The Repentants

by Kate Foster

Her scandal. His revenge. The unforgettable new historical novel from award-winning author, Kate Foster.

St Monans, Fife, Scotland 1790. Two women are forced to publicly repent in church, one for adultery the other for breaching the sabbath. Wealthy housewife, Florrie, and salt serf, Eliza, form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual humiliation. So when Florrie's husband decides she must accompany him on a trade venture to Iceland, she insists Eliza comes as her maid.

Far from home, isolated and fearful, the two women grow ever closer. Then Florrie's husband reveals his sinister he will leave her in Iceland, banished for the shame she has cast upon him. Florrie must escape, but when she turns to Eliza for help she realizes nothing is quite as it seems . . .

Inspired by an attempt by Scottish merchants to annex Iceland as a remote prison for the British Empire, The Repentants is a chilling tale of betrayal, exile and survival from the Women's Prize long-listed author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.

'Nothing short of a masterpiece' - Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal

Praise for Kate

'Tense, thrilling . . . with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail

'The tension persists until the last page' - The Times

'Enthralling, compelling and at times chilling. Foster transports the reader back in time, bringing alive the forgotten and hidden voices of women in the past' – D. V. Bishop, author of City of Vengeance

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 28, 2026

Reviews

[MidgeB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

I have read most of Kate Foster’s books and have always loved them. I am a massive fan of historical fiction and Kate Foster always writes with women at the fore and this is no different. This story follows 3 women in 18th Europe (Scotland and Iceland) who in the eyes of men commit sins and have to repent . It is horrifying to see how women were treated in the past and the punishments they were subjected to. Loved this and finished it in 24 hours .

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

Thank you so much to Chloe at Pan MacMillan & BookBreak for sending me this arc 🫶🏻

Set in Scotland in 1790, the story starts as a duel POV between Florrie & Eliza, our two 20yr old Repentants. Florrie is a young, rich bride stuck in a loveless marriage with a rather naive outlook on life. Eliza, who is more street smart, is a salt serf who has been contracted since birth to Jonny Aitken, Florrie’s husband. Both women are made to publicly repent for their sins - Florrie’s adultery & Eliza’s breach of the sabbath.

To try and escape the humiliation of her private life being made public, Florrie accompanies Jonny to Iceland, via Copenhagen, where he plans to manage the salt mines using prisoners that are anchored off shore. And she drags Eliza along as her maid.

This is where the story really gets going and you just know something untoward is going to happen. Upon reaching Iceland, we get a third POV from Hallgerd, a local woman who is fighting her own battles and forced to live under the control of a man.

We follow all 3 women as they try to fight back against the men who essentially keep them as prisoners & we also see that sometimes, not just the men are the enemy 👀. Florrie & Eliza really come out fighting and are determined to escape the clutches of Jonny & Iceland. There’s a few twists here & there and a few moments where I found myself holding my breath.

Kate’s description of a stark, cold & barren Iceland was spot on & I could feel the cold through the pages 🥶 The main focus was on survival and I loved it. There’s also a sense of danger as the story goes on & we’re made to realise the reality of women living in the late 1700’s - they weren’t seen as individuals but as property. And in Florrie’s case, a cash cow.

A fabulous read & one you should definitely add to your wishlist ✨

[NikyB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced reader copy. It’s the late 18th century and a bored housewife has a one night stand but is caught. She is made to repent in church with two other women. Her husband takes her to Iceland to work the salt plains along with her maid Eliza. There, 3 women find their lives entangled with each other. Excellent historical fiction- loved every minute.

[Jen James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1790, the setting, the small town of St Monans in Fife. Florrie Aitken is just twenty, but has already been married for two years. Despite her beauty, and her immense personal wealth, her marriage is not a happy fulfilling union. A moment of private hedonism becomes public when she is discovered, and subsequently must repent for her sins at the kirk, watched by the pious congregation. These events are the catalyst for a huge change in Florrie’s, and her husband Jonny’s lives.

Our story is told predominantly by two women, Florrie and Eliza, in alternating chapters. Eliza is a serf “contracted” to the Aitkens since her birth. Their paths cross at the public repentance, and remain entwined, in an increasingly complex manner.
The characters were vivid, richly drawn, and very human. I found myself, unsurprisingly, rooting for both women, while wishing the common poxes of the day on some of the men.

I was reading away quite happily, muttering to myself about the patriarchy, and then everything changed. The penny dropped, and I knew the book was going to change gear. It’s not just the men that Florrie must fear now.

As you would expect, Kate Foster gives the women of history their voices. The author shines a light on individuals, who have previously remained unseen and muted. I have become a huge fan of her writing over the last year, I loved The King’s Witches and The Mourning Necklace. If you love feminist historical fiction, Kate Foster is a must read for you. The Repentants is a tense, rollercoaster of a read, which had me on the edge of my seat. I loved it, I know many others will too.

[evelien]

STOPPOP IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Florrie's marriage is a disaster, she doesn’t feel loved or even liked. And it is that that causes her to sin by way of some afternoon delight with a stranger, which sets in motion a whole slew of events that will also impact others. I didn’t take to Florrie at all, to be honest. She’s a snob, horribly stuck-up and condescending, with no clue as to what goes on in the “real world”. By way of punishment, Florrie must publicly repent in church and follow a long list of "do's and do not's", tips to help her avoid repeating this extra-marital mistake. I admit I laughed, as some are completely hilarious, but also infuriating. Embroidery, indeed.

Also apparently in need of repenting in church is Eliza. She’s a salt serf, bound to her master via a certificate since birth. There is no way out of the life she leads. But Eliza has a secret. It is one that has landed her in church for breaching the sabbath, but also one that might just help her at some point. Especially when Florrie decides Eliza should join her on a trip to Iceland, where her husband supposedly has business dealings.

There are parts of the book description regarding their relationship that I found somewhat misleading. Implying that there is some quick bond between Florrie and Eliza feels like quite the stretch. Florrie most definitely treats Eliza as a maid, someone who's very much beneath her. But she also recognises that Eliza is her complete opposite. Eliza is independent, strong, bold, and seemingly unafraid. Qualities Florrie could use a wee dose off, for sure.

In Iceland, the reader is introduced to Hallgerd. She too somehow, and most unwillingly, finds herself entwined in Florrie’s story. However, her first priorities are her brother, who has been accused of murder, and a count who has his sights set on her family home. Hallgerd is a strong woman, used to being on her own while her husband is away on business, used to the harsh living conditions that Iceland offers, but her life is about to change. Somehow, these three very different women are going to have to set aside their distrust of one another and work together.

As often happens in Foster’s novels, the men do not come out of this looking well and few have redeeming qualities, if any. They are manipulative,  greedy, entitled, and extremely unlikable. There were moments that really angered me, especially where Florrie's husband was concerned, and I kept hoping she’d grow a backbone and stand up for herself. But her story, for me, was secondary and I was more interested in what would happen to Eliza. I kept hoping for great things for her, badly wanting her to be free to find her own way.

I will admit that I expected something more along the lines of Hannah Kent's 'Burial Rites' since it was mentioned that Kate Foster was inspired by an attempt that Scottish merchants made to annex Iceland as a remote prison for the British Empire. While there is a ship with prisoners, it works more like a tool to push the story forwards at some point but in the grand scheme of things it didn't play a big part. That's a minor point, however. More importantly, Kate Foster's writing is truly magical. It takes less than half a page to feel entirely transported to another place and time. From Scotland to the voyage on the ship and all the way to Iceland, the descriptions nearly made me feel like I was right there. Telling the story from the three very different points-of-view these women have really worked for me as well.

'The Repentants' is a tale of betrayal, revenge, and survival. It is atmospheric and full of flawed characters, showing that while men are often capable of causing grief, women are the worst to women - Konur eru konum verstar, as the old Iceland saying goes - but they must come together to topple the patriarchy. Another solid and absorbing offering from Kate Foster, who never seems to disappoint. I can't wait to find out what's next.

[Mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1790s were a bleak time to be a woman, regardless of your bank account. In The Repentants, Kate Foster takes us from the salt pans of Scotland to the desolate, volcanic landscape of Iceland, following Florrie, a wealthy housewife, and Eliza, a salt serf. Both are publicly shamed for their "sins"; one for adultery, the other for breaking the Sabbath. Their forced repentance creates an uneasy alliance that is tested when Florrie’s husband decides to dump her in Iceland as a permanent, cold-blooded punishment. It is a story about the fragility of female agency in a world where men owned the land, the salt, and the people.

Foster avoids the typical historical romance traps, instead focusing on the transactional nature of survival. Florrie is interesting because she is both a victim of her husband’s cruelty and a product of her class; she views Eliza as an escape route while remaining somewhat blind to the disparity between them. The growth here isn’t about a sudden awakening to equality, but a slow, gritty realization that they are both playing a game where the rules were written by someone else. The supporting characters, specifically the husband Jonny, serve as effective reminders that power rarely concedes anything without a fight.

In Iceland, the social rules feel as tough as the black rock under your feet. Foster throws us into this world through Florrie’s run-ins with the locals, especially Hallgerd. Hallgerd is basically a living reflection of how out of place Florrie feels. But she’s not just another outsider. She’s tough in a way the land demands, surviving in a place where nature itself is the real enemy. She makes it clear how lonely and exposed this place is. Home isn’t cozy here; it’s just another way to stay alive.

Foster draws the men with sharp edges. They carry the weight of their time, when women were treated more like property than partners. Every relationship is a negotiation, and nobody gives away kindness for nothing.

The atmosphere is thick and damp, ranging from the industrial grind of Scotland's salt industry to the oppressive seclusion of the North. Foster writes about the 18th century with a keen eye for the physical realities of the time, such as the odor of salt pans and the bodily toll of labor. She depicts the suppressed yearning and "lust" that society attempted to pray away, demonstrating how religion was utilized as a weapon for social control. It's an observational style that prioritizes precision over flowery descriptions, so the eventual betrayal feels more like a natural conclusion than a dramatic twist.

The remark on human avarice and environmental exploitation is particularly noteworthy. The book defines a line between how we use up resources and how people, especially women, are treated as less than human. It’s a sharp reminder that, even now, people in power still have a habit of brushing aside anyone who doesn’t fit their agenda. Times change, but that tendency stays.

If you have ever felt like an outsider in your own life or realized that your safety was tied to someone else's whim, this will resonate. It’s a quiet, intellectual look at how we survive when the world decides we’ve sinned. Foster shows us that repentance is usually just a performance for the benefit of those holding the keys.

[Helen_t_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Huge thanks to Mantle, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, for a GIFTED Proof of The Repentants by Kate Foster which comes out on 26th May.

Summary:
St Monans, Fife, in Scotland, in 1790. 
Two women are forced to publicly repent in church, one for adultery the other for breaching the sabbath. Wealthy housewife, Florrie, and salt serf, Eliza, form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual humiliation. So when Florrie's husband decides she must accompany him on a trade venture to Iceland, she insists Eliza comes as her maid.

Far from home, isolated and fearful, the two women grow ever closer. Then Florrie's husband reveals his sinister plan: he will leave her in Iceland, banished for the shame she has cast upon him. Florrie must escape, but when she turns to Eliza for help she realizes nothing is quite as it seems . . ..


The Repentants, like Kate Foster's other novels, is incredibly well researched, and is rich in historical detail. It was inspired by an actual event in the18th century, when some Scottish merchants hatched a plan to annex Iceland and use it as a remote prison for Britain's convicted criminals.

Foster takes this central fact as the centrepiece, but adds in further historical details of the period to give us a fuller flavour of life in that time. We are shown the 18th century industry of salt making; the power and influence exercised by the Kirk minister over the parish and the local community; what it was like for women to travel by ship at that time; and also the frankly gobsmacking practice of landowners still holding their tenants in serfdom from birth, in 1790.

It's a richly drawn picture of 18th century history in all its glory and shame. Where society is driven and controlled by men who reveal themselves to be morally ambiguous and hypocritical, and, by today's standards, exploitative, controlling, and misogynistic.

As we have come to expect with Foster's novels it is a strongly feminist take on history, and as all-powerful as these men are, she balances the accounts by having women at the centre of her stories who are strong, determined, resilient and resourceful. By dint of these women's natures, despite the exile, betrayal, vilification and shaming that they each face, by their collaborative approach, they are ultimately able to work together to achieve their own ends.

In Florrie, Eliza and Hallgerd, we have three distinct and strong voices, and their development over the course of the novel is well managed, though if I'm being completely honest, of the three, it was Eliza who was my favourite.

Whilst I found the pacing of the first half a little slow, this did pick up, and by the end it proves to be a satisfying read with all the ends neatly tied up.

Recommended for lovers of well-written and researched historical fiction, which has a strong female-focus.

[Annette Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Repentants by Kate Foster is a gripping tale of female rage and revenge that despite its setting under the Northern Lights is often dark and disturbing. The book follows two women as they travel from Scotland to Iceland in the 1790s when such a journey was beset with danger and almost unheard of for the "fairer sex".
Florrie and Eliza meet when both are forced to publicly repent of their sins in their local church in Fife, by participating in a ritual designed to demean and shame them in front of the congregation. Florrie was caught cheating on her husband and has become a figure of notoriety because of a scandal sheet describing her escapades while Eliza a "salt serf" or indentured servant owned by Florrie's husband has been found guilty of rebuking the Sabbath, or skipping church. Though they come from very different social backgrounds the humiliation that they endure together bonds them in a way, so when Florrie's husband Jonny comes up with a plan to open a salt mine and processing plant worked by English prisoners she convinces him that Eliza would be a good companion for her. He agrees and the party travels through harsh conditions to Iceland but once there it soon becomes apparent that there is more to Jonny's plan that opening a mine, he has not forgiven Florrie for her indiscretion, and he is not alone in his desire for revenge.
This is a bleak harsh story that perfectly fits the harsh and remote setting, and the author does a fantastic job of bringing the desolate landscape and sense of isolation to life on the page, you are so immersed in the story and the setting that you can almost feel the cold. All of the characters are flawed which just makes them feel more real, I did not always like Florrie but I could feel sympathy for the situation she found herself in, married off at twenty to a man who did not show her any affection, it was no wonder that her head was easily turned. Eliza with her harsh upbringing and hard life of enforced servitude was easier to like but again she was no innocent angel and again her mistreatment at the hands of men was a real focus of the book. The relationship between the two characters had a lot of development over the course of the book and I always love a book where the women are able to exact some justice of their own so the ending of this one was most satisfying.
Once again the author has taken inspiration from actual history and her research and attention to detail is always something I admire when reading her books and I find her writing style to be immersive, her books always hold my attention and this one was no exception
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[L. Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this book, because I don’t read historical fiction very often, but the twin settings of Scotland and Iceland intrigued me.

The narrative can probably best be described with a notion that’s repeated several times: “Konur eru konum verstar. Women are the worst to women.” This was an interesting stance to take, because most women-centric stories frame men as the main hurdles between women and freedom/autonomy/happiness, and I was excited to see further nuance applied to such fraught subject matter.

We follow Florrie, the unloved wife of a rich salt merchant, as she undergoes public repentance after having a brief affair with a visiting Danish colleague of her husband’s. Joining her on the repentance bench is Eliza, one of her husband’s indentured serfs, forced to repent for skipping the sabbath three times in a row (for her own very good reason). Wishing to escape the shame that follows, and pursuing a supposedly lucrative new venture in Iceland, Florrie, her husband, and Eliza (forced along as Florrie’s maid) journey to the remote settlement of Reykjavik, where their paths cross with Hallgerd, an Icelandic woman.

Ultimately, the Repentants outlines a scenario where the three women involved—Florrie, Eliza, and Hallgerd—cause each other just as much grief as the men around them. By tearing each other down and sabotaging each other, Florrie, Eliza, and Hallgerd at times contribute to the oppression women face at the hands of men. It served as a perfect lesson in how women can sometimes get in their own way, and only by cooperating can patriarchy’s archaic ridiculousness be undermined.

That’s not to say the male characters are any better. In fact, the entire cast are, at best, morally grey, which lends this book an authentic flavour of flawed humanity. No one is perfect because everyone is, in their own way, selfish and self-serving. This does make the characters (especially Florrie, who acts exactly as you’d expect a self-righteous rich woman to act) difficult to empathise with, but this fits with the overarching theme of “women are the worst to women”.

This was an overall enjoyable book. I found it easy to read, though I wish the writing style had been a bit more vivid. It was perfectly functional, but not really much more than that. At times the dialogue felt stilted in an almost “as you know, Bob” kind of fashion, which is fine for a book with a formal tone, but it became a bit much in places.

Thank you to the publisher for my advanced copy.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Mantle for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I love Kate's books so much so I was really keen to read this new one.

It opens with a bang - quite literally in fact.

Kate's books always make me cross - not with her, or the book itself - but because she shows the brutality that women had to live with day on day in history, how unfair everything was. And I just wanted to take the characters and bang their heads together so they realise that women are not always the enemy.

I love how Kate writes about women. No matter their situation or background or circumstances, they always have this hidden strength and power. I loved reading about Florrie in particular; Eliza is the complete opposite to Florrie in most ways, but they had this connection that linked them together in hardship and in strength.

Kate is great at creating a sense of time and space. The 1700s were a difficult time to live, even for the rich. And the comparison between them in Scotland and then in Iceland...they're both such harsh environments for our main characters and I loved the comparison of the characters between the two places.

I am always impressed by her research skills. Everything feels so historically accurate but it doesn't feel like she's just spouting out facts. It is worked so well together, it's effortless. I love how her books are based on real stories, and even better they are quiet stories, people we haven't heard of - she brings the underdog into the fore.

At first I thought it was going to be all character and little plot (which is how I like my books). But there is actually quite a lot going on plot-wise. It's got so much depth to it and yet somehow didn't feel overwhelming or confusing.

It wasn't my favourite of her books and I think that comes down to the characters. Florrie and Eliza were interesting to read yes. But I found most of the other characters so insufferable, and no in a "oh they're so bad but I liked them anyway" kind of thing. I just didn't like reading about them.

It got better as it went along. I found it a little monotonous and slow to begin with. But once they hit Iceland it becomes a completely different book and it just flew by.

She is still one of my all time favourite historical authors and I will continue to read everything she writes.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the pious religious instruction of Reverend Mitchell, no one in St Monans, Fife can escape their sin. Those who must take the repentance bench in April 1790 represent a cross-section of society. Unfortunately for Florrie Aitken, her wealth, connections and social standing are not enough to spare her from the humiliation of repentance on a Sunday morning in church and how she dreads it! Her shame extends to her husband, Jonny, who conveniently ascribes her transgression to a moment of madness; something that a lack of stimulation will help her to recover from. He certainly shows no inclination to reflect upon his own role in what transpired.

In the aftermath of this scandal, Jonny unexpectedly introduces a new business opportunity, one that will take them far from Scotland to Iceland - a place that is so remote and unpopulated that it feels like they have reached the ends of the earth. In this venture, Jonny seeks to establish saltworks using convicts for hard labour.

The novel unfolds from the perspectives of Florrie, Eliza and Hallgerd. Eliza is a salt serf, subject to servitude, but with a forthright and independent spirit that will not be broken. Hallgerd is an astute businesswoman based in Iceland. All three women come from very different walks of life, yet they each find themselves coping with circumstances shaped by greedy, power-hungry men.

In addition to each woman’s first-person narrative, the inclusion of Florrie’s diary entries adds an intimately personal dimension to the story. Foster is skilled at creating characters who feel vibrant and full of life. Her handling of the characters' development created a compelling narrative which showed how the women were transformed by their experiences, especially in the case of Florrie who is initially so self-absorbed and selfish.

If you enjoyed Kate Foster’s The Mourning Necklace, you must read The Repentants, another standout work of character-driven historical fiction.

Thank you to Mantle and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Repentants is a stark, beautifully crafted historical novel that lingers long after you close the final page. Kate Foster has a remarkable ability to take a sliver of overlooked history and turn it into something visceral, intimate, and quietly devastating—and this story of two women bound by shame, circumstance, and survival is no exception.

Set in 1790s Scotland, the novel opens with Florrie and Eliza—two women from opposite ends of society—forced to publicly repent for their “sins.” The humiliation they endure is palpable, but what follows is even more compelling: an unlikely bond forged in the aftermath of their punishment. Foster captures their dynamic with nuance and tenderness, allowing their friendship to grow in the cracks left by cruelty and constraint.

The journey to Iceland is where the novel truly takes flight. The isolation, the stark beauty of the landscape, and the creeping sense of danger create a tense, atmospheric backdrop. When Florrie’s husband reveals his chilling plan to abandon her there, the story shifts into a gripping tale of betrayal and survival. And as Florrie turns to Eliza for help, the novel’s emotional core deepens—because trust, in this world, is both precious and perilous.

Foster’s writing is elegant and immersive, rich with historical detail yet never weighed down by it. She explores power, class, and the brutal limitations placed on women with a sharp, empathetic eye. The fact that the story is inspired by real attempts to annex Iceland as a remote prison makes it all the more haunting.

A chilling, beautifully told novel about resilience, loyalty, and the dangerous bargains women have been forced to make throughout history. Fans of The Maiden will find this just as gripping—and just as unforgettable.

With thanks to Kate Foster, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Kirsty Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having loved The Mourning Necklace last year and subsequently binging Kate Foster's other books, I couldn't hit the request button fast enough with this one and I wasn't disappointed. The year is 1790 and Florrie Aitken is the independently wealthy wife of the man who owns half the village of St Monan's Fife, and many of the people who live there and work in his salt pans. Among these serfs is Eliza, salt master and Sabbath breaker. When Florrie is caught with another man, she and Eliza find themselves forced to undergo the public humiliation of repentance (donning sackloth and prostrating yourself in church in front of the whole congregation). When Jonny Aitken is offered a contract to set up salt pans in Iceland, he sees it not only as a buisiness opportunity, but also a way to rid himself of the wife who has brought shame upon his family. The Repentants is the story of three women whose lives, regardless of their status, have been shaped by men and their desires and who long to take back some control.

As with all of Kate Foster's work, this is gorgeously and evocatively written - she captures the time period beautifully. All three women are fully fleshed out and occasionally hugely unlikeable! I think it's a mark of truly feminist writing that women are allowed to be cruel, venal, selfish and petty as well as fiercely intelligent and capable of great love and care. They are allowed to be human, not role models or terrible warnings, not paragons or pariahs, just people. Foster does a good job of giving each character her own voice and having this reflect the circumstances they grew up in.

Highly recommended.

[Nic_thebookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ The Repentants Review ~

Ad/Pr

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I have rated all of Kate’s previous books 5⭐️ so couldn’t wait to read this. It did not disappoint…..

This is a powerful and immersive historical novel that shines a light on the silenced voices of women in the past. Set in St Monans, Fife in 1790 the story begins with two women publicly shamed in church for their supposed sins. Wealthy housewife Florrie and salt serf Eliza come from vastly different worlds. Yet, heir shared humiliation forges an unexpected and compelling bond.

When Florrie’s husband demands she accompany him to Iceland she insists Eliza join her as her maid. What follows is a tense and atmospheric journey far from home where isolation and fear only deepen the connection between the two women. But when Florrie’s husband reveals his cruel plan to abandon her in Iceland the story takes an even darker turn and trust becomes a dangerous thing.

This was such a compelling read. The feminist themes run strongly throughout the. The story explores power, control and the limited choices available to women in the 18th century. Florrie and Eliza are fierce, brilliantly written characters whose strength and complexity make them impossible not to root for.

Knowing the story is inspired by real events adds an extra layer of depth and poignancy. Kate Foster vividly brings to life a world where women’s voices were often silenced yet their resilience still shines through. It’s a gripping, thought provoking novel that you’ll want to be reading this year!

Thanks to Pan MacMillan for my early copy.

[Helen Haythornthwaite · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an intriguing story this was! I do love historical fiction, and this book opened up a whole new bygone era for me.

The Repentants are Florrie and Eliza, who were initially made to repent for what was seen as their ungodly behaviour. We then follow their journey, in 1790, as they travel from Scotland to Denmark, and on to Iceland. Both at 20 years of age, they couldn’t be more different from each other. Florrie is rich, unhappily married, shallow and rather naive; while Eliza is a serf, talented at her job, more worldly-wise and rather uncouth.

Once in Iceland, they meet Hallgerd - another woman who, like them, is under the control of a man. These men are in charge of the new salt mines in Reykjavik - and are going to start using prisoners kept on an anchored ship in the bay to work at them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into an 18th century Iceland: its rugged landscape, its isolated communities and the challenges faced if living there. It’s a time in which women didn’t have a voice; their very lives held to ransom at the whim of men. It’s one of those stories where you’re silently urging the women to stand up for themselves, while wanting to give the men a piece of your mind!

I loved the intrigue in this one; the little twists and turns; the attempts at double-crossing; and the slight shift in power, as the women begin to use their wits and wiles to steer the situation they have found themselves in onto a more desirable course.

A fascinating read which I was totally engrossed in, and could have read much more of!


I was sent a proof copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very loosely based on several proposals made during the Napoleonic Wars to annex Iceland for its strategic position, resources and as a possible penal colony, all of which the British government turned down, this is a fascinating historical fiction novel. Set in 1790 in St Monans, Fife, Scotland and told from the POVs of three women - Florrie, Eliza and Hallgerd alongside pages from Florrie’s journal.

Briefly, just 20 years old and Florrie Aitken is in an unhappy marriage. When a dinner guest of her husband suggests an illicit liaison, she agrees only to be caught in the act. The local priest insists that she must sit on the repentance bench and her spineless husband Jonny agrees. Florrie finds herself wearing sackcloth alongside two other women one of whom was one of Jonny’s salt serfs, Eliza, who was guilty of not attending church three Sundays in a row. When Florrie’s husband tells her he is sailing for Iceland to run a salt mine there Florrie insists on going with him, and wants Eliza to accompany them as her maid. In Iceland, meantime, Hallgerd’s husband is travelling and her brother has been arrested for murder. As a result, she’s been thrown out of her home and it’s now living in a small traditional Icelandic property.

There were things I liked and things I didn’t about all three women. They have all been treated appallingly by men and there are some real nasty evil ones in the book but the one I really hated was Jonny, what a misogynistic ape! Despite all their hardships I love the strength of, and the character development of, the women and applaud their hard won wars. A good entertaining and compelling read.

[Pippa Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding novel by Kate Foster.
This is a cautionary tale for the arrogant, for those who use power to suppress and manipulate…which unfortunately in the late 18th century pretty much meant every husband.
The Repentants tells the story of two woman, one (Florrie) is wealthy and the other (Eliza) a serf, who are judged, found wanting, and punished. Never mind that those judging them had done far darker deeds…
Florrie’s husband devises a plan to isolate and abandon his shameful wife in Iceland and thereby gain access to her fortune. Florrie and Eliza’s mutual humiliation gives them an unlikely bond and so Florrie elects to take Eliza along as lady’s maid on the voyage.
Iceland is a harsh, comfortless place and Florrie is forced to live in the equivalent of a peasant’s hut. But worse, she realises her husband intends to have her declared insane and steal her inheritance. Meanwhile, Eliza has other reasons to run away, but in a desolate, hostile place where she doesn’t speak the language, all seems bleak and hopeless.
But therein lies the joy of the story; the two woman take lemons and make lemonade. The evil machinations of the men folk are as nothing to when women stand together. Without giving the plot away, let’s just say there are some clever twists and a very satisfying ending.
The Mourning Necklace was one of my favourite reads of 2025, and now with The Repentants, Kate Foster has become one of my auto-read authors. Highly recommended for those who love a well written, solid story with plenty of atmosphere and a proper comeuppance at the end.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you walk along the coastal path in St Monans, you can see the restored windmill and the remains of the salt pans. Until I read this book, I don’t think I knew that until the end of the 19th century, the salt workers were all bonded serfs, literally owned by the estate from birth. In return, they had a job for life, housing, an education and medical care. There was no escape, however.

Eliza, one of the main characters, is one of these bonded serfs. Her master, Jonny Aitken, decides she will come to Iceland with him and his wife, Florrie, to serve as her maid when they travel there to manage a new salt manufacturing venture. Eliza has no choice but to go. She and Florrie have met before, when they were made to repent for their sins publicly in the church. This first section is really interesting and probably based on similar events, although not actual people. I can’t be sure as there is no historical note in my preview copy.

The journey to Iceland and the conditions there were interesting to read about but the storyline itself is so full of unlikely coincidences, unlikely events, and unlikely outcomes that I couldn’t take it seriously. It’s a shame because it promised so much initially. For me, this was a good read but unless the eventual historical note proves me wrong, too much of it doesn’t ring true.

With thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for a review copy.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

From St Monan's on the South coast of Scotland to Reykjavic in Icenland, we follow the fortunes of Florrie Aitken, young wife of a salt producer, and her companion in sin, Eliza. Both women have been shamed by their home parish, made to sit on the repentants stool in front of their neighbours and peers. and Florrie in particular is eager to escape the shame for a while by accompanying her unloving husband to Iceland with Eliza as her maid. Once in the icy climes of this foreign land, the plot heats up as Florrie, Eliza and their new neighbour Hallgerd must finds ways to escape the malign influence of the patriarchy that threatens to destroy their lives.
Another wonderful historical tale from Kate Foster, this story takes three very different women with little in common, and with much antipathy to each other and binds them together in a plot that is fast moving, unpredictable, dramatic and tense!
Told with humour and pathos, it gives us three women we can identify with instantly - Foster lets them throw off the behavioural constraints of their time by telling their stories openly, honestly and sometimes even bawdily. Yet they never feel anachronistic - their strength is curtailed by the power of the men that surround them - but their wit and ingenuity can never by outsmarted, especially when they work together in an unlikely alliance to achieve their goals.
A brilliant journey into the lives of ordinary women in the eighteenth century. I really enjoyed this book.

[Harriet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Florrie is 20, unfulfilled in her marriage, wealthy, attractive, and spoiled. She’s used to being admired by all, but her husband Jonny seems to have no interest in pleasing her. Jonny is self centered, the kind of man who tells her to stop crying after her mother dies because it upsets him: “Jonny has the remarkable gift of only ever seeing the world through his own eyes”.

Eliza is somewhat of a mystery at first: the same age as Florrie, they meet on the repentants bench of the Kirk after Florrie has been caught in adultery. As a serf she’s far below her in social status, but Florrie is fascinated by her self possession, beauty, and straight talking. When Jonny sets out for Iceland on a business venture, Florrie insists Eliza accompanies them as her maid.

Over the course of the novel, the women find themselves in an inhospitable land facing dangers, dark plots and machinations, and needing to rely on their own resources. Kate Foster has a real knock for historical fiction rooted in the real world and the pressures and challenges facing women when they have little legal agency. The descriptions of Iceland are beautiful! I loved the journeys taken in this book and was rooting for both Florrie and Eliza to find a way through.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Florrie, a wealthy woman trapped in an unhappy marriage in 18th century Scotland, is forced to publicly repent for her sins at the local church after being caught with another man. During the humiliating ritual she meets Eliza, a Sabbath breaker who is one of the impoverished workers in the salt industry from which her own money comes, and who she demands accompany her when her husband decides to travel to Iceland for business and to escape the embarrassment of his wife’s actions. In the desolate landscapes of Iceland Eliza uncovers the secret plans of Florrie’s husband and the two must work together to escape.

Kate Foster is extremely good at writing historical fiction with strong female characters and that continues in this book. Florrie and Eliza (and Hallgerd, who is introduced in Iceland) are great characters, very different from each other and with very different experiences in life, and I particularly liked the fact that, although they have to work together, they never quite overcome their distrust. The descriptions of Iceland are very atmospheric, and the plot has plenty of twists and turns (although I did feel it was a little too dependent on coincidence to drive it forward at times) - well worth reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

[Samantha Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly thank you NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the advanced copy of this book.

Her scandal. His revenge. The unforgettable new historical novel from award-winning author, Kate Foster.

St Monans, Fife, Scotland 1790. Two women are forced to publicly repent in church, one for adultery the other for breaching the sabbath. Wealthy housewife, Florrie, and salt serf, Eliza, form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual humiliation. So when Florrie's husband decides she must accompany him on a trade venture to Iceland, she insists Eliza comes as her maid.

Far from home, isolated and fearful, the two women grow ever closer. Then Florrie's husband reveals his sinister plan: he will leave her in Iceland, banished for the shame she has cast upon him. Florrie must escape, but when she turns to Eliza for help she realizes nothing is quite as it seems . . .

This is based on the historical attempt by Scotland to annex Iceland as a prison, which I was totally unaware of
The story of the two women and how their lives entwine as both try to escape the controlling Mr Aitken.

I loved on how the book was written from the viewpoint of two, and later three different women all trying to take control of their lives and futures beyond the controls of men and take back some of their power

[Kena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Repentants is another unputdownable book by Kate Foster!

The story centres on two Fife women, Eliza and Florrie, from very different social backgrounds whose paths first cross when they are forced to publicly repent for sins at St Monan’s Kirk in 1790. Their paths cross again when Eliza, a wealthy housewife requests that Florrie, a salt serf, accompany her to Iceland.

I found it a fascinating read with both women not completely trusting each other and yet needing each other to survive in 1791, which is very much a man’s world. The setting of Iceland, where they are outsiders and everything is alien, amplifies their distrust of one another but their need to survive and ultimately escape Iceland.

I found Florrie and Eliza very sympathetic characters. I found the Icelandic setting interesting. I hadn’t realised that Scottish merchants had attempted to annexe Iceland as a remote prison colony. It felt a well researched book.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 18th century Scotland, Florrie Aitken is caught in bed with a business colleague of her thoroughly unpleasant husband, Jonny, and punished for her adultery through public humiliation by the church as a repentant. Among the other repentants that day is Eliza, who is indentured to Jonny and works in his brutal salt industry, and from the start there’s a strong connection between the two women.

Things take a darker turn when Jonny takes Florrie to Iceland, supposedly for a business venture, with Eliza travelling alongside them as Florrie’s chosen companion. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Jonny’s plans are far from straightforward. There’s more going on beneath the surface, especially when Florrie’s past affair finds its way back into the narrative.

Kate Foster is an excellent writer, and this is a really strong story. I especially loved the descriptions of the Icelandic landscape, which are vivid and atmospheric and add so much to the mood of the novel.

(Copilot assisted me with the writing of this review - based on very specific prompts taken from my notes of reading the book.)

[Alexander Petkovski · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing me a copy of this book. I can safely say that Kate Foster has become an auto-buy author for me. So far, I have read three out of her four books and I have enjoyed them all immensely.

Like her previous novels, this one is also set in Scotland around the (late) 1700s where we follow three very different women, but all equally strong. Florrie is being forced to publicly repent after getting caught cheating on her husband. When she is doing her repentance, she meets Eliza, a headstrong salt serf who also must repent for breaching sabbath. There they form a strong bond. So, when Florrie's husband decides to go to Island, Florrie insists they take Eliza as their maid.

This novel was so eventful, it was extremely fun to follow these ladies. The story was full of intrigue, so there wasn't any time for the plot to be lagging. On top of that, Kate Foster's writing has somehow gotten even better. The only con that I have is that I wished the ending was even more dramatic and explosive. Looking forward to Kate Foster's next novel. Until then, I still have The King's Witches to read.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a good 75% of this book feeling totally furious about that the women endure at the hands of their terrible husbands/ men in their lives.
It's the story about Eliza a serf, Florrie and Hallgerd all of who have terrible men in their lives!!! Florrie and Eliza are thrown together and end up travelling to Iceland on what only sounds like an even more poorly thought (if that's possible) reform party scheme to get prisoners working on a salt mine for the profit of Florries terrible husband. The majority of the book if just felt cross and wondered if I was actually reading rage bait!
I've actually read a couple of books independently by the same author and they have a theme of injustice but this book is rather infuriating.
I really wanted to like it but just didn't as much as her others. That said, all her books are meticulously researched, well written and very clever.
I was offered to read this for a review but because I liked the mourning necklace and the maiden, I would have very likely bought or borrowed this from the library myself.
Read through netgalley for an honest review

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant novel!!! A novel about women, rich and poor, and their relationship with the world atround them: men, servitude, duty and expectations from husbands, society.... Needless to say, these women have no freedom. Each will strive to get as much independence as they can, depending on their own personalities and circumstances. How far will they get? A brilliant characters' development, I loved reading about their ways of thinking and trying to survive psychologically speaking.
None of the female characters are nice ladies: they are self-centred, egoistic and sometimes egocentric. I didn't necessarily like them at all, but I did feel much understanding towards them and ended up admiring them for their courage and inner strength. An excellent and very well written novel in a lively, vivid and gripping language!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

[Helen O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all Kate Foster's books, and enjoyed them a great deal, for all sorts of reasons. For me, The Repentants falls well short, All her books have dark themes, explore similar areas of life and feminism in history. They usually have strong, convincing lead characters, considerable depth and an excellent pace. I found this book unrelentingly bleak, aside from the last 10% where everything was neatly tidied up and the women involved more or less got some sort of closure and reasonable outcome. If the only information I had on Iceland was this I would definitely never visit. The several female characters didn't have distinct enough characters, it felt as if they were all cut from a similar cloth. The unfairness in the way they were treated by men and the system was nowhere near as nuanced and insightful as her previous work. I will come back to any of her future novels, but hope this was just a blip rather than a new pattern of writing.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read most of Kate Foster’s books and usually really enjoy her women-focused historical fiction, especially the way she brings real events and overlooked stories to life. The Repentant certainly continues that theme, with a strong emphasis on women’s experiences and the injustices they faced.

However, compared to her other work, I found this one a bit slow going. The pacing didn’t quite grip me in the same way, and the overall tone felt quite bleak throughout. While I appreciate that the subject matter is naturally heavy and rooted in difficult history, it made the reading experience feel more draining than engaging at times.

There were still moments of powerful writing and insight, and Foster’s commitment to telling these kinds of stories is clear. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t resonate with me as much as her previous novels.

Overall, an admirable and well-researched book, but not my favourite from her. 3.5⭐️