The Lady Brewer of London: A Novel

‘The Lady Brewer of London’ tells the tale of the naive nineteen year old daughter of a wealthy merchant, Anneke Sheldrake who suddenly finds her family bankrupted when her father’s ship is swept away at sea. Forced to find a way to provide for herself and her siblings Karl and Betje, Anneke rejects an offer of ‘companionship’ *cough*servantship*cough* from a despised, newly married cousin and instead turns to her late mother’s family business—brewing ale. Armed with her mother’s recipes, she then makes a bold deal with her father’s aristocratic employer and the legal guardian of her half-sibling Tobias, putting her home set in Medieval England and family at risk. Thanks to her fierce determination, Anneke’s brew wins a following and begins to turn a profit, but her rise threatens some in her community and those closest to her are left to pay the price. As Anneke slowly pieces her life together again, she finds an unlikely ally in the aristocratic son and Tobias’ Master, Leander. Determined not only to reclaim her livelihood and her family, Anneke vows not to let anyone stand in the way of her forging her own destiny which led to an unforgettable historical tale set in fifteenth-century England of a brilliant woman’s defiance, courage, and ingenuity. Far exceeding my expectations, this compelling read had the perfect blend of European historical literature, minor doses of slice of life and women’s fiction. It was not over romanticized and the content feature showcased Anneke’s journey in becoming a brewmaster and everything that it entails. Though this novel comes with praises, there were a few drawbacks that prevented this being rated five stars. Anneke was painstakingly naive, gullible and immediate trust to those whose intentions are unclear left a bad taste in my mouth especially when it pertained to her newest employee, Westel. Despite everyone's warnings and growing suspicions when it came to his odd behavior, she simply ignored them which included her very own gut instincts and put her, siblings, and the staff in danger. It was difficult to look past her actions but considering her young age and primary shelter upbringing, I did give her minor leeway. Keyword: Minor. All in all, it was an absolute delight to receive this giveaway and I will most definitely seek out reading the author’s similar works as I had enjoyed ‘The Lady Brewer of London’ quite immensely.