A very unique story, bit "sliding doors" . Two different worlds after a ripple in time. I enjoyed it but often thought "where is this going" . Not entirely sure the ending was enough. Loved the characters, and how much Olivia changed the Fairchild family. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

I really enjoyed this book. I would not categorize it as a historical fiction because while it is set in a historical time period, the characters do not behave in that manner sometimes. There are a few other details that seemed off. But if you look past all of them the book is an enjoyable cozy read and I'd recommend it for a quite afternoon.

The House of Lost Whispers, a haunting historical novel with a touch of magical realism by Jenni Keer, weaves loss, love, and other possibilities. The story begins in 1912 when Olivia Davenport, a thirteen-year-old girl, loses both her parents in the Titanic disaster. Guest of a wealthy family at Merriford Manor, she discovers the voice behind the wall in her own bedchamber—speaking to her from another world where the Titanic never sank and where her parents survive.

As Olivia grows up during the First World War, the novel tracks her process of healing from trauma and finding hope. The narrative voice, revealed later as belonging to a boy named Seth, acts as a thread running through two time frames and as an intense connection. The parallel worlds map out how a change in destiny could have immense consequences across lives, offering a compelling twist to the narrative.

Keer creates a richly detailed and atmospheric world. The Edwardian atmosphere and wartime years are particularly well drawn, and the emotional tone of the time is treated sensitively. Olivia's transformation from a grieving child to a strong young woman is the emotional core of the book, and her unpretentious determination makes her a likable heroine.

The pacing is regulated, particularly during the onset, with focus on world-building and character introduction. As the alternate timeliness develop, tension is slowly escalated toward a satisfying resolution. While the establishing shots invite a feeling of mystery, the heart of the book is in its emotional depth and exploration of loss, longing, and do-overs.

The House of Lost Whispers is a reflective and poignant read, ideal for fans of historical fiction with a gentle supernatural bent. It's a story that lingers, imbued with poignancy and delicate magic.

This is an absolutely beautiful book, and if I could give it six stars I would.

My emotions were all over the place reading this book - from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, this book has it all.

In this glorious book, we meet Olivia Davenport, a thirteen-year-old girl who goes through the enormous trauma of losing both her parents on the sinking of the Titanic in April 1912. She is taken in by the Fairchild family, who were close friends of both her parents. She lives with the couple and their four sons in their home at Merriford Manor. She has a tempestuous relationship with the three elder brothers, but she establishes a real kinship with the youngest brother Benji. As a way of dealing with her grief, Olivia plays out her fantasy life around the grounds of the house, fighting dragons and pirates.

She decides she wants to live in the tower of the home, seeking a little more independence from the family and alone time to grieve. When she hears a man's voice on the other side of the wall, she initially believes she is hearing things. But it soon becomes apparent that she is talking with a man living in an alternate version of her world. The man, Seth, tells her that in his world, the Titanic never sank.

Olivia starts to rely more and more on Seth to help maintain her sanity while enduring not only the loss of her parents but also the devastation of the First World War, and the tragedy that comes with it.

This is a beautifully written book that is an absolute joy to read. Olivia is such a delightful and endearing young woman, and you can't help but fall in love with her and want only the best for her. I highly recommend this gorgeous book.

The House Of Lost Whispers by Jenny Keer, I have read many magical realism romances written by the author and I have to admit this is my favorite one. A Multiverse novel where in one Olivia‘s parents died on the Titanic and after being sent to live with guardians her newfound brothers are lost in World War I. in the other universe who’s only Thai is her relationship with the gardener Seth William Tanner who they call Tanner, through the wall in her room at the Davenports. he lives in the world where the Davenports are just friends of her parents and the Titanic had a lovely safe voyage. As time goes on they’re not only fall in love with each other but their counterpart in the world they live in. Although their world has different aspects to it the one thing that is the same as their attraction to each other and despite not having the same relationship with them as Olivia and Tanner do through the wall they eventually come up with a plan to result in both of them having the happy endings they want so desperately. I thought the author did a great job creating Olivia as a child who would grow up to be an eccentric author and found the evolution of that was perfect. I also thought Seth in both universes seemed like such an attractive smart intelligent person and really loved his character although I totally get his weariness and hesitancy when the beautiful Olivia wanted him the way he now was after the war. There are many things I left out of this review because there’s a lot and I must say I loved it all. In previous books I found the author had contradictions not to mention the language the character use seemed out of context as most of our books are written in the 1920s and before but as for this one she was spot on and did a brilliant job so kudos to the author I love the type of books she writes and must say this one is my absolute favorite. #Netgalley, #BoldWoodBooks,#MyHonestReview, #JennyKer, #TheHouseOfLostWhispers,

This book is utterly fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. I laughed and I cried and I craved to read more and more.
So beautifully written!

this was a really well done historical romance novel, it had that element that I was wanting and enjoyed the idea of what if the Titanic never sunk. It had that feel that I was wanting and enjoyed the overall feel of this book. Jenni Keer was able to weave a strong tale and was glad I was able to read this.

I was so excited for this one, especially as the story makes reference to the Titanic which is always a big draw for me. In fact the sinking of the tragic ship is only a very brief part of the story but it’s the aftermath that forms the basis of this tale.

When her parents are tragically lost on the Titanic, 13 year old Olivia Davenport’s is sent to live with guardians, The Fairchilds at their Norfolk home, Merriford Manor.

This is really a coming of age story for Olivia against the backdrop of grief, romance and WW1. The unusual concept of an alternate reality and a crossover of worlds where the Titanic didn’t sink and Olivia is living a different life was interesting. Was the voice through the wall merely her imagination comforting her through her grief and loneliness or was there really someone the other side that she formed a connection to?

I found this a hugely engrossing and emotional story not least because the timeline includes the Great War beginning in 1914 which had devastating consequences for so many families including the Fairchilds.

Olivia was such a great character that I took to my heart. She made a positive impact on other people with her sunny and caring nature and I loved watching her grow from a young girl with dreams and ambitions to a young woman experiencing both the highs and the crushing lows of love.

I so enjoyed the historical and romantic facets to The House of Lost Whispers. Jenni’s books do not fit into a particular genre but include a bit of everything. Definitely recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for my copy in exchange for a review:

I was initially drawn to the premise of what if the titanic never sunk alongside a time slip (which I’m obsessed with) and I had a good time reading The House of Lost Whispers.

I enjoyed the main world and alternate world for the most part but I wish that the differences were played up more.

The romance in this one was not for me and while I understand the choice for Olivia being so young at the start it icked me out a little. However the character of Olivia herself was standout for me and I really liked her.

The writing was engaging and I enjoyed the overall premise of the book but I felt that it started very slow and the crammed a lot in at the end.

A creepy historical book which really gave me shivers. It reminded me a lot of Rebecca which is up there in my all time favorite books. This was brilliant and I enjoyed it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The House of Lost Whispers is so unique! I loved the depth of the writing and the character development. However, I was disappointed to reach the end only to realize it was to be co tinted in another book. I want to know what happens! I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next book!

Olivia Davenport should have been on the Titanic with her parents but got left behind due to having measles. Her parents didn't survive so Olivia goes to live with the Fairchild family. With war looming Olivia feels alone when she hears a voice behind the wall in her bedroom.

I have read a previous book by the author, The Ravenswood Witch which I did really enjoy so was looking forward to this one. However I didn't enjoy this book as much I'm sorry to say.

The story started really well. I always find I'm drawn to books about the Titanic so felt this book was for me. The story then becomes more of a historical drama with the middle section set during WW 1. Then there is a little bit of magical realism thrown in with the voice behind the wall.

I always struggle with books that verge on fantasy and I don't read fantasy it's not for me. In this case is a parallel world where some situations are the same but some are different. In this case the Titanic didn't sink.

I feel confused as to what the story is supposed to be. It is clearly a historical family drama. There is a romance and also a mystery of a missing girl. The main character Olivia is involved in all three. The romance I can take or leave but I did like the mystery.

I felt a little disappointed as the story didn't explore the Titanic angle more. So going into the book expecting a tale that mentions the Titanic and doesn't cover it much in both worlds is a little bit of a let down. The story bring what it turned out to be may aswell have had any reason for Olivia staying with her guardians. Her parents could have been involved in a car accident or whatever just so there was a scenario for Olivia.

Anyway overall I liked the book but didn't love it. I would read more by the author in the future.

This book was lovely, if you are after a somewhat slow burn, HEA, main FMC POV and also multiple worlds, set in a historical time that involves a time-space continuum that has been disrupted, this is the book for you. The House of Lost Whispers captured young love and coming of age perfectly, encapsulating Olivia’s ‘through the looking glass’ perspective amazingly well. There is briefly a dual POV, but mostly we see Olivia’s side of the story, and also her HEA, in all the variants the fissure in the time-space continuum created. I really enjoyed the build up, but would have loved to have more of Seth’s POV too.

When the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic leaves Olivia Davenport orphaned, she’s sent to live with her guardians, the Fairchilds, in their huge Jacobean mansion. But the Fairchilds have more to worry about than a grieving young girl – with war in Europe imminent and four sons to protect.

Olivia feels alone and friendless. Until she hears a voice from behind the wall in her tower bedroom. A voice from a man called Seth. Convinced he’s merely a product of her grieving imagination, it’s not until after the heartbreak of war that Olivia discovers that he exists in an overlapping world, just a shudder in time away from her own. A world where the Titanic never sank… Where everything since has been just slightly… different.

All Olivia wants is to find a way into his reality. And not just to see the faces of her beloved parents once again. But also to meet Seth. Who might just be the love of her life…

This book reminds me off the ‘sliding doors’ kind of storyline. I did find myself getting a bit confused BUT that was more on me, than the authors writing! I’m a great believer in what’s meant to be and all that … BUT surely a little ‘help’ in the right direction is ok 😉?!) what a gorgeous book this was. #followback #love #myself

It’s a beautifully written book, I found it clever and engaging. It’s told from different dimensions which I found interesting. Olivia’s story of love and loss on her side of the wall was raw, fun, and heartbreaking.
I can’t say I enjoyed it as much after the self gratification, not that I don’t enjoy spiciness. It was just a bit too dizzy for me. The other side of the wall was just weird, and I don’t mind weird, just not this kind of weird. It doesn’t take away from the authors talent and way with words. Loved the first half.

This book was beautifully written and very emotionally driven. A unique way to represent alternative timeliness. I really, really enjoyed it. The romance was good. Olivia and Seth just needed to make it, I was totally rooting for them.

#TheHouseofLostWhispers #NetGalley

The House of Lost Whispers reeled me in from the start with the compelling opening scene relating the sinking of the Titanic. The addition of the paranormal touch was all the more intriguing. The first half of the novel was very moving and poignant, but I was wondering when the otherworldly component would fully unfold. It does, in the second half but, sadly, that second part felt weaker compared to the first. I was a bit disappointed, it didn't turn out quite how I was expecting it, although the ending was an empowering one. The writing style was very polished, so despite my mixed feelings, it was a nice read.

”But you could only repair a broken vase so many times because, if you repeatedly dropped it on the hard, stone floor, eventually, all that remained would be dust.

And now, Olivia Davenport felt all that remained of her was dust.”</i>

The House of Lost Whispers by Jenni Keer is historical fiction with a dash of fantasy, opening with the sinking of the Titanic in which an alternate earth is born from a flare of radiation created by the sun. In one timeline, the Titanic hit the iceberg dead on and was able to remain afloat, killing hundreds of crew. In the other, it sank as normal. Both timelines ended up having other differences as well, with some people dead in one and perfectly alive in the other as the years progress. The book takes us through WWI and ends in 1921.

The protagonist is Olivia Davenport, who in the Titanic-sinks-as-normal timeline, has lost her parents aboard the ship and has gone to live with Sir Hugo and Lady Cynthia Fairchild—her godparents—as well as their four boys: Clarence, Louis, Howard, and Benji. She’s a child who lives in her imagination and is dazzled by romantic notions, so when she begins to hear a voice speak to her through the wall of her tower, she’s intrigued.

The explanation behind the alternate universe using the composition of the earth was a neat way of doing it. It was also very smart of the author to have Olivia grow up before continuing her discussion with the voice on the other side of the wall, given that she was 13 and he was 19.

The cast of characters, especially the Fairchild family, grew on me as I read, and it was heartwarming to see Olivia wiggle her way into their hearts and make them more affectionate and outwardly physical. I also enjoyed how her bubbly personality helped to heal Seth, and in return his cheerful outlook she cultivated in him helped to pull her out of her grief. Their desperation to find love with one another despite the impossibility pulled at my heartstrings.

It’s hard not to go into too much without spoilers, but man does this book make you FEEL. See that quote up above? That was me for the middle third of the novel. It was gut wrenching, but I’d be astonished to find a story set during WWI that isn’t. This book would be a gem for people who enjoy historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and a hearty dose of melancholy but with a shine of hope at the end.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The House of Lost Whispers was an original, well-written novel that kept me guessing throughout. Made me think about the 'what ifs' in life and how a small change can alter the course of so many lives.

In a Nutshell: A historical fiction with mild shades of romance, mystery, and magical realism. Interesting plot spanning multiple genres, good characters though a tad beyond the era in terms of thinking, a slow-but-steady pace, and disappointing romance. The blurb makes it sound like a timeslip story; it’s not. I would have liked some actual timeslip, but once I readjusted my expectations, my experience improved.

Plot Preview:
When the ill-fated Titanic sinks in 1912, the slightly-spoiled and highly-imaginative thirteen-year-old orphan Olivia Davenport is sent to love with her wealthy godparents, the Fairchilds, at Merriford Manor. Life at Merriford is very different from what Olivia is accustomed to. Though there are more people here, there is much less physical demonstration of love. Olivia feels quite lonely and relies on her imagination to get through the days. But when she hears a voice from beyond the wall of her tower bedroom, she isn't sure if her imagination has turned too wild, or if there is actually a young man called Seth on the other side of her room? Soon it becomes clear that Seth does exist, but in a world slightly different from Olivia’s, a world where the Titanic never sank and her parents are still alive.
The story comes to us mostly in Olivia’s third-person perspective.

PSA: The blurb is highly misleading. It focusses mainly on the timeslip aspect, but the actual book is more of a general historical fiction. Better to go into it with the right expectations, else you will be disappointed

Bookish Yays:
🏰 The imaginative premise. Though I am not a hundred per cent happy with the execution, I cannot deny the creativity of this concept, especially in historical fiction.
🏰 Olivia’s personality – great for a fictional lead. Her melodramatic nature and wild imagination is clear right from her childhood, so she makes for an entertaining character at times.
🏰 The way the book focusses on the transition in Olivia’s life, going from being an only child in a modest house with loving parents to one of many children in a huge mansion with reserved adults. Few novels handle the contrast in living circumstances so well. I especially love the depiction of Olivia’s reaction to her new circumstances.
🏰 The first section of the book, which comes from ‘Before the War’. Easily my favourite as it fulfilled most of the potential.
🏰 Even though there’s some magical realism, the overall vibe is very grounded and believable.
🏰 Merriford Manor, with its gardens and towers, is the perfect location for such a story.
🏰 The writing is easy yet immersive. The pacing is mostly steady.
🏰 The historical inserts make the plot more convincing. Many historical events such as the suffragette movement, labour disputes and unrest, the sinking of the Titanic, the Great War and its aftermath make an appearance in the book without making it seem cluttered.
🏰 The emotional themes, whether grief from loss of parents or partners, PTSD after war, and the anger and frustration at lost opportunities, all come across well.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🚢 The initial interaction between Olivia and Seth begins when they are thirteen and nineteen respectively. While the later chapters make it clear why Olivia had to be so young at the start, it still feels a little odd to see a teen interact with a young man that way.
🚢 The three sections of the book – Before, During, and After the war – are distinct in tone as well as genre. The first section is more of general historical fiction with a minor glimpse of the magical realism. The second section is more like war fiction, with much trauma, loss and grief. The final section has the most romance as well as a strong thread of mystery. The magical realism is the most in this section, but because of the way the content is written, it barely feels magical. While each of the three sections are interesting on their own merit, the overall effect of the novel is a bit jumpy thanks to the change in genres.
🚢 The way of explaining the duplicate earth where Seth lived was quite creative. Not scientific, but great fiction that needs to be accepted at face value. However, with so much potential there, I was disappointed not to know much more about that world.
🚢 While the blurb makes the book feel like the timeslip and the “other world” is the centre of attention, the actual plot is not that fantastical. The focus is more on Olivia’s life and the historical events affecting it, with the fantastical part being sidelined for much of the journey. If you read this mainly as a timeslip, you will be disappointed. The actual content isn't bad, but the misrepresentation in the blurb leads to incorrect expectations. Moreover, the actual reveal of the timeslip doesn’t come until a long way into the book.
🚢 The Fairchilds make for interesting characters. While we don’t get to know all of them well, we do get to see enough of their personality to understand their behaviour and their motivations. Lady Fairchild was probably the best sketched of the lot. I wish some of them had more page space.
🚢 The climax of this story was almost perfect for me, and I was going to list it in my Yays. But the final two chapters turned my delight into mere contentment. The ending was much braver without those chapters. Then again, I understand how avid fans of the women’s fiction kind of genre would be more pleased with the current ending.

Bookish Nays:
💥 The romance(s). I can't reveal anything about the romance without spoilers. So I'll just say that I rolled my eyes at many of the scenes as they just didn’t match the era. Also, does everyone have to fall in love with Olivia? It got repetitive after a point.
💥 Some part of Olivia’s behaviour doesn’t sound age-appropriate, or even era-appropriate. Her thinking often seems too modern.
💥 I never understood why Olivia didn’t want to know more about or to interact with her parents who were still alive in the other world. Her only concern seemed to be her love life and the potential partners – quite odd.

All in all, while this novel began with a bang for me, it ended up as a slightly mixed experience. The first section was amazing. The second section was quite good though a bit repetitive. However, the third section turned out to be a truly mixed experience. The romance, the mystery, the decisions of the lead characters, and the end result of the plot, each had highs and lows.
This is my third book by this author, after ‘No. 23 Burlington Square’ and ‘The Ravenswood Witch’. While I liked all three books, I think this one had the most potential in terms of imagination. However, the lack of cohesiveness across the three sections and the romance turned this one into a good one-time read instead of a memorable one.
Recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction and war dramas with a healthy sprinkling of romance. Not for those looking for a timeslip story.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to Boldwood Books for providing the DRC of “The House of Lost Whispers” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.