1910 – A compelling tale of one woman’s fight for recognition in Bath’s leading department store. Hardworking and whip smart, Elizabeth Pennington is the rightful heir of Bath’s premier department store – but her father, Edward Pennington, believes his daughter lacks the business acumen to run his empire. He is resolute a man will succeed him. Determined to break from her father’s hold and prove … from her father’s hold and prove she is worthy of inheriting Pennington’s, Elizabeth forms an unlikely alliance with ambitious and charismatic master glove-maker Joseph Carter. They have the same goal: bring Pennington’s into a new decade while embracing woman’s equality and progression. But, despite their best intentions, it is almost impossible not to mix business and pleasure…
Can the two thwart Edward Pennington’s plans for the store? Or will Edward prove himself an unshakeable force who will ultimately ruin both Elizabeth and Joseph?
Previously published as The Mistress of Pennington’s.
What readers are saying:
‘It was so interesting to read … I hope Rachel Brimble writes another book about these characters. Highly recommend!’ Sharon Brewer, NetGalley.
‘The story was a pleasure to read as the writing was so very good and easy to get lost in … It’s a captivating read that touched my heart deeply and is currently one of my top 5 favorite booksto have read so far this year’ Clare Roden, NetGalley.
‘This story […] brought out the fact that hard work and determination pays and that you can succeed despite the odds’ Mystica Varathapalan, NetGalley.
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Set in the early years of the 20th century amidst the campaign of the Suffragette movement and aa growing awareness of the inequality of women in a “man’s world”, the story of Elizabeth Pennington’s struggle to be acknowledged as an equal by her father is one that captures the challenges and frustrations of the generations of women who worked together to change the way the western world operated. More than a hundred years after the events that frame the story, in a world that has changed so much and yet seems to have progressed so little at the same time, readers can still be inspired and challenged by the commitment and aspirations of Elizabeth and other characters in this book.
Magnificent and luxurious, the eliteness of Pennington’s department store in Bath and the exclusivity of its clientele provide Elizabeth both enormous opportunity and significant frustration as she fights to bring the business into a new century and to make it increasingly relevant to a rapidly changing society.
Through Elizabeth’s experiences as businesswoman, daughter, lover and friend, the reader is confronted with a number of issues that women faced, often finding them insurmountable, and thus gains a clearer understanding of why so many women fought so hard to achieve greater equality— not just the right to vote, but also to be treated with respect, to be able to make their own decisions, and to overcome all sorts of deeply-ingrained discrimination that plagued them.
Even though Elizabeth is of a much higher social class than most of the readers, she is relatable and believable in her frustrations and responses to the society in which she lives. The cast of characters are realistic and believable, presenting a fair representation and cross-section of the working and upper classes that existed in society at the time.
While there is some adult content, making it suitable for an adult audience only, this is a most enjoyable work of historical fiction that it well worth reading.
If you love strong female leads, then this historical series is for you.
Such a touching story of early struggles for equality between men and women, mixed with romance and healing. Elizabeth Pennington wants to prove to her father that she’s as good as any man who can run their store. When Joseph Carter comes in she feels an instant connection with him and begins to build a friendship. Through their friendship they help each grow and strengthen in their future endeavors. Great story with characters that you’ll love!
Very well written with characters I really cared about, this historical novel will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey and Selfridges historical television series. Set in a time of emotional change and hard fought struggle, this story is about women being seen as more than possessions and bargaining chips for their fathers and families.
Edward Pennington is a difficult man to read, easy to dislike, but I wanted to feel there was more to him. His daughter feels his behavior is responsible for her mother’s death. In the book this is paralleled by Joseph’s guilty feelings of responsibility for his own wife’s death.
Elizabeth Pennington is in the difficult position of being heir to a retail dynasty with the fault that she is not male. She is intelligent and strong willed and passionate, most of which are not given credit simply because she is female in a patriarchal society.
Joseph Carter is also intelligent, passionate, talented and strong willed. He is a visionary with philanthropic dreams. His father and grandfather before him were milliners and leather workers. His specialty is gloves. Although he wants to continue the family name and reputation for fine goods, his dreams are even grander.
Joseph takes a bold step toward achieving greater recognition and making his gloves available to a wider audience. Changes begin to happen the moment he and Elizabeth meet.
Will secrets between the two families be enough to be their downfall or can potential attraction between visionaries who are fighting for their own lives as well as for the future of the masses prevail and be strong enough to give birth to dreams?
The tension is thick as fog as they struggle to move forward and not encourage Mr. Pennington’s wrath. Can they bring the store into a modern age? Will they open their hearts to each other and risk pain?
A well rounded historical novel filled with growth potential and champions to root for.
Already being a lover of Rachel Brimble’s stories, especially her historicals, I was so excited to get started on this the first book in her new series set in Edwardian England. The Mistress of Pennington’s is set in 1910 at a time when women were still thought of as being incapable of having grand ideas of advancing themselves and of being equal to men, but this was also a time where small change was starting to happen and women were actually starting to fight for their rights, to get their voices heard and to be given the right to vote. This story features some of the struggles that women faced through the eyes of Elizabeth Pennington who tries to get her father Edward Pennington to give her more responsibility at their family store. Edward Pennington is a man very much prejudiced against women having any kind of position of authority, thinking that only a man has the intelligence to run his store and that Elizabeth should marry a man of his choosing for position and money. Elizabeth has other ideas about her life as she is a woman with her own mind, she is a strong and stubborn character that refuses to do her fathers bidding and fights him every step of the way. Joseph Carter is a forward thinking man that realises the changes that are happening and that there is a need to move with the times of the new modern era. He and Elizabeth bring forth those changes while trying not to fall in love. Their romance is very sweet and endearing it not only adds some very light hearted banter between the characters it helps to enhances the story. It pulls both of them emotionally in very different directions, and it leaves them both feeling guilty of where their romance will lead them and what consequences they will both face because of it.
This truly is my favorite of Rachel’s books as she has totally outdone herself with her attention to detail and accuracy of the time period of which the book is set. The story was a pleasure to read as the writing was so very good and easy to get lost in. The characters were interesting and very well developed as was the plot of this book. It’s a captivating read that touched my heart deeply and is currently one of my top 5 favorite books to have read so far this year.
A brilliant 5 Stars!
Elizabeth Pennington should be the rightful heir of Bath’s premier department store through her enterprising schemes and dogged hard work. Her father, Edward Pennington believes his daughter lacks the business acumen to run his empire and is resolute a man will succeed him.
Determined to break from her father’s iron-clad hold and prove she is worthy of inheriting the store, Elizabeth forms an unlikely alliance with ambitious and charismatic master glove-maker Joseph Carter. United they forge forward to bring Pennington’s into a new decade, embracing woman’s equality and progression whilst trying not to mix business and pleasure.
I wasn’t sure whether I would like this novel, reading the blurb it seemed it would be a mix of Mr Selfridge & A Woman of Substance but I was proved wrong. It was a very entertaining read Elizabeth a young woman desperate to prove to her Victorian father that his worthless daughter was just as hard working as a son would have been. Joseph was another hardworking forward thinking young man determined to be successful. Their attraction was immediate & they quickly grew to like, respect & then to love each other. Edward was what I think of as a stereotype Victorian man – stiff upper lip, outwardly seen to be all that was upright & proper but behind closed doors anything but. The story flowed extremely well & I found myself engrossed in it. I look forward to reading more from this new author to me
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read