Pleasing Mr Pepys

I’ve been fortunate enough to read a few of Deborah Swift’s books, though not as often as I would like because when they are released I am almost always in the middle of another book and then by the time I am done I’ve forgotten about her latest release.<br /><br />Luckily, I had some time for reviews in early Oct which coordinated with the book tour for Pleasing Mr Pepys hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. So naturally I had to hop on this one!<br />Personally, I am not a huge fan of historical fiction set in the 1600s. It’s just not my era but I try not to say no to reviews of books set in that time simply based on my personal preferences. Swift tends to favor that period and I have been a fan of the books she’s written. They are always, historically well researched and this latest book met the same expectation.<br /><br />I literally knew nothing about Samuel Pepys. I had no idea who he was or why he was historically important nor did I frankly care. When I started the novel, I basically had no historical premise for the main character but I quickly found myself wanting to know more about him. Everyone knows who the big name Kings and Queens are with a few Prime Ministers, but rarely are figures such as Samuel Pepys.<br /><br />I think that Swift was conscious of that fact and helped familiarize her audience accordingly. I was curious enough about the characters to do research on my own, but if I hadn’t been so inclined then Swift did an excellent job at providing information to readers so that they had enough historical reference to appreciate the characters.<br /><br />This novel is based on a real life person about whom not much is known–Deb Willet. Not much is known about Deb besides what Pepys writes in his diary. But in this book we get a fictionalized account of her life but yet it is rooted in fact.<br /><br />I loved the love story between the two main characters and there was plenty of espionage and intrigue to move the story along at a fast pace. I found Pepys to be a charming, romantic interest but he had quirks and flaws just like any other man, but yet I found him irresistible, flaws and all.<br /><br />If you are looking for a book that’s a little off the beaten path and isn’t about a historical figure who is perpetually written about, then consider picking up this novel. Swift’s historical research is marvelous and the quality of her writing is top shelf!<br /><br />I will say though, the cover isn’t doing anything for me. It’s band and has nothing to distinguish itself. Swift’s covers are typically well designed and eye catching so I was surprised to see it so poorly executed. Others might like it but for me it left me wanting.<br /><br /><a href="https://thelitbitch.com/2017/10/03/review-pleasing-mr-pepys-by-deborah-swift/" rel="nofollow noopener">See my full review here</a>

I’ve been trying to think about how to adequately describe my reading experience. To say that the story took me by surprise implies incorrectly that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it. I certainly was and very much so! Anyone interested in 17th century history is very well acquainted with Pepys and his diary, and a story that revolves around people who are mentioned in the diary piqued my interest immediately. I was particularly intrigued by learning more about Mistress Pepys lady’s maid, Deb Willet, and the controversy associated with her time in the Pepys’s household. Deborah Swift’s talent is in recreating the past, including those exquisite details of how people lived and worked, so I was expecting a domestic drama revolving around Deb while being completely immersed in Restoration London. I certainly got that and more! Like many of the unexpected twists and turns in the story, the author has sent us on a dark and thrilling tale of spying and espionage! And what a tale! Deb Willet is at first a naïve and innocent bystander who is manipulated and drawn into a darker web where no one gets out once they are caught. The net tightened around Deb so securely that I could not fathom how she was going to escape from all this and I dreaded where the story was likely to lead. The subplots were expertly connected and I worried over Jem and the others as well. I loved Pleasing Mr. Pepys from start to nail-biting finish. The author zigged when I thought she was going to zag and kept me guessing until the very end. An expertly constructed story and one that I would very heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys an intelligent historical spy thriller.

Too late to get my money refunded, but I find this writing to be designed for perhaps a young adult. I believed it would be of interest due to Mr. Pepys, but I don't have the patience to read the book to completion.<br /><br />

<img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1609095220i/30595686.jpg" width="300" height="193" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br><a href="https://www.thebooktrail.com/book-trails/pleasing-mr-pepys-deborah-swift/" rel="nofollow noopener">See the literary locations in this story</a><br><br>I always admire authors who can mix fact and fiction and then add the magi of what could have happened... Deborah does this very well and i spent ages with this book in the world of Samuel Pepys. Very vividly drawn and wonderfully imagined, I would recommend this for some clever evocation of Pepys world and some cinematic scenes of wonder.

"Pleasing Mr Pepys" by Deborah Swift brought Deb Willet, the Pepyses, and the London of the 1660s to life. I found this to be a really enjoyable story, perfect not only for seventeenth-century aficionados but anyone who enjoys a good book. This novel had a sympathetic heroine, Deb, who was very much a real-life person whom we know today from the diary of Samuel Pepys, for she was employed as a companion for his wife, Elisabeth. Not much is known about her life, and I think the fictitious storyline Swift created for the gaps was entertaining and detracts nothing from the little that we do know of Willet's life. Pepys is, well, Pepys (I found him lovably annoying, just as when I read his Diary - which, by the way, I would suggest people read before reading this because that makes the experience more rewarding). The plot included a love story I rooted for, complex villains, espionage, Anglo-Dutch rivalry, everyday living in the 1660s, social unrest, political intrigues, and a glimpse into two very different social spheres. I didn't want to put it down, and found myself thinking about the story when I went about my day - a testament to Swift's talent as one of the great historical fiction writers out there today. Possibly one of Swift's best books yet...and that's saying something.<br /><br />4.5/5

Something I love most about historical fiction is the fact that there are just so many stories to be told, from such a variety of perspectives. As many stories as I've read centered around some point of English history, I can't think of another novel I've read that's set against the rebuilding of London after the great fire. How I've missed this I don't know, but Deborah Swift does an excellent job of setting our characters within this topsy turvy world of upheaval and growth and showing just how dangerous this world can be if you take a wrong step.<br /><br /> Right off the bat the novel pulls the reader in with a whip-quick murder, one that had me wondering just what other thrills the novel would have in store for me. The story soon moves to Deb Willet as we see her leaving her domineering and cruel aunt's home for a post with the Pepys's and I began to wonder...how will this sweet and intelligent girl end up embroiled in the violent action that the story opened with? I've read a number of novels that deal with historical spy rings and the dangers and benefits that can come from being pulled into this exciting yet vicious world, however I was particularly drawn to this aspect within Pleasing Mr. Pepys mainly due to the fact that Deb Willet seemed so unlike the typical person ensnared into this sort of environment. She comes from a well-to-do family, is well-educated, and seems so innocent at first, wanting simply to do well in her new circumstances and to make a better world for her and her sister. If she's able to find her mother, who abandoned her and her siblings and who, she believes, ran off to London, more's the better. Watching Abigail, so adept at intrigue and deception, pull Deb into this sinful hidden domain, against everything Deb wanted for her life, was gripping and entertaining.<br /><br /> Something else I very much enjoyed was seeing London from two distinct perspectives. We get to see the opulent theatres and homes of people like the Pepys, but we also get to see the dank, dirty, and dangerous back alleys of the city, where people turn to sin to feed their families and plot intrigue against a King that refuses to pay them for work done to protect his throne. It's this aspect that really excited me as the double dealing and intrigue was absolutely fascinating. Seeing people brought as low as nearly possible and then watching some of them try to right the wrongs they've committed made this a redemption story as well, and I always enjoy stories where characters scrabble back onto the right path.<br /><br />Pleasing Mr. Pepys is scintillating and exciting historical fiction, all the more so since many of the character were actual people living and breathing this story. Like with all my favorite historical fiction, Swift includes historical notes at the end to flesh out fact from fiction. Having turned the last page on Deb, Abigail, the Pepys', and all the rest I now want to read more about their lives and the world they lived within. This is always a sign for me that the author did a great job of bringing their history back to life and I think historical fiction lovers will find much to enjoy in this story.<br />

Walking into Deb Willet's fascinating world is a gradual, glorious immersion into the sight, sounds and emotions of 17th century London, and as the novel progresses, this world becomes more and more real, until the characters move in and take over. I loved the smooth blending of detailed research and well-written fiction; it is apparent that Ms. Swift is a talented historian with a gift for making the past come alive. For those of us who know something of this time, it was delightful to relive such contemporary events as the Whores' Petition to Lady Castlemaine; while for readers who are not familiar with this period, the highly accessible characters and engaging language welcomes even those new to Historical Fiction. I loved the character of Deb - she always tried to find the best in some very difficult situations, dealing with conniving Dutch spies, lecherous Mr Pepys and the quicksand of her relationship with Mrs. Pepys. A novel of difficult quests and lost opportunities, I found it a real page-turner, anchored by Deb's adventures. She fell in love, lost her love, and yes...there is a very satisfying ending. Highly highly recommend. This is one for my keeper shelf, and I know I shall return again to Deb Willet and her world.

Pleasing Mr Pepys is the newest release by Deborah Swift. I thought it was a pretty good read. It is set during one of my favorite historical eras - 1600s in London. I believe this author definitely did her research for this time period. I found the characters to be intriguing and compelling. Samuel Pepys is a quite an interesting man.<br />I would give Pleasing Mr Pepys 4 stars and recommend it to those who love historical fiction. <br />I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.<br />

Set in 17th century London, the two main character points of view in this excellent novel are Deborah Willet, a young girl who goes to work as a lady's companion for the wife of Samuel Pepys, and Abigail Williams, an actress and mistress of a lord, who has a tragic past and a dangerous present, working as a spy for the Dutch. Deb unwittingly gets more involved with Abigail than she intends, and before long finds herself a part of a terrifyingly dark world.<br /><br />It is clear, all the way through, that Ms Swift's knowledge of 17th Century London is extensive; I particularly enjoyed this rare look at how life was for Londoners, post plague, Civil War and, of course, the Great Fire. The depiction of the dark alleyways, filthy lodgings, women of the night and the poor, unpaid sailors was so good I could see it all. Abigail Williams, though a 'baddie', is written in such a way that I liked and felt sympathy for her, and, indeed, for all the women, simply because of the social restrictions of the time.<br /><br />The plot itself is cleverly executed, building up pace gradually; by half way through the book I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, so eager was I to find out what happened. This novel works well on so many levels: as a thrilling tale of espionage, as a peep into the world of 350 years ago, as an historical education and also a love story, that of Deb Willet and the delightful curate, Jeremiah Wells.<br /><br />The Author's Notes at the end of the book were quite a revelation, as I discovered I'd been reading more of a true story that I'd thought; I deliberately left them to the end. Pleasing Mr Pepys is one of those pieces of historical fact/fiction that makes you want to find out even more. :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

Wonderful, wonderful book. Deborah Swift's writing and storytelling are a joy. Brings Samuel Pepys to life and "fills the gaps" in the historical archives with some superbly inventive fiction. Really looking forward to reading Part Two and Part Three.