Based on the true life story of Aleen Cust, born in 1868, and a little girl who always dreamed of being a veterinary surgeon. Never had a woman ever gone to school or been certified to be, so it was quite abhorrent to her family that she would seek a career and a vet career at that!

I spent the first 50% of the book listening to all of her problems fighting the system and her family to attend vet school. It dragged for me. Once she moved on and started working in a career (they wouldn't allow her to sit for final exams but she went to work anyways) with animals it started to get more interesting. The author did a good job following her life history, but took liberties to fill in the gaps in her life. I don't know that I loved what she filled the gaps with--but it is historical fiction for a reason.

I am so inspired by these strong women in our past and present who push the boundaries for equity and opportunity to pave the way for me and the future of our girls and women! I love seeing books that represent these women!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance e-copy of this book.

What a strong woman, ahead of her time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book about Aleen Cust, the first woman veterinary surgeon. What she had to go through to fulfill her dream without the support of her family except one brother who helped make her dream possible. Luckily she had supporters outside of her family members. Brilliant characterizations and wonderful scenic descriptions made this book a wonderful read. Very highly recommended!

Aleen had a gift and a passion for understanding animals. She dreamed of becoming a veterinary surgeon. Her family, especially her mother, discouraged her from this crazy idea. Aleen needed to learn the rules of society (in the late 1800s) and marry well. All Aleen wanted to learn was the requirements needed to become a vet. No one would damper the hopes and dreams that burned inside her heart.

I loved learning about this incredibly determined young lady as she did whatever it took to become a certified vet. This story is gripping and reminded me of the Masterpiece TV series based on novels titled All Creatures Great and small by James Herriot. The novel and T.V series shows James’s hardships in gaining the trust and respect of the people in a small village of Darrowby. They also showed the unique situations he got into as he helped animals.

Aleen went through tough times, like this series showed, but they were ten times harder for her. She was a woman, no one wanted her, touching their animals, and they didn’t want her to go to school and get certified no matter how smart she was. They didn’t want woman taking over men’s work.

“The author says in notes to reader…” The purpose of writing historical fiction was to tell the stories of fascinating people and interesting times in a more entertaining manner than the information found in public records. The joy in creating such work comes from imagining and describing related thoughts, conversations, emotions, and relationships, the accuracy of which only the people involved could verify.”

The author shows how incredible this woman was and how she didn’t have to add much to the narrative to engage the reader to follow the life of this amazing woman. Aleen Cust who was Britain’s first woman veterinary surgeon.

Aleen, says this in the novel, “The diploma did not make a difference to her, but it had made a difference to the profession. From now on, the RCVS would admit women into the ranks. Women were free to join the best profession in the world.”

This is an encouraging read with picturesque landscapes of Ireland, England, and the stunning animals they helped and loved. This is an awe-inspiring escape and one that would work well for your next book club pick. The author has included a reading guide with 13 discussion questions. I liked the author interview at the end of the book that will help your book club discussion. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author; it won’t be the last.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by Revell through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! https://psalm516.blogspot.com/
The Book Club Network blog

The Invincible Miss Cust
Author, Penny Haw
Pub date: 10.4.22

Thank you @bookmarked and @netgalley for my e- arc of this novel!

The Invincible Miss Cust is a must read for historical fiction fans and for those who love inspirational stories based on the real lives of amazing and trailblazing women!

Aleen Isabel Cust's story takes place in the atmospheric setting of Britain and Ireland during the late 1800's. Born into an aristocratic English family, Aleen knew from an early age that the typical path that women followed during this time was not one for her; rather, she wanted to become a veterinary surgeon= a career path no woman had ever pursued.

Despite her family's adamant refusal to support her career wishes, gender and society inequalities, and the constant battle of the patriarchy, A.I. Custance (the name she used to spare her family's humiliation), against all odds, managed to accomplish the impossible and pave the way for women following her dreams.

Filled with determination, passion, resilience, family, and even love, The Invincible Miss Cust is a well- researched and courageous story of one remarkable woman!

The Invincible Miss Cust by Penny Haw is a great historical fiction inspired by the real-life and fabulous Aleen Cust, who was Britain and Ireland's first woman veterinary surgeon. It was wonderful.

I really enjoy historical fiction that has true elements and true people. Being able to learn something new, being able to discover a pioneer, especially one that I had actually never came across before, makes for excellent reading.

The author does a wonderful job weaving fiction into nonfiction, and blends it all seamlessly to create a narrative that is engaging, yet truly feels real.

Aleen had courage, determination, tenacity, pure guts, and of course intelligence, to be able to go against the societal and familial pressures of her day to pursue her dreams…and that she was able to overcome adversity and actually achieve these goals is just beyond inspiring and impressive.

Seeing again the limited paths and the difficulties women faced in the Victorian era makes me appreciate her work even more.

I highly recommend this book for any HF fan, and any fan of a story involving a strong woman determined to climb mountains and succeed in making her dreams a reality.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Sourcebooks Landmark for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/4/22.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjSgsBPAVUE/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/<id type="integer">4872910802</id>

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-invincible-miss-cust-penny-haw/1140788896?ean=9781728257709&bvnotificationId=0bf23ce3-4415-11ed-946d-0e9c6e75cccd&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=hotmail.com#review/219143325

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1T10J0SSLYFN0/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Wow! This book is SO AMAZING! It is full of heart, moving, emotional, interesting, intriguing, heartbreaking, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "The Invincible Miss Cust", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this story of Aleen Cust, who was the first female vet in both Britain and Ireland.

I absolutely love animals, and as soon as I heard about this book, I just knew I needed to read it!

Penny Haw is such an incredible writer! Her storytelling jumps right off of the page, and I found myself unable to put this book down. I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. Haw must have done, as each and every moment throughout the book is vivid, visceral, detailed, full of emotion, and so much more. I definitely plan to do more research on Aleen and her life and times as well.

This book tells the story of Aleen Cust, beginning when she is a young girl growing up alongside her siblings. Aleen's love of animals is clear from the start. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will simply say this book is a must-read! Aleen fought against so much, including her own family, as well as society and it's expectations of women at the time, to make her dreams come true. She perseveres despite those who try to stop her and pushes past those who try to get in her way, and her determination, drive, and love for what she does is apparent. Full of heartbreak, hope, passion, love for animals, and so much more, this book has so much in it.

If you enjoy historical fiction books, I highly recommend this novel! It kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and I look forward to reading what Ms. Haw writes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book, and to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me a physical ARC as well, it is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Incredible! I devoured this book. What an incredible story with a strong, memorable leading lady. Loved it. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

1874 to 1922 Ireland and England. The true story of a very strong lady who pursued her passion for animals and became a veterinary surgeon. She had to fight men and her own family to do so. I understand her position as I was also brought up around boys and could never understand why things were different for me than for them. I could do everything they could, sometimes better, they got to have all the fun.
Aleen was from an Aristocratic family during a time when women's lives were so much more restricted and rigid, making her situation harder to want to care for animals, especially horses and dogs. She lived an interesting life, was very lonely and treated unfairly. Through it all she still loved her family and tried to reach out to them over all the years and keep in touch, after they disowned her. She had a guardian and his family to support and guide her, through college and eventually back to Ireland. It's a good long read that I had a hard time putting down and thought about often throughout my day. Inspirational. Excellent writing brought her to life.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout @bookmarked @sbkslandmark #TheInvincibleMissCust #PennyHaw

Based on the true-life story of the first female veterinary surgeon in Ireland/Britain Aleen Cust, this is a story of never giving up on your dreams. Even as an early child, Aleen knew she wanted to treat animals as a veterinary surgeon, despite her parents' strong objection. The novel details her struggles she faced as the lone female facing a male-dominated field, as well as being ostracized from society, particularly by her own family. Throughout her unconventional life, she continues to fight for what she deserves while treating the animals she loves. A very interesting novel of historical fiction that closely follows her actual life. Particularly enjoyed the author's notes as to how/where she developed the idea, and what parts she imagined and what parts were actual facts. Fans of Tracey Enerson Wood and Marie Benedict should enjoy this novel.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book; All comments and thoughts are my own and not required by Netgalley.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I had never heard of Aleen Cust prior to picking up The Invincible Miss Cust, but I was intrigued by her story, especially hearing it took a separate breakthrough by a woman during the Victorian period alongside the one I already knew about for human medicine.

Aleen’s story is pretty familiar to readers of historical fiction of the Victorian and Edwardian times she grew up in. She came from an aristocratic background, and her mother and brother were part of the Royal circle. As you would expect, they deeply disapproved of her having any sort of career, so it was a struggle for her maintaining her connections to her family that she loved, while also following her heart and doing what she loved.

I love the way Penny Haw shows passion for her subject, from Aleen herself to the animals she cares for. Like with any fictionalized account, Haw takes liberties to make the narrative more interesting, and I liked learning about what those were in the author’s notes. It was interesting in particular how she chose to handle specific elements where things were less certain, like the status of her interpersonal and romantic relationships with men like William Byrne.

This is a compelling read, and as the marketing promised, I got similar vibes to the works of Marie Benedict and Tracey Enerson Wood, capturing the life of a lesser known trailblazer in women’s history. If you’re a fan of either author, or women-centric historical fiction in general, I’d recommend checking this one out!

We meet Aleen as a child living in Ireland, where she develops her love of animals. I love books that are based on the lives of real people, and the author does a wonderful job of bringing her life alive.
Aleen is a determined and smart young lady when she makes up her mind, and she sure doesn't change it, to become a Veterinary Surgeon, and does she turn heads yes, she is a Lady and they are not to enter into a man's world.
Her life's journey is not an easy one, but this girl does not take "no" for an answer. We are there for her success and giving, and also the curves that life throws her, including her family.
A woman who in the end carves a path for others, and as we walk in her shoes, it is not an easy path, but we are there as she forges ahead.
I really enjoyed this read and will look for more by Penny Haw!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Sourcebooks Landmark, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Invincible Miss Cust by Penny Haw has a terrific premise for a book. It tells the true story of Aleen Cust, the first female veterinarian in England and Ireland. The author does an excellent job of plotting this novel from Aleen’s childhood through to her achievement of her veterinary aspirations. She includes historical and cultural context of the times providing a broader understanding of the historical setting.

The obstacle to enjoying this book lies in the overly simplistic writing style. There is also a lot of “he said” and “she said” in the dialogue which makes this book feel like it was written for young adult readers. Greater complexity of writing and sentence structure would have made this book a winner.

I really liked the start of this book. Loved how she grew up and all the characters, I even liked her challenges in university and the crazy comments and beliefs about women. However by about halfway into the book it started to really drag. Found myself not willing to pick it up, and the book didn’t seem to improve for quite a while.

Just my sort of historical novel, well researched and based on a real life story. A fascinating, well imagined tale about the first woman in Britain to study Veterinary Science. It was astonishing what women of this era , however well connected, had to go through to pursue any career. In fact women got into medicine well before they were 'allowed' to become vets. Gives an interesting insight into Anglo Irish relations at the time too.

The Invincible Miss Cust is historical fiction based on the life of Aleen Cust, the first female veterinary surgeon.

The story takes us to England and Ireland during the late 1800s, when women were expected to remain submissive to men, marry, and make babies. Veterinary schools were closed to women because it was considered an unseemly and inappropriate career for a female.

I loved Aleen’s grit. She knew what she wanted from childhood, and nothing and no one was going to stand in her way.

The story takes us from her childhood through to adulthood, showing us the path she forged, the many pitfalls, and ultimately the triumphs.

The beginning dragged a bit, and I didn’t get the strong emotional connection I’d expected, but I did enjoy the story.

Aleen Cust was a woman of resilience and determination. While the first women entered the medical field as physicians, she fought to find a college that would allow her to study veterinary medicine. A woman physician was deemed tolerable, but a woman vet was immoral. While the patriarchal society of her time was an obstacle, no one objected her plight more than her own family.

Penny Haw’s historical fiction novel follows Cust’s journey to becoming Britain and Ireland’s first woman veterinary surgeon. While Haw has taken liberty with some details in Cust’s life, particularly the romance, it is otherwise well researched. Haw’s choice to write in first person allowed for a feel of authenticity to the novel. The characters and relationship with her friend, Dorothy, and the importance of Dorothy’s family were well developed. I appreciated that through Aleen, Haw reminded the reader that despite the patriarchal obstacles that she faced, there were men that helped motivate and lift Aleen to her dream. While I enjoyed reading how Aleen navigated the difficulties to becoming a veterinary surgeon, it was her passion towards the animals and her care of them that was my favorite. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and I cannot get enough of reading the relatively unknown stories about the women that history has seemed to have forgotten. Often these stories involve war, and while that is important, its a nice change of pace to read about a trailblazer like Aleen Cust.

I love books based on unknown women from history, and the soon-to-be-released novel, The Invincible Miss Cust by Penny Haw, is biographical historical fiction at its finest. Set in mid-19th century Ireland, Scotland, and England, the story follows a real-life girl, Aleen Cust, who loves animals and is determined to become a veterinary surgeon, much to the disbelief of her family and society who don’t believe that women could (or should) be involved in such careers. As she grows into a strong woman, she doesn’t let anyone stand in her way from achieving her goals, even to the detriment of her personal life, becoming Britain and Ireland’s first female veterinary surgeon.

The amount of people telling Aleen she shouldn’t pursue her dream is vast, but I loved the few who supported her no matter what. Even though her own family was cold and distant, she created family around her wherever she went, finding people who believed in her and her abilities.

The story really takes off once Aleen moves back to Ireland to serve as the assistant to a well-liked veterinarian who brings out a different side to her. I loved these chapters the most! Aleen volunteered to serve at the front in World War I, and now I want to find out even more details about her time there. It is an amazing story!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and who loves books about strong women who defy societal expectations to follow their true calling. I am so glad the author brought Aleen’s story to life in the pages of this novel. How lucky we are to have such women on whose shoulders we now stand!

The fascinating and well written novel sweeps from the 1890s through WWI and after to tell the story of Aleen Cust, who defied her aristocratic family to become the first female vet in the UK. Aleen's love for animals started early, in Ireland but the death of her father changed everything, both good and bad. Major Fitz Widdrington becomes her guardian and her promoter and his family- Lady Widdrington, Dorothy, and Bertie- become hers as well, especially when her own refuses to allow her to pursue her dreams. She thinks she's found a way around them by become a nurse like Florence NIghtengale but she hates the hospital. The untimely death of the only one of her brothers who understood her means a small inheritance and the chance to move to Edinburgh to study. It's in Edinburgh where her life and the story takes off. While stymied at every turn by the men who grant entry into the Veterinary Society, she achieves success with her classmates and professors. A chance to work in Aberdeen and then more importantly, in Ireland, means the world to her. William, in Ireland, becomes more important than she anticipated. No spoilers from me but know that Aleen doesn't have an easy road. I liked this not only for her but also for the animals (I know, I know) and the way Haw manages to put you right there in the barnyard beside the cows and sheep and so on. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A great read for fans of historical fiction.

What a good book! Aleen wants to be a veterinary surgeon however being a woman makes that harder to do. She’s a strong determined woman and nothing stands in her way.
It amazes me of the mind set of the men and people for that time period. They were so narrow minded.
It’s a well written book, I was engrossed from page one.
I do wish it had continued for a few more chapters.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

What a remarkable story! The Invincible Miss Cust is a story of knowing your mind and heart from an early age and getting what you want no matter what. Aleen Cust knew at age six that she was to be a veterinary surgeon, and she spent her life achieving it. I loved this story of grit and determination, which I read in one extended sitting. I highly recommend it!