I was a huge fan of Philippa Gregory's historical novels, which burst with intrigue, bold characters, and historical mayhem. I was less a fan of the romance series, like the Wideacre books and Meridon. "Tidelands" fits into the latter series, and is planned as a series.

For Philippa Gregrory, "Tidelands" is a 3.5 read. I was feeling that it was going to turn into a women-and -potions tale with some poor herbalist harried for her ability to heal. It does turn into that but with a little more polish and action.

Alinor is a very poor (but beautiful) woman who lives in the shifting tidelands of the Saxon shore, eking out a living as a midwife and herbalist. Her husband left on a fishing trip and never returned, so now Alinor, her daughter Alys and son Rob, struggle not to starve and live in limbo, hoping their nasty paterfamilias with wash up on the shore so Alinor can be an actual widow and hoping equally that he'll just never be seen again.

It's during the English Civil War, and Alinor offers shelter to a mysterious man lost on the shore. He's a priest on a mission to help King Charles I escape to France. Once he's connected to the lord of Alinor's area, her life changes. Her son get's a job at the manor, the Lord offers to pay his apprentice fees, and she has fallen in love with James, the priest, and he with her.

Gregory is masterful at revealing the conflict between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians, the old religion and the new. The there's no glass to total misery of the majority of the population. Alinor's daughter Alys works dawn to dusk in the fields and her younger son earns a pittance scaring crows.

The denouement is over the top, much like her other romance series. But is it satisfying? You bet. And will I read the next installment in Alinor's saga? No question.

~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader

I don't think it's possible for Philippa Gregory to write a bad book. I was hooked from the first page and loved every moment I spent in the past she so eloquently described.

Philippe Gregory is a fantastic author whose writing is wonderful. His books are detailed and the characters are well developed. A must read.

4.5 stars! I have started making my way through Philippa Gregory’s fabulous books, and I was so excited to read her newest series and novel, Tidelands.

In this story, the reader is taken to 1648 England, in the midst of the Civil War between King and Parliament.

I loved the research that went into this book, and I’m always amazed at Gregory’s storytelling talent to retell history. I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction, and can only imagine what life for a woman would have been like during the 1640’s!

*Thank you to Atria books for this complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of Tidelands by Philippa Gregory. I’ve enjoyed some of her earlier books and was looking forward to her latest outing. Alinor, whose husband has deserted her and their two children, walks a fine line between being a skilled herbalist/midwife and being considered a witch. Tidelands is described as “neither sea nor shore neither wet or dry, and no-one ever leaves”. Stuck, poor and struggling, beautiful Alinor meets a noble priest who questions, “a woman like you in a place like this?”. Set against the backdrop of the struggle between Oliver Cromwell’s supporters and those backing the king, it is an interesting time. Yet all the romance seemed a little too much and I had trouble finding the characters or plot believable. Historically interesting but definitely not a great read. With Gregory’s impeccable reputation for research, this could have been so much better.

Philippa Gregory is one of my favorite authors.She has written another involving novel.A book that transported me back in time with characters that come alive.#netgalley#atriabooks

TIDELANDS by Philippa Gregory is a historical mystery that will transport you back in time to the mid-sixteen hundreds. A perilous time for women, especially women who could easily be pointed out as a witch. I have not read this author’s novels previously. I just love historical thrillers! I could tell right away that the story was setting up a new series that I’m sure will garner many new readers to the story about Alinor and her children. Alinor copes the best she can with a “missing husband” that she would appreciate remaining missing. Lol. Her children mean everything to her. But, despite all of this.. she makes a decision to assist a fugitive of the ongoing religious war that is taking place in Britain. This is during the time that Brits guilty of practicing Catholicism could be arrested and most likely found guilty of whatever and put to death. I enjoyed the story quite a bit! I found it to have quite a bit of set up in the beginning and then the story starts picking up speed. I look forward to reading the next book in the series as I was left waiting to find out more.. much, much more! Good stuff!

Set against the English Civil War, between Parliamentarians and Royalists over the governance.

The Isle of Wight, 1648: The king is imprisoned and rebellious parliament is in power.

Sussex, 1648: Alinor, living on the tidelands of the Saxon shore, is 27 and already very weary. Now, a widow of the missing fisherman and abusive husband. Her path crosses with a priest in hiding. James believes in the old religion and in restoring king to its rightful place. Alinor helps him to pass the treacherous marsh.

The vivid portrayal of tidelands makes the beginning of the story very engrossing. Only the people of the SeaIsea Island know how to tread its waters and tides to avoid getting a foot caught by a quick mud and body snatched by waters.

As the story progresses, there is a suspension of wanting to know where the story goes and what happens between Alinor and James, but the progression of the story is very slow. After a while it catches with you that the story is going hardly anywhere and the front action is Alinor’s feelings for James and vice versa. There are some small twists, but it is not enough to make it an engaging read.

From the beginning, Alinor’s daughter notices a difference in Alinor, her look (after meeting James) or her looking like she is listening for something (Jame’s footsteps). The daughter inherits the vision from mother, and I understand her abilities, but maybe the presentation of it didn’t make it believable.

Also, some accusations of Alinor having her kids with a faerie lord. I understand some old-time believes, but this was another thing that was questionable in this story.

I enjoyed the part with Alinor’s son, who advances from doing menial outdoor work to a meaningful indoor position, thanks to James. He is also good with recognizing herbs and knowing their use, which he inherits after his mom. Alinor, midwife and herbalist, comes from a long line of wise women. And that shows a promising future for him. But his quick advance makes some people suspicious and scheming.

Nevertheless, for such long story, the plot could be better developed, with more conceivable effects and less mystery of unearthly things.

I’ve been a huge fan of Philippa Gregory, but at some point I broke away from her books as her concentration is in English court and I wanted to expend my horizons. I was glad to see something different written by her, but this is not her best book.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by it! The author depicts the town and the people beautifully so that you truly understand the times during a pivotal moment in English history. The romantic tension between Father James and Alinor was juicy and I am quite looking forward to Book 2!

Great read! I've been a fan of Philippa Gregory's previous work, and this one does not disappoint. While still taking place in England, royal life is no longer the focus. Tideland's protagonist, Alinor, is a midwife and herbalist living in poverty along the marshy coast against a backdrop of England coming out of civil war with a king in exile. Alinor meets and falls in love with a gentleman loyal to the king and on secret mission to rescue the king. Societal classes dictate that this gentleman would never consider a woman such as Alinor. These societal tensions provide further richness to the story.

I was lucky enough to win an e-galley of Philippa Gregory's TIDELANDS in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look at this title!

This book is set during the 1600s in England in an area known as the Tidelands, a marshy ever changing land where poverty is the norm. It follows the family of Alinor, an abandoned wife who serves as the village midwife. When she comes upon a stranger one night and offers him refuge, she has no idea how this will change her life. The stranger, a priest who serves the exiled King Charles, initially helps Alinor's son to obtain a better position in thanks for her help but the feelings that develop between him and Alinor put everything in danger. This story had a slow beginning, but the pace and action sped up as the book went on. While I am a huge fan of this author, this book is not my favorite from her. I will probably continue to read the series to find out what happens to Alinor's family. Gregory's books that are set at court tend to be more engaging than those set elsewhere.

As a big fan of Philippa Gregory, I was excited to get an advance copy of this book. Tidelands is the first in a new series that takes place in rural England in the mid-1600s. I had a really hard time getting into this story and getting through it. Gregory certainly does her research -- fully immersing you into another time and place. It picked up steam with a suspenseful (cliffhanger) ending, but for me it was too little too late. Maybe I just really missed reading about the Tudors! Fans of Gregory will still want to give this a try, but I am undecided if I would want to read book #2.

Being my first Philippa Gregory novel, Tidelands was a lovely surprise. The writing style is fluid and readable, and the descriptions of the landscape and daily life are beautifully detailed, transporting the reader effortlessly to the 17th century. With well-developed and believable characters, It has the perfect balance of historical and imaginative components. The romance is at times a bit of escapist soap opera, but in the end the book, balances out into an excellent relaxing summer read. Highly recommended.

Tidelands by Philippa Gregrory is a departure from her most popular books. This story centers on Alinor a poor, abandoned, fisherman's wife living on the edge of a small village during the time of England's Second Civil War. As always, Ms. Gregory fills this novel with carefully researched details. This time the focus is the life of poor women and their options rather than those connected to the royal court. Politics still plays a part in the story, but it is a more minor role, not a major focus. For me the story was very slow to develop. The first half of the book is full of detailed descriptions and details that become important later, but it wasn't until the final few chapters that their importance is realized and the action really picks up. At the end, I could appreciate all of the details that built up to the climax. The publisher and NetGalley provided me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Philippa Gregory, with her detailed knowledge of history, brings us beautiful characters and storylines that are both heart wrenching and relevant. I could not put Tidelands down. As I read, I felt every ache and fear that each of the characters experienced. Gregory has done a phenomenal job with this novel. She gives us a true picture of the slave trade from the African's point of view, from the slave trader's perspective, and all those who were affected by this horrible practice of England's history.

I've read and enjoyed almost all of Philippa Gregory's books. This one was no different and when I saw an opportunity to read an advanced copy through NetGalley I jumped on it. What is different is that it isn't centered around royalty, but a poor woman living in 17th century England. Alinor is a poor woman who is trying to raise her two children after her husband goes fishing and doesn't return. All this is happening at a time when a woman being alone wasn't acceptable. It's a story of love and intrigue. It's the first of a series of books and I can't wait to read the next ones.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I love Gregory, and I love historical fiction. This book was filled with details. So many that it started to lull me to sleep. But yet I like the story. I’m looking forward to the next installment when I will be better able to decide how much I like the series.

Amazing book! So good! I stayed up until the wee hours finishing it and I'm devastated. I guess I wanted it have a happy ending but I knew that there wouldn't be one. I primarily know Phillipa Gregory through her novels of British royalty during the Tudor era I while knew that she writes excellent historical fiction, I wasn't sure what a book about a woman the lower classes set during the English Civil War era. I shouldn't have been skeptical because I was utterly riveted! Alinor is an incredibly strong character and her struggles to survive, protect her reputation and raise her family up was not only historically interesting but uncannily still relevant today. Up until the end, I loved James Summers and rooted for him. He who saw what a truly remarkable woman that Alinor was but the moment he showed that he was just all the other men in her life - men who desired her and wanted to own her or control her was so devastating! The daughter was infuriating, I kept having to remind myself that she was only 14! Thank God she finally stood by her mother. The historical details were fascinating and I found myself Googling the time period for background. I'm much more familiar with the Restoration period than the years leading up to it. My favorite parts were the bit where you learned about how Alinor and the other villagers lived. From the workings of the farms, going to church and how Alinor made her living. I hate that it ended on a cliff hanger. I must what happens next! I will recommend this to everyone and promote it through NYPL website!

I loved this book! I felt like I was part of Alinor's life. The detail is so beautifully rendered that I could imagine everything. It's a movie in my mind. This is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in Cromwell's reign. The setting is bleak but somehow beautiful. Knowing that Alinor is a midwife heightens the suspense....no spoilers, but this line sums it up: "'It’s a crime to be poor in this county; it’s a sin to be old. It’s never good to be a woman.’" And it's deadly to be a smart woman.

I admired Alinor's courage and resolve, her integrity and wisdom, and, most of all, her indomitable spirit and faith. I cannot wait for the next chapter of her life.

A hearty thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy.