The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis was a book that I had seen over and over again in the past year, so, when I found out that Davis had her sophomore novel, The Address, publishing this month, I added it to my top of my TBR pile and hopped on the Fiona Davis bandwagon.

I do not read a ton of historical fiction so I wasn’t sure what to expect; however, when I started reading, I quickly discovered that Fiona Davis is a masterful storyteller with the capability to completely entrance her reader.

I was transported back to 1884, where, after a chance run in with a wealthy American family, Sara decides to back up her life and move to America to be the head of house at The Dakota. Flash-forward about a hundred years, in the autumn of 1985, Bailey is out of rehab, fired from her job and without anywhere she goes. In a panic, she turns to her cousin and finds herself in The Dakota.  The novel goes back and forth between these perspectives where Davis weaves a tale of love, the quest for success and betrayal within one of New York’s most famous residences.

I sometimes find myself disconnected when I read historical fiction. I think it comes from the fact that I am unable to relate to the characters due to language or general situations; however, in this case, I found the opposite to be true. I was fully connected with both Sara and Bailey throughout my reading. Both of these characters are sort of lost and trying their best to make it with what they have, struggling to fit in, struggling to find their place and struggling to ensure they pretend they know what they are doing with their lives. Amen to that. David does a fantastic job at staying historically accurate while keeping her characters realistic and relevant.

I knew that this book was sticking with me while I found myself wondering about what would happen during my lunchtime fitness class. I really loved the shape of how this one unfolded; Sara’s story is moving linearly while Bailey is discovering hers in reverse. Therefore, most of the twists happen fairly early on and it is clear that an incident occurred but Davis slowly draws out the pieces and weaves the plot slowly while building tension. By the end of the novel, when these two parallel worlds finally collided, I felt like I would burst if everything wasn't revealed.

 Overall, I can now say with confidence that I am pretty much obsessed with the work of Fiona Davis and will anxiously await her next novel; in the meantime, you’ll find me hunting down a copy of The Dollhouse. If you are a fan of any sort of historical fiction or a story that builds tension while focusing on character relationships, you will absolutely devour The Address. I know I did.

5/5 stars.  Highly recommended

London 1884

Having worked her way up from a maid, Sara Smythe, age 30, has just been given the position of head housekeeper at the Langham Hotel in London. Her position brings her the title of Mrs. Smythe even though she is unmarried.

One day, Sara happens to see an unattended toddler climb onto a window sill. Terrified that the child will fall out of the window, she rushes to the room and saves the child from falling. Later, Mr. Theodore Camden, an American and father of the little girl Sara had saved, introduces himself as the architect of The Dakota, a luxury apartment house in New York and offers Sara the job of head housekeeper. After much thought, she agrees to go to New York. Upon arrival, she then becomes the Managerette of the entire building. Her job is very intense but she is able to coordinate all of the families moving into the building, in addition to the staff required to run it.

Before long, Sara and Theodore fall in love and begin an affair which has devastating consequences that Sara has to face.

New York City - 1985

Bailey Camden had a good job with an interior decorator firm but was fired when she was put in rehab for drinking and doing drugs. Now, her cousin, Melinda Camden, who has an apartment in The Dakota, has offered for her to stay in her apartment and oversee her large remodeling job. Bailey is very ashamed of her past addictions and is working hard to overcome them. Bailey and Melinda are descendants of Theodore Camden who built The Dakota. Melinda and her twin brother are in direct line to receive an inheritance on their 30th birthdays, whereas Bailey is not. However, Bailey is fascinated by the history of the building and Theodore Camden.

The story switches back and forth in time. I liked the story of the time period of Sara but didn’t care so much for it combining the present day story of Bailey. Although Bailey is an interesting character, I thought she accepted too much anger from Melinda and others. Had the story simply been about Sara, I could have given the book 5 stars but with both stories together, I only gave it 4 stars. But don’t get me wrong. This is a fascinating story and I am curious to see how readers feel about Sara’s character.

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

I liked Sara's story more than Bailey's because there's just something about that time period - a big monstrosity of an apartment house outside of the city proper which is actually something really beautiful even to this day! The author makes The Dakota come alive with rich details. Many famous people made their home there with its charm and character. I thought both women were kind, strong, hard workers. I liked the twists and turns. I liked that the author used real places and events and even a real (and very interesting) person makes an appearance! Overall two very interesting and readable stories that weave their way into one.

The Dakota is one of NYC's most well known buildings but mostly because of its tragedies and celebrity tenants, not necessarily for its beauty. I love old buildings and their unique characters which is what first drew me to this story. Buildings and homes just are not made with the craftsmanship and beauty they once were in our overly efficient and cookie cutter world. Reading a historical fiction novel (a new personal favorite) about such a building intrigued me.
While the story of its inception was merely a small backdrop, the Dakota was definitely a major character in this story of love, loss and betrayal. The two main characters, Sara and Bailey, are both drawn to the building for different reasons but both find love and betrayal there. Both women were also victims of money and all of its trappings.
This book made me very grateful to NOT be a woman in the 1800's! I enjoyed this story quite a lot and found reading of this era and the beginnings of New York City to be very interesting. There was a middle area where things slowed down for me but then came a plot twist that I was very surprised by...things flew by after that.
While I wish a few more of the smaller plotlines would have been fleshed out a bit more and the ending seemed a tad rushed, I found the lives of Sara and Bailey to be intriguing. They may have been separated by one hundred years but they were both searching for the same things; love and acceptance. 4/5 stars

One Hundred Years Apart Two Women Find Temptations in the Dakota

Sara Smythe, illegitimate daughter of an earl, finds in Theodore Camden’s offer to be managerette of the Dakota, the fabulous apartment he designed in New York City, the chance to make something of herself. The temptation to see more of Theo and experience gilded age society even at a distance is hard to resist.

Bailey Camden, fresh out of rehab, has tasted the riches of New York too exuberantly. Now the ex-party girl and interior designer is homeless, out of work, and out of resources. Bailey is not related to Theo. However, her grandfather was Theo’s ward. Bailey grew up with her “cousin” Melinda. Now Melinda is her only hope to get her life back together.

Melinda hires Bailey to oversee the renovation of the Camden apartment in the Dakota. Although Bailey doesn’t like Melinda’s ideas, which destroy much of the historical detail in the apartment, she has no choice but to help if she wants a roof over her head.

Bailey meets Renvo, the building manager, who shares her interest in preserving the historical detail of the old building. In the storeroom where he keeps all the moldings and furniture no one wants in their modern apartment, Bailey discovers Sara Smythe’s belongings and unravels the secrets of her family.

The gilded age in New York is beautifully depicted in the novel. The changes that take place over the hundred years make a vivid contrast between the modern Dakota and the original building. The descriptions are compelling, so much so that the Dakota becomes a character in the novel.

This is another novel, of which there are a number lately, told from the point of view of two characters separated by many years. Usually, I find one or the other character more interesting, but in this case, I was captivated by both Sara and Bailey. They are strong, independent women who experience difficult trials and are not beaten by them.

If you enjoy a novel with a complex plot and rich historical detail, you’ll enjoy this book.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

As a New Yorker, I am fascinated by the history of the iconic NYC buildings. This book did not disappoint. It chronicles the Dakota from before its opening to the nineteen-eighties, using the stories of two women -- one 19th-century immigrant, one young woman recovering from alcoholism in the 1980s. Their stories contrast the difficulties women have had to overcome, from poverty to the cultural excesses (in both storylines) that can derail the most talented woman. The prose is gorgeous, the details are as concrete as can be - including detailed architectural explanations, and the horrors of imprisonment for women in the late 19th century (exposed by Nellie Bly).

One star less than five because of a few coincidences that I just couldn't quite believe.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley.

This was a beautiful historical fiction novel based on the opening of The Dakota in New York City in the late 1800's. I enjoyed that it was based on a real place and often found myself googling the Dakota. Many actual residents were mentioned in the book such as John Lennon.

The story revolves around Sara Smythe a young woman who is poached from her head housekeeper job at a posh London Hotel to work for Theodore Camden one of the architects working on the Dakota, after she saves one of his children from a near death experience. The line of employee and employer is quickly crossed as Sara must rely on Theo for his friendship and that quickly turns to something more.

Fast forward to 1985 and meet Bailey Camden she is a young woman who is suffering from some demons and is trying to understand her mysterious family history that her mother was trying to piece together before her untimely death.

This book is all about secrets, betrayals, love and family. The thin line we all walk of trusting those closet to us and how that line can be crossed in an instant.
4.5⭐️’s

hen Sara is offered a job at the new Dakota apartment house in New York, she lives her job in London for the unknown. In the present day, Bailey is out of rehab and looking for a job. When her cousin offers her the opportunity to refurbish her apartment in the Dakota, she jumps at the chance.

This book was just mediocre. The characters were shallow and poorly developed. The story line and conclusion was extremely predictable. Overall, a bust.

Oh what a web we weave, goes the old adage. This wonderful novel begins with honest, hard-working Sara who comes to America on the promise of work by the architect of the famed Dakota building, not quite completed. She endeavours to be Theo Camden's indispensable service manager, a female no less, and eventually his secret lover. His wife and three children arrive later, as do all the new tenants. Life goes on in this tale at end of the 19th century; alternating with descendants later in the 20th century. So many surprises, twists and turns the years bring with family members, and almost-family members coming "out of the woodwork." A great read, don't miss it!

This was the first book I had read from Fiona Davis, but I definitely plan to read her other novel now too! The Address gets a solid 4.5 stars from me. This novel has wonderful historical details, well-developed characters, plenty of twists and turns (many that I didn't see coming), and great execution of one foot in the past and the other in the "present" (1985, in this case). The ending might seem cliche to some, but I enjoyed it. It seemed to fit with the rest of the story. I also didn't like the "present" storyline as much as the past, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. I definitely recommend this!

Lots of similarities in style between this book and The Dollhouse. I think I enjoyed the story line of this one more. I loved the idea of a glimpse inside the Dakota Building in the 1880s and in the 1980s.

A big plot twist, that I didn't expect, occurs about halfway through the book in the 1800s portion of the story. Then again about 3/4 of the way through. I was more prepared for the second and had predicted most of it although the author still caught me by surprise with some of what happened in the more modern story.

All in all, it was an enjoyable story with some interesting details about the Dakota that I liked a lot.

I just love Fiona Davis's books - this is the second one that I've read that is devoted to the history and stories behind a famous New York City building, and I really love the construct. There is so much fascinating history in old buildings, particularly in a city like New York, where the good, the bad, and the famous have long strode the streets and halls...

In this book, Davis takes on the iconic Dakota - the apartment building that expanded the boundaries of "acceptable" high-end New York housing AND witnessed the cold-blooded murder of John Lennon. The building is a character in its own right. I think this is one of the magical gifts that Davis brings to her books. She has a marvelous ability to take bricks and mortar and render it into an almost living entity - or at least one that demonstrates as much personality (and contributes as much to the story) as any of her human characters. History is full of fascinating - often stranger than fictional - tales, and it is a delight to see so many of them being brought into the light in books like this one. I also really enjoy the back-and-forth of a contemporary story line blended with a historical one. Using a modern-day protagonist to relate to (and solve a mystery for) an earlier-century one is a great way of bringing the stories of each into full technicolor.

If you are interested in Gilded Age New York, the descriptions of personalities, social trends, and social interactions will engage you wholeheartedly. And even if you are not particularly so, Davis has a lovely, engaging, and easy-going writing style that will pull you in. I can't wait to see what landmark she tackles next!

The Dakota apartment building in Central Park is one of the most famous apartment buildings in the world. When it was built, it was a revolutionary combination of luxury and modern convenience. The Address by Fiona Davis is a dual timeline, historical fiction novel set in this iconic location.

In the 1880’s, Sara Smythe leaves her prestigious position as head housekeeper at an elite London hotel for a new life in America. She is offered the role of managerette of the brand new Dakota by one of its architects, Theodore Camden, with whom she quickly develops a close friendship. Sara must learn to balance her work, her social standing, and her blossoming relationship with the married Mr. Camden.

In the 1980’s, Bailey has just gotten out of rehab and been fired from her interior decorating job. She gratefully accepts her cousin Melinda’s offer to redecorate her grand Dakota apartment. Bailey falls hard for the beauty and the history of the Dakota. This opportunity leads her on a quest to discover the truth of Sara and Theodore’s past, as well as her own family’s history.

The Address seamlessly marries fact with fiction. Davis skillfully brings her New York City setting to life- including perfect period details from both the gilded age as well as the 1980’s. Her choice of timelines is in fact brilliant. The 1880’s and the 1980’s share many similarities. Both decades feature a glamorous facade that often hid a much harsher reality.

The Address could have benefited from more in-depth character development. The male love interests in particular were fairly two-dimensional. I think Davis did a decent job at fleshing out both Sara and Bailey however. I loved the cameo from real life journalist-extraordinare, Nellie Bly. I would read an entire novel with her as the protagonist!

This was a quick and enjoyable read. Although not particularly remarkable, Davis’ writing is certainly strong and engaging. The Address is well-plotted with just enough suspense to keep readers flipping the page. I did feel that the ending was a tad rushed however. I think this book will appeal to fans of historical fiction, readers who like upstairs/downstairs stories, as well as books set in Manhattan.



**A huge thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read The Address in exchange for an honest review**

Another one I could not put down. Great story. I will definitely recommend this one to my book club.

Sara Symthe has risen to be the head housekeeper at a posh London hotel despite a failed apprenticeship with a seamstress. After saving a young child's life, she is offered a job at the Dakota apartment house in New York City which is close to completion and scheduled to make its grand opening in October 1884. In 1985, Bailey Camden, recently released from rehab, has been given an interior design job from her cousin to renovate her apartment at the Dakota. This book was fantastic! I loved reading about the inner workings of the famous Dakota and how it came to be one of the most famous addresses in New York City. The Gilded Age of New York City from the opulent parties to the atrocities committed against women on Blackwell's Island, the drug and alcohol fueled 1980's are vividly brought to life in this compelling tale of two women trying to find their place in the world. A fast-paced very enjoyable read!

I loved parts of this book namely the historical part of the story and the character of Sara. Such a tenacious character that always seem to be putting her trust in the wrong people. I didn't much care for the character of Bailey and her story but liked the way it eventually intersected with Sara.

This book was all I hoped for and more. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Loved the writing, loved the characters and loved the story.

It's not that often that I polish off a book in 24 hours but when I do, it's obviously a sign of how enticing it is. The synopsis gives a detailed portrait of what to expect here and it was my curiosity of how Sara could have killed this man who knew her so well. As the story evolved I kept looking for clues and wondering how and why this would take place.

Lately it seems with dual narrative books I find myself engrossed with both the past and present story lines, but with The Address I found myself drawn to the past more, I think I got to know the characters better and found the plot more intriguing, reading about the lifestyle and historical aspects of the time is something that interests me. The 1985 time was interesting enough, with Bailey and her cousin Melinda but the author spent more time on the past. I appreciated the timing of this part of the book with it's lack of electronic devices -no cell phones, no Internet, no computer jargon, that was a nice refreshing change.

The Address comes in at 368 pages, I thought the first two thirds were great, there was depth of character, the story line moved at the right pace and I had a hard time putting it down. However, the last third could have done with a few more pages, I felt the ending a bit rushed and there could have been more time spent drawing out the conclusion. Now don't get me wrong here I found the ending was fitting and it wasn't till close to the end where it actually dawned on me what might be taking place, so I commend the author for dropping clues that didn't always register with me.

The historical aspect always fascinates me, with the actual building and renovation of the Dakota, time spent in an insane asylum and the landscape of New York City in that era. The timing of some actual historical events were moved to fit the story and I am fine with that, if the author didn't mention that in the author's notes I wouldn't have known any different. But I appreciate the mention showing the author's respect for the history here.

Definitely a book and author I highly recommend.

Thanks to Penguin Group for an advanced copy of this little gem.

I enjoyed The Dollhouse so I was really excited to get an advanced copy of The Address. I always like historical fiction, and although it started a little bit slow, I was engrossed pretty quickly.

Bailey is desperate for money and a place to live, so she takes up residence at The Dakota, a historic apartment building - at the beck and call of her party girl "cousin, Melinda. Although they aren't technically related, they have a family bond, and right now Melinda is the only one who will give her the time of day.

Even though Bailey does't agree with the design style Melinda is leaning towards (could anyone's taste really be that bad?), she knows she is in no position to argue - and kowtowing to Melinda has been a constant in Bailey's life since they were children.

When Bailey finds some belongings in an old trunk, she realizes that there might be more to her family story than she knew.....

There was the time hop story between the past and the present, and if I had one complaint - it would be that the present story wasn't nearly as compelling as the past. Part of the was that i didn't really find Bailey to be that likable, and the romantic storyline was almost sterile in tone.

I cared much more about Sara and her story, and wanted to know how she ended up in an asylum and known through history as a murderess.

All in all, another winner by Fiona Davis

Current Goodreads Rating 4.06