I've been meaning to read more historical fiction so I was really excited to pick this one up, however i ended up dnfing this at 36% because, frankly, I was bored.

The story isn't bad, really, and people interested in the time period the book set in likely will get more out of it than I did, but I just needed something /more/ to stay interested. I was really disappointed in the villain because even though he was described as charismatic, none of that charisma shone through in his interactions with the other characters. The protagonists, too, seemed a bit single-faceted to me. I don't need to relate to characters but I need to at least find them interesting. and sadly that just didn't happen for me. The switches between third and first person narration were also a little jarring.

Unfortunately, this just wasn't it for me.

My thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Honey and the Sting’ by E C Fremantle in exchange for an honest review.

“There is a wasp in our hive, we must be rid of it.” - Melis.

England, 1628. Doctor’s daughter, Hester, had been forcibly seduced by the powerful George Villiers, then cast aside when she fell pregnant. She returned home to the village of Iffley to raise her son, Rafe, hoping to never see Villiers again.

Her sister, Melis, has a strong affinity with the bees that she raises for honey. On occasion, she makes pronouncements about what is to come. Hester protects her from any accusations of witchcraft, a real danger in this period of English history. Their youngest sister Hope, who was adopted as an infant, is a great beauty. She often draws unwelcome advances that on occasion she finds hard to resist.

The orphaned sisters live a quiet pastoral life though as Rafe’s ninth birthday approaches, Villiers decides to claim him against Hester's protests. The sisters’ only option is to flee and go into hiding.

In addition, Hester holds a secret that could endanger Villiers’ position at Court. Learning of this, Villiers enlists the aid of his former comrade, John Felton, to track them, recover his son and eliminate the threat posed by the sisters. Felton is down on his luck and flattered that Villiers, who had been his lover, chose him to undertake this sensitive task.

Felton is one of the three narrative points of view in the novel. The others are Hester, whose chapters are in first person, and Hope.

The given name of Melis, is related to Melissa, the Greek name for bee. I have long been fascinated by the symbolism and mythology of bees, including their link to prophetic visions, which fits perfectly with Melis’ role in the novel.

Full marks to Fremantle for creating interesting characters whose fate I came to care about. Hester is such a powerful force, fierce as a lioness in her protection of her loved ones. Even Felton, who so easily have been portrayed as an all out baddie, is revealed as complex in his motivations.

Fremantle says that she was inspired by Jacobean revenge dramas to write this novel. While the sisters are fictional, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Lieutenant Felton are both historical figures, and have made a number of appearances in works of fiction, most notably ‘The Three Musketeers’.

Overall, I found ‘The Honey and the Sting’ an excellent work of historical fiction with elements of the uncanny and a strong grounding in period detail. It was a thrilling read with danger constantly stalking the sisters and had a satisfying resolution.

On a side note, the cover art is exquisite.

I certainly plan to look into Fremantle’s earlier books.

Highly recommended.

The year is 1628 and three sisters, Hester, Melis and Hope are living alone alongside Hesters son, Rafe. Rafe was conceived when Hester was raped by George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham.

As Rafe is now approaching his 8th birthday, the Duke announces he is taking his son home with him, by force if necessary. The sisters flee their home and hide to protect Rafe from his villian of a father.

I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of historical fiction. It was fast paced and I was left biting my nails throughout! I loved the three sisters and the bond they shared, maybe because I am one of three sisters myself? A fantastic piece of writing! Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC and allowing me to review it.

England, 1628.

Forcibly seduced by the powerful George Villiers, doctor's daughter Hester is cast aside to raise her son alone and in secret. She hopes never to see Villiers again.

Melis's visions cause disquiet and talk. She sees what other's can't - and what has yet to be. She'd be denounced as a witch if Hester wasn't so carefully protective.

Young Hope's beauty marks her out, drawing unwelcome attention to the family. Yet she cannot always resist others' advances. And her sisters cannot always be on their guard.

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This novel is readable enough and not unenjoyable, rattling on with a gripping pace and touching on the deplorable limitations and strictures and prejudices put on women in the seventeenth century. I was a little concerned that we would be subjected to a litany of Villiers' abuse, but he is fortunately an invidious but generally off stage presence, his influence and threat almost palpable.

Personally I would have liked to have slowed the pace down a little, to have built the world more - and its touches on the supernatural and mystical: Melis and the sisters' house were wonderful but a tad underplayed.

This felt more like a thriller to me than historical fiction, so unfortunately for me that mans it’s not really my cup of tea. There wasn’t anything wrong at all, the writing was really good, the story seemed good, it’s just not my thing.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Honey and the Sting by E C Fremantle

A fast paced story that reads like a thriller. I wanted to keep picking it up and reading. It’s not a story that will stay with me but I enjoyed the experience of reading it!

I loved the character of Melis and wanted to hear more from her and the bees.

I struggled with the flip between Hester as a first person narrator and the other characters in third person. I don’t think this worked as a writing style, personally I think it would have been better with everyone in the third person.

I find myself often drawn to historical fiction, even to periods of history of which I have the barest of knowledge. I must confess to not knowing who George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham was, nor did I have any knowledge about his life being ended in his assassination by a soldier called John Felton on 23 August 1628. The Honey and The Sting is a historical re-imagining of this assassination, and what might have lead up to it.

The three sisters who are the primary voices in this story, Hester, Hope and Melis could not be more different from one another. I loved the inner strength of Hester, who had been a victim of rape, and who was willing to do anything to avoid her son Rafe from being taken by his father, George Villiers. Hope, the youngest of the sisters had an innocence that had been taken from her. She was organised and helpful, but with a fragility that meant she wanted to believe the best in people and which caused her to be betrayed as a result. Melis had an ‘other-worldly’ and mystical quality that allowed her to communicate with nature, and foresee death and disaster in a way that gave her little peace.

Throughout the book we are given their individual voices (with the exception of Melis, which makes her seem even more other-worldly), so that we are given a multi-dimensional view of the setting and the situations as they occur, and then another voice is added, in the form of Felton, who deceives the sisters into believing he has been sent to protect them, when in reality he has murdered to find their location and intends to return to George Villiers with Hester’s son Rafe.

The tension builds steadily as the book progresses, and I just loved how everything fell into place in the ending. This was such an effortlessly enjoyable read that it was never going to ever be anything less than a 5 star book for me!

The Honey and the Sting tells the story of Sisters Melis, Hope and Hester. Hester has a child, Rafe, by George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. The three sisters are fatherless and motherless. Their quiet happy domestic life is disrupted when Villiers comes looking for his illegitimate son. The girls will take Rafe into hiding. It is played out against the turbulent political background of the 1630s.

I cannot praise this novel enough. The girls are so different but the reader will care for each of them and for Rafe. Elizabeth Freemantle's plotting leads us into a wonderful and thrilling adventure with a fast- paced narrative that kept this reader absorbed from the story's first chapter until it's dramatise and historically fascinating denouement. I loved the scene - setting, the bees imagery and the actual bees, the forest and the crumbling yet beautiful old secluded house. The novel simply hums along with superb period detail, brilliant characterisation, conflict, danger, terror. It is atmospheric and sinister as well as lyrical. Elizabeth Freemantle, yet again, does not disappoint. She is a very original and polished writer of engaging Historical Fiction. Every sentence is beautifully considered and written.

More brilliance from Ms Fremantle. A sharp and thought-provoking exploration of revenge, with characters in whom I was fully invested.

This novel was such an enjoyable read. It is a dark and gripping book, and nothing like I was expecting. When I first read the synopsis I imagined reading a lot about George Villiers’ actions towards the three sisters, and was worried that I would be subjected to pages and pages of his awful presence. Instead he hangs around the novel like a nightmare, not physically there but affecting all of the events.

There is a ghostly feel to this story, which is built up in part thanks to Melis, the middle sister, who is said to have visions. She predicts “A wasp in our nest”, which makes her sisters wary, strange things are lost and found in the house and it’s housekeeper tells the women the house has a mind of its own.

The story is told from the point of view of Hester, who is trying to protect her son from the Duke, Hope, her youngest sister, and Felton, a friend of George Villiers who is tasked with finding the family. As readers we know his secret which builds the tension as he gets closer to the sisters.

Hester is a very smart and resourceful woman who is determined to keep her son away from his father, and I really enjoyed her character. I found some of Hope’s actions infuriating, but as a teenage girl, who does not have all the information she needs, I couldn’t be angry with her.

This novel highlights the rights of and attitudes towards women during the 17th Century. It doesn’t matter what his actions were the Duke is entitled to his son, and nothing Hester can do would be able to change this. The male characters are critical of a boy being raised by women; three women living alone together is looked down on, they are called a ‘coven’. These attitudes affect the sisters’ actions and I liked that they are mentioned.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy dark, historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley, Michael Joseph and EC Fremantle for this ARC.

This was a highly anticipated read for me. I love that cover, I love historical fiction, it sounded right up my street
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Set in 17th Centuary England, Hester, the eldest of 3 orphan sisters is raped by the ruthless Duke of Buckinghamshire and left with child. Nine years later the Duke decided he wants what's his and comes to claim his son. In a bid to protect her child, Hester blackmails the Duke with evidence that is certain to see him executed for treason. An act of rebellion puts the sisters and the child in grave danger and they are forced to flee. But the Duke won't give in that easy, and the sisters learn quickly that no-one is to be trusted
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It took me a little while to get going with this one. I think I was very tired, in a bit of a slump and had quite a bit going on personally. I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did, as I finally connected with the story and characters and ended up enjoying it
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E C Fremantle's writing is very readable, and flows beautifully. I loved younger sister Melis and her 'visions' while Hester herself had my admiration for her bravery and determination. The Duke is perfectly villainous, oozing charm and ruthlessness all at once
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A story of power conflict, secrets, manipulation and the overwhelming strength of maternal love, The Honey and The Sting is worth adding to your historical fiction collection. While it wasnt quite as gripping as I'd hoped to begin with, I'm glad I stuck with it, as I became invested in the sisters lives and really enjoyed the thrilling ending wich left me holding my breath
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Thanks to the publisher for my #gifted copy via netgalley

I do not read a huge amount of historical fiction but when I do I always think I should read more.

Three sisters who lose their father in a tragic accident and are looked after by their fathers friend Ambrose Cotton.

Hester was raped as a young girl and she has had a child Rafe and his father is George Villiers who was a real life figure and the first Duke of Buckingham who had a very colourful history. After 8 years he finds out that Hester has had a child by him. Hope is seduced by Worley one of Villiers staff and he tries to kidnap Rafe, so they make a plan and they take flight. Hester has a big secret that could really endanger them all but also finish Villiers.

I do love a good baddy and Villiers really is quite vile and I so wanted him to get his comeuppance. I really enjoyed the fast pace of the story and was intrigued by Melis the sister who has visions. Of course this would have seen as witchcraft so they have to hide this also. The other sister Hope is easily led and puts the family in danger on more than one occasion. I loved her relationship with Lark who looks after the horses at the Giffords.

One of the other main characters is Lieutenant Felton, we meet him about half way through the book and I will not be giving any spoilers about this character except to say he is very important to the story, and we find out that him and George have had a very close intimate relationship previously. George has risen in his standing and Felton is injured and not doing well.

George asks Felton to carry out a task for him and due to his love of George he is happy to oblige, but there is a big twist which I did not see coming.

This is wonderful story, I loved the closeness of the sisters and how they all protect each other and there is a real feeling throughout the book of female strength and overcoming some of life’s tragedies. Plus an overwhelming feeling of a mothers love from Hester and her desperation to keep Rafe safe and away from George at all costs.

It is a tense read and one that did not want to put down. There are some really heart-rendering moments and this story will stay with me for a long time. It is gripping but a tender and captivating read and one I heartily recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for this review.

An enjoyable read. I found it interesting that although this is historical fiction, in many ways for me it felt more like reading a thriller, and I don’t think you necessarily need to be a historical fiction fan to enjoy it. The story centres around a murder and abduction plot, in a remote, crumbling house, where a possible protector is not all he seems - in many ways a classic thriller premise. The cat and mouse game between the sisters and the stranger in their midst was compelling, and the slightly mystical aspects, with Melis’ visions of future events reminded me of the Philippa Gregory Cousins War series, particularly The Lady of The Rivers.

An enjoyable read that kept me gripped.

Femantle subverts all your expectations in this mysterious historical fiction.

The Plot

The Honey and the Sting is told from three perspecitves: Hester, Hope and Felton. The year is 1628.

Hester is a young mother who lives with her son, Rafe and her two sisters: Hope and Melis. Rafe’s father is George, a duke who has the ear of the King, who had forced himself on Hester. The Duke decides he wants to take his son to court, even though he had previously had no contact with him. Hester refuses to let this happen and she takes Rafe and her sisters away to a secluded lodge for safety.

Hope, the youngest of the two sisters, tells her side of the story. She is young and desirable and is finding her feet in the world of romance and sexuality. Melis, the middle sister, is plagued with visions of the future, and although her sisters dismiss them as dreams, they plague them also.

Felton is an injured Lieutenant and an ex-lover of the Duke. Felton is employed by the Duke to retrieve Rafe and deliver him to court. He is also instructed to kill the sisters and destroy some incriminating letters that would show the Duke as a traitor.

With the help of Ambrose, a Doctor and father figure, the sisters have to keep Rafe safe from Felton, even though they don’t know he’s already in their midst.

My Review

Sometimes the beauty of a novel’s plot is in its simplicity. A character wants something to happen and another character does not, plot ensues. In this Hester, who speaks from the first person perspective, does everything that any mother would do to protect her son and her fierceness grows throughout the novel. I loved Hester’s voice and I loved the plot, there were absolutely no holes, everything was tied up perfectly and I really loved that.

Melis, with her visions and general weirdness, is an interesting “fantasy” addition to the novel, she adds a supernatural perspective that isn’t too over the top.

My favourite sister was Hope, who brought an interesting perspective to the novel. As Hope discovers her sexuality it’s clear that there is something more to one of her friendships. I liked how her innocence was written, but I do think that (being it 1628) her feelings for the same sex may have confused her a little more than they seemed to.

Felton, the only male perspective, was such and interesting character and for me made the novel. It must have been really interesting for Fremantle to write from the perspective of a character who is morally corrupt, even if he was being used by the Duke. You half like Felton and half loathe him. I loved his arc and his secrets.

The Honey and the Sting is an action packed, mysterious page turner. The only thing that I wanted more of was the historical elements of the time, maybe we could have even had more of George’s perspective, but that didn’t take away from the beauty of the words and the fluidity of the plot.

Thank you Michael Joseph for the ARC!

I must admit that deciding on my rating for this book has been tricky. I’ve been floundering between a three- and four-star rating and in the world of decimal points, I could easily land on a 3.5. For the sake of clarity, and my Goodreads, I’ve settled on three stars. I will clarify, due to the negative perception of three-star ratings, that in my rating system this is a book I liked. The deciding factor was the stark divide between my enjoyment of what was on the page and my realisation of certain character inconsistencies in development and motivations. I’m going to lead with the positives, however, many of my critiques are entwined so my usual division isn’t always possible.

Hester quickly became my favourite character and remained so throughout the book. I’m so glad that we got to read from her first-person perspective, which was not afforded to the chapters focusing on Hope or Felton, as the reader is given an insight into her protective instincts, quick thinking and it eventually demonstrates her wit and persuasion. She embodies the titular honey and sting and I’ve got to say that I wasn’t quite expecting Fremantle’s exact execution of these traits, but I enjoyed it. I also loved Fremantle’s combination of a traditional historical fiction plot, as Hester protects her son from the clutches of his all-powerful courtier father and creepier elements as emphasised through Melis’s visions and objects mysteriously moving throughout their safe house.

Whereas I would have liked a bit more discussion of Melis’s visions, more specifically the external opinions of her which lead to Hester’s protective nature, I was glad to see that we did get some visions which were open for interpretation from Hester alongside more specified ones. Hester’s son Rafe becomes more and more intriguing with every page. Further concrete investigations into Rafe’s actions, considering everything this small boy endures, would have been interesting, but the final lines of the book left me with chills, and I wouldn’t want to change them for anything.

Fans of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers will also be familiar with Lieutenant Felton alongside the historical facts which can be read about both Felton and George Villiers. Felton specifically, but also including George Villiers, demonstrate the correlation of excellent historical research and sparkling originality to create characters for historical fiction. This book certainly does show how well the two can blend. George Villiers is quite a distant antagonist, so I lot of the pressure to create conflict and tension falls to Felton and his complexities which I thoroughly enjoyed exploring, especially relating to his twin sister.

“[With] some creepy elements and very chilling final lines which had me wishing for a second book following Rafe and you’ll find a historical fiction for both readers looking to break into the genre and experienced readers”.

However, I did find myself becoming distracted as George’s absence throughout the narrative, and his unclear motivations for specifically wanting Rafe dissolved the tension of the women going into hiding quite early on. It is quite clearly stated that George Villiers has a legitimate son with his wife however George never answers Hester’s specific inquiry into his intentions. I’ve read a lot of Tudor, Plantagenet and Stuart historical fiction, and correlating factual documentaries, so I am well aware that an illegitimate boy is simultaneously a constant danger to his father and the legitimate son, by claiming inheritance through combat once he’s grown, and in danger, as many people will see him as an easily disposable complication. However, if this is the case I thought the narrative tension would have been improved by simply stating this or incorporating George’s confliction as to whether raise Rafe or kill him, but we didn’t get any of this which was a little disappointing.

Despite getting a perspective surrounding her actions, Hope unfortunately dimmed in comparison to the roles, abilities and mannerisms of her two elder sisters. As the youngest closeted from Melis’s visions she could have created some interesting conflict and discussions, however, she willingly accepts that Melis has visions, does not question earlier visions when they begin to prove true and falls for every man who smiles her way. Once I can forgive, but as it became multiple instances without dramatic pay off it became a little expositional. The gaps in her knowledge, caused by the sister’s hiding Melis’s prediction of their father’s death, could have also been interestingly drawn out throughout the plot.

Overall, I enjoyed my reading experience with this book thanks to a couple of intriguing characters, initially interesting premise, a quickly paced middle section and enjoyable house setting which sees Felton and Hester confined together. Add in some creepy elements and very chilling final lines which had me wishing for a second book following Rafe and you’ll find a historical fiction for both readers looking to break into the genre and experienced readers. However, a couple of characters, their motivations and the narratives surrounding them, unfortunately, fell short for me and that distracted from the core plot between Hester, Rafe and Felton I was invested in. Therefore, in my rating, it’s landed exactly in the middle at three stars.

After 2018’s The Poison Bed, a Jacobean thriller based on a real life murder scandal, EC Fremantle has returned to the same period – the early seventeenth century – with another historical thriller, this time one which is only partly inspired by a true story.

Hester, Melis and Hope are three sisters who live together in a cottage in Iffley, Oxfordshire. With no male relative in the household, apart from Hester’s little boy Rafe, their living arrangements are unusual for the time – not quite respectable, some would say. Yet all three women have their reasons for avoiding outsiders and keeping themselves to themselves. Hester’s secret is perhaps the most scandalous: the father of her son is George Villiers, the powerful Duke of Buckingham and the King’s favourite. The beautiful, eccentric Melis experiences visions and premonitions which have an unsettling habit of coming true. And Hope’s African heritage makes her stand out from the other girls in Iffley, while also making her the target of unwelcome attention from men.

When we first meet the sisters, they are leading quiet lives at Orchard Cottage, filling their days with cooking, gardening, needlework and tending the bees in their hives. This will all change when George Villiers decides that the time has come to claim his son – something Hester refuses to contemplate as the Duke had cruelly cast her aside and left her to raise Rafe alone. In order to keep Rafe out of his hands, the three women are forced to go on the run, fleeing to an isolated house in the woods. But even here it seems there’s no guarantee of safety and they must decide who can and cannot be trusted.

Hester and her sisters are fictional, but their story is entwined with a sequence of real historical events involving George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. I won’t say too much here, but if you know anything about Buckingham then as soon as a certain character appears in the novel you will be able to guess what is ultimately going to happen. Knowing this didn’t spoil the story for me, though; I found this particular character and the motivations for their actions very intriguing and their inclusion made the book much more compelling than it would otherwise have been.

The novel is written in present tense, never my favourite but I didn’t find it as annoying as I often do because it somehow suited the pace of the story and gave it a sense of urgency and danger. Some of the chapters are told from Hester’s perspective and these are written in the first person, but others are from Hope’s perspective, in the third person. I didn’t really understand the reason for this and would have preferred one style or the other. We don’t hear from Melis at all, only seeing her through the eyes of the other characters, but this is quite effective and adds to the aura of mystery that surrounds her. I think she was probably the sister I found most interesting; Hester and Hope both frustrated me with the number of poor decisions they made!

The only other thing that bothered me slightly was the way Hester refers to Buckingham throughout the novel as ‘George’. I felt that, as she had been a servant in Buckingham’s household when he seduced her, she would have spoken of him as ‘the Duke’ or ‘Buckingham’ or ‘His Grace’. A servant calling a nobleman by his first name in the seventeenth century just didn’t seem right to me, but maybe I’m just being pedantic. Overall, this was an enjoyable novel, even if it wasn’t one of my favourites by Fremantle.

I have to say that the cover of this book is absolutely beautiful and although I read it in ebook form, I think it's definitely worth picking up a physical copy. The cover may be fantastic but it's nothing compared to the story within which completely blew me away. I have read and enjoyed an E C Fremantle book before but The Honey and the Sting is nothing short of exceptional. This is historical fiction at its finest.

I didn't realise how much of real history was included in the story until I started googling, as I often do when a story grips me so much that I have to find out more. The Duke of Buckingham is often cast as a baddie due to their closeness to the crown and their addiction to power. The 1st Duke of Buckingham, George Villiers, is one of the main characters in the book and what a vile character he is. After impregnating Hester and casting her out of his household, he turns up eight years later demanding his son but he leaves empty handed when Hester reveals that she has a secret that would take Villiers down. Knowing she only has a temporary reprieve, Hester has no alternative but to leave her home and go into hiding with her two sisters and her son, but the Duke of Buckingham's reach is vast and Hester doesn't know who she can trust.

I loved the relationship and the unbreakable bond between the three sisters: Hester, Melis and Hope. Melis has an affinity for bees and she tells Hester about the honey and the sting, how something can be both sweet and sharp or good and bad. Melis also has the gift of foresight but this is often taken with a pinch of salt, until several of her predictions come true. Hester hopes that they can remain hidden from the Duke long enough for the predicted event to happen, but she doesn't know that there is a wasp in their nest.

Set in the 17th Century, The Honey and the Sting may be historical fiction but it reads like a modern day thriller. It's fast-paced, gripping and intriguing which I find is quite unusual for historical fiction. The real characters and historical facts are seamlessly woven into the story with enough intrigue to warrant further research; I certainly know a lot more about George Villiers now.

With clever plotting and sublime writing, The Honey and the Sting is an exceptional book and E C Fremantle deserves a virtual round of applause. Without doubt a 5 star rating for this very highly recommended book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Hello all,

My 4th Netgalley read, The Honey and the Sting.

“ My honey lost, and I, a drone-like bee, have no perfection of my summer left, but robbed and ransacked by injurious theft: in thy weak hive a wand’ring wasp hath crept, and sucked the honey which thy chaste bee kept. – Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece”
This is a tale about the bond between three sisters…three secrets…three ways to fail in England 1628.

Hester is a doctor’s daughter and after having been forcibly seduced by George Villiers, a very powerful man, she is cast aside to raise her son alone and in secret, she hopes she never has to see Villiers again.

Melis has visions…visions which cause a lot of chatter. She sees what others can’t and what has yet to come. With Hester being so protective of her, she hasn’t been denounced as a witch…yet.

Hope is beautiful. Her beauty sets her apart from all the rest but unfortunately also draws unwelcome attention to the family. Yet she cannot seem to resist the advances of others…and her sisters can’t always be on guard to keep an eye on their younger sister.

“Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a heart?” – Shakespeare, Hamlet
When Villiers decides to claim his son against Hester’s wishes, the sisters are at his mercy and without friends…

But the women hold a secret, a secret so grave it could be their undoing but if they play their cards right, it could be their salvation.

In the right hands, a secret is the deadliest weapon of all…

“If pretty little creatures like you will smile at me, how can I be expected to prevent myself.”
This book was slow at first and difficult to get into but definitely gets better!

Find it on Amazon 6th August!

Until next time,

D x

When George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham forcibly seduces Hester and impregnates her, She is forced to go on the run with her younger sisters, Melis and Hope after The Duke trys to claim Rafe, His son and take custody of him.
Hester and her sisters need to find a place of safety and head to a loyal family friends house in Shropshire.
Rafe must remain with the sisters and they must protect him from George Villiers.

This is the first book I've read by E.C Fremantle but definitely won't be my last.
A historical fiction that has mystery and feels very supernatural it was easy to get swept up into the sisters lives and become invested in their journey. I did find myself covering my eyes though at parts as they made pretty rubbish fugitives. I found myself holding my breath when they removed their disguises and made other questionable decisions willing them to be safe.
I loved all of the sisters especially Melis. I loved their relationship with each other and the way they cared for Rafe, But I do appreciate a baddie and I was drawn to George, especially his relationship with Felton. He's sly and underhand but it's easy to see why Hester was charmed by him.

Overall I loved this book! Its got super gothic, cosy vibes and I could pick it up and read it all over again. I want to call it a wholesome read but I'm not quite sure that does it justice. Its beautifully written with magic running through it. I'm definitely going to pick up more books by this author.

A brilliant piece of historical fiction.

Set in England 1628, we follow the story of three sisters, Hester, Hope and Melis.

8 years prior, Hester found her self pregnant after being raped by George Villiers, a powerful and well established duke. When Villiers turns up and expresses his intent to take Rafe into his own care, the three sisters are left with no choice but to run and escape to an isolated house in the countryside, with help from their late fathers friend. When Villiers discovers this, he makes it his mission to retrieve Rafe and sends and one of his most trusted men to attempt this for him.

This leads to an pursuit for the sisters that has you gripped. The story is full of unease and suspense from the get go and is very well written.
Each of the three sisters are completely different and I loved this. Melis brings an element of supernatural to the book as she is known to have visions, often seeing/predicting things that will occur, an aspect I enjoyed.

I definitely don’t read historical fiction as often as I should because I always enjoy it. It’s been a while since my last one so this was definitely a great choice for me and now I’m after more.

Definitely recommended.