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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
This is a compelling dual timeline novel set in World War II and the present day. When Caroline’s old college friend Mat shows up at her door, he is not there to exchange pleasantries, but to reveal family secrets. Caroline is so shocked by these revelations that she flies to her grandmother’s house in London, determined to find the truth. What she finds are much more than family secrets. She uncovers a rich, life-changing history and a written portrait, drawn in letters and diary entries, of a little-known relative. The character development and world-building really drew me in, and the story kept me riveted throughout. The WWII historical research is very well done. This intriguing novel of secrets, lies, war, and spies will keep you captivated and turning the page. Fans of historical fiction, World War II Novels, and family history will enjoy this fascinating tale.
I received a free copy of this book from Harpermuse Books via Austenprose PR. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book from Harpermuse Books via Austenprose PR. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
I was so excited for this book! Dear Mr. Knightley was my first book by the author, and I enjoyed this one almost as much!
Similarly to Dear Mr. Knightley, parts of the book were told through letters or diary entries, which I greatly enjoyed, as it created a dual timeline POV.
The characters…wow, there was just so much hurt and pain going on. My heart was breaking. In terms of a favourite character though, I adored Jason; I will always love the supportive, slightly overprotective big-brother trope. ;)
While I wasn’t originally sure what I thought of the apparent character swap between Caro and Margo at 16, since the change was rather drastic, I realised I’m not that same girl I used to be either because of what I’ve experienced. There’s good and bad things about that; definitely gave me something to think about. Also Caroline and Mat’s romance felt a tad rushed to me personally.
One thing Reay has a gift for is her food descriptions! Her books always make me hungry and inspire me to wander into the kitchen.
While I’m not a fan of love triangles and there was some content I wasn’t crazy about, I truly did enjoy this read!!
Quote that stuck with me:
“‘They lived with a ghost between them.’ Dad sighed. ‘That’s worse than an affair. Ghosts never age and they never die.’”
Content: nondescript hints of a man and woman having physical relations; rumours of affairs; some innuendo; mild description of a woman’s body changing after sickness; occasional use of “b-llocks” and “h-ll”; drinking; mentions of making love
Similarly to Dear Mr. Knightley, parts of the book were told through letters or diary entries, which I greatly enjoyed, as it created a dual timeline POV.
The characters…wow, there was just so much hurt and pain going on. My heart was breaking. In terms of a favourite character though, I adored Jason; I will always love the supportive, slightly overprotective big-brother trope. ;)
While I wasn’t originally sure what I thought of the apparent character swap between Caro and Margo at 16, since the change was rather drastic, I realised I’m not that same girl I used to be either because of what I’ve experienced. There’s good and bad things about that; definitely gave me something to think about. Also Caroline and Mat’s romance felt a tad rushed to me personally.
One thing Reay has a gift for is her food descriptions! Her books always make me hungry and inspire me to wander into the kitchen.
While I’m not a fan of love triangles and there was some content I wasn’t crazy about, I truly did enjoy this read!!
Quote that stuck with me:
“‘They lived with a ghost between them.’ Dad sighed. ‘That’s worse than an affair. Ghosts never age and they never die.’”
Content: nondescript hints of a man and woman having physical relations; rumours of affairs; some innuendo; mild description of a woman’s body changing after sickness; occasional use of “b-llocks” and “h-ll”; drinking; mentions of making love
This is not normally the type of book I pick up, historical fiction is not generally my genre of choice. I did however like Katherine Reay's way of telling the story in dual timeline between the present and letters/diary entries from the 1930's and 40's.
I found it interesting to be going back and forth between Caroline's story in the present and her grandma and aunt in the past. Rather than having total dual timelines however, the past storyline is given to us in stories. I found it interesting to tell the past story somewhat in order, but not completely as Caroline and Mat pieced it together.
I found this book incredibly sad. So much heartache and loss has happened in this family and it is no wonder that there is so much unhealthy relationships happening here. It was so hard to see all the members of this family being incredibly broken by things that go all the way back to the 30's and 40's.
I did enjoy the book and will check out more historical fiction in the future.
I found it interesting to be going back and forth between Caroline's story in the present and her grandma and aunt in the past. Rather than having total dual timelines however, the past storyline is given to us in stories. I found it interesting to tell the past story somewhat in order, but not completely as Caroline and Mat pieced it together.
I found this book incredibly sad. So much heartache and loss has happened in this family and it is no wonder that there is so much unhealthy relationships happening here. It was so hard to see all the members of this family being incredibly broken by things that go all the way back to the 30's and 40's.
I did enjoy the book and will check out more historical fiction in the future.
I liked The Brönte Affair so I thought I would give another off Reay’s books a read.
I LOVED The London House. The level of research, the depth of the characters, and the clarity of the narrative interwove these generational stories beautifully. To create and flesh out so many relationships with such clarity is remarkable. Usually in a story that takes on this much, a character is inevitably under developed and we are left with so many more questions. From the true main cast to the supporting characters, everyone was visible and accounted for. The settings were also rich and at times characters themselves. There were certain scenes that were all the more evocative because you could see where they were and how that location effected their interactions.
It’s a beautiful story of hope, strength, and the truly complicated nature of family and love. I highly recommend this book!
I LOVED The London House. The level of research, the depth of the characters, and the clarity of the narrative interwove these generational stories beautifully. To create and flesh out so many relationships with such clarity is remarkable. Usually in a story that takes on this much, a character is inevitably under developed and we are left with so many more questions. From the true main cast to the supporting characters, everyone was visible and accounted for. The settings were also rich and at times characters themselves. There were certain scenes that were all the more evocative because you could see where they were and how that location effected their interactions.
It’s a beautiful story of hope, strength, and the truly complicated nature of family and love. I highly recommend this book!
This is my first Katherine Reay book and now I'm excited to check out her other books! I always adore dual timeline novels, for their ability to show links between the present and the past. This one was no exception. The story traced one family's story between the present day and WWII, particularly dealing with the impact of Caroline (present day)'s great aunt who defected to Germany during WWII with a Nazi. Caroline, along with her old friend Mat, dive into these events to find out the truth through detailed research, journals, and letters. I really liked the way these characters connected to each other, and to other members of Caroline's family as history revealed itself.
My only complaint was that it did not seem quite so realistic how the great aunt's story affected the family, Caroline's father in particular. It just seemed a little too much... but who am I to say? Overall, this was a great book to escape in for a couple days, even if some aspects were not realistic and others were a little too predictable.
My only complaint was that it did not seem quite so realistic how the great aunt's story affected the family, Caroline's father in particular. It just seemed a little too much... but who am I to say? Overall, this was a great book to escape in for a couple days, even if some aspects were not realistic and others were a little too predictable.
Spectacular!
If you enjoyed the emotion and redemption of “Dear Mr.Knightly” and you enjoy historical fiction this book is a must read. This is the best book I’ve read this year! Fascinating history, beautifully flawed characters, and a compelling story.
If you enjoyed the emotion and redemption of “Dear Mr.Knightly” and you enjoy historical fiction this book is a must read. This is the best book I’ve read this year! Fascinating history, beautifully flawed characters, and a compelling story.
Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another workday until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. Mat has uncovered a family secret buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed her family and country to marry her German lover. Determined to find answers, Caroline flys to London and discovers letters between her grandmother and great-aunt that only lead to more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor, or is the truth somehow buried in the past?
I haven’t read historical fiction in SO long and this was book was a breath of fresh air! And it got me out of my reading slump ☺️ I was engrossed in this book from start to finish! The letters between Caroline’s aunt and grandmother made the story feel so realistic and gave me all the feels! WWII is my favorite era to read about and Katherine Reay did such a wonderful job with her research. Thank you Book Sparks, Harper Muse Books + Katherine Reay for my gifted copy!
I haven’t read historical fiction in SO long and this was book was a breath of fresh air! And it got me out of my reading slump ☺️ I was engrossed in this book from start to finish! The letters between Caroline’s aunt and grandmother made the story feel so realistic and gave me all the feels! WWII is my favorite era to read about and Katherine Reay did such a wonderful job with her research. Thank you Book Sparks, Harper Muse Books + Katherine Reay for my gifted copy!
I thought this book was really well done. It was a lot different from other WWII historical fiction that I've read. It focused a lot more on the present day and only gave glimpses of the past through letters.
I loved the aspect of family dynamics mixed with the mystery/sleuthing of what actually happened to their relative during the war. I do think that the romance with the main character was a little unnecessary, but I didn't completely hate it.
Overall, a great read I would recommend.
I loved the aspect of family dynamics mixed with the mystery/sleuthing of what actually happened to their relative during the war. I do think that the romance with the main character was a little unnecessary, but I didn't completely hate it.
Overall, a great read I would recommend.
Lazy, cliché writing. Cannot fathom how the rating is so high!
