Blackberry and Wild Rose

Secrets, lies, deceit, bribery, and silk.

Historical fiction set in Spitalfields, London in the late 1760’s. The story is centered around the lives of two women. Sara Kemp who finds herself working in a brothel for a cruel manipulative madam and Esther Thorel, a pious Huguenot wife of a master silk weaver.

The Thorel household isn’t as perfect as it seems on the outside. Especially when you start pulling back the layers and really looking at who is in the house and the secrets they keep from each other. Things escalate when the journeyman silk weavers demands for higher pay are not met. It all devolves from there.

I enjoyed this book. I liked learning about silk weaving, the loom, the design process, and how it all comes together. Especially when you add a lot of drama on top of it. I got just enough information I felt like I had a basic understanding of the silk process. It also intrigued me enough to learn more about silk weaving and the real life woman Esther was loosely based on.

I was slightly confused about the passage of time. At one point the infant is a new born and the next she is grabbing things and it’s mentioned she can soon be weaned. It’s a very small thing overall and didn’t detract me from the story.

The flow of the story from beginning to end was great. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. I ended up caring for Esther and Sara. Especially to see what the outcome would be.

I know many people who enjoy historical fiction and this is a book I’d definitely recommend to them.

What a powerful and well-written masterpiece. The author cleverly weaves together disparate pieces into a gem of a book. I highly recommend!

It's difficult to believe this is a debut novel. The writing is so assured, the characters so convincing, the time period so wonderfully evoked. The plot doesn't go where you would expect it to, even through to the end. And a few scenes, despite (or maybe because of) the lack of much in the way of what we'd consider sex, are among the most sensual I've read. The use of dual first-person narrators did I great job of showing how one person's perceptions are often not the other person's reality, though I do wish the voices had not sounded so much alike, especially given the disparate backgrounds of the narrators. But that did not hinder my enjoyment nor should it stop you from reading it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Quercus, for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

18th century London, abandonment, a loveless marriage, a naive barren wife, a cheating husband, a dashing rogue, an honest man, masters and servants, a fallen woman, an evil madame, an unwed pregnany. I do believe we've covered all the bases in this romantic, quasi historical novel.

I loved learning about weaving silk and designing the patterns.

I enjoyed my time spent with these characters, the book is nicely written. A perfect choice for when you need a break from your heavier reading.

I received Advanced Readers Copy from Blackstone Publishing an NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written, it amazed me that this is a debut novel. Incredibly intimate and lush without being erotica, you see the complicated relationship between the two women unfold. I love the effortlessly intertwined viewpoints - sometimes it was difficult to tell where one woman's view ended and the other's picked up. Excellent book.

*I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

I was looking forward to this book quite a bit but once I started to read it I found it a little predictable. Basically The Miniaturist meets Tulip Fever but in England rather than The Netherlands. It was well written though, and I appreciated the author's attention to detail. I'd recommend it to patrons looking for historical fiction and it would make a decent book club read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars - I rounded up to 4 stars with the hope that some minor things are edited prior to publish date.

Though this is a very well researched historical fiction novel set in the mid- to late-1700s, there are some striking parallels to the very modern sex trafficking we hear of today. Sara arrives in London a naive young lady from a rural area and is swiftly duped by a woman who pretends to assist her. She is now a whore with no real way to escape as there are basically no options for unwed, "tarnished" women. In comes spiritual savior Esther who seeks to rescue her from a life of sin. But is she really trying to selflessly help in the name of Christ? Or does she have her own motives for bringing Sara into her home where marital strife is already present?

The writing is lush and so descriptive that I imagined the smell of the loom. At times I truly felt the anguish of both main characters - Sara and Esther - both trapped in their respective situations, aching for some kind of way out. Then they would get so petty towards one another that I wondered how they believed it could advance their positions. Outside of their squabbles, there is a pretty good mystery coupled with plenty of male pettiness as well. This author does not discriminate based on gender in this area.

This is a really solid debut novel by this author. I look forward to future offerings from her.

4.5 stars rounded down. Trigger warning: rape

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blackberry and Wild Rose reminded me of some of the better stuff Tracy Chevalier would write; it's a bit like The Lady and the Unicorn with a dash of Hulu's original series Harlots.

At its heart, Black Berry and Wild Rose is about Sara Kemp, a woman who has been trafficked into prostitution; and Esther Thorel, the upstanding wife of a master silk weaver. Their narratives begin as individual threads but as their lives intersect, they are soon woven together into a tapestry of love, loss, independence, and redemption.

The novel switches first person viewpoints between Sara and Esther, allowing the reader to observe the misunderstandings between them which alternately cause friction and cohesion. Each woman feels unique and developed, and the secondary characters are relatively rounded out as well.

The story is interesting if predictable, and I assume all the formatting errors will be corrected before final printing. It's a quick read, and one I would not hesitate to recommend to lovers of historical fiction and drama.

I love this book. The setting is 18th century London. I enjoyed learning all about silk weaving, the process of silk making, and the equipment used. The story involves the lives of two women; Esther who is the wife of a influential silk weaver and Sara who is working in a bordello for an evil madam. The story includes a barren wife, a marriage without love, a husband who cheats, a wayward woman, a pregnancy out of wedlock, and much more. I liked the intertwined viewpoints. I loved the characters. This is an excellent book. My thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blackberry and Wild Rose tells the stories of two young women in eighteenth-century London. Sara has just arrived in the city, where she is manipulated into becoming a prostitute at a tavern. She is rescued by Esther Thorel, the wife of a master silk weaver who wants to design silk herself. But the Thorel household is not as perfect as it seems.

I thought that Blackberry and Wild Rose was a very interesting, well-researched book. I enjoyed learning about how silk is made, and about the revolts of the silk journeymen in London. The plot was unpredictable, and the characters were well-developed, though the two main characters seemed very similar at times. This is a book that I think a lot of historical fiction readers would love. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

The world of the silk weavers in London’s famous East End is the setting for Blackberry and Wild Rose. Esther Thorel’s and Sara Kemp’s lives collide when Esther rescues Sara from life in a brothel to work as her lady’s maid. Esther is married to master silk weaver, Elias, a stern Huguenot. The story goes back and forth between Sara and Esther, and also tells about silk weaving and of the unrest between the master weavers and the journeymen at that time in the silk industry.

This was a pleasant read, and the plot worked very well. I always like it when I’m enjoying a book and learning something as well. The building of a tapestry along with the story leaves you with a satisfying reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read Blackberry and Wild Rose in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for sharing Black Berry and Wild Rose with me in exchange for an honest review.. I sometimes worry that my knowledge of history is, in fact based on historical fiction, and that I should be at least a bit cautious in assuming the accuracy of events that I read about. That said, this book allowed me to learn all kinds of facts about the silk trade in 18th century London! Ms Velton has written an interesting and engaging story that I enjoyed from the first page to the last. Yes, it was a bit predictable; yes, the voices of the characters could have been a bit more distinct; and no, I do not think it was the greatest piece of writing I have ever read. But for me, I read first and foremost for enjoyment and it is from this perspective that I have the highest praise for Black Berry and Wild Rose. If I learned that Ms Velton had written another book, I would certainly be eager to read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Esther Thorel is the wife of a silk weaver who has dreams of converting her artwork into silks of her own. When her husband refuses to accept her patterns in the male dominated profession, she requests the help of his journeyman in secret.
Sara Kemp is a young woman tricked into the life of a prostitute by a spiteful madam. After a chance meeting, Esther decides it's her Christian duty to save Sara by offering her a position as her lady's maid. In the end, when a crime is committed, Sara must choose between telling a lie to save herself or the truth that will end life as she knows it.
I really enjoyed learning about silk weaving and I was rooting for Esther to finish her beautiful silk and be accepted by the silk weavers. This book was well researched and beautifully written and I was surprised that it was her debut novel. I look forward to reading more historical fiction by this author.

BLACKBERRY AND WILD ROSE is another historical fiction/romance—yet, more. Told alternatively between Sara Kemp, a girl naively tricked into a brothel, and Mrs. Esther Thorel, the respectable wife of the famed Huguenot silk merchant, Elias Thorel. When Esther rescues Sara from the brothel and employs her as her personal maid, their relationship quickly unravels, and resentments build. Alongside Esther's ambitions to weave silk and her gathering romance with visiting weaver Bisby Lambert, and Sara's own uneasy relationships with those around her, what ensues is a mess of conflicting ambitions, betrayals, and scandalous indiscretions blown out of proportion by society.

The writing was rich and sumptuous, entirely fitting to the elegance and embroidered beauty of silk. The characters—especially Sara and Esther—were well-written: headstrong, flawed, sympathetic. I did not necessarily like them, but they were layered and believably written, each with compelling goals and subplots that really interconnected well with one another. And the classic societal conflicts—the just world of silk merchants and trade unions—were, well, necessary enough, and entertaining enough for me to skim over.

You can judge certain books by their covers. This one speaks for itself. I actually quite enjoyed it after the second half, once drama really began snowballing. A definite yes for historical fiction fans—I'm just not the best reference in this case.

Blackberry and Wild Rose is a story of two women woven into the history of Huguenot silk weavers in eighteenth century Spitalfields/London. The story is centered around the lives of two women. Sara Kemp who finds herself working in a brothel for a cruel manipulative madam and Esther Thorel, a pious Huguenot wife of a master silk weaver. Drama, romance.and the beauty that comes from hand loomed silk, all woven into this novel. My thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Esther Thorel is married to Elias, a silk weaver. They are well off and respected. It is a very religious household. Esther is interested in the designs for the silk cloth, but is told it is man's work and she should find something else to do.; Elias has hired , Bisby Lambert, a weaver who wants to become a Master Weaver, but he must prove he is worthy of the title. While passing out bibles on the street, Esther sees Sara, a young woman being beaten by the owner of a brothel where she works. She tells Sara that she could leave that life and get employment elsewhere. Sara shows up on her doorstep and is hired into the household. Sara has a tendency to forget her place to those she owes the most . When she becomes pregnant, she is cast out into the street. Bisby is teaching Esther how to draw a pattern that can be weaved from one of her watercolors. There is a rebellion starting within the weavers groups. When it comes to the door of the Thorel's, secrets and lies come out. People are not always who they seem. Sometimes the innocent is punished instead of the guilty. I loved this book. Great research and insight on the silk industry.at this time in history. I received this book from Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing for a honest review. The opinions are my own.

The story is set in the second part of the 18th century in Spitalfields, London.

Sara Kemp, as a young girl from the country, arrives in London with an image of “wide, clean streets lined with tall houses, their windows framing elegant parlours.” Instead she lands in some filthy streets straight into the clutches of Mrs. Swann, a brothel keeper.

Esther Thorel has been married to Elias Thorel for four years; a fine master silk weaver. A trade he has learned from his father. And his father’s father “had learned the craft on the famous looms of Lyon (France), but when Huguenots could no longer live in peace in their homeland, his grandfather had escaped bringing nothing with him save this exquisite silk.”

Elias lets a journeyman weaver, Bisby Lamber, use a free loom standing at his attic in exchange for Bisby being able to obtain master status and Elias selling his work.

Esther is a painter herself and once imagined that their union of their talents would be fruitful. But as soon as she shows her husband flowers she painted in a repeating pattern, hoping he could use it as a design for his weaving, that’s when she realizes how wrong she was. As a result she retreats into charity work.

One day, as she is delivering the Bibles to the church, rain catches her. She hides in a tiny alleyway under an overhung house, a style built before the Great Fire. She sees this as a sign from God. And that’s when she meets Sara, who crosses the alleyway.

Esther hires Sara as a maidservant.

Esther sees new hope with the new weaver. She approaches him without her husband’s knowledge. As much as her husband was discouraging, Bisby is very encouraging. He explains to Esther that she needs to transcribe her design onto point paper in order for a weaver to be able to read her design. And at her persistence, he teaches her how to weave.

As any other trade, the weavers’ trade is controlled by masters. The weavers make very little money, never enough to pay fees to become a master, and not to mention to purchase own looms and materials to start a business. This leads to many revolts and a process where two men are involved. One lives, one hangs.

The voices of these two women alternate, weaving a vivid story, which is engaging from the very first page to the very last one. The language is sharp, revealing characters of two strong women.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in 18th century London, the story is carried between Esther, the wife of a master silk weaver and Sara, a servant in the household. I was not familiar with Huegenot silk weavers, so the story appealed to me. The author's detail in this story is exquisite and makes the story come alive. I enjoy historical fiction and reading about this time period, and this author did not disappoint. It was well researched and beautifully written. I was surprised that this was a debut novel.

Very well done historical fiction. The author did a great job setting the reader in the time period with details of daily life, food and fashion. The time period of 18th century England was interesting as were the facts surrounding the silk industry and trade. The author also does a great job of entrenching the reading into what life was like for women during that time period and interestingly shows three very different classes of women who all really have the same freedoms and choices - which are basically none. For me it was a bit of a slow burn the first half, but definitely picked up after that with great suspense leading to satisfying conclusions.

This book didn't even make it to my currently-reading shelf because I couldn't put it down! I basically read it right through with one sleep in the middle. I really wanted to give this five stars and 4.5 on the blog, but... the scene that starts the events of the story in motion was almost unbelievable; one of the main characters is sent to a city with the name of a family member and address to go to, and she loses the paper it is written on and cannot remember any of it. Not even the woman's name, or the street? Hmm... Then the ending was tied up in a bow, maybe not a neat little bow, but enough to make me wince that it took away from the "real feel" the story had. However, everything in between was delicious. I know some of you don't mind catalyst coincidences and poetic endings, so this book would suit you to a tee. I also loved that the love relationship elements were romance-lite.

The author did terrific research, especially with the method of weaving silk at that time. There are two POVs: one from a poor woman and one from a rich woman, which was wonderful because you get to see the particular motivations and thought processes associated with those social classes, and even better how each social class has it's own levels of class within itself. It also shows that honesty, charity, and empathy are not exclusive to higher social (economic) status and/or religious piety.

This is a strongly Feminist book. The women in the story looked past the patriarchal norms set for their lives and bravely pursued them. It also showed how there is usually a two tiered Feminist agenda in effect; similar to current times where the white suburban, pumpkin spice, activists seem to be concentrating their energies on the rights of their own socio-economic group and not spreading the love, as it were. This division in the movement is shown as the detriment it is, and how a united front needs to be built. The book was also filled to the brim with beautiful symbolism like the Blackberry and Wild Rose title. Both women thorny, one slow to ripen in her life, the other quick to bloom, and perceived less than the garden rose, but lovely in its own way and able to grow in hard stony soil.

BlackBerry and Wild Rose is a story of rich and poor, hope and despair. The setting is the latter half of the 18th century in East End London. Sara works at a brothel. One day she is luckily taken in by Esther to be a ladies maid. Esther is the wealthy wife of a silk trader. The story is told from two points of view, Sara and Esther. This is a good way to show the differences between social classes. I learned about silk weaving which I knew nothing about prior. The story shows the lives of silk weavers. It's also a story of these workers clashing with their masters in the upper class. The characters are richly drawn and engaging. The story moves at a good pace and is well written and researched. It's a story about many things such as social classes, working conditions and secrets where things are not always what they seem to be. I found it educational and informative as well. Any fan of historical fiction will enjoy this one. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This Wass a fabulous book of many genres. History, romance, educational and many more. The characters were described so well you felt you knew them. I took my time reading it as I wanted to savor every part of the book. I highly recommend it. Book Clubs would enjoy it! I plan to purchase it for a gift for a friend when it comes out.

Really enjoyed this title. Excellent prose, well crafted characters, page-turning plot. This was a new author to me, but I will be sure to follow this author from now on.

This historical novel caught my eye & drew me in from the sumptuous colors of the cover to the description of the time & place in the storyline. Being a genealogist by hobby, I had discovered that some of my ancestors were weavers, living & working in the same area near Spitalfields. The vivid narrative brought this era to life, allowing me to imagine what their lives might've been like. I especially appreciated the creative urges of the main character breaking through the barriers of the male dominated field of weaving.
I look forward to more from this author!

Blackberry and Wild Rose is a fascinating look at the silk weavers of Spitalfields in the 18th century. All of the inhabitants of the area are here, from prostitutes and madames to silk masters and their families. Velton reminds us that the distance between the classes, while perceived as an enormous gulf, was very narrow at best, and frequently non-existent. She reminds us of the physical humanity of each of her characters, and draws us into their world.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel is about two involved in the silk industry. The writing is very strong. It is atmospheric and is very fast-paced. However, I could not get into the characters. Overall, I recommend this for fans of Enchantee!

What an interesting concept for a book. The story follows the lives of Esther, the wife of a Huguenot silkweaver, and Sara, a young woman who comes to London looking for work. Sara falls upon hard times but is ultimately helped back up by Esther who offers her a job in her home and this is where the story begins to really unfold. The rich illustration of the time period in the 1700s was wonderfully woven by Velton. The story was at times thrilling and at times worrisome. Sara’s life was not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but the sisterhood that was built between the two women was very heartening to see.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the works of Philippa Gregory.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Who has not loved the texture and beauty of silk? Whether you wear it, sleep on it, or have it incorporated into your furniture, silk is a part of your life. In the book Blackberry and Wild Roses, we learn of silks making in the eighteenth century and also of the beginnings of labor unions. I must also say that this exquisite cover so mimics the gorgeous patterns that silk has often incorporated.

Esther Thorel is a wife of a prosperous silk maker. She is drawn to a young girl, Sara Kemp, a woman of ill repute. Esther is a good Christian so it becomes her desire to save this girl. She takes Sara into her home, a place where unhappiness resides along with the looms for silk making. The women form a tenuous relationship not really seeing each other for what they are and what secrets they harbor.

Esther is also a painter. She so want her husband to incorporate her paining designs into his silk making. However, that is not to be, as her husband, as we come to learn, is a despicable character. Sara is able to eventually convince one of the weavers, a man who hopes one day to become a master silk maker, to weave her design while her husband remains unknowing in this plan Repercussions occur which Esther had never thought of.

Sara, herself sees and knows thing about the Thorel household. Coming to London, seemingly abandoned by her mother, Sara is ensnared by an unscrupulous woman who has Sara become a prostitute. Life is an ever ending series of men and when one man tries to almost kill her during rough sex, she is determined to get away. She now sees Esther as her only hope.</p>
Will these two woman have a future? Will the men in their lives allow them to have their own lives or will Esther and Sara continue to be under the yolk of men who only have their own interests in mind and heart?

Set against a time when women were definitely considered objects, this story brings us the workings of not only silk making but also a look at the way in which men so dominated all things. It was a sad tale, and the character of Esther is loosely based on Anna Maria Garthwaite, a famous silk maker of the mid eighteenth century. Interestingly the title takes its name from one of her designs.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

When Esther Thorel, wife of a master silk weaver, rescues Sara Kemp from a brothel, she thinks she is doing God’s will. Sara quickly realizes that the Thorel household is built on hypocrisy and lies and the two women’s relationship becomes increasingly fractious.

Good story telling. An interesting look back into England's 18th century life and politics. The characters were well developed and the story is plausible.

4☆

Spitafields in London is the heart of the silk-weaving trade. It is a highly prized and guarded skill yielding large fortunes to the weavers, brokers and traders. The silk weaving trade is open only to the masters, who on occasion will take up an apprentice or allow another to create a design on his behalf.

Esther Thorel is the wife of one of these master silk weavers. The marriage is comfortable if judged by what is owned. But Esther has unattainable dreams that frustrate her. She sees patterns that are more beautiful and intricate than those produced by her husband. But Thorel will not allow a woman, much less his wife, to suggest a pattern. Nor will he allow her to learn to use the loom in the garret.

Sarah Kemp is a young, country girl who comes to the Spitafields area. Wide-eyed and innocent, she is quickly hustled off by a madam into a bawdy house. There she must earn her keep or be tossed out into the street or debtor’s prison.

The story becomes more interesting when Esther, the do-good woman, decides to take Sarah into her home. The aim is to make her into a more respectable maid/servant that affords her a second chance. But no good deed goes unpunished. Sarah has different thoughts. And Esther still aspires to weave her masterpiece of Blackberry and Roses with the help of her husband’s journeyman assistant, now working in their garret.

The author brings forth many issues to discuss: the silk-weaving trade, class distinctions, gender inequalities, the role of women, religion vs. righteousness, marriage, labor unions and the judicial system. All these points are woven into the fine narrative just waiting for book groups to ponder and discuss. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book takes the reader back to the mid 1700s in London where we meet two women who become involved in the silk weaving trade. The author has done a lot of research about the life the Huguenots led during this time period in England. The two main characters are women who form an unlikely friendship and help each other navigate the challenges of the time period. This is well-written and I always enjoy a historical fiction book where I learn something.

Blackberry and Wild Rose is set against the backdrop of Huguenot silk weavers in 18th century Spitalfields, London. The narrative moves between two primary characters: a prostitute turned ladies’ maid (Sara) and the master weaver’s wife, her employer (Esther). Velton does a skillful job of painting the historical scene, she draws the reader in with descriptions of the impoverished conditions of Georgian London and touches on life within the Huguenot community. The book’s the stirring plot flows all the way to the very end. Touching on subjects such as loyalty, injustice, survival, and social convention, the handful of characters are complicated enough to ingratiate themselves in spite of their various weaknesses. Blackberry and Wild Rose is an extremely engaging novel and an enjoyable read which I would certainly recommend to others. Since this is the first novel for Velton, I am very much looking forward to her future work.

Blackberry and Wild Rose is set for the most part in Spitalfields, London in 1768, and into the 1770s. We have several interesting and entertaining women, a couple of nice fellows and several less than stellar characters of both sexes. Sonia Velton tells a fine tale. The detail of weaving and the growing art of silk work, as well as the beginnings of the unionization of workers and the justice or lack of it in the court system at that time, are spot on, as are the household details and social divisions. The story is compelling and ends too soon. This is a book I was pleased to receive, and one I am happy to refer to friends and family. Sonia Velton is an author I will follow. Her authenticity of time and place is impressive.

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Sonia Velton, and Blackstone Publishing, Quercus. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this book of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

1768

Sara Kemp has just arrived in the Spitalfields area of London. She looks at the address her mother had given her to try and find it. Mrs. Swann sees Sara as an innocent in town and convinces the girl to go with her. There, she drugs Sara and a man comes in and has his way with her. Mrs. Swann kept the address and Sara’’s money and has made a prostitute of her saying Sara owes her money.

Esther Thorel and her husband, Elias, are members of the Huguenots religious group. Elias is a silk maker in Spitalfields and they live in a nice home with a few servants.

One day, Esther sees Mrs. Swann mistreating Sara in the street and steps to help her, but Mrs. Swann draws the girl back inside. Undeterred, Esther tries to find a way to get a message to Sara to come to her house for safety. She succeeds and Sara becomes a lady’s maid for Esther. One would think that Sara would be very relieved and grateful for her reprieve at the hands of Mrs. Swann, but she isn’t.

Esther is a talented watercolorist and would love to see one of her floral designs transferred to silk, but her husband scoffs at her, insisting that is his job. Pressing on, Esther enlists the silk weaver, using a loom in their attic to create his master piece, to help her. Knowing it must be kept secret, Esther and Bisby become friends with him showing her how the weaving is done on a loom.

Meanwhile, there is a lot of unrest among the silk weavers as the price for their work shrinks. One reason is that calico fabric has been introduced which makes the weavers furious. Their anger and frustration escalates to violence leading to an uprising which leaves two men in prison where they await trial and hanging. One is guilty and one is not.

This is a tense story that clearly, if grittily, shows the industry, the treatment of women, and the politics of the time. It doesn’t always make for easy reading, but it is straightforward and very compelling.

I enjoyed the in-depth descriptions that the author provided. I have read other books of the silk weaving industry in Spitalfields during that time period, and this book was not a disappointment. The characters are well written and their emotions perfectly captured. Well done!

Copy provided by NetGalley and Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Sonia Velton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

This story is inspired from the real life of Anna Maria Garthwaite, a prominent designer of Spitalfields silks in the mid-eighteenth century. This story tells the tale of two characters, Esther and Sara who come from very different worlds. Esther is married to a Hugenot master silk weaver and although she is kept busy doing charity work and running the household, she craves something more. She loves to paint but what she really wants to do is design silks. But these are not times when women should want things and Esther has not done her most important job, which is to bear children, especially a son. Only a son can inherit his father’s trade and making silks has been in the Thorel family for generations. Sara, on the other hand, has been sent by her mother to London to try and make a better life for herself. She is quickly taken advantage of and before she even knows what is happening to her becomes a prostitute. Sara also yearns for more and doesn’t see why she shouldn’t have a good life. One day Esther takes notice of Sara and reaches out to help her. Sara goes to work for the Thorels and before long becomes Esther’s lady maid. This is not the life Sara envisioned for herself, emptying her lady’s chamber pot and doesn’t understand why, because of birth, she is relegated to a life of servitude. Esther is so ignorant of Sara’s life, yet she also wants to break out of the chains set upon her by the world. Esther dares to take up with Lambert, who is using Mr. Thorel’s loom to create his masterpiece and hopefully one day become a master weaver. Slowly he teaches Esther how to create a pattern and weave silk. Both woman yearn for a different life, but can they make it happen?

This one caught me by surprise. I wasn’t quite sure what I was in for but boy was I surprised. Then, to find out that it was inspired by real events - really incredible. This story is beautifully laid out, really exploring both women’s desires and the many sides there are to women. Velton stays true to their characters and never do they fall into some neat package, behaving as you would expect. You have the class struggle between Sara and Esther. Esther feels Sara should be so grateful to her for “rescuing” her, but Sara has a different perspective. Both women are pushing back against the narrow role of women in that century and have forward thinking views. The men in their lives, sadly, don’t care to see them for anything other than what they should be. So you have all of these different things at play and as a backdrop you have a volatile story of the weavers revolting against the masters. There is a strict hierarchy of weavers, similar to class structure and Lambert is striving to be something more. Then the master weavers are trying to keep their trade alive amongst the influx of new fabrics from India and China. I loved learning about the silk trade and never does the story become convoluted. There is a clear pace that accelerates with the heightened fervour of the tradesmen with time running out for both Sara and Esther. I enjoyed this read so much and was very engrossed in the story. Strong writing kept this story intact and I couldn’t put it down.

Silk and sedition!

A fascinating tale using as a backdrop the troubles faced by weavers in eighteenth-century Spitalfields, London, whose jobs are under threat as the market is flooded by cheap Indian calico.
Two woman are the catalysts for much that happens. Master weaver Elia Thorel's wife Esther Thorel, is a gifted painter who wants to be involved in her husband's work.
The other woman is Esther's maid Sara Kemp, a young woman who ended up in the hands of a heartless procurer, a older woman who preys upon innocent country girls at the Coaching stop. Esther effects a rescue of Sara, a rescue that will have devastating effects on her household.
At the same time Esther's stern unbending husband Elias, a Huguenot silk master has taken on sponsorship of a talented journeyman, Bisby Lambert, with the promise of helping him to become a master weaver.
The story takes a different turn for all involved when Bisby teaches Esther how to turn a particular painting, Blackberries and Wild Rose, into a pattern for the loom, and subsequently into a gorgeous silk piece. That this happens in secret in the attic where Elias has Bisby working gives the story a complex twist.
Elias is a pompous fellow who regrets going against his family's wishes to marry Esther. He has made her pay for that. A most dislikeable man.
Meanwhile Bisby's fellow weavers are preaching sedition and rebellion, and as tempers rise, the outcome is made more shocking by treachery and deceit as Bisby's is unwittingly Vaughn up in their actions.
I found the novel complicated, with multiple threads weaving the action together. Threads that would become tangled knots as ambition and love vie with deceit and dishonesty.
The portrait of the times and the angst rings true. The characters however seem somewhat aloof despite all that is happening. What I found most intriguing is the story of the silk design, the regulations about who can do what and the work involved in manufacturing such a piece. I was quite devastated by the ending and yet given all that has gone on before, how could the story end otherwise?

A Blackstone ARC via NetGalley