This is a fictional account of the life of a real person, Isabella Whitney, who was a writer and poet during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The book begins as Isabella, 18, is about to enter service with a baroness, which will help the family greatly if she creates the right impression. I found her believable as a romantic and innocent girl who, despite warnings from her cousin, gets carried away in a love affair with a man whose family considers her an inappropriate marriage partner. I was prepared to dislike Richard, but he won me over. I could see what Izzy saw in him, and hoped for better despite knowing how it would end. I was somewhat disappointed by how much the story centers around their relationship. We don't get to see what first inspired Isabella's love of the written word, or how her skill with a pen, unusual for a woman of her time, developed with her cousin's encouragement. I was also hoping to see more of her career as a writer in London, her return to her family, and how she met and married the man who became her husband. The ending came too soon, for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this historical fiction novel.

Queen Elizabeth I is on the throne and Isabella Whitney is training as a lady's maid in London but she'd rather be reading books. She plots to catch the eye of Robert, the learned cousin of her employer who has the key to the large library in the home where she works. The two fall in love (or is it just lust?) and Isabella is eventually jilted and penniless. She is determined to make her way in the world via her pen, publishing poems to warn women like her to be careful in love.

I enjoyed learning about Isabella but I wish the book had focused less on her romantic relationship and more on her struggles as a female writer at a time when those were few and far between. I had a hard time believing that the clever Izzy would really fall for such a cad and sacrifice so much for him.

In this fascinating Elizabethan historical fiction novel, readers follow young poet Isabella Whitney as she defies convention through her relationship with her employer’s aristocratic nephew and her choice of occupation -- writer. As she moves up in the world as a maidservant, a participant in an illicit and passionate affair, and finally a published poet, Isabella seeks to shake up the literary world by writing about how men in love are deceptive and manipulative towards women. Refusing to be silent and bow to convention, Isabella will live life on her own as she works on her magnum opus. Based on true historical figures and literature with a solid historical background, this is a fascinating insight into Elizabethan romance (outside of the courtly love practiced in the royal courts) and gender roles. Isabella is a fascinating protagonist with her own flaws and challenges to authority, and she has a mind of her own. Her relationships with other characters and her personal growth over the course of the novel is fascinating to watch in the context of the Elizabethan era. With an exciting premise and some incredible historical details, fans of historical fiction will love following Isabella’s journey of becoming a published author and challenging her society’s norms.

If you are a lover of historical fiction that happened in the real world but it was written to give light to a particular individual then this book is for you. The story dates far back to 1567( around that period). A girl, Isabella Whitney, of teenage years and early adulthood who lives in Nantwich and had a passion for reading. Taught to write by her mother and to read by her cousin William, she had the desire to read the books in the rich's library. Fortunately (or unfortunately), she got an employment in Bramwell House, the London estate of lady Bramwell, a widow. The house of Bramwell had the library that our dear Isabella desired to read in but it was only accessible to the lady of the house and her young nephew, Robert Barrington, a graduate from Cambridge in Gray inn. Not quite the looker but good to the eyes. Isabella knowing that the library was accessible to Robert Barrington, thought about when he would arrive at the house and thought of him frequently till she met him at the twelfth night where the story really begins to turn interesting. Will her desire to read the books in rich's library bring about a love story or will it bring about a burning passion for writing poems?

Yeah not for me...It reads very childlike and just unnecessary details. I feel it's a bit too young for me and I didnt feel any connection to anything, not the plot or the characters.

Isabella Whitney now holds a place in my heart. Upon reading this I’ve gone on a deep dive into what I can find out about her.

I loved the additions of her poetry throughout the book. Additionally, I was glad to see that the way of speaking wasn’t too up to date. They weren’t speaking like they would now which is what you see in similar books.

It taught me a lot about someone I’ve never heard of, and I would definitely recommend to everyone.

I liked it but I didnt connect too well with the characters or overall story, I havent read much historical fiction so I just dont think it was for me.

I liked this a lot and think its a good book. I might buy a hard copy once it is finally out in stores.

Unfortunately, this is a DNF for me. :( The writing felt very juvenile and I had trouble connecting to the characters. The love story felt rushed and I just didn’t find myself excited to see where it would go. I love the premise of the book, I just dont think I was the target audience. Maybe I will give it another try in the future.

Interesting historical fiction featuring a woman most people have not heard of. Isabella Whitney is placed in a noble house for a year to learn the midwifery skills that will set her up to marry into a noble family. But Isabella falls in love with the wrong man, and entrusts him with her heart, believing in his promises. When he proves to be false, Isabella is left in a difficult position. The title, Try Before You Trust, is quite apt for her situation.

Isabella is a real woman, one of the earliest female poets in Elizabethan England. She turns to her poetry to give the world the woman's point of view, and fight back against the male dominated publications on the merits of women (written from a man's point of view, of course). instead, Isabella writes from a woman's point of view, and rebuts the male perspective point by point, earning herself some degree of fame and income in the process. An unusual story about an unusual woman and her efforts to become a published poet. I especially loved the historical notes included at the end, as they give a good sense of what we know, and what the author had to fill in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Historium Press for a advanced copy of Try Before You Trust by Constance Briones.. This is a wonderfully written novel depicting the life of the 16th Century English poet Isabella Whitney. Ms. Briones brings to life English literary history with smart and witty characters and verses of poetry. I was completely taken in from the very beginning of this creative novel. I became so enthralled with the book that the end came too quickly. This was an outstanding book, and I look forward to other books by Ms. Briones.

What a beautiful piece of historical fiction. I loved seeing the poetry of Isabelle Whitney. We are given a story told in the manner in which the people would have spoken to each other. It was an absorbing story. There were times when I wondered about Isabelle’s family but that is usually when her cousin showed up. The story of female friendship persevered throughout the book and made you root for women. What a wonderful story.

This book is a creative imaging of what might have happened to Isabelle Whitney that led to her becoming one of the first female secular poets in England. I liked the discussion of her poetry, and how it evolved as she was given access to classic works that were deemed improper for women to read, as well as access to contemporaneous writings addressing "the woman question." It would be a poem about the fickleness of men, using historical literary figures as well as her unfaithful former fiancé, and written in response to recent publications denigrating women, that would mark her publishing debut. Ms. Whitney benefitted from finding a forward-thinking publisher/printer (Richard Jones), who saw the monetary value in publishing a well-articulated response to "the woman question" written by a woman, as well as believed that woman should have access to a wide range of literature that was deemed "inappropriate" for them by much of society.

Isabella Whitney was a published poet of the Elizabethan era, when it was considered scandalous for women to read the likes of Ovid, never mind write poetry on topics other than religious devotion. "Try Before You Trust" shows how she came to write her first published work, or at least a theory behind it. (Not surprisingly, little is known about her life.) Author Constance Briones clearly did her research into the mores and class stratification of 16th-century London. The novel is narrated by Isabella herself, and the voice is seemingly of its times while still being accessible (I'll admit I wasn't up for having to keep a reference book by my side as I do when reading Shakespeare). If you enjoy historical fiction and are curious to learn about a little-known female pioneer, check this out.

Thank you, Historium Press and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautiful read! I really enjoyed it. It wasn't the usual type of book I grab for, but I'm glad I read it. From the descriptions of 1500's England, to unpacking the meaning of various poetry stanzas, to old-fashioned revenge-winning, I soaked it all up. I've never heard of Isabella Whitney before, so I ended up on a rabbit hole researching her life story. Fascinating.

I LOVED this book! My God the plotline is perfect, and the writing! I so much enjoyed reading this version of English. The writer did well to portray Isabella Whitney as a girl who, though possessed wit, was far too innocent in matters of the heart, unfortunately for her.

Overall, this book is a wonderful, perfectly written book. Great for lovers of literary history. You will definitely enjoy this, glued to the pages like I was. I give this book a perfect 5 stars. 10 out of 10!

Isabella, a young woman in Tudor England,
unhappily becomes part of 'the woman question'
This is the age old story between men and woman, but this very special story, has many twists and turns. It is a,well woven tale ,full of ambience and secrets. I enjoyed the book very much.

'Try Before You Trust' is a beautifully-rendered piece of historical fiction filling in the biographical gaps of Isabella Whitney, one of England's earliest female poets. Constance Briones manages to bring both rural Cheshire and Elizabethan London to life, immersing the reader in the sights and sounds of Isabella's youth.

The 'woman question,' hotly debated at the beginning of Elizabeth I's reign, comes to the fore in Briones's narrative. Quarrelling in print over which is more inconstant in love, women or men, highlights the iniquities and prejudices experienced by women at this time in history, particularly for a relatable, bookish heroine like Izzy. It makes one appreciate the obstacles Whitney and her peers struggled against all the more, as there are echoes of future feminist thought and feeling represented in their articulate verse.

Izzy's trials and tribulations in love are achingly familiar to the modern woman, eliminating the barrier of time between the protagonist and the reader. How many of us have also learned about love the hard way? I found myself really rooting for Izzy and wincing at the subtle red flags thrown up along her journey. The passions that no doubt inspired her verse have been vividly portrayed upon the page.

If you are a devotee of Elizabethan history, British history, women's history, women's writing and poetry, English literary history, or all of the above, you must add 'Try Before You Trust' to your shelves!

Rating: 4.5

The characters in this novel were well-developed, Isabella Whitney's venture into writing fleshed out from the little that we know. It shows the hardships of women in the 16th Century, being seen as wanton if they deviated from the norm of society.
A pleasant historical romance read, with blends of feminism and forbidden relationship.

I DNF-ed this book. It was not the books fault. I was struggling to connect with the characters and the story. Might be because of the large amount of classics i have been reading lately. Will try again an other time.