Historical romance reads are still hit or miss for me but this leaned more towards "hit". I was surprised at how much I liked the setting and the plot.

The thing that stood out the most was the world building. The author did such a great job of pulling me I to this version of England and laying the ground work for a quick read. I didn't feel like I was reading historical romance at all. That being said, while I really enjoyed the setting, the characters felt lacking. Maybe a bit more time could have been put into giving the characters depth and perspective.

This is a down and dirty quick review. Bottom line is that I liked the story enough to finish but I don't think I could recommend to friends. I wanted more from the characters as they are, obviously, a big part of the story.

I love historical fiction, though I tend to read more historical crime than straight fiction stories. As I said to someone a few days ago the books I do read set in the past tend to be no more recent than around 1900 so this book was a bit of a departure for me.

This book centers around Lady Lucy Fitzmartin who, having recently been introduced into London society, feels out of place as she is unaware of what the other ladies around her are talking about. She determines to find out so the the following year (the London season lasts a few months each year) she can take part in the discussions and laugh at the jokes. However, in searching out the source of their discussions she stumbles upon information about event s that she knew nothing about. Being female and belonging to an aristocratic house goings on in the real world had been kept from her as was the way in those days. While Lucy is becoming involved in things that Lady’s should not be involved in, her family decide to hire her a lady’s maid to accompany her in town and generally take care of her.

This is where the story really begins. We see Lucy, having learnt about the lack of jobs in industrial areas, etc beginning to change and adapt to her new knowledge. The whispered suggestions of another war on the horizon also affect her and her position in the world. Added to that the relationship betwen herself and Hester, her lady’s maid and this makes for a story with lots of unconnected, but at the same time connected, threads running through it

The relationship between Lucy and Hester grows and develops through the course of the books does Lucy’s relationship with others and with the world around her. It was interesting reading her changed and develop into her own person rather than just a carbon copy of the other ladies who want to find good husbands and settle down. I know this is how it was for many at the time as women had little say in their futures, but it was nice to watch Lucy change things for herself realising as well that the aristocracy was not what it once was and perhaps her status didn’t mean as much as it used to.

The story moves between Lucy’s home in the country and London and does so quite well. The descriptions of the areas are good though I felt they could have been a bit richer in detail. However, this story is mainly about Lucy and Hester and the world around them and how the ongoing changes affect them. This was done very well. While both characters change and develop as the story progresses their development was shown in their speech and actions rather than spelled out to the reader which worked well as it gave the feeling of being there and observing these changes which added a nice layer of depth and realism to the story.

Being set relatively recently, historically speaking, it’s a good book to start with if you want to try historical fiction but aren’t sure you’ll like it although it will also appeal to those who already enjoy historical fiction.

I do love historical fiction and found it rather unusual that this book was set in 1934; it's neither the roaring twenties nor wartime England, so I wondered what Annabel Fielding had found to write about. Set 5 years before war breaks out in Europe, we are plunged into an England filled with secrets, lies and espionage.

This really is a tale of two characters; hardworking and honest, Hester who wears her heart on her sleeve and cold Lady Lucy whose heart is as cold as her hands. Oh, behind closed doors she can show affection when she feels like it, but underneath I found her cold, manipulative and sneaky.

Annabel Fielding totally and effortlessly immersed the reader in the 1930's era. Hebden Hall in Northumberland is struggling to keep its majestic head above water and the servants find themselves one of the luxuries the family can't afford. I felt sometimes that Lucy probably used this to her advantage: Hester needed to keep her job so she would do anything to keep Lucy happy. Not that Hester was forced into doing anything she didn't want to do, I just felt that she was played. Sorry, Lucy! Whether I was right or wrong in my early opinion of Lady Lucy, you'll just have to read the book to find out!

I find it so interesting to read historical fiction and experience the thoughts and feelings of another era. In this day and age, we can't imagine that a mixed race or same sex couple, for example, would ever have to hide their relationship. It's so good to see how far we have come over the years, albeit at a snail's pace, at improving understanding and acceptance.

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

A Pearl For My Mistress was a historical romance with political movements and life of upper class ladies and their involvement in it. It was all about gossips, scandal, political ploy, and forbidden relationship. Book was set in 1930s era of London and Nothumberland narrated alternatively by main characters Lucy, Hester and her sister Sophie.
Characters
Lady Lucy– she was a weak caged bird with strong, ambitious demeanor desperate to spread her wings and write a name in history. Dark childhood event tainted her soul with lifelong fear of nonexistence and hunger for power and position. She was interesting character to follow in the book. I liked her in the beginning and even felt empathetic for her but in later part of the story she turned totally different and opposite than I thought.

Hester– She was sensible, caring, and loyal Lady’s maid. She was total opposite of Lady Lucy, never interested in politics and gossips. I liked her for sticking to her morals in all situation. I liked her love and concern regarding Sophie safety, but at the same time it felt like she was missing her point on ambitions and dream. It took me long to understand this character, first I felt like she was over caring and panicky but later I understood her concerns and at the end I like Hester.

Sophie had quite a role in the book as Hester’s sister and also gave background on struggle of living in East end of London.

What I liked-
Writing was amazing and very different. It gave the feel of classic books. Sentences and usage of words were so royal. I was lost in golden writing like Hester in this book.

First half of the book was brilliant. I enjoyed reading picturesque description of Hebden Hall and lavish hotels, ball dance and dresses. This part was all about Lucy’s childhood and her life in Henden Hall which was touching heartfelt story, Hester’s history and her growing relationship with Lucy. It was most important part in book to know about Lucy and Hester and as story progressed the understanding about this character was getting clearer.

Another thing I loved in first half was Hester’s love for reading and books and Lucy’s passion of writing articles. The poetic phrases during the conversations was beautifully narrated.

Second half of the book was little difficult for me to process. Whole political thing was new to me. I didn’t know about all the facts during this era mentioned in this part of the book. It was heavy with Hunger march, Cinema disaster and Blackshirt rallies, and fascism. I almost googled everything to know it better. So, book was slow for me and all conspiracy and plotting made it even harder to understand this aspect. But I got the basic picture of all these thing by the end of the book.

It was focused more on Lucy’s involvement in political affairs and less on her relationship with Hester. Their clashing view and sinking boat of relationship made the book spicy and dramatic.

Climax was surprising and like the way book ended. Still I wanted to know more about later part of the story specifically about Lucy.

I liked all to reads about maid’s life in 1930s in this book. Reference books author mentioned in author’s note at the end sounds interesting and I’m going to look at it later and might read this book again to get clearer picture. It also showed how well researched this story was.

why not 5 stars-
Little slow and as I was not aware of historical facts it was hard to understand for me. But it was just me not book.
As I said with little more knowledge on this political history would made it easier to understand.

Overall, book was different and interesting right from writing to concept. those who love to read historical romance and political things would love this book.

A Pearl for my Mistress is the story of the intense relationship between two women from very different social backgrounds – Lady Lucy Fitzmartin and Hester Blake, her lady’s maid. However, the book also immerses the reader in the turbulent political situation of the 1930s, with the rise of pro-Fascist organisations like that led by Sir Oswald Mosley and other pro-German movements.

Lady Lucy’s life is one of relative privilege but constrained by the social norms of the day and the limitations on her freedom imposed by her parents. She desperately wants to break free of these confines, exert her independence and make a name for herself. Misguided sympathy for the aims of Mosley’s movement and her talent for writing, provide her with the possibility of achieving her ambitions. Lucy has also become adept at listening from the shadows, picking up nuggets of conversation and information. As the story unfolds, the reader sees that her desperation for freedom makes her ripe for manipulation by others who have few qualms about how to achieve their aims. Having started down a path, Lucy finds herself having to face hard and unwelcome moral choices. Indeed, one of the many interesting themes the book explores is what people will do and who and what they will betray in order to protect themselves.

Although Hester does not share her mistress’s political views, her loyalty and love for Lady Lucy find her conflicted, especially when events threaten to come close to home. Having been central to the book initially as her relationship with Lady Lucy develops, Hester does recede into the background in the latter part of the book.

A theme of the book I found really interesting was its exploration of the power of words to inspire, persuade and, yes, even manipulate.

‘Words had colours, even textures, and she could faintly sense it, rolling them around in her thoughts. Some words were soft and languid, like silk. Some clinked, like iron. Some were fresh and crisp, like green apples. It was a trick of which words to use to invoke, for example, elegance and dream, or fire and iron.’

In fact, stories and writing play an important part in the development of the relationship between Lucy and Hester. Having had to keep her writing secret, Lucy finally has someone she can share it with. Lucy’s stories are her gift to Hester and Hester’s appreciation of them is her gift to Lucy.

‘The tale caught her in its grip, like a pot of honey could catch a careless fly. The longer she read, the more she was beguiled by the sweetness of the passages, the lushness of the sentences, the tribulations of the plot. It was as if the mere lines in front of her eyes, black ink on white paper, were transfiguring into something else.’

Later, Lucy’s writing ability becomes a possible route to independence for her but also a valuable asset for those seeking to advance the aims of the National Socialist government in Germany. So, she learns, is her position in society and her ear for gossip and information. The cold, hard truth of the art (science?) of manipulating people in positions of influence is revealed.

“‘What can we give him that he craves? A sense of belonging? A sense of rebellion? A sense of doing justice? A dream of glory? A dream of peace? Protection of his commercial interests on the Continent? It’s important to unearth these needs, these reasons. Then you can do anything.”

The author creates a really believable picture of the period which is clearly based on considerable research. There are walk-on parts for many of the key personalities of the period: politicians, the nobility, society hostesses and diplomats. I found the political machinations behind the scenes and some of the views expressed by those in the pro-Fascist movements positively chilling and, at times, worryingly reminiscent of contemporary debates around discrimination, migration and ‘fake news’.

I really enjoyed A Pearl for my Mistress and thought it a compelling and accomplished debut by a clearly talented author. I received a review copy courtesy of the author and publishers, HQ Digital, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

This debut novel by Annabel Fielding is loosely based on a pivotal moment in Britain’s political history. To a time in the early 1930’s were a political uprising was brewing bringing with it fear, unease and danger. I didn’t know a great deal about this part of history and this is the beauty of historical fiction it does give the opportunity for the author to bring history to life to a new audience that otherwise wouldn’t have known about it.

The story starts with young Hester Blake leaving home and starting her job in service as a Ladies Maid. She was to aid the Earl of Hereford’s daughter, Lady Lucy Fitzmartin, to care for her needs and play chaperone during her first appearances in society. Hester’s first impression of Lady Lucy was of a delicate, porcelain-esque young lady that held an almost ethereal beauty.

Underneath this delicate cloak Lady Lucy held a strong attitude especially towards her beliefs in politics and this was clearly evident in her writing with her articles in the press. When her writings take on an almost obsessive indulgence to this new regime her life together with those around her becomes in danger. I felt that this fear almost drove her on and Lucy became blinkered to the whole picture of what was really going on in the country and Europe.

This was a story of a political uprising filled with secrets and espionage and a fear bringing danger. Amongst all this upheaval the author has woven a love within the storyline. A love that had to be kept hidden, a love that the lovers greedily sought comfort with each other. Two women from very different backgrounds, both with a harrowing and heart breaking past, brought together at a time when women were glamorous but also finding that they had a useful place in society and their efforts could make a difference. An interesting story that had me gripped wanting to know where the author would take me next.

I think the first thing I should say about A Pearl for My Mistress is that it isn't a quick read. Painstakingly researched and with detailed descriptions, this is a slow burner of a novel. However, although it takes a while to really set events in motion, readers are eventually rewarded with a beautifully crafted and surprisingly dark tale.
Although inevitably compared to Downton Abbey, the setting here is at the end of the opulent stately homes period. The First World War, death duties and the Depression of the 1930s all mean country estates are in decline with most houses now only employing a fraction of the staff they had working for them during their heyday. However, Hester Blake has managed to find work as a lady's maid at Hebden Hall where she will be tasked with looking after her young mistress, Lady Lucy.
The first part of the novel focuses on the relationship between the two young women. A tragic event from Hester's past still haunts her and perhaps suggests why she was keen to leave her home town to seek a life in service even though it has become a dying occupation. She is also desperate to see more of the world and although currently inexperienced, is keen to learn and hopes this is the stepping stone to a more exciting life. However, before long she finds the excitement she craves as she finds herself irresistibly drawn to Lucy. Lucy also has a troubled past and can't wait to escape from the controlling, even cruel influence of her parents. Eventually unable to resist their mutual attraction, the pair embark on a passionate yet risky affair. This was a time when people could scarcely believe respectable women would be involved in 'unnatural' relationships and those who were discovered to have lesbian love affairs risked being sent to an asylum.
This forbidden love (a theme repeated elsewhere in the book) would be an engrossing story in itself but for me the political intrigue is what really captured my imagination. Lucy is actually a damaged young woman whose past has caused her to become angry with the current order of things; she is also fiercely ambitious and despite railing against her upbringing has still been shaped to be ruthless and uncompromising if she believes it necessary. Unfortunately she has become enamoured with the politics of Oswald Moseley and British Fascism. She moves in similar circles to the Mitford sisters, is invited to parties by Lady Astor and finds work writing for Lord Rothmere. A Pearl for My Mistress is a reminder of just how many Establishment figures were sympathetic towards fascism in this country and keen to at least appease, if not form an alliance with Germany's new chancellor, Adolf Hitler.
Hester becomes torn by her love for Lucy and her fear of the violent Blackshirts who support Moseley. Lucy may love her olive skin but Hester knows that looking different means some will regard her as an unwelcome outsider. She is especially fearful for her sister, Sophie who lives and works in the East End of London, where the high Jewish and immigrant population means the Blackshirts are especially dangerous. Eventually both Lucy and Hester must confront their beliefs and what most drives them. Lucy finds herself embroiled in ever more murky situations, she has to decide whether she can betray her friends and resort to blackmail and bribery to support the cause she believes will protect the country. Hester also has hard choices to make; is the love she feels for her mistress enough for her to accept Lucy's political beliefs, even though she opposes and is fearful of the fascist policies Lucy endorses?
What starts as a book about a touching, if risky, love affair gradually becomes much more chilling as with the benefit of hindsight we can see the inevitability of war and the horrific outcome of Hitler's rise to power. At a time where nationalism and fascism seems to be on the rise again this is a fascinating look at how people like Lucy justified the violence, anti-Semitism and racism as necessary steps to protect what they believed in, and how they were prepared to ignore German expansion to the east if it meant Britain could avoid another war.
The slow start and the sheer abundance of period details meant I sometimes felt the book lost a little of its focus but overall this is a beautifully written and engaging novel that seems particularly relevant in a modern society that may face different challenges but still allows fear and intolerance to drive political discourse too often. I recommend A Pearl for My Mistress to anybody who enjoys thought-provoking historical fiction.

A PEARL FOR MY MISTRESS is a historical story, a romance, and a tale of intrigue all rolled up together in one complete package, with characters that will get under your skin.

It's 1934 in England and Hester Blake has found herself in the employ of the Fitzmartins of the esteemed Hebden Hall. But as times are tough, it is not long before Hester realises how much the great family is struggling as most of the house remains shut up, and parcels of land are sold off to the highest bidder. But none of that matters as Hester falls for her precious charge, Lady Lucy, who will lead her into a new world that will change so much for her ...

This richly detailed and researched historical story covers many important topics from that time - class divide, fascism, the imminent war, the treatment of women - in such an effortless way that it never feels like it is too much information, but just an underlying layer of the plot itself. The characters, while not always likeable, are realistic of that time and bring a real level of truth to the narrative that shines through on every page. The story is steadily-paced as we get to know the ins and outs of Hester and Lucy's personalities and the settings come alive throughout.

If you are looking for a historical novel with a spark of something different then A PEARL FOR MY MISTRESS by Annabel Fielding is definitely for you.

To be honest, when I first received the book, I was a bit hesitated since historical fiction is not my kind of read but I told myself that I want to try to read any other genre besides contemporary and science fiction, I guess it won't hurt me to try historical fiction, right? And, the result after reading it in two days, I was in total love of this book and all my doubt of not going to like historical fiction genre has vanished. Thank you, Annabel Fielding for make falling in love with historical fiction!

The story sets in world war 2 (1930s).

Let's talk about what I think and love on "A Pearl for My Mistress"

1. Annabel Fielding's writing is amazing and has an elegance that has makes me stick to the book. It is also very easily understood by me as you know, there are politics talk here and there and it is quite heavy for my reading at first because it is historical fiction but it proves me wrong since I get along with it from the start of my reading to the end of the book. Also, in other words, Annabel has done an amazing research on history.

2. Even so, is not all about politics because it's also has a dangerous affair happen in there that needed to be kept a secret to avoid any scandal issues arise. In other words, the love between Lady Lucy and her maid, Hester are forbidden love affair.

3. In this book also, the author has brought up an issue that is quite interesting to know of on social caste and race differences. There are actually so many things happen in this book is much more than I ever want to reveal here. Because if that, where is the thrill for you to want to read it, no?

4. The characters, Lucy and Hester are well developed in a few context like we can see the two of them has personality develop from the first they met till the end of the book also we can see want and how they want their future to be like.

In conclusion, a book that set in 1930s during world war 2, though, history is not my cup of tea but somehow during reading the book, I could really get along with it and it feels like I have been transported into 1930s. It's like I'm watching them in front of my own eyes. Well, that's kind of wonderful because the author has successfully brought the readers to that year. Anyhow, the whole story and plots are well written. I have so much read it with these well-developed characters. What can I say more? Also, this book is a #diversereading which it has a female and female relationship (LGBTQ). All in all, A Pearl for My Mistress has so many emotion in it - the suspense, mystery and my heart racing throughout the suspense.

So, if you want to know more about the whole story about A Pearl for My Mistress then I think you should buy and read it and tell your side of your story of what do you think about the book!

I have never read pure historical fiction before, so when the author contacted me and asked me to be on the blog tour I read the synopsis and could not refuse! Let me show you why in my review…

So what’s the book about? It’s a fun, fiery, fiendish story of England in the 30s. It is unashamedly British but is not short of scandal and deceit. A great read with effortless writing from Annabel. My first dive into historical fiction and definitely not my last!

Blurb:

A story of class, scandal and forbidden passions in the shadow of war. Perfect for fans of Iona Grey, Gill Paul and Downton Abbey.

England, 1934. Hester Blake, an ambitious girl from an industrial Northern town, finds a job as a lady’s maid in a small aristocratic household.
Despite their impressive title and glorious past, the Fitzmartins are crumbling under the pressures of the new century. And in the cold isolation of these new surroundings, Hester ends up hopelessly besotted with her young mistress, Lady Lucy.
Accompanying Lucy on her London Season, Hester is plunged into a heady and decadent world. But hushed whispers of another war swirl beneath the capital… and soon, Hester finds herself the keeper of some of society’s most dangerous secrets…

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I mean…HOW could you NOT want to read that? The 1930’s and the run up to World War 2 was one of my favourite times in history to learn about. To me, Annabel perfectly captured the intrigue, mystery and paranoia present at the time. The overall paranoia about war was also shown in the inner minds of her characters, which I really enjoyed and the book was quite intricate in that way.

I decided to go into the book as blind as possible, as I didn’t want the plot to influence me either way, as this was my first go at historical fiction. With that in mind I was NOT expecting and female/female romance and I am LIVING for it. It was beautifully fiery and a treat to read and really enhanced the book for me.

One thing I was particularly struck with was Annabel’s writing style, it was wonderful! It felt almost nostalgic to read and flowed beautiful. Overall, it payed great homage to the time period in language and tone.

For me, the plot was hard to keep a grasp of. I enjoyed the characters and the atmosphere but did not necessarily engage with the plot. I think this was more of a personal thing rather than a comment on Annabel’s writing. However, this does have to effect my rating accordingly. If you know this is your kind of thing, you will love it!

Overall, this was a great reading experience and it would be the perfect companion to a hot chocolate and cosy autumn scented candle.

You can get the book through HQ Digital or on Amazon here .

★★★.5 – I liked it!

Very interesting story line. I enjoyed the characters.

I have always loved fiction set during the Regency times. They have always been romances. When this book was brought to my attention, I thought I would read it because I was curious how I would respond to a book set in the cusp of the after-lavish lives of the higher society.

When I started reading the book, I felt it was a read about the forbidden love affair between a maid and her mistress. But as I continued, I realised there were so much more hidden between the pages. The story is set in times where war, within and without was imminent and the general public was hungry - for work and better lives and divided in their views. Hester joins as Lady Lucy's maid and gets to know her mistress better in personal and worldly lives.

The world is painstakingly described in broad strokes. Though I wasn't much familiar with the time period, I was able to get the tenseness of the situation, the reality of the public and the high handedness of the higher society from the story. Maybe this is why the pace felt a bit slow for me. It meandered between the chapters and it portrayed how the scenes flowed with the characters' actions.

The book showcases the issues of class and social caste and race distinction. The author has well developed characters with Lucy being the most intricate of them all. She changes hue as the story progresses and the political scene comes into play. The way she manipulates Hester through her emotions shows the unfathomable divide between master and servant. I enjoyed the richness of the history as much as the political mapping.

I enjoyed the book with the precise writing and the intrigue involving politics. The romance was well done but it was only a branch of the main plot. The ending had me upset for a bit but then smoothed out with Abby's reaction. All in all, it was a well spent few hours reading the tale.

My one line review : A historical fiction delineating class distinction and racial differences.

My rating : 4.5/5

My reread factor : 3.5/5

I would like to begin this review by saying that I really loved the cover of this book, it looks pleasant and very sophisticated, another thing which intrigued me, was the lesbian relationship in 1930th England.

The characters in this novel are very interesting, sophisticated and at the same time very believable and down to earth. The whole book was mainly told from Lady Lucy’s, Hester’s (the maid) and Sophie’s (Hester’s sister) perspectives. I really liked that author chose multiple perspectives, it allowed me to have a better insight into characters personalities and made the whole story more indulging. My favourite persona in this book was Hester. I liked her simplicity, pureness and adventurous heart.

The narrative of the book is filled with historical knowledge and politics. It was very clearly visible that author has a passion for history and she has done a great research for this novel. For me it wasn't a very easy read, there are a lot of things happening in this novel and a lot of politics involved, because of that I had to keep my concentration going to understand what was going on. However, I really enjoyed all the details which author shared about aristocratic life, their struggles and wish of Independence. I also loved the insight into maids world in that period, as most of the books I read was mostly set in the 19th century, and it was nice to compare how it changed during the time.

The writing style of this book is very rich and elegant, it reflected that particular era very nicely, and I felt the spirit of 1930th through the pages. The chapter length was quite long to my liking, even though it was divided into smaller parts. (Well, what can I say, I love short chapters…) The ending of the book concluded the book really nicely but still left me guessing where life will take Hester. So to conclude, it is a very interesting book about aristocrats and their lifestyle between the wars in England, filled with secrets, manipulations, and fear or support of new regiment. I would strongly recommend this book to all historical fiction readers and people who like politics. Enjoy :)
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

Hester Blake takes a job as a lady’s maid for Lucy Fitzmartin in England. The year is 1934 and the climate is unsettled with drastic political challenges. Hester is from a small town and hopes that this job will provide her with a steady income. She is also searching for new friends and the potential to see new places. Her employer is unmarried and is considered reckless by her aristocratic family. She has very strong opinions of the political landscape and is a secret member of the British Union of Fascists. She also writes for the local papers and hopes to establish some freedom from her parents.

Hester and Lucy develop a close friendship due to similar interests and soon make the progression to being lovers. Their relationship is kept a secret to avoid a scandal for Lucy and her family. As Lucy becomes more entrenched in politics, her extreme views put a strain on their relationship. Their divergent ideals along with the complexities of their employee/lover relationship creates more havoc.

In her debut novel, Annabel Fielding has written a compelling work of historical fiction. She weaves together a nice blend of scandal, class distinction, love, and politics.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked up A Pearl for My Mistress I enjoy historical fiction so that alone made me want to read this story. The story begins with Hester who arrives to start her new job as a lady's maid for Lady Lucy. What happens next is an intriguing and engaging story of love, politics and friendship. I think that the class differences between Hester and Lucy was managed well and the story progressed at a good pace. This story isn't short but the writing is detailed and Annabel Fielding easily brings the story to life with her vivid descriptions.

A Pearl for My Mistress moves steadily throughout and even though it doesn't progress at a fast pace I found that the writing flowed so easily. I enjoyed taking my time and getting to know the characters this way. The characters have their flaws in particular Lucy but they kept me entertained and engaged throughout. There is intrigue, politics and secrets from the characters that will entertain and keep you turning the pages.

A wonderful story that will transport you back in time.

With thanks to Annabel Fielding for the invite to join the tour and HQ Digital & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Hester Blake travels to Hebden Hall to take up the position of a maid to Lady Lucy Fitzmartin. It is her first job in service and she arrives excited but slightly hesitant as to what lays ahead.

She is relieved when her new employer greets her with a friendly smile, and they soon bond as they share a love of literature. Although there is a very clear class divide, both girls are ambitious and hungry for knowledge of world affairs, politics and historical events.

All is not what it seems at Hebdon Hall. The years of decadence are well and truly over, but the Fitzmartins go to great lengths to keep their lack of finances hidden.  Rooms are dimly lit and cold, bed linen is repaired and towels darned, by a greatly diminished number of household staff. As well as the humiliation of their lack of funds, the family 's main fear is that a scandal will break out, destroying the ancestral reputation and bringing shame on the family.

Lucy tries to be the dutiful debutante her parents aspire her to be but she feels trapped in this world and she struggles to keep her opinions unspoken.

When the girl's feelings for each other start to deepen they are forced to keep their relationship hidden.

An extremely well-researched novel laced with mystery, scandal, and intrigue. The book is not just about social class divides which are so often recorded, but also about classes coming together, loyalty and the keeping of secrets. A hugely interesting and entertaining read.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fantastic debut! I am normally not a historical fan, but this one kept me hooked all the way to the end.

This book was just not for me. No fault to the writer, was just not really a genre I am totally in love with, and I just had a hard time connecting with the story line and the characters. Which is sad for me, because I really wanted to love this story. But I do believe that there will plenty of other readers to read and enjoy this. I will say it was well researched, heavy in history and very detailed. I think that me not connecting with the book is my fault and not any fault of the writer, or the book.

A wonderfully researched and written book! I enjoyed it very much. Set in the years before WWII, Hester Blake makes her way to Hebden Hall to be a maid to the daughter of the house, Lady Lucy. She's initially described as being an out-of-touch country girl, but we find that be far from the truth.
Hester comes from a small town in the north of England, and never visited London. Lucy has London friends, and she becomes more and more involved with the politics of Oswald Mosley and his blackshirts, who want to make peace with an ascendant Germany before war starts. All the while, Hester and Lucy have developed a strong romantic relationship that Lucy puts in jeopardy with her actions.
This book is extraordinary in the amount of historical detail it covers. The characters were so well thought out and their personalities were very well described. The writing flowed along and I was disappointed when the book ended.

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous, elegant and well-researched book, I really enjoyed everything about A Pearl for My Mistress. I loved the romance between Lucy and her maid, Hester. I loved the vibrant and intriguing world in which the book was set--pre-world War II London. This book has it all, intrigue, romance, decadence, and characters that will sit with you for weeks, months...maybe years to come. I can't wait to see what Fielding will come up with next!