the city in the present day, days after revealing her husband’s infidelity.

The narration is told beautifully through Nella, Caroline and once a impracticable friendship develops between Nella and 12 year old girl name Eliza, Eliza jumps in with a truly innocent perception of the world around her, and adds a unexpected sweetest to the novel.
The Lost Apothecary is a fully engrossing novel that could easily be devoured in a day.

Dark revenge. Interesting people, a lot of dept in the small characters. Slow paced with diverse story lines that come together.

An intriguing well written story. In the late 1700’s , Nella runs a secret apothecary shop where women leave letters asking her for poison to kill a man in their lives. Recording their names and the tinctures she creates in her register, Nella is still one step removed from her customers until the evening 12 year old Eliza comes to make a request for her mistress. The two become odd friends as their lives entangle.
In present day, Caroline and her husband are ready for their 10 year anniversary trip to England, when she discovers he’s been cheating on her. She travels to England alone, and on her first day there is talked into mudlarking, which is standing at the rivers edge looking for items left from long ago. She serendipitously finds a blue potions bottle with a bear marked on the side, which sets her off on a journey of discovery.

Strong well developed likable characters, a great storyline, filled with fascinating recipes and tales of poison, this is a great read.