I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I have read and enjoyed all the other books written by this author, but unfortunately this one fell a little flat for me. I had a harder time getting into it. With that being said, I look forward to see what she comes up with next.

I think I went into this book with the wrong expectations. I expected more of a focus on the magic, and the two sisters. Instead, I found most of the first two thirds of the book taken up by romance plots that I found thin and under-characterized, and very little else. I did enjoy the dynamic of the sisters, but it took up a much smaller portion of the book than I would have thought.

I wouldn’t exactly call this book a straight forward romance, as there is too much hardship and pain for it to fit the conventions of the genre. I would mostly class it with women’s war fiction.

Overall, if you’re looking for historical romance (high on atmosphere and angst, low on deep characterization or plot) this might be for you, but it wasn’t for me.

eArc provided by harlequin publishing and NETGALLEY in exchange for my honest review

"The Book of Thorns" by Hester Fox is a historical fiction novel that weaves together the stories of two sisters separated at birth but joined by mysterious abilities. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Napoleon's battlefield.

Cornelia, leaving her cruel uncle's home, joins Napoleon's army as a traveling naturalist. Her unique ability to heal any wound and bring soldiers back from the brink of death attracts praise but also exposes her to those who seek to exploit her powers.

On the other side, Lijsbeth lives in indentured servitude, finding solace in flower arranging. Her life takes a turn when she falls in love with a young English soldier. As the clash between the English and French armies occurs at Waterloo, Lijsbeth faces the choice of fleeing the battlefield or risking everything by staying.

The two sisters, separated by circumstances, finally cross paths on opposite sides of the war. Together, they must unravel the mystery of their mother's death while navigating the chaos of the war that surrounds them.

"Combining history, the occult, human greed, and a touch of feminism, this is a fine addition to the gothic genre," as noted by ALA's Booklist in its review of Hester Fox's previous work, "The Last Heir to Blackwood Library."

I really enjoy Hester Fox and her storytelling. This one started off a little slow for me, but by the end, I was very invested.

The talented and prolific Fox returns with another tale of passion, sorcery and thwarted love. Sisters Lijsbeth and Cornelia were separated at birth, but both sisters have uncanny abilities. Cornelia nurses, French soldiers injured in the Napoleonic wars, bringing them back from the brink of death. Lijsbeth, is an indentured servant who has fallen in love with an English soldier. It’s during this conflict, that the two sisters finally meet again, and must find a way out of the dangerous situation they’re in all while trying to solve the mystery of their mother death. Fox never disappoints, her readers will be very pleased with this latest book