The story line is fantastic, but I struggled reading this book. I could not focus on who was who and made it challenging to follow the plot as I always felt like I was missing details. Was truly excited for this book. Now that I have read it once, will definitely reread it and give it a second chance.

The Housekeeper’s Secret, set in the early 1900s, is atmospheric historical fiction with an Upstairs/Downstairs and Downton Abbey ambiance. The place is a character in itself—the remote Coldwell Hall, a once-magnificent structure lingering past its prime in the moors of Northern England. The protagonist, Kate Furniss, is a respectable, younger-than-usual, no-nonsense housekeeper who keeps everyone at a distance. When a mysterious, handsome footman, Jem Arden, joins the staff, Kate is reluctantly but irresistibly drawn to him. Both Kate and Jem have secrets they are eager to hide, and as their relationship develops so does the conflict.

I can't gush over this book as much as I expected to. One thing that kept me from being fully invested was that I had difficulty at first keeping all the characters straight. That could totally be my fault, though, since I was reading it amidst some personal distractions! But I’m still giving it four stars because it is impeccably researched and does a great job of being moody. And who doesn't like a moody book?

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC of The Housekeeper's Secret. While I appreciate the opportunity to read and provide a review, I must say this was not the book for me. I found the writing to be much to formal and stilted. That is often what puts me off about reading books set in the United Kingdom. I gave up on this book at about 30%.

Coldwell Hall in the windswept moors of Northern England is made for secrets. Everything from its remote location to its small and dedicated staff is practically made to keep things hidden. It's here that Kate Furniss, the housekeeper, has lived as the character she created to stay safe, but the summer of 1911 brings new faces and even more secrets to the house. Secrets are made to be found out with time and Kate's time is running out even as the handsome new arrival, Jem, comes with his own set of secrets and an attraction that neither can fight.

It's a plot that develops as slowly as a leisurely summer afternoon, yet it pays off in unexpected revelations and explosive actions. Everyone in Coldwell Hall seems to have their secrets and fears, which makes for engaging reading even when things seem to be developing at a snail's pace.

My main complaint is that I did have issues sometimes with how abrupt the character perspective changes are, but it might just be a me thing and a preference for clearly marked sections. It's not something that killed the story for me; it was just a little annoyance that I had to stop and figure it out every once in a while.


Happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the intriguing read!

DNF. Unfortunately this was a miss for me right off the bat. I was and still am very confused as to what's happening and whose POV this story is being told from. It feels like we have multiple POVs, but the switch could have been a little clearer.
The war aspect is interesting, however not enough to hold my attention.
I really wanted to like this one! It's just missed the mark for me and I unfortunately can't bring myself to continue.

This historical romance starts in the French trenches of WWI and reflects back on the summer of 1911 at Coldwell Hall in the English countryside. The summer where the quiet, secluded lives of the staff were forever changed with the return of the troublesome heir and his sinister valet. This major upheaval in the household has dire consequences and ultimately leads to the front lines of war. Here truths are written with the last hope of making amends and finding peace.

I enjoyed this novel and the way it unfolded to reveal each piece of the greater mystery and romance. It took me a little bit to get invested in the story, but once I got there I had a hard time setting the novel down. The story of and between Jem and Kate was heartbreaking and sweet, a mix of loss and love, and just plain well done. A good setting embracing the end of an era with The Great War. 4 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. Thank you!

I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of this book. A lot of research was put into it - although some of the information does not seem relevant to the actual story. The romance was cute and I thought added to the storyline. I felt that the mystery portion just became too much. I felt that there were too many storylines which made it hard to become invested as it felt that none of them were developed and detailed enough. The descriptions of the locations, people and sciences was done incredibly. I felt as if I was in the book at times. There was an alternating timeline, which although well done, did not seem necessary to the story. Overall I enjoyed this book - and definitely recommend for anyone interested in historical fiction, downtown abbey feels.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

I feel a little badly not rating this higher because I’m not entirely sure it deserves a mediocre rating. I started it during a really busy family time and had a hard time concentrating and getting into it. So I’m not sure my review is worth much.

The setting worked really well here and if you’re a Downton Abbey lover, this is perfect for you. Lots of servant dynamics, secrets, a mystery, a very angsty romance…it’s all mostly interesting. The first third of the book felt very slow, and I was a little confused by the perspective switching, mainly because it wasn’t always immediately clear whose perspective it was. The romance was sort of meh; I didn’t really understand what the actual draw to each other was so I wasn’t invested. The letters from the warfront felt unnecessary too.

I do enjoy Gray’s writing and wish I had been able to focus better because I think it would have been more of a win for me.

Coldwell House, Derbyshire - 1911

Coldwell House is a 50-room mansion that is a century old. It is located in a fairly remote area. Its current owner is the elderly Baronet, Sir Henry. Money is very tight here so the staff is quite small. In addition, the house and furnishings are old and faded. The housekeeper is Mrs. Kate Furniss. She has been there for several years now. She does her best to keep the place running with limited funds to do so. She is also hiding a secret which makes staying in this secluded location beneficial for her.

A recent visit from the heir to Sir Henry to introduce his bride to be to him and to show her the house required that the skeleton staff work very hard to care for and feed the visitors. As always they are short staffed so when a young man, Jem Arden, happens in looking for work, they are happy to take him on as a footman. He, too, is hiding a secret. He and Kate seem to understand one another and an attraction sparks between them.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I am rather disappointed in it. There seemed to be so much misery expressed by all of the characters throughout the book. I wanted to see some happiness but that was not to be. The identity of the person writing letters was not revealed until the end of the book. I kept trying to keep up with the plot but it was just too confusing. So sorry.

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

Nicely written and suspenseful, took a bit to latch onto and I almost gave up on it but it gained momentum and became a story that I really enjoyed !

The Housekeeper’s Secret is a tale woven with mystery, romance, and history that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. Set against the backdrop of post-war England, the novel follows Alice, a housekeeper with a past as enigmatic as the manor she works in. When a mysterious letter arrives, secrets buried for decades begin to unravel, revealing a story of love, loss, and resilience.

The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey was an enjoyable read this summer. I enjoyed the characters and the different timelines. The story kept me guessing and curious about how it was going to turn out. Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for letting me preview this book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review & all opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this historical romance more than I did. The synopsis grabbed my attention, and I thought this would be a compelling read.

Unfortunately, I found myself skimming the story. The characters didn't engage me, the romance between Kate and Jem fell flat and the mystery/suspense aspect wasn't entirely intriguing. The ending also felt a bit abrupt, and I would've loved more details about the characters current situation.

I actually enjoyed the alternate timeline and the multiple POVs. I think that worked well for the most part.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I am normally not a historical fiction fan but this book has changed my mind. What a fabulously written plot with suspense and romance. Looking forward to more from this author.

I am a total sucker for anything Gilded Age or GA adjacent. This book didn’t disappoint. Great characters that felt real and an interesting story.

This was really hard to get into, there was a lot of characters that felt like they were constantly changing perspectives along with time periods. If the reader likes Downtown Abbey, this book is for them though. I thought it would have more aspects of WW1, but it mostly dealt with the workers in this household.

Downton Abbey comes to life in the drama and politics of Coldwell Hall in northern England. This is the story of Kate Furniss, the respectable housekeeper of the estate who you'd never suspect has secrets of her own. When new footman, Jem, joins the house, his vibrant personality and engaging wit pry Kate out of her shell and she is captivated by him. She knows that it's forbidden to have relationships with members of the staff but things escalate quickly and soon Kate finds out that Jem has even more secrets of his own, many of which he plans to hide by working at Coldwell Hall.
There are lots of different characters to keep up with and the tale is told from many points of view. The timelines go back and forth between 1911 and WWII and there are lots of interesting twists and turns along the way. I had not read much about this time period in history and the author is very skilled in making you feel that you are there with these characters as they go about their daily lives. As war rages outside the country, the manor is a safe refuge for all until the secrets come to a head and serious decisions need to be made. Very well researched, a bit slow at times, but an enjoyable historical read.

The Housekeeper's Secret is a historical novel set during World War I. Kate Furness is working at the remote and troubled estate Coldwell Hall. She is younger than housekeepers usually are, and she hides a big secret. When a handsome new footman, Jem Arden, joins the staff, they connect ... but he has a secret and a mystery as well. As things unravel at the manor house, the story is told in two timelines - at the estate and also on the WWI war front.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction and am interested in this time period. I'm a great fan of Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs and also love books about upstairs/downstairs life.

This is my first read by Iona Grey and I really enjoyed her evocative descriptions, like:

"Tipping back his head, he looked up at the sky and discovered that the darkness was spangled with stars, sprinkled like sugar across the heavens. At least they felt familiar, though it had been a while since he had seen them in such abundance. Their silent shimmer anchored him, reminding him of home." (eBook location 477).

Kate and Jem were both intriguing characters and I liked the way their secrets were slowly revealed. There is an old fashioned villain in the storyline and an element of danger lurking at the manor. It is definitely a grittier look at downstairs life - not a benevolent estate like Downton Abbey - but completely fascinating.

I recommend The Housekeeper's Secret for other readers who are interested in the 1910's and British manor house settings.

What a great book! Perfect for fans of "Downton Abbey," this novel delves into all the intricacies of the lives of servants in an English manor. Anyone who loved the TV series will probably recognize many of the terms and relationships in this novel, and that familiarity only heightens the appeal of the book. Even though most (if not all) of these roles no longer exist in every-day society, the themes of feeling trapped by one's station in life are still familiar and relevant today. I'd highly recommend it for that, if nothing else.

The love story is dramatic in the best way and also feels realistic, despite being sent more than a hundred years ago in a storyline that, on its surface, feels far removed from so many people's realities now. The rich detail of the manor, the requirements of servants, and everything else were incredibly engaging.

The only reason I didn't give this a full five stars was because the book wrapped up much too quickly. I really think it could have benefited from another one or two chapters to give all the characters and their storylines the same even, measured pace they'd had all throughout the novel. Iona Grey did such a fantastic job teasing out the possibility of reunion, but the speed at the end sort of shakes up that pace in a jarring way.

Otherwise, lovely! Something I'll absolutely recommend to reader friends in the future.

🏠 Title: The Housekeeper's Secret
Author: Iona Grey 🏠

♨️ Synopsis:

Set against the backdrop of World War I, this novel spans several years before and after the conflict, immersing readers in the haunting atmosphere of Coldwell Hall. The hall itself feels like a living, breathing character, with its dark and foreboding presence casting a shadow over every event. The heart of the story is Kate Furniss, the enigmatic housekeeper has a mysterious past. Her life at Coldwell Hall is disrupted by the arrival of Jem Arden with his own heavy burdens and secrets. Both of their lives are about to change, but for better or worse? ♨️

🫣 My opinions:

The novel excels in creating an atmospheric setting, with Coldwell Hall providing a gothic backdrop that adds depth to the story. Fans of Downton Abbey will likely draw parallels between the characters here and those in the beloved series, though this novel carries a darker, more sinister tone.

While the narrative offers rich, immersive detail, it does suffer from a slow pace and a longer-than-necessary length. However, this is my personal opinion. I would have enjoyed it more at a faster pace. 🫣