Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This has Downton Abbey vibes with above and below stairs so fans would enjoy this novel. The characters were a bit confusing but overall a good novel.

While I ultimately enjoyed this book, I found it hard to get into. There were a LOT of characters, which were already hard to keep track of. On top of that, the way it switched between timelines and points of view made it difficult to follow. It was very slow-paced, and then everything happened in about the last 20 pages and it just felt abrupt. I did enjoy the romance pieces, but they were few and far between. I think the book was good, but that I wasn’t the target audience for it.

A wonderful character-driven novel. This book had the perfect amount of romance, mystery, and below-stairs drama.

I enjoyed reading this novel as it reminded me of Downton Abbey! Set during WW! the years of 1911-1919 the book revolves around the housekeeper, Kate Furniss and Jem Arden, a recently hired footman. Both these protagonists have secrets and there is a mystery there. Slow paced until all is resolved, but I found it to be a good read. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So perfect for fans of Downton Abbey! Reading this book actually made me want to rewatch the entire series. The storylines are obviously different but the vibes are spot on. The only issue I had was the sheer amount of characters to keep track of. I did have to go back and reread bits in the beginning because I couldn't remember which character was doing what. Highly recommend for anyone who loves historical fiction, the Edwardian era, WW1, or what daily life was like for household servants 100 years ago.

This is a beautifully written historical novel that seamlessly weaves together themes of love, loss, and hidden truths. Set in both the present day and World War II-era England, the story follows the life of a housekeeper named Violet and the mysterious secrets she kept during a turbulent time. Grey's prose is evocative, capturing the emotional depth of her characters and the complex relationships between them. The dual timeline adds intrigue, gradually unveiling the secrets that have shaped Violet's life. Rich in atmosphere and heartfelt in its exploration of human connection, *The Housekeeper's Secret* is a captivating and moving read.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Housekeeper’s Secret is the first book that I’ve read by Iona Grey. I’m a fan of period pieces like Downton Abbey, so when I read the synopsis, I jumped at the chance to read this.

The story started slow and dragged in some places, but overall was a well written read.

I enjoyed the multiple points of view and once the story started to move, it flowed well. If you like stories from the early 1900’s, reminiscent of Downton Abbey, this story may be for you.

Just didn’t Hit for me and ended up a DNF… ((My apologies for the late review. (I am now cleaning them up for the new year)) overall this felt slow and had no buy in for the characters due to it being a DNF I will NOT be posting

I’m sure it’s been said, but Downton Abbeyists will surely love this beautifully researched and well-executed novel. The way the lines of the story weave together surrounded by this mystery overlay was captivating. Nothing happens quickly in the story, but the pacing is deliberate and believable.

This is a historical fiction book, set in the WWI era, with a little romance and mystery. It reminded me of Downton Abbey, and I didn't like Downton Abbey, loved the actors, but things happened too slowly for me in that show. Same with the book, it has some interesting characters, and some interesting dynamics, but the pacing of this world is too slow for me, too ordinary I guess. There were also several POVs and the timeline seemed to hop around from different viewpoints, but that gets straightened up as we conclude everything. Then at the end, it seemed like we had to tie up all of these other characters' stories, who weren't main characters but had bit parts, so we slapped in a few anecdotal things to keep away loose ends. Don't get me wrong some parts were intriguing. I liked the mystery of Kate Furniss who came to the manor to reinvent herself and hide from her past, and it seems several characters came to the house to get away. The dynamics and hierarchy of the help are interesting and a bit scary. I like the secret romances that occur and the mystery that Jem is trying to uncover. It's mostly the pacing for me that I wasn't a fan of. It could be non-fantasy, historical fiction that isn't my cup of tea. I think if you like Downton Abbey-like stories this one will be a win for you!

This story was nicely written and historical mystery. The storyline seemed to drag a bit in the beginnig and I’m glad I stuck around. If you enjoy historical fiction with a bump of romance, I’d recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Iona Grey for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pub Date | 08/13/24

This was so good. I cant believe I forgot to write the review. Highly recommend. Lots of twists and turns and plenty of intrigue.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

This was my first experience reading something by this author. She does a nice job of weaving romance, mystery, and history while creating a captivating tale of love, sacrifice, and resilience. The setting of the remote English moors, provides a haunting backdrop which gives way to secrets, heartbreak, and hope.

Kate is a woman living a life of deception. To all thar see her, she is the head housekeeper at Coldwell Hall, but she keeps many secrets close to her guarded heart. But when the new footmen Jem arrives, also with a mysterious past, she slowly begins to open her heart and let her guard down.

The author has done a beautiful job of creating complex characters with layers that are slowly peeled away as the story progresses. The chemistry between them is strong, yet forbidden, which makes their love story all the more enthralling. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Excellent! A Downton Abbey era mystery that perfectly encapsulates the upstairs/downstairs relationships. The author uses such beautiful imagery that you can really see and hear the story play out.

A little historical fiction romance with a bit of mystery. Sign me up please. Three of my favorite genres!! I really enjoyed this story and the characters.

It did take me a bit to get into this one but overall I did enjoy it. I think I would have loved this more on audio!

3.5⭐️ This book grew on me. The first part of the book felt long and lost me a few times - whether it was heavy details or overly descriptive, I'm not entirely sure, but I had to put this one down for a little bit and come back to it. The second two thirds of the book was much quicker paced and definitely sucked me into the story between the housekeeper and the footman. There was even more of a mystery element than I was initially expecting and I thought that added an element of intrigue and suspense to the story overall.

This one felt long - I do think there were parts of the plot that could have been streamlined. The two MCs were interesting in their own right - with fairly well fleshed out backstories and motivations for their actions throughout the course of the story. The romance element was almost secondary to the mystery that the footman was there to solve - but it was satisfying to watch the romance develop. Definitely a bit of a slow burn with the forbidden romance element very strong in the storyline.

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for the eARC.

This book was a bit anti-climatic but overall good. A different kind of story about some unique individuals. A WWI story with very little war.

I enjoyed the story mostly but some of the analogies and descriptions were a bit over the top and excessive. There moments it felt like someone was trying to hit a word count on an essay. I had to DNF it at 57%.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This Christian Historical Fiction Romance had a Downton Abbey vibe. At times it was hard to keep track of the characters because there were so many of them between the Estate staff and visitors staff. My least favorite character was Mr. Henderson. He was so manipulative, controlling, predatory, and conniving. There were so many elements going on in this story that it seemed to go on forever. It was full of scandals, murder, betrayal, forbidden love, exchanges of identity, and random letters written by an anonymous soldier that never seemed to connect to the story until the very end. The ending was the best part of the book because it was full of excitement and intrigue.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!