I really enjoyed this book, the characters were really interesting and held hidden depths. There were twists in this book I genuinely couldn't predict. I love the fact that it changed locations a number of times and I enjoyed seeing Miss Cassidy interact with lots of different parts of her life.

I just cannot get into this book, despite the premise being amazing. A haunting or mythology set in the East? Very cool but something about the execution made it impossible to read.

I am in love with Miss Leda Cassidy. She is perfect. I loved every second of this book and am honestly very sad to have finished it. I can’t wait to read more by Meihan Boey and more about Miss Cassidy because I am not ready to move on from this character.

The narration was perfect in capturing this character too. The Scottish accent made it feel real and authentic and just the way that she inflected certain lines was completely right for Miss Cassidy. Her wit and humour really came through.

The descriptions of Singapore were really interesting. I loved how Miss Cassidy was quick to compare it to India, a place she had been before and pointed out some of the Indian roots. This book did a great job of showing the mesh of culture that makes up Singapore.

This is a book of three parts and I liked how there were almost two short stories and then a finale. It was nice to feel a sense of completion after the first half and then move on to the Kay household in the second half. I really enjoyed that aspect of the structure.

I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel.

I was enjoying this audiobook but sadly due to the Netgalley app crashing, I lost my copy and now I can't finish it as the archive date has passed.

From what I read, it was a great book and the narrator is one of my all time favourite narrators.

Thank you to the publishers for the ALC but Netgalley need to work on their app issues.

There are so many pieces to this book that I appreciated but the icing on my cake was the narration. No offence to the author, the context was engrossing and well written but it was brought to life in such a spectacular fashion that I made extra chores to finish the book once I started listening to it. It was almost as if the number of different types of people in the narrative was meant for your format.

I am not one to entirely give into superlatives when praising but the narrator actually did something I’ve not seen even television series do – Indians having different accents! The book is based on Singapore in the 1900s and this means that there are people from various parts of the world thrown together. Each person has a distinct accent that is extremely entertaining to listen to.

This book is of a genre that I surprisingly read/ listened to more than one of in the same week! It is neither completely fantasy nor exactly magical realism. It’s that middle ground which deals more with people and their interactions than a uniquely built world and its politics.

Miss Cassidy is in Singapore as a paid companion to a rich daughter of a European family living in Singapore. Trade is the reason so many different people cross paths frequently but it’s the supernatural that arre the focus of this tale. Not everyone deals with them at an equal footing and we do not know what actually is happening until small reveals happen little by little.

The romance is sweet and the banter funny, the best combination. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was another book after this, one I would love to listen to if given a chance. I would highly recommend this particular format, author and narrator to anyone who finds the blurb even mildly intriguing.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own listening experience.

I was given an advanced release audio copy of this book from Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review.

I loved the cover art and title caught my attention and the blurb hooked me.

I wanted to know who this Miss Cassidy was. What made her so Formidable? I needed to know.

This book is a mix of historical fiction and folk lore . I throughly enjoyed this read and look forward to seeing what Miss Cassidy gets up to next !

Excellent read and just what I wanted - a bit of historical fiction always hits the spot and I love audiobooks that immerse me into the world!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access a copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review it if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to listen and review it if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

Set in Singapore in the 1890’s, Miss Cassidy is a governess who arrives to look after the remaining daughter of widow Mr Kay. The family are under a curse and many of his children have died along with his wife. While tutoring, Miss Cassidy also battles demons in this unique novel, part historical fiction and part fantasy. The narrator was fantastic and added to my enjoyment of the book.

Many thanks to Bolinda Audio and Meihan Boey for the advanced audio copy of The Formidable Miss Cassidy via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.

Miss Cassidy was an absolute delight, and formidable indeed. The story is a wonderful mix of historical fiction and fantasy, light-hearted with a dash of mystery. It contains several scenarios within it, which lends the entire story promise to become a multi-book possibility, both featuring Miss Cassidy and other characters of her ilk.

The narrative is woven cleverly, with pertinent information dropped in over time, not all at once at the beginning, which makes the whole crux of the story itself so much more interesting and sweeter.

Although labelled as a romance, it barely qualifies as such, and it really doesn’t need to. It is interesting enough not to require gooey romance and the decisions made by the protagonist with regard to this definitely add to the plot.

As someone who lived in Singapore - where the story largely takes place - in my youth and crucially as a white expat, it was fascinating to read this viewpoint, and wonderful nostalgia. I have lived in various different countries and have had various experiences, but Singapore was one of my favourites, and would have loved to have seen it as Miss Cassidy saw it.

The narrator, Paula Masterton, was superb. The accents and intonations were well done and largely accurate in my experience. The tone and cadence were engaging, and I would not hesitate to listen to more books read by this narrator.

Moods: adventurous, dark (at times), light-hearted (at times), mysterious

Tropes: arranged marriage, matchmaker, peril, unrequited love, widow/widower

Pace: medium

Character development: medium

Plot or character driven: 50/50

Diversity: high
Spice: 0/5

Trigger warnings: Death, Death of a family member, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical illness, Racism,

Rating
Story: 4/5
Audio: 5/5

Rating 4.5/5

I love it when I come across an audiobook that I can immerse myself in and this was one of them. I loved how unexpected this story was for me, I knew there would be a little bit of magic in this story but I didn’t expect it to be so fantastical. It caught me off guard but in the best way.

The story is set in 1890s Singapore and I loved the Malay folklore that was explored in the story. It captured my attention because I had never encountered them before and it helped make the setting come alive. I also liked that there was the appearance of some Celtic folklore but that both were brought together in an interesting way.

Something I quite liked about this story was that it is in three parts with a focus on different families but they are all acquainted so you can see how they progress from one section to the next. This does mean that there maybe isn’t an obvious driving plotline throughout the whole story but I enjoyed her getting to know each family and the different customs and traditions, so that didn’t bother me.

One thing I will say is that in the third part, as Miss Cassidy discusses her history, it became clearer to me why the story is put together this way and it made me appreciate it a little more. There is only maybe one little complaint I have about the format of the story, it is possibly due to my listening to this as an audiobook as I can’t tell if I would have felt the same if I read it on the page.

At one point in the story, it leapt from one pretty dire scene for Miss Cassidy to her in a completely different place. I thought I maybe hadn’t been paying attention and lost track of what the narrator had said. However, I soon realised that it had switched quite suddenly and what transpires for Miss Cassidy to go from this extreme situation to a different place altogether is revealed further into the third part. It was a little confusing in this format and took me out of the story a little as I jumped back to make sure I hadn’t missed a bit.

The narrator, Paula Masterton, was amazing and brought the story to life. She managed to create unique voices for all the characters even though they came from a range of nationalities.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would be very happy to go on some more adventures with Miss Cassidy, she is a wonderful character.

This was shockingly good. The narrator was so expressive, did accents well and fully gripped my attention. The story was multi-layered and rich, and Miss Cassidy truly was formidable. Loved this.

The Formidable Miss Cassidy is the most charming book that I’ve read in a while. Set in 1890’s Singapore, we follow a Scottish woman named, funnily enough, Miss Cassidy. She is a paid companion, but not the kind you’ve read about before. She encounters a host of strange and unusual creatures (like a banana-tree ghoul) and learns to make friends along the way.

First of all, can I just say that this is a delightfully unique book. I have always been a fan of supernatural stories set in the Victorian era, so I have read a lot of books with similar premises. But the setting, the characters and the overall atmosphere sets this book apart. This is a short book, but you grow to love the colourful characters quite quickly. In particular, the interactions between Miss Cassidy and Mr Kay were entertaining and heart-breaking (depending on which page you are on). I wish there was more to read about them and their story!

I also thought that the narration added to the story quite well. In the audiobook, the Scottish accent of Miss Cassidy makes the character seem cheekier and full of life. It also helped me to picture the character as a real person as I struggle to think in accents when I read a physical book. But once again, it felt too short! I wanted the audiobook to last longer.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical fantasies like Half a Soul and The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater. If you just want to read to enjoy, this is a very feel-good novel. But if you’re more like me and you want to learn a little while you read, this is also perfect for that. I loved the elements of mythology that were incorporated into the book.

Well written and well paced this is a unique book with an interesting plot and larger than life characters. The story sweeps you along whilst being quite fun and also mysterious. The narration was great and I really enjoyed the main character

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

When I first started to listen to The Formidable Miss Cassidy by Meihan Boey I wasn't sure what to expexct but I have to say I was really impressed with it, the story is about a ladies companion Miss Cassidy who arrives in Singapore to be a companion to teenager Sarah Jane Bendemeer who is the sole surviving daughter to Captain Bendemeer, but as the story unfolds you begin to realise there is more to Miss Cassidy than meets the eye, as she has a certain magic to her and she will protect her new famly to the best of her abilities.
This story has a charming innocence to it but with some magic and suspence thrown in, the characters are all lovely and the narrator Paula Masterton does an excellant job with the voices so each character is unique in its own right and easy to follow.
I hope there will be a sequel.

The Formidable Miss Cassidy by Meihan Boey is an enthralling blend of historical romance and suspense, packed with intrigue, charm, and a heroine you can’t help but root for. Miss Cassidy, a fiercely intelligent young woman whose wit and courage shines in a society that often underestimates her.
Meihan Boey’s storytelling is superb, creating a world that feels vivid and alive with historical detail alongside light-hearted historical fantasy. Miss Cassidy is an outstanding lead who is sharp, determined, and far from conventional. She navigates complex social structures with finesse, all while grappling with personal challenges and daring pursuits that make her feel both relatable and inspiring. The plot is expertly paced, balancing romance with a suspenseful mystery, and the narrative tension keeps you hooked until the final page.
The audiobook, narrated with warmth and nuance, brings Meihan Boey’s characters to life in a wonderfully immersive way. The narrator perfectly captures Miss Cassidy's unique blend of poise and defiance, along with the rich atmosphere of the setting. It's easy to get swept up in the story’s twists and the characters’ emotions, which are made all the more vivid through the narrator’s skilful portrayal.
Thank you to @Bolindaaudio and NetGalley for providing an Audio Listening Copy (ALC) of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This is a delightful, captivating story for fans of historical romance and mystery, and an audiobook experience that adds depth to an already outstanding tale.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable historical fantasy almost entirely set in late C19 Singapore. The history of Singapore has been well researched, and the fantasy elements add to the plot in practical ways, rather than as add-on, optional extras. Characters are well-developed and believable, fantasy notwithstanding.

I listened to the audiobook which is brilliantly narrated by Paula Masterton, and am hoping that the sequel will also be produced as an audiobook, with the same narrator.

I really enjoyed this audiobook; the narrator was fantastic, bringing each character to life in a way that made them feel distinct and memorable. Miss Cassidy felt like an adult version of a magical Mary Poppins, adding a unique touch to the story. The author skillfully wove a narrative that matched perfectly with the audiobook.
The story was structured in chapters by episode so it was refreshing see this type of structure
As well I loved how deeply the characters grow in the chapters and I would definitely adore read more about this characters. Overall was a brilliant and entertaining opportunity to lisent this audiobook

Miss Cassidy is a distinctive character whose skillset ranges from supervising young females to solving urgent crisis of real life. Mr Kay's ever expanding family could do some help with strange events surrounding him & Miss Cassidy seems to be just the right choice.

This was a cozy little family story tied by threads of ghosts. I enjoyed the supernatural element that made the mundane muggle lives a bit more interesting. For the most part, I could imagine the story progressing in Jane Austen's timelines, though situated in Singapore. It would have been just another book I read had the twists towards the end not been so astonishing (without any spoilers). So if you give this a try, do stick till the end and you can have a good dessert 😉

1890s Singapore and MissCassidy takes up a new role as governess, English tutor and friend. Mr Kay asks her to teach and look after his twin daughters. Her duties will be varied and some will be dark and dangerous. But Miss Cassidy is a formidable woman.

Very well written and well narrated (I listened to the audiobook). Great characters, setting and plot twists. Often funny even at times of great peril. Can Miss Cassidy protect her charges from a blood thirsty demon? Read to find out.