I'm a big fan of books set in Scotland but have to admit I don't know much about 1840s Glasgow, but this book felt to be strong in historical detail.

When Charlotte Nicholl discovers that the fortune she has been bequeathed by her father is tied up in a secret collection of erotic art, she is faced with a terrible dilemma: sell it and risk shaming her family's good name or lose her home.

An encounter with Ellory Mann, a talented working-class photographer newly arrived in Glasgow, leads Charlotte to hope she has found not only someone who might help her, but also a friend. Yet Ellory is hiding secrets of her own - secrets that become harder to conceal as she finds herself drawn into Charlotte's world.

I enjoyed the stories attached to both of the main characters, Ellory and Charlotte. Both characters have their own fish out of water moments and both are from different classes, but they each have their own struggles based around being women at the time and this leads them into an unlikely friendship.

The characters feel fully realised and the story even manages to add in some real life characters in order to help create a bit more realism

As I said I don't know much about that time period but Sara Sheridan's historical notes really help me to understand references and context that helps make the book more enjoyable. I would certainly recommend this to everyone who is interested in the time period and setting!

Who knows what goes on behind closed doors. But what if the closed doors you are behind are the ones you have always known and yet you still don’t know what is going on.

Charlotte Nicholl, is left to deal wit the estate of her father. Unmarried and with a house in Mid Victorian Glasgow, it is not considered seemly to be living alone and with a fortune to consider. Expect the fortune has come from some rather interesting images, hidden behind a closed door in Charlotte’s home. A home that is now all hers.

Ellory Mann, is at the beginning of her life but rather down on her luck in society. But she is skilled and is in at the beginning of something which will change everything. Photography.

When Charlotte and Ellory meet, it seems that they can be a force for good for each other and they can help survive the societal norms and the ever changing presence of women in a man’s world.

The settings of both Edinburgh and Glasgow are fascinating and the author as she always does, brings everything to life. The colour of the mid 1800s is thoroughly researched and jumps off the page. You can imagine the scandal, the gossip about everything mentioned and all the things that are not in this book. The added bonus of real life people such as Frederick Douglass who shows a different plight but one similar to our main female protagonists. All of it added together makes for an interesting and fascinating novel.

If you want good historical fiction with strong female protagonists then you cannot go wrong with this or any of Sara Sheridan’s work. Excellent and I learnt so much as well as being transported away with the story.

Really enjoyed this read.
Great twist which I didn’t expect and finished wonderfully.
Fully recommend as a empowering lighthearted read

Great research that conjures up an authentic-feeling picture of Glasgow in the 1840s- the contrast of the poverty and roughness with the new wealth born of Empire. However the plot is weak and not very interesting, and moves at a glacial speed, and I'm so tired of historical fiction being peopled with characters with 21st century attitudes. The strong women defeating the patriarchy theme has become a cliché in historical fiction now, stale and hackneyed unless it is treated with originality, which is not the case here, I fear. I lost interest before I reached the halfway point and skimmed through to the end, which was pretty much as expected.

The Secrets of Blytheswood Square by Sara Sheridan is set largely in Glasgow in the 1840s. A time when the world was slowly changing in women’s rights, improving sexual freedoms, emancipation, and also in industrial change. The era is captured extremely well and Glaswegians will recognise many of the locations that still exist.

Through the characters Charlotte Nicholl, whose father has just passed away with many secrets. There is also Ellory Mann, a photographer’s assistant until a benefactor gifts her sums of money which change her fate.

The paths of the women cross and they, and most of the characters in the novel, begin their own individual journeys.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for a review copy.

A brilliantly well written book set in Scotland in the 19th Century. A book I would recommend. Great description of characters in the book.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I can even see it turned into a movie, and I’d certainly watch it. The secrets of Blythswood square was definitely an intriguing read.

Absolutely fantastic!

I loved this book. The cover is stunning. The story is engaging and historically fascinating.

I don't really know any Scottish history, or much about the history of photography but this book is written in such a way that i feel educated and keen to learn more.

I love that the characters are either real people, or based on real people. Charlotte and Ellery are my favourite kind of character. Strong women who are defying the expectations of the time. I also loved reading about Frederick Douglass and his fight against slavery, but also for women’s rights. He sounds rather fantastic.

I fell in love with the gorgeous cover and then I fell in love with the entertaining and compelling story. A story about women relationship, their role in the society and an embarassing collection of erotic art that could make the owner a wealthy woman but let her reputation in tatters.
A great book if you love photography and want to read about the pioneers.
Well plotted, entertaining and featuring a great cast of characters.
I loved the storytelling and the story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved author’s first book, The Fair Botanists, and I loved this too! It felt like a warm hug where everything turns out all right in the end. A really enjoyable and lovely read. The characters are all well rounded and it’s nice to read a Victorian novel set in Glasgow. An interesting insight into religion at the time without being too much. The historical note at the end was fantastic too. Highly recommended!

A fascinating historical read on early photography, set in 19th century Scotland
The two main female characters - Ellory and Charlotte were such strong unconventional determined women in a time when social norms meant anybody going against them was treated with suspicion.
Both women were fighting against restrictive society expectations and formed an unlikely friendship, encountering scrutiny and resistance at every turn but still maintaining their independence.
The author’s descriptive style of writing brought the hustle and bustle of 19th century Glasgow to life.
Well researched and full of interesting characters - loved the author’s notes at the end, where the real life characters were explained and explored.
A wonderful read for any historical fiction fan.
Thanks @sarasheridanwriter, @hodderbooks & @netgalley for taking me on an adventure in 19th century Glasgow.

I particularly liked that the book was written in the present tense. It really stood out for me and made me wonder if most historical fiction is written, perhaps unsurprisingly, in the past tense. Along with Sara Sheridan’s vivid writing, it made me feel like I was right there with the characters, experiencing everything with them.

It was so interesting to read about the early days of photography. Ellory, is apprenticed to famed Edinburgh photographer David Octavius Hill, one of many historical figures who appear in the book. When her talent is recognised, she takes the opportunity to set up her own studio and moves to Glasgow. This is a bold move for a woman at at time when their lives were very constrained. Charlotte Nicholl, on the face of it is better off but she is also constrained by society’s expectations of women. Grieving for her father, as a single woman living alone in a large house in Glasgow’s Blythswood Square, she is the subject of much gossip.

The way people’s lives are restricted in different ways by many influences seemed to me to be a major theme in the book. Another character who really existed was the campaigner and social reformer Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery in America, he had escaped and, at this point in history, toured Britain giving talks about equality, freedom and opportunity. We see the hypocrisy of the Free Kirk at play as it refuses to hand back money given to the Kirk by American plantation owners. The Church of course had much to say about the place of women and how they should be living their lives. Although, clearly there is no comparison with enslavement, to a certain degree women’s opportunities were limited whether by rank, poverty or expectation.

The risk of scandal and ruin is never far away for many characters in this book and there is much kept hidden behind closed doors. Quite literally in some cases! The need for secrecy looms large as we read about erotic paintings, suggestive photographs and bawdy poetry. Having led a very sheltered life, Charlotte is quite shaken by what she sees and reads.

As much as this book is about hidden desires, societal constraints or conforming to expectations, it’s also about awakenings and liberation. Sara Sheridan has created wonderfully likeable characters in Ellory and Charlotte, as well as Murray, Jeremiah and Jane. Her attention to detail brings 19th century Glasgow and Edinburgh as vividly to life as if looking at a photograph. This is a brilliantly researched novel bringing the lives of women sparkling onto the page in a compelling story of strength, friendship and unconventional independence.

4.5⭐️s

A moving, enriching historical fiction tale weaving a complex tapestry of the social issues and themes prevalent at the time. This gifts a riveting story exploring female friendship and empowerment, societal expectations on women, and being your true self. There’s intrigue, mystery, possibility, and scandalous goings on – don’t hesitate to pick this one up!

Sheridan’s sumptuous and vibrant prose place us in Victorian Scotland. The time and place is perfectly captured and the setting comes alive as the reader feels they are there in the moment. It’s a fascinating world inhibited by such well crafted, nuanced characters. The slow pace enables the reader to take their time and really get to know the characters, we see their heart warming journeys and risks they take. The development arc they go on is amazing. I loved their distinct, authentic voices and astute observations as they trail blaze their own paths amidst an oppressive atmosphere.

Charlotte feels a bit lost and alone in the wake of tragedy. She has time to think about what’s important and a brave spirit that will not conform to others’ expectations. I loved her independence, both in terms of thinking and in how she lives her life, and the choices she makes. Will her reputation survive?

Ellory is a talented photographer not adhering to the restrictions placed on her in this male dominated world. She’s clever, ambitious and a wonderful innovator. Will her secrets cause a scandal?

As their worlds collide an unlikely bond is forged. Despite their different circumstances they have much in common. As they share confidences and support one another during difficult times the power of their friendship stands out, which was a delight to see.

I also enjoyed getting to know Murray and Jeremiah as they each fight their own battles. They are both strikingly brought to life, feeling like real people you know, adding much to the narrative and important themes covered.

The Secrets of Blythswood Square is a well researched story that’s highly entertaining. It has a terrific plot, memorable characters who draw the reader in, and holds a looking glass up to societal conventions at the time. It was a joy to read this beautifully written tale showing the power of acceptance and fighting for what you believe in.

With thanks to @AlainnaGeorgiou, @HodderBooks and @sarasheridan for my place on the Tour and copy of the book.

This is a wonderfully researched book set in 1840s Glasgow, rich in historical detail and full of interesting characters.

It is the story of two very different women, both in background and at first glance character, but equally strong and determined, whose paths cross as they battle to find their own way in the world and challenge societal expectations of the time.

Charlotte’s comfortable existence is turned upside down following the death of her father - faced with a much smaller inheritance than expected and having discovered her father’s secret collection of erotic art, she begins to question how well she knew him and must figure out how to dispose of the collection whilst not damaging her reputation. Ellory is a working class girl who takes the brave step of moving from Edinburgh to Glasgow to try and make a name for herself in the male-dominated world of photography. The women form an unlikely friendship and support each other as they deal with everything life throws at them.

Both Ellory and Charlotte are well drawn characters, as is the interesting Jeremiah who shines a light on the challenges faced by gay men at that time. Amongst the fictional characters Sheridan also weaves in a real life character, American abolitionist Frederick Douglass, which adds another interesting element to the story.

Sheridan really does make the period come alive - and it is clear from the author’s notes how much research has gone into the book - and tells a story that creates a wonderful read that I recommend to all lovers of historical fiction.

I've loved spending time in Georgian Glasgow with these beautifully vivid characters 💖

Glasgow, 1846 - Charlotte Nicholl stands to inherit a fortune following the death of her father, however she soon discovers he had quite a few murky secrets hidden away and must decide between pleasing the church and society or braving it on her own.

Ellory McHale is a young photographer who has made her way from Edinburgh to Glasgow to set up her own business, and sharing a solicitor with Charlotte, the two meet and become firm friends - both in their own way are unconventional and independent, hiding secrets that could ruin them.

This is a stunning tale of freedom - for women, enslaved people, gay men, from religion, intolerance and prejudice. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationships between these striking characters and would love to know what will be next for the newly married couple and those who left Glasgow to travel to London and beyond!

When Ellory Mann receives the opportunity of a life time, she leaves her post as an assistant photographer in Edinburgh to set up her own studio as the first and only female photographer in Glasgow. Charlotte Nicholls is an heiress, now in charge of her father’s house in Blythswood Square after his death. Linked by solicitor Murray Urquhart, the women embrace their independence to challenge societal expectations.

A great historical fiction that explores social attitudes towards women, class, religion, sexuality and art in the Victorian era. I found the themes of this book really interesting and I enjoyed learning about the characters. The book is well-written and I found the story flowed well. Without giving away any spoilers, I was only a little disappointed that it didn’t go on longer as I would have liked to find out more what happened to the characters and think some plot points could have been explored further.

This was surprisingly lighthearted and fun look at Victorian Glasgow. The worldbuilding here is fantastic, so rich that you feel fully immersed in the time. I found it slightly slow going at first but eventually it was full of twists and turns. There ends up being quite a lot happening here with a brilliant cast of characters.

Most of all it's packed with funny, fiery, wonderful women who I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know. Ellory and Charlotte are very different people with different lives but they both come fiercly with their own minds. Really enjoyed.

This is the second Sara Sheridan book I have read and this was as good as the last. The story of a young female photographer making her way in Glasgow in the early days of photography is fascinating. I must add that I also listened to the audio book and this to my mind was an even better way to enjoy the story as it is very clearly and well narrated.

This is my first book by Sara Sheridan, and I was truly impressed by the depth of her research in this compelling piece of Scottish Victorian historical fiction with its rich details of the period and great sense of location, along with the way it highlights the stresses and pressures faced by women, the norms, expectations and attitudes that flourished in what was a turbulent time. We are deftly immersed in the lives of 2 women from distinctly different backgrounds and circumstances, how their paths cross and the formation of a powerful friendship. In Glasgow, an ill equipped and grieving young Charlotte Nicholl has lost the only person who mattered, her father, and is now alone, having to negotiate an obstacle strewn path of restrictions, despite coming from a wealthy background and living in Blythswood Square, rumours abound and lives are heavily scrutinised and judged.

The courageous and ambitious Ellory comes from Edinburgh, attracted to and gifted in photography, a field dominated by men, nevertheless looking to succeed and keen to take advantage of the opportunity to establish herself in Glasgow. Charlotte is not drawn to the institution of marriage, which is expected of her, not even to her childhood friend and lawyer, Murray. She is facing financial pressures, and becomes aware of her father's secret that threatens to ruin her reputation as she stumbles across his collection of erotic art, and the problem it poses, how can she safely dispose of the art below the radar? Ellory is a woman with her own secrets, the 2 women are to find their way to establishing a great and supportive friendship with each other.

Sheridan's storytelling is atmospherically vibrant, she makes the historical period come alive, painting a picture of the issues and themes of the era, the poverty, photography, class nequalities, disability, sexuality, religion, and her characterisations are superb, feeling authentic, particularly Charlotte and Ellory, both admirable strong, determined, and independent women. She outlines how each woman develops, plus there is a cast of fascinating characters, such as the gay Jeremiah Catto, neighbourhood busybodies and more, including the inclusion of Frederick Douglass. The author goes on to give a detailed, illuminating, and insightful glimpse of what inspired her at the end of the book, plus there are explanations of some of the details and other aspects too. A brilliant read I recommend to those who love their historical fiction. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Initially set in Edinburgh moving swiftly to Glasgow in 1846, this nineteenth century historical fiction features an array of likeable characters, with the occasional not so nice busybodies.
Miss Ellory Mann is a photographer, both her and Miss Charlotte Nicholl a lady of wealth are the main female characters.
Featuring early photography as a living, and women facing the challenges of a male dominating era.
Moments of people in history featured too. As mentioned in the acknowledgements at the end of the book in further detail.

I found the book very interesting, its research by the author evident. It was one of those books I couldn’t put down for wanting to know what happened next.
This is the first book I have read from this author, and now I’d like to read her previous and future books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.