The story in this book is related to other historical novels that Kearsley has written set in the late 1600s and early 1700s in England and Scotland. They concern the lead-up to the 1708 Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland, an attempt by the Scots to negate the Union of 1707 between England and Scotland and bring the exiled Catholic King James VIII back from France to take the Scottish throne.

There is a great deal of background imparted about the history and politics of the time, because it also forms the backdrop for the main story, which has to do with the life of Lily Aitcheson.

The book begins in 1707 in Edinburgh, when the narrator, Sergeant Adam Williamson, is staying at the house of his friend and commander Lieutenant Turnbull. Their relationship stemmed from their time together working and fighting for the Scottish colony at Darien. [The Gulf of Darien was the site of the Scottish colony of New Caledonia on the Isthmus of Panama, established in the late 1690s. The plan was for the colony to provide an overland transportation service connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, thus obviating the need to sail all the way around South America. The scheme failed for a number of reasons. In this book, it is suggested that the English government worked to subvert it, less the company take away business from their East India Company.]

When Adam showed up at Turnbull’s door, Turnbull was away, and Adam was at the same time struck with one of his periodic bouts of malaria, contracted in Panama. Turnbull’s wife Helen insisted he stay, even after he recovered. Adam agreed to complete an assignment for Turnbull brought over by Gilroy, a clerk of Lord Grange. The men were tasked with investigating a claim for wages from the African Company owed to spouses of men lost in the Darien adventure.

Adam was immediately enamored with the claimant, Lily Aitcheson, who said she was the widow of James Graeme, lost at sea on the way to Darien. Her proof is questionable however, and so Turnbull and ergo Adam were requested to help Gilroy investigate. In the course of doing so, we learn Lily’s life story.

Meanwhile, Helen is trying to fix Adam up with an eligible young lady, but Adam is clearly smitten with Lily. He can relate to the Platonic claim that every person has one matching half, and must search the world for the one person who completes us. We readers know Adam feels he has found that in Lily. But would Lily feel the same about him?

Evaluation: Underlying much of the story is a theme about the mistreatment of women, and how difficult it was then - much more so than now, to have any means of resistance or redress. We also learn a great deal about the complicated machinations of men in power in this time period over who would rule Scotland and how the conflict among competing religions might be sorted out. Both the personal and political interrelationships were confusing and at the end I felt like I could benefit from starting over again at the beginning, but I didn’t mind doing that; it is a good story, with a number of surprising twists at the end.

Did not realize this was part of the series, that was not my issue with this. My issue was that I just was not interested in the characters or the story. Not for me. JMO. DNF'd 100 pages in.

Thanks to Netgalley, Susanna Kearsley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 10/5/21

In The Vanished Days, Susanna Kearsley takes the reader back to Scotland during the time of the Jacobites, and the struggle between Scotland and England during the reign of King William. Deposed King James & James Stewart are in France and trying to get back on the throne.

Adam Williamson and Gilroy were tasked to check out the validity of a claim Lily Grahame has made to receive the money due her from the death of her husband, Jamie. Is he really her husband? The story, told by Adam, takes a convoluted trail through the life of Lily. The reader is taken from Scottish castles, to brothels, to New York. The reader is introduced to little known history of Scotland during the 1600s and 1700s. There are good men and some men you will love to hate. I must confess to being surprised at the ending!

It is 1707, and in Scotland Lily Graeme has made a claim for wages owed her deceased husband. Standing in for his absent friend and former commander, Sergeant Adam agrees to investigate this claim as there are no living witnesses to the marriage. Yet why has this claim been chosen from the thousands presented? As rumors of an invasion swirl Adam finds himself tangled in matters of politics and of the heart. Who can be trusted when everyone has much to gain - and to lose?

The Vanished Days explores the time of the Jacobites not in the typical England vs Scotland manner, but as it impacted those within Scotland. I love how Kearsely’s meticulous research doesn’t yield a dry recitation of fact but a page-turning immersive dive into the story of people; a story of love and betrayal, family and secrets. Reading previous books (The Winter Sea, Firebirds, etc.) enhances the enjoyment of the story but Vanished Days easily stands on its own. Highly recommended!

I received an eARC of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this book! Loved the historical facts. Loved the characters. It reminded me of Diana Gabaldon books. I love it so much I have now found a new author and have read 2 more of Susanna Kearrsley. Very much enjoyed the dual timeline romances and adventures.

I enjoyed reading this book. I thought the characters were well developed and the plot moved at a pace that felt appropriate. I would like to read other books by this author in the future.

Kearsley has brought to life the lives of "common folk" living in Scotland from the mid 1600's to the early 1700's. As a political war for the throne bounces back and forth between the English and the ousted Scottish King James, the common citizens lives are well depicted as their family and political allegiances change. Focusing on Lily, an orphan, and later a key to pressuring loyal men to tell of where their king is hidden, Kearlsey spins a tale from the standpoint of an older gentleman recalling events and people of his past. When the "writer" of the tale at last reveals his identity, it is confusing for the reader, who must go back and carefully read what is written to understand exactly who this gentleman is and who he may have been in the past. Recommended for readers who prefer epic historical tales and who already have an understanding of Scottish history.

This book speaks to the unfairness of life and circumstances beyond our control. Lily’s life is hard but she survives through the unexpected grace from strangers. We learn that life can be cruel and we should take nothing for granted. Lily spends her life striving to be strong yet fighting to be independent. The reader experiences heartbreak and uncertainty but above all love.

Historical fiction set in Scotland during the 1700's. This is the story of Lily Graeme and Adam Williamson, which is narrated by Adam. Politics and religion are at the top of everyone's minds as the new Union of Scotland with England is the trigger for political upheaval. There is a great deal of complicated history in this book, that I have to admit I had trouble following at times (my failing, I'm sure, since I'm not too strong in Scottish history), but the story of Lily and Adam was fascinating and I was more interested in what was happening in the dual timelines in the book. This is the prequel to The Winter Sea, which I very much enjoyed reading as well. I'm sure there was a great deal of research in writing this book. I enjoyed reading of Lily's struggles and admired her strength. The ending surprised me - which I liked!

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on October 5, 2021.

Set in Jacobite Scotland, this is a nice historical novel. It is the third book in the series but it can work as a standalone. Told from different viewpoints and different narrators.

Title: The Vanished Days
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Want to give a huge thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Susanna Kearsley for approving my request to read Lily's story.
Loved everything about this book. It literally took my breath away. Tears of sorrow, tears of joy! Loved how the timelines were written.
Enjoyed following Lily's story and how it intertwined with all the characters in the book.
Loved how Lily grew into the strong woman she became. The love story and the mystery that was so expertly written into the story.
Loved Adam, Henry, Walter, Simon and Maggie (okay loved all the characters even Archie, he helped make this story possible).
Amazing story set in Scotland and parts of America. Highly recommend!

I loved traveling back in time to Scotland. This book kind of gave me Outlander vibes. this is a prequel to the winter sea.

Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite authors. She has such a talent for writing historical fiction with multiple timelines.

The Vanished Days is set in Jacobite Scotland when Adam Williamson is asked to help investigate Lily Graeme's claim to be the wife of James Graeme. Mrs. Graeme has come forward to claim her dead husband's wages, but, when asked to provide proof of the marriage, can produce nothing more than her word. Adam is drawn to Lily in a way that he cannot explain and sets out to help her prove her story.

Lily's story is told in two timelines - that of her childhood, growing up near the Graeme estate with young James and his siblings, and present day. What evolves is a story of friendship and love - love lost and love found. The author tells her story in a way that only she can - combining the rich history of the Jacobite movement in Scotland with a timeless love story.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.

I didn't realize this was #3 in a series otherwise I wouldn've have read it first since I really like to read series in order. Thankfully it did seem to work as a standalone book by giving me enough info to get deeply interested in the story without referring to other books as far as I'm aware.

The main POV was likeable and pulled me into the story pretty quickly. I wanted to see how it ended and read quite a lot in just a couple of sessions. I would read more in this series.

In 18th century Scotland, Lily is trying to prove that she is entitled to financial remuneration for the death of her husband in the service of his country; the problem is that whether or not they married is in question. The narrative switches between Lily's childhood and her life as an adult. I enjoyed the surprise ending, but never really connected with any of the characters. Recommended for those who enjoy well researched historical fiction, and who have an interest in the religious and political conflicts of Scotland. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Told in two points of view, "The Vanished Days" is the story of Lily Aitcheson's life through childhood to a hard-won HEA. While the present -1707- is related in the first person by Adam Williamson, the previous years are recounted in the third person.

The political climate of Scotland during this time was incredibly unstable, and Lily's childhood is both unconventional and sad. Whether likable or not, all characters are finely-drawn and the author pulls no punches in showing the harsh realities faced by the less-well-to-do. There are twists and turns; one in particular had me so confused I went back through the book just a little to look for clues.

This novel is meticulously researched and rich in historical detail. A prequel of sorts to "The Winter Sea" and "The Firebird" it is not necessary to have read those two books, although I've read them both. Kearsley incorporates some actual historical figures here, as well.

"The Vanished Days" is not a dual timeline novel, and I missed that aspect here. However, Kearsley's beautiful prose shines. Her imagery is vivid and evocative.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this enjoyable novel.

A very interesting premise. I have read other offerings from Kearsley before, but this one had a very interesting take on the story. It hopped back and forth between the current day (in the book, obviously, since it takes place in 1707 Scotland), and the past of Lily's life. This book was engaging for me because I had ancestors in this same situation and her writing is always top notch.
Lily is a young woman who has put forth a claim in order to receive insurance due to the fact that her husband, James Graeme, was killed as a sailor. However, the information she provides -- the documentation of her marriage, the witnesses, are no help. Therefore Adam is forced to interview people that may have more insight into her marriage and whether or not it actually took place. The story follows him through her entire childhood and beyond.
I really enjoyed the storyline, it was very captivating and I felt transported to the time period, as is usual for Susanna Kearsley. I really recommend this to people who enjoy historical fiction, or if you are a fan of the Outlander books. These are much less farfetched (although don't get me wrong, I love Outlander!)

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At about 80% through, I was sure this would be my least favorite Kearsley book. She pulled it off in the end, like she always does, but I did go back and re-read several parts to see how they fit with the knowledge gleaned at the end (which was a complete shock for me, by the way) and I still think there are at least two very important pages where the narration was a lie. Not just an omission of information. I think I would like it better upon a second reading…

Another homerun! Susanna Kearsley is one of my all time favorite authors. This newest addition did not disappoint! Kearsley truly has a talent for bringing history to life in such a way that the story refuses to be quieted. I can't wait to read this again when I get it in print!

I am a former British History major and a total,Outlander fan. So I was psyched for this book. It did not disappoint.

Plenty of information about Scottish history was integrated with a poignant, interesting story. .Kearsley did a great job developing the characters so that the reader is drawn into their lives. It took a while to keep all of them straight. However, she does a good job subtly reminding you so that you soon remember who everyone is. She does the same with the many historical details. I particularly loved the philosophical discussion of “vanished days”in the final chapter. What a great ending!

My only concern was that the twist as to who the narrator was did not completely connect with what I, as the the reader, knew about that narrator, Seems like Lily would have recognized Matthew before his identity is revealed. I probably just missed the clues. But there were prior details in the narrative that seemed at odds with the narrator being Matthew. However, I was swept up in the story and pretty much accepted this plot point.

A great combination of romance, adventure, history, mystery, love, and betrayal. Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
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