From my blog: Always With a Book

This is the first book I’ve read by Stacey Halls but it definitely will not be the last. I seem to be on a role with stories revolving around nannies/caregivers lately and I’m not one bit mad about it!

I love a good gothic novel and this one totally delivers on that end. In some ways I definitely got Rebecca vibes and I just loved that. The story grabbed me from the beginning and I loved that not only was there a sense of mystery about a few of our characters – the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. England was quite strange to say the least but then there were the secrets that Ruby herself had.

I loved that I was constantly questioning what was going on and while this is a slow-burning type of read, I was completely captivated. I wanted to know what drove each and every character and what was going to ultimately happen with them.

This was such an atmospheric, tense read and if you enjoy these kinds of reads, I definitely recommend it.


Audio thoughts: This story translated very well onto audio and I think Imogen Wilde did a fantastic job narrating it. I was completely captivated by her performance, so much so that I ended up listening to this one in just one day. Her pacing and intonation were spot on, even for the children’s voices, and I really found myself completely engaged in this story.

I’m taking part today in a wonderfully gothic and evocative read: Mrs. England by Stacey Halls. I have to say that I found it hard to believe that this book was written in 2022 as it feels so much like a novel from the early 1900’s (or even 1800’s). I loved this story of Ruby May, a nanny with a secretive past who finds her niche with the England family and their four children. There is an undercurrent of tension running throughout this book, as well as an air of mystery, and I just couldn’t put it down! Loved it!
Thanks for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Mrs. England in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist
Have you ever been so disappointed by a book that you didn’t even want to write the review, because you really did not want to think of it any longer?

Yup, that’s me right now. I can’t be bothered. On top of that, the majority of the reviews for Mrs. England are rather positive. So, what’s going on?

Do I just happen to be one of the few, who feel unimpressed by Mrs. England? Or did I miss something?

I don’t know. But I can tell you why I wasn’t the greatest fan of this story.

The Details
The protagonist, Ruby, is very inconsistent throughout Mrs. England. I wasn’t sure if she is just one of the moody sort, has some type of depression, or suffers from a split personality. She just keeps flopping back and forth, which makes for an unsatisfactory read.

The rest of the characters are pretty basic minor characters. Relatively one-dimensional, very predictable and for the most part not well developed or thought through.

The plot feels heavily inspired by Brontë’s Jane Eyre and I could feel a sort of The Yellow Wallpaper by Gilman vibe. Something about the premise and delivery of the story lack passion.

The entire story is built on the anticipation of something happening, which never occurs. With every page I read I had the impression that the next page would bring some sort of action, conflict, something that would make reading this book worth while. But that never happened.

There are a number of tangents, red herrings and twists that are supposed to keep the anticipation steady. None of them really lead any where and feel more like false promises.

It is deceiving.

The only other reason why I kept reading is because the writing was excellent. I could picture every scene, every room, and every character visually. Unfortunately, this does not make up for the lack in story.

While the writing is good, the amount of detail that is dumped on the reader for roughly 400 pages with very little to no action is very disappointing. Also, Mrs. England wraps up so quickly and on such a random note that I feel robbed of my time reading it.

The Verdict
Overall, I have to say the reason why I’m giving Mrs. England three stars is because of the author’s writing skill. If the quality of the writing had been a little worse, I would have stopped reading this story a long time ago.

Ultimately, I’m sitting here shrugging my shoulders, kind of happy that now I’m done with Mrs. England.

Mrs. England is the first book that I have read by the author Stacey Halls. As a former nanny, the book interested me. I have long been intrigued by Norland nannies and was excited to read a book with one as the main character.

Ruby May is a nanny for a couple in London and a graduate of the Norland school in 1904. When the couple she works for is transfered to America, Ruby is unwilling to go with them, due to issues in her own private life. Norland has a policy that a nanny cannot leave more than three positions without losing her position as a Norland representative, so Ruby refusing to go to America is seen as a blot on her record. Nevertheless Miss Simpson the manager of the institute finds her another position in Yorkshire, taking care of four children for the England’s a mill owner and his wife. When Nurse May get to the remote location, she finds the children delightful, the father cheerful and engaged and the wife, unengaged and remote. The servants are a bit standoffish, but the children make up for it. Then Ruby starts to sense the undercurrents and issues within the England’s marriage. The children seem to become pawns in the war between their parents and all is not what is seems. The book also has the backstory of Ruby and her family and the tragedy that necessitates Ruby staying in England.

I really enjoyed the nuances of this book, there was a bit of mystery as well as family drama. I recommend this book to readers or historical fiction, mystery and gothic novels.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author Stacey Halls for the chance to read and review this book.

With its gothic setting, its captivating protagonist, and its plethora of family secrets, paranoia, and deception, this was exactly my kind of novel.

Expert characterization coupled with a plot rife with menace and ‘gaslighting’, ensured that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

This story was a well researched snap-shot of Edwardian society with all of its class divides and its gender inequality. It made me uncomfortable in places, especially when the doors were locked down at night…

I thoroughly enjoyed Nurse May’s rapport with the England children. She was industrious, yet she never skimped on them having fun and using their imaginations.

The ending was a trifle enigmatic and obscure – though I felt it fit the book perfectly. It causes the reader to reread it… and wonder…

In short, I loved “Mrs. England”, and Nurse Ruby May. The time spent in their company was an enjoyable one. Now I’m desperate to read this author’s previous two titles.

London - 1904

Ruby May is a nursemaid trained by the Norland Institute. She is taking a new job as her previous employers are emigrating to America and she wants to stay near her own family.

She is now employed by Mr. and Mrs. England in Yorkshire to care for their 2 boys and 2 girls. The house is smaller than she thought it would be as is the nursery. As she settles in, she notices that some of the staff don’t seem to warm to her. In addition, Mr. England seems to be more outgoing whereas Mrs. England spends most of her time in her room.

When one of the girls is sent away to school, Ruby worries about her because she had not wanted to leave her home. She waits for her to write. She also worries about her own family and eagerly awaits letters from her sister.

Tension between Mr. and Mrs. England is palpable making Ruby wonder what is happening within the household. Can she trust either of them?

This book really kept my interest as I wondered what could happen next. It’s a real gothic treat with all of the dark moors nearby and the cold weather. I liked the England children. They were so sweet. Both Mr. and Mrs. England kept me guessing as to their secrets. At times, I wasn’t sure if I trusted Ruby either. Lots of secrets! I enjoyed this book and I hope others will as well.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Welcome to my stop on the #HTPBooks Harlequin Trade Press Publishing’s 2022 Blog Tour for historical fiction. Thanks #HTPBooks #Netgalley for a complimentary eARC of #MrsEngland upon my request. All opinions are my own.

In 1904, Ruby May is looking for a fresh start and accepts a position in Yorkshire as a children’s nurse for the Englands, a wealthy couple who live in the isolated Hardcastle House. Although she builds a connection with the three children, something doesn’t seem quite right with the servants or between Mr. and Mrs. England.

Atmospheric, forboding, and tense, Mrs. England is a story for fans who appreciate a histfic/mystery/thriller mashup. Not frightening, just tense. We’re figuring out what’s going on and where the danger may lie right along with Ruby as she’s instructed to “lock the nursery door at night.” The writing is rich with vivid details which helps us form pictures in our minds and create gothic vibes.

Despite the book’s title, the story revolves around Ruby. In the beginning, all the main characters seem a bit unreliable and it’s difficult to know who to trust. Ruby, a likeable character, is brave, determined, and compassionate but she definitely has some secrets. Mrs. England of the title is reclusive and mysterious while Mr. England, although controlling, demonstrates more care, concern, friendliness, and affection…but do we trust him? If you enjoyed Rebecca and Jane Eyre, you might appreciate the gothic elements and tension in this story.

We get the sense early in the story that there are many dark secrets. These secrets drive the story as we wonder whom we can trust and where the real danger lies.

For me, the difference between 4 and 5 Stars is personal enjoyment, connection, and the wow factor. Even though I loved the histfic element, gothic and thriller are a bit out of my zone of enjoyment. I think others who love those aspects of the story will likely rate this 5 Stars because it’s well written and constructed and contains all the dark atmosphere and tension. I’m definitely recommending Mrs. England for fans of Rebecca and Jane Eyre and for readers who appreciate a tense histfic/mystery/thriller.

Content Consideration: domestic abuse

Ruby is desperate for a nursing position. Her employment as a children's nurse in the elite households of England ensures that her siblings can afford to attend school, It ensures that there is plenty of food on their table and in their bellies. It ensures that they their chances and their choices won't be constricted by their family history or their family origin.

When Ruby accepts a position with the Englands in faraway Yorkshire, she leaves the familiar bustle of the city for a place of wild beauty and deep seated mystery.

It is a household full of secrets. As she becomes better acquainted with her employers, Ruby becomes more embroiled in their intrigues. She begins to question her own assumptions and is inexplicably drawn to gthe enigmatic head of the household.

I loved this Gothic infused, suspenseful work of historical fiction. The moors reminded me of the desolation and stark beauty of Wuthering Heights. Ruby’s determination and gumption reminded me of Jane Eyre’s singular self-awareness and self-actualization.

Ruby’s character is compelling, and determining who the real villain of the story is will keep you guessing until the very end.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls was one of my massively enthusiastically anticipated reads and I was thrilled when it delivered on all of my hopes. I loved everything about it; the enticing premise, the Edwardian era setting and the location of Hardcastle House with its red door in West Yorkshire.

Ruby May is a qualified nurse from the Norland Institute in London and after her current employer, the Radletts, move to Chicago, Nurse May finds herself anxiously searching for work so she can continue to support her sister. Accepting a post at the isolated Hardcastle House, Ruby will look after four children, two sons and two daughters, from the family of wealthy mill owners, Charles and Lilian England. The previous nurse had cared for Charles as a boy and died of natural causes. Mrs Lilian England is rather aloof, doesn't interact much with the children and doesn't involve herself in the household activities. Mr England is approachable and it's soon unmistakable who really runs the show. This is a slow-moving, eerie, gothic tale, with Ruby's past being revealed, and the relationships between the characters emerging.

Mrs England is highly immersive and though it could be said that not much happens, I just loved being privy to the interactions and backstories of the multidimensional characters. I was transfixed throughout and the ending surprised me. I intend to read more from this author, probably starting with The Foundling.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Mrs. England is an atmospheric tale, and it has a dark, Gothic feel to it. The mystery is a slow burn that is maybe a little too slow-moving for me, but I think that's more personal preference on my part rather than anything against the book. Much like the last book I read by Stacey Halls, her talent for atmosphere and setting a scene shines, and the characters and their lives held my interest and kept me engaged for a weekend in the past, at least figuratively. To sum it up, the characters are interesting, the story is engaging, and descriptive writing makes it easy to picture the location and era. I'll be interested to see what this author does next.

Having loved The Familiars by Stacey Hall, I was eager to read her latest book, Mrs. England. This book definitely had a gothic feel, and the plot was slow-burning until well into the story. I didn't mind this, but I can understand that some readers may desire more action.

Nurse Ruby May comes to the England family highly recommended by the prestigious Norland Institute, where she studied on scholarship. Throughout the novel we get trickles of information about a traumatic past event in Nurse May's childhood, and I found the reveal to be very exciting. The tension in the book is built slowly, but as stated earlier, may be too slow for some readers.

There were also some plot points that I would have liked to see explored further. Despite this, I rate this book four stars for a creepy setting, gothic suspense and characters to root for.

I will recommend this to readers who like gothic suspense fiction.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The story just plods along. It didn't feel like much happened. I stopped at 10%, but our average readers would give it 3-4 stars if it continues as it has.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this tale of a live in nanny. Nurse May graduated from a special school and her second job tending for children was not easy. The parents of the children were odd. I did enjoy learning about some of the area around where this took place. I also felt sorry for the children that had to work in the mills around that time period. This will make you laugh and cry and feel awful. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I enjoyed this book, but felt it was a little heavy for me at the moment. Read at a different time in a different frame of mind, I know I would have liked it more. It is atmospheric, a little Gothic, and reminded me both of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. This is not a quick read, and it definitely demands full attention. But fans of Edwardian England will enjoy the accuracy of the period as well as the exploration of gender roles of the time. I would find this author again.

Remote location, two women, Edwardian timelines.......basically this could have been perfect for me....had it NOT been so boring. MY GOD. 99% of this book is like...dark mystery and then 1% is the actual "meal" of the story.

I wish that Stacey Halls had burned the bulk of this book and started over with the exciting part and worked backwards.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Upon reading the first few chapters two things became very clear. One, Stacey Halls is a master of setting a mood, and two, she is also amazing a building suspense. I spent the rest of the novel not knowing who to trust, questioning everyone's motives and intentions, and wondering what was going to happen next.

Halls, is truly a master of her craft, and I'm so excited that I have two more books to catch up on.

#indigoemployee

Beautifully written, but largely plodding and boring. It lacks any real intrigue or suspense, so I found myself turning pages, hoping something would happen, but nothing did.

"Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs. England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, an enthralling tale of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception.

West Yorkshire, 1904. When recently graduated Ruby May takes a nanny position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear something is not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs. England.

Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband and is far from the angel of the house Ruby was expecting.

As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracized by the servants and increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there's no such thing as the perfect family - she should know.

This captivating new feminist novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Stacey Halls is her third work of fiction and proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our time."

Edwardian Yorkshire!

I felt like the book took longer than I would have liked to get going, but having said that once it was in the throws of the story I enjoyed it.
The characters were well formed and I enjoyed the descriptions of the locations which were not too lengthy but gave a lovely sense of place.
There was enough intrigue to keep my interest and the writing didn’t quite dip into melodrama which I appreciated!

An interesting, gothic type tale of a Nurse sent to care for a families children where all is not as it appears.

Ruby May travels to Yorkshire to care for the children of Charles and Lillian England in an isolated village where they are the owners of the local fabric mill. Charles not only runs the mill but handles all of the household matters as well while Lillian is rarely seen.

Strange things occur and Ruby becomes increasingly estranged from the rest of the servants. She is also hiding some things of her own that cause her to question what is going on with the Englands

Atmospheric and with good character development, it is a novel of family, women and independence.