In spite of the fact that the protagonists were several centuries apart, they had much in common. The historical figure is Nell Gwyn an actress in 1671 and favored "companion" of King Charles II, whose sister Rose took a different path and wound up in prison In 2024 we currently find the similarity between these two sisters. The two stories come together as a mystery and romance are presented to the reader. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this dual-timeline story of two older sisters struggling to find themselves among the shadows of their younger sisters.

In the late 1600s, Rose Gwyn becomes entangled in a plot to steal the Crown Jewels of England and must rely on not only her wits but also her younger sister Nell - the King's mistress - to avoid the gallows.

Modern-day Jess Yates is a librarian looking to lay low after ex-boyfriend has been convicted of fraud. Luckily, her Influencer sister, Tavy, needs someone to house-sit at her latest renovation project, Fortune Hall.

As Jess becomes increasingly involved in Fortune Hall's renovations, Rose's story and the mystery of the stolen Crown Jewels comes to light.

I really enjoyed this book! The plot was engaging from the first chapter, and the pacing kept me turning pages. Overall, a solid and entertaining read that I’d recommend to fans of this genre.

The Other Gwyn Girl is a dual timeline novel set between the Restoration period, and the present day, linked together by a five-hundred-year-old manor house called either Becote Manor or Fortune Hall. The other Gwyn girl of the title is Nell Gwyn’s older sister, Rose. We have all heard of Nell, mistress to Charles ll and popular actress, but not Rose. They grew up in poverty after the death of their father left them with nothing. Fortune has smiled on Nell, but Rose married a feckless highwayman, was dragged into a plot to steal the Crown Jewels, and is now stuck in the notorious Marshalsea prison. She is desperate and takes the only course of action open to her – she writes to her sister for help.
In the present day, Jess’s ex is in prison for fraud, and she is seeking refuge with her media influencer sister, Tavy, at Fortune Hall – the setting of her renovation TV programme. The attention of the tabloids has been relentless, and she needs somewhere to rest and recover. A librarian with an interest in history, Jess starts to look into the supposed connection between Fortune Hall and Nell Gwyn, with the help of Ethan Sterling who is advising Tavy on restoring the house, and is also the grand-son of the previous owner, so knows it well.
Much emphasis is placed on the many parallels between the lives of both pairs of sisters, and the difficult mother-daughter relationships involved. The writer seamlessly weaves fact and fiction together into a fascinating story where both older sisters find love and happiness again. This is an interesting period in history, and Nicola Cornick brings it vividly to life. I have read and enjoyed some of her previous books, and look forward to her next one. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Absolutely captivating book that I could not put down. The story of Rose Gwyn was a fascinating insight into the lesser known sister of Nell Gwyn and it was wonderful to read about her life. The mixture of historic factual history and modern day research on her which was combined with a beautiful story of the lives of two modern day sisters was spellbinding. The author has done her research well. Wonderful story that I know I will read again

I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel, a timeslip story set in England in the 1670s and also the present day.

I loved Rose Gwyn and really enjoyed finding out more about her, as her story unfolded. I loved all the historical details throughout book and felt that I was transported back in time with Rose’s chapters. I liked Jess in the present day and enjoyed the way her storyline connected with Rose’s at times.

I definitely preferred the 1670s storyline as I enjoy that time period, and knew nothing about the mystery the Crown Jewels or the Gwyn sisters’ connection. In fact I didn’t even know that Nell Gwyn had a sister, so it was fascinating learning more about the siblings.

I actually did a listen /read for this book, as I when saw that Lucy Scott, one of my favourite narrators, was reading this one I bought the audiobook. Unfortunately there was also a new-to-me narrator I didn’t get on with so I switched back to my NetGalley copy.

Definitely recommended if you enjoy dual timeline, historical fiction novels.

This is a dual timeline story that focuses on Nell Gwyn's sister- yes, the sister of King Charles II's mistress. I've always loved Nell's story, she is endlessly fascinating to me. I loved that we got to see both of the Gwyn sisters as that is a crucial piece of the story.
I am not a huge fan of dual timeline stories, and I would have loved to see the "current" time devoted to the historic timeline!

Wonderful and Engaging, I love Nicola Cornick's imagination and how she brings the story and dimensions to life, she's a must read author and this story is unputdownable!!!!!

I absolutely loved "The Other Gwyn Girl" by Nicola Cornick. The dual timeline narrative was captivating, and the exploration of the relationship between the Gwyn sisters was compelling. I found Rose Gwyn's story from 1671 particularly engaging, as she navigated the challenges of her time with courage and resilience.
I also enjoyed the present-day storyline involving Jess and Tavy Yates, which provided an interesting parallel to the historical narrative. The themes of family, sisterhood, and mother-daughter relationships were beautifully explored throughout the novel.
Cornick's writing brought both periods to life, and her attention to detail in portraying the 17th-century setting was impressive. The blend of history, mystery, and romance made for a truly engaging read that kept me hooked until the very end.
Overall, "The Other Gwyn Girl" is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, especially those interested in stories of forgotten women from history. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-crafted and captivating novel that will transport you to another time and place.

Fans of Barbara Erskine will enjoy this story of Rose and her more famous sister Nell Gwyn, and the time slip plot of the missing Crown Jewels. A rich fantasy that takes place in the lush backdrops of an English country house in the present day, and the vibrant, dangerous world of the Restoration era. An entertaining and engaging story that I definitely would recommend.

Amazing - captivating, gripping, unforgettable tale of treachery and treason...
Well paced, brilliant characterisation and an ending I didn't expect, this was a wonderful book. A complex, plot with tension so thick that it felt palpable. Wonderfully-developed characters with depth and substance. I was immediately drawn in and held captive from beginning to end. It was a fast paced roller coaster ride.

I thought The Other Gwyn Girl by Nicola Cornick was a fascinating premise, which was brought to life with a wonderful mixture of history, mystery, romance and supernatural elements. An affecting tale, that swept me away, and I finished in less than two days!

Raise your hand if you realized royal mistress Nell Gwyn had an older sister. If not, you’re not alone. Nicola Cornick has a knack for taking interesting women from history’s sidelines, digging into the limited facts on their lives, and weaving them compelling dual-narrative plots.

In this highly diverting romantic caper, Rose Gwyn has gotten herself into a muddle. It’s 1671, and she’s been languishing in London’s grimy Marshalsea Prison for six weeks after being arrested as an accessory to her highwayman husband John’s theft of the crown jewels. Pregnant and despondent – and illiterate – Rose asks her jailer to scribe a note to her sister Nell, theatrical darling and Charles II’s beloved, begging to be freed. Nell comes to her rescue but has motives beyond sibling affection. Perpetually worried about money after the sisters’ impoverished childhood, Nell had plans for the stolen jewels herself, but they’ve mysteriously disappeared.

The parallel narrative, set today, involves librarian Jess Yates, forced to relaunch her life after her fraudster ex-boyfriend’s deceptions. She lands in rural Berkshire, working as housekeeper for her sister Tavy, a celebrity influencer whose latest reality TV series follows the restoration of “Fortune Hall,” a manor where legends about the Gwyn family still circulate.

Compared with Rose’s Restoration-era tale of dangerous conspiracies and betrayals, Jess’s story could have felt lightweight and ignorable, and it’s to Cornick’s credit that it isn’t. With the help of Ethan, a historic building consultant, Jess begins exploring the house’s shadowy centuries-old history; fans of Lauren Belfer’s Ashton Hall will enjoy her research journey. One of the novel’s love stories develops too fast, a small flaw in a well-constructed tale of two independent women and the complexities of sisterhood. This story stands alone, but the author’s fans will note cameos of characters and places from her earlier novels.

(From the Historical Novels Review, May 2024)

I really liked the dual timeline. It's 2 stories in one that are connected. Whats not to like?!? Also I adore all historical fiction, rsp England's history, so this was perfect for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cant wait to read more for this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I love Nicola Cornick’s dual timeline historical novel. She is an absolute master at giving a voice to some of history’s forgotten but important women.

The Other Gwyn Girl explores the story of Rose Gwyn, the less well-known sister of enigmatic Nell. While Nell’s story has been told and retold, this book exploits the gaps in her sister’s life to create a story of survival, resilience and romance.

Rose is story is mirrored in the present day by the story of Tavy and Jess Hates. Tavy is a reality star and influencer who travels around the world with people catering to her every whim, while sister Jess is academic, thoughtful and intensely private.

In both timelines, the dynamics between mothers and daughters and the relationship between sister is explored.

I absolutely loved Rose’s storyline. And while I enjoyed both, this timeline was definitely the one that pulled me in the most. The writer creates the world of the 17th Century and the opportunities for uneducated women thrust into poverty in vivid detail. Both Rose and Nell will do whatever it takes to survive even though their choices take them down different paths.

This is an interesting and engaging read with strong, interesting female characters. There’s history, mystery and romance in a book that will keep you up reading past your bedtime.

In this fascinating dual timeline novel, readers follow two overshadowed sisters, Rose Gwyn (sister to the actress and royal mistress Nell Gwyn) in the seventeenth century and modern-day Jess Yates, a librarian and amateur historian getting out of a bad relationship and taking a backstage position in her glamorous sister’s celebrity life. Rose must solve the mystery of the theft of the Crown Jewels and plots against Charles II (and maybe fall in love) while Jess uncovers the history of Fortune Hall and its ties to Rose and Nell Gwyn. As the two narratives unfold, readers get a glimpse of the joint histories and the growths of two overshadowed sisters into their own people in their new lives.The characters, particularly Rose and Jess, are the star of the novel, and readers get to explore and understand their similarities across time and space as the novel progresses. By exploring the life of a marginal historical woman, Cornick adds depth to the moderately popular history of Nell Gwyn thanks to this novel and its narrative focus on Rose. Cornick’s latest historical fiction novel is a fascinating, fun journey to the seventeenth century’s corruption and opulence and a life just offstage from the courtly drama of the period that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.

Maybe more a 3.5? I received an ARC and was so pleased - the description included so many things I love: strong heroine(s), history, Ireland etc. And don’t get me wrong, it’s mostly an entertaining read, but I found myself expecting much of the plot and character arcs well in advance. At times I questioned the exact character comparisons between the two timelines - did they need to be EXACT replicas? I don’t know…wanted to like it more, but also, I did enjoy it mostly. Take that for what you will!

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed women's historical fiction so much. The Other Gwyn Girl is dual pov with each comparing a 'perfect' sister with her far more notorious sibling. It's a breath of fresh air with excellent characterisation - no beautiful tragic hetoines here but do expect competent morally grey women willing to do what it takes to survive, battles of wits and an intriguing mystery based around exactly what Charles I did with the Crown Jewels. Enjoyed every second - highly recommend.

What a fascinating story this is! The Other Gwyn Girl is dual timeline set partially in 17th century England and partly in the present day. In the 1650’s, we first meet Rose, Nell Gwyn’s older sister and discover the massive challenges she faced as an impoverished woman in those times. With three stints in the Marshallsea Prison and a thoroughly nasty first husband, Rose certainly had a difficult and unpleasant start to life, however she is a strong character, filled with a drive to survive and if possible to thrive. I found myself cheering for her again and again.
In the present day we meet librarian and history buff Jess Yates, who has been invited to stay at Fortune Hall by her celebrity sister Tavy. Jess is hiding from the publicity that surrounded the imprisonment on fraud charges of her long time boyfriend Jared. Tavy needs somebody to act as housekeeper and Jess needs the privacy. Fortune Hall, formerly Becote Manor, has many secrets to reveal and I found it fascinating to watch Jess as she investigated the various centuries-old books in the library and discovered Rose’s links to the manor.
This story was a real page-turner for me and is one I will definitely read again.

I loved this book from the first page, it drew me into Rose's story and I just had to know more about her! I'll be honest I didn't realise Nell Gwyn had a sister so this was a brilliant book for bringing a little know about woman from history into the light. I really loved skipping back and forth between the 17th century and the modern period, I loved Jess and Rose equally and seeing the parallels between their relationships with their more famous younger siblings was an interesting way to forge that connection between them. I really liked that they had that romance element for both of them and seeing them have their happy ever after of sorts brought a smile to my face, I think they both really deserved to have it. Oh, and the theft of the crow jewels element was brilliant! I so wished the book hadn't ended where it did i wanted to know if Jess finds them!
It was my first book by Nicola Cornick and it definitely won't be my last because I now realise that bringing little-known women from history to our knowledge is what she does, I want to read the rest of her back catalogue.