I normally love Brenda Janowitz novels, but unfortunately I can't say the same about her latest work, The Audrey Hepburn Estate. Of note-the novel pay homage to the movie Sabrina, also starting Audrey Hepburn, which I did not realize before reading the book.

The Audrey Hepburn Estate centers around Emma, Harry, and Leo. Harry's family owns the famed Long Island "Audrey Hepburn" estate where as a child Emma lived over the garage with her mother who was employed by the family. Leo and his family also worked for Harry's grandfather. All together the three children grew up and had an interesting romantic entanglement, or love triangles through high school.

Here is where I began to dislike the story, as the trio became adult and grew apart after moving away from the estate, Emma's hesitant romantic behavior not only started to become grating to me but she outright abuses her relationship with both men under the guise that her heart didn't full know what it wanted. The character of Emma comes off as an immature, undecisive woman who wants everything to fall her way and blames both men for letting her down as various times in her life.

I could have done without the entire romantic subplot and stuck with the historical fiction aspect of the novel which touched on the Dutch resistance movement of Holland during WWII. Overall, not Janowitz' best work in my opinion, and if I was a new reader to her books, I would absolutely recommend one of her earlier novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greydon House for the opportunity to read this novel.

Emma grew up on an estate in Glen Cove, Long Island as the daughter of parents in service to the owners. When Emma discovers the estate is scheduled to be demolished, she becomes involved in saving what has been called the Audrey Hepburn estate which was in reality not the set of the movie Sabrina. Much of the book mimics parts of Sabrina, including Emma’s being torn between Henry and Leo. A quick read, I did enjoy the notes at the end which explain more about the details of Audrey Hepburn’ life. Just okay for me.

Book Review: The Audrey Hepburn Estate
Author: Brenda Janowitz
Pub Date: 18 Apr 2023

Like a historic house from the Gilded Age, with hidden passageways and secret doors, this novel contained subtle mentions and nods to the life and films of Audrey Hepburn. Don’t be fooled by the title and cover art, Audrey Hepburn herself is not a character in this tale, but merely the inspiration for it. I do encourage readers to go through the Author’s notes at the end where all the references to the iconic actress are revealed.

I liked the idea of an art dealer recovering stolen paintings from WWII, but other than the Chagall that hung in the pool house this story only touches on professions of Felix and his grandson, Henry, but didn’t discuss details of the art.

The plot switches between Emma Jansen in the present as a caterer trying to save her historic childhood home and, in her past, struggling with relationships and family trauma. She once felt shame for being the maid’s daughter but realizes the life she’s built for herself as a successful business owner in the service industry is something to be proud of.

This book would appeal to fans of historical fiction romances like “The Grand Design” by Joy Callaway or “The Magnolia Palace” by Fiona Davis.

Just the name Audrey Hepburn conjures up happy memories of watching old movies. Sabrina, in particular, is one of my favorites. So, imagine my glee when I read about this book, which brims with reminders of both.

The heart of the book is a three-way friendship between Emma, Henry, and Leo. Their complicated relationships are revealed layer by layer through a dual timeline. In the past, Emma lived in the apartment above the garage with her parents, who work at the estate rumored to be the site of the movie Sabrina. Her beloved father dies when she’s a child, and her mother moves from being a maid to being the estate manager. Henry is the son of the estate owners and is Emma’s first love. Leo arrives on the estate when his father becomes the chauffeur, and he becomes Emma’s best friend.

In the present, Emma, a caterer and chef, returns to the estate that always felt like home to her. She’s learned it’s going to be torn down and replaced with condos. Leo and Henry reenter the picture, too, and the three’s complicated relationships are tested as old secrets emerge.

As the story unfolded I found myself rooting for different characters at various times. I vacillated between Team Leo and Team Henry and wondered which direction—and man—Emma would choose, if either.

I was grateful for the author’s notes about the “Easter eggs” hidden in each chapter. Although I caught some of them, I had missed others so, it was a treat to have them all revealed.

Bonus: If you’re a foodie, you’ll love reading about the events Emma catered and her love of cooking.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This review reflects my opinion only.

THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE is an engaging, emotional story I didn't want to put down! When Emma Jansen finds out that the beautiful Long Island estate where she grew up is going to be demolished, she knows she has to return for one last life-changing visit. Told in dual timelines, the story then flashes back between Emma's childhood and the present, as she finds herself drawn into a love triangle and navigates family secrets along the way.

As a fan of Audrey Hepburn and her films, I was especially excited to read this book, and I really enjoyed it! I loved all of the references throughout the book and the fascinating author's note. However, I think readers who aren't as familiar with Hepburn and her career will still find so much to love about THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE. The attention to detail and storytelling were incredible, and I look forward to reading some of Brenda Janowitz's other books! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

What an engaging and heartwarming book. It's about a woman named Emma who returns to her childhood home, a grand estate on Long Island, before it's demolished. As she wanders around the estate, memories flood back to her. But she also confronts the more complicated memories of her upbringing and her family's complicated relationship with the estate owners. Emma's parents worked for the family that owned the estate, and Emma never felt fully accepted by them, except by their grandson, Henry, and the driver's son, Leo, who became her best friend.

The book is a love triangle involving Emma, Henry, and Leo, and as they reunite, Emma finds herself caught between her two former loves. There's also a mystery woven into the story, as the house reveals a shattering secret. Gotta love a plot twist!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book especially the Audrey Hepburn references (I’m a huge fan of her). The plot is compelling, the characters are well-developed, and the themes of love, family, and self-discovery make it an engaging read. If you're in the mood for a heartwarming story with a mystery twist, this is the book for you!

Audrey Hepburn is grace, beauty, talented actress with a philanthropic heart. The estate in question is named after the actress due to its resemblance to the estate in Hepburn’s hit, Sabrina. Many nods to Hepburn and her career and life in this story. Unfortunate for me, who hasn’t seen many of Hepburn’s movies, I didn’t realize these nods till I read the Author’s note at the end. But, it diminish my feelings on the book, but might just trigger a movie marathon.

Dual timeline. Emma grew up with her parents and has two best friends who also live on the estate. Many memories both good and bad. Fast forward to current day and trying to save the place she loves while being confronted with sins of the past. Can she forgive, forget? She finds more secrets than she knew existed and tries to find out the truth. Introduced me to Operation Paperclip, which I found intriguing and yes, I had to goggle it. Ironically, my next read delves into this little know (at least to me) part of our history on a deeper level.

Enjoyable, great story and writing. Loved the characters and it was great to watch their development. So much more than I expected.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This was a unique historical fiction with a dual timeline. Emma our heroine goes back to the place where she was raised, and her mother was the maid. Her hope is to save the mansion that is going to be demolished by her childhood best friend.

The storyline had a lot going (mystery, suspense, childhood friendships, dealing with grief, reconnecting and second chances, love triangle, hidden secrets...) I enjoyed how the author intertwined the story in the past to the present. My only slight complaint is while I guessed who the endgame love would be, Emma really did him wrong for too long. Leo was a total gem and deserved better earlier!

4 stars

Truly...Brenda Janowitz can do no wrong. I love her books and I am NOT a HF fan. She is a genre bending contemporary fiction/historical fiction author and I just freaking love it.

I loved the story, the characters, the arc of history woven with present day. LOVE LOVE LOVED!

Such a beautiful love story and the perfect homage to the movie Sabrina! I loved the main character and her relationship with both love interests. A lovely and intricate book!

I had no idea what this book was about initially but the title drew me in. I’m so glad it did. I enjoyed the dual timelines and the family secrets and I appreciated how they were interwoven in the story. The characters were well written and the pacing was good. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

Emma, Leo and Henry grew up together in the mansion on Rolling Hills. That's why when Leo's company buys it to tear it down years later, she does everything she can think of to stop the groundbreaking. She has to save her home.
All three lived in the house but they lived in a very different way. Emma's parent s were the help. Leo's dad was the driver and Henry was the grandchild of the wealthy Van Der Wyks. Emma doesn't care about all that though, she just knows she can't let him do this.
Through the chapters of then and now, Brenda brings the reader on an awesome romantic journey that is filled with friendships, lovers and family. Can you love someone knowing they kept a secret? Can you forgive in order to move forward?
I've read all of Brenda Janowitz books and they just keep getting better every time

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Audrey Hepburn Estate. I was drawn to this book by it's cover and title. I had also read The Grace Kelly Dress by Janowitz and enjoyed it, so was happy to have the opportunity to read another book by this author.

I found it to be a nice mix of romance, historical fiction, mystery and family saga. The story was compelling and the characters well-delevloped. It was a quick read with a smattering of surprises. I enjoyed the dual time lines and the references to the movie Sabrina. In fact, I watched the movie while reading it! Although I felt the ending was a bit rushed, I was very satisfied with it. The author's notes were very informative, as I had no idea of Audrey Hepburn's experiences during WWII.

I really like this author and she did not disappoint in her newest book. Though it had pretty much nothing to do with Audrey Hepburn, except for a few references to the movie, the story was kind of a poor girl loves rich boy theme. There were so many things I did not see coming, and did have a mystery that was surprisingly well done. This was a great read, and I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to read the advance copy. Definitely recommend!

I love Brenda Janowitz's books and I love old movies so two great things that go great together. I need to rewatch Sabrina now.

Emma Jansen grew up the daughter of the help in a grand Long Island estate. She adored her father and she is in love with Henry, the grandson of the owners. They have a friendship/relationship for most of their young lives never going any further because her mother and his grandfather do not approve. There is also Leo, the son of the driver, who obviously loves Emma and obviously is the one she should be with.

Years later, Leo buys the property to develop and Emma is upset and tries to fight it. So many truths are revealed in the process. She also starts up again with Henry. The biggest secret is revealed and she begins to doubt who she even really is.

I have to say that I didn't really understand the reasoning as to why they were kept apart but that point is moot anyway. Being of Dutch ancestry, I also found the Nazi/Dutch resistance fascinating.

Ms. Janowitz always writes such rich characters and you definitely feel all the emotions. I was totally satisfied with the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and Graydon House for a copy for review.

Another fantastic book from Ms. Janowitz about confronting your past and designing your future. How do you reconcile the truth with what you thought was true?

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is a dual-timeline historical fiction that draws heavily on both Audrey Hepburn’s story and Sabrina, a movie she starred in. Author Brenda Jonowitz is clearly a fan of both and her book and author notes will appeal to like-minded readers.

The premise that Emma, who grew up on the estate as the house manager’s daughter, wants to desperately save the once-grand house from demolition is a great foundation for the historical aspects of the novel. The author’s research is evident in her incorporation of WWII information. The idea that grown-up and successful Emma still can’t figure out which of the two boys she grew up with is the good guy drove me crazy. There are solid secondary characters who bring a lot to the story, especially in the form of showing Emma that she needs to let go of her childhood fantasy of becoming the grand dame of the “Audrey Hepburn Estate”.

A clean, light story that would be good as a beach/vacation read.

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is a beautiful and emotional read which tells Emma’s story in dual timelines, switching between her youth and the present. With a nod to the great actress and the movie Sabrina, it’s hard not be engaged in this story of Emma, Henry and Leo.

Much appreciation to Net Galley and Graydon House for an advanced copy of this e-book.

Although this book isn't about Audrey Hepburn, I enjoyed the story of Emma, Henry and Leo. They all grew up on "the Audrey Hepburn estate" which really wasn't Audrey Hepburn's! It was supposed to have been the estate used for the filming of the movie Sabrina (which I loved!) but filmmakers didn't end up using the Rolling Hills estate. Emma, daughter of the estate owner's driver (her father) and the house manager (her mother) grew up living above the garage and playing with Henry, the grandson of the estate owner. Emma dreamed of marrying Henry one day. Emma's father dies and a new driver is hired who has a son, Leo, who becomes part of this threesome. As they get older, things get complicated and as adults they become separated until one day, they are brought back together over the selling of the estate. Many secrets are buried in this estate and are slowly peeled back. Interesting history with great insights from the Author on Audrey Hepburn.

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is set at the estate on Long Island that inspired the setting of the classic movie Sabrina. Emma Jansen grew up at the estate; her mother was a maid there. She was in love with the grandson of the owners, Henry, a charming golden boy. Leo, the chauffeur's son, had a crush on Emma and they were best friends. Years later, when Emma hears the estate is being demolished by a developer (Leo!) she visits to see her childhood home one more time. This opens a new chapter for Emma, Leo, and Henry ... with history of the estate interwoven.

I wanted to read this novel because Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses and I absolutely love the movie Sabrina. The book was rich with references to both Audrey Hepburn and Sabrina, as well as her other movies. There is even a detailed list of Audrey "Easter eggs" at the end of the book!

At first, I thought this would be a light romantic triangle, but it turned into a deeper and more thoughtful story, as some history dating back to World War II surfaces. (I won't say more to avoid spoilers.)

I recommend this unique novel and will look for Brenda Janowitz's other books as well.