Mrs Boots (Mrs Boots #1) by Deborah Carr
Genre: Historical fiction
Read: 4th April 2020
Purchase: Amazon
(publication date: 27th March 2020)
★★★★★ 5 stars
The first book in a wonderful new series, MRS BOOTS by Deborah Carr is inspired by the life of Florence Boot, the woman behind the UK's favourite chemist. It's not a history of the Boots empire but rather the beginning of a promising story.
Jersey, 1885: Florence Rowe is 23 and lives on the channel island of Jersey with her family. The daughter of a successful shop W.H. Rowe Stationers, she and her sister Amy are assistants in the family run business. A self-confident independent young woman, Florence has no intentions of ever marrying and being under the dictatorship of a man. She intends to make her own mark on the world with ambitions of owning her own shop one day.
But then she meets Jesse Boot.
Jesse is on holiday on the island of Jersey when he is invited to tea one afternoon with the Rowes in their flat above the shop. A successful man in his own right, Jesse owns and runs a string of shops on the mainland in Nottingham and has only recently branched out and employed a chemist. He had shared the responsibility with his mother until her recent death, selling herbs for various ailments which she had procured and dried herself. His sister Jane, having visited the island previously, recommended he visit to take in its sheer beauty and to call on the Rowe's who had made her stay a pleasant one.
Florence's father had spoken of Jesse to his family but she hadn't taken much notice, having no interest in marriage but rather the important matters of running the shop instead. So when introduced to Jesse, she didn't expect to feel the reaction she did. The flutter in her stomach, the twinkle in his eyes, the flush of her face.
Over the coming days, Florence is tasked with showing Jesse the marvels of their island and in doing so the two find themselves sharing a camaraderie unfamiliar to them. Despite being a small island, the vast differences between the town and the coast is striking. Jesse finds himself drawn to its wonder and enamoured with his guide.
Florence has never experienced the feelings she now does but finds herself looking forward to her outings with Jesse and being in his company again. He is not like any man she has encountered before. He listens to her, encourages her and sees her as an equal rather than someone to kowtow to his whims. Together they enjoy a friendly banter and discussions about important matters, rather than trivialities.
Suddenly Florence, who never saw a need to marry, finds herself falling in love with Jesse and he with her, despite their twelve year age difference. Then when Jesse seeks her father to ask for her hand, the couple are overjoyed that permission is granted. However, neither of them foresaw Florence's mother's reaction, who flatly refuses the union and convinces her father to rescind his permission.
Instead, Jesse is to return to Nottingham and the two are permitted to continue their courtship via letter for a further ten months until the following summer in the hope that they would both reconsider their decision. But Florence and Jesse know their own minds and their hearts and the woman who vowed never to marry, now longs to marry the man she so truly loves.
However, they are restricted to writing and with every letter they confide in each other, growing closer and develop a love and respect that only deepened. Florence sought Jesse's advice with her ideas in implementing changes in the shop to helping those less fortunate. It's then that she soon discovers that she values Jesse's thoughts when seeking his opinion on things that trouble her. Just as he values hers.
It's then one day when a bedraggled young girl comes running into the open door of their shop to escape the angry man pursuing her, that Florence sees something in her frightened eyes. Lily Buttons comes from the poorer side of town, living hand to mouth with a father often in the local jail. But Florence soon learns that Lily has dreams...and potential. It just needs nurturing. Realising she has opportunity where others have none, Florence desires to make a difference in the life of others. An attribute Jesse admires in her.
Their love story and courtship is a sweet and hopeful story. And despite a year of separation when their love is tested, it is clear that their love will survive and all will end happily. Or will it? Will Florence's father grant his permission after the year has passed? Will her mother finally accept Jesse as her choice in husband and give her blessing?
Set in the Victorian era of the late 1800s, a time when the opinion of a woman wasn't permitted, where parent's wishes were obeyed and respected and social expectations were strictly adhered to, MRS BOOTS is like a breath of fresh air. It is captivating and romantic and I devoured it long into the night.
A gentle romance, MRS BOOTS is an easy read with an upbeat feel that is engaging and delightful. Some reviewers have said that they found the pace slow but not me. I was enthralled from beginning to end and couldn't put it down. For me, the pace was perfect. It was like a gentle stroll in the park with that feel of anticipation building fit to burst at times. It was the excitement felt in a courtship that just leaves you wanting more. It was perfect.
With the fabulous setting, the background, the supporting characters and the gentle romance between Florence and Jesse, MRS BOOTS is a beautiful captivating story I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.
I have no hesitation in recommending it to lovers of historical fiction and I cannot wait for the second in this wonderful series "Mrs Boots of Pelham Street" released in May 2020.
I would like to thank #DeborahCarr, #NetGalley and #HarperCollins and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #MrsBoots in exchange for an honest review.
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