I am not sure why but the first time I started this book I couldn't get into it. Event though I found the premise interesting and then I kept hearing about it on Tiktok telling me it was really that good.

It was in reality as good as the people on tiktok claimed.

It is the particular type of Historical Fiction that I like where we have multiple points of views, where at least one is in the past and one is in the "present".

This story was intriguing from start to finish, and I really enjoyed the character growth overall.

This was an amazing story that came into my life at the perfect time. Caroline's current experiences of being in the UK for 9 months are exactly what I am experiencing at the moment and so this book spoke to me differently than it would have. Aside from that, the writing and pacing of the story was expertly done. I loved the interweaving of Caroline, Nella, and Eliza's narratives and the important themes of womanhood in all of their stories. The historical elements were done so well and I loved that Caroline's passion for history and literature was included in this novel! I cannot believe this is Sarah Penner's first novel. I will definitely be reading anything else she comes out with!

After trying to read The Lost Apothecary, when I received and ARC from #NetGalley, I gave up about 2/3 of the way through because I really disliked it. Like everything about it. I had a lot of guilt about not finishing the book, so I borrowed it from my library. I finished it. It was not good.

Nella poisons men, which sounds super exciting and yet, it was not. Caroline has been cheated on by her husband, who is a jerk but Caroline is, honestly, not any better! She's a whiny, entitled, full of herself brat. I couldn't stand any of the characters and the narrators did not help. They were so blah! Zero personality came through.

A lot of people really love this book. I am not one of them...

A woman selling her poison in act of vengeance against men. A child who becomes a murderer before her first period. These seem like the perfect combinaton for a deadly and thrilling story, unfortunately it wasn't. Although it starts out with the promised poisons, it soon turns tedious in an attempt to draw out suspense. Steps across rooms are counted in multiple scenes. Accounting an entire room's contents, or a retelling of a dinner the characters weren't present for, slows down the story's pace to a crawl. The audiobook chose a perfect reader with a voice filled with the apothecary 's exhaustion and bitterness, but the slow reading further exacerbated the book's slow pace. Then there is the present day character, a soon-to-be divorcee that comes across as a cautionary tale women are more than familiar with. and who has neglected all her dreams for her marriage. As the story cycled through the three point of views, one would finally start to become interesting, living up to the book's hype, only to be interrupted by another less compelling voice. Although at each point one of the character's caught my interest, none of them were able to hold it for long. This book is better suited to someone wishing for a languid read with an emphasis on romanticizing London, all without any diversity or surprises.

Synopsis:



A historical mystery bringing to timelines together, one from 1791 and one of present day London.



A tale of murder and the women behind them. The apothecary is the one place women can turn to when the men in their lives are more than they can bare.

Nella is the owner of this shop and her fate is changed when Eliza Fanning walks into her shop. The unnerved feeling Nella gets is quickly set aside as she continues on with Eliza. This feeling later returns with another customer arrives.

Caroline is running from her husband and the betrayal he gifted her for their wedding anniversary in which they were supposed to go on a trip to London. She decides to go anyways. Alone.

While there she comes across an old apothecary bottle which begins her research. What she doesn’t know it how this story will intertwine with her own and altering her world.

Review:

Oh, so good! I didn’t want to stop reading to get sleep before I had to do another long workday but alas I did and finished on the way in to work later.

While this was a split timeline, it was done so well. I never wondering what was going on like so many other split timeline stories I have read that confuse you with abruptly changing scenes without any warning, leaving the reader confused until they realize the switch.

Very well written and thought out. I enjoyed this story immensely. The characters were enjoyable while not always “proper”. The mystery element was captivating.

I would recommend this to those who like a story of finding some history that brings up a past time, historical fiction, and stories of women betrayed and vengeful.

This audiobook was given in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

I have been reading more historical fictions lately, I thought I wasn't a fan but the last few books, including this one, have proven otherwise. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner made me want to slip on my wellies, go mudlarking and dig up and uncovered mystery. I loved the dual timelines of Modern day and 18th century London, switching from Caroline, aspiring historian discovering a forgotten history of a lost apothecary, and Nella, who ran her Mother's apothecary. Will Caroline find the truth about Nella's Lost Apothecary and the many secrets it held?

I definitely recommend this book.

I requested this book based solely on the cover, but it did not disappoint.
The Lost Apothecary is told through the point of view of three women. In present-day London, Caroline is spending her anniversary trip alone after discovering a secret about her husband. After finding a small apothecary bottle, she is desperate for more information about what was in the bottle and who owned it.
Nella works as an apothecary in London back alley in 1791 and is hiding a secret. In addition to her apothecary work, she supplies women with poisons to rid them of the men in their life.
Eliza goes to Nella on behalf of her mistress to purchase a poison. Eliza and Nella's lives become entangled after this meeting.
All of the stories in this book were amazing. Each character had a distinctive voice and I loved learning about their lives. The narration is splendidly done and it really made the characters come to life for me.

Thanks to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the chance to listen to and review, "The Lost Apothecary" by Sarah Penner. While the premise and the cover initially drew me in, this story was just not for me. The women reading the book are quite talented which was the only reason I finished this one. The story did not hold my interest like I thought it would and I didn't feel like I cared about any of the characters, I know I am the odd one out since many people have loved and enjoyed this title. If you think this title may be for you, give it a try. The audiobook was excellent which is why I am giving a 4 star rating.

Unfolding in a dual timeline, present day and the years between 1791-1816, the narrators Nella, Eliza, and Caroline tell their stories. Caroline tries to piece together the life of Nella, the apothecary who operated a shop in a back alley two hundred years ago. At the shop, Nella conversed with twelve year old Eliza, who expressed an interest in becoming an apothecary apprentice. Nella explained that she never rested. "Something is always steaming, brewing, stewing, soaking at all hours of the night" and that this has taken a toll on her life. Eliza, a curious, observant, wide-eyed child proved to be a challenge to Nella as apothecary, a brewer of secrets, and a friend to all women.

"The Lost Apothecary" by Sarah Penner was a fascinating melding of the secrets of a hidden apothecary shop and the reemergence of a talented researcher's quest and pursuit of higher education and her search to rediscover herself as well as hidden treasures from the past. The audiobook was exceptionally well done, adding another layer to the story. I highly recommend this historical fiction read.

Wow this was so interesting! I loved how it flipped back and forth between the past and present. The details and writing were beautiful. The storyline just caught my attention from the start.

I was lucky to get the audiobook of the Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner to listen to! I was so impressed that this was the debut novel for the author Sarah Penner who created characters whose lives kept me immersed in the story right from the beginning. It felt like a great combination of two of my favorite genres, historical fiction and thrillers. The audiobook especially made the character of Nella, the apothecarist, even more effective giving her what I thought was a more sinister-sounding voice. The author Sarah Penner does a great job with the dual timelines. One timeline had Caroline, in present-day London who finds something that leads her to investigate the history of a lost apothecary and wants to discover what happened, and the other with Nella, a woman from 18th-century London whose potions were used by women against men in their lives they felt had mistreated them and Eliza, a young girl, who form an unlikely friendship that takes them on a path of unfortunate events. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend the audiobook. This book was just what I needed which was a great escape!

**Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and of course the author for the audio galley. I have provided my honest opinion and thoughts on the galley.**

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I felt like the narration was spot on and really helped draw me into the story that much more. The story itself takes place in 2 different eras with 3 women who on the surface appear to have nothing in common. I feel like there is so much I want to say about Nella, Eliza, and Caroline but I would inevitably drop some spoilers. I will say that this is one of those historical fiction books that just reaches out and captures your attention from the very beginning. I actually just ordered a hard copy of the book to add to my shelf and read again.

I throughly enjoyed this book. Although the story felt slow, it didn’t lose my attention. The dual storyline flowed flawlessly and I didn’t want either one to end.

I think it was a bit misleading describing this book as fantasy. It felt a bit more historical fiction and didn’t come off as fantasy at all to me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

In stories mysteries often revolve around murder or crime, so the idea that found “traysure” (nod to any Murderinos out there) leads a modern woman to discover a previously hidden apothecary shop was not only exciting, but also refreshing. Unlike other books, there was practically no relating apothecary practices to witchcraft or magic, meaning focus remained on the three heroines and their development. Specific to the audiobook: listening to the three women narrate this novel allowed for easy transitions between viewpoints (and delightful accent appreciation).

I really enjoyed The Lost Apothecary. I was drawn into Nella and Caroline’s stories from the very start. . This dual timeline brilliantly intertwined the stories. The chapters alternate between Nella and Caroline, giving us a glimpse of one timeline before taking it back to the other. The Lost Apothecary gives us complex characters and shows just how far some women would go to rebel in a “man’s world”. I definitely had to let go of reality with this one, but I really liked where this journey went..
I enjoyed the audiobook. All three narrators did a great job and perfectly depicted the characters. The narration definitely added to the story, bringing it to life..

The gorgeous cover of this book first attracted my attention, but soon I was engrossed in both Nella and Caroline’s stories by the beautiful writing and intriguing details. Both characters are compelling and endearing, prompting me to care about them and wanting the best outcome. Highly recommend this historical fiction mystery!

This ended up being just a good book. I enjoyed the dives into history and our main character’s passion for research. It could have been a little longer to explain a few things left unanswered in the last quarter of the book. Overall it was enjoyable, just not a new favorite.

The Lost Apothecary takes place in London, in both the late 1700s and present day. It's told from three different perspectives: Caroline, who goes to London for what was supposed to be a 10-year anniversary trip, alone after discovering her husband's infidelity and seeking to find herself after so many years tied to one person; Nella, an apothecary in the 1790s who helps women murder their husbands by concocting sneaky poisons; and Eliza, a 12-year-old girl who was one of Nella's customers, but becomes Nella's friends. On Caroline's trip in present day, she discovers a blue vial with a bear etching on the side - and starts to unravel the mystery of The Lost Apothecary.

I simultaneously loved this book and wanted more from it. I thought the premise was so interesting, the cover was gorgeous, but it was just a smidge of a let down. While I enjoyed both the past and present perspectives, I wanted there to be more with Caroline's POV. She was doing her own research into the Lost Apothecary, but she wasn't finding anything that hadn't already been discussed during Nella's or Eliza's chapters? (At least, not until the end!). So her parts of the story felt a bit repetitive? If that makes sense?

Also, I have ZERO idea why some people are labeling this as "fantasy" - if anything, it's historical fiction. The word "magic" is tossed around a little, but really it's just a very smart apothecary using herbs and other poisons (not magic) to create the deadly concoctions. There's no "fantasy" to it - just science.

The audiobook was well done, in my opinion. I love it when there's a different narrator for a different character's perspective, and the narrators were great!

Thank you again for the chance to listen to this book! It was a goodie for sure.

BOOKS
ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘The Lost Apothecary’
02/21/2021 - by Jason Flatt
SHARETWEETPIN ITSHARE
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Lost Apothecary - But Why Tho?The Lost Apothecary is a historical fiction novel by Sarah Penner published by Park Row Books, an imprint of Harlequin, a subsidiary of HarperCollins. The audiobook is published by Harlequin Audio and is narrated by Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin.

In the late 1700s in London, a women’s apothecary Nella kept a book. In that book: the names of women who solicited her poisons to kill men who wronged them. In modern London, Caroline is visiting London for what is supposed to be her 10th wedding anniversary, but instead, she is getting as far away from her husband as possible, having just discovered his infidelity.

The chapters of The Lost Apothecary rotate between three voices: Nella, an ailing apothecary of women’s remedies who doubles as a dispenser of poisons; Eliza, a 12-year-old whose faith becomes entangled with Nella’s when she picks up poison on behalf of her mistress; and Caroline, a modern protagonist whose unfaithful husband is the absolute worst type of man and finds herself unexpectedly uncovering Nella and Eliza’s history for the first time.

The three-point of view characters have distinct voices (literally, with three different readers in the audio narration) but share a universal disposition. Nella has an air of wisdom with a tinge of assumption, which mixes well with Eliza’s confident naivety. And Caroline is adrift, not as sure about anything as the other two besides that her life needs a total reboot. All three women, though, are living in the shadow of men, their atrocities, and balancing the expectation and allure of motherhood. Infidelity, abandonment, and, much worse, don’t only traumatize the main characters, the men in their lives nearly completely ruin them forever. Secret poisons sound almost alluring.

Writing multiple perspectives over different time periods takes a lot to ensure every character’s story is equally compelling. The perspectives do all work together thematically and are individually interesting. But something is just slightly missing from both time periods to help fully bridge them. It’s perhaps the lack of a true mystery, at least, until the very last minute, in the present-day story that keeps the two sides of The Lost Apothecary feeling like two separate stories for much of the book. They’re both enjoyable stories on their own, but I wish there was just a smidgen more that would keep me in an elevated state of intrigue over what would happen next.

Again, both halves are indeed compelling on their own. Caroline’s plight with her husband, budding new friendship in England, and adrenalized pursuit of self-determination is both intense and gratifying. I detest her husband entirely and was repeatedly triggered by his behavior as it so immediately reflected emotional abuse I’ve sustained in my own relationship history. If Penner was not writing from her own personal experience, she was certainly drawing from a powerfully recognizable well. But for as uncomfortable as I was on occasion, Caroline’s absolute not just resilience but total imperturbable momentum right through him is perfect.

Nella and Eliza’s intergenerational relationship is very appreciable as well. While there isn’t necessarily affection between them, you can sense strong mutual admiration lacing their interactions. Eliza especially is written aptly as a 12-year old. Rather than the infallible tween of so many stories, she is totally as unwitting a child as a 12-year-old girl in the 1790s would be while still as headstrong as any child deserves to be.

And while there is a clear throughline between Caroline’s discovery of an apothecary vial and her quest to discover its story and the lives of Nella and Eliza, it just never feels like a mystery. It’s clear this adventure is significant to Caroline, who once dreamt of studying at Cambridge and becoming a historian. But it’s not necessarily lived through the book’s narrative and structure so much as told through Caroline’s chapters alone. It’s a totally compelling story, but because the mystery for nearly the whole book is “who is this apothecary” and the reader already knows the answer to that question, there isn’t an opportunity to feel the same high of uncovering a long-kept secret that Caroline experiences herself.

The Lost Apothecary is a good story from three perspectives displaced by several centuries, bound by the universal shadow of abusive men. While I wish there was just a sliver more suspense or mystery to keep the momentum between the two time periods, each side of the book holds its own with decent and empathetic characters.

The Lost Apothecary is available wherever books are sold on March 2nd.

I received a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

There will be some potential spoilers, so don't read on if you haven't read it yet.

I LOVED this book. It was so well done, and I loved the 3 different perspectives. If you listen on audio, there are also different narrators, which I loved.

I think what made me love this story so much is how different each woman was, and how they all in some way kept each others secrets. Caroline was very relatable for me - not in the end of her marriage, but in that she felt like she drifted away from what she wanted to do with her life. I love that she found herself again through investigating the vial.

I would also LOVE to have a job where you get to investigate the past, just saying.

This will probably be one of my favorite audiobooks hands down.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of this magical book.