I was invited to read this book and I’m glad I was, it isn’t something I would have requested on my own. I forget how captivating historical fiction can be. This was a pleasant reminder.

That being said, I found the main character insufferable. At times I wanted to feel sorry for her, for her lack of choices, for the feelings she was constantly expected to repress, for the lack of love. I think we were supposed to? But she had zero self-awareness. We were supposed to view her as a victim of the times, I think, but she was happy to perpetuate the cycle. Were we to feel sorry for some “poor me” miserable woman who sets her children up for the same? I get it, it’s the times, but I kept waiting for her to be the true hero of the story and stop the cycle. To show one ounce of respect for the other women in her life. How self-centered do you have to be to care only the ways in which the circumstances stifle you, and not consider that you are doing the same to your own children.

I went back and forth between waiting for her redemption and then wondering if she was truly supposed to be the villain. The latter is what I finished the novel thinking. I was confused by the author’s afterward, in which she remarked that she wanted to tell her side to paint her in a better light. I think that aspect fell short. Not for her indiscretions or motivations when it came to the men in her life, but for her treatment of the women.

Despite the miserable narrator, I enjoyed the writing and the story itself.

Fans of the Brontes rejoice! Bronte's Mistress imagines the story of Lydia Robinson, mistress of Thorp Green Hall in 1843 Yorkshire, who was rumored to have been embroiled in a scandalous affair with Branwell Bronte, brother of Charlotte and Emily. Lydia is grieving the deaths her mother and beloved child; and she suffers the disdain of her mother-in-law, the scorn of her living children, and a marriage long grown cold. A spark of new life comes in the form of her son's new tutor, Barnwell Bronte. Barnwell is young, romantic, troubled; and when he sets his sights on Lydia, dormant desires and passion reignite for her. Finola Austin deftly brings the reader into a woman's place in 19th century life, where girls are bred to be married well and women have no agency of their own. Romantically atmospheric with a modern twist, Bronte's Mistress will be a hit with fans of literary and historical fiction. Highly recommend! Thank you to netgally and Atria for the review copy, opinions are my own.

Lydia Robinson is a surprising choice of character to find sympathy for. She undoubtedly was repressed and overlooked as women were at that time, but her actions with Branwell - whether salacious or misguided and misrepresented- were still probably very inappropriate. The author does explain some of the historical contexts for Mrs. Robinson and the rumors about her relationship with Branwell, and that helps understand why Lydia might not be as much of a villain as she was painted out to be. Reading this story is diving into an examination of the life of a well-to-do woman, secure in marriage with three healthy children, and why she is still desperately unhappy and the personal deceptions she undertakes to revive happiness.

I loved the details and empathy in the portrait of this woman. The author is very knowledgeable about the Victorian setting and paints the Robinson’s household in a believable and enriching way - I felt like I thoroughly understood all the characters and their human weaknesses. Lydia is wonderfully relatable too - especially in her mistakes and her attempts to hide them. The development of her feelings for Branwell was well-characterized as an attempt to regain the feeling of being loved when her husband had long ago stopped showing her affection. Her attempts to reach out to him were heartbreaking as well - since at first, his distance seems so inexplicable.

Even though it is only Anne and Branwell who are employed at Thorp Green Hall, Emily and especially Charlotte get mentioned in the novel. I found it especially interesting how the author brings in Charlotte’s persona as a reflection of Lydia’s - two women who loved men they should not have. The description of Charlotte’s fierce intelligence by Branwell also seems to haunt Lydia at times, and I loved that the Brontës’ closeness as siblings was highlighted. There are also a few references to all of Anne, Emily, and Charlotte’s work in the story that was gratifying to see.

This story is absorbing as a historical narrative and in the careful and considerate way, the author paints the characters. Instead of making Lydia the villain, she is shown as a complex woman who tried her best to navigate a difficult world of rigid expectations and conformities. The influence of the Brontës, however briefly, in her life only reflected the complexities of finding happiness in such a harsh time.

(I plan to post this on my blog - link below - and on Goodreads/Amazon closer to the book's release date. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel!)

This book is set in Yorkshire, 1843. Lydia Robinson, the mistress of Thorp Green Hall, has lost her mother and her youngest daughter within the space of a year. Her husband no longer shows any interest in her and her mother-in-law thinks she can do nothing right. So when Branwell Bronte, brother of Anne Bronte who is the governess for Lydia's three girls, comes to tutor young Ned, Lydia quickly becomes captivated by the young man. Soon they are having clandestine meetings and because of their lack of discretion, it does not escape the notice of the servants. When word spreads about the the pair, Branwell is quickly dismissed from his duties. However, he is unwilling to give up his desire to be with Lydia and she has to make a choice between passion and dignity.

I have to confess that before this book I had never heard of the Bronte Myth, nor was I even aware of Branwell existence. I found the book fascinating. Although the relationship has never been proven, it brought it to life and made it feel real. It was very well written. If you are a fan of historical fiction than you will want to read this.

Haunting sad historical fiction at its best. I was so drawn in so involved I did not want to put the book down, A book I will be recommending.#netgalley#atriabooks

This is definitely not the kind of novel I generally read. It tells the factionalized story of the period during which Anne Bronte was Governess to the Robinson daughters and Branwell Bronte the tutor to their son. During this time Branwell and Lydia Robinson, a woman many years older than him and married to her spouse for more than twenty years, allegedly began an affair. The author researched the background of the Brontes and the Robinsons thoroughly, made her own decision about what occurred and proceeded to write her novel based on her interpretation of the given information. It is extremely well written and takes the reader into Victorian England. It is also written from Lydia’s viewpoint, something not regularly done. She used the novels of the three Bronte sisters and the women in them as a way of shaping Lydia and did an impressive job. I don’t know if, historically, there was an affair, but I am certain that if there was it would have transpired much as this novel shows. Thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC for an honest review.

This book is heartbreaking, moving, haunting, poetic, and captivating. Whenever I picked up “Brontë’s Mistress”, I feel like I was whisked back in time, and truly went on an emotional rollercoaster with this story.

This is Finola Austin’s debut novel, and what a beyond incredible debut it is! Ms. Austin really knows how to bring the Victorian Era to life. I can only imagine the amount of research she put into every aspect of this book including locations, to characters and their relationships with one another, to historical events, and beyond. Everything is so well-thought out and imperative to what must be told. She seamlessly weaves fact and fiction, and brings to life a tragic story.

This book delves into the affair between Lydia Robinson and Branwell Brontë.
From the early pages, you can feel Lydia Robinson’s yearning and need to be loved, and shown that love. We hear her inner thoughts, fears, and griefs. However, the affair is in no way the only event portrayed, as we see the before, during, and after of many people's lives.

Lydia’s husband, children, Dr. John Crosby, Anne Brontë, and many other historical figures are brought to life in such a real and authentic way. Each character helps to tell these stories, and we see the consequences and repercussions of every characters’ actions, not only on themselves, but on those around them. Some are good, while others are heart-wrenching. Many characters really ponder doing what others and society may consider right, what they, themselves, feel they should do, and whether they should follow their hearts or not. And the answer is not always clear-cut from one moment to the next.

If you love historical fiction novels, I highly recommend this book. I could not wait to see what happened page after page and chapter after chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed the many nods to various Brontë Sisters’ novels as well.

Though it is not known for certain whether Lydia and Branwell did indeed have an affair or not, Ms. Austin has brought to life a world in which two people long to be together, but cannot be for reasons you will have to read to find out. I also really enjoyed the “Author’s Note”, and how Ms. Austin explains why she chooses to portray certain moments and events the way she did, etc. I was truly moved by this book. The ending gave me chills.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review, it was incredible to read. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was an absolutely riveting read. The book explores what an affair between Lydia Robinson and Branwell Brontë could have looked like from the thrilling start to the rocky aftermath. With that in mind this of course has plenty of appeal for fans of the Brontës. The focus of the story is on Lydia and I enjoyed the outsider looking in type of perspective she gives us on the Brontës that keeps them from overshadowing her story.

The author did a fabulous job of portraying Lydia in a realistic way. Watching an experienced older woman handle the affair and the cards life dealt her was enthralling. Lydia's affair is marked by her husband's lack of interest following the death of their youngest daughter and her struggles of feeling forgotten by the world as she ages and all the attention turns to her eligible daughters. Lydia's troubles made it easy to understand her decisions even when I didn't agree with them. She was also a great character for exploring the lack of choices and the constraints women in her time faced, including the pains of a mother knowing her daughters will go through the same.

If you want to go deeper into the famous Bronte’s and historical fiction, definitely, is the book for you. A fictional story about the lost Bronte brother who fell apart after his affair with Mrs. Robinson.
Mrs. Robinson, subject to a woman’s place in 1840’s England, finds herself at the precipice of life’s demand. A mother, a wife. Nothing more, and especially nothing more. Her place has been made.
Though, she is fraught with her circumstances in life, the lack of her husbands love, the loss of her last child, her demeaning station set upon her, she has looked to bring herself back to life in Mr. Bronte, her son's tutor.
Mr. Bronte is the brother of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte the famous authors of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Due to his drinking and misdemeanors Mr. Bronte is lost and without proper station.
He finds himself at the beckon and call of Mrs. Robinson who must decide what is of the most value for her life; love for her family (or societal status) or the lust of Mr. Bronte.
The author does a great deal of historical research into the lives of the Bronte family especially Branwell Bronte. If you like scandal, romance, and historical fiction this is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. Very interesting book to read. I never have read or followed anything Bronte but glad I could read this book.. Learned a lot about the brother. The author breathed life into the characters which makes for a great read...

Tackling the secret love affair of Lydia Robinson and Branwell Bronte in fiction, the author paints a probably realistic portrait of her life from the female protagonist’s perspective. Given the attitudes and values of that time period, the main character’s internal dilemmas and external stances are probably accurate, but do not make her very likable or respectable. Additionally, it provides a glimpse from a different angle into the Bronte family saga. An intriguing read.

4.5 stars !

That was a fun read.

I have never read anything by the brönte sisters. So i thought this would be a nice challenge (due to the era that it was written in). I really liked it. It was downton abby like. I did not want to put the book down when i started it. Characters and how the story is written was great!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC.

BRONTE'S MISTRESS is a must read for fans of historical fiction! Well-researched and well-written, there is a lovely intimate feel to the story as we are treated to Lydia's innermost thoughts and desires. While Lydia is not always likable, she is relatable. We see where she's coming from--and that's important to maintain the reader's interest through the ups and downs of her story. I particularly enjoyed the contrasts that Austin conveys between Lydia's husband and Branwell and how they treat Lydia. Branwell is patient and kind. He seems to give her the respect she deserves. And he shows a genuine interest in her, which is lacking from her husband. The historical research is evident but not in an overbearing way; the author includes just enough to give us a feel for the time period, which I appreciate.

Bronte’s Mistress is a truly edifying literary experience for any connoisseur of classic literature. Of course, we all know of the Bronte’s sisters, of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights; but what is less known, is the life and work of the Bronte brother.

The literary world’s memory of Branwell Bronte’s feeble attempts at poetry and painting are eclipsed by his opium and alcohol addictions along with whispers of a torrid affair with this employer’s wife. This is his story, as told by Mrs. Richardson.

Bronte’s Mistress chronicles that affair between Branwell and his employer’s wife, Mrs. Richardson. Presented as a manuscript written by Mrs. Richardson, telling of the build up, affair, and aftermath from her perspective; and of Branwell’s captivating brooding and wholly erratic nature. The book spans from Mrs. Richardson’s early life, when she and her husband kindled a warm love for each other and the life they planned to build together, through the raising in the losing of children, of her affair with Branwell, and lose of husband, to a remarriage, and the eventual loss to death, of Branwell.

A must read for anyone with a love for classic literature and the context surrounding those favored books. A must!

This book is beautifully written and you can tell the author has extensive knowledge of the Bronte’s and this historical period. Truth be told I had no idea the Bronte’s had a brother, or about the alleged affair he had with Lydia Robinson. The one drawback for me was that I found Lydia really unlikeable, so that made me not enjoy the book or care about anything she did. This wasn’t a love affair I could support it had any invested feelings in, so that made the book fall flat for me. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the beautiful writing.

Lydia Robinson is grieving. Her mother has passed and her youngest daughter’s death two years ago, is still painful. Her husband shows little interest in her; her children, she believes, have become detached and prefer the company of their tutors, Anne and Branwell Bronte, to hers. She is dissatisfied with life, but after a few chapters one realizes she most likely has never been truly satisfied, despite her claims about the past. She wants more than her family offers. She turns to her son’s tutor, much to the dismay of his sister and the rest of the staff. Lydia is self-absorbed: part of her obsession with her young lover is her assumption that she is like his industrious, creative sister Charlotte. She is inventive in getting men to pay attention to her needs, yet she feels no remorse for her hurtful actions. After much research Finola Austin has portrayed a fictional account of the lost Bronte, the brother of three talented women who agonized over his problems most of their short lives.. Unlike the object of their agony, they live on in their beloved novels. My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Here’s to you Mrs Robinson- self-pitying overindulgent and reckless as you may be!

When we first meet Lydia Robinson she is returning to her home after laying her mother to rest. Still reeling from the loss of her two year old daughter months before Lydia is tired of her black wardrobe which does nothing for her aging beauty. Frustrated by her husbands lack of sexual attention, her remaining daughters insolence, in addition to a mother in law who has always hated her she begins to unravel. To alleviate her suffocation she distracts herself with her sons newly acquired tutor - Branwell Bronte. Sister to Anne Bronte (a prudent bore according to Lydia) Branwell proves quite the opposite.

Poet, romantic, indulgent in spirits and available drugs Branwell sees in Lydia a twin soul. Lydia sees a way to deliver herself from her lack lustre existence and recapture her youth. This begins a reckless and destructive affair, which Lydia justifies by her husbands inability to satisfy her (or even touch her) in the marital bed. All seems wonderful until the servants notice and Branwell, in his drunken stupor is less than candid. Where once Lydia thought she had control, the situation spins out rapidly, leaving Lydia with no choice but to do all she can to maintain her social status and keep her family’s reputation in check.

This novel was incredibly interesting - I loved Lydias honesty - it’s is exactly how I would picture a woman in this time period. In a lot of ways Lydia is just longing to be a man - she wants to break free from being a dutiful wife and have her thoughts heard, satisfy her sexual appetite when it pleases her, and still maintain her social standing. This of course isn’t a possibility in her era, and while it’s quite clear her behaviour is beyond unacceptable, she still finds a way to keep her nails into society even if it is hanging by a thread. I loved the part when she goes into her husbands office and smokes one of his cigars, and her bossiness in her layabouts with Branwell, getting everything she wants sexually without being called a whore. In a way she is just seeking to feel loved - something many middle aged women can relate to.

My favourite quotes:

However good you were, there would be men who thought you a whore or spoke of you as such in your absence.

I wouldn’t be a woman at all but a mannequin, forever holding a convoluted pose in the tableau of his home, his castle.

Why was it that when I wanted love, I took anger as a worthy consolation?

How funny it is that men and women struggle as they die, but few of us kick or scream as we are lowered alive into our tombs.

This was a brilliantly orchestrated imagining of what could have happened between Branwell Bronte and Lydia Robinson in the mid 1800’s. The book begins with all the language and airs that fans of Victorian Literature hunger for. After several chapters the stage-setting began to drag for me as I grew impatient wanting to get into the meat of the affair. Once the affair began then I was back to loving the flow of the storyline. It is quite an intriguing story or possible solution to the long debated question, “Did Branwell and Lydia have an affair?”

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that my review is my own thoughts and opinions of this ARC that was provided by the Simon & Schuster via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

"I need them, anyone, to embrace me, touch me, so I could feel alive."

This was a fantastic read. I sat and read until the end. Also a tragedy of lives.
Set in Yorkshire in 1843, "Bronte's Mistress" tells the story from the POV of Lydia Robinson, the very lady herself. She has suffered tragic losses and is a sad, angry, lonely woman. Miss Anne Bronte is governess to her daughter's and brings her brother, Bramwell Bronte to be her son's new tutor.
Her husband shuts hisself in his office and is cold and not affectionate to her at all. But he's suffering unbeknownst to her. She finds passion, love and attention with Bramwell, realizing they have alot in common. This tryst makes her life and everyone's so much worse.
I love Austin's vivid imagination and her well done reasearch for this fabulous novel. I can't wait to read more!

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the eARC

This was a very good historical novel about Lydia Robinson and the Bronte brother Brandon. The plight of women in the mid 19th century is well researched. Lydia’s husband Edmond has withdrawn his affections from Lydia who is frustrated by her husband’s withdrawal. When Brandon is hired to tutor Lydia’s son Ned, he lavishes attention on Lydia and they begin an affair. It is uncertain which person actually starts the affair. The story is based on parts of the Bronte sister’s famous novels. Lydia never realizes her wish to break out of society’s standards. She remarried a baronet who does not have the same relationship with Lydia that she searches for. The story is a sad treatise on marriage in the 19th century. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria publishers for this ARC.