The Apothecary's Daughter

Title: The Apothecary's Daughter

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Regency

Publisher: Bethany House

Source: Own

My Review:

Julie Klassen takes us on a long, winding road with The Apothecary's Daughter. 

Lilly has plenty of suitors, but who will capture her heart? She is always searching for her mother but will she find her?

There is SO much going on in this story and multiple threads. There are secrets, a hint of mystery, a look at epilepsy in the early 1800s, not to mention the relationship between apothecaries and doctors. 

While there are religious elements to the book, they are very light. The Apothecary's Daughter is more historical fiction than romance. There are several POV shifts, mostly third person, and from Lilly's perspective, with a few scenes where we get the POV from Lilly's suitors. 

I felt like a few things weren't quite as clear as I would like them to be, and not as much of a romance as I would have liked. However, overall, it was an enjoyable read.

★★★/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 

Lilly Haswell remembers everything — whether she wants to, or not...

As Lilly toils in her father's apothecary shop, preparing herbs and remedies by rote, she is haunted by memories of her mother's disappearance. Villagers whisper the tale, but her father refuses to discuss it. All the while, she dreams of the world beyond—of travel and adventure and romance.

When a relative offers to host her in London, Lilly discovers the pleasures and pitfalls of fashionable society and suitors, as well as clues about her mother. But will Lilly find what she is searching for—the truth of the past and a love for the future?

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