The Fallen Woman presents a unique historical setting and an intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me. Jane Saville’s struggle against societal expectations and her connection with Guy Attwood over rare apples held promise, but the pacing felt slow, and I struggled to connect with the characters. While the themes of personal growth and defying society’s rules are strong, the romance didn’t resonate as much as I hoped. The plot felt predictable, and the resolution too convenient. For fans of quiet, character-driven stories, this might work, but it just didn’t grab me.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this book, which is set in the countryside.

Jane who is an artist, has been cast out of her family so that no bad aspersions are caste on the familles name.

Guy is next in line to being in a very good position and have a lot of money, but, he wants to lead his life in a different way.

They are yet to meet, but what will happen when they do? How will Jane cope with people who will say that they both shouldn’t unite.

I highly recommend this book.

I wasn’t sure I liked this book at first, but a couple of chapters in I found myself charmed by Harry, Jane and Guy. The dialogue in this book sparkles, with some tender and some funny moments.
I liked that Jane made for a strong and feisty heroine, and the romance in the story was satisfying. In one or two places I did feel her thinking was perhaps just a tad too modern, and Charlotte was almost too wicked, but overall it was a very enjoyable, well written and well paced read.

A heartbreaking story of love and friendship. The characters are believable and well written. Fiona McIntosh is a great author.

i really really enjoyed this book. it was a everything i like. great characters. both good and bad guys in this book were still fantastic to read. they were all described and detailed to perfection to make you feel a certain way throughout. the sister and mother were awful by the way!
it also had the romance bit we all need. or basically the bits full of love and tenderness. the human connection was all there.
The title of the book was so good considering the whole plot and encompasses so many things or thoughts throughout.
the book takes place in the 1900s when of course we have to give some time for the differences in life, beliefs and order of things. we have Jane and Charlotte are two sisters who live with thier mother. they are all about where they sit in society except the mother and sister go far far far to far into this no matter the cost. and i think the society part gives an excuse for rather horrid people to be honest. and its clear that there is a favoured sister her.
but of course charlotte the perfect one. the one betrothed to the wealthy man and life becomes pregnant. oh how the mighty might fall, eh? but of course they dont. because instead the shame and stance is put on poor Jane. she is forced to go away with her sister then take on the role of the "fallen woman" and pretend the child is her own. what a thing to make her do. but it does give the boy to the lovely sister soooo. and she takes him on and lovingly does so. i didnt ever think this was going to be a simple road for a mother and son though. and it was not.
during the time living in the city Jane has to live in such hardship its terrible. one day out in the park with Harry she meet Guy. she knows nothing of his wealth and they make a genuine friendship. Guy has his own demons. what he wants to do in life is very different to whats his wealth and father want him to do. him and Jane quickly become more than friends and their bond is very sweet. it felt genuine.
one day he has to go home. and although he sends word to Jane she never receives it and once again her life feel broken apart.
then to top it all guess who comes back? but why?

a brilliant book. i could've read this book all day.

This is the first novel I have read by Fiona McIntosh. It was a sweet novel - quite predictable - but sometimes it is nice to not have surprises. I was not enamored with Jane in the beginning but as she grew, she turned into a character I could admire and respect. Her mother and sister are just horrendous. Guy I could take or leave! He was a bit whingy at times and his name dropping was epic. There are parts of this story that soar and others that sag - I did, however, enjoy Guy's hunt for the rare apple that brought him to Jane.

The Fallen Woman
By: Fiona McIntosh

5 Stars

Jane is horrified when her sister and mother hatch a plan that will forever change her and her future. Charlotte, her sister, becomes pregnant and expects Jane to move and care for the child so that her name is left unscathed. Her life changes dramatically from the time the boy is set in her hands. Later, when Charlotte starts to stir up trouble, a serendipitous encounter will once again change Jane's life, this time for the better.

This story was written so well. It was full of history, romance, drama, love, pain, and forgiveness. It was beautifully done. It was descriptive and easy to get wrapped up in. The characters were descriptive and so easy to captivate the reader. Jane and little Harry especially. This was a story that was well thought out with a storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting more. I know it did me.

I absolutely loved this story. This author has been an amazing find for me. I can't wait to read her next book.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

The Fallen Woman by Fiona MCIntosh was such a good story! It takes place in England during the early 1900's. Jane and Charlotte Saville are two sisters that live with their widowed mother. Their mother is all about money and status. Jane was very close to her father, but Charlotte is just like her mother and is therefore the favored sister.

Charlotte is slated to become betrothed to a wealthy bachelor. Charlotte discovers that she is with child and goes to her mother distraught over the situation. Charlotte and her mother know that this prestigious family will not bring shame upon their family so they devise a plan. So to protect the family name, Charlotte and Jane are sent away to live with an aunt while she is with child. Jane will be forced and recognized as the mother of this child so that Charlotte's reputation will not be tarnished and can continue the path to become wed into the wealthy family. Jane, of course, objects to the lie but she eventually concedes to go with Charlotte. Jane believes that once Charlotte sees her own baby, she will change her mind. Jane immediately falls in love with the baby once she holds him.

Fast forward 6 years later and Charlotte is now married into the arrogant and wealthy family. Jane continues to live in the city where the baby, Harry, was born. She raises him as her own and she is known around town as the fallen woman. She lives in poverty as a housekeeper. Jane has a gift of botanical artistry and paints pictures of botany. During this time, Charlotte never once reached out to inquire about her child. She didn't even know his name. Jane meets Guy Atwood by happenstance one day while her and Harry are at the park. Guy is an heir to a very wealthy estate. As a hobby he searches out rare apples. He is genuine and doesn't even mention his wealth to Jane. They fast become friends and they both develop feelings of more than friendship. She has hope that maybe love and marriage is in her future. Guy is suddenly called back to his home over the death of his father. He sends a message to Jane, but she never receives the message and believes that her hope of love is shattered. Meanwhile, Charlotte shows up and is suddenly interested in her son. What does Charlotte want? Does Guy ever return? Will Harry find out that Jane is not really his mother? Where is Charlotte and Jane's mother?

This is a story of love, jealously, forgiveness, secrets, lies, duty, and redemption. I recommend this book to read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

The Fallen Woman was a book about sacrifice, shame, unconditional love, and so much more. Jane sacrificed her life for her mother and sisters scheme. Known as "The Fallen Woman", she raises little Harry to the best of her ability and enjoys working for William, an elderly father like figure. Years into this sacrifice she meets Guy who seems like a dream come true but upon his entrance into her life, other circumstances start to change for her family and her new found relationship with Guy may be in jeopardy.

This was a rough journey for Jane from exile to self-discovery but had a nice HEA ending. Fans of Historical Fiction will enjoy this journey into the past.
4.50 stars

The Fallen Woman tells the story of Jane Seville, a young woman forced into scandal by arrogant family members to protect the family name and seek higher status. Jane lives her days with her son and friend painting. One day, Guy Attwood, a wealthy and eligible bachelor, is brought into their lives, and soon Jane must take control of the future she wants.

Along the way, there is a lot of talk and history about apples—like, a lot! If I didn't know better, I would think the apple industry was paying the author. But that aside, and Guy's casual name-dropping, it was impossible not to root for Guy and Jane and cheer the downfall of her family members.

This book by Fiona Macintosh is a gentle read. It is a tale of greed and betrayal on one hand and love and trust on the other. A very interesting story about an apple tree running in the background and of course love and romance win out. This is one of those books which is hard to put down once started and is very enjoyable.

Another great story by Fiona McIntosh. She is an amazing researcher and the best thing is that it will suck you into the story every time again. This time we visit England in the early 1900s. The world-building is great and its like you walking the streets yourself. We have the very unlikeable characters and then we are having the likable main characters. I did like the story, but I am a sucker for historical fiction. I do think that the stories are getting predictable and a bit the same. Now…I don’t mind it as for my character and world building are more important, but I can understand that not everyone would be a fan. If you love the same things you will definitely like the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for this copy.

The Fallen Woman by Fiona McIntosh

In the shadows of Edwardian society, talented botanical artist Jane Saville faces an impossible choice when her ruthless mother exiles her to the English countryside to protect another's reputation. Forced to live in poverty and secrecy to shield her family from scandal, Jane's world seems destined for darkness until she meets Guy Attwood.
An enjoyable,romantic read , and even though set in my least favourite era , the author wrote a decent plot that fitted it perfectly , not the usual prissy characters that for the time. I liked that Jane knew what she wanted from life ,

A well written novel. Romance is the main theme with its secrets, lies and intrigues. Unfortunately (for me), the storyline, the plot as well as the conclusion are predictable. Overall, a nice and easy story which warms the heart.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

The Fallen Woman is the first book I have read by Fiona McIntosh. It was an easy, quick read and I knew just how the book would end as soon as I started it. That is not always a bad thing. Sometimes you just want a book that carries you away from the craziness of life and has a predictable ending. One of the story lines involves the search for an heirloom apple and I enjoyed learning about the history of the apple. I will search out more by this author, I imagine each of her books has an interesting side plot.

What a stunning story, I couldn't put it down! Jane Saville gets railroaded into the most awful situation by her mother and her sister, after which she ends up living in Salisbury as a housekeeper and companion to a wonderful elderly gentleman. Guy Attwood is on the hunt for a specific apple, thought to be extinct in England. With his father wanting to retire and wanting Guy to take over the business, Guy has one last attempt to find his apple. He does find it, and finds Jane. There are some truly heartbreaking moments and terrible misunderstandings along the way, but ultimately all's well that ends well. Jane and Guy are wonderful characters that I really cared about!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Fiona McIntosh for the free ARC. All opinions are my own

What a saga! I was riveted from the off. When Eugenie Saville dreams up a plan to save face and marriage prospects for daughter Charlotte, neither of them care what price this cost daughter Jane.
I’d say Jane got the bonus of a lovely young boy in Harry who loved her without question. Jane is embarrassed when Harry accidentally mis-kicks his football hitting passer-by mr Kearney. This begins a series of events which leave Jane questioning me Kearney’s motives. Jane is employed as housekeeper for William Angus who looks upon her and Harry as family & is very good at giving advice, especially when Jane receives a visitor who threatens everything thing that is precious.

I loved the way the story unravelled, keeping you enthralled along the way. My favourite character was Jane for her unassuming manner and she was so likeable. Least favourite was Charlotte who lived life as if society owed her a debt.
Learnt so much about colours and apples. The story made you realise how fortunate we are now to be able to make our own choices.

Look forward to more by this author.

I am a big historical fiction fan and I just finished a good one. The Fallen Woman by Fiona McIntosh is coming soon and is one to read.

A delightful historical romance. I loved seeing the world through an artists eyes, with the description of colour being so precise. Some interesting twists.

Fiona McIntosh has a way of telling a story that never leaves you disappointed. I loved this book and found it hard to put down! There are so many wonderful characters and a story that will stay with you after you have finished it .
Jane Saville is a botanical artist but she doesn’t know how good she is. Her family treat her as an after thought and expect and rely on her to do the right thing when there is a problem to be solved. In solving a major problem she not only becomes an outcast from her family but also society and this is where she really begins to shine.
Guy Atwood who is heir to a wealthy estate is spending his time hunting for a rare apple on behalf of the Royal Kew Gardens. His time doing what he loves is coming to an end as his father is demanding he return to the running of the estate.
Guy and Jane’s path cross and there is hope for a better future for Jane but a series of events hamper this.
The book is set in the English country side and you are transported back in time, wandering through Salisbury and hearing the boys choir in the Cathedral.
This is an epic historical fiction story of family secrets, treachery, jealousy, love, trust and loyalty. Another 5/5 read by Ms McIntosh.