A Pearl for my Mistress is a complex, engaging and atmospheric account of a woman who is thrown into the midst of political intrigue, which revolves soundly around the class system of the era. I have to say I am a big fan of historical fiction but even I wasn't sure about this book when I first went into reading it. it's not that's it's a bad story, it's is eloquent and full of raw historical detail, I have to be honest that I have always been into frames of mind about historicals which are too 'Downton Abbey' where you have the class system negotiating how you feel about certain character, the difference here is what happens - something I refuse to go into as it will give way too much of the plot away, but let's just say it isn't the Downton Abbey- esque which I originally thought it would be and that alone appealed to me far more.
I Enjoyed A Pearl for my Mistress, I won't say it's the easiest book to settle into as it is quite long-winded for my liking and the pacing is a little slower than I would have liked but it is very enjoyable. The author has put in a lot of hard work and extensive research which has created a rich and clever story.

DNF. I couldn't connect with this book at all and found it really hard to get into. I had high hopes for this, which is a shame.

Lady Lucy and Hester have a secret in this novel set between the Wars. Their love for one another is quite forbidden. Even worse, though, is Lucy's involvement in espionage (no spoilers.). Fans of Downton Abbey might like this for its different take on the time period. For fans of historical novels.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

A Pearl for my Mistress is an historical fiction set in the period in-between the two world wars, the story also has veins of romance and politics running through it.

The book follows two young ladies from polar ends of the social ladder. Hester - Hettie - Blake is from a northern working class town. She has always dreamt of becoming a ladies maid and sees it as a way of eventually getting to travel and seeing far flung distant shores. She becomes a young ladies maid to Lady Lucy Fitzmartin, who is an heiress and debutante just stepping out into society. Lucy has been protected from the world by her controlling family, and longs to break free and become more worldly wise. She lands a job writing newspaper articles, which she hopes will eventually lead to more lucrative contracts to enable her to be financially independent. The book then shows how each character works towards achieving their ambitions and aims in life, and how far they will go. Along the way we are introduced to a number of other characters, some likeable, others not so much.

I enjoyed the character development, as the book progresses we get to see more of each characters background, hopes and fears, with their true personalities unfolding and becoming crystal clear. I also liked the setting of the early 1930's and discovering more about some of the uncomfortable societal norms from this period in history. I found it an easy read and devoured it fairly rapidly, making it an ideal book for light holiday reading.

The only negative I perceived is that the writing appeared a bit confusing and disjointed at times, almost like it could do with a bit more editing. I personally found the ending to be unsatisfactory, I'm unable to elaborate further without entering into spoiler territory. I simply wanted to know a bit more with some ends tying up. If you read the book, I'm sure you will know what I mean.

I think this book would be perfect for fans of historical fiction with elements of romance, intrigue policies and mystery thrown into the mix.

With thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I couldn't finish. Didn't see where it was going and didn't connect to any of the characters. Found it to be boring and just not really what I was expecting.

'm a sucker for well researched historical fiction. I love learning about history through the lives and perils of the characters in fiction. One of the reasons I enjoy this is because many times you are learning about history not because it is the intent of the book, but because the author has done such a good job researching the setting of his/her story that the history flows through the story and becomes part of it. In A Pearl For My Mistress by Annabel Fielding, history flows through the story and becomes a very important aspect of the story.


When I first started reading A Pearl For My Mistress, I thought it would just be a love story between a maid and the lady she serves, but the more I read it, the more I realized this was just one aspect of the story. Yes, Lady Lucy falls for her maid Hester, which at the time (1930's England) is quite risqué. She could be sent to an asylum if it is discovered. However, the real meat of the story at least for me, is more about the politics of the time and the fact that Lady Lucy over the course of the story becomes basically a spy for the Germans, which causes the couple to question their relationship.

After a slow start, I really got into this novel. The development of the characters and plot over the novel is subtle and engaging. The writing is solid and pulls you in to the story. I liked Hester and Sophie, the sisters who have found different ways to live their lives, one following the rules to become a lady’s maid and the other making her own rules, running away to London to become a singer and find fame. Lucy is a very unusual Lady, clearly abused by her parents and desperate for any sense of belonging, denied an education and kept in seclusion, she lives through book and stories.

They fall in love despite their social differences. Hester had a grammar school education and could have gone to college but chose service instead, because of the stories she read. Lucy uses her connections to find writing opportunities, with the Right-wing newspapers, the new Daily Express and The Blackshirt. Her connections later bring her into the orbit of a German archaeologist-diplomat, who helps her get a job with The Daily Mail at a time when Lord Beaverbrook is throwing his support behind Sir Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists.

Hester, through her sister in the East End is seeing a different side to the BUF’s Blackshirts. This brings in conflict between the two lovers, as their different experience and opinions clash in an atmosphere of change and fear for the future as war looms on the horizon.

I recommend this book to those who enjoyed Downton Abbey.

Not for me. Couldn't follow the story and found the writing weak.
Sorry.

Set in England in 1934 in a time of social change, this novel is a testimony to what good solid research and a flair for writing can produce.

Hester Blake, hailing from the grey north of the country has always wanted to travel and, with that in mind, has set her heart on being a lady’s maid. Young and inexperienced, her first position is caring for the daughter of the Fitzmartin family, Lady Lucy. The days of families of social standing running large houses with a plethora of staff are gone due the the sheer economic situation, but this provides Hester with her opening into the world she wishes to be a part of. But she didn’t count on becoming Lucy’s friend, confidants and so much more . . .

This is not a quick and easy read. It is a thrilling novel, packed between the covers with so much information – not all of which I was aware of. I feel I have learned such a lot without even realising it! This is a book you will immerse yourself in, ponder over when it’s out of your hands and a fabulous story which will stay with you for a long time to come. If you enjoy a historical read and are looking for one with a bit more than romance, then this is a novel – and an author – which I highly recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

In a way Lucy and Hester are separated by worlds, and yet the common denominator between the two is their gender, which makes them equal in the basest of ways. Regardless of the difference in status, and believe you me the divide between upstairs and downstairs is a huge one, the two of them start to connect on a personal level.

At first there is the common love of books, reading and expanding their knowledge. Lucy crosses boundaries that have to be kept between the two of them, because the rest of society wouldn’t understand their relationship. When the two of them connect on an emotional and physical level it becomes a destructive secret.

Fielding incorporates quite a few hot topics in this story, and for me this wasn’t a love story per se, perhaps because it doesn’t evolve beyond the physical element. In fact I would go as far as to say that it is more about shedding a light on how women who love women were treated in that particular era. Locked away, disowned, treated like the mentally ill and put in asylums for the insane.

At the same time there is a focus on the gender inequality, which was an issue for women on every rung of the social ladder. Women and girls of a higher status were treated like birds in gilded cages with no voice or power. Any move towards independence was ridiculed and dismissed. Girls over 21 didn’t receive the vote until 1928, so the 1930s was still an era of advancement and discovery.

Although Lucy is part of this new-found age for women she still has to maintain the facade of the quiet well-behaved daughter of the household, whilst making her own choices in private. Of course while society is busy infantilizing their daughters and wives, they are also guilty of creating vulnerable women who crave new input, which in turn makes them the perfect target. In this case Lucy is more susceptible to the theories and voices of the far-right. She is drawn in by the shiny glow of the pseudo intellectual arguments and the belief that she is doing what is right for herself and her country.

Her involvement with Hester is a direct contradiction to her interest in Mosley. Hester’s possible heritage and exotic appearance would make her a non-entity in the eyes of the Blackshirts. It’s as if Lucy chooses to be oblivious to certain opinions the Mosley brigade shout out to the world. In the midst of her anger at her family and her lack of trust, she starts to become what she hates the most.

Fielding combines historical fiction with important social issues of the 20th century. It isn’t a love story, it is a story about identity and about discovering the power we yield.

This is a true Marmite book.The story follows Hester Blake who’s ambition has always been to be a lady’s maid. She finds a job with the Fitzmartin family as a maid for their daughter Lady Lucy. Lady Lucy wants nothing more than freedom from her overbearing family. Hester quickly becomes entangled with her mistress with her fragile beauty and fiery spirit but is loving her enough for Lady Lucy?

This book is well researched an rich in history and it's clear the author knows what they are talking about however due to the jumpy writing style I found it hard to follow what was going on.

The storyline was a little all over the place. Initially it seemed to be a love story then it sort of turned into a spy novel. It slightly was confusing and I found the ending a little unsatisfying.

Overall I feel that this is one of those books that you’ll either love or hate it and there won’t be much in between but I personally found it very interesting and the story stayed with me for a while after reading it

When I began this book I imagined it would be an easy-read; your average romantic novel. How wrong I was. This book is so much more than a love story. Yes, the pace nips along nicely and the story is totally immersive, but the historical context adds a huge amount of depth, and the prose is beautiful, elegant, and expressive.
This book is not merely set against a backdrop of the 1930s, but is completely immersed in the time. Fielding's writing is so evocative that it's easy to imagine every last detail of life in 1930s England. A Pearl for My Mistress is clearly thoroughly researched, and the historical context is effortlessly intertwined with the plot. Fictional narrative merges with real-life events and characters, moving seamlessly from intricate details of high society life and working class drudgery to broader political themes. While the details are intricate and informed, they never overpower the story.
There's so much to love about this book: the vividly described historical context, the convincingly flawed characters, the sentimental but realistic descriptions of love. This is no simple love story, but a story about misplaced trust, self-destructive behaviour, and how characters can survive and thrive against manipulation on a personal and political scale.

5 star review to come on the 10th for the author's book tour!😁

I love books set in England. I was excited to read this new historical fiction novel.

Because it was set in the 1930s, it kept reminding me of Downton Abbey. I kept picturing Lucy and Hester's relationship like Mary and Anna from Downton, at least from their early friendship.

There were a bunch of parts that had high tension, such as someone being chased through a dark alley. But they were often resolved in a calm way. These parts had the potential for a lot of drama if they ended with more exciting twists.

I found the romantic relationship between two main characters unbelievable (I don't want to give details to give away spoilers). There didn't seem to be a valid reason that they loved each other. They just suddenly said it so it had to be true. I didn't see their relationship grow and develop, so I wasn't rooting for them.

I also thought the beginning of the story wasn't a good introduction. It talked about characters that disappeared for quite a while, so I was lost when Hester's story began. If that prologue wasn't there, it would have been a much stronger beginning.

I would have liked to see Lucy's parents. Lucy talked about them but they never appeared in the story. I also wondered why Lucy was being given a lady's maid. Typically, only married women had a lady's maid. And if the family could only afford a housekeeper and one housemaid, how could they afford the extra expense of a maid for their daughter? These things didn't make sense.

This story was a unique historical fiction, though questionable at times.

A Pearl for My Mistress is a Historical and Women’s Fiction set in 1930’s England, and is told from a multiple POV stance.

We have two protagonists; Hester Blake, and Lucy Fitzmartin. The former is a maid to the latter, and both have grown up in very different environments; Hester grew up in a Northern English town, from a working class family. Her life hasn’t been particularly difficult, but she has had to work for where she has got in her life and career. Lucy on the other hand is the only daughter, and child of the Fitzmartins – a well-to-do family struggling with the changing times of the country post Wall Street Crash and pre WWII. Her whole life has been about doing what is lady-like and proper, potentially a factor leading to her rebellious behaviour as she begins to interact with new social circles at Season events.

A New Germany is on the rise, and similarly across the Channel, similar political stances are being adopted. During the book, the story of the British Union of Fascists (Blackshirts) is a primary fore-front and theme; Lucy Fitzmartin is charmed by a Herr von Frenzel whom seems to appreciate her writing ability more than others, and offers her a place amongst the community writing for them. Lucy feels this is something she is finally doing for herself; she is finally making a difference. However the Blackshirts have a rather thuggish reputation, and Lucy must keep her involvement on the down low – keeping it from the prying eyes of her family.

Our protagonists form a bond over their love for literature – Lucy writes fiction, not just newspaper articles, and Hester reads her works of fiction with admiration and awe and begs her to continue to write. Hester is also unaware of Lucy’s involvement with the BUF at the beginning, but is later invited along to a rally, where she leaves the least bit impressed.

Lucy and Hester’s relationship becomes strained as their differing views on the party’s policies and beliefs clash together. Though Hester is nothing but loyal to Lady Lucy, remaining with her through the Season in London and keeping her secrets.

Hester’s sister, Sophie, is also in London and frequently the sisters meet up. It is not until later that Hester hears of the attempted attack on her sister by Blackshirts; both sisters look exotic, and are not approved of by the radicals within the party.

This book contains themes of love, hate, violence, racism and deceit. An unexpectedly sharp turn from what I was expecting based on the beginning of the novel.

It begins at a fairly decent pace, but a different kind of entertainment – it is simply the story of a friendship (maybe more) developing between a maid and her mistress. Both drawn to books and literature, but both with very different views on immigration and working class individuals. It is not that Lucy is posh, it is simply that her life has been so much more sheltered than Hester’s.

Around half way, the book takes a more political and aggressive turn, with riot scenes and political rallies. This made the book less easy to read, and I sometimes found myself turning back a few pages to re-read and understand the scenario properly. I think with more knowledge on the particular area of history would have made it easier to understand but it was my no means impossible to keep up.

Despite the complexity of this half of the novel, I don’t feel that it kept up its pace – whereas before I found myself curious to know more, there were some quite heavy and detail intensive scenes later on which I sometimes switched off at. For the reader whom usually reads historical or women’s fiction books, maybe this would be an area they are more familiar with than myself.

As characters, I think they were all described well and developed at a good rate. We had our beliefs following first impressions, and they were then either strengthened or changed as we went along the journey. Von Frenzel for me was a bit of a creepy character, seemingly using Lucy’s determination for freedom as leverage to acquire her abilities and name for the cause.

I did enjoy the first two-thirds of the book, it kept me reading, and intrigued, however I wasn’t a huge fan of the end, where everything seemed to come down and collapse – everything just changed and seemed to just be. It wasn’t as strong as I would have liked it, though for the era I would also say this is probably more realistic; this was an ending which is entirely dependent on the individual readers’ tastes.

Both characters are loveable in their own way, and even though there are places where you get so angry with their behaviour, you can’t help but know that this is just due to their upbringing, and they believe it is the right thing and in no way malicious.

Overall I’m awarding this book a 3.5*/5. It was an okay read, and particularly at the beginning it kept me engaged and interested. However I found that although most characters were well-developed, some fell flat, along with the story line further into the novel. It was quite history intensive which made it a little difficult for me to keep up with, but it was an interesting insight into 1930s Britain. I enjoyed the historical facts which had been woven into the book, and I thought it was a clever take on the topic, using a second LGBTQ plot line outlining the struggle emotionally and physically at the time.

I would recommend this to fans of Downton Abbey and similar stories.

This novel’s cover does not fully prepare you for Fielding’s fascinating narrative. Yes, there is a clue to Lucy’s developing allegiances, but I missed it at first glance and this is not simply the gently-observed society novel that perhaps the cover suggests. This, as far as I am concerned, is a far more interesting read than that – Fielding has clearly done a huge amount of research and the novel is rich in its period details. It tells the story of Lady Lucy Fitzmartin, a seemingly quiet and reserved heiress, and her maid, Hester, set within the political turmoil of the 1930s.

Lucy is an intriguing character. Hinting at a previous trauma, Fielding develops her young heiress’ story in unexpected ways and she is not a conventional romantic heroine. The hints about her character are there from the start, but I found Lucy’s emerging political leanings an interesting angle on the interwar narrative. Like so many of that period, Lucy is caught up in the ideological battles of those in power, and her views are not easy to swallow at times. This is a daring move on Fielding’s part – she asks us, particularly early on, to sympathise with Lucy, whilst sometimes making it really quite difficult. Hester’s character is the foil here, and their relationship is both brilliant and refreshing. As the novel progresses, I felt that Hester’s voice was being eclipsed a little by Lucy’s story, and, without giving anything away, I’d love to know what happens next.

I also liked the character of Hester’s sister, Sophie. She’s as ambitious as Lucy, but has more stacked against her. This is a real strength of this novel – it looks intently at the difficulties women from all levels of society face in a male and increasingly tense world. The threat of war, the threat of violence, embodied by Mosley’s Blackshirts, hang over their lives and, ultimately, determine their choices.


‘Flirtatious and vain girls always came to a sticky end, according to all the stories in the world. But then, the same stories condemned most girls who tried to take their destiny in their own hands.’

This is a fascinating book, one with very memorable scenes and themes. There were times when I was unclear as to Lucy’s reasons for the path she takes, but then Lucy herself sometimes battles with her own thoughts and actions. She is a product of her youth and of her age, and all the old certainties of class and politics are crumbling. Fielding has built up a strong, compelling narrative. I enjoyed this novel, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.

The story follows Hester Blake who’s ambition has always been to be a lady’s maid. She finds a job with the Fitzmartin family as a maid for their daughter Lady Lucy. Lady Lucy wants nothing more than freedom from her overbearing family. Hester quickly becomes entangled with her mistress with her fragile beauty and fiery spirit but is loving her enough for Lady Lucy?

The book is set in the 1930’s which I actually didn’t realise until I started reading, which was a happy surprise as I’m a little obsessed with the books and musicals from that era. The historical details in this book are fantastic, I actually feel I learnt something from it!

At the beginning of the book we find Lady Lucy getting involved with Sir Walter Mosley and the Blackshirts, two things which while I’ve heard of I don’t know much about, and I found really interesting. Also it showed the racism and anti-Semitism prevalent at the time which I find a lot of books gloss over.

It also made a change that the maid (Hester) ended up having an affair with the mistress rather than the master.

I loved the character of Hester but Lady Lucy was one of those rare characters that while I felt sorry for her at the beginning, I grew to really dislike as the story went along.

At times the writing could be a little over the top and flowery. Also I would liked to have met Lady Lucy’s parents instead of just being told how terrible they were.

The story line also was a little all over the place. Initially it seemed to be a love story then it sort of turned into a spy novel…it slightly was confusing. I also found the ending a little unsatisfying.

Overall I feel that this is one of those books that you’ll either love or hate it and there won’t be much in between but I personally found it very interesting and the story stayed with me for a while after reading it.

Insightful, exceptionally researched, and richly descriptive!

A Pearl for My Mistress takes us back to the 1930s, the interwar period, and gives an in-depth look into the formation of the British far-right movement and Germany's influence and infiltration of British politics and high society.

The prose is fervent and captivating. The main characters include the scarred, loyal, enamored Hester and the bold, independent, resourceful Lucy. And the plot unfolds chronologically with a nice mix of historical events, intriguing fiction, social strife, forbidden love, political manipulation, and heartfelt emotion that keeps the story flowing from start to finish.

A Pearl for My Mistress is a well written, fascinating novel that highlights Fielding's incredible knowledge and enormous passion for a period of time that is often forgotten and overlooked.

A sumptuous and stunning tale that will go down a treat with readers who enjoy historical fiction set in the earlier part of the 20th Century, A Pearl for My Mistress is a splendid read Downton Abbey fans are going to love!

In 1934, Hester Blake is an ambitious girl from the North who is desperate to shake off the shackles of the industrial town she hails from and become the mistress of her own destiny. When Hester secures a job as a lady’s maid in a small aristocratic household, she thinks that this will be her entry into a world of glamour and refinement, however, on her arrival at the Fitzmartins, she is shocked to realise that the fairy tale life she had envisaged is more akin to a nightmare than any idyll she had previously imagined. The Fitzmartins might have nobility, breeding and prestige, but theirs is a world that belongs firmly in the past and has absolutely no place in the modern world. But just when Hester is about to despair and wonder what she has let herself in for she meets the beautiful young mistress Lady Lucy and her entire world is turned upside down…

When the opportunity arises for Hester to accompany Lucy on her London season, she is absolutely jubilant. Hester’s dreams of reveling in the big city lights looks like they might finally be coming true, but with whispers reverberating around London that another war might be just around the corner, Hester finds herself plunged into a dangerous and decadent world – and having to contend with her attraction towards her beloved mistress…

As passion and jeopardy abound, will Hester manage to escape from the peril she has found herself in unscathed? With so many obstacles standing in their way, is happiness possible for Hester and Lucy? Or is there simply too much to lose for the two of them to ever be happy together?

A densely plotted, cleverly written and multi-layered narrative rich in period detail, atmospheric descriptions of the past and luscious writing, A Pearl for My Mistress is a terrific historical novel that makes for wonderful evocative reading. Annabel Fielding has obviously researched this period meticulously and she cleverly and deftly brings the past to life with elan and style.

Her characters are well drawn, believable and not the slightest bit anachronistic and readers everywhere will find themselves enchanted and enthralled by their powerful story.

An unforgettable read by a fantastic new writer, A Pearl for My Mistress is a triumphantly good novel that I highly recommend!