England, 1957. Olive Kersey’s only love never returned from World War II, and now, she’s alone and penniless. Then, the last person she ever expected to see again returns to Southwold. Olive’s childhood friend, Margery Paxton, arrives to claim her inheritance: Mersea House, a stately old home she plans to turn into the town’s only lodging. Olive’s life takes a sunny turn when Margery hires her to run the establishment. But Mersea House holds its own mysteries—and its own dangers.

First, rumors begin to fly when two enigmatic lodgers move in: Hugh Hodson, manager of the town cinema, and Mrs. Abigail Claypool, a recluse and war widow. And then, the completely unexpected: Margery is informed she has a new ward, eleven-year-old Juniper Wyckes, the orphaned daughter of Margery’s first love. Mrs. Lucie Pagett, Children’s Officer at the local authority, informs Margery that Juniper was severely stricken with polio as a child, and makes clear that she could be taken away if her welfare is in jeopardy.

This is a beautiful, heartwarming story based post war. I absolutely loved this book! It's characters are all loveable and I didn't want to stop reading. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author. Thank you Alcove Press and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#netgalley #theorphansofmerseahouse

Soft flowing, feel good book. Olive Kersey could never have imagined how her life would change when her old friend Margery Paxton returns to the village to take on the shop her Uncle Milkey has left her along with Mersey House which she decides to turn into a boarding house making Olive the housekeeper.
Things get interesting with the arrival of the first two lodgers, both with secrets to hide!
Then to add to the mystery Margery discover she has an 11 year old ward, Juniper.
It’s a feel goos story where friends and neighbours look after each other and to do kind acts for people.

This was so wholesome. I loved the setting of post-WWII England and there was a motley crew of characters. This was a straightforward happily-ever-after type of story but it was a fun journey to get there.

That’s not to say this was all fluff. It touched on some serious topics (particularly for the time period) - disability of a child, divorce, infidelity, homosexuality, and trauma after war. It didn’t dive too deeply into any of it but this isn’t that type of book. This is the kind of book that makes you feel full and happy after you finish.

If you love historical fiction, you’ll love The Orphans of Mersea House. Set in Southwold, England, post-WWII, this story features main character Olive Kersey, beginning right after the death of her mother when she is forced to start her life over. Her one love and her brother both died in the war, and she is what many would refer to as a spinster. However, her childhood friend Margery swoops in and rescues her from an otherwise dreary plight, and enlists her to help run and keep house for her new boarding house. Meanwhile, Margery receives news that she has an 11-year-old ward, Juniper Wyckes, daughter of one of Margery’s old flames. Margery takes her in, and Olive instantly falls in love. The caveat is that Juniper contracted polio when she was four, and as a result cannot walk on her own. As a result, her children’s officer from the local authority, says Margery can care for Juniper for a trial period–and she keeps an annoyingly close watch on her.

This book was a relatively quick but incredibly heartfelt read. Olive and Juniper’s relationship demonstrates the wonder of found family. I also loved the elements of romance sprinkled throughout, as well as the character development of the other lodgers in Mersea House. The writing pulls you into the time period, but also manages to deal with larger themes that are extremely prevalent today: LGBTQIA+ issues, adoption, terminal illness, and even suicide.

I highly recommend this book to anybody looking for a charming and wholesome historical fiction read.

THE ORPHANS OF MERSEA HOUSE is a heartwarming book that has endearing characters and a nostalgic storyline.

You won't be able to stop reading this book because it takes you back when things were simpler but not necessarily better but just plain sweet.

I loved the storyline of this book and the well drawn characters. It reminded me of simpler times for living.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Margery and Olive were childhood friends who had grown apart over the years. The war had come and gone and Margery had moved away to London. The passing of her Uncle Milkey brings Margery back to her hometown where she finds her old friend, Olive, who recently lost the last of her remaining family members. So the adventure begins as Margery gives Olive an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. The rebranding of Uncle Milkey’s store and the establishment of a boarding house keeps the women busy as they reinvent themselves. This story follows their growth as well as the lives of Hugh, Abigail and Juniper who live with them at Mersea House. A story of friendship, growth and finding love in all forms, The Orphans at Mersea House was a pleasant read. A bit predictable and sometimes slow moving, the story kept my attention. If you are looking for a steady, light read then this is the book for you.

Olive is alone after caring for her mother and is in need of a job.

She applies for a caretaking job, but her friend Margery moves back from London and tells her to not take that job but join her at Mersea Boarding House.

Olive and Margery are life-long friends. Olive is the sweetest person. Margery is an ok friend, but a bit tough.

They take in two boarders both with a story behind their personalities.

One day Margery gets a surprise when she is contacted by social services and is asked to care for her old boyfriend's daughter. Juniper is a sweet girl who lost her mother to polio and now her father. Juniper also suffered from polio and years of surgery and the iron lung.

THE ORPHANS OF MERSEA HOUSE is a heartwarming book that has endearing characters and a nostalgic storyline.

You won't want to stop reading because it takes you back when things were simpler but not necessarily better but just plain sweet.

Enjoy when you read this book. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a very enjoyable book. Well written with good character development. Thank you Netgalley for opportunity to read.

Set in 1957 England, this achingly beautiful and heartwarming book is thoughtfully written, charming and oozes with pure escapism. Marty Wingate is a superb author and The Orphans of Mersea House is one of my favourites of hers thus far. Family, love, acceptance, heartache, perseverance and hope are themes in this feel-good book.

At 37 Olive is left an orphan and "spinster" after her mother dies. Her dear childhood friend Margery inherits Mersea House which is located at the sea, renovated and offers permanent and temporary lodging. Olive becomes the housekeeper of Mersea House...and so much more. She is the glue which holds it together.
When eleven-year-old Juniper, daughter of Margery's ex first love and another woman becomes Marjery's ward, the house becomes a home. Juniper knows suffering too well as a polio survivor and orphan. But her winning attitude and zest for life are cheering and contagious. She and Olive have an especially deep connection as orphans. New relationships blossom and old ones are fostered.

My favourite aspects include the parallels between Olive and Juniper. The historical details such as delectable baking, clothing, driving lessons, polio aids, values and mores of the era are breathtaking. Juniper, Olive and Charlie in particular really shine as characters. What fun to read about the lodgers and gossips, too!

Historical Fiction fans (and readers in general) ought to become immersed in this slow-paced and character-driven book. I happily hung onto every word.

My sincere thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this delightful, delightful book.

Heartwarming book that did keep my interest.
The characters all have secrets. Can they overcome their problems and become a family in the end?
The setting is in the 1950’s in England.
All in all, a great read that I am glad I read.

Beautiful story about moving on after loss of family, forming connections with others to build a new family of the heart. Character driven novel. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy.

When 37-year-old Olive Kersey’s mother passes, she finds herself alone for the first time. Her brother Donald was killed in the war, her father died soon after of a broken heart, and now her mother has succumbed to her disease. She quickly realizes that her family home was unfortunately rented and unsure of any marketable skills other than caretaking and keeping a home, she feels a bit desperate and unsure of what her future holds.

Margaret Paxton, Olive’s childhood friend, comes home from London to settle her uncle’s estate and offers Olive a proposition she can’t resist, one that seems to solve all her problems. Margaret plans to turn Mersea House into a boarding house, and wants Olive to manage it.

The Orphans of Mersea House is a quaint story that shows us that blood relations don’t define a family. With a ragtag group of characters from Juniper, Margaret’s surprise ward learning to live with polio, to widower and lodger Mrs. Claypool, to ex-Londonite and theater manager Hugh, we see how companionship comes in all forms, and how a house becomes a home when people care about each other.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and of course Marty Wingate for the advanced copy. The Orphans of Mersea House will be available on August 9th. All opinions are my own.

Olive has lost her family, is losing her home, and can find no prospects for either, except as a possible companion for the town busybody, a dire thought at thirty plus years of age. Then her childhood best friend Margery comes back to town from London and wants to reopen her adopted uncle’s shop as well as a boardinghouse, and she needs a housekeeper. Olive is elated at the opportunity for a job, a little independence, and to be able to live in a home with her best friend. Then an unexpected surprise happens. Margery has suddenly become the ward of an eleven year old girl whose parents died, and little Juniper, who has calipers on her legs from childhood polio, is coming to also live at Mersea House. A more mismatched family could hardly be imagined as a couple more individuals join as lodgers, yet somehow, the group make up a family, despite the presuppositions and prejudices some in the small seaside town may have.

The descriptions of daily life and its technologies at the time of the post WWII '50s are immersive and vivid, with spirit lamps for making tea and even counting the number of spoonfuls of tea to place in the kettle, and a young delivery boy from the grocery dropping off the orders. Even the foods are true to the time: rock cakes, cottage pie, piccalilli, cress salad, and tinned fruits with ice cream or pudding for dessert. The care taken with describing even these small elements transports the reader back into another time, another world.

The characters are relatable and interesting, for who hasn't known a Binny, an elderly lady town gossip who makes you want to hide and yet we're forced to be kind and respectful, redirecting them during their inquisitions.
The entire story is told from the compassionate, observant perspective of Olive, who is learning about her returned friend's history along with us, as well as respectfully getting the other more drawn characters to open up with her encouraging, kind demeanor and plates of shortbread with coffee. Olive is the motherly, compassionate runner of the boarding house that every character appreciates having to care for and include them.
Their stories and struggles are universal, from learning to drive for the first time, the regret of being involved with a dangerously charming man hiding his selfishness and lack of character, struggling through math in school or with figuring out how to talk to new people.
Each character's tragic stories unfold with grace and compassion through Olive's eyes: "we're too old not to have a past", regardless of their taboo natures at the time, in a way that leaves the reader craving hearing more as the pages of their stories slowly unfurl.

With surprising and wonderful elements of equality for women, of the classes, and for those with disabilities, The Orphans of Mersea House is a refreshing immersion in the 1950s that will leave a reader feeling encouraged and cozy rather than cringing at the old ways of life.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the author, publisher, or its affiliates.

The Orphans of Mersea House is a heartwarming tale of love and loss. Written by Marty Wingate post WWII, this novel describes the lives of many characters post WWII.

Set in the England seaside in the 1950's., Olivia Kersey is alone is the world. The love of her life did not come back from the war, and both of her parents are dead. Her friend Margery offers her a chance to come and run a boarding house that she inherited.

The characters in the novel are delightful including 11 year old Juniper.
If you are looking for a hearwarming tale filled with good charactes, this novel is for you.

MY THOUGHTS

This was my first read by this author. It is such a heartfelt, lovely, touching, story. It will have you in tears many times.

A woman, Olive, is left alone after her mother dies. She's thirty seven years old and has no experience except taking care of a house and her mother. She's got to get out and find a job but feels hopeless. She can become a companion to Ms Binny but doesn't want to do that. When she runs into an old friend, Margery Paxton, her prayers are answered. Margery is moving back and going to turn Mersea House into a boarding house. She needs a housekeeper and cook. Olive is perfect for this.

This book introduces you to these two women and some of the boarders in the house. One being a child who is left in Margery's care after the death of her father. Her mother had died from Polio and Juniper, the child, was severely stricken with it also. She lived part of her young life in an iron lung in hopes of being cured. She is a very outgoing youngster and you will fall in love with her. The Polio outbreak was horrible. People didn't know what to do or exactly what caused it for a while. Of course there was a vaccine made and many were saved because of that. Isn't science wonderful?

You get to know each of these characters and you will like them all. Each has secrets in their past and when they get to know each other they become a very wonderful family of sorts. Proving that family is more than just blood. Each one begins to open up and share their lives. You will be touched by these people. You will shed quite a few tears. Also a laugh or two.

I absolutely loved this book. It made me stop and think about quite a few things that happened in 1957. It was the year I was born. I had a cousin that I was very close to who was hit by Polio in a bad way also. She wore a brace on one leg. Went through so many surgeries. Thank goodness a vaccine was discovered. This is a wonderful book and I will read more by this author.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MartyWingate, #AlcovePress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5/5 huge stars from me. I highly recommend you read this one.

Marty Wingate brings her story together showing unconditional love , be given,but also received.
The Mersea House becomes a lodging house after Margery inherits it from her deceased Uncle Milkey. Her also leaves her the general store.
The house is by the seaside off of London,where Margery lives..and she moves in.
Olive accepts Margery's offer to be the caretaker and live in the house.
Olive runs the lodging house,while Margery runs the general store.
It was this option or find a job as a caretaker elsewhere. She has just lost her mom and has noone else to turn to and financially broke.
Each lodger moves in different days..bringing forth their own personality and secret they hold.
One lodger,11 yr old orphan Juniper has become Margery's ward. A 6 month trial where inspections pop in to make sure her life at the Mersea House is suitable and the proper place for her.
Olive and Margery are orphans themselves. I admire Olive's compassion and more skilled ways of raising this child who also has to walk with leg braces after having had polio.
The compassion Juniper teaches everyone in their world brings out so much love, and yet insensitive remarks by certain people in the town.
Each character learns and grows in this story, most for the better person they can become and face their secret.
I couldnt put this book down. I thank Netgalley for an ARC review of my honest and sole opinion.

Though a pretty slow read, it was quite interesting and fun
So many secrets and mysteries to uncover
The way the story escalates is just amazing.
And the way everything is described, it's like you are following the characters (olive and margery) on their journey
It's an amazing read, I look forward to more books from this author
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an ARC, this has in no way influenced my opinions.

This is a beautiful story about the family we make. Olive is an orphan who's ready to move away. But when her childhood friend Margery invites her to become the manager of a guesthouse, Olive finds her purpose. And she makes new friends along the way, including an orphan girl with polio, a homosexual theater manager and a recluse woman.
I enjoyed the flow and the descriptive writing. I felt like I was staying at Mersea House with all the folks.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this wonderful book

oh my word where to start with this one...i loved it....

small seaside town, everyone knowing everyone elses business, just after the war

olives parents have died and she is on her own and looking for work
margery her old school friend has also buried a nearest and dearest and looks up olive

margery makes plans that include olive and before long they are both involved ...margery with her new shop and olive as housekeeper for mersea house which is being opened up for as a boarding house

and before long they have a couple of permanent lodgers but a shock is coming as margery is named as a guardian for a young girl juniper

junipers arrival turns everyones head....a polio victim and in calipers but her indefinable spirit makes her a diamond to know

there are many adventures and mishaps in this book that made it a pleasure to read and i hope there are a few more stories to come from these individuals as they are all brilliant characters to know and fall in love with

will be keeping an eye out for more from this author