I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I enjoyed the set up of the main plot of the story and the way the characters were introduced.

The use of cartomancy was interesting and I flew through this book. I enjoyed the characterisation and the multiple viewpoints to show all of the scheming being done.

The twist at the end was unexpected and I loved the way the story wrapped up.

I loved the authors previous novels so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read The Square of Sevens. This is a gorgeous, intricate and well plotted novel and I adored it. I loved the settings, the Georgian period detail and the characters. The author writes so well and has captured the period beautifully. Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This book was a big one at around 500 pages yet I never felt the story lagged. I found it well written and engaging, with surprises round the corner. Definitely one for historical fiction fans!

Another excellent romp featuring a young woman who moves through the many levels of Georgian social and eventually finds her power

The Square of Sevens is regency Bleak House, I absolutely loved this nonsense. We follow the story of Red a little orphan girl who grows up and makes a claim on a disputed family inheritance but is she really who she says she is and can she prove it. This was a twisty, turny, murky, smudgy, romp. It’s a big chunker of a novel but it’s fast paced and kept my attention as I tried to work out who I could trust and who I couldn’t and more importantly who I wanted to come out on top and who I wanted to see brought low. It changed all the time as and more stories came to light. It was so skilfully plotted and weaved together with just enough melodrama to keep it entertaining. Really satisfying read.

Simply splendid. I lost myself in the details of life in Georgian England, imagining the lives all around me. The writing is so beautiful and evocative, the tale is original and captivating, there's nothing I didnt like about it.

A rollicking and entertaining tale.

It is 1740 and Red, an orphan, has been brought up in Bath in the care of an honourable gentleman. Now known as Rachel, she has no knowledge of her mother but suspects that she has aristocratic links.

Following the untimely death of her benefactor, Rachel heads to London to seek out the truth about her parents and the possibility that she might be heir to a great fortune.

Chapter headings are linked to a form of fortune-telling at which Red/Rachel is a skilled practitioner. This is a story of truth and deceit and long kept secrets. Red is a keen reader of Quixote, a book treasured by her father and the book’s epigraph claims that the truth may be stretched thin but never breaks.

For readers who enjoy an ending which upends everything we have come to understand. Clever and engaging and the author’s best yet.

𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐲𝐞𝐭.

I loved Red from beginning to end. This is a character who quickly stole my heart. When fortunes don’t play out, Red befriends a scholar which leads to her living a life of luxury.

This is exquisite. I love how this is written. This is an author who is able to pull the reader into the pages. You feel as though you are there with the characters and watching how things unfold.

This is a brilliant read from this author. Perfectly plotted and completely mysterious. This is a book that really shows the author’s talent.

This is just brilliant from beginning to end. There’s nothing negative I can say about this gem.

This is a book that has reinforced why I love the author. I am so excited to see what May come next.

Thank you to @bookbreakuk for my spot on the #squareofsevensreadalong

This is a book publishing tomo! It’s a must read!! Plus I think @bertsbooks might still have some gorgeous indie copies available

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Laura Shepherd-Robinson has taken a step away from the life of Caro Corsham and I was a little disappointed to be honest. Having said that, The Square of Sevens has some amazing character, especially Red who we meet at the beginning as a young girl travelling with her father, a Cornish fortune-teller. Red is a quick learner and is soon able to tell fortunes using the curious Square of Sevens method. She will find herself using it time and time again in order to find out who she is.

A richly rewarding historical fiction tale of cartomancy, a disputed inheritance, and dark secrets. The book structure is cleverly constructed around a deck of cards and the fiendishly plotted story displays the vast talents of the author.

Lazarus Darke was my favourite character and shone against the shadowy motives brewing in the background. His love story was endearing and his commitment to truth was admirable. I loved the direction the author decided to allow his story to take and thought it was a beautiful ending.

Red was a fascinating character, a talented storyteller able to manipulate the listener without them realising. That's all I'm going to say though as it's more rewarding for the reader to have no prior knowledge of the story. This gripping novel is a triumph of authorial ingenuity and an experience I imagine would be enhanced by a second reading. Highly recommended and unforgettable.

The Square of Sevens was such an intriguing read. Narrated alternately by Red and the mysterious Lazarus Darke, it weaves a tale of secrets, fortune-telling, and unexpected revelations.

I really enjoyed the character of Lazarus Darke (what a fantastic name for a character!) Lazarus was mysterious with a very murky past but I loved finding out more about him and his motivations.

I felt like Red’s character was realistic and her character development was in keeping with her young age. However at the end of the novel I was wondering whether some of her actions were realistic considering her age and upbringing.

I really liked the writing style and how Red as narrator would talk to the reader. I loved it when she told us “If you wanted a saint, then you should have read a different book.”

There was quite a large, diverse cast of characters and each of them played a role in Red's quest for answers. I loved that I never quite knew who to trust. There are clues, red herrings and mis-directions thrown at the reader as the mystery unfolds. I'd think I had it all figured out and then realise I was completely wrong. The final twist took me by complete surprise.

One of the most unique aspects of the book was how the author weaved cartomancy into the story. Each chapter began with a card and its interpretation, providing a glimpse into the possible outcomes for the characters and plot points.

I do feel that there were pacing issues in some aspects of the story and the plot slowed down significantly in the middle of the book. I do feel the book was slightly too long because of this. However I did really love the ending which more than made up for any slow parts.

Believe the hype because this is simply stunning! The most perfectly paced, intricately plotted, evocatively and beautifully told read. Suspenseful historical fiction at its best.

An absolutely banging read that I couldnt put down. Full of twists and turns that kept me guessing. Fantastic I completely loved it

My opinion of this book and my experience with it suddenly went up a notch by the time I reached the end of the book. I had not read any reviews of the book prior to getting into it, and neither had I focused on the blurb in too much depth. That really helped the shock value, and for anyone venturing into this review and hoping to pick it up later, I will leave the point here in order for that to be others' experience as well.
This book borders on a saga, we meet our lead protagonist when she is a small child, and then the story moves on from there. She establishes herself in a reputable home and has money to her name when bad things start to happen. She is forced to abandon a safe shelter to find out more about her family.
Red is lucky at several turns where she escapes the more problematic of issues. The book does not dwell on the unsavoury or seedy side like some others I have read that have been written based in the 1700s. There is a gothic feel in the background, but it does not make its presence felt very strongly.
The book is about Red's agenda and how far she will go to ensure she achieves it, and the people she has to deal with on the way. I liked the writing and the effort the author takes to set up the fortune-telling aspect, although it does slow down an otherwise fast-paced story. I did not retain any of the facts of that part of the narrative, but for anyone with an active interest in fortune-telling and the like, there will be even more to take away from this.
I will definitely pick up another book by the author if I get the chance and would recommend this to readers of the genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This was great fun and we really enjoyed doing the event with her! Looking forward to the paperback because it'll be a great one to send out on subscriptions.

Orphan Red is brought up in the household of a wealthy man of Bath but she never forgets her father, an itinerant fortuneteller, not the skills he taught her. When her guardian dies Red discovers that she may be the heir to one of the richest families in the land but when her birth mother rejects her she is caught up in a legal process that may lead her into danger.
Many years a go I read a book called 'The Quincunx' and I found this novel so reminiscent in terms of the legal battle over a will and the families at war. However this book is so wonderful that it sits apart in terms of clever plotting and twists and turns, even to the very last chapter. The sense of time and place is great but that has also characterised the author's previous novels, here there is a freedom to the plotting that allows the book to really sing.

Wow. This is the second of Laura’s three books I’ve read, and the first standalone. I don’t typically read much in this time period (or much about fortune telling), but I was so impressed by the other LS-R book I’d read, I gave it a go. And it didn’t disappoint.

It did take me two goes to get into it (see above re: not my usual period/topic, plus the whole Red talking to Joan the Wad, and talk of cunning men and piskies being so alien to me), but once I did… it hooked me in and I raced through what is a fairly long book. Laura has a real talent for bringing characters alive, vividly depicting the time period without beating you over the head with her research - but possibly her biggest skill is in crafting an intricate plot that loops and turns, before flipping a complete “Woah” at the end. One of those books that might benefit from a reread to fully understand everything (it was a large family of characters), I finished it and sat in admiration for a minute.

Even if this isn’t your normal time period for books, just give it a go, I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a free ARC copy of this in return for an unbiased review.

When I say I was SHOCKED at the end… amazing. This was beautifully written, you're rooting for Red from the very start, and then the end is just mind blowing. The world-building was brilliant, I adore gothic, historical fiction and this is definitely up there in my favourites. Absolutely loved this.

Starts out well and then quickly gets bogged down in a long, repetitive and unfortunately dull tale of disputed inheritance. I gradually lost interest and finally abandoned it at the 20% mark. Very few stories justify a 600-page length, and this certainly isn't one of them. An intriguing premise stretched beyond endurance.

Absolutely loved this book, it is so cleverly told, especially using the cards and their meanings at the start of each chapter..you think you know the story and where it's going but there are so many twists and turns you really don't know until the very end. Thanks to the author (I look forward to reading more), the publisher and netgalley for my arc.