Although NetGalley provided me a free advanced copy of the book The Invincible Miss Cust, it unfortunately expired before I was able to finish reading it. So, I purchased the book in order to provide a review.

The Invincible Miss Cust is based on Aleen Cust, the first female veterinary surgeon of Britain. She was a woman truly born before her time. Her occupation in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s was still viewed as a male only job, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing her dream. She faced a lot of lash-back for doing so; not only from her scholarly peers, but the public and her own family. Nevertheless, she still trudged on because she felt it to be her true calling in life.

The book was well written, but, I was hoping for a happier ending for Aleen. Her life was filled with tragedy and sadness, so was not the light read I was hoping it to be. History has not treated women with the respect they deserve, and the story of her life proves so. On a positive note, it is obvious she opened the door for other women to pursue veterinary degrees in years following, so her struggle wasn’t all for naught. Clearly a strong woman, she defied the odds and faced a “man’s world” head on.

Based on fact this is a fictional story. I learned a lot from it and could not tell when the facts ended, and the fiction began. The book was so seamlessly written, it blended into a most fascinating story. Aleen Cust was born into an aristocratic family in 1868 in Ireland. She knows at a young age she is destined to work with animals, she has a love for the outdoors, horses and dogs. At this time in history women are certainly forced to keep up appearances, especially daughters of the aristocrats. When the only one who understands her, her shining star, her father passes away the family returns to England and her mother and siblings do not accept her, what they call foolish whim to study and become the first woman veterinarian surgeon. She becomes estranged from her family though she doesn't stop trying to stay in touch, but she will never be accepted by them again.
The book had my emotions on a roller coaster, so many good and positive things happening but this was a very forward thinking and determined woman when women were not to be this way according to society. There were dark times for her as well, so much discrimination and so many with sexist attitudes. She was able to do hands on training with a male veterinarian surgeon and learn a lot. The book covers a long period of time, there is the ups and downs of the terrors of the war. I was really impressed with Miss Cust and for her standing her ground and all she put up with to become the first female veterinarian surgeon. I found it quite interesting reading about her studies and hands on training she did. Nothing and no one held her back. Despite what seemed like unsurmountable odds she did it and gave the encouragement to other woman to realize their dreams as well.

Pub Date 04 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Invisible Miss Cust is a time period piece in the late 1800s about the real life world's first woman veterinarian surgeon Aleen Cust .

We are taken along her difficult and long journey through hardships, heart ache, trials, and triumphs.

This story held my attention really well and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this incredible woman and her story. This one was refreshing, I highly recommend The Invisible Miss Cust and look forward to reading more by Penny Haw..

I love animals. When I was younger, everyone thought I would be a veterinarian. When animals were around, I went straight to them and visited the people second. 😂 (I loved the people too!) When I learned about Aleen Cust, I knew I HAD to read her story. Thank you to Landmark for sending me the most adorable animal stickers, too.

As you can tell from the blurb, Aleen becomes the first female veterinary surgeon in Britain and Ireland, even though it was against the law at the time. She knew at a young age that this was her calling, and no matter the barrier, she jumps it. The way she chases her dreams is beyond inspiring, and I was fully immersed in her story from the beginning.

Hist fic fans, those who love an inspiring female led story, and those who have a heart for animals, The Invincible Miss Cust has your name all over it, too!

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

This was such a fascinating read. As the first woman vet, she paved the way for women behind her. She is the perfect example of determination and grit. There were sad moments in her life, and moments when she had to make difficult choices. She was certainly ahead of her time. I highly recommend this read.

Aleen Cust has always wanted one thing – to become a veterinary surgeon. Unfortunately, it’s 1868 and women are not allowed to pursue jobs, especially one that is deemed too indelicate for a young lady. Like the book The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake, Haw’s narrative showcases the determination and persistence of a young woman attempting to break the barriers set by men who insist they should control any options for women.

Since childhood, Aleen’s love of animals has always defined her. After her father and one brother died, she finds she has no allies among her family. They would rather disown her than let her unladylike behavior cast disgrace upon the family name. Aleen finds a surrogate family who support and love her. They assist her in getting admittance to a veterinary college in Scotland but there are still unsurmountable obstacles that prevent her from being certified as a veterinary surgeon.

Haw has included background information that informs readers of the real Miss Cust and her historic efforts to break barriers for women in veterinary medicine. Aleen is another example of early feminists who set the stage for championing the capabilities of women. One nonfiction book that tells the fascinating story of women trying to break male domination in medical schools is Women in White Coats by Olivia Campbell. Accounts like these are especially timely today as women’s right are being eroded.

Aleen Cust was the first female veterinarian in Great Britain and Ireland. In this biographical novel, the story tells how Aleen defied both her family and society’s expectations in order to pursue her dreams. Aleen has always had a love for animals. When her beloved dog dies, she wants to become a veterinarian to heal other animals in the future. However, her family believes that being a veterinarian is not suitable for an aristocratic woman. Nevertheless, Aleen Cust is determined to become a veterinarian at all costs.

I had never heard of Aleen Cust before I read this book. Because I have a strong interest in books of women in male-dominated professions, this novel seemed to be the perfect read for me. Aleen was a very fascinating woman. I admired her love for animals and how she was determined to heal them. I also loved her stubbornness. She was willing to go against society’s wishes to follow her own ideals. However, Aleen was very flawed and vulnerable. She made many wrong choices that were sometimes hard to sympathize with. Despite these flaws, I still found her mostly likable, and I wanted her to find happiness.

Overall, this novel is about passion, dreams, and perseverance. The novel tells the story of an unconventional woman who succeeded in a male-dominated profession. The characters were very complex and well-rounded. The pacing of the novel, however, was uneven. The first half started out great, but it dragged in the second half. Thus, this novel should have been shorter. Still, I like the historical details in the story, and I found it to be meticulously researched. I recommend this for fans of The Woman at the Front, The Girl in His Shadow, and My Name is Mary Sutter! The Invincible Miss Cust is a riveting tribute to a forgotten but larger than life woman!

This is a wonderful, fun, historical read to pick up and enjoy! I loved learning more about the time period and what it was like to be a female veterinarian back then.

DNF - This is a case where it's me, not the book. There are many readers who will adore this fully but, I just didn't connect with it as I had hoped.

In a Nutshell: Based on the true story of Aleen Cust, Britain’s first female veterinary surgeon. Mostly faithful to actual events. Second half is a teeny bit weaker. But a great read nonetheless.

Story Synopsis:
Aleen has loved animals, especially horses and dogs, since childhood. However, being a daughter of an aristocratic family and having a conservative mother and elder brother means that she cannot aim towards her dream of becoming a veterinary surgeon. The reserved 1870s society too isn’t conducive to the idea of a woman planning for a veterinary career. Despite the obstacles, Aleen surges on. The book begins from the time she is six years old and goes all the way till her fifties.
The story is written in the first person perspective of Aleen.


Note: Don’t research the life of this iconic woman until you have completed the book. The story is faithful to actual events, so you will get many spoilers, and this dims the enjoyment. I regret my Google search.


Where the book worked for me:
👌 The story of Miss Cust – what an inspiration! This is one true-life heroine you deserve to know about. She is unlike most historical women you have read about, and the fact that she was an actual woman makes her journey even more awe-inspiring.

👌 The depiction of life in late 19th century England and Ireland –well-sketched and realistic.

👌 The tidbits about animals and how Cust approaches their wellbeing – enlightening!

👌 Most of the secondary characters (the sole exception being Willie) – etched in a way that leaves in no doubt about their actions.

👌 The writing is medium-paced but engaging.

👌 The factual details are substantiated by actual snippets of news wherever possible without making it seem like a Wikipedia-style approach.

👌 The first person narration is so good, especially in the first half! Hardly any rambling about I felt/I thought/I wondered and so on. This is how first person povs must be written – serving to add on to the story and take it ahead, rather than being used only to reveal inner monologues.

👌 The author’s note at the end, one of the best I have ever read. She goes through the main points of the book/Aleen Cust’s life one by one and details out how much is factual and how much, fictional. Brilliantly done.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
👎 Willie’s character goes from shades of white to black to white to black and back again abruptly. Expected more consistency in his portrayal.

👎 The second half changes track and focusses more on romance. This was the weakest link in the book. It seemed to change Aleen’s entire personality.

👎 A bit too much focus on physical characteristics for my liking.


Despite the weaker second half, the story focusses on a woman that was a trailblazer. I remember a line in one book saying, “We stand on the shoulders of those before us.” Isn’t that true? It is because of women like Aleen Cust that today’s women are relatively free to choose the vocation they want. A must-read book, if you can tolerate the clichéd romance.

4 stars.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Invincible Miss Cust”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Aleen living in Ireland in the 1800s wants to be a vet - which her family shrinks from - a woman can’t do such a thing. She does it any way - this is based on a real woman and all she went through to become a vet in a time when women did NOT do such things

This book is based on the true story of Aleen Isabel Cust. Aleen was Britain’s first woman veterinary surgeon.

Being a James Herriot fan, I was excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. The story was so intriguing I couldn’t put it down. It was such an inspiring read. Aleen had to endure so many trials to achieve her dream. I don’t know how she did it, especially without the support of her family.

The Invincible Miss Cust
by Penny Haw

About the Book



My Thoughts

The Invincible Miss Cust is a moving novelization of a real woman from history that is too little recognized. Aleen was such a brave and interesting person. Her love and passion for animals is palpable and portrayed so well in this book. Her strength and tenacity are both inspiring, as well as a central theme to the book. Aleen faced such adversity from both her family and strangers, yet she persevered. Reading of her going from a university student to practicing on animals, and eventually working in the military treating horses used in WWI was simply amazing. When you add in anecdotes from her personal life, such as her father’s untimely death, and an ill-fated love affair, you get a complete story of an incredible woman that leaves you feeling as if you knew her.

History buffs won’t want to miss this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Invincible Miss Cust is Penny Haw’s first historical women’s fiction novel, but I hope it isn’t her last. The novel follows Aleen Cust as she grows up in Britain and ultimately becomes Britain’s first woman veterinary surgeon.

The story of her life was absolutely fascinating and the author, Penny Haw, was able to sprinkle in just enough storytelling to weave together a stirring tale of ambition, romance, and friendship.

Even though I love historical novels and that was a major selling point for this novel, I also loved learning about the animals alongside Aleen and reading about her work as a veterinarian at the time.

This novel is a definite book club pick. If you haven’t filled out your schedule yet, add this one to your list!

A remarkable woman with an indomitable spirit. Aleen Cust showed both her love of animals and her determination at an early age. Despite the open antagonism of her family, she dreams of being a veterinary surgeon. Being the first woman to earn the title, she found a way to go to the front during World War I to attend to the horses. A true heroine, it's wonderful that her story has finally been told. Anyone interested in either animals or groundbreaking achievements by women should not miss reading this book.

THE INVINCIBLE MISS CUST by Penny Haw is a newly published historical fiction novel. The title character is an English aristocrat who stands up to her family in order to attend veterinary school. Haw relates episodes beginning in the 1870s – her character’s childhood – which include the horse races with her brothers in Ireland, an unconventional education, and the many family pets. The story itself continues through the 1930s and is a study in determination as well as an outline of how relatively small, kind actions (a bequest, an introduction) can greatly impact someone else. Although fictionalized, the novel parallels the life and times of Aleen Cust who actually was the first female veterinary surgeon to be recognized by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. That finally happened 100 years ago (after she had practiced for years), and is certainly worth exploring. Despite the recounting of obvious prejudice and many obstacles, THE INVINCIBLE MISS CUST is an entertaining and quick read. Haw describes Cust's story as having "all the ingredients I relate to and love: animals, a strong, driven woman, a rural life, and a positive outcome." Fans of the pbs series (and James Herriot books) All Creatures Great and Small will enjoy these adventures, too. For a more modern day memoir dealing with life in agriculture from a woman’s perspective see The Growing Season by Sarah Frey (2020).

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. The main character, Miss Cust, was very inspirational.

Aleen Cust was born in 1868 Ireland, she wanted to be a veterinarian, this is the true story of Aleen as she fights against everyone to become the first female veterinarian. very interesting story

The Invincible Miss Cust came out yesterday and if you like historical fiction about ambitious women or reading about the first female veterinary surgeon in Britain/Ireland you'll love this book!

Based on the real life of Aleen Cust who went against her family wishes and became the first female veterinary surgeon in Britain/Ireland around the turn of the 20th century. I found this book fascinating to learn about both Miss Cust as well as veterinary care in the time period and the challenges she faced in her trailblazing. Spanning from her childhood as the daughter of a British aristocratic family in Ireland in the 1870s to 1922 this book also did a great job of showing the political/social scene in Ireland through this time as well.

I loved the author's detail note about the research she put into this story and her inspiration for writing. I love reading about trailblazing women!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my e-ARC and finished copy in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 10/4/22 - out now!
Genre: historical fiction
One sentence summary: In the late 19th century, Aleen Cust defies all expectations to become Britain's first female veterinary surgeon.

Historical fiction based on real people, especially female trailblazers, always appeals to me. Aleen was passionate and driven, with a natural talent for the art of veterinary medicine. I loved seeing her change the minds of men who thought women couldn't handle the field. The story's not just about her work with animals - there's also a romantic subplot, and attention is paid to Cust's struggle against her family expectations. I also loved the settings of Britain and Ireland.

I think animal lovers will especially enjoy this one!