I really enjoyed watching Lucy and Thorne grow. I love the single dad trope. It’s nice seeing strong father figures portrayed.

I enjoy Everett's scientist heroines; they are flawed and brilliant and this one in particular was fun to root for. The hero is properly flawed as well, physically and mentally and together, they are so much fun to watch as they find their footing as a couple and helping each other start to move forward again. As always, a fun cast of supporting characters are also along for the ride. My one beef, which is the same issue I write about with 95% of romances is one solid conversation would solve most of the conflict in the story. But this story doesn't drag that out too long that it gets annoying. I also always enjoy the historical conflicts in these stories; this one addresses women in the health professions and abortion in the 1840s.

Good book. It’s about a woman apothecary- Lucy, who loses her remedy for coup, and hires an investigator to find it. Thorne used to be a prizefighter but now he’s an investigator who has responsibilities such as a daughter. I enjoyed this book, you really got to know the characters as well as the secondary characters. It definitely had more weight than regular historical romances and I liked it. A must read!

I loved Elizabeth Everett's Secret Scientists of London series and was excited to dig into this new, somewhat connected series. This first entry brings back a lot of what I loved about that series - brilliant women, mystery subplots, romance, smashing the patriarchy - but removes it from the setting of Athena's Retreat and expands the world a bit. The female main character here is Lucinda (Lucy) Peterson, a female apothecary in London who is struggling to keep the family apothecary business afloat. She inherited the business at 18 when her parents passed away from cholera, and has been running it ever since, trying to keep it successful enough to support her siblings as well. At the start of this story, Lucy is angry at Duncan Rider, the son of another London apothecary who courted Lucy, convinced her to give him her recipe for throat lozenges, claimed it as his own, and is now reaping the financial rewards. She thinks he might have stolen another recipe of hers as well, a treatment for croup, and she hires private investigator Jonathan Thorne to investigate. Jonathan and his 9 year old daughter Sadie come to live in a flat above the Peterson's while he investigates, and he and Lucy find themselves inconveniently attracted to one another. I really loved Lucy, Thorne, and Sadie, and was rooting for everyone in this book to get a happily ever after. Also, this was very pointedly in favor of reproductive justice, and that was a huge bonus for me.

Historical romance with very modern sensibilities. Lucy runs an apothecary with her siblings dispensing not only medicines and curatives, but also advice and care. When she foolishly shares her lozenge formula with her competitor he runs right to market and cuts her out of much needed profits. So when her next formula goes missing she hires an agent to investigate her finances and try to find the formula. Thorne agrees to help Lucy in exchange for a small fee, and lodging for himself and his daughter in the 3rd floor apartment above the apothecary, with the siblings living on the second floor. As he puts the Apothecary's books in order, he sees exactly how hard Lucy works, and she comes to see how trustworthy and caring he is, they both begin to yearn, but it doesn't end there.
Feel how you want about imposing modern sensibilities on historical settings, I really enjoyed seeing the perspective of people living outside of the wealth and opulence usually pushed in these novels. Lucy's character was hardworking, interesting, and was shouldering a lot more responsibility than the average debutante. Thorne was initially very rigid, having drawn so many boundaries to make his life work, that it took time and development for him to let some go. Steamy sex scenes spice things up.
Thank you to NetGally, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own. I cannot wait to recommend this title to my library patrons looking for historical romance.

Elizabeth Everett continues to deliver thoughtful, suspenseful, steamy and entertaining novels about smart women in Victorian England. Lucy is a trained apothecary who inherited her family business from her father. She feels the pressure of keeping the store afloat for her brother and sister, both of whom are very interested in healthcare and supporting the needs of their London neighborhood but not necessarily the day-to-day running of the shop. After a feckless lover steals one of Lucy's formulas for a lozenge, she hires Thorne to get it back. Thorne is a nobleman turned pugilist drunkard turned straitlaced single father, and there is a lot about Lucy that raises his hackles as well as his protective instincts. With a nicely unfolded romance and a interesting commentary on absolutist thinking, The Love Remedy is well worth taking.

Lucy has perfected a formula for croup, and she needs it to be able to salvage her apothecary. Too bad she can’t find it anywhere. She thinks that the rival apothecary has taken it, so she hires a private investigator, Jonathan Thorne, to help.

Thorne is intrigued by this case. As he and Lucy work side by side, they get closer and closer. As the truth unravels around them, they realize they must face the future together.

This book had a lot of things to love, feminist topics and spice! Sign me up! I love reading books about apothecaries and this one did not disappoint. While it did take me a while to connect to Lucy, once I did, I didn’t want to let her go and I loved her. Lucy was such an advocate for women’s rights, and she was so advanced for her time, I really enjoyed it. The male main character, Thorne, was also great. Single fathers who are involved in their children’s lives hold a soft spot in my heart and I adored him. Their relationship had some ups and downs, but it was a great journey. Sometimes I struggle with Victorian era romance, but that wasn’t the case here because it was so well written. I loved how the social issues with portrayed and brought to light within the pages and this was such a great story overall.

Thank you so much to Berkley @Berkleypub, Berkley Romance @Berkleyromance and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to berkley and netgalley for the ARC!

Upon first glance I knew I had to read this. Feminist concepts, an apothecary, medicine, and spice?! Sold. And I hope to check out more by the author

While it took me a bit to connect to the MMC, I appreciated the FMC background and her views. I love anything with an apothecary and this was the perfect romantic twist. The spice was a smidge awkward but it was perfectly appropriate for the era… if not a bit dirty 😳

Highly recommend if you like spice and drama with a bit of apothecary/herbalism 🥰

Oh my Goddess! I did not want this book to end, please give me more from this author! If you have a natural witchy side the apothecary will make you so happy. Set in Britian with political intrigue and a streak of feminist rage, the main character must find a cure to their issues and work together.

⭐️ 4 /5
🌶️ 1.5 /5

I’m so happy to be back in Elizabeth Everrett’s historical STEMinist romance era, and it did not disappoint. And as always, her writing is so easy to read. Just like the previous series (The Secret Scientists of London) “The Love Remedy” also tackles a very important topic that remains timely and relevant to this day including women’s right to their bodies and their fight to be recognized for their own work.  

I love our female lead, Lucy—she’s strong willed and a great advocate for women’s right. She didn’t curl up rather was determined to fight. Meanwhile, MMC Thorne is a grumpy, single dad—yes please!  
 
The ratio between the historical topic and romance wasn’t 1:1 but it was captivating, and overall,  I enjoyed it. Plus that spice 🥵
 
Thank you to Elizabeth Everrett, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this eARC.

I enjoyed The Love Remedy! I love Victorian England and adore how the author included so many informative tidbits about what life would be like in that era. The growth and love between the characters was also lovely. The only thing that I wish I could change about it was that it felt pretty political. It is the author's prerogative to write whatever they want to write, but I personally do not want to read someone's political standpoints on hot-button issues when I am reading fiction. I just want to escape into a story without being bombarded with political/ideological debates between characters when we are already bombarded with it in the real world. So, that would take it from an easily 5 Star book to a 3.5-4 Star. I still will recommend this, but with some stipulations.

There should also be trigger warnings included for sexual assault, infant loss, and abortion since these are all highly sensitive issues for several individuals. Please consider adding this in the front matter of the book.

In this Victorian mystery romance Lucinda is an apothecary whose newest drug, a salve, has gone missing. She hires Jonathan Thorne, a private investigator, to help her find the culprit who stole it. But the biggest part of what they find is each other. Both live societally unacceptable lives. Thorne is raising his mixed race daughter from his lover, not his wife. And Lucy is a female apothecary, one of only two in the country at that time, I believe I read. The anti-female brigade is out and protesting at her apothecary. The book, though set in the late 1800s, shines the light on a lot of what is happening today.

Thorne is a wonderfully flawed character. He is a fighter who no longer fights, a libertine who has created tight lines circumscribing his life. But he is an ethical man. When confronted by his own prejudices he takes it in and eventually adjusts his moral compass. There is a lot to be said of a character or a novel that allows the MC the time to come to terms.

Lucy is just a hero. ‘Nuff said. Ok, not really. She is working so hard to keep things afloat, to take care of patients, to take care of the shop, her sister and her brother. And then her salve formula is stolen- a salve she could patent thus earning an income.

The sex is hot and has a slight kink to it in case you care. This is the first in a new series, Damsels of Discovery. Beware, it’ll probably make you want to search out the previous series, Secret Scientists of London, for the joy of reading more by Elizabeth Everett.

The Love Remedy has everything that you could want in a historical romance, combining a fierce and real protagonist with the vocabulary and environment of the times. This will be especially loved by anyone who appreciates a good grumpy-meets-sunshine trope, or who are interested in the ways that medicine was practiced by women in the past. After reading, I wanted to get every Elizabeth Everett book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Everett & Berkley for a digital ARC of The Love Remedy.

I was super excited to be approved for this title as not only the synopsis intrigued me, but also the gorgeous cover.

The Love Remedy is Book 1 in The Damsels of Discovery series and I am not DYING for the next in the series.

This story follows Lucinda Peterson who owns an apothecary from which formulas are being stolen and come up missing; and Jonathan Thorpe, a P.I. who Lucinda hires to help her get to the bottom of who or what is sabotaging her business. And just maybe some sparks fly between the intriguing apothecary owner & grumpy P.I.

I was kind of getting Ali Hazelwood STEM vibes, mixed with other stories such as The Lost Apothecary and the earlier works of Simone St. James. And the actual product of this story did not disappoint.

This story was incredibly atmospheric & followed a great pace. Everett gave us a perfect grumpy vs. sunshine romance trope with well-developed characters, main characters & supporting characters, as well as fabulous chemistry between the MC.

I love that this wasn't just your typical, thoughtless romance. The cast of characters made this such a delightful read. They made me laugh out loud & smile so much throughout this book. At the same time, this story allowed us to see the importance of women in history and how women contributed to every day life without the proper recognition.

This was a full 5-Star read for me and I cannot wait for other readers to be pulled into the magical story. Thank you for the opportunity to read this gem of a novel!!! And Ms. Everett, please type quickly for the next installments!!

Elizabeth Everett’s new series was an unexpected delight. I read the three books in the Secret Scientists of London series and they were just okay for me. The Love Remedy, the first book in the Damsels of Discovery series, had more humor and witty repartee. A clever example is Lucy using only her foot to communicate while stuck in a window. The writing in this book isn’t as dense as Everett’s other books. The flow is better and while still intelligent, it is more enjoyable to read. For me this book was more engaging than the other series.

The Love Remedy is a Beauty and the Beast trope situation as Jonathan Thorne is disfigured from his prizefighting days and is seeking redemption from his past by imposing boundaries and limits to the detriment of his happiness.
Lucinda Peterson struggles with her late father’s expectations, helping her community and supporting her family to the detriment of her happiness.

I adored Thorne’s daughter Sadie and how she blossoms when she’s around accomplished and compassionate women

I didn’t want this to end and I want more from these characters. Perhaps Lucy and Thorne will feature predominantly in subsequent books in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun and satisfying read! The blurb describes the story line accurately, and I enjoyed the way the action, characterization, and resolution were worked out. I enjoyed the characters, each flawed but ultimately needing each other to find wholeness. And I enjoyed the unexpected way the author set up the mystery and then worked out the resolution in an unexpected way.

I did not start out reading this book knowing that it was tied to an earlier series by author Everett (The Secret Scientists of London) which I had read and enjoyed, and I had overlooked that this was the first of a new series, The Damsels of Discovery. So this novel is perfectly satisfactory as a stand-alone, though it is made richer by the other readings. I continue to wince at the graphic sex, which I think detracts from the overall enjoyment of the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley (love their publications!) for the chance to read this title in advance. Publication date is currently set for March 19, 2024. I highly recommend this for your TBR list!

Rating this one between 4.25 and 4.5 stars. The story was exactly what I hoped it would be: well paced, with charming characters and a minimum of misunderstandings to get the plot moving forward.

Lucy’s just my favorite kind of protagonist, the hard-working person who carries the world on their shoulders but remains kind, and Thorne was just grumpy enough to fit the trope but also very endearing. The mix of grumpy-sunshine and single parent tropes worked perfectly and the protagonists’ chemistry was great.

There’s a nice cast of supporting characters, but I felt like their individual plots could’ve been better developed. And although the author hinted at several solutions/conclusions to the issues around the relationships between both protagonists and their respective families, I thought they were rushed and poorly conceived.

But all things considered, I had a great time with this story. It was a very good start to the author’s new series and I might check out their previous works while waiting for the next one.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another winner from Elizabeth Everett. I don't usually read historical romances but Everett does such a great job of drawing you into her world it was as if I could picture myself back in those times. The chemistry between Lucy and Thorne was so raw and real and the plot kept me turning pages. Highly recommend for any one looking to get lost in a time they don't know about, with a love story that will tug at your heartstrings.

Another fantastic book from Elizabeth Everett! I absolutely love that this series is starting with Lucy and getting a glimpse into how women helped their neighbourhoods and used their brains and empathy to assist with taking care of the people around them. I’m absolutely a sucker for the grumpy and sunshine trope and Jonathan does not disappoint as the MMC. He is the grumpy bookkeeper/investigator who also wants to protect Lucy from others and herself. The two MCs work well together to solve the book’s main mystery. And there is great character development and fantastic side characters who are not only there to help the MCs but also make the reader laugh (looking at you, chicken). Overall a great read that not only has steam but also makes the reader think about how it was for working women who wanted to be seen more for their brains than good looks.

First we have Lucy, she is the middle child but the eldest daughter. Our good sis is the very embodiment of “Are you the eldest daughter or are you ok?” She’s trying to keep her family’s apothecary afloat after her parents’ passing. Then we have Thorne, former boxer, single-dad and investigator with a face only a mother...Lucy...and I...could love. He has no relationship to his family after he showed up at their door with his bi-racial daughter. He wouldn’t mind marrying to have a mother for his girl but marry for love? Not so much.

Lucy employs Thorne to help her find a formula that’s gone missing and the sparks between them are slowly ignited against their better judgment. I’d classify this as a slow burn but it was heavy with other topics. Thorne helps Lucy relinquish control (in some creative ways) and Lucy helps Thorne realize that all of his rules for living were keeping him from having a full life.

These two challenge each other and I daresay there are some topics in the book that will challenge the reader as well.

Also, when you realize what happened to the stolen formula, you will want to fight the air (and fictional character). I’m still dwelling at the highest height of PISSEDIVITY! This book is in the same universe as her Secret Scientists of London series which I thoroughly enjoyed (and Book #3 in that series lives RENT FREE in my brain)