Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I really did not enjoy this book im not sure if this was purely due to not liking the narrator but I don’t think the book would be too much better it did not grip me and make me want to continue

Heart-wrenching but still hopeful. A moving story about ordinary people overcoming impossible odds. I find Homefront stories so inspiring. They invite us into the lives of the everyday heroes left behind during wartime. And, oh my goodness, but Wingate has assembled a cast of memorable characters in this immersive read that had me laughing and crying and cheering out loud.

Louisa makes an indomitable heroine, tenaciously facing down insurmountable obstacles. From disagreeable characters to the harsh realities of war and an odious ex-husband’s nefarious plans, she’s besieged on every side. I was fully engaged, fighting every battle and crowing over every victory right along with Louisa.

There are characters to love and hate and the author deftly reveals a multitude of emotional layers, not only in our heroine but in many other characters as well. Little Gracie stole my heart and the antics of the rambunctious evacuee children kept me grinning while the tender closed door romance had me swooning!

Loved the way the author offered us a slice of real life in an English country village during this time period . It has all the highs and lows you might expect to find, along with some astonishing plot twists! The kind of book you want to race through to find out what happens but at the same time need to slow down and savour every word to make it last longer! Happy, blissful sigh of utter bibliophile contentment!

Exquisite storytelling made listening to ‘The House for Lost Children’ so pleasurable. Yes, another audio book for me and Joan Walker’s narration breathed life into an eclectic mix of characters from the youngest child to the crotchety head teacher. Her performance kept me enthralled and anxiously engaged to the very end.

My thanks to Bookouture Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

At turns heartbreaking, funny, and sweet — in a world torn by war, the recently divorced Louisa yearns for lighter times. Her son is a fighter pilot, her ex-husband is determined to give the house to the army, and she is determined to provide a little corner of comfort to children from London.

The children come, a whole school of them orphaned or torn from their families by the war. I was deeply moved by their stories, and by how Louisa and her household and neighbors sought to provide stability and healing. But Louisa also faces her greatest fear, with her son at war.

The narrative is evocative, the characters real in their ups and downs. I feel like I know them all a little, and I wanted to be a little like Louisa, even with her imperfections.

I listened to the audiobook and it felt like the reader enjoyed the book, which added a touch of special to it.

(Note - I was given advance access to the audiobook from Netgalley; my review is honest and heartfelt.)

The House For Lost Children by Marty Wingate, narrated by Joan Walker. Setting is England in 1940, The start of WW2, this is an Historical Fiction. Louisa makes her home into a school for 9 evacuated children from London. Very Touching. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture Audio for this Arc. This is my honest review. Releases Sept 15, 2025

This is a sweet, heartfelt story about nine children who have lost their mothers in war-torn London during World War II, 1940. Louisa has a large country home and is recently divorced. Her son is gone, fighting the war. She has volunteered to take in the orphans and turn her home into a boarding school for them. The children have experienced serious trauma, but one little girl has captured Louisa's heart. Gracie had been found in the wreckage of her home, holding her dead mother's hand. She has not spoken since she's arrived at Louisa's home.

The home has provided the children with schooling, normalcy, love and sustenance. But one woman is determined to rip the children away, being scandalized about Louisa being divorced.

I enjoyed the book tremendously. I listened to the audio version. The narrator is wonderful.

This book was both heartbreaking but so heartwarming at the same time. A World War 2 novel. Louisas character is the best, she's such a nice, loving and kind person, who heals the hearts and souls of the little kids who have been left without anyone during the war, especially little Gracie. I won't go into detail and spoil it. The narrator Joan's voice is so calming and just right for the story. Historical fiction always has my heart, and this was just what I needed and got me right out of my reading slump. 5 massive stars from me!!!

One of my favourite historical fiction books! This would make such a heartwarming film or short series. I loved the characters especially Louisa, Gracie and Jack. Gracie's story broke my heart. If you enjoy historical fiction war based reads mixed with recelince, hope and found family then this book is for you!

🎧4⭐️

I had the audiobook read by Joan Walker. It has the speech patterns of the era, but avoids feeling stilted. The narrator does a good job.
Unusually for me I needed to increase the speed. It’s a short book.

Lady Louisa Brightford a divorcee (unusual for the era) turns her home into a boarding school for evacuees, despite the army wanting to take it over as a billet.

The main characters are Louisa, Gracie a young orphaned girl and Jack the handsome teacher.

It’s a feel good, light upbeat easy listening historical fiction even when her son David who is serving in the air force goes missing. It doesn’t have any emotional angst. I felt that it looks at the period with slightly rose tinted glasses. Personally I prefer to have my emotions put through the wringer.

If you want a heartwarming toe dip into historical fiction without any heartbreak this is for you, or if you just want a cosy entertaining listen. It tenderly demonstrates that with second chances family can be chosen.

The House for Lost Children by Marty Wingate
Publication date September 15, 2025

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

This story is about a woman Louisa, during WWII whose son David is fighting in the war. Louisa decides to open her home to children that have lost their family. Her ex husband wants the army to take over her home but Louisa fights to keep the boarding school open. Nine children are brought to her home along with two teachers. One child Gracie is deeply traumatized after losing her mother and Louisa immediately takes to her. Louisa never thought she would find love again but is falling in love with teacher Jack. Then the worst thing happens, David’s plane goes down and he’s listed as missing.

I received the audiobook and the narrator Joan Walker did an excellent job. It was easy to listen to and follow the story line. I finished in one afternoon. The story flowed and was well written. I hadn’t read any other books by Marty Wingate but will be adding her to my list. I love historical fiction and highly recommend this book!

What a wonderful gem. The story was well written, and the narration of the audiobook was fantastic. I cannot imagine anyone else reading this book. The story is about a newly divorced woman trying to find a new normal, her son ia off at war, and she has a large house with just her housekeeper/best friend, when she hears about a school that was looking for a safe place after their town was bombed. The children show up a day early, and one young girl was buried under rubble for 2 days holding her dead mother's hand. They navigate the changing world and find healing in each other. Fantastic story and narration.

This book is a real gem .I was not sure when I started it if the narrator was to my liking but I did not want to stop because the story was so good . I then grew to love the narrator,Joan Walker and how beautifully she read it and brought Louisa to life as a very gentle,caring and loving woman .I learned a lot from Louisa about letting children express themselves no matter what others think .I will be listening to Joan Walker narrations other books and definitely listening to more books by the author Marty Wingate .Thank you #BookoutureAudio and #NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this beautiful book and thank you to the wonderful author Marty Wingate for writing a wonderful story. #Goodreads reviewer.

The House for Lost Children by Marty Wingate
Narrated by Joan Walker

In 1940 England, Louisa Brightford's divorce has just come through and the settlement allows her to continue living in the English countryside at Oxburrow Manor, the place she's lived since she married her husband. Not that he's been around for the entire time, this marriage has been just on paper for a very long time and he has his mistress to keep him company. When Louisa learns a school needs to evacuate children from London, Louisa and her live in best friend, Iris, offer up Oxburrow Manor as a refuge for the children and their teachers.

Everyone is being bombed in London but it was the news of Gracie that brought this school to the front pages of the news. Six year old Gracie had stayed home from school the day of that particular bomb and she was with her mom when the place where the moms and children were living was bombed. It took two days before Gracie could be unearthed, holding the hand of her dead mom. The little girl has been mute since that day and she pulls at Louisa's heart.

Louisa is the key to opening Gracie, as if Gracie sees a mother's love in her. David is Louisa's only child, a pilot at war, and she learns that he's bailed from his plane and is missing. Louisa and Gracie have that in common, broken hearts that may never mend. But Gracie is healing here at Oxburrow Manor and she's helping Louisa keep up the hope of seeing her son again. Also, there is Jack, the boys' teacher who is finding his way into Louisa's heart, too.

Joan Walker's narration has a special lilt to it and I think she added to the story, made the funny parts funnier and the sad parts sadder. It's especially with the children's voices that she shines and she made me love every single one of the children. Every line was so funny to me, the story has a lot of fun and funny times, moments that are so day to day but are made funny by the way children look at everything, the way they have no filter, even when they are trying to have a filter because the grumpy lady teacher tries to enforce a filter. The author knows how to write children and I adored each of her creations.

For all the grief in this story, I think most readers/listeners can feel safe with this one, It's mostly pulling the good, the hope, and the feeling of found family out for us to enjoy. I do realize that the war is just beginning so can't help wondering what happens to these people I've come to know.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.