The imagined story behind Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter as told from the woman who was the inspiration. Isobel comes from a long line of women who have been accused of being a witch. Isobel also has synesthesia, the condition where people see sounds as colors, which her mother tells her to hide away so that she isn't accused of being a witch. Isobel learns embroidery from her mother and she is very good at it. As a youth she is sent to work in a dressmaking shop and as a young wife who is left alone while her husband is away she is able to use those skills to care for herself.
All is not rosy for Isobel. She is alone in a foreign land and because of her red hair and her Scottish brogue she is viewed as an outsider in Salem which has its own witch history. She meets Nat Hathorn who has a family history of persecuting witches, who fancies himself a writer of dark tales, and who is trying to find his own way in the world, and make a name for himself.

This was an enchanting story about a woman trying to make her way in the world trying to figure out who to trust.

I never read the Scarlet Letter but had heard about it. Now I want to read it to see more of the parallels I missed. I had heard it was a morality story about a woman who was shamed for breaking societal rule about sex. I heard that she was taken advantage of by the man who later accused her and that it was also about hypocrisy. What I am hearing now is that she is one of the first feminist characters in literature. The Scarlet Letter is now on my tbr list.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical history, strong women characters, and the Salem witch history. The story also involves the underground railroad and addiction.

Wholly imaginative, yet feels very grounded in truth and history. I enjoyed this so much more than ‘The Scarlet Letter’ itself.

And I think it's because I enjoy books that speculate the muse or inspiration behind classic stories. It's a kind of retelling that isn't done often, but always ends up being rewarding. Not to mention the writing in this is soooo pretty. In this story, the men of Salem constantly accuse the women of bewitching or enchanting them, and that's how I feel about LLA's writing. It's a great vehicle for telling a story steeped in the mysteries of the new world and the complexities of human nature.

I'm really quite pleased with this!

Hester is a quaint historical fiction about the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write The Scarlett Letter but her name is not Hester. Isobel is a Scottish immigrant who traveled to America with her husband, a drug addicted doctor. Isobel gets abandoned by her husband, who goes off on adventure, taking all their money with him. This forces Isobel to take up a job sewing gloves and stitching dresses for a local seamstress. When Isobel meets Nathaniel, she immediately feels something for him. Her affection eventually leads to an affair and the rest is history.
This is a slow paced story that seems to drag at times. I thought that I'd might not get through the whole story. Otherwise it was a nice romantic, historical fiction mixed with a little magic. It was a pleasant quaint read.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

A unique fiction story of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter focusing upon Isobel Gamble who may be the inspiration behind the famous novel, Isobel is a Scottish seamstress that has traveled to the New
World in the 1800's with her doctor husband. Salem is haunted by the terrible history of witches and slavery is still a very real issue in the new land.

Edward, is battling a poppy addiction and the poverty they have fallen into because of it and hopes that traveling to America will provide a new start. Isobel is an incredibly gifted seamstress and has the gift (or suffers from) Synesthesia - a condition in which the senses are combined (seeing colors to letters or sounds, for instance). It's this condition that allows Isobel to create beautifully colored products that excite the stark Puritan citizens.

It is while Edward is serving as a medic on a ship that Isobel spies the great Nat Hawthorne and feels an immediate attraction. Thus continues a tapestry of a story that is as complicated and as colorful as Isobel's work. If you liked The Scarlet Letter (or would like a better story), love a feminist tale, or just enjoy the mystery and beauty of magic, and Synesthesia, HESTER is the book for you! #STMartinsPress #Synesthesia #Hester #Laurielicoalbanese #NetGalley #Netgalleyreads

Thank you NetGalley for this read! It definitely was a slow burn and took me awhile to get into the story but I devoured the final half so fast in order to find out the end.

Without giving too much away, Hester is the story of a woman who moves to Salem with her husband, is abandoned by her husband when he goes to sea, isn’t widely accepted by the community being an outsider, embraces her gift for creating beautiful embroidery scenes on clothing, and befriends Nathaniel Hawthorne.

I love the connection to The Scarlet Letter so much that I need to go back and re-read it as well to continue the story.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like it but in the end it was well worth it!

An absolutely beautifully written novel based on the real Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic The Scarlet Letter.First of all, I was initially refused a copy at Edelweiss and I was totally disappointed in a stroke of luck that the author gave NetGalley readers a chance to read it for a few days now and c was my lucky day! Thanks to author Laurie Lico Albanese and NetGalley for giving readers the opportunity to read this great book! Told between two timelines, Hester begins in the early 19th century with the beautiful young seamstress Isobel and her ambitious apothecary husband Edward, sailing from Scotland to Salem in hopes of prosperity in a new land. But soon after Edward arrives in their new country with his addiction to opium which he cultivates for medicinal purposes, it leads him to leave on an outgoing ship where he will serve as a doctor while Isobel is left to itself. Alone and scared, Isobel uses her gift of tailoring to create lavish clothing that allows the local noblewomen to survive. As she begins to find meaning in life amidst her abilities, she meets handsome young author Nathaniel Hawthorne, a man tormented by the spirits of his ancestors, who were primarily responsible for the deaths of falsely accused women being killed. during witch hunts in Salem in the 1660s were called witches. Together they are dangerously involved, knowing that their love affair could be discovered by her returning husband and the talkative harpies of Salem. Without giving further plot details, it was a very beautiful, nuanced reimagining of the woman who inspired the character of Hester Prynne and the wild women of Isobel's legacy who paved the way for her to to survive.

I wanted to love this one as I love historical fiction and books that flesh out characters from classic novels. But this book just dragged. I tried and tried but the story just never went anywhere and I finally gave up. So disappointed because I thought this might be perfect for October reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

I love Nathaniel Hawthorne so much that I named my first kid after him. No lie. “Rappacini’s Daughter” is my favorite short story, and I love The Scarlet Letter. Anytime I see a book adjacent to Hawthorne in any way, I read it. When I saw this one up on NetGalley, I knew it was one to request, and I’m so glad I was given the copy.

From Goodreads: Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts has forced them to flee Edinburgh for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they’ve arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic––leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible.

When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows––while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward’s safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller, the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which?

In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country’s complicated past and learns that America’s ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel’s story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a “real” American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of “unusual” women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down.

Just to put any speculation to rest, there is no evidence that Hester Prynne was based on a real person. But it is certainly fun to speculate. Isobel is a great character, and you cheer for her success. The secondary story of the Underground Railroad was excellent and enhanced the depiction of the era well. The secondary characters were rich and believable. I was captivated for the entire book. I really enjoyed this one, even though historical fiction isn’t my genre of choice. But because this was so well-written, I was hooked.

Hester will be a great hit when it is published! I loved Laurie Lico Albanese's character, Isobel Gamble. I enjoyed the story of love and loss surrounding the history of Nathaniel Hawthorne's book, Scarlet Letter. I admire the imagination it takes to weave facts and fiction together for an engrossing read like Hester. LLA's writing is gentle when she writes about Isobel and captures the beauty of her soul and her artistic gift with needle and thread. Savagery comes out clearly with the depiction of men like Isobel's husband, Edward, a heroin addict, and thief.

The difficulty of emigrating is clearly laid out in the story of Isobel and Edward's crossing from Scotland to Salem. The captain of the ship emerges as a good man with an admirable character and strength, lucky for Isobel to meet him in the first days of her journey. Crossing the Atlantic on a ship in historical stories has always been a mystery for me. But if the chance of freedom in a new world is the reason, I suppose I would take my chances in a perilous ship voyage.

Peril didn't decrease all that much when Isobel arrived in Salem. She managed to live in a one-room cottage on the edge of town but otherwise, Isobel was rejected for her Scottish accent and her flaming red hair. Isobel managed to find a few people who were willing to help her and she scratched out enough work to earn a few pennies to survive at a level of poverty similar to that of her life in Scotland. A different inner life grew when Isobel met the young Nat Hathorne (before he added a 'w' to his name). With Nat came high emotions and page-turning events to create an incredible book that I recommend 100%!

Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC.

I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy this book since I'm not even sure I read The Scarlet Letter in school it's been so long. But I was slowly immersed in the story and ultimately read it very quickly. I liked that Isobel was a strong protagonist who used her intellect and sewing skills to survive after marrying a less than honorable man. I liked how synesthesia played into the story in a very natural way and I especially loved the other women in the story who were her allies and friends.

I was very emotional by the end of the book. I knew enough to know that in The Scarlett Letter, things didn't go well for Hester and I was so fond on Isobel that I wanted her to succeed and have a good life. The last few chapters of the book turned it from a good book to a great one.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, gifted author and haunted man, gives us an unforgettable protagonist in Hester Prynne. Laurie Lico Albanese imagines the scenario that might have influenced him and, as a result, we meet Hester Gamble. Using Hawthorne’s technique of synesthesia, we witness this Hester’s ability to experience words and sounds through colors. A gifted embroiderer and pattern designer, she must hide her talents in both her native Scotland and her new home Salem for fear of being considered enchanted. Imprisoned in an unhappy marriage, she is attracted to Nathaniel who in turn uses her for solace. Reading this novel is so enjoyable. The poetic diction is magical; the historic allusions are heartbreaking. Both literary Hesters are favorite characters of mine. They are survivors.

I really wanted to like this book since it was pitched as the backstory to Hester Prynne but I was very disappointed. The story had so little to do with the character herself and was more the sad life of the woman who inspired the character. Other than her embroidery (and subsequent affair with the author) I found it really lacking in sustenance. There were major chunks of the book that made me want to give up it was rather dull and dreary.

I feel like the book would have been far better were it a little surprise at the end that she was the woman who inspired Hester, not pitched as the book in whole. Overall, not my favourite though I can see the draw of the tale.

Thank you so much for this ARC!!

This book was a great read. Historical fiction is a favorite of mine, and this book fits perfectly. The author gives you magic, witchcraft, and mystery bound together with a love story. As Isobel comes to a new world with hopes of a better life, she finds that hardship is everywhere. She must draw on her inner strength to provide for herself and to survive in this new home. When she meets Nathaniel, she is comforted to find a friend. A strong friendship evolves between them that becomes a stronger love.

As you travel back and forth between two different time periods, you experience the emotions and thoughts of the characters of the past and the present time. This adds so much to the story and holds your interest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it as a must read.

Who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write the Scarlett Letter? This book is a historical fiction that explores the story of a young women named Isobel Gamble who immigrated from Scotland. She meets Nathaniel Hawthorne and becomes close with this troubled author. This is story of trying to find your way in the world even when you don’t see it in the same way as others, of making peace with your family history, and finding solace in kindred souls.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story has a lot to digest, not only for the drama it unfolds but the different themes it attempts to weave in and out.


Isobel, our MC, has a true gift for embroidery and stitch craft. Born in Scotland, she’s told stories of other women in her family line who had similar gifts but were accused by simple townsfolk of witchcraft. Because how could someone be really really good at something without being a witch! Our young seamstress comes of age and marries an apothecary who will soon be the drudge of her existence. Through much strife, they’ll make their way to America’s Salem. We know what happens to super skilled women in Salem of all places and our MC will suffer a lot for her skills.

This is a story of hope and loss, then friends in unexpected places. The thread that continues, no matter the drama is that you have to keep moving forward. You have to dare to be true to yourself.


This review was made possible thanks to an ARC provided by the publisher.

Such a great book! Isobel departs Scotland in the early 1800's with her disgraced husband for a new start in America and lands in Salem, a town which still bears the shame of it's behavior during the witch insanity years earlier. Her husband promptly hires on to a ship, leaving Isobel to fend for herself.

Thankfully, Isobel has a talent for needlework and a touch of a magic gift that lets her see words as colors, and weave those words into her sewing. As she begins to make her way in the strange community that is Salem, she befriends a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, and becomes the inspiration for A Scarlet Letter.

The idea a story behind the story is always intriguing, and the seamless interweaving of the different aspects of life in America in the 1800's added a depth to the narrative that I greatly enjoyed.

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese - 5 stars!
Hester is the fictional tale of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. It tells the story of Isobel, a young Scottish immigrant newly come to Salem, MA with her much older husband. Isobel soon learns that all is not as it seems in the New World. This is a novel of magic, hope, strength, sorrow, passion, and feminine power. Filled with fantastic characters, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the Salem Witch Trials, early America, or badass women in history.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

Hester is a historical fiction that imagines the woman that could have inspired Hester Payne in The Scarlet Letter. I was a little nervous to read this book without a re-read of The Scarlet Letter. I haven't read it since it was assigned in 9th grade. I shouldn't have worried! Hester is a beautiful and detailed historical fiction that makes you believe it's not fiction at all.

I read The Scarlet Letter in 9th grade English class and hated it so much. In fact when I received access to this novel I second guessed myself on if I even wanted to read it based on the premise and connection to The Scarlet Letter.

That said, I am glad I read this book and found the writing to be lovely, and overall it was definitely much more enjoyable than the book it was inspired by. Isobel is a young Scottish women who comes to Salem with her much older husband. Hester focuses on her life in Salem, she has to overcome prejudices and earn her way in a new country and new town when her husband returns to sea.

Isobel fights for her position in town and meets Nat (Hathorne) early on in her time in Salem and feels drawn to him from the beginning. The choices they make and how she is left to pick up the pieces of her life is loosely similar to The Scarlet Letter. All that said this book, while relying on historical facts about Nathaniel Hawthorne and Salem, is still a work of fiction and purely conjecture.

3.5 stars rounded up for this lovely piece of historical fiction. Isobel exhibits such wit and strength and I did enjoy her growth and development over the course of the novel.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Book Review…Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

Who is the real Hester Prynne?

A pile of debts have forced Isobel and her husband Edward to flee Edinburgh for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they've arrived Edward joins a departing ship as a medic leaving Isobel penniless and alone and forced to make her way by any means possible.

When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a haunted man and she is troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward's safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer. Together, they are the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which?

This was a compelling story full of mystery! Both Nathaniel and Isobel are very interesting characters! Isobel is Synesthesia which is a sensory phenomenon with responses through vision and sound. She lives in a time when women are supposed to be depend on their husbands but she is starting to see the New World as an opportunity for something different. Nathaniel is a writer haunted by his ancestor’s past. They each add to this interesting and mysterious story. It talks about the Salem witch trials, the underground railroad, and much more! It's a beautifully written story that has a way of enchanting the reader!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Laurie Lico Albanese for sharing this wonderful book with me!