Cover Image: The Merchant's Daughter

The Merchant's Daughter

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Member Reviews

London 1815 and Jenny and her mother need to find a way to save their livelihood after her fathers death. The best way is marriage but will this work, what secrets does her new husband have and what secrets did her father have? This is a gripping tale of survival, adventure, romance and so much more.

A well written tale with wonderful characters, it flows well and takes you on a journey. There is mystery, romance and plenty of detail so you could picture the story in your mind. The start was a bit slow and the detail was at times overdone but all in all it was a good book and I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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London 1815. Jenny's father is dead. She needs to marry immediately to save her and her mother's livelihood.
A chance meeting presents the perfect candidate in the form of the enigmatic Erasmus Black. Gentleman, merchant, and if the rumours are to be believed, captain...

Having really liked Rebecca Hardy's first book, I was happy to read and review The Merchant's Daughter. Jenny is the daughter of a wealthy shipping merchant and we have met her previously in the first book, she encounters Erasmus Black and the adventure begins. I loved these two characters, He is a mysterious sailor lately home from the sea and she is the quiet, timid girl who waits at home yearning for adventure.
This is an exciting tale of murder and evil doing beautifully combined with romance. There is something for everyone here. It is also a fascinating insight into the practice of slavery in Great Britain. The author has done her research well and writes with confidence and skill. I absolutely recommend this book. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a copy of The Merchant's Daughter.

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Historical drama with interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns. The merchants daughter struggles to come to terms with her father's death and the consequences which follow.

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This was an easy historical/ romance based on true events and it was evident that the author has fully researched her subject.
In some places, although there was a lot of content, the book seemed to drag and did not have the suspense or interest factor that makes me keep reading, and I must admit that I did scan read quite a few pages.
However, it was an enjoyable read and one that I would borrow from a library or free with kindle unlimited but not necessarily purchase. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to review.

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An exciting preface to a possible series of books. I feel like we have just scratched the surface of Jenny and Erasmus' story. Hardy has begun world building with colourful secondary characters that deserve a chance to tell their stories also.

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Just couldn't get on with this book there was so much going on it was overwhelming. It felt like there was so much going on that nothing really got developed properly and some things were unnecessary. I haven't read any other books by this author so I don't know if this might have helped. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Even if it's a bit slow at the beginning I thoroughly enjoyed it as the mix of romance, historical fiction and mystery works well and kept me reading.
There's a lot going, a clever heroine and a lot of twists and surprises.
I want to read other books by this author
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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This book was part mystery and part romance. After Jenny's father dies suddenly, she finds herself in urgent need of a husband. There is more to Jenny than meets the eye, she is brave, resourceful and able to detect lies. Her suddenly acquired husband is also talented and has a crew of clever people behind him. Together, they delve into the world of people slavery, and the people in England who are profiting from it. The ending was delightful, and I enjoyed the machinations of the mother. There was a lively cast of characters and this made for entertaining reading. I would like to read more by this author.

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The Merchant’s Daughter by Rebecca Hardy - 4 ⭐️’s
PUB Day: October 26th, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley & Headline for this ARC! 🫶🏻
💭 Overall it was a great read that was out of my safe zone of reads. It was a great historical mystery that left me guessing. It was a little too detailed for me and a little slow in the beginning for my liking but that didn’t stop me from continuing to read the book. It would be a great read for those that need a change of pace in the books their reading! 💭
#HistoricalFiction #MysteryReads #TheMerchantsDaughter #NetGalley #MysteryLovers #ARCsforReading #SuspensefulMysteries
QOTD: Are you a person who has multiple books being read at the same time? If so, what genres are those said books?

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enny's life is irreparably altered when her beloved father dies suddenly. When his will is read she discovers that his import/export business partnership contract stipulates his shares revert to his business partners unless Jenny's husband chooses to join the business. Accordingly, she and her mother will be practically penniless unless she can convince his business partners that she is getting married and find a willing patsy within a week.

Enter Erasmus Black, a handsome charming merchant with a roguish twinkle in his eye. But Erasmus is not what he seems and he has his own reasons for wanting to get close to Jenny's father's business partners.

This had a lot going for it, but maybe too much. Pirates, murder, brothels, attempted rape, slavery, the Ottoman Empire, kidnapping, an uncanny ability to detect lies - it felt like there was so much going on that nothing really got developed properly and some things were unnecessary. With all these things going on we really don't get much of a feel for who Erasmus really is under all the pretence. I understand that Jenny is a character from one of the author's previous novels, which may explain why there is some extraneous detail that really isn't needed for the plot.

Overall, I liked it but I didn't love it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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At first I was not sure about the book and struggled with the first few chapters, reading on I loved the book and the characters. With a bit of romance and spookyness and history it all made for a really enjoyable read.
My thanks as always to NetGalley and publisher Headline for the early read

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