“The Lost Apothecary” is a highly anticipated debut coming out in March 2021. So I leapt at the chance to review the audiobook. And it was a fun way to spend a Friday afternoon.

It’s a 18th century historical fiction mystery mixed with a modern-day storyline. The link between the two worlds is an apothecary vile found along the Thames River.

The American Caroline Parcewell is on a solo vacation in London to find herself when she unexpectedly finds an ancient vile. Suddenly it’s much easier to forget that her husband cheated on her and she thrusts herself into solving a mystery. Who owned the vile? What was it used for? And how did it get into the Thames?

Then we go back a few hundred years to meet Nella, the owner of a secret apothecary shop who only mixes up potions and poisons for scorned women. We meet several of Nella’s clients and a lovely young girl, Eliza, who becomes her apprentice.

Overall, “The Lost Apothecary” is a clever, easy-to-listen to story with enjoyable, head-strong female characters. As the blurb says, we follow the “remarkable ways women can save each other despite the barrier of time.”

I enjoyed listening to the characters portrayed by the narrators Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony and Lauren Irwin.

Special thanks to Harlequin Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Such an interesting and unique concept for a novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is so well-written I wouldn't have guessed it's a debut novel.

A very interesting book. I loved how the chapters went between past and present. So much detail it made me feel as though I were there. There were a couple questions I wished had been answered but it didn’t take away from the story. Also I wish a character or two from early in the book had been revisited but that just goes to show how great the author’s character development is when even minor characters matter.

I listened to the audio version and quite enjoyed the narrators. They added a depth to each character.

The story of three women and how their lives intertwine, one in present day and the two others in the 1700s. I really appreciated the use of three different narrators for the characters, as it really helped feel more engaged as I was listening.
These women all struggle with who they are and what they want to be in very different ways. And there is no wrong way to live a woman's life.

I really liked this book, although I had thought the apothecary angle would be good to teach history and the progression if medicine through time. Although ultimately I felt that the poison angle would probably be inappropriate k-12..

As an adult , I thought the book was fascinating and well written.. Some of the situations were implausible but it gave a more mystical feel to the book.

An apothecary turned murderess-by-proxy, Nella uses her craft to help the wronged women gain their revenge. Eliza, a 12-year-old who is sent to buy poison by her mistress becomes interested in learning the trade from Nella.
In the present day, Caroline finds an old, blue bottle that leads her down a path of discovery, both about Nella, Eliza, and herself.

I usually don't read or listen to multiple timeline books, but this one drew me in from the opening lines. Set in both the 1700s and present-day London, the story of three young women intermingles in unexpected ways. Every chapter kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I love the way that the author used both timelines to give you the complete story.

The only downside to the book was that, at times, it was confusing with the time jumps. Only at the end did everything come together to make sense. I am looking forward to more from this debut author!

Thanks go to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Harper Audio for giving me access to the ARC for this book in exchange for my honest review.

“No woman would suffer at my hand.” - Nella

This is a review of the audiobook version of The Lost Apothecary. I am a frequently listener of books and always excited to get a good narrator, and here we get three great ones: Lorna Bennett as Nella, Lauren Anthony as Caroline Parcewell, and finally Lauren Irwin as Eliza.

But on to the book itself. Sarah Penner’s debut grabbed me at the first sentence and I could not put it down. The Lost Apothecary tells two stories, both of which span a week in time in London but two centuries apart: one in present time and one in 1791.

Both timelines are full of suspense. Nella is an 18th century apothecary shop owner that caters exclusively to women, and even helps them kill the men that oppress them. Nella is the strong female character that we all need, and her beliefs on women helping women is a breath of fresh air. One fateful day, a young girl named Eliza walks in to her shop and we are shuttled through a series of events that at first seem to follow an expected path but instead twist in ways that left me shocked.

Meanwhile, in present time Caroline is figuring out who she is as a person apart from her husband. Her tenth anniversary vacation to London has become a solo one. After unearthing a bottle with a mysterious etching she soon finds herself plunging into the history of Nella’s store. At first, Caroline’s story seems straightforward: one of playing detective and figuring out whether to stay with a cheating spouse. While this still would have lead to a good book, what made The Lost Apothecary a great one is that Caroline’s story was able to surprise me just as much as Nella and Eliza’s.

All in all, I highly recommend this book (and audiobook!) for those who love a page turner and need a book full of women helping women.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harper/Harlequin Audio for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: discussions of miscarriage, assault, and suicide.

The Lost Apothecary is a dual timeline set in 18th-century London; Nelly is an apothecary who creates poisons for women to rid them of men. One day she meets 12 year old Eliza and never would Nella imagine this child is about to flip her world upside down. Present-day Caroline has been married to James for about 10 years when she discovers he is having an affair, so there goes her wish to carry his child. She runs away to London to figure things out when she stumbles on a very old vial that will lead her to Nella's abandoned apothecary.

I am disappointed by this read, I expected so much more: mystery, potions, vengeance, curses, slow and excruciating deaths,.. it fell a little flat to me.

The cover is gorgeous, the audio is ok. and I learned about mudlarking, which was a term I never heard of before. It is such a neat activity!

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this AAC in exchange for my h9onest review.

One of the best dual-timeline books I've read. I typically avoid dual-timeline reads. I find myself putting up with the half of the story taking place in the present day to try and enjoy the historical part. And I'm usually disappointed.
This book was just too intriguing to resist. And I was far from disappointed. I enjoyed both time lines, the tie-in between them, and the historical mystery.
I received a copy of the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed the narration. There are three different readers for the three main characters, and I thought all of them were very engaging. It was a little distracting when one character would change their voice to say what another character said to them and it sounded so different from when that character actually speaks, but I still thought the audio was very well done.
The ending is a surprise, and absolutely satisfying - a resolution but with an air of mystery remaining.
I would definitely read more by Sarah Penner.

I really enjoyed this debut, dual timeline narrative featuring a female apothecary in 1791 and a woman (present day) who is searching for purpose and fulfillment. Their lives come together in an unexpected and fascinating way. The story does a great job exploring the ways we as women, have changed in our roles and our expectations from the past to the present, as well as understanding the intricate ways we are still the same. I also enjoyed the way she explored the different relationships we have in our lives and how it affects the way we ultimately view ourselves. This story will keep you guessing until the very end. I highly recommend!

3.75 stars, I definitely liked it more than I thought I would, but it also just wasn't my type of story really. I definitely enjoyed reading about each of the characters, and I loved the way their stories came together. I particularly liked Eliza's chapters, since she was so young, and naive, it was charming and sweet. I do wish there was more of a conclusion for her, but you could still tell what happened to her. I didn't like how short of a time frame this book had, since I prefer books that take place over multiple weeks at least, so I felt like it was a little rushed at times, but it wasn't awful and didn't take away from the story. Overall, it was interesting, I liked the characters, I thought it had a good ending, and I never got overly bored.

2.5 stars // This was okay. I love the premise -- a woman with a struggling marriage goes on a trip to England meant for her and her husband by herself and stumbles upon a centuries-old mystery about a woman who ran an apothecary. I love that it was told from multiple voices.

What I didn't like was that there were a lot of things that were convenient and unrealistic. The historical locations she needs to find happen to be within walking distance of her hotel, for example. That just doesn't jive well with me.

Overall, it was okay. I liked the audiobook narrators. It was compelling, but fell a little flat in practice.

This book was a solid 4.5 star for me - rounded up to 5 stars because of the excellent narration! The story is set in London in both the present and the past and is the story of an apothecary who helped women kill men! There are 3 main female characters - two from the past and one from the present who tell the story in turn from their perspectives. Narration is KEY in audiobooks and this one did not disappoint! The different narrators were all engaging and interesting and really keep the reader wanting more.

The only downside to this book: was when it was over. I wanted more! I hope Sarah Penner writes more novels and perhaps even a sequel to this one?

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a story that takes place in 1791 and in the present, following 2 timelines, and the perspectives of three different characters. Nella runs an apothecary shop that helps women gain revenge and recompense against men that have wronged them by distributing poisons. Eliza is a 12 year old girl who comes to Nella's shop for aid, and Caroline, the present day character, is a woman who just found out her husband cheated on her and is coming to terms with her life in the city of London.

Caroline's turmoil takes the reader on a voyage of self discovery as her passion for history is reignited in an old library. She begins to learn about the lost apothecary, overturning details about Nella and Eliza.

Nella, my favorite of the main characters, has her own traumatic past that have propelled her into her profession. When Eliza enters her shop, she is motivated to aid the child and their friendship is heart-warming.

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the alternating timelines and how each built up at the same pace towards a satisfying conclusion. The writing itself was enjoyable and easy to read. I preferred the chapters following Nella and Eliza and I wish there was more time spent developing those two characters. I wanted more detail and emotion from Nella's past. Caroline's timeline was interesting, but I felt more invested in and connected with Eliza and Nella.

I feel like this book would have been elevated if it had dove harder into the injustices of these women, maybe examined the social issues and ramifications in further detail, in order to drive home the underlying message of the story. As is, it is an enjoyable read but I would have preferred it to be a more hard-hitting emotionally.

Well I think this is another case of my expectations being far different than what the book ended up as. So because I can’t really fault the author for that, I’m not going to mark it down with a low star rating, but honestly after reading the description I was just expecting a different book.

I mean based off of these quotes:

“female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them”

“unsolved ‘apothecary murders’ that haunted London“

“not everyone will survive”

I thought that The Lost Apothecary would be a kind of dark, twisted tale of morally-grey women who are acting on some of their most sinister impulses. I wanted to see more of a tug of war between their feelings of self-preservation and self-interest. Instead, this just felt sanitized. I wasn’t conflicted at all while reading, mostly because there was very little conflict. The three main characters, an old apothecary named Nella & a young girl Eliza from the 18th century, as well as Caroline, a young woman in modern day, spent most of their time hemming and hawing over the possible *implications* of things that don’t ever come to pass.

In a word, I was bored. I wanted more from this book. It was as if the author wrote a feel-good version of what could have been a really interesting story. All the components promised in the synopsis were there: poisons, secrets, infidelity, etc. But I just did not feel like the stakes were raised to that level. And the instinct to tie everything up with a bow at the end missed the mark for me.

I don’t know. I know a lot of people have liked it so far. I think the impulse to create a certain kind of Strong Female Character has removed any ambiguity from their actions. It’s okay for there to be complicated female characters who are sometimes in the wrong. The men depicted in this book are so flat and inconsequential that it’s hard to even believe they have the capacity to oppress anybody. The author really pulled out all the stops to try and get the main characters to seem like they had no choice and every justification, but I just couldn’t get on board. If you’re going to be an apothecary who dispenses poisons to scorned women, then OWN it, don’t pretend it’s some kind of noble cause.

The writing outside of that, though, I thought was good. I also did like the narrators, although one of their voices started to sound really robotic if I cranked up the speed. That seems more like a production issue, though, and I think the three women who voiced the different points of view, Nella (Lorna Bennet), Caroline (Lauren Anthony) and Eliza (Lauren Irwin), did an excellent job.

I’m interested to potentially read more from Sarah Penner, but this just wasn’t my type of book. There’s a lot of stories coming out along these lines lately that better represent the complexity of women from history. Still, I’m sure plenty of readers will enjoy The Lost Apothecary as is.

The Lost Apothecary Review by Sarah Penner

Pub date: March 2, 2021

Thoughts: I really liked this read! This is a women's historical fiction that had a lot of depth. I love the descriptions of old London and could really visualize it! I  also think the dual timelines are clear and play very well into each other. I really feel for Caroline! But I can't say much without spoiling anything but her husband sucks. I thought it was a unique read that involved women helping women, dual timelines, mystery, and poisons!

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.

Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

Synopsis: In 18th century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Nella sells disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when 12 year old Eliza, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present day London, Caroline spends her wedding anniversary alone when she finds a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London 200 years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate.

Audio: Narrated by Lorna Bennett; Lauren Anthony; Lauren Irwin. I think the voice actors are great and like that I can differentiate between the characters.

Trigger Warnings: miscarriage, infidelity, mentions of assault, and death/ suicide.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Thank you so much #netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this amazing ARC to review with my honest thoughts and opinion.

If you are curious-this book is just as beautiful as its cover.

Dual time lined, this book takes you on a historical adventure into the world of finding ones self on the backdrop of a lost apothecary. In the 17th century, Nella created poisons and treatments for women. From aiding menstrual cramps to punishing a wayward husband, her tinctures were given to women to help them accomplish whatever task needed done. Hidden deep in the belly of London, in back alleys and hallways, Nella keeps her apothecary tucked away from those who force her to stop her work.

Caroline lives in the present day. She has just made a heartbreaking discovery about her husband right in view of their 10th anniversary. Luckily, their anniversary celebration was to include a trip to London and provided the perfect escape for Caroline to get away by herself- if even for a brief time. She has never forgiven herself for giving up her hopes to become a historian and with the universe coordinating in her favor- and lost secrets of the hidden apothecary looming centuries later- she may have her chance.

I listened to this one on audio and genuinely felt it benefited from the voices of the women being heard. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel and I am excited to put Sarah Penner on my "authors to be watched" list.

#TheLostApothecary #Netgalley

The Lost Apothecary is a dual timeline historical narrative. We initially meet Nella, an apothecary in 18th century London. Initially following in her mother’s footsteps, she doles out remedies to help women with their ails. After a personal betrayal her medicines become far more sinister and she has to put in several fail stops to protect her reputation and identity. Enter little Eliza, who comes on behalf of her mistress and turns Nella’s carefully protected world upside down.

In the present day, Caroline Parcewell is spending her 10-year anniversary alone in London, after discovering her husband’s infidelity. A would-be historian, who once dreamed of graduate school at Cambridge, Caroline goes off-itinerary to mudlark in the Thames. In the mud beds she discovers an old apothecary vile with a bear etched in the side and she sets out to discover its geneses. With the help of librarian Gaynor, Caroline discovers Nella and Eliza’s stories.

I am in the minority when seeing other reviews on Goodreads. Although I did think this book interesting and a page-turner for certain, I was not a fan of Caroline as a character. She fell flat for me. Regardless, this book was a quick read, but not my favorite. Thank you to Netgalley and Sarah Penner for the advanced copy.

instagram.com/passionforprose

Once again, we have an historical fiction using the split time period device. And once again, I was not taken by the present day story. The historic story grabbed me. It’s 1791 and Nella is a woman’s apothecary, providing formulas for all sorts of women’s problems, especially problem men. When 12 year old Eliza is sent to her shop for a “remedy”, they form a friendship. Unfortunately, it’s not long before a client seeks to violate one of Nella’s rules (harm no women) and everything is put at risk.
Caroline is the character from the present day. She’s come to London on what should have been her tenth anniversary trip. But she just caught her husband cheating, so instead she’s on her own. While mudlarking, she finds an antique apothecary’s bottle and her interest is piqued. Caroline seems nothing more than a means to advance Nella’s story. Caroline herself is the typical story of a woman growing into her own independence.
I had one other problem with this historical fiction. I want my historical fiction to be as much a lesson where I learn about a time or place, as a good story. I didn’t feel I really learned anything here. It’s a decent story and if that’s all you want, it does the trick. It’s a quick bit of entertainment. I would have preferred a story that delved deeper into the characters, especially Nella. The endings for both stories seem contrived and the pieces of the story fall too easily in place. Oh, if only my historic research was as easy as Caroline’s!
I both read and listened to this book. The writing lacked a meaningful difference in the voices, despite a 200+ year difference in time. The narrators made up for this a little, and I give them credit for bringing the characters to life.
My thanks to netgalley, Harper Audio and Harlequin Books for advance copies of this story.

The story inside this book is as captivating as its cover! What mysteries does a once secret, now still hidden, apothecary continue to hold? And how will these mysteries help a heart-broken woman find her true self centuries later? Sarah Penner gives us a great tale of how past and present collide with the presence of strong female characters all along the way. The plot is unique, endearing, a little mysterious and the last half is full of twists and turns. A definite must read debut!

The story is told from three different POVs - the main female characters from both past and present. The audiobook was performed wonderfully and made the book that much more enjoyable. I love a lot about this book, but the one theme that makes this one special, in my opinion, is how over the span of over 200 years we see example after example of women taking care of and supporting one another despite age, class, background, personal gain, etc.

Publication date is March 2, 2021.

Thank you to #netgally and @harperaudio for the opportunity to listen to this Advanced Readers Copy of #TheLostApothecary in exchange for my honest review.