A mostly pre-WWI story set at Coldwell Hall, where a Downton-esque vibe sets the scene for the downstairs help and some of their hidden lives. Kate is the housekeeper, Jem a footman, and their secret romance is the crux of the story. Kate has a previous life she has led and is seeking refuge in secret at Coldwell, but for someone afraid for her life, she reveals this fact quite openly to Jem. Jem is there for his own reasons, looking to find out about the disappearance of his brother years ago.

The setting of the house, the descriptions of the time period and how it was to live there, and the war conditions are the highlights of this story. I really enjoyed all those aspects. The viewpoint was lost sometimes, making it confusing whose POV we were on, but this could all be ironed out in editing before the book is printed.

The Housekeeper’s Secret is a slow burn of a story one part mystery, one part forbidden romance. The book is told from multiple perspectives and across two timelines: one from the frontlines of WW1 and the other from a summer past in the servants hall of another kind of Satis house fallen to secrets, time, and disrepair. Coldwell Hall is a grand home at the turn of the 20th century that has become somewhat notorious in the surrounding villages to the point where no locals will willingly go into service there. It’s the perfect home where anyone with secrets might come take refuge, and they do. Everyone at Coldwell has a past, and not all of them are good. Kate Furniss is running from her past; Jem Arden is searching for answers to his. Both find themselves in service at Coldwell Hall for a summer of intrigue and secret rendezvouses.

It took me a while to find my footing with this book- the multiple perspectives and timelines were confusing to sort out, and the descriptive nature of the book sometimes left things unsaid that requires the audience to read in between the lines… But- the story was rich and fascinating and well worth the effort of sticking with it. Around the 20% mark, I felt grounded in the story. Where there are some books I’d classify as a beach read, this is one I’d say best reserved for a quiet weekend in the late fall by a cozy fire.

I’d like to thank St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fast paced novel that you never want to put down. Heartbreaking, healing, and intense emotions. This book enthralled me on every single page.

Kate Furniss (Mrs. Furniss as was customary even for single women in this time period) was a housekeeper for Coldwell Hall. She has her secrets but so does Jem Arden, the new footman. Jem and Kate connect on a level much stronger than two staff members should have. Jem doesn't disclose his secrets to Kate even while she discloses hers in a moment of intimacy.

As Kate's secrets are revealed to Mr. Hyde's valet, she begins to panic. This story then talks about life in Coldwell Hall and all the secrets it holds for everyone there. There are murders, there are escapes, there are love affairs.

I really enjoyed reading this book although I found the beginning a little hard to get into. I'm glad I stuck with it though because I wasn't disappointed.

I was given this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

People who enjoyed watching Downton Abbey will likely also enjoy this book which focuses primarily on the lives of people in service in a manor house in the era immediately before and through WWI. Mystery and romance abound as the servants adjust to staffing changes, changes in head of household and technology changes (indoor plumbing and automobiles). I found the book a bit hard to follow due to frequent shifts in perspective and time period.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed the many dark secrets hanging around the manor and beyond. I don't read too many historical fiction novels but I think I will start to read more.

This was such a unique historical fiction read that I throughly enjoyed! The mystery. The intrigue. The romance. It was a great read that was captivating.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully well written book, with a very interesting and well developed look at the lives of the upstairs and downstairs in a country estate circa early 1900’s. However I struggled to get through the book. There were a lot of characters and a lot of details and my brain just wasn’t in to it, so that’s more on me than the author. I think overall it had fantastic main characters and well developed storyline. I’m sure an excellent read for most people who love historical romance fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel.

“Upstairs-downstairs” stories are always intriguing, especially since most offer the “downstairs” perspective of the lowly servants who toil to meet the whims of the upstairs crowd. Set mostly in 1911, we get a detailed picture of what that toil was like in an large country mansion before modern conveniences. The housekeeper of the title is Kate Furniss, barely 30, highly efficient and emotionally restrained as befitting the woman in charge of Coldwell Hall. As the story begins, the reckless and frequently scandalous Sir Randolph Hyde,, dispatched to run the family’s Indian concerns to keep him out of trouble, has returned to prepare for his elderly father’s death and his inheritance. He brings with him his longtime and very loyal valet, Frederick Henderson, a bitter, officious and rigid type much disliked by the other servants. It is hard to say which is most repugnant.

Into this tense scene steps the enigmatic Jem Alden, recently hired as “second footman,” a role that technology is increasingly making superfluous. He hates the work and the entire aristocratic scene. He is at Coldwell to pursue what has left a burning hole inside him: the disappearance of his younger brother Jack while in service nine years earlier. No one, not the local police or his employers, searched that hard, which hardens Jem’s hatred of his “betters” all the more. While he searches Coldwell undercover, the clues he finds confirm his sense of a conspiracy of silence among the nobility and their higher servants. Henderson’s particular animosity, which manifests in an “accident” of some brutality, makes him think that the valet recognizes Jack in his features and is not so subtly warning him to cease.

Against her own misgivings Kate is immediately attracted to Jem, a particular mistake because there are ranks even among servants, and he is far beneath her. He is also very attracted to her, seemingly knowing her unspoken thoughts. But Kate also has a secret and Jem’s presence at once makes her feel safer than she has in years, and also reminds her about the source of her trauma.

The story has a dual timeline, and alternating viewpoints, with occasional insertions of unsigned and often undated letters that from a soldier at the Somme in 1916. While he describes the slaughter and his own cynical views about why and how it is taking place, the writer often alludes to things that remind him of “that summer.”

The period and setting are familiar enough that this summary could easily prompt a shrug, but it’s not a run of the mill historical fiction. Grey is a remarkably gifted writer, and her use of imagery, her characterization, and the way in which she goes forward in time from the story’s setting before the war, really brought me “into” it. If there’s anything that bothered me, it’s the large cast of characters, both above and below stairs, each coming and going and adding their own viewpoint. At times, it’s difficult to keep them, and the timelines, straight—there are also occasional forays back to the Victorian years. But the suspense builds steadily through to the resolution. I recommend it highly even if you think you’ve had enough of Great War novels!

It took a little longer than I would have liked to get into the book, but once I did, it was really enjoyable. Tense and yet romantic, it's worth the read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Iona Grey has told a great story with good character development. The timeline she choose to write in has been something I have heard from readers that they want more of. I am excited to share this with them as it will check some boxes.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The housekeeper is keeping a secret. So are others. She must protect her secret at all costs. One evil man comes to the manor to make trouble and inserts himself with the master of the manor.

This was a great book! I loved the love story and mystery.! Learning about life in the early 1900”s as a housekeeper was really interesting. Add into it the way the main characters were reunited, and the story was even better. I wish I knew what happened next

I am a sucker for a good historical fiction novel, and this was no exception. The dual timelines were perfect for the story, and though it is a slow burn, it will have you turning the pages quicker and quicker as the story goes on. For fans of forbidden love stories, mystery, and second chances. The Housekeeper's Secret has a charming cast of characters that you'll find yourself missing once the story is over.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC! Highly recommend this one.

A housekeeper and a footman embark on a torrid affair that irrevocably changes them.

This was a lush historical novel. You can tell the author research of the time period was put to good use.

I loved the characters and where the story took them.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Alternating time lines. Main characters are Kate Furniss, the housekeeper at Coldwell Hall and Jem Arden, a newly
hired footman. When the old owner dies, his son takes over, accompanied by his valet, Mr. Henderson. The
valet seeks power by uncovering secrets and using the information as blackmail.
#TheHousekeepersSecret #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

After getting swept away by the lives and loves of Iona Grey’s characters in Letters to the Lost and The Glittering Hour, I was so excited to receive an ARC of her next novel, The Housekeeper’s Secret. It did not disappoint.

Once again, Grey has effortlessly crafted a story where readers can step into the fictional world she’s created and lose themselves. Her characters feel real and complete as they face the challenges of living life below stairs, a life that affords them little security even as they are expected to sacrifice their own happiness in order to cater to the whims of those who would readily exploit them. Our leads Jem and Kate share fantastic chemistry, and the strength they embody in spite of (or maybe because of) their past trauma makes them easy to root for.

If I had to levy any criticism, I’d agree with other reviewers who’ve highlighted the story’s slow start. Because of the alternating timelines, there’s a decent amount of groundwork to be laid, and it feels more confusing than suspenseful until you reach the point where you have enough information to see how people and conflicts intersect. I also think that the war timeline could have been expanded or reworked a bit in order to make it seem like an essential part of the story rather than a plot device.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The historical references in this book and the research is great! The dual timelines also kept me captivated and allowed me to see both worlds in a historically significant time period. Good read!

Such a slow read. It was unfortunate that I just could not get into it. The time frame spans months and it just seemed to drag on. The characters were a bit boring and seemed undeveloped. I will maybe try again later to pick it up and continue but for now I’d say 2.5 stars