The year is 1628 and three sisters, Hester, Melis and Hope are living alone alongside Hesters son, Rafe. Rafe was conceived when Hester was raped by George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham.

As Rafe is now approaching his 8th birthday, the Duke announces he is taking his son home with him, by force if necessary. The sisters flee their home and hide to protect Rafe from his villian of a father.

I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of historical fiction. It was fast paced and I was left biting my nails throughout! I loved the three sisters and the bond they shared, maybe because I am one of three sisters myself? A fantastic piece of writing! Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC and allowing me to review it.

England, 1628.

Forcibly seduced by the powerful George Villiers, doctor's daughter Hester is cast aside to raise her son alone and in secret. She hopes never to see Villiers again.

Melis's visions cause disquiet and talk. She sees what other's can't - and what has yet to be. She'd be denounced as a witch if Hester wasn't so carefully protective.

Young Hope's beauty marks her out, drawing unwelcome attention to the family. Yet she cannot always resist others' advances. And her sisters cannot always be on their guard.

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This novel is readable enough and not unenjoyable, rattling on with a gripping pace and touching on the deplorable limitations and strictures and prejudices put on women in the seventeenth century. I was a little concerned that we would be subjected to a litany of Villiers' abuse, but he is fortunately an invidious but generally off stage presence, his influence and threat almost palpable.

Personally I would have liked to have slowed the pace down a little, to have built the world more - and its touches on the supernatural and mystical: Melis and the sisters' house were wonderful but a tad underplayed.

This felt more like a thriller to me than historical fiction, so unfortunately for me that mans it’s not really my cup of tea. There wasn’t anything wrong at all, the writing was really good, the story seemed good, it’s just not my thing.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Honey and the Sting by E C Fremantle

A fast paced story that reads like a thriller. I wanted to keep picking it up and reading. It’s not a story that will stay with me but I enjoyed the experience of reading it!

I loved the character of Melis and wanted to hear more from her and the bees.

I struggled with the flip between Hester as a first person narrator and the other characters in third person. I don’t think this worked as a writing style, personally I think it would have been better with everyone in the third person.

I find myself often drawn to historical fiction, even to periods of history of which I have the barest of knowledge. I must confess to not knowing who George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham was, nor did I have any knowledge about his life being ended in his assassination by a soldier called John Felton on 23 August 1628. The Honey and The Sting is a historical re-imagining of this assassination, and what might have lead up to it.

The three sisters who are the primary voices in this story, Hester, Hope and Melis could not be more different from one another. I loved the inner strength of Hester, who had been a victim of rape, and who was willing to do anything to avoid her son Rafe from being taken by his father, George Villiers. Hope, the youngest of the sisters had an innocence that had been taken from her. She was organised and helpful, but with a fragility that meant she wanted to believe the best in people and which caused her to be betrayed as a result. Melis had an ‘other-worldly’ and mystical quality that allowed her to communicate with nature, and foresee death and disaster in a way that gave her little peace.

Throughout the book we are given their individual voices (with the exception of Melis, which makes her seem even more other-worldly), so that we are given a multi-dimensional view of the setting and the situations as they occur, and then another voice is added, in the form of Felton, who deceives the sisters into believing he has been sent to protect them, when in reality he has murdered to find their location and intends to return to George Villiers with Hester’s son Rafe.

The tension builds steadily as the book progresses, and I just loved how everything fell into place in the ending. This was such an effortlessly enjoyable read that it was never going to ever be anything less than a 5 star book for me!

The Honey and the Sting tells the story of Sisters Melis, Hope and Hester. Hester has a child, Rafe, by George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. The three sisters are fatherless and motherless. Their quiet happy domestic life is disrupted when Villiers comes looking for his illegitimate son. The girls will take Rafe into hiding. It is played out against the turbulent political background of the 1630s.

I cannot praise this novel enough. The girls are so different but the reader will care for each of them and for Rafe. Elizabeth Freemantle's plotting leads us into a wonderful and thrilling adventure with a fast- paced narrative that kept this reader absorbed from the story's first chapter until it's dramatise and historically fascinating denouement. I loved the scene - setting, the bees imagery and the actual bees, the forest and the crumbling yet beautiful old secluded house. The novel simply hums along with superb period detail, brilliant characterisation, conflict, danger, terror. It is atmospheric and sinister as well as lyrical. Elizabeth Freemantle, yet again, does not disappoint. She is a very original and polished writer of engaging Historical Fiction. Every sentence is beautifully considered and written.

More brilliance from Ms Fremantle. A sharp and thought-provoking exploration of revenge, with characters in whom I was fully invested.

This novel was such an enjoyable read. It is a dark and gripping book, and nothing like I was expecting. When I first read the synopsis I imagined reading a lot about George Villiers’ actions towards the three sisters, and was worried that I would be subjected to pages and pages of his awful presence. Instead he hangs around the novel like a nightmare, not physically there but affecting all of the events.

There is a ghostly feel to this story, which is built up in part thanks to Melis, the middle sister, who is said to have visions. She predicts “A wasp in our nest”, which makes her sisters wary, strange things are lost and found in the house and it’s housekeeper tells the women the house has a mind of its own.

The story is told from the point of view of Hester, who is trying to protect her son from the Duke, Hope, her youngest sister, and Felton, a friend of George Villiers who is tasked with finding the family. As readers we know his secret which builds the tension as he gets closer to the sisters.

Hester is a very smart and resourceful woman who is determined to keep her son away from his father, and I really enjoyed her character. I found some of Hope’s actions infuriating, but as a teenage girl, who does not have all the information she needs, I couldn’t be angry with her.

This novel highlights the rights of and attitudes towards women during the 17th Century. It doesn’t matter what his actions were the Duke is entitled to his son, and nothing Hester can do would be able to change this. The male characters are critical of a boy being raised by women; three women living alone together is looked down on, they are called a ‘coven’. These attitudes affect the sisters’ actions and I liked that they are mentioned.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy dark, historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley, Michael Joseph and EC Fremantle for this ARC.

This was a highly anticipated read for me. I love that cover, I love historical fiction, it sounded right up my street
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Set in 17th Centuary England, Hester, the eldest of 3 orphan sisters is raped by the ruthless Duke of Buckinghamshire and left with child. Nine years later the Duke decided he wants what's his and comes to claim his son. In a bid to protect her child, Hester blackmails the Duke with evidence that is certain to see him executed for treason. An act of rebellion puts the sisters and the child in grave danger and they are forced to flee. But the Duke won't give in that easy, and the sisters learn quickly that no-one is to be trusted
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It took me a little while to get going with this one. I think I was very tired, in a bit of a slump and had quite a bit going on personally. I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did, as I finally connected with the story and characters and ended up enjoying it
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E C Fremantle's writing is very readable, and flows beautifully. I loved younger sister Melis and her 'visions' while Hester herself had my admiration for her bravery and determination. The Duke is perfectly villainous, oozing charm and ruthlessness all at once
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A story of power conflict, secrets, manipulation and the overwhelming strength of maternal love, The Honey and The Sting is worth adding to your historical fiction collection. While it wasnt quite as gripping as I'd hoped to begin with, I'm glad I stuck with it, as I became invested in the sisters lives and really enjoyed the thrilling ending wich left me holding my breath
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Thanks to the publisher for my #gifted copy via netgalley

I do not read a huge amount of historical fiction but when I do I always think I should read more.

Three sisters who lose their father in a tragic accident and are looked after by their fathers friend Ambrose Cotton.

Hester was raped as a young girl and she has had a child Rafe and his father is George Villiers who was a real life figure and the first Duke of Buckingham who had a very colourful history. After 8 years he finds out that Hester has had a child by him. Hope is seduced by Worley one of Villiers staff and he tries to kidnap Rafe, so they make a plan and they take flight. Hester has a big secret that could really endanger them all but also finish Villiers.

I do love a good baddy and Villiers really is quite vile and I so wanted him to get his comeuppance. I really enjoyed the fast pace of the story and was intrigued by Melis the sister who has visions. Of course this would have seen as witchcraft so they have to hide this also. The other sister Hope is easily led and puts the family in danger on more than one occasion. I loved her relationship with Lark who looks after the horses at the Giffords.

One of the other main characters is Lieutenant Felton, we meet him about half way through the book and I will not be giving any spoilers about this character except to say he is very important to the story, and we find out that him and George have had a very close intimate relationship previously. George has risen in his standing and Felton is injured and not doing well.

George asks Felton to carry out a task for him and due to his love of George he is happy to oblige, but there is a big twist which I did not see coming.

This is wonderful story, I loved the closeness of the sisters and how they all protect each other and there is a real feeling throughout the book of female strength and overcoming some of life’s tragedies. Plus an overwhelming feeling of a mothers love from Hester and her desperation to keep Rafe safe and away from George at all costs.

It is a tense read and one that did not want to put down. There are some really heart-rendering moments and this story will stay with me for a long time. It is gripping but a tender and captivating read and one I heartily recommend.

After 2018’s The Poison Bed, a Jacobean thriller based on a real life murder scandal, EC Fremantle has returned to the same period – the early seventeenth century – with another historical thriller, this time one which is only partly inspired by a true story.

Hester, Melis and Hope are three sisters who live together in a cottage in Iffley, Oxfordshire. With no male relative in the household, apart from Hester’s little boy Rafe, their living arrangements are unusual for the time – not quite respectable, some would say. Yet all three women have their reasons for avoiding outsiders and keeping themselves to themselves. Hester’s secret is perhaps the most scandalous: the father of her son is George Villiers, the powerful Duke of Buckingham and the King’s favourite. The beautiful, eccentric Melis experiences visions and premonitions which have an unsettling habit of coming true. And Hope’s African heritage makes her stand out from the other girls in Iffley, while also making her the target of unwelcome attention from men.

When we first meet the sisters, they are leading quiet lives at Orchard Cottage, filling their days with cooking, gardening, needlework and tending the bees in their hives. This will all change when George Villiers decides that the time has come to claim his son – something Hester refuses to contemplate as the Duke had cruelly cast her aside and left her to raise Rafe alone. In order to keep Rafe out of his hands, the three women are forced to go on the run, fleeing to an isolated house in the woods. But even here it seems there’s no guarantee of safety and they must decide who can and cannot be trusted.

Hester and her sisters are fictional, but their story is entwined with a sequence of real historical events involving George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. I won’t say too much here, but if you know anything about Buckingham then as soon as a certain character appears in the novel you will be able to guess what is ultimately going to happen. Knowing this didn’t spoil the story for me, though; I found this particular character and the motivations for their actions very intriguing and their inclusion made the book much more compelling than it would otherwise have been.

The novel is written in present tense, never my favourite but I didn’t find it as annoying as I often do because it somehow suited the pace of the story and gave it a sense of urgency and danger. Some of the chapters are told from Hester’s perspective and these are written in the first person, but others are from Hope’s perspective, in the third person. I didn’t really understand the reason for this and would have preferred one style or the other. We don’t hear from Melis at all, only seeing her through the eyes of the other characters, but this is quite effective and adds to the aura of mystery that surrounds her. I think she was probably the sister I found most interesting; Hester and Hope both frustrated me with the number of poor decisions they made!

The only other thing that bothered me slightly was the way Hester refers to Buckingham throughout the novel as ‘George’. I felt that, as she had been a servant in Buckingham’s household when he seduced her, she would have spoken of him as ‘the Duke’ or ‘Buckingham’ or ‘His Grace’. A servant calling a nobleman by his first name in the seventeenth century just didn’t seem right to me, but maybe I’m just being pedantic. Overall, this was an enjoyable novel, even if it wasn’t one of my favourites by Fremantle.

I have to say that the cover of this book is absolutely beautiful and although I read it in ebook form, I think it's definitely worth picking up a physical copy. The cover may be fantastic but it's nothing compared to the story within which completely blew me away. I have read and enjoyed an E C Fremantle book before but The Honey and the Sting is nothing short of exceptional. This is historical fiction at its finest.

I didn't realise how much of real history was included in the story until I started googling, as I often do when a story grips me so much that I have to find out more. The Duke of Buckingham is often cast as a baddie due to their closeness to the crown and their addiction to power. The 1st Duke of Buckingham, George Villiers, is one of the main characters in the book and what a vile character he is. After impregnating Hester and casting her out of his household, he turns up eight years later demanding his son but he leaves empty handed when Hester reveals that she has a secret that would take Villiers down. Knowing she only has a temporary reprieve, Hester has no alternative but to leave her home and go into hiding with her two sisters and her son, but the Duke of Buckingham's reach is vast and Hester doesn't know who she can trust.

I loved the relationship and the unbreakable bond between the three sisters: Hester, Melis and Hope. Melis has an affinity for bees and she tells Hester about the honey and the sting, how something can be both sweet and sharp or good and bad. Melis also has the gift of foresight but this is often taken with a pinch of salt, until several of her predictions come true. Hester hopes that they can remain hidden from the Duke long enough for the predicted event to happen, but she doesn't know that there is a wasp in their nest.

Set in the 17th Century, The Honey and the Sting may be historical fiction but it reads like a modern day thriller. It's fast-paced, gripping and intriguing which I find is quite unusual for historical fiction. The real characters and historical facts are seamlessly woven into the story with enough intrigue to warrant further research; I certainly know a lot more about George Villiers now.

With clever plotting and sublime writing, The Honey and the Sting is an exceptional book and E C Fremantle deserves a virtual round of applause. Without doubt a 5 star rating for this very highly recommended book.

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

When George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham forcibly seduces Hester and impregnates her, She is forced to go on the run with her younger sisters, Melis and Hope after The Duke trys to claim Rafe, His son and take custody of him.
Hester and her sisters need to find a place of safety and head to a loyal family friends house in Shropshire.
Rafe must remain with the sisters and they must protect him from George Villiers.

This is the first book I've read by E.C Fremantle but definitely won't be my last.
A historical fiction that has mystery and feels very supernatural it was easy to get swept up into the sisters lives and become invested in their journey. I did find myself covering my eyes though at parts as they made pretty rubbish fugitives. I found myself holding my breath when they removed their disguises and made other questionable decisions willing them to be safe.
I loved all of the sisters especially Melis. I loved their relationship with each other and the way they cared for Rafe, But I do appreciate a baddie and I was drawn to George, especially his relationship with Felton. He's sly and underhand but it's easy to see why Hester was charmed by him.

Overall I loved this book! Its got super gothic, cosy vibes and I could pick it up and read it all over again. I want to call it a wholesome read but I'm not quite sure that does it justice. Its beautifully written with magic running through it. I'm definitely going to pick up more books by this author.

A brilliant piece of historical fiction.

Set in England 1628, we follow the story of three sisters, Hester, Hope and Melis.

8 years prior, Hester found her self pregnant after being raped by George Villiers, a powerful and well established duke. When Villiers turns up and expresses his intent to take Rafe into his own care, the three sisters are left with no choice but to run and escape to an isolated house in the countryside, with help from their late fathers friend. When Villiers discovers this, he makes it his mission to retrieve Rafe and sends and one of his most trusted men to attempt this for him.

This leads to an pursuit for the sisters that has you gripped. The story is full of unease and suspense from the get go and is very well written.
Each of the three sisters are completely different and I loved this. Melis brings an element of supernatural to the book as she is known to have visions, often seeing/predicting things that will occur, an aspect I enjoyed.

I definitely don’t read historical fiction as often as I should because I always enjoy it. It’s been a while since my last one so this was definitely a great choice for me and now I’m after more.

Definitely recommended.

Beautiful historical fiction, written from multiple perspectives that all work together to capture a story that will capture your heart. A mother's love is something beautiful but never subtle, and here it is as ferocious as a hive of bees, ready to attack should anyone come for the queen. The passion of lovers burns differently, and so many times here we are shown how that burn can scar. This book was utterly engrossing and I was recommending it before I had even finished.

A secret can be suspicious, but three secrets can be deadly.
Hester and her two sisters live a quiet life with Hester’s son in their family home, but Hester has a past that is about to come back and haunt her. A visit from one of the most powerful men in 17th century England, George Villers, is about to turn the sister’s life upside down. He is the father of Hester’s son and he wants what’s his, but Hester will not give up her boy for anyone and decides to flee with her son and two sisters.
Unbeknownst to George, the ladies have a secret that could be his downfall, but also they could be undone by their own.
A game of cat and mouse is about to be played, but who will be the cat and who will be the mouse?
No writer in historical fiction reveals the plight and difficulties that women had to go through in Tudor or Stuart times better than Elizabeth/E.C Fremantle, but more importantly the author shows what resilience, strength, passion and determination ladies of that time had.
You can’t help but fall in love with her writing and the ladies that she writes about.
E.C Fremantle has written a quite outstanding novel that I highly recommend. It’s just sublime.

**Review**
The Honey And The Sting by E.C. Fremantle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Forcibly seduced by the powerful George Villiers, doctor's daughter Hester is cast aside to raise her son alone and in secret. She hopes never to see Villiers again. When Villiers decides to claim his son against Hester's wishes, Hester and her two sisters find themselves almost friendless and at his mercy. But the women hold a grave secret - will it be their undoing or their salvation?
This book really lived up to my expectations! The story line was well thought out and had a few unexpected turns along the way. It was really well written and very easy to read.
Each of the sisters had their own, very well portrayed, unique personalities. I really loved each of these characters, and the relationship between them. In fact, all the relationships in this book were well thought out and developed. Fremantle really does have a gift for storytelling and character development.
Although some of the unexplained goings on in the house didn’t really hit the spot for me, I really loved the incorporation of Melis’ mysterious visions into the story.
I adored the gothic feel to this book, enjoying every single page. It is full of tension, deceit and secrets, making for a compelling read. If you are thinking about reading this book, then please do. You won’t regret it.

When George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, tries to claim his illegitimate son Rafe from Hester, the young woman he seduced, she and her younger sisters, Hope and Melis, are forced to flee their home and seek safety in a remote house in the forest owned by a loyal family friend. It has to be said the group make rather poor fugitives, risking discovery on their journey by discarding their disguises, drawing unnecessary attention to themselves and through Hope's dangerous naivety.

The story is told in the first person by Hester and in the third person from the point of view of Hope. The thoughts of Melis and the nature of her strange visions and glimpses of the future, remain unknown to the reader making her all the more enigmatic a character.  Her affinity with bees and her keen sense of the presence of danger her sisters would do well to heed.

It becomes clear that Hester has underestimated George Villiers' determination to possess whatever he desires or the lengths to which he will go to remove the hold she has over him, a secret which could bring about his downfall. When the name of the individual he engages to remove the threat the sisters pose is revealed, those with any knowledge of the history of the period are likely to be as intrigued as me. From this point on, the way the author blends fiction with fact is imaginative and completely compelling.

As the reader discovers, there are more ways to defeat an enemy than may be supposed. "The bees know it - honey and sting - sweetness and sharpness. That is what you need."

The Honey and the Sting is the third book I've read by Elizabeth Fremantle. Although not quite my favourite (that accolade would go to The Poison Bed), it is still an absorbing story that demonstrates the power of maternal love and women's ability to determine their own futures, with just a touch of the supernatural.

This is a deliciously dark, gothic, supernatural tale that immediately captivated me by the haunting first chapter. It is a fictional retelling based on George Villiers. I highly recommend reading about him, he was the Duke of Buckingham and he had a reputation of being a very arrogant and unlikeable man. The author’s description of his character resonates perfectly to how history books have portrayed him to be. I hated his character immensely and I could feel my blood boiling whenever he was mentioned!

The three sisters, Hester, Melis and Hope all were very interesting to read about. Hester was the head of the family and the supposedly more sensible one, Melis was the odd one of the three with her visions and strange behaviour and Hope was the naïve, younger one who attracted the wrong type of men. Melis was definitely my favourite with her witchy kind of ways and I felt so sorry for her having to deal with seeing such dark, scary visions throughout her life. I did think at times that Hester and Hope’s decisions were terrible and they were way too trusting for my liking but that I guess is what made the story so gripping and nerve wracking.

There was throughout the book an eerie atmosphere that sends shivers down your spine. The house the sisters hide in seems to have a mind of its own with objects disappearing and then being discovered somewhere strange. The house also seems to have a low hum that can be heard in the background and strange liquid leaking through the ceiling. All very creepy and it definitely keeps your pulse racing at times!

It is quite a fast paced read and I loved how the author wrote from different characters perspectives to get the whole picture of what was going on in the story, such as each characters conscience and motivations.

The ending is somewhat accurate to the actual historical event which got me reading even more about George Villiers. I love history so this book ticks all the boxes for me by teaching me something new!

Overall this is an incredible work of historical fiction that certainly is sweet like honey at times but most definitely gives you as a reader a sharp sting to the senses with the shocking twists and turns you will encounter.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Michael Joseph for letting me read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5

This just wasn’t for me. Generally, I like historical fiction but this was a little too much a combination of several other historical fiction books I’ve read in the past. The characters make a lot of bad decisions that just don’t make sense in terms of their supposed personalities, which meant I wasn’t entirely interested. I loved Melis and I hoped they’d explore her character in more depth. I was also thrown by the fact that they chose to write everyone except Hester in third person. Hester’s first-person narrative felt so out of place and made the reading experience really jarring for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Elizabeth Fremantle, and Michael Joseph for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Trigger Warnings: rape, suicide, murder, arson, attempted kidnap.