The House Keeper’s Secret by Iona Grey is my third book by this author. I always give the author the benefit of reading the entire book. I have to say that this story really left me flat. The story didn’t speak to me. The story was somewhat confusing. I happy to read another book by this author but I was just disappointed. I truly think it shouldn’t have been the house keeper’s secret. Her secret was nothing earth shattering or interesting. The other secret in the book was more interesting. Just didn’t feel it with this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This work of Historical Fiction/Romance/Mystery/Thriller is ABSOLUTELY incredible. I was not expecting this to be everything I needed in a book. But it was. I was submerged in the lives of these characters.

Kate Furniss has made Coldwell Hall her hiding place for the past five years. She keeps her mask on at all times. As Housekeeper, no one, including her own staff, suspects that she isn't the perfect picture of respectability. She maintains her professionalism at all costs. Her life depends on it. During the Summer of 1911, a young man named Jew Arden mysteriously shows up casually claiming the new footman position. The minute he shows up, Kate can feel her mask slipping. He is slowly becoming more difficult to be around. He radiates an electricity through her whole body everytime she is around him. He feels the same. The problem - it's completely forbidden for her to have a romantic relationship with anyone on staff. And she MUST stay hidden at Coldwell Hall. But Jem Arden has his own secretive reasons for seeking employment at Coldwell. This beautiful story alternates non-linear timelines from the Edwardian Age to the trenches of WWI.

The methodical writing of this story was incredibly creative! I was captivated by each distinct, magnetic character. The war trope, the forbidden romance arc, the hidden secrets, the fight for survival, the non-linear timeline, and the hunger for vengeance gave this book an upright spine of honor and intrigue. There was not one moment where I felt bored or wished I could just "make it through the chapter". All of it was stellar. Iona Gray is to be applauded with every flower thrown her way. I have a feeling this book will spread like wildfire after August 13th.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Iona Gray for the chance to read this gem in exchange for my honest and raving review!

I really enjoyed this book. The prose is beautiful. There were too much characters and too much descriptions sometimes but all in all it was a solid 4 star read!

The Housekeeper's Secret is set in 1911 at Coldwell Hall, a manor on the moors of Northern England. Mrs. Furniss is the housekeeper there, perfectly professional at all times until Jem Arden, the new footman arrives. The two are instantly attracted to each other, but they have their places in the household and must stay away from each other. They both have dangerous secrets that they are keeping as well. The story is told through alternating perspectives of all of the household staff and alternating timelines, with parts of the story set in 1911 and other parts set in 1916, during World War I. The setting was excellent and did a good job of showing how it was such a time of transition from the old ways to embracing new technologies and ways of living. The characters were all very interesting, but they're all sort of thrown at you at once in the beginning, which can be overwhelming. Overall I found the mysteries very enjoyable and the book reminded me of a darker Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs.

I struggled with this one. The writing is very good and I love the time period, it felt like reading Downtown Abbey. However, I had a hard time connecting to the story and characters. It's very slow paced and there were a lot of characters and it took awhile to keep them straight and even know and remember who the housekeeper was! I kept forgetting!

"The Housekeeper's Secret" by Iona Grey paints a vivid picture of life at Coldwell Hall in the summer of 1911, exploring themes of duty, desire, and deception. Kate Furniss, the housekeeper, hides behind a professional facade, only to have it threatened by the arrival of the enigmatic footman, Jem Arden. The romance that blossoms between Kate and Jem is fraught with tension and secrecy, set against the backdrop of a grand estate on the remote moors of Northern England. Grey's writing is rich and atmospheric, capturing the Edwardian era's essence and the complexities of forbidden love.

However, the novel's alternating timelines between the Edwardian summer and the WWI trenches can be disorienting, disrupting the narrative flow. While the historical details are meticulously researched, the story occasionally struggles to maintain momentum. Kate and Jem's characters, although well-developed, sometimes act inconsistently, making it challenging to fully engage with their journey. Despite these flaws, "The Housekeeper's Secret" offers an intriguing glimpse into a bygone era, with enough romance and mystery to keep readers invested, even if it doesn't fully deliver on its initial promise.

This is a slow-paced, atmospheric novel that moves back and forth in time. It reminds me of Longbourn by Jo Baker.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

THE HOUSEKEEPER'S SECRET was a well done historical fiction novel. The story, part Atonement, part Downton Abbey, part Remains of the Day, this book was filled with mystery, household staff secrets, and multiple POVs that is atmospheric in a changing world amid the looming of WWI and during.

I truly enjoyed the story of this and how it sucked me into the politics of living lives of those that ran estate houses. Each character in the story had their own secret on the backdrop of a remote Edwardian estate that was being left behind due to modernization and the opportunities it affords for those of a lower socioeconomic status. The characters, in alternative POVs, are complex (some more than others) and their secrets were interesting.

My only issues were that the pacing at the beginning is slow to set everything up. In this book you wait for the story to unravel for you, rather than being pushed along. This is usually fine with me, but there were some times that I felt that the plot was not going anywhere for multiple chapters. I also felt the end was rushed once everything tied together. For me, it was a satisfying ending, but one that was too quickly gotten there, especially with the build up.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and think if you love historical fiction, characters with secrets, atmospheric Edwardian estates, Downton Abbey vibes, and mysteries, this is a book for you!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Housekeeper’s Secret is set in 1911 in Northern England. This book is called the housekeeper’s secret; however, all the servants in this house have a secret. One part mystery, one part romance, and one really evil man provide the makings of a great historical fiction novel.

I really liked this book. The main character drew me in. I love a strong female lead and Kate Furniss did not disappoint. The inner workings of the servants during that time period reminded me of Downton Abbey. There was enough tension and I love any book with a good romance in it especially a forbidden one.

Occasionally, the multiple points of view became hard to follow and it was a little slow in the middle, but I really enjoyed reading this book.

The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey is a historical fiction. It is a poignant and evocative novel that intertwines love, loss and mystery. Set in post WW II England, the story unravels through the lives of its compelling characters. This novel centers around the head Housekeeper who has secrets of her own. One of the book’s strengths is to evoke the atmosphere of the era with detailed settings and vivid descriptions. The Housekeeper’s Secret will appeal to fans of historical fiction and character driven stories.
This book comes out on August 13, 2024.
I rate this book 4 stars
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and a chance to read this book.

I was given this arc in January and kept putting off reading it. Now that I’ve finished it I’m kicking myself for taking so long to get around to it! This was a very intriguing read, with huge Downton Abbey vibes. It’s set around the same time and has a cast of characters that work as service people in a large home. I really enjoyed the various mysteries throughout the book and the dual timeline presented through written letters. There is murder, forbidden love, mystery, and several villains to keep an eye out for. My only criticism is that there were times the narrator switched points of view within the same chapter or even paragraph, and it made it sometimes confusing. There are a lot of characters that sometimes go by first names, sometimes last names, sometimes their title, and so it took me a while to figure out who was who and what their role was. I even thought there were 3 separate pregnant women at one point, which turned out to be not true. If the narrator stuck to one person each chapter I think that would have made it a bit easier to follow. All in all, it was a page turner and I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

In The Housekeeper’s Secret we travel between the years 1911-1916. We are following the help at Coldwell Hall throughout these years.

The main characters are Kate Furniss and Jem Arden. Kate has come to Coldwell Hall to hide from her husband and Jem has come in search for any information regarding his missing brother. Unexpected love just may find its way within the walls of Coldwell Hall.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a Downton Abbey feel, then I recommend The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey.

You will also find:
Dual Timelines
Mystery
Peace
Redemption

I will say that you may want to grab a pen and paper to try to keep all the characters straight. There are a lot of them. A pen and paper will help you not be as confused as I was.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review The Housekeeper’s Secret.

It is difficult for me to rate this book because I read it during an extremely busy time in my life in short snippets over several weeks, when normally I would finish something of this length within a couple of days. So it's hard to know whether my sense that the pacing was a bit slow was accurate or not. For that reason, I rounded my 3.5-star rating up to 4 rather than down to 3.

I did enjoy the characters and the overall plot (especially the last third or so), and I think fans of Downton Abby will find this a worthwhile read.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC in advance of publication.

Fate is what you are given. Destiny is what you make of it.

Iona Grey creates an atmosphere much like Downton Abbey on overdrive. She takes us through the halls and ornate rooms of Coldwell Hall in Northern England in 1911 where the good and where the evil doers reside alongside one another. Her task is to showcase these individuals with their intentions either on parade or hidden well below the surface.

Grey fast forwards to 1916 with a war-torn soldier crouched down in the trenches in France in 1916. He's writing with a stub of a pencil to a lost love. So lost that he is unable to send the letters in the post. He knows not where she now resides. But this soldier wants her to know the truth before he becomes a fatality of World War I.

Time focuses in 1911 at Coldwell Hall where we'll meet the housekeeper, Mrs. Kate Furness. She seems young to be in her position, but she's proven her competency over and over again. It's apparent that Kate has the weight of a deep dark secret that she guards day and night. And that is the draw. What exactly makes Kate jump at the ring of a doorbell or footsteps on the path?

Enter Jem Arden, young and handsome, and applying for the footman's position. He's walked miles and miles to reach Coldwell Hall. But what exactly are his motives?

Coldwell Hall will become a burning pit of activity in the next months. Things are not as they seem. Secrets are not just held by the housekeeper but also with the entire staff and the family of Sir Henry Hyde. Like petals from a wilting rose, all with be revealed at the center point.

I enjoyed The Housekeeper's Secret as well as The Glittering Hour (2019) by Iona Grey. Grey presents many characters here, but each is crucial to this plot. And in particular, Grey has an uncanny talent for creating a monster of a villain that makes the reader actually seethe with anger and frustration. It's easy to write the good guys. It takes talent to scratch beneath the surface with the poking of such deadly emotions. Check this one out. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Iona Grey for the opportunity.

Language: R (29+ swears, 0+ "f" + British swears); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG+
The story is slow moving but not bad. I appreciated the closed-door romance aspect of it until it felt like they were opening the door. The first (I don't know if there are more) sex scene was implied, but then more details are added later when she is remembering it. I stopped reading because I feared would get more descriptive if I kept going and not stay closed-door.
The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mild scary elements, illegal activity, sexual harassment, innuendo, mentions of brothels and pornography, nudity, sexual touching, and implied sex. The violence rating is for assault; mentions of corpses, blood and gore, and child abuse; domestic violence; gun use; and mild battle scenes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Phenomenal book. Well written and held my interest throughout. I listened to the audiobook version as well.

Fans of Downton Abbey will love The Housekeeper’s Secret, a historical romance set in 1911 as Victorian traditions give way to modernization at Coldwell Hall. This grand manor in remote Northern England has secrets of its own and all of the staff seem to be hiding something too.

The story is told from various servants’ perspectives in third person omniscient so the reader gets to enjoy multiple character viewpoints and inner dialogue. I found the beginning of the story to be a bit confusing with lots of characters but soon settled in to a driving plot that kept me coming back to find out what happens next.

The Housekeepers Secret is a modern take on all the best parts of Jane Austen: forbidden love, plagued with formality and tragic pasts.

I hate to say this but after reading the book, the story didn't stick with me. It was just okay. I felt the characters were flat and the story somewhat confusing. For fans of Downton Abby, which I am, you may enjoy the below the stairs drama, which I did. But, it was a bit predictable. Hate to be a downer but I can see why some people had a DNR although I plowed through to the end. After reading the premise, I had high hopes for his but the secret of the housekeeper Kate was not earth shattering or interesting. Sorry, just disappointed. Many thanks though to #netgalley #ionagrey #st.martins for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"Duty, desire, and deception reside under one roof.

Standing in the remote windswept moors of Northern England, Coldwell Hall is the perfect place to hide. For the past five years, Kate Furniss has maintained her professional mask so carefully that she almost believes she is the character she has created: Coldwell's respectable housekeeper.

It is the summer of 1911 that brings new faces above and below the stairs of Coldwell Hall - including the handsome and mysterious new footman, Jem Arden. Just as the house's shuttered rooms open, so does Kate's guarded heart to a love affair that is as intense as it is forbidden. But Kate can feel her control slipping as Jem harbors secrets of his own.

Told in alternating timelines from the last sun-drenched summer of the Edwardian Age to the mud-filled trenches of WWI, The Housekeeper's Secret opens its door to a world of romance, the truths we hold onto, and the past we must let go."

Why are so many deliciously unavoidable men named Jem?

Coldwell Hall, a country house in Derbyshire, has seen better days. Now it suffers from the declining fortunes of the Hyde family. The elderly Sir Henry is the only resident, and the household staff has been decreased to the bare minimum – not enough to keep the house from its inevitable decay. In time, Sir Henry dies, and his feckless son Randolph marries and moves into Coldwell Hall. But the doings of the Hyde family are just background for the events of The Housekeeper’s Secret and only become important when the staff is affected. It is the insular below-stairs world of the servants – their daily lives, their struggles, their hopes – that drives this engaging novel.

In the spring of 1911, we meet the household servants bustling around preparing for family guests. The housekeeper, Kate Furniss, is young, but stern, commanding, and very proper. No one knows of her life before she came to Coldwell Hall ten years ago, and they know not to pry. In the midst of the activity preparing for guests, Jem Arden arrives in answer to an advertisement for a new footman. Jem also has a secret. He is there to discover what happened to his younger brother, who disappeared from Coldwell Hall years earlier while a servant attending a visitor to the Hall. The attraction between Jem and Kate grows and is kept secret from the others. Interspersed throughout the narrative are unsent letters Jem is writing to Kate from a future WWI battlefield with hints of tragic events that tore them apart.

If you loved experiencing the world of Downton Abbey, this book will return you there. Grey’s spot-on descriptions of landscape, the weather, and the isolation of the estate add to the atmosphere. Secrets, mystery, a missing person, romance, and more all combine into a riveting novel.
--Historical Novels Review, August 2024