The Herbalist’s Secret started with an interesting premise, blending herbal lore with a hint of mystery, but it didn’t quite live up to its promise. The plot moved slowly, and I found myself waiting for a deeper connection with the protagonist that never came. The narrative felt bogged down by long descriptions that took away from the overall story rather than enriching it.

We love a story about a woman going against soecity and doing exactly what she wants, tragedy be damned!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a slower read that is meant to be savored. There is a peaceful kind of magic that surrounds Ardbray House that draws you in deeper and deeper until you can't or don't want to leave. I loved the inclusion of snippets about herbs at the beginning of each chapter. In a way I found this book comforting like the ginger cake eaten throughout. While, it may be too slow for some, it was just right for me!

this story really kept you on the edge of your seat. it had all the right parts to keep you going, without being drawn out.

When I think of The Herbalist's Secret, the first thing that comes to mind is how captivating it was. It was a story that kept me completely engaged and honestly a little spell bound as I reading. Set in the Scottish Highlands, it has a dual timeline that worked very well together. Everything was so interconnected that it kept me guessing what was going to happen next.

The first timeline is set in the late 1800's featuring Kitty Gray, a recently married young woman, whose husband buys the Ardbray House as their vacation house. It isn't long before Kitty finds herself staying alone at the house while her husband works in Glasgow. She loves the house which is actually more of a mansion with it's large rooms and corridors. It also has a large space of land which allows her to build a herb garden. Prior to marriage, Kitty had dreams of being a doctor like her father, and she uses the lessons she learned from him to help her decide what to plant. She also devourers any book she can find about herbalism, and starts to use her herbs to help others in the community. Not everyone agrees with her type of medicine though.

The second timeline is set in 2003 featuring Caitlin Black, who arrives at the Ardbray House with the intention of buying it. No one has lived in the mansion in fifty years except for the housekeeping staff Greer and Colin. They did their best with the upkeep but, renovations are definitely needed in order to make it livable again. There also seems to be a cloud of mystery surrounding the mansion especially involving two young children that Caitlin swears she keeps seeing around the property. Being the type of person that she is, she finds herself getting more and more involved with the history of the mansion, and even more determined to make it feel like her home.

The Ardbary House gives off the sensation of safety with the ability to still be wild. Its walls harbor secrets and mysteries that are waiting to be revealed. Many of these mysteries go back to when Kitty was the owner of the mansion making it her home. I loved all the history that I could feel was in the house. I could also feel the impact that the history was still having on present day even on people that who have no idea what actually happened. Everything was so interconnected and kept me very invested.

Both Kitty and Caitlin were well fleshed out characters. It took a little bit longer to get to know Caitlin because she was a more reserved character but the more she revealed about herself the more I loved. Kitty is a very forward character who has much different viewpoints regarding what a woman should be in society in comparison to others especially men. Men do not believe women should have any place in the medical field and that the things that Kitty is exploring with herbal medication is also taboo. She faces so much angst and heartbreak during her lifetime but the way she handled everything made me fall in love with her character.

It's hard for me to believe that The Herbalist's Secret is the first book for Annabelle Marx. Her writing is so beautiful. Her descriptions invoke your senses and her character details invoke your emotions. She creates such a haunted atmosphere that is perfect for the story. She takes the present day and twists it with the supernatural secrets of the past in such a captivating manner. I really cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed this story and the way it was written. I'm already looking forward to whatever Annabelle Marx writes next.

What a fascinating tale combining two of my favorite things: baking and the paranormal. Plus the Scottish Highlands! Really enjoyed this story.

This book started off slow until about the middle of the book then I couldn’t put it down. The ending was great. I feel like this book could have cut out some of the beginning and focused more on the ending.

A brilliant well written historical drama set in the Scottish highlands, A brilliant debut novel and I look forward to more by this author.

i absolutely just could not get through this book. it was very slow and i didnt feel anything towards the characters or stort

“The Herbalist’s Secret” is a book about three women, one living in late 1800s Glasgow and in a remote mansion in the Scottish countryside, and two other womenin the same house, but in the 2000s. The three women all feel constrained, or trapped, and are looking for a ways out, or new beginnings to their lives.

In late 1800s Glasgow Kitty is married off by her ambitious mother to a successful businessman. Kitty looks forward to her marriage as her actual ambitions have been thwarted by her status-conscious mother, who abhors the idea of her daughter pursuing a career in medicine. Almost immediately after the marriage, Kitty realizes that her husband is not who she thought he was, and she is quickly banished to his country home, where she slowly develops a deep knowledge of herbology and uses it to treat injuries and illness. She and her husband have two children, but it's implied that Kitty experiences great tragedy in her life.

In the 2000s, Greer manages the same house, and chafes to leave, but can't, for reasons that are slowly revealed. Greer meets prospective buyer Caitlin, who wants to transform the house into a retreat. Both women see ghosts of two young children, and Greer is both happy that her long tenure at the house may be ending with Caitlin's purchase, and she is also unwilling to accept Caitlin as the potential new owner.

The house is also a sort of character, exerting a pull on its inhabitants that is eerie at times.

So, did I like this book? Not really.

I liked Kitty's sections, which deal a little with worker's rights and the horrible conditions they worked in in cotton mills, and a little with women's rights at the time. However, for someone who was supposed to be a self-taught expert in herbology, we see very, very little of Kitty practicing this skill.

Then there is the mystery of the child ghosts and the skull, which really is not a mystery, as the identity of the ghosts is super easy to divine, and the presence of the skull is explained in Kitty's section, and I could see the explanation for why it's at the house coming a kilometre away.

The sections with Greer are ok, but I never really felt anything for Greer, and I found Caitlin annoyingly privileged, and even when more is revealed of her backstory, this all feels too melodramatic.

This is a story that could have been likeable, but lacked too much to get there.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.

"The Herbalist's Secret" by Annabelle Marx is a gripping mystery novel that transported me to the enchanting and rugged Scottish Highlands. The story is masterfully crafted, unfolding through the eyes of two protagonists in two different eras—Kitty Gray in 1889 and Caitlin Black in 2003. The heart of the plot revolves around the enigmatic Ardbray House and the secrets that bind these two women together.
As a reader, I was immediately drawn into the stifling societal expectations placed upon women in the 19th century. Kitty yearned to pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor and attending university but instead found herself thrust into an arranged marriage with the affluent Charles Maclean. Exiled to the remote Scottish Highlands, Kitty sought solace in creating a therapeutic herb garden, tapping into her medical knowledge and fascination with herbalism. However, tragedy strikes, shattering her sanctuary.
In 2003, Caitlin Black arrived at Ardbray House with a determined purpose—to restore its former glory and revive Kitty's walled garden. She begins to unearth the mansion's history and uncovers a haunting past marred by sorrow and misfortune. Under the blood-red roses, Caitlin stumbles upon a hidden human skeleton, setting in motion a chilling excavation of dark secrets.
Marx's descriptive prose breathes life into the majestic Scottish Highlands, transporting me to its awe-inspiring landscapes and capturing the profound sense of isolation that permeates the region. I felt an instant connection to the vivid descriptions. The inclusion of herbal remedies at the start of each chapter further intrigued me, awakening a desire to delve into the local flora and its practical applications. I even check my mobile to see which herbs are mentioned in each chapter.
With her sharp intellect and relentless pursuit of independence, Kitty Grey is an utterly captivating character. Her struggle against the confines imposed upon women during that era struck a chord within me, resonating deeply. The transformative journey she embarks on throughout the novel is both enthralling and thought-provoking. Additionally, the parallel narrative involving Greer Mackenzie, the longtime housekeeper, adds an extra layer of intrigue, shedding light on the isolating nature of Ardbray House.
The blend of mystery and sorrow infused within the narrative heightened its intensity and kept me entranced. Unravelling the secrets concealed within Ardbray House proved to be an exhilarating adventure, rife with unforeseen twists and revelations that left me yearning for more.

This one was not for me, I’m sorry. I had a very hard time getting into it and never really got rolling and lost interest.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this dual timeline novel, although I had some issues with the pacing of the story. The first 50% of the narrative is pretty slow and lots of events happen after the 50% mark. That being said, I really enjoyed the character of Kitty, and would read more work by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an early copy.

I have to admit it took me longer to read it that I would have liked, but happened at a turbulent time in my life.
The idea is very nice and I actually was very invested in knowing what would become of Kitty and Ardbray. What made it a bit flat for me was the sudden change from one of the characters without much building around it, a bit of a missed opportunity.

All in all an entertaining read.

Ah, the magic of this book! It swept me away from the very first page, carrying me on a journey that will linger in my mind and heart for a long time. Two eras, intricately woven together like the delicate petals of a flower. In 1889, Kitty Gray's fierce intellect and determination shine like a beacon, only to be dimmed by the conventions of her time. Yet, her passion for healing finds an unexpected outlet in the enchanting herb garden at Ardbray House. Meanwhile, Caitlin Black's modern-day endeavors to restore the garden and the house to their former glory become a loving tribute to the women who came before her. As the stories intertwine, I found myself enchanted by the power of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. This book is a treasure, a testament to the enduring power of dreams and the connections that transcend time.

I highly recommend this book. The story was not what I had expected, it was better. Caitlin, Kitty and Greer were well written characters set in different times. A beautiful story

I'm not sure why, but this book was a miss for me. It is clearly well researched, but it felt like the author was trying to do too much. Equally, I felt myself starting to skim during the present (2003) sections, the pace just wasn't engaging to me. The author's attempt to employ dramatic irony with the dual storylines fell flat, and I would have appreciated a narrowed scope to allow for more details.

That said, the author succeeded in establishing a rich gothic environment and it is clear that the book is well researched. I look forward to seeing how the author will improve in future works.

The Herbalist's Secret is a well written compelling read which I really enjoyed. It has an interesting plot, the characters are well drawn and the the scenes are atmospheric.
I was very surprised to find that this was a debut novel and I am already looking forward to reading the authors next book.
Highly recommend!

The Herbalist's Secret sets a great scene, at an isolated location in Scotland with a quirky house guarded by gargoyles on the roof. We know from the beginning scene that two children drowned here, and their ghosts will haunt the story throughout.

Kitty Gray dreams of being a doctor, but when her parents marry her to a rich Glaswegian bachelor, Charles MacClean, these dreams die, as women are not allowed to pursue medicine in this time period. Although she has high hopes for happiness, marriage soon disappoints Kitty, and she is happy to isolate herself at Ardbray House.

There is a second time period set in 2003. Greer and her husband Colin are caretakers of Ardbray House, while for decades it has waited a buyer. A possible buyer appears from America, Caitlin Black. She is quirky and has secrets, but she is drawn to the house. Slowly, Greer begins to have hope that she can escape Ardbray House.

The writing in The Herbalist's Ssecret is lush and mood setting. The author is especially good at setting the mood in the past. A lot of issues are addressed in this book; the cruelty of working conditions in the late 1800's, the lack of opportunities for women and how they had to accept whatever marriage served them. There wasn't as much talk of herbs as I expected, due to the title, although each chapter started with a snippet about various herbs.

I wish I could give a different score for the first half and the last half of the book. In the first half, I think the author tried to address a lot of things, and the story felt a bit dense and heavy. I kept waiting for the story to pick up, even though the author was setting a great atmosphere. In the second half of the book things really picked up and I was drawn into the storyline.

I would give this book a 3.5, mainly because it took me some time to be drawn into the story. I am rounding up, because I do think the writer is talented and has great potential.

Thank you to NetGalley, Annabelle Marx, and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this gothic story quite a lot. The house and the ghosts and Kitty's story, a familiar but still tragic one of oppression and misogyny, are all handled well and are compelling, and the twists that come at the end are good. But Greer, the housekeeper whose voice is most heard, never really comes to life, and her husband is such a non-entity that he doesn't really need to be in the book at all. We get a little of Greer's own desires and interests, but they remain on the light side. Caitlin, upon whom the synopsis blurb focused the most, doesn't really get fully-fleshed out either, and it's a disappointment that the two women of the contemporary part of the novel don't get a bit more fully realized.