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    The Apothecary's Daughter
    The Apothecary's Daughter
    The Apothecary's Daughter
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Apothecary's Daughter

    Written by Julie Klassen

    Narrated by Davina Porter

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    In this poignant Regency gem by Christy Award finalist Julie Klassen, Lillian longs to soar beyond her provincial limits. After enjoying London's sophisticated society and the attentions of wealthy suitors, Lilly returns home to help her ailing dad. Determined to resurrect his apothecary business, Lilly labors tirelessly-praying her family's secrets and her rivals' schemes won't cloud her future. ". an emotionally compelling and quietly powerful tale."-Booklist
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 8, 2009
    ISBN9781440718755
    Author

    Julie Klassen

    Julie Klassen (www.julieklassen.com) loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's Best Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full-time. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit julieklassen.com.

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    Reviews for The Apothecary's Daughter

    4.5/5

    39 ratings14 reviews

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    • 4/5
      First off, I loved the cover of this book and could picture Lilly Haswell looking like the lady on the cover. Lilly Haswell finds herself growing up working for her father in his apothecary shop and always looking for her mother to come back home to them. Her mother's disappearance has always had the villagers whispering. Lilly longs for travel and adventure, so when her relatives offer her a chance to come to London with them and enter into society and suitors Lilly decides to go. She later has to return to her village to help her father who has become sick and let the apothecary shop get run down. That is the main theme of the story, but there is also the men in the book; Francis, the young boy who learns the apothecary business with the help of Lilly and her Dad, who grows up into quite the handsome gentleman, Dr. Adam Graves, who Lilly meets in London, and Roderick Marlow the wealthy recluse of the town Lilly grew up in. All 3 men play an important part in the life of Lilly and all 3 have a chance to win her heart.What I especially liked about the book was the character Lilly first and foremost, but I got to know so many more people in this story. The author did a great job of letting you experice life in Bedsley Priors. I also appreciated reading a story and not knowing how it will end until I am practically through with the book. There were aspects of each gentleman in this story that I liked and could have seen Lilly end up with, but as the book neared the end, it was obvious who the true gentleman was that would be deserving of Lilly. You will have to read the book I find out who the lucky man is!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I normally don't read Christian fiction but this book was free for the Kindle and sounded intriguing so I thought I'd give it a try. (Incidentally, this was the first book I've read entirely on my new cell phone. It was fine in short doses - any longer than a half hour and my eyes would start to hurt from the backlight.)The Apothecary's Daughter is the story of Lilly Haswell, a young lady growing up in a small English village at the turn of the 18th century. Her mother has abandoned the family and Lilly is left to care for her mentally disabled brother and help her father, the village apothecary, in his shop. Along the way she must also decide among several eligible suitors.This book kept me guessing throughout which suitor she would end up with, although I didn't think she had that much chemistry with any of them. There was also a surprise twist at the end that came out of nowhere. I was pleasantly surprised that Christian aspect of the book was subtle. Prayer and church were mentioned a few times and that was about it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I adored this book, I think partly because it was so reminiscent of Jane Austen, whose books I love. I was in complete suspense trying to figure out which man Lilly would ultimately end up with. It was a lovely read, and I'm so glad I picked it up.
    • 4/5
      I picked this up not knowing that it was Christian fiction but I was pleasantly surprised. There is a fair amount of reference to prayer but the plot and events don't make you feel like you are watching an after school special on religion. The characters are well developed and storyline is intriguing. I recommend this book to CF fans as well as fans of historical fiction or romantic themes. The main character is a bit of a prude but it is to be expected I suppose.
    • 4/5
      The first thing that comes to mind when I think of this book is wow. The imagery set forth is beautiful and the prose is profound. Julie Klassen weaves a story of emotion, and beauty. Of a young woman just trying to find her way in the world. When we first come upon Lillian Haswell (Lilly) she is a daughter who wishes to do what most daughters do at some time in their life, flee home. But as the daughter of an Apothecary she isn’t sure how she will be able to do so. Enter the brother of her long missing mother Rosamond.Lilly is given the chance to go to London and experience a season by her aunt and uncle. They will sponsor her and dress her, and al of the other wonderful things of a fine lady in London. The offer she was waiting for! Lilly takes it and spends two happy years in London, she is flirted with, courted and almost makes several matches. Until that is of course the men find out what her father does. At the end of two years however Lilly is called home to tend to her ill father.We find a great many up’s and downs in the story of Lillian and her family. Her father Charles is a kind hearted man with some secrets in his passed, who is ailing and desperately trying to be well enough so he can continue the business. Her brother Charlie is such a loveable character, he is a bit simple, but loving and he tries hard. He finds his love in gardening.While the story has many tender moments that will make you cry I also enjoy some of the funnier. Lily has so many suitors she doesn’t know what to do with them. Roger Bromley from London, the next baronet of her town, Roderick Marlow, Mr. Shuttelsworth, Dr.Graves and her father’s old apprentice Francis Baylor OH MY! You will not be left bored when reading this book. If you’re a woman you will feel Lilly’s plight, living in a world where she knows the knowledge, enjoys the work and is good at it. But because she is a woman she is not allowed to practice openly. Because she is a woman she is supposed to rely on men, but they are all leaning on her!The Apothecary’s daughter is a coming of age story. You will follow the stories of everyone in the book, but mostly you stay with Lillian. She has heart ache, and confusion and happy moments too. This is a real story, and it sucks you in. You care about the characters, you love them. You begin to wish Lilly could go back to London, or should she stay home? You never know which would be better, not until the very end.
    • 4/5
      This novel is like an easy-read-Jane Austen - as the reader follows Lillian Haswell as she enters society, attends dances and parties, and meets suitors. The story also includes much about the medical world at the time and follows her as she helps her father, an apothecary in a growing village.There are a few small twists in the story, and Lilly's suitors kept me guessing until the book neared the end.This was a very easy read that I didn't want to put down. It is interesting to note the many differences in gender roles between the men and women in this book, as well as the ladies of that time versus the modern day woman.
    • 4/5
      There were so, so many things to love about this novel. First, there was an actual plot to this romance novel besides the typical "I love him does he love me?" plot. Lilly was raised by her father, an apothecary, after her mother left the family. During the novel Lilly embarks on a journey to discover where her mother left to and why. In the end she must come to terms with her mother's abandonment. In addition to that, Lilly's aunt and uncle take her from her small town of Bedsley Priors (which sounds a lot to me like Bedford Falls!) to London, where she learns to be high society and where her aunt hopes she will find a proper husband. Though Lilly loves her new life in London, when her father falls ill she must go back to her small town to help him with his business and to help him heal.I think what I enjoyed most about this novel was that even by the last couple chapters I still had no idea who Lilly was going to end up with. At points during the novel Lilly had up to three potential suitors at one time. For the longest time I thought she would end up with one man, though in the end she ended up with another and I felt as though she had made the right choice. In reading other reviews of the novel I was surprised to read that some readers felt like there was too much Christianity in the story that, they claimed, snuck up on you in the second half. I didn't notice any such thing. The main character is a Christian and prays on occasion, but I didn't feel the novel was overly preachy like some Christian novels can be. In fact, I wouldn't even classify this as a Christian romance novel, but simply a historical romance novel.The only downside to this novel was that I read the eBook version, which was riddled with typos, especially towards the end of novel. Extra letters at the beginnings of words, misplaces quotation marks, etc. It didn't ruin the novel too much and I'm sure a hard copy of the book wouldn't contain such errors. Overall it was a great read.
    • 4/5
      Another book that I listened to rather than read. This Christian novel takes place in England in the early 1800's. It involves an apothecary's daughter, Lillian Haswell, who helps her father run his shop after her mother leaves them. She has a younger brother who was brain-damaged at birth. Eventually, she goes to London to live with her aunt and uncle to try to make a match. Called home due to her father's illness, she finds the shop near failure and must do all that she can to save it. Two potential suitors emerge, and the rest of the work deals with her choice of a mate. A fun read!
    • 5/5
      Being an apothecary's daughter myself, I could totally relate to this book. I loved it!!! I especially enjoyed Julie Klassen's writing style which sucks the reader into the characters. I laughed out loud and cried big tears. I can't wait to read more from Julie. I was hoping she would continue the Lilly story...hint...hint., Ms. Klassen.
    • 4/5
      The romantic part of the book is rather predictable, but the writing about the apothecary and medical world at the time moves the book along very well.
    • 4/5
      What makes this historical romance stand out for me is the network of themes and ideas that interconnect and finally come together at the end. Even the title of the novel plays its own role in this. Things are revealed to be more and different from what they first appeared to be. I also liked the role that faith plays in this story. It is a matter of fact part of the story which I found refreshing.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The Apothecary's Daughter is an exceptionally well-written Regency novel. The female protagonist, Lilly Haswell, at 18 years is filled with longing for her mother who deserted the family, and for escape from the drudgery of her life in a small village apothecary shop. She has the opportunity to realize some of her dreams for a time, but then must return when her father's health fails.The characters grow and develop in the course of the story. There are several romantic prospects for Lilly, but the reader is kept guessing who "the one" is until the very end. The plot keeps moving with many unexpected twists and turns. The book was entertaining, but also emotionally-moving.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I love the detail in this book. The plot was very well thought out and keeps you guessing the entire book. I was thoroughly engaged throughout the entire book. It reminded me of the best of the Bronte sisters and Ms Austen's work, but in a language more reachable by more people of this time period without losing the essence of that time.I was a bit leery about it's message being too intrusive and preachy, as I've read other "Christian Literature", and at times the message feel intrusive and forced, not really adding anything to the story. It was not...in fact it was much in line with the writing traditions of that period and integrated well into the plot.I would highly recommend this book to any and all, that tend to like Auten and Bronte styles. This book is appropriate for young adults as well as those (like me) who are a bit older. It is great for rainy days, sunny days, or nights when you want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea or hot chocolate. You will feel transported to a world of sight, sound and smells...a pleasant world the Apothecary shop, a young girls worries, sorrows, and joys. (This review is from my B&N review)

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Ok, first things first. Let me start off by saying that I was VERY excited to read this book. Earlier this year, one of my best friends recommended "The Lady of Milkweed Manor" (another novel by Julie Klassen) to me, and I loved it. So when I saw this book in the "free eBook" section of the Barnes & Noble website, I downloaded it onto my NookColor immediately, barely restraining my squeals of joy. But I was disappointed. The story itself was very interesting, and I was hooked from the begining. But about halfway through it, I started getting really annoyed. The plot takes some really weird turns, the major characters do some very uncharacteristic things, and Lilly Haswell (the main character) seeems to change her mind every other second. It was very frustrating. *Spoiler alert*And I HATED the ending. What the heck happens to Dr. Graves? Does he just drop off the face of the earth? How come Lilly all of a sudden stopped liking him? He follows her all the way out to her town, (which should have made her happy, considering how much she seemed to like him in London) and then when he gets there, she suddenly falls in love with that stupid apprentice that's a year younger than her. SO annoying. It made me want to write an angry letter to the author.Also, the spelling and grammatical errors in this book were atrocious. Somebody needs a new editor, if you ask me.

      1 person found this helpful