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The Repentants
Not yet published
Expected 28 May 26Her 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.
Praise for Kate
'Tense, thrilling . . . with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail
'Masterful . . . I literally didn't look up from the first page to the last' – Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'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
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.
Praise for Kate
'Tense, thrilling . . . with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail
'Masterful . . . I literally didn't look up from the first page to the last' – Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'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
- GenresHistorical Fiction
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 28, 2026
3 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
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September 15, 2025STOPPOP IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Repentants by Kate Foster blew my ever-loving mind! Why have I never read Kate Foster before now?? Let me begin by making it absolutely clear that I loved this book. No ifs no buts no coconuts, this book dragged me in and tethered me in the same way Perfume by Suskind did. I was rapt and had to slow down as this is not a story to be devoured in one sitting, but I had to relent and allow myself to finish it in a second sitting
Primarily a dual POV that grows into a triple POV as the story develops. The story is based on three very different women in the late 1700s; Florrie Aitken, the wife of the cold and unloving Jonny Aitken is a pampered wife who makes a very significant mistake. This leads her to meet Eliza, a Salt Pan Master who works under lifelong contract as a serf in Jonny Aitkens Salt Processing plant. Both are publicly humiliated in the form of repentance at their kirk (church) in St Monans, Scotland. Both women are paying repentance for very different reasons and it is this public humiliation which drives Florrie to choose to accompany her husband to his new business venture in Iceland, to escape the public shame. Florrie chooses Eliza to go with her, who is incredibly unwilling, but cannot refuse as she is a serf, and essentially belongs to the Aitkens.
The already rampaging storyline goes up a notch when a third character is introduced. Hallgerd, another woman who has been terribly wronged while her husband was away in Copenhagen. Her brother is accused of a crime he did not commit and she is evicted from her own home by the Count sent from Copenhagen to oversee the running of new saltworks in Iceland, the very same which Jonny Aitken is to run. The three women are thrust together by circumstances beyond their control, but circumstances, which they decide together, will not dictate their futures
The character development in this book is outstanding and clearly defined, each woman with a clear storyline that meets the others and comes together to create a powerful backbone to a very strong novel. Each woman has differing connections to each of the main male characters and this in turn reinforces the very well researched social structures and sensibilities of the time. A story of empowerment that is at the very core of the strength of the feminist movement. Gaining independence and finding the strength to endure adversity, a core message in this book
Equally fascinating for the history, intriguing for the storyline, and inspiring for the empowerment this book is already firmly one of my favourites for 2026
Thank you very much to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan I Mantle and the incredible author Kate Foster for this outstanding ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Primarily a dual POV that grows into a triple POV as the story develops. The story is based on three very different women in the late 1700s; Florrie Aitken, the wife of the cold and unloving Jonny Aitken is a pampered wife who makes a very significant mistake. This leads her to meet Eliza, a Salt Pan Master who works under lifelong contract as a serf in Jonny Aitkens Salt Processing plant. Both are publicly humiliated in the form of repentance at their kirk (church) in St Monans, Scotland. Both women are paying repentance for very different reasons and it is this public humiliation which drives Florrie to choose to accompany her husband to his new business venture in Iceland, to escape the public shame. Florrie chooses Eliza to go with her, who is incredibly unwilling, but cannot refuse as she is a serf, and essentially belongs to the Aitkens.
The already rampaging storyline goes up a notch when a third character is introduced. Hallgerd, another woman who has been terribly wronged while her husband was away in Copenhagen. Her brother is accused of a crime he did not commit and she is evicted from her own home by the Count sent from Copenhagen to oversee the running of new saltworks in Iceland, the very same which Jonny Aitken is to run. The three women are thrust together by circumstances beyond their control, but circumstances, which they decide together, will not dictate their futures
The character development in this book is outstanding and clearly defined, each woman with a clear storyline that meets the others and comes together to create a powerful backbone to a very strong novel. Each woman has differing connections to each of the main male characters and this in turn reinforces the very well researched social structures and sensibilities of the time. A story of empowerment that is at the very core of the strength of the feminist movement. Gaining independence and finding the strength to endure adversity, a core message in this book
Equally fascinating for the history, intriguing for the storyline, and inspiring for the empowerment this book is already firmly one of my favourites for 2026
Thank you very much to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan I Mantle and the incredible author Kate Foster for this outstanding ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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
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
February 8, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
February 10, 2026
Kate Foster is now firmly on my must read list. Another cracking story from her- of three disparate women whose lives should never intersect but when they do it’s transformative for them all. These women are all subject to the choices men make about and for them at the start of the novel. Gradually their character development sees them realising what it is that they want and eventually seizing the opportunity to secure this for themselves. The descriptions of Fife and Iceland in this period (1790s) conjure imagery that make you heartily glad not to be living there at this time.
Thoroughly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book
Thoroughly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book
February 12, 2026
Another thought provoking and mesmerising novel from Kate Foster. Based on true events, the story of three women, all from different backgrounds and their relationships, pull you in and it’s difficult to stop reading. Set initially in Scotland and then Iceland, the author transports the reader to the bleak, cold, restrictive and difficult environment.
I have read and loved all Kate Foster’s immaculately researched books, and highly recommend them to lovers of historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and of course Kate Foster for the review copy.
I have read and loved all Kate Foster’s immaculately researched books, and highly recommend them to lovers of historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and of course Kate Foster for the review copy.
February 20, 2026
1790, St Monans. Two women stand before the kirk to repent, one a wealthy wife and the other a salt pan serf. Different 'sins' yet the same public humiliation.
What begins as an uneasy alliance between Florrie and Eliza deepens when they are carried from Scotland’s industrial salt pans to the stark, volcanic isolation of Iceland, where Hallgerd’s arrival adds another powerful layer to the story.
This is feminist historical fiction with real intellectual weight. Empowerment here is slow and strategic, not romanticised. Foster explores ownership of land, labour, and women. It delivers a tension that had me holding my breath.
This is immersive and quietly devastating.
What begins as an uneasy alliance between Florrie and Eliza deepens when they are carried from Scotland’s industrial salt pans to the stark, volcanic isolation of Iceland, where Hallgerd’s arrival adds another powerful layer to the story.
This is feminist historical fiction with real intellectual weight. Empowerment here is slow and strategic, not romanticised. Foster explores ownership of land, labour, and women. It delivers a tension that had me holding my breath.
This is immersive and quietly devastating.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC. As a fan of Kate Foster, it was a real pleasure to get this book and it did not disappoint. As captivating as her others, the visuals descriptions and complex characters draw you in. Another great book by Kate Foster.
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December 29, 2025A real historical event seen through the eyes of women who lived through it: doesn't get more interesting than that! I'm hooked and can't wait to read The Repentants!
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