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ambereatsbooks 's review for:

The London House by Katherine Reay
4.0
adventurous emotional informative mysterious sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This is dual timeline WWII historical fiction novel that focuses on a woman, Caroline, who’s great aunt is accused of betraying her family and country by marrying a German man. Caroline dives into her family history in an effort to prove that these accusations are false.

 I loved the distinctive way the author chose to unravel this decades old story. We follow the events of the past through a series of letters while Caroline also conducts ancestry research in the present. The epistolary sections were some of my favorite. I loved getting to know these characters through their intimate words to each other. The mystery element was so well done. I needed to know what happened to these twin sisters that the war forced to stay apart. 

The present timeline was equally engaging. I appreciated how the events of the past were woven into the current dynamics of the family. The growth that each member exhibited was a great lesson about how it’s never too late for second chances. I will be adding this author to my must read list going forward!