A Woman of Opinion

WINNER OF THE 2025 SALTIRE SCOTTISH FICTION OF THE YEAR from the bestselling author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley 'A triumph - vivid, exquisite, enthralling ' Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade ' Lusk conjures prose of a spell-binding elegance and charm ' Essie Fox, author of The Fascination ‘ Witty, insightful and moving ’ Sunday Times --- 'I shall be a thousand different Marys and, in such manner, shall find the one I wish to be...' Mary longs for adventure, freedom and love. When her powerful father schemes to marry her off to a foolish aristocrat, she has to find a man who will offer her the independence she craves Never one to fear a scandal, she elopes with Edward Wortley Montagu. Mary uses her charm and connections to live a life less ordinary – befriending poets, playwrights, and politicians. Securing a position for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, she travels east, where she discovers a medical miracle. But this new adventure will come at a cost, for Mary’s inability to abide by the rules and her outspoken opinions have gained her powerful enemies… ‘Skilfully weaves together themes of identity, ambition, and the pursuit of happiness…you won’t forget Mary after reading this’ Glamour ‘Exploring not only a fascinating period in world history but also the life of a strong-minded woman who refused to be silenced by society’s expectations’ Culturefly ‘Sean Lusk has made the voice of Mary Wortley Montagu ring clear and defiant through the centuries’ Shona MacLean --- Readers say: 'A five star read and one of my favourite books of the year' 'This book will take you on a journey with Lady Montagu, a clever, witty, humorous woman...A wonderful emotional story told with charm and warmth.' ' Exquisite ...rich in language, character and setting.' 'Fearless, witty, and inspiring ...both highly entertaining and incredibly educational.' 'Superb...if you are a lover of historical fiction then this is a must read ... one of my top reads of the year.' ' Truly exceptional , a book to savour – I loved it!'

WINNER OF THE 2025 SALTIRE SCOTTISH FICTION OF THE YEAR from the bestselling author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley 'A triumph - vivid, exquisite, enthralling ' Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade ' Lusk conjures prose of a spell-binding elegance and charm ' Essie Fox, author of The Fascination ‘ Witty, insightful and moving ’ Sunday Times --- 'I shall be a thousand different Marys and, in such manner, shall find the one I wish to be...' Mary longs for adventure, freedom and love. When her powerful father schemes to marry her off to a foolish aristocrat, she has to find a man who will offer her the independence she craves Never one to fear a scandal, she elopes with Edward Wortley Montagu. Mary uses her charm and connections to live a life less ordinary – befriending poets, playwrights, and politicians. Securing a position for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, she travels east, where she discovers a medical miracle. But this new adventure will come at a cost, for Mary’s inability to abide by the rules and her outspoken opinions have gained her powerful enemies… ‘Skilfully weaves together themes of identity, ambition, and the pursuit of happiness…you won’t forget Mary after reading this’ Glamour ‘Exploring not only a fascinating period in world history but also the life of a strong-minded woman who refused to be silenced by society’s expectations’ Culturefly ‘Sean Lusk has made the voice of Mary Wortley Montagu ring clear and defiant through the centuries’ Shona MacLean --- Readers say: 'A five star read and one of my favourite books of the year' 'This book will take you on a journey with Lady Montagu, a clever, witty, humorous woman...A wonderful emotional story told with charm and warmth.' ' Exquisite ...rich in language, character and setting.' 'Fearless, witty, and inspiring ...both highly entertaining and incredibly educational.' 'Superb...if you are a lover of historical fiction then this is a must read ... one of my top reads of the year.' ' Truly exceptional , a book to savour – I loved it!'

From the bestselling author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley , discover the illuminating historical novel about the extraordinary life of pioneering writer, poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu. ‘ Witty, insightful and moving ’ Sunday Times ' This book is a triumph - vivid, exquisite, enthralling and revealing' Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade ' Lusk conjures prose of a spell-binding elegance and charm - as charismatic as the woman who he brings so vividly into life upon the page' Essie Fox, author of The Fascination --- 'I shall be a thousand different Marys and, in such manner, shall find the one I wish to be...' Lady Mary Wortley Montagu longs for adventure, freedom and love, believing that only by truly living can she ever escape the stalking crow of Death... An aristocratic woman in 18th century England is expected to act in certain ways. But Mary has never let society's expectations stifle her: she writes celebrated poetry and articles advocating for equality, as well as endless, often scandalous, letters to her many powerful friends. However, Mary wants more from the world. Using her charm and connections, she engineers a job offer for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Travelling to Constantinople, Mary finally discovers the autonomous life she dreams of. And when she observes Turkish women 'engrafting' children against smallpox, she resolves to bring the miracle cure back to England. Despite this, Mary's reputation becomes increasingly tainted. Her inability to abide by the rules, her outspoken opinions on women's rights, and her search for love and desire at all costs gains her powerful enemies. While Mary tries to ensure her name will live on by arranging the publication of her diaries after her death, her own daughter works against her, afraid of what they might contain... An illuminating and beautiful novel, A Woman of Opinion gives a voice to the tragically unremembered yet extraordinary life of pioneering poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu. --- Praise for The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley: 'One of the best books I've read this year . . . completely unforgettable ' Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry 'Inventive, fantastical . . . memorable' The Times ' So powerful . . . like the love child of Charles Dickens and Isabel Allende' Ruth Jones, Sunday Times bestselling author of Love Untold ‘ Beautifully written , ingeniously crafted . . . absolutely enthralling ’ Sunday Express

From the bestselling author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley , discover the illuminating historical novel about the extraordinary life of pioneering writer, poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu. ‘ Witty, insightful and moving ’ Sunday Times ' This book is a triumph - vivid, exquisite, enthralling and revealing' Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade ' Lusk conjures prose of a spell-binding elegance and charm - as charismatic as the woman who he brings so vividly into life upon the page' Essie Fox, author of The Fascination --- 'I shall be a thousand different Marys and, in such manner, shall find the one I wish to be...' Lady Mary Wortley Montagu longs for adventure, freedom and love, believing that only by truly living can she ever escape the stalking crow of Death... An aristocratic woman in 18th century England is expected to act in certain ways. But Mary has never let society's expectations stifle her: she writes celebrated poetry and articles advocating for equality, as well as endless, often scandalous, letters to her many powerful friends. However, Mary wants more from the world. Using her charm and connections, she engineers a job offer for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Travelling to Constantinople, Mary finally discovers the autonomous life she dreams of. And when she observes Turkish women 'engrafting' children against smallpox, she resolves to bring the miracle cure back to England. Despite this, Mary's reputation becomes increasingly tainted. Her inability to abide by the rules, her outspoken opinions on women's rights, and her search for love and desire at all costs gains her powerful enemies. While Mary tries to ensure her name will live on by arranging the publication of her diaries after her death, her own daughter works against her, afraid of what they might contain... An illuminating and beautiful novel, A Woman of Opinion gives a voice to the tragically unremembered yet extraordinary life of pioneering poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu. --- Praise for The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley: 'One of the best books I've read this year . . . completely unforgettable ' Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry 'Inventive, fantastical . . . memorable' The Times ' So powerful . . . like the love child of Charles Dickens and Isabel Allende' Ruth Jones, Sunday Times bestselling author of Love Untold ‘ Beautifully written , ingeniously crafted . . . absolutely enthralling ’ Sunday Express