The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey is a historical romance set just before and during WW1. The characters and the writing were well done, I felt like the story ended a little quickly, but I was satisfied to see the resolution of most characters side plots. Coldwell manor the main setting of the story gave me a neglected Downton Abbey vibe, it was so poignantly written I could almost imagine I was seeing it. The love story of Kate and Jem had me rooting for them from the start, despite the back and forth of perspectives and moving through time, I enjoyed the book. Romance, mystery and suspense will have you wanting to see how the story ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Arc, all opinions are my own.

"The Housekeeper's Secret" is not a book that grabs you or immediately presents characters you connect with. It's one with slow development, but the pieces eventually connect. Those who love a meandering, atmospheric story that bounces timelines and characters who end with a happily-ever-after will really enjoy the journey.
**Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Historical fiction lovers will devour this one! At Coldwell Hall, a remote estate in England, Kate Furniss is a respectable housekeeper. No one knows that’s not who she is. When handsome Jen Arden shows up for work as a footman, but in secret searching for his lost brother, secrets are threatened. Not only Kate’s, but those of the estate itself. Love, danger, intrigue. This story has it all.

The Housekeeper's Secret is amazing. I loved every minute of this book. Iona Grey's writing transported me to early 20th century England to an estate where Kate Furniss is the housekeeper of an estate where she's been able to immerse herself in the day-to-day routine and leave her past behind. A new footman arrives, Jem Arden, who holds secret of his own. There's romance, mystery, historical fiction all rolled into one page-turner. I can't say enough good things about this book. Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Nicely written and suspenseful, took a bit to latch onto and I almost gave up on it but it gained momentum as the story continued and hit all the buttons for me.

Thank you to author Iona Grey and NetGalley for offering this on their site.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Gray.


I really enjoyed this book. It was part historical fiction, party romance and a little mysterious. I enjoy books that cross genres. This also has dual timelines and alternates between post WW1 and the Edwardian age.

Kate is working as a housekeeper, but harbors secrets about her past. She is working under a false name. Jen comes to the mansion to apply as a footman and to get answers about his younger brother’s death. The two start falling for each other, but their secrets may get in the way.

Set in the remote English countryside at Coldwell Hall, a crumbling manor that has fallen into neglect and disrepair at the turn of the 20th century. The story centers primarily around the lives of the household staff, most notably Kate, the relatively young head housekeeper, and Jem, the mysterious and handsome footman who shows up seeking employment. Not since Downton Abbey ended have I been so deeply enthralled in the lives, desires, and secrets of a houshold staff.  There's a touch of forbidden romance, a decade-old mystery, and everyone has secrets they would rather stay hidden. The characters are well-developed with complex backstories and the vivid descriptions of the once grand manor will make you feel like you've been there in person. Fans of historical fiction, add this to your MUST READ list.

This was a very good book. Very well written.I enjoyed reading it I would recommend it to my friends and family. 8/10

This sweeping novel of historical fiction takes place before, during and immediately after the WWI in England. Kate Furniss is the young housekeeper to a sprawling country mansion, Coldwell Manor. Kate is good at her job, she has to be as she is hiding under a false name. She has been at Coldwell for over ten years existing under the radar of the aristocracy. Jem Arden arrives at Coldwell seeking a job as a footman. He is also not exactly who he says he is. He is searching for answers of what happened to his younger brother Jack who was in service to the family when he vanished years ago without a trace. There is an electric tension between Kate and Jem and they are very attracted to each other, but do they have a future with so many secrets and mysteries between them. This novel really has it all, several villains, a romance and many interesting supporting characters to flesh out the story. It also seems to be historically accurate and beautifully written. I loved the descriptions of the manor and the countryside it resides in. I highly recommend this novel for lovers of historical fiction, it's got what it takes to fulfill a reader. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book.

This book was a bit awkward to read as a prepub because the narrator would change without giving fair warning and sometimes it took a while to tell if the point of view had changed. Maybe they will fix it for the final product. Mrs. Katie Furness is the housekeeper for an aged British member of the upper class. But she is not really Mrs Furness and when Jem, who is looking for his brother who was rumored to be working there, joins the staff as a footman, secrets begin to unfold. I received this as an arc from NetGalley and am not pressured for a positive review.

Loved watching Kate and Jen love story unfold. It was sad she had to run away from her husband to try and fine peace which didn’t work out once new owners took over.

I've been addicted to Iona Grey’s writing ever since I read "Letter to the Lost, then fell further in love when I read "The Glittering Hour". For fans of Kate Morton, this book is a masterpiece. Grey is a talented author and her writing is sublime, atmospheric and oozing with descriptions. The details of daily servant life in an English remote country house in 1911 is perfectly paced with mysterious secrets and an undercurrent of subtle evil. I loved the slow burn romance between Jem and Kate, as well as the letters that Jem is writing to her while serving in World War I. There are quite a few other characters but Joseph, Miss Dunn, Davy, Eliza and Frederick all add to the seamlessly woven story.

Some reviewers commented they couldn’t follow the different characters or the point of views. But reading this book is like taking a bite out of a sweet scone and a perfect sip of tea. I took my time and savored every morsel I read and let the story take me away to another time and place. It was easy to follow and the ending was utter perfection. I will be thinking of these characters for a long while.

Thanks so much to the publisher and netgalley for granting me an ARC for an honest review!

This was such a well written story. I started reading and could leave it - I had to know the ending. I enjoyed the story and the characters. I felt like I knew the characters by the end of the story. There was the right amount of suspense and build up. I enjoyed that there were a few stories that cross crossed.
I just reviewed The Housekeeper's Secret by Iona Grey. #NetGalley

Fantastic historical fiction/ romance/ suspense novel. I was really sucked into the story and kept guessing the pieces to the end. I didn’t give 5 stars because 1) it’s a really slow start. It takes a bit to get into the story, but is worth it when you do and 2) So many characters and secrets. It was hard to keep track of everyone. Imagine if all the downstairs people in Downton Abbey were introduced right off the bat and you had to keep track. But, stick with it and you are rewarded with a great story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Such a good book that I could not put down
I love this genre and enjoy the suspense throughout the book. Highly recommend and appreciate the opportunity to reach this book.

Interesting historical fiction. Excellent use of dual timelines with likeable characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I enjoyed this historical fiction set in the early 1900s. I was invested in the lives of Kate and Jem, both servants at the manor. Several of the characters held secrets and did what they could to survive and be safe. There were many points of views throughout and at times a little confusing. It's not a book to rush through to keep track of what's happening but at the same time, it is a fast-paced read with this reader hoping for the best for the good people. I like historical fiction and especially root for the servants doing their best and what is right. Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC.

The overall story was decent, and there were some pretty good plot twists. Alternating between the past and Jem and Kate's time together at Coldwell Manor and the present, with Jem trying to survive the trenches during WWI and composing a letter to Kate to explain his past actions, worked well. The characters were well developed and distinct, and the main villain, Henderson, is sufficiently slimy but able to hide behind a veneer of respectability. However, for much of the book, the pace of the story feels plodding.

The Housekeeper's Secret by Iona Grey is a WWI historical fiction that follows a young ( the time for her position) housekeeper, Kate, and a footman, Jem. The book starts in 1916, Spring. Jem is a soldier, and while in the Somme Valley, in the thick of the war, he is reflective and begins to write letters to Kate as a source of distraction, to air his secrets, and to ask for forgiveness. Still, in 1916, we meet a woman, who the audience assumes is Kate, who is " doing her part" and volunteers at the Auxiliary Hospital for the soldiers at the behest of her employer.

The book is broken into four parts: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
Spring:
When each part tells the story of the past and present. We're introduced to Kate, in Spring, the housekeeper for Coldwell Hall, and Jem, who comes there as the new footman. This book is Downton Abby-esq, with an upstairs, downstairs theme. Jem has come to Coldwell Hall to find answers about his missing and presumed dead brother, Jack.

The story simultaneously reveals Jem's letters and tells the past and present interspersed throughout each Part or season; multiple POVs are introduced, with no apparent name or indication of whose thoughts were reading, to the point of confusion: the main two characters, Jem and Kate's POV, nurses, the other staff, and the baronets. There is no transition between whose POV it is, and this writing style pulls the reader out of the story, as I have to go back pages to ensure I got all the character switches. Also, it's hard to discern whether we're reading past or present. It doesn't become more apparent why the author chose to write in this style towards the end of the book. I won't give up any spoilers, but the slight twist at the end was surprising.

I was invested in Kate and Jem's story, but this was not my favorite book. It started very slowly, and with the POV and simultaneous time switches, I put this book down a bunch and struggled to finish it.

A sincere thank you to St. Martin's PublishingGroup and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed were my own.

This book review and others can be found on my book review blog: www.books-dish.com.

The Housekeeper's Secret-
Wow! I went into this WWII historical fiction romance with little expectation. I have never read any of Iona Grey's novels before so didn't know what to expect. By page 50 I had looked up every other book she's written and added it to my "want to read" list. Grey has the most beautiful writing style- making every scene and moment so detailed and real. I genuinely could feel what she was describing on the page! She did it in a way that allowed the reading to be immersed in the time period and setting, without boring the reader with details. I have never read a WWI fiction before that made me actually feel like I was leaving the book with more actual information about the period than when I started. Grey keeps the reader hooked every chapter but using flashbacks/forwards. All I can say is pick up this book!