The London House

GIVEAWAY

REAY, KATHERINE

THE LONDON HOUSE

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain's World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family's reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it's just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: in World War II, Caroline's British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family's reputation, Caroline flies to her family's ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the "Waite sisters." Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. They buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline's great-aunt actually a tractor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family's story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family's decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them eve further apart.

My Review:

Another compelling novel from Katherine Reay chock full of emotional angst and desperate hope. And it's part epistolary since the historical story is told mostly through letters and diary entries. So, yes, that means this is a dual timeline novel as well -- eeeppppp! 

I think what struck me the most about this novel is the way it shows the detrimental fallout that comes from not facing and dealing with our personal truths. Caroline's family is shattered -- she's the third generation of brokenness and doesn't understand why. Her relationship with her father has always been fraught and she's practically estranged from her mother. That's made her guarded, pushing people away before they can reject her (or so she thinks.) Her character growth is phenomenal and took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that kept my tummy tied up in knots. 

Mat is a college friend who could have been more if Caroline hadn't pushed him away. His sudden appearance in her life is shocking enough, but the claims he makes about her great-aunt being a Nazi sympathizer shatters the last remnants of her fractured family. Talk about an angsty romantic arc!

Love the multi-layered genealogical mystery and the way researching her family's past helps restore their present issues...and frees Caroline to believe in herself and trust in a hope-filled future.

I listened to the audible edition of The London House. Madeleine Maby's narration style was a perfect match for Katherine Reay's exquisite storytelling. This is another book where my 'reading' enjoyment was enhanced by listening to the audio edition. 

Please note: While not a Christian Fiction selection, this is a clean read with inspiring themes centred around family, forgiveness, courage and trust.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The London House, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 20 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck