I wish I'd loved THE GLASS HOUSE by Beatrice Colin, out September 15th, a little bit more, because it hit on so many elements I love in a historical fiction novel. Set in 1900s Scotland, Cicely Pick and her daughter leave India behind to visit Cicely's husband's family estate, Bamarra, and his sister, Antonia. Antonia's been feeling the doldrums - nothing she's wanted for her life has happened, and she seriously needs a shake-up. Her sister-in-law and lively young niece take a (too) quiet Scottish estate and turn it into a whirlwind.

I really enjoyed the beautifully descriptive writing and lush imagery of Scotland (as an Outlander fan I'd already been dying to visit, then this!) and Antonia and Cicely are both really interesting, three dimensional characters who fail often and are far from perfect. The botany elements were fascinating to me, but could be a little dry to anyone who doesn't find plants and the plant-hunters of the time as interesting as I do. I also liked that this story revolved about female friendship rather than romance.

That said, the side characters weren't all that compelling to me, sadly, and I was a little frustrated by the constant misunderstandings - both Antonia and Cicely kept some pretty major secrets from each other that really complicated the storyline and their growing friendship. It felt really convenient as a storytelling mechanism, and was so consistent it never felt like major moments in the plot came about organically.

An interesting element of the plot was that Cicely is Anglo-Indian, and she and her daughter have darker skin than the Scots around them. Subsequently, they are 'Othered' by the bigoted Scottish high society matrons despite being wealthy and upper-class. The challenges she faced felt really authentic for the time period and you can tell the novel was extremely well-researched.

I'm giving this one three stars because while the predictability, misunderstandings and lack of compelling side characters was a disappointment, the writing, imagery and story was enjoyable overall and I was always eager to know what happened next. I'd recommend this one for fans of Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures.

The Glass House is not really a house. It's really an exotic greenhouse set in Scotland where the original owner, Edward Pick, has recently passed. The estate of Balmarra is now inhabited by his daughter Antonia and her husband Malcolm. At least until an unexpected visitor appears at their doorstep. Cicely Pick is the wife of Antonia's wayward brother George

Antonia has lived a secluded life, beaten down by her unforgiving father and disrespected by her husband. Cicely is from India, where she met George whose explorations were funded by her father. She and Antonia's lives could not be more varied. But they are thrown together and find themselves circling each other as a tentative friendship begins to grow.

I really enjoyed Beatrice Colin's beautiful descriptions of the plants and vegetation of Scotland and India, which play a central theme in this story. They are rich and immersive and I was quickly pulled into the cold, damp atmosphere and beautiful lands of Scotland.

I never felt like I got to the heart of either Antonia or Cicely however. Their parallel stories were a bit disjointed at times. And while both women grow and learn to find their true selves, it seems to occur rather suddenly rather than over time. Although the ending itself seemed a little too pat, I enjoyed this quick and easy read.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoy historical fiction. When the author can paint such a picture that it takes me to the place, to the time of the book, so much so that I don't want to come back to present day - it's pretty magical. Though I read a lot of historical fiction, I don't read as much about Scotland, so I thought this could be a good book. Other reviewers I trust have read and really enjoyed the book, so I had some high hopes. And overall, I really enjoyed the book. IT was an amazing setting, and I was curious to learn about the time.

I was disappointed, though, that the character development was a bit lacking. I never really felt like I got to know any of the characters. But it did feel like a strong "Girl power' type of book. These two ladies could probably take on the world! The men were so awful, though. It was difficult to take at times. But I could see this as a great book for a book club discussion.

Historical fiction that takes place in Scotland? YES! Occasionally I will read a historical fiction book that reminds me I do indeed, love historical fiction. The Glass House by Beatrice Colin is a must-read for those who enjoy stories of places and things from another era. This book is full of rich details and I loved the botanical references. Note, Edward and George Pick are no likeable characters AT ALL.

Here’s the plot:

Scotland, 1912. Antonia McCulloch’s life hasn’t gone the way she planned. She and her husband, Malcolm, have drifted apart; her burgeoning art career came to nothing; and when she looks in the mirror, she sees disappointment. But at least she will always have Balmarra, her family’s grand Scottish estate, and its exquisite glass house, filled with exotic plants that can take her far away.

When her estranged brother’s wife, Cicely Pick, arrives unannounced, with her young daughter and enough trunks to last the summer, Antonia is instantly suspicious. What besides an inheritance dispute could have brought her glamorous sister-in-law all the way from India? Still, Cicely introduces excitement and intrigue into Antonia’s life, and, as they get to know one another, Antonia realizes that Cicely has her own burdens to bear. Slowly, a fragile friendship grows between them. But when the secrets each are keeping become too explosive to conceal, the truth threatens their uneasy balance and the course of their entire lives.

Transport yourself by reading this stunning novel. Coming out on September 15!

When two women come together, either they make it or break it.

“Life twists and turns, George had written, and washes you up in places you never expected.”

Coming from India is an Anglo-Indian woman, Cicely, who in a whim of thoughts or perhaps back to corner for some financial reasons, set her daring sail to Scotland, foreign land to herself and her daughter, Kitty. Cicely, who was on a vital commission to confirm her husband's inheritance of Balmarra, the family estate. Thus, the story begins with Cicely’s unannounced visit to George’s family.

I have pretty much enjoyed the book and the journey it took beyond the coast of Scotland and the mountains of India. Applaud to Collin’s delicate use of language, and rarely I have read a book with such a description of places, nature, and past so adroit, mesmerizing, and eloquent that it almost kept me from returning to the present.


Huge thanks to Flatiron and NetGalley for this gifted copy!

FULL REVIEW here -->https://pagesandwindows.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-glass-house-by-beatrice-collins.html

I just finished reading my first Beatrice Colin and she absolutely did not disappoint. I'm honored to have read this before public availability because The Glass House is not one to miss.

What I liked:
👉 New York Times bestselling author
👉 historical fiction novel
👉 took me on a journey to Scotland
👉 two strong female characters
👉 learned a subject: botany
👉 unforeseen friendship
👉 so many secrets

SYNOPSIS of THE GLASS HOUSE
As many of us can relate, Antonia's life hasn't gone exactly as planned. Her and her husband, Malcom have drifted apart, her art career has come to nothing, and all she sees in the mirror is disappointment. Thankfully, she knows she will always have Balmarra, her family's grand Scottish estate with its exquisite glass house filled with exotic plants...or will she?

Her estranged brother's wife Cicely has arrived unannounced with her young daughter Kitty with enough trunks to last the summer. Why on earth would her high-class society sister-in-law come all the way from India besides an inheritance dispute? Cicely introduces excitement into Antonia's life upon her stay and as they get to know one another, Antonia realizes Cicely has her own burdens. As a friendship blossoms, though fragile, secrets become too explosive to conceal and the truth ultimately threatens their friendship as well as their lives.

THE GLASS HOUSE is a subtle and elegant historical fiction story. The author transports the reader to the Scottish countryside where two women are in conflict.

If you are expecting a drama-filled story, this might be too "quiet" for you. While it is a joy to watch the relationship between the main character and her sister-in-law develop, the plot does move somewhat slowly. Nothing super dramatic happens. But the writing is lovely and I especially enjoyed the botany descriptions and the evocative setting.

Recommended for fans of literary fiction.

I received “The Glass House” as part of a Flatiron Books giveaway and this is my honest review.

“The Glass House” is beautifully written and the style is elegant. The description of places and characters is so vivid that makes feel the reader transported in Scotland, witnessing the events unfolding.
In my opinion, the story takes some time to take off and, personally, I am not fully satisfied by the final twist, because I would have liked to know more about what happens to the characters, but I still consider this book an enjoyable reading. I recommend this book if you want to “travel” to the beautiful Scottish countryside for a few hours to meet the Pick’s family and learn about their stories.

I enjoyed this book a lot! I don't typically reach for historical fiction, but this made me think I should more often. I didn't feel completely satisfied with the ending, but it was nevertheless worth the read.

I loved "To Capture What We Cannot Keep," and this next book did not disappoint. Colin's writing is so elegant and well-paced.

The Glass House
By Beatrice Colin
August 27, 2020


How does it feel to look back on your life with disappointment? To realize your hopes and dreams have not come to fruition?

In this historical fiction novel, Beatrice Colin transports us to a majestic estate in Scotland, with its lush gardens and glass house filled with exotic plants. Although Antonia’s art career never materialized, she still has Balmarra, the grand home she inherited from her father. Or does she? When her sister-in-law, Cicely, arrives unannounced from India, Antonia worries an unsettling purpose lies behind this surprise visit.

Although I enjoyed this book and recommend it, I wanted a bit more from the two women. Both characters were closely guarded, and I longed for deeper conversations and interactions. I craved for them to speak up and tell us more! Also, I thought Mr. Baillie, who managed the glass house and gardens, might have been a larger contributor to the story.

The Glass House, filled with exquisite descriptions and details, reminds us everyone DOES have a story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, it took me a bit longer than I wanted to to read, but it was a great read regardless. I felt like the characters are perfectly fleshed out, allowing the reader to really get into the story. Young Mr. Baillie however I wanted to be more prominent. I felt like his character could have been such a huge part of this novel.

This is a very slow read. The “climax” was sort of off, which made it boring towards the end. I felt towards the end I spent a lot of time thinking “What is the point?”

While I felt these things, I still greatly enjoyed this novel!

It's Scotland in 1911. Edward pick is being buried. Then it's Glasgow June 1912. Cicely has been living in India. Cicely and her daughter Kitty have come to visit Antonia. They are trying to claim what they feel is rightfully theirs. I liked the characters,dialogue, descriptions. I wasn't a fan of what Cicely was up to.

Thank you Flatiron Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book!

Set in Scotland in the early 1900’s, Antonia’s life has not quite been what she thought it would be. Drifting apart from her husband and an art career that has amounted to nothing, she feels like a complete failure. She does have one thing though and that is her family’s estate, a glass house filled with exotic plants. One evening when her sister-in-law Cicely arrives unannounced with her young daughter and enough luggage to last a while, suspicions arise. Slowly the two women begin to build a friendship, but the secrets they keep threaten the balance of that friendship and the course of their lives.

This book was an enjoyable read and author Beatrice Colin did a great job at really making you feel the emotions and strains between Antonia and Cicely (very cringe worthy at times). The setting and descriptions of the glass house and the exotic plants within them was amazing and something any plant lover would enjoy. The character development between the two though fell a little flat. A large majority of the book was based around the strain on their relationship and as that friendship did finally begin in the final portions of the story it felt a little rushed and left me wanting more.

Overall this book was interesting and kept me engaged.

I really enjoyed this book’s unique story line. I have never read anything quite like it. It has beautiful descriptions of Scotland, India and exotic plants.

It starts out with Cecely showing up announced at her sister in laws estate in Scotland. Cecely comes from India and she plans to take the beautiful estate and sell it to pay for her husbands exotic plant expedition. It takes longer than she expected to secure the estate and she finds herself striking up an unlikely friendship with her sister in law. As the two grow closer and secrets from the past and present swirl together, they must either band together or risk losing the real things that matter most to one another.

It takes some gumption for an Anglo-Indian woman to pack herself up, with her child, and travel thousands of miles from Himalayan India to Scotland. It takes even more gumption for that same woman to travel to rural Scotland with the express purpose of inserting herself in the middle of a tricky inheritance situation. It’s not hard to see that Cecily Pick is just that kind of woman. In the opening pages of Beatrice Colin’s The Glass House, we can see the Cecily is the kind of woman to breeze past any obstructions or objections by either not seeing them or just by refusing to argue.

Cecily and her daughter Kitty arrive at Balmarra, the estate belonging to her husband’s family, shortly after The Glass House begins. Cecily’s plan is to use her husband’s inheritance (the patriarch has recently died) to fund that husband’s botanical explorations back in India and her daughter’s education. We know before Cecily meets her in-laws for the first time (yikes!) that this plan will involve selling Balmarra and its enormous glass greenhouse out from under them. I was prepared to like Cecily. It wasn’t easy to be an Anglo-Indian in 1912 (or at any time, probably), but her grand scheme made me pull back. All of a sudden, Cecily was one of the grasping relatives that come out of the woodwork for will readings that I’ve seen in fiction. The difference this time is that we get Cecily’s perspective in addition to the point of view of the relative who’s about to have their life turned upside down.

I was expecting a lot more turmoil from the opening of The Glass House, considering what Cecily is up to. Instead, Cecily keeps her cards close to her vest when she finds her retiring in-laws. A large part of the story is told by one of them, Cecily’s sister-in-law Antonia. Antonia is the kind of person who life has passed by—a direct contrast to the take-charge Cecily. So instead of a bitter conflict about financial inheritance, The Glass House is a story about emotional inheritances because of the few things the women have in common is that they grew up with men who told them how they had to be because they were daughters instead of sons.

The Glass House is a solid story, recommended for readers who like family dramas set in atmospheric country manor house. The surprise ending is a wonderful conclusion to a story that had me guessing more than once. The only thing that could make reading The Glass House better would be a large mug of Darjeeling to accompany it.

I received The Glass House as part of a NetGalley giveaway.

Fresh off the boat from India, Cicely Pick appears with her young daughter Kitty on the Scottish doorstep of her sister-in-law, Antonia, and Antonia's estranged husband Malcolm. Intent on funding the expedition of her botanist husband (and Antonia's brother) George, Cicely intends to claim and sell the family estate, Balmarra. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, Antonia is both mystified and intrigued by the sudden appearance of her long-gone brother's wife and child. For her part, Cicely yearns for her Indian homeland and simply wants the business of her late father-in-law's will wrapped up. The two women form a wary and delicate bond, one surrounded by secret machinations on both sides as they weigh their own desires against those of their newfound relatives.

This book was...interesting. The first 75% or so is full of strained, awkward interactions. Not the most fun thing to read, but it made me physically cringe at several points, so it was certainly effective. I felt like some of the relationships, towards the end, were sort of thrown together without a lot of development, and wish there had been more in that regard. Overall, though, it was a simple but compelling period piece with a touch of the parable about it. 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this atmospheric story which revolved around the developing relationship between two very different women in 1912 Scotland. Cicley and Antonia are in-laws who have never met prior to Cicely's trip to Scotland. In fact, Antonia has no idea who Cicely is until that moment.

Colin did a fantastic job of setting the stage and highlighting the societal issues that both women were facing in both their personal and public relationships and environments. It was heartening to see them build a relationship during a difficult situation. This novel also makes you realize how important communication is in every relationship, no matter how difficult the subject matter.

The Glass House by Beatrice Colin is an excellent historical fiction that draws the reader in with its wonderful descriptions and literary illustrations that can only be described as a botanist’s dream.

I really enjoyed the slower pace of this book with its incredibly rich details of so many wonderful local species of plants as well as the tropical and rare varieties. The author was able to paint a picture so that the reader actually felt as if they were there walking along the paths, feeling the leaves, flowers, and stems brushing up against their sides, and smelling the wonderful perfumes of nature. As a Biology major, I truly reveled in these inclusions throughout.

But, do not think that this is all that this book has to offer. We also get to experience historical fiction within the early 1900s within Scotland and also India. We get a front row seat in regards to family dynamics, relationships, secrets, and the complexities surrounding these characters.

This book was very unique in that not only did it include botany, familial relations, but also complex and fascinating female characters and a dash of romance as well. I enjoyed getting to know Cecily, Antonia, and the surrounding family. They were interesting to say the least. Friendships, loyalty, secrets, forgiveness, and acceptance are all included into this book.

An enjoyable read.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Set in 1912 in beautiful Scotland, The Glass House is a poignant look into the importance of unexpected, meaningful relationships.

Author Beatrice Colin lays out a lovely tapestry of descriptive prose; I was instantly transported into the cold, damp, yet quaintly beautiful land of Scotland right along with our two main characters, Cicely and Antonia.

A look into the story:

Cicely has just arrived in Scotland on the doorstep of her husband’s family estate, Bamarra. Her intent: to help her husband lay claim to his rightful inheritance. The issue: her husband has sent her to do his own dirty work while he remains on a botanical expedition in India.

She meets her husband’s sister, Antonia, who now runs the estate—and it quickly becomes clear that obtaining the rightful ownership of Bamarra will not be as easy as Cicely had hoped. For Antonia is kind and welcoming, and it seems the task of up-keeping Bamarra on her own has begun to take its toll. How can Cicely claim what is rightfully her husband’s when it means ousting his sister out of the picture?

My thoughts:

I do wish that the overall story and rhythm of events had been more developed. I ended the book with a feeling that not enough had really happened to warrant its ending events. I had a yearning for something just a bit more—be that either in character development or more conflict, I’m not sure.

That being said, this was still an enjoyable read! Anything set in early 20th century Scotland will always have my heart.

**A big thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for sending me this ARC!**