Nothing struck me about this book; nothing stood out, nothing stood the test of time. It just faded together with all the mediocre historical fiction I have read over the last fews, like too much ink on a piece of limp fabric.

This pacy and plot driven novel is compelling from the start and doesn't let up or sag or let your attention drift. It has a solid dual narrative structure with the two PoVs contradicting and undermining the other in a really satisfying manner! The two main female characters aren't particularly likeable but still enjoyable and manage to evoke sympathy, if not empathy. The husband is vile, the love interest of the maid is vile, the madam is vile - it's quite glorious fun! The historical setting is obviously well researched and features a fascinating insight into the life and times of the silk weavers of Spitalfields. The plot, as page turning and engrossing as it is, is perhaps a little predictable but it's so entertainingly done I can overlook that point. It has moments of genuine poignancy and it ends on a positive note rather than a true happy ending- after the sadness of the wrongful conviction and execution, the two female main characters move on with their lives with a sense of hope, an ending I always find more interesting and satisfying than living happily ever after.
Engaging and entertaining.

I loved this book, it had every aspect that I adore in a novel, I hadn't liked the past few historical fictions that I had read so I was apprehensive about reading this and trying to enjoy it, however from page 1 I was sucked in and couldn't put it down until I was finished.

This book is set in 1700s Spitalfields, with the silk makers and the early origins of the trade union movement and it was that which drew me in, as I love historical fiction especially when it's places I know.
This is a solid debut and the sense of place was great. Perhaps a little predictable in places but enjoyable nonetheless.

This wasn’t the book for me. It wasn’t what I hoped. Not what I expected. I couldn’t give it a chance. It’s not something I would read

I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

I tried to persist but I couldn't really get into this book and ended up giving up. The storyline wasn't sufficient to grip me and though the character development was good I felt I needed more of a plot. The characters were not likeable and I felt some parts were a little too gratuitous.

Esther Thorel is wife to a master silk-weaver, respected and admired for her position and status. To the outward eye, she lives comfortably, a grand house, income and handsome furnishings. But she struggles with the shrinking space of her gilded cage, for her husband is a bully and her only desire in life is quashed. Esther wants to be a silk designer. But according to her husband, there is no place in silk design for a little wife, let alone a woman.


Sara arrives in Spitalfeilds with only the clothes on her back, an address and a single pound in her pocket. Sent to London to make her way in the world, Sara is surprised by this loud, pungent, frightening place. It is not the London she expected. Her money stolen, her chance at escape snatched away, Sara is forced to join Mrs Swann's brothel at the Wig and Crown.



When Esther offers Sara the position of maid in her household, Sara packs up her meagre belongings and departs the Wig and Crown for a life she hopes will be brighter than the last. But in the Thorel household, things are uneasy, taut as stretched silk threads. Because here secrets are packed into every corner, and trouble is brewing.


Alternating between two narratives, Esther's and Sara's, we see their fortunes dip and rise over the course of the book. Sara sees only a new form of dependence as a maid, still she must serve, still she must do as she is told, with little choice or authority in her own life. She views Esther as a hypocrite, when in truth she is just as trapped and bound up. She is lady of the house, yes, but at 10 Spital Square, this means little. Her options are disregarded, her dreams snuffed out. She does as she must to please her husband. That is all. But soon things begin to change for the two women.


Blackberry and Wild Rose is a glorious, sumptuous novel that I devoured in a day. It is impossible to draw your eyes from the pages. I love the setting, the time period, the descriptions. The characters are well-drawn and the prose is rich, smooth as silk. Fabulous. So looking forward to the author's next book.

I tried many times to finish this book, but it was slow and not appealing at all. I'm really sorry. It sounded so good at the beginning but there was something with the writing style that didn't work for me.

I enjoyed this book, very original in its plot and character design. Some really beautiful moments between the characters as well as the drama. This was an enjoyable book and I could see it adapted for screen easily.

I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting piece of historical fiction. I loved the setting of Spitalfields a few hundred years ago and I really felt transported there. The amount of research that has gone into the book is obvious, and I liked all the household dramas - and the fact that there wasn't an obvious fairytale ending.

A fascinating tale. I work in Spitalfields so to read its history in this way was refreshing and exciting. This story is gripping, emotional, and deeply human. Excellent work.

Believable and well written historical fiction set around the London silk weaving industry of the late 18th century. The two main female characters were well drawn, I didn't always like or agree with them but they were entirely realistic and I cared what became of them. It certainly didn't shy away from the nastier side of life, the social and gender inequalities are keenly felt throughout. I liked it a lot, although I suspect the bleakness marred my overall enjoyment. Perfect for fans of 'The Miniaturist' and 'The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock'.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to those readers who enjoy an interesting historical novel.

The book follows the Huguenot weavers of Spitalfields in London at the end of the eighteenth century.
Esther is the wife of a silk merchant who, bored with her husband and his affairs, draws designs for her own silks in secret because it is unheard of for a woman to be involved in business.
I loved this book, it was a subject I knew little about and I found it interesting and informative. This doesn't mean dull, no, we learn about the lives of weavers but it is a human story as well. The loves of the characters are told poignantly.

This was a solid historical fiction that was generelly good and well written. There were a couple of points that the story was a bit non-nonsensical but the drama and the plot at that moment made up for this. I thought the characters were okay with Sara being the most developed and the side characters being a bit too 2d and not fully developed. The writing was good and there is a lot of potential in this book that could have made it a great book.

Utterly enticing, lush writing, and a moving story with characters who you can't help but throw yourself behind.

A beautiful historical novel about a period I knew very little about. Elegant prose and a delightful main character.

really enjoyed this book. i felt like i was thrust into the historical period and the view of the characters was very well written.

a great insight into the silk trade and i would love to read more books like this.
the story moved well and kept me interested

A very poignant and enchanting tale. Set in Eighteenth Century London the author does an amazing job of making you feeling like you are there, the descriptions of sounds, sights and smells immerse you in to the story of the very volatile silk industry. The characterisation was brilliant and the story really came alive through Sarah and Esther, the hardships, poverty and struggles they faced.
Beautifully written and well researched.
My thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing this arc in return for a honest review.