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Cheryl Burman
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The Herbalist's Daughters: An unputdownable dual timeline historical fantasy (Book 2 in The Wise Women series) Kindle Edition

by Cheryl Burman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
‘Another beautiful and very readable Cheryl Burman story, intriguing from beginning to end.’ Reader review

Can the past be truly redeemed?

In 1997, Mara Ash discovers among her mother’s possessions the beautifully illustrated 19th century journals of the flora of the Forest of Dean by one Aaron Appleby. Tucked among the pages are two cryptic letters from Aaron to a woman called Hester.

One hundred years earlier, Aaron remains tormented by his guilt over Marianne’s fiery death above the river ten years ago. He cannot share Hester’s contentment in the cottage by the stream where she tends her plants and fulfils her ambition to be a herbal healer.

But when Aaron sets out to seek at least forgiveness if redemption is unavailable, he risks losing what solace he has gained.

Believing time and distance might save her troubled marriage, Mara travels from her home in Australia to the Forest in England to resolve the mystery of Aaron Appleby. What is his relationship to her? Why do his journals cease abruptly in the summer of 1897? Why don’t his daughters bear his name?

But as she uncovers the truth of her family, Mara finds herself challenged by her own unexpected journey of self-discovery.


‘The last chapters had me in tears, as these characters had become so beloved and their stories so compelling.’ Reader review


The standalone sequel to the award winning River Witch, The Herbalist’s Daughters weaves past and present into an unforgettable story of loss, redemption, and the legacies which shape us.
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  1. Book 2 of 2
    The Wise Women series
  2. Print length
    322 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 19, 2024
  5. File size
    1.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

review quote Another beautiful Cheryl Burman story and a flower
review quote The last chapters had me in tears
Review quote Lovely absolutely lovely

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DJY5N8WK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Holborn House Ltd (November 19, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 19, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the author

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Cheryl Burman

Cheryl Burman

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Cheryl Burman grew up as the child forever reading on her bed. But as this was Australia, she was also often tempted outside to the beach and the yabby creeks near her suburban home. When she moved to the Forest of Dean in SW England she, like Tolkien and Rowling, was inspired to write. Given she is lucky enough to live in a place chock-a-block full of history, legend and myth, there is much to draw on. She does so, as well as on her own childhood in Australia.

She started with middle grade fantasy, discovered a taste for historical fiction, also that short stories and flash can be fun, and now she has moved on to historical fantasy. She likes a challenge and a change.

As Cheryl Mayo, she is a former Chair of Dean Writers Circle and a founder of Dean Scribblers, which encourages the creative writing spark in young people in the community. She is also the co-author, with her (now sadly deceased) border collie of the ever-popular Sammy's Walks Dog friendly Walks in the Forest of Dean, which is available on Amazon and in local outlets in the Forest of Dean.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
37 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Annie D
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Mara’s quest to find answers to a family mystery leads her on a path to discovery…The mysterious Aaron and Mara herself..
    Both paths are traversed between the dual timelines and show the tenacity of both Hester and Mara..

    Please Cheryl… I hope the Wise Women series does not end here..
    Thank you
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kathleen Small
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spell-binding tale!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2025
    A spell-binding tale guaranteed to bewitch the reader!

    The Herbalist’s Daughter is a sequel to River Witch. I truly enjoyed River Witch, but The Herbalist’s Daughter is even more enchanting. Cheryl Burman masterfully handles the dual timelines that follow two stories separated by one hundred years but joined by family and love. Both groups of characters and the challenges faced by each group are compelling. The descriptions sing on the page, and the settings are lovingly presented. This book offers historical fiction, romance, loyalty, mystical elements, and familial links. It was a joy to read!
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  • Jay Veloso Batista
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lush and Introspective
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2025
    A middle-aged woman faced with the untimely death of her mother and a floundering marriage, finds a family mystery that carries her to the other side of the world, and gives “herself, and Peter, an opportunity to gain perspective on their marriage, a sort of absence makes the heart grow fonder gamble… a dangerous game.” The story contrasts Mara with her great-grandparents’ quests and tragedies, while reawakening in the modern woman the family’s connection to the Forest of Dean, the Severn River and the spirits of St. Cyna’s glen. For both Mara and her ancestor, “interwoven with the song of the nymphs comes Sabrina’s call, the river goddess telling… how she is strong, she is wise, and she must do what she needs to do.” This becomes a prophetic message for both Great-grandmother and her offspring.
    The story is steeped in characters’ anxious self-exploration of doubts and uncertainties; both generations agonize over their affairs, creating a mirror of character traits separated by a century. The author’s sumptuous descriptions make the book a joy to read: The lost progenitor grasps a “notion like it is a ladder held to the window of a burning house, the burning house being his tormented being.” The author not only masterfully introduces foreshadowing but paints wonderful pictures and plays to all five senses in the reader’s mind, especially smells, the perfumes of flowers, the scents of people. The writer uses masterful description to maintain the story's tone: “Thickening black clouds hover like the menace of war. Moisture hangs in the air, eager to transform into bullets of rain to attack the town in a repeat of the morning’s assault.” A kitten is “a plump thistledown of marmalade stripes and white chest, playful when not curled on a cushion in exhausted sleep.”
    This story is a satisfying and innovative extension of the original tale of Hester and Aaron and while it takes some tragic turns, ultimately the novel leaves one with a hope that the modern woman has followed the goddess’ advice, done “what she needs to do,” and has a chance for a better life and perhaps new romance.
    If you enjoy a cozy mystery, introspective characters, dual timelines and lush writing, I highly recommend ‘The Herbalist’s Daughters.’
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  • Lori L. Peckham
    5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully written and emotionally moving tale
    Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
    This was a compelling and beautiful story from the first page to the last. The characters were so engaging with fascinating storylines. I could hardly put the book down and was sad when I finished it (though I loved the ending). Burman's writing is lovely, descriptive and lyrical, as it deftly carries you through the timelines. I can't wait for more from this author.
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  • Paula Peckham, author
    5.0 out of 5 stars Two love stories compete simultaneously for your heart
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
    I love the way Cheryl Burman weaves the fantastical with the historical. This follow-up story to the River Witch continues Hester's story, now expanded to include her two daughters. Burman skillfully moves the story back and forth from the late 1800s to current day, introducing Mara, who is researching her family's history. Two love stories compete simultaneously for your heart, and you care just as deeply for both to have a happy ending. Burman leaves it to the last moment to answer the question, however, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I emerged from this story, feeling as though I'd been living in the Forest, walking alongside the Severn, and talking to my cat. Love, love, love this story.
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  • JShort
    5.0 out of 5 stars Historical fiction, romance, mystery, and magic - a combination you won't want to put down!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
    Cheryl Burman has once again written a fantastic tale that will captivate readers who enjoy reading across genres. In The Herbalists' Daughter, Ms. Burman's cast of characters are well-developed and engaging, yet she allows their flaws to surface making them both likable and relatable. Settings come to life with the author's poetic descriptions and her use of a dual time line will keep the reader on their toes. This novel will keep you reading into the night as a family's well-hidden secrets are finally brought to light.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lily Lawson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Page turning richness
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Cheryl Burman takes up the threads of River Witch and combines them with a more contemporary tale in dual timeline fashion. As with its predecessor (River Witch), The Herbalists Daughters can be read as a standalone. However, I suspect reading one will lead you to read the other.
    Burman has a style that urges you forward - one more chapter - and another and onward. The switching between time periods had me at times reading one more chapter because I HAD to get back to the hanging thread of the story in the opposite part of the story, but then it happened again in the other timeline, very hard to put the book down, clever stuff.
    I took to Mara at first mention (being already familiar with and fond of Hester.)
    The author, as always, has created a wealth of relatable characters in a story rich with detail and feeling. They camp in your head while you read and in between. There is an obvious wealth of knowledge and research woven into these tales.
    A treat to savour. 'Join us, learn with us...'
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  • Jan Maple
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Page-Turning Dual Timeline Mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a book that manages to capture and hold your attention without the need for violence or sensationalism. I loved the hint of the supernatural underlying both the historical and the modern-day timelines: the references to the river goddess, the water nymphs and the suggestion of supernatural powers and supernatural forces gave an added interest to the book while still being believable.

    I found the character of Mara to be sympathetic and relatable - although have to admit that I (slightly) preferred the historical mystery of what happened to Aaron Appleby. I really enjoyed all of the historical sections of the book!!

    I haven't - yet - read the first book in the series but found that this didn't interfere at all with my enjoyment of this lovely book.
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  • Trevor Robinson
    5.0 out of 5 stars A novel of sensitivity, beauty, and strength.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a novel of sensitivity, beauty, and strength. It is an intriguing slow burn in which the private lives of the main characters are as absorbing as the central mystery. With its shifting timelines and perspectives, the gentle storyline is captivating and teasing. The language is descriptive and beautiful, pulling me into the folklore of the Forest, so I felt I was part of the magical quest to solve a mystery.
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  • Natations
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully crafted story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Cheryl Burman’s The Herbalist’s Daughters moves seamlessly between the 20th and 21st Centuries keeping the reader enthralled as the story progresses. As expected from any of Cheryl’s books each person is a fully fleshed-out individual, one you feel you would recognize upon coming face to face. You care about the individuals and what happens to them. I have read River Witch, the first novel in ‘The Wise Women Series’, so some were already known to me. The detail is extraordinary, teaching me things about the Forest of Dean I wasn’t aware of (and I live here).
    I believe this is one of Chery’s best novels, showing her development as a writer of many genres. It is deeply engrossing; I turned the pages wishing the best for most of the characters. Beautifully crafted prose, moving you along with Mara as she journeys through her search for her family’s history.
    Reviews should not give away the ending, but I did turn the last page with a gentle sigh, pleased with how things were.
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