Wonderful book about a tiny blue vial that changed the fate of a woman in Ohio. But what really got my attention was a lost apothecary dispensing poison to kill off deceitful men.

This is a book about crossroads in life. About "abandoning secrets and pain in favor of embracing the truth."

Two story lines play out perfectly against each other. In currently day you'll meet Caroline running from her husband's adultery, looking for who she was meant to be and running full force into a mystery centuries old. And it all started with finding a blue vial in the muddy London river banks.

This plays against the story of Nella, the apothecary owner and Eliza, her young apprentice. In the 1700s dispensing poison to offer women better lives and happiness was their business. As Caroline searches for answers behind the mysterious vial, we learn of the past. A secret apothecary, desperate women, heart break, and the ignorance and power of youth. But what Caroline finds is her own freedom and the honest truth that she is important and her dreams are valid.

We don't have to kill off a man who betrays us. Sometimes the issue is something more than physical. Sometimes if we don't follow our passions, they eat us up and transform into apathy, resentment and longing.
In the 1700's these women used the lost apothecary to gain control, Caroline used her lost strength... And found herself.
Enjoy the historical intrigue, watching her desire take flight and the dark streets of London. And stick around for the list of the apothecary's poisons and some tasty recipes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Trade Publishing for the eARC of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction story that also included a taste of mystery. The dual timelines worked well, as I cheered for both main characters to find their peace and purpose. I think many women can relate with these characters as they are trying to navigate love and life, without losing their sense of self. I also enjoyed the "apothecary" aspect of the story because of its fascinating and deadly nature. What a skill to weld for good and/or bad (especially as those lines blur and become murky)!

At first I wasn’t sure if this would be the book for me, but as soon as I started reading it I was absolutely hooked PHEW! This book is told in two storylines, one that takes place in the late 1700’s and follows an apothecary killer, and the other that takes place in present time that follows a woman who is soul searching in London. I loved both storylines, which isn’t often the case. The last 30% of the book is so fast paced that I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend

I was engrossed in this novel of betrayal, revenge, and historical secrets. After her husband’s betrayal, Caroline finds herself taking their planned tenth anniversary trip to London alone. When she finds a mysterious blue bottle in the Thames, she uncovers a story of a long-lost apothecary who served women seeking revenge on men who had wronged them. Exploring the traces of the story awakens Caroline’s long-buried desire to be a historian. Interwoven into Caroline’s journey is the story of Nella, the 19th-century apothecary, and Eliza, the 12-year-old girl who befriends her. The story is fun to read, but also touches on darker truths, like the historical erasure of women’s stories.

Full review will be posted with book tour through the publisher closer to the publication date in March.

THIS WAS EVERYTHING AND MORE oh my god... oh my god what a story. Feminist historical fiction with sprinkles of magic and overflowing with mystery is my new favorite genre, lol.

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are purely my own. IN is set to be published on 5/18/2021. This review does NOT contain spoilers.*

Summary: We follow two separate timelines and three POVs in this book. Nella and Eliza we follow in 1791 London; Nella runs an Apothecary that sells poison to women intending to kill men that have wronged them, and 12-year-old servant girl Eliza meets Nella when she comes to the shop in search of poison to kill her lady's husband (at her lady's request). In the present day, we follow Caroline on her would-be 10 year wedding anniversary vacation to London-- only her husband does not go with her (the reason is revealed to you very early on in the story). Caroline ditches the touristy itinerary she made with her husband in favor of unearthing clues to solve the mysterious "apothecary murders" from 200 years prior.

Themes: Wow, I loved everything this story highlights. This is a historical fiction at its heart, but centers around women (and "nobody" women, at that, who are unlikely to be otherwise remembered). Throughout the story there are multiple discussions of menstruation, pregnancy, miscarriage, infidelity, and mentions of assault. There are also mentions/moments of suicidal ideation. The women in this story each grapple with one or more of the above, and Sarah Penner gives each of them the time and pages needed to fully explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, which are NEVER invalidated and always circle back to empowering each of the women to make her own choices and decisions in her processing, healing, grief, and growth.

Story and Characters: All three of our leading ladies are unique, charming, and flawed. Each of them have their own secrets, motivations, and stakes in their timeline, creating a web of mystery as they begin to connect, and then unravel as Caroline tries to connect the dots centuries later in the midst of her own life drama. I was left wanting more more MORE when the book ended because of how deeply I fell in love with these three women; yet, I know this book was the exact perfect length. The story was told in just the perfect amount of words. I never felt like I was "forcing" myself to pick up this book, I truly could not put it down and was constantly reaching for it. Also, I can tell the lengths Penner went to in researching this as the setting, apothecary, ingredients, and details seemed to leap off the page. The level of intricacy to some of the apothecary business left me amazed and totally immersed in Nella's wares. Caroline's determination to solve the puzzle leads to meet interesting people and venture into strange places, but all of it feels natural in the moment because of what we're told about Caroline's personality.

Nuts and Bolts: Nothing but praise in this department (assuming minor typos will be fixed before pub day). The writing style is fast-paced but never claustrophobic. The pacing is that exact ideal combo of high-stakes mysterious intrigue and white space for emotional development. I absolutely loved the ending, for all three of the POVs. The things that were said explicitly and the things that were left implied or up for interpretation.

Overall: A very unique read but a very, very good one! I have nothing but respect for these characters and this story. I loved the ties and the timeline between all three POVs, allowing the reader to peer into three distinct phases of the life of a woman (child, young woman, old and wise).

Such a clever story! As soon as she found the bottle while digging in the mud, I knew I needed to finish the book to see where it went and I was not disappointed. It was easy to imagine the dark apothecary with the hidden door. I really enjoyed this book and how descriptive the author was.

Thank you NetGalley, Park Row and Sarah Penner for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.
Fascinating, engrossing and addictive are just a few of the words that describe ‘The Lost Apothecary’.
London, 1791. Tucked in a cobblestoned alley sits an apothecary where Nella creates poisonous mixtures for women seeking revenge on men who have mistreated them. Her latest client isn’t who or what she expected. Eliza is twelve years old and very precocious. With Eliza acting as her assistant, Nella’s life changes with a series of unexpected events that jeopardizes Nella and her clientele.
Present day London. Caroline is shaken from the discovery of her husbands infidelity. Spending her tenth anniversary alone she ventures along a riverbank with a group of mudlarkers and discovers an old apothecary vial. Priding herself as an aspiring historian, she begins researching at the British Library and believes that she has found a link between the vial and the unsolved apothecary murders.
The connection of storylines and well written characters keeps the reader intrigued and makes this is a highly recommended read and a perfect novel for group book discussions.

A historical fiction novel delves into revenge thriller. In 1791, Nella was once an ordinary apothecary that catered to women - a trade that she inherited from her mother. Now she caters to women in a whole other way - as a secret seller of poisons to kill the men that have abused and betrayed them. When 12-year-old Eliza shows up to buy poison for her employer's husband - on behalf of both the employer and herself - Nella doesn't know how much Eliza will change everything. And in modern day London, Caroline has gone on her 10th anniversary - without her husband, whom she just learned has been cheating. At a loss of what to do now, she goes mudlarking and finds a vial that looks like it once belonged to an apothecary. Thus two women in different times are intertwined - and their fates unravel in the story.

This was a story that I loved all the characters, and in some instances, wanted them to get away with it. The characters are all relatable. Historical fiction readers will love it and mystery fans will love it.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Set in two timelines, 1791 Nella, Eliza and current day Caroline, their stories run remarkably side-by-side with centuries between them.

An okay read, I did enjoy the older timeline with its descriptions of London life and its dangers.

3☆

This book is quite compelling. I love the blending of a bit of history and a bit of mystery. Arguably, the start of the book was a bit slower than I would have liked. But by the halfway mark I was hooked. I appreciate reading about things like apothecaries and mud larking, which are not often found in contemporary fiction and the author's notes do indicate the research that went into the subjects.

For Libraries: I have no doubt this book will fly off your shelves. Do yourself a favor and get this preordered.

*I received an advance e-copy of this title in exchange for my honest review*

I sat down with this book and could not put it down until I'd finished it. Sarah Penner mixes history, realistic fiction, and dual narratives into a gorgeous tale about women enduring heartbreak through lifting up other women. It was so much fun to see a library staff member featured prominently who fit the idea of librarians I carry as a librarian myself- curious and excited people who genuinely get invested into the little mysteries our patrons bring to the desk.

I loved the idea that this book felt as though it might be the product of the ending...if that doesn't give away too much! I just truly loved the heck out of this book!

I'll be honest: I was drawn to this book because the cover looked so lovely. And the book was just as good! Fascinating story about an apothecary that gave women an out when there was no other one available. A little dark but also enjoyable to read,

This was an enjoyable book, though I had a couple of issues with it. Mostly I didn't understand why Caroline felt bad about not sharing every detail of her life and research with Gaynor. They'd only known each other a few days.
I did like the alternating points of view, and I wish we'd gotten to hear from Eliza one last time in her own words. I will definitely recommend to fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.

I really loved the concept of this book; an apothecary helping women escape from bad situations that they otherwise would have no way out of. It really reminded me of the story of Giulia Tofana.

While I did enjoy this book, I loved the dynamic between Nella and Eliza and I just overall really loved Eliza as a character the book didn't turn out exactly like I hoped it would.

I wasn't huge on the overall message with all of the women not feeling "complete" without a baby.
I wasn't a huge fan of the story in present day. The whole mystery about what happened back in the 1700s was a lot less mysterious when we were reading about it all happening on our own and I found I didn't really enjoy Caroline's parts as much until her husband arrived in London.

Overall I did still enjoy this book and will still recommend it to others, I was just hoping for something a little darker and a little more mysterious

For the most part this was a pleasant read and I give it 3 solid stars for that. I would say it is worth reading. However the book suffered from a lack of depth and complexity. It was a story told on the surface. I was quite invested in the beginning. I liked the concept of the story and enjoyed trying to figure out how the different story lines were going to connect. Then around the middle I thought it all started to lose steam. The author had the whole skeleton constructed to create a very rich plot but then she never built on it. So many aspects of the story were underdeveloped or just dropped. I would have preferred way more plot detail and way more character development. I would have liked to see the author take her idea and develop it into a big chunky tale full of intrigue and detail and character development. It would have worked beautifully with this story line.

I really liked this book. The premise was really interesting and while I normally don’t like the back and forth of having each chapter be either Caroline’s point of view in the present or Nella/Eliza in the past it really helped the story and correlated to what Caroline was finding in the present. I really like the parallels with Caroline’s cheating husband which was just the thing that would bring someone to Nella’s shop to procure something to get rid of him and with what accidently happens. Poor Nella and her thirst for vengeance that started her journey into being a poisoner and her loneliness that led her into the arms of the wrong man and how every poison she sold just kept making her feel worse like it was rotting her from the inside. It was the perfect mix of the two things I love historical fiction and English history. All in all, a really fast and great read.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Caroline is in London on her wedding anniversary trip; unfortunately, she is alone. Stumbling upon a mudlarking group, she makes her first venture into the Thames, discovering a blue vial stamped with a bear and partial address.. With this in hand, she makes a quick trip to the British Museum where she meets Gaynor, an enthusiastic partner in research. With her past love of history she pursues the address and comes across a sealed room in an alley behind modern construction. Illegally entering, she finds the remnants of a register of poisonous activity. She is positive she has found the shop of the apothecary who had dispensed this bottle. Delighted, she has found a project to take her mind off her husband’s other woman and her disappointing career. When he suddenly arrives at her hotel and within days is close to dying from poison, Caroline is interrogated by the police who find her notes from the ancient ledger. Through a dual storyline Sarah Penner shares the shop’s history along with Nella, the apothecary, who assists women in ridding themselves of unworthy men and Eliza, the young woman who assumes the role of apprentice. So many questions arise. Will her marriage survive? Why did Nella kill? Who really jumped from the bridge into the Thames?

This is a very good debut for Sarah Penner. It switches back and forth to the late 18th century and the present. There are 3 main characters. Nella and Eliza Fanning (12 year old) and Caroline from the present. Caroline is from Ohio and comes to London because of her 10th anniversary. Sadly, her husband has betrayed her so she uses the trip to get some time for herself. She finds a vial while mudlarking in the Thames and traces it back to an 18th century apothecary who makes poisons to help women get revenge on their men. It is a dark and clever atmospheric tale with a good plot and interesting characters. The author did great research and I look forward to her next book. I recommend this book to those who love historical mystery mixed with women's fiction. Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Books for a free copy for an honest review.

A decent time-slip story that will be relatable to many readers but which didn't especially appeal to me due to its somewhat plodding prose.