The Lost Apothecary

Many thanks to Park Row for the opportunity to read this advance copy in return for an honest review!
A woman on a London vacation at an inflection point in her life happens upon an antique bottle with a bear inscribed on it. Her love of research and historical connections leads her to not only solve a mystery that no one was aware of, but also gain clarity about her own desires for the future. A dual time line is set in 1791 London and features a woman apothecary who not only dispenses healing herbs and medicines for other women, but also helps them deal with men in their lives who have done them wrong.
The story grabbed my attention at once, and the dual time line was very well done, without giving the reader whiplash about which time period you were reading about. The idea of women supporting and taking care of other women is brought up over and over again in the novel, with the acknowledgement that many women have little about their lives that leave a mark on the world that they can claim, particularly in the 1791 story. The reader comes to love these characters, in particular the apothecary and the present day woman. There are some twists and turns in the story that I didn't see coming, along with some outcomes that were easy to spot ahead of time. Overall this is a well-written, enjoyable read that was just right for my reading life right now.

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