Isobel, a talented seamstress, married Edward Gamble, an apothecary. Edward, who became addicted to his own opium and put his practice into debt, caused both him and Isobel to have to flee Glasgow for the New World. Soon after arriving in Salem Edward sets sail as the doctor on a ship, leaving Isobel behind without any money and to fend for herself in this strange new place. Isobel now has to find a way to survive on her own.

Isobel meets Nathaniel Hathorne, a struggling writer, shortly after arriving in Salem. Nat and Isobel have this strong affinity for each other. Nat, troubled by his family's past; Isobel, troubled by her strange talents. Over the weeks of her husband being gone, with his return seeming less likely, Isobel and Nat grow closer. But who is the temptor and who is the tempted?

Hester is such a beautifully written novel. In the first few pages you are transported back in time to Scotland, then to Salem where you follow the truly enchanted, colorful life of Isobel. I don't think that I've read a book with such a mesmorising, powerful female protagonist as Isobel. It was an eye-opening, powerful experience to seeing things from Isobel's perspective. Nat and the supporting characters were written with just as much thought and care as Isobel. They added so much depth and background to this novel. Laurie Lico Albanese did a remarkable job mixing pieces of The Scarlett Letter, the Underground Railroad, witch trials, and her own story of Isobel and Nat to create this masterpiece. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this book and found myself completely enthralled and enchanted by every word on the page. I never wanted Isobel's sorry to end.

This is the best, most creative work of historical fiction that I have read in a while. The characters are vividly written and have depth. Isobel’s life story is fantastically told. She is a strong woman in a time when women weren’t supposed to be strong or independent. I found myself rooting for Isobel to succeed and ultimately, she did. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

What an enchanting, mesmerizing and eerie read this was that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story starts out in Scotland in the 1600s where women were accused of being witches and murdered for it. The story then goes to the early 1800s where Isobel Gowdie is a young girl who is being taught sewing and intricate needlework by her ailing mother. Isobel has a condition called Synesthesia where a person experiences one of their senses through another. When someone spoke, Isobel saw colors. Her mother warned her not to tell anyone about it for fear of being labeled a witch. Isobel's mother dies and she meets and marries Edward Gamble who is an Apothecary but later passes himself off as a doctor. Edward develops a dependency on opium and soon they are banished to the poor house. They set sail to America aboard the ship, The New Harmony, captained by William Darling. They land in Salem where people are not very welcoming to foreigners with an accent. Edward signs on as a doctor to sail on the ship to Bermuda with Captain Darling. He steals Isobel's money and she is forced to get a job sewing. When the ship returns, William is not on it. Isobel meets an odd, quirky man who wears a long cape and wants to be an author. His name is Nathaniel Hathorne and soon they fall for each other.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this fascinating book that keep me up way past my bedtime. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story about the history surrounding witches and Salem.

I can honestly say I was never curious about the inspiration behind a high school reading assignment - that is until I saw this book blurb and realized it would be intriguing to read a theory about how such a famous story came about. This is a generous work of fiction, but it was so enjoyable to read. If you are a huge Nathaniel Hawthorne fan, this doesn't paint him in a good light; that's the risk with historical fiction based around real people. At it's core, though, this is a story about the power of women supporting women, regardless of race, nationality, wealth, or family name. This is a love story but not about a couple coming together - it's about the love of strong friends and the quiet (and sometimes loud) understanding amongst women that we are often fighting the same battles and we don't have to fight them alone. We can help each other with our unique gifts and talents. We can help makes things better through each generation. We can unknowingly inspire greatness and make an impact we hadn't anticipated. I truly enjoyed reading this take on how a classic story came to be; Albanese is a talented writer with an impressive imagination for the true possibilities of stories.

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC**

- 4.5 Stars -
This book was a beautiful portrayal of a feminist story. It gave light to the creativity of women that has been ignored, shunned and used for man’s gain throughout history. It was a stunning book. There are so many layers to this book and it leads it to be one of the loveliest books written that I have ever read. I don’t know if I have the words to describe how deliriously wonderful this book really is.

This book is a historical fiction book that is written as the true life story of the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Hester Prynn from his famous book “The Scarlet Letter.” I knew to expect this but also didn’t know how well this would be done - I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of this combination of historical fiction books.

Watching Nathaniel and Isobel become more enraptured with one another and their respective talents - Nathaniel’s storytelling and Isobel’s needlework - was so interesting to be a part of and to witness unfolding on the page. It was also fascinating how both of them needed to wrestle with their families' pasts. Isobel’s familial talents that have passed through the generations in a place where being different will unravel everything she has built for herself. Nathaniels family's past of engaging in the witch trials of Salem. All roads lead to one another and leave you absolutely gasping for breath as you read through this beautiful book.

⚠️TW: addiction, drug abuse, infidelity, racism, slavery, domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts

Thank you, @netgalley & @stmartinspress for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

DNF at 20%

I normally love books that retell classic stories from a different angle, especially when they bring to light women's issues of the time. However, there is something about the detached style of this particular text that makes me feel distant from this character and from the text. So far, everything has been so plot-driven and what plot we have has been fairly uninteresting. Considering how busy I am and how many other books I have to read, I have made the decision to DNF this.

Inspired by the heroine of The Scarlet Letter, we follow Isobel Gamble as she flees from Scotland to Salem with a new husband. When he leaves her to go to sea, she becomes enamored by a young writer, Nat Hathorne.

I loved the combination of historical fiction and literature that this book was. It really is true historical fiction. The language and way it is written plops you immediately in that time period. It’s one of those reads that is a time travel. If you haven’t read the Scarlet Letter, you will still enjoy this book. It’s it’s own story but does tie in to the classic in small ways outside of the main plot. It’s really a character driven novel and you will fall for Isobel.

“… they are the women who help one another and come together in ways that can be seen and invisible ways that can’t be known. It’s not that we are witches or faeries or that we deny God. It is that we are more beautiful and strong together than apart.”

Hester comes out 10/4.

An enchanting retelling of the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, this book is set in the early 1800s and tells the tale of Isobel Gamble who travels to the New World in hopes of a new life. When her lush of a husband leaves her penniless and alone, she finds forbidden comfort in a friend.

Full of vivid imagery and a fluid writing style, I could not put this book down. I was completely entranced by Isobel, her needle work, and her story. As I was reading I could picture the scenery and the beautiful work Isobel was creating, and I just felt completely connected to her.

Even though I can’t remember much of The Scarlet Letter (read it forever ago as required reading for English class), I don’t think that took away from the story at all. I still know what the Salem Witch Trials were and the hysteria of that time, so I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. There was also some mention of the beginnings of the Underground Railroad, and I appreciated that aspect of history as well.

I really enjoyed this book, it was perfect on a cold rainy fall day. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Will be shared on my IG @manis.and.manuscripts during pub week!

HESTER is a beautiful and vivid piece of historical fiction, one that evocatively depicts 17th-century and 19th-century Salem in vivid detail. Laurie Lico Albanese deftly weaves two stories together: that of the Salem witch trials that destroyed a community and hundreds of lives in the 1690s, and that of Salem 200 years later, and how the traumatic past still shapes the present through the eyes of a recent arrival from Scotland, Isabel. Though shunned from Salem society, Isabel forms a bond with Nathaniel Hawthorne, another outcast from Puritan society. This is a beautiful book about art, and seeing, and love, and magic, and the indistinct boundaries that link rather than separate these big concepts. An absolutely lovely and imaginative rendering of the woman who may have inspired The Scarlet Letter.

This historical novel, inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s character, Hester Prynne from The Scarlett letter focuses on Isobel Gamble, a seamstress who sets sail from Edinburgh for America with her husband, hoping for a new life. But soon after they arrive, her husband abandons her to fend for herself. She meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne and have a connection. Hawthorne is forced to reconcile his ancestors’ dark past and Gamble, life a woman alone in America, both aware that the country is not out to protect and serve everyone equally. Told with the backdrop of the Underground Railroad, feminism and New England history all make for a look at the dangers of women as creative harbingers in the 19ht century. 288 pages. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

I received a digital ARC through St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

In high school, my favorite book assigned was The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, so I was excited when i came across this book. This is not exactly a retelling; Isobel meets Nat, and her story inspires him to write what is known as The Scarlet Letter. I have not read anything else like this before, and I found it intriguing.

At times, the writing style makes this a dense read. I understand though that the author did this to reflect the time period and setting. Once I became used to it, the story came to life for me, and was easy to read.

I read The Scarlet Letter in 11th grade and I hate Nathaniel Hawthorne. I think his self-pitying nature came through too much for me. This is the book I would’ve liked to read instead. The story of a powerful woman who surpasses adversary. The story of the importance of women’s friendships. I highly recommend this book.
I absolutely love Isobel’s experience with the colors and how she uses it as a strength. I love how she uses her talent to make her way in a difficult situation. I love how she keeps trying when all hope seems lost. I love the passion she feels. I was completely swept up in this book.

3.5 A fun spin off/retelling of Hester from Nathanial Hawthorne's book, The Scarlet Letter.

It's the early 1800's and we meet Isobel and her husband traveling from Scotland to Salem. Soon after arrival, Isobel is left alone to fend for herself. She does beautiful hand work, tries make her way in a new world, and makes a few friends. She becomes close to the not yet famous, Nathanial Hawthorne. We see a beautiful story of historical fiction of the time. There were moments where I felt like it wasn't staying true to it's time frame with some progressive and current day opinions.

The story would then flash to the 1600's with the telling of life during the witch trials. Hawthorne's great great grandfather was one of the powerful judges that oversaw the Salem witch trials. This tidbit of information is interesting and fascinating to know and see how the author put Hawthorne into this book as a character.

I listened to this and I was never really clear on the switch. It would narrate the date adjustment to Isobel in the 1800's, but not reference back to the 1600's very clearly. The narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a beautiful job with the accents and flow of the story.

As the story progressed it made me wonder about Nathanial Hawthorne. As Hawthorne addressed morality, religion, freedom and societal expectations and behaviors, so too did Albanese in her writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance e-book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press / Macmillan Audio for early access to the audiobook and eARC of Hest by Laure Lico Albanese in exchange for an honest review.

CW: racism, slavery, addiction, emotional abuse, physical abuse, violence, abortion, pregnancy, death of a parent, suicidal thoughts, abandonment, see growing list on StoryGraph

Isobel Gamble marries Edward, a man she does not love, and travels with him to America, leaving their home in Scotland and everything they know. Upon arrival in America, Edward promptly leaves on a departing ship as a medic, leaving Isobel to fend for herself in this foreign place. A talented seamstress, she acquires a job and begins crafting beautiful embroidered gloves under the supervision of the town's seamstress in secret. Isobel also happens to meet Nathanial Hawthorne. The two fall into a dangerous and seductive affair, embroiled in passion and creating their art together. Set against the backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials of the 1600s, Isobel, her talents, and her relationship with Nat put her at great risk of being accused and tried as the women before her.

This story was so vibrant! I have no idea how much of this story was inspired by true events, and if true, how much of this story influenced Hawthorne's writing of The Scarlett Letter, but it was a fascinating alternate history. I loved the author's inclusion of synesthesia and how this condition may or may not have been dangerous in the time of witches. I really enjoyed the ache and beauty that this book evoked. I hope people are drawn to pick this book up, because it is definitely worth the read!

Hester, the character from The Scarlet Letter, comes to life with the telling of her authors muse and the craft of colors. Such an amazing read. I loved the characters and how real this story felt.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This had potential to be really good. The story of the Scarlet Letter told from the position of what if Nathaniel Hawthorne had a mistress and that’s where the story came from.
The premise had me hooked from the outset. The problem I had with it is that there is so much excessive wording that it drags and drags and I felt like it was never going to end. The issue with it dragging is weird too because there’s a lot that it tries to cover. And there were also the flashback chapters which were necessary to provide the historical aspects needed to set up the next chapter but it felt choppy and just didn’t seem to flow the way historical fiction books typically do.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.

From a historical perspective, I found this to be fascinating. I appreciated the obvious research the author did to have written this. I enjoyed the fact that Nathaniel Hawthorne was a character and that the plot revealed his inspiration for writing the Scarlett Letter. The author seamlessly wove the chapters through various time periods in which everything was effortlessly connected.. Fans of Chris Bohjalian will enjoy this.

What if Hester Prynne (of The Scarlet Letter) was based on a real person?

Hester tells the story of Isobel, a red-haired Scottish woman who accompanies her husband to New England in the early 1800s. She has a gift for embroidery, and sees colors in other people’s words. In Salem, she strikes up a friendship with Nathaniel Hathorne. When her husband goes out to sea, Isobel embraces her independence and their friendship grows into something more.

But Nathaniel is not what she thought, and Isobel must use her strength and skills to build a life for herself and her child.

This is a story about perseverance and trusting in yourself. Isobel uses her mind, her heart, and her talent to make a life in a new world.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve always had an interest in Salem and its witchcraft past, so I’ll read anything even remotely related, fiction or not. I also loved The Scarlet Letter, so Hester was right up my alley.

But you don’t have to be obsessed with Salem or early American history to enjoy this story. If you like tales about strong women using their talents to succeed, you’ll like this!

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC. Hester comes out on October 4, 2022.

Check out Hester if you like epic stories about strong women and the wisdom they carry through generations.

Easily my favorite book of the year. Absolutely wonderful and heartbreaking! I can not rave enough about this book! Hester is an imaginative historical fiction that tells the story of the bewitching woman that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write The Scarlett Letter. A passionate and heartbreaking tale of a brave young woman trying to survive in a new world. It’s a very well researched and atmospheric period piece that made me feel like I was dropped into Salem, Massachusetts in the 1800s. The writing, absolutely stunning. I was hanging on every beautifully written sentence. Hester was unputdownable and I urge anyone who is intrigued by Historical Fiction with witchy vibes to pick this book up! I cannot wait until release day to get my physical copy so I can annotate! @lauriealbanese , congratulations on Hester! It has been stitched on my heart! 🖤🖤🖤

I loved this story. It was a mix of real life history and fiction. A lot happens in this book and it is hard to walk away from it. The love story that leads to the Scarlet Letter being written is amazing well done, it plays out like real life. I was able to visualize this playing out like a movie. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this ARC. Thank you Laurie Lico Albanese for an amazing read.