The Woman and Her Stars by Penny Haw

Pub date: 03 March 2026

Historical fiction-Women’s fiction

320 pages

Description:

from the publisher

For fans of Her Hidden Genius and The Engineer’s Wife comes the awe-inspiring true story of Caroline Herschel, an 18th century astronomer who lived in the shadow of her brother, but learned to pave her own path among the stars.

1772. Caroline Herschel is beholden to her wildly popular musician brother, William, who rescued her from servitude and brought her to live a comfortable life in Bath. Caroline vows that, because William saved her, she must always remain by his side. When William becomes obsessed with the science of astronomy, Caroline follows suit, and soon, the duo are moving to Windsor to be close to court, so they can advise the king about the stars and become members of the Royal Astronomical Society. Overshadowed by her brother, Caroline quietly studies the stars, attributing her success to the men in her life. But when it becomes clear that Caroline is just as much the astronomer as the men in society, she will have to break free from the life she’s lived, and find her own place amongst the stars.

Based on the true story of Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848), The Woman and Her Stars shines a light on a woman who was raised to believe she was worth nothing more than to serve others, but whose genius and resolve made her one of the world’s leading astronomers. An inspiring story set within the societal boundaries of the Regency era, it is a journey of self-belief, friendship, and triumph. 

My thoughts:

I enjoy reading historical fiction. I like entering worlds and times with real personages, even though I know this is not biography.

This story about Caroline Herschel will be enjoyed by those who like stories about women who did not fully conform to the expectations of their times. It is always satisfying to see such women given a voice, even if, as here, it is many years later.

Caroline Herschel was a woman who made an astounding discovery. Get to know her and her brothers in this novel and find out how she accomplished all that she did.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All thoughts are my own.