London, 1925: Selina Lennox is one of the Bright Young People, a group of friends that manage to garner all sorts of press with their antics, dancing and drinking and treasure hunts through the city, and making sure to be seen in all the right places. Selina, still mourning the death of her brother Howard in the war, is determined that her life will be filled with fun, trying her best to escape the proper life her parents have planned for her. When she meets Lawrence Weston, a struggling artist and photographer, she is instantly drawn to him, although she knows he would not be considered an acceptable match.

Nine-year-old Alice Carew hates being at Blackwood with her cold and disapproving grandparents while her parents are traveling to Burma for business concerning her father’s ruby mines. The only friend she has is Polly, one of the maids, who remembers Miss Selina well and is happy to spend whatever time she can with Alice. As the months roll by, the letters from her mother grow infrequent, but Alice saves every one, following the treasure hunt clues her mother has devised for her.

Told from alternating time periods, The Glittering Hour shows Selina as a strong willed woman, trying to hide from the pain of Howard’s death, followed by the death of her dearest friend Flick. It’s easy to understand how Selina would choose safety and security, provided by Rupert Carew, over the love she had for Lawrence Weston. Alice is also a determined young woman, a talented artist, and her love for her mother never wanes. This story has depth and emotion, love and loss, courage and triumph and yes, eventual happiness, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Set in England in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the novel tells the social history of life at that time. Selina is one of the Beautiful Young Things, a group of socialites partying, drinking and enjoying life after the losses of WWI. Her story is one of love, not for her husband but a man of a lesser social stature, a photographer named Lawrence. Some of the story is predictable, but it is a good read that will keep you absorbed. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I struggled a bit with this one at first but I’m glad I stuck with this story. The ending was everything I needed it to be. If you can stick with it you won’t be disappointed in this lovely historical fiction!

Alice is staying with her grandparents at Blackwood Park while her parents are away. Through a series of letters she is “introduced” to know her mother as a young woman and is told of the adventures she had that “brought Alice into being”. Told in past and present tense this book Is an absolute delight, and an emotional whirlwind so be sure to have tissues ready.

Thank you NetGalley Iona Grey and St. Martin’s Press for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I absolutely adored Iona Grey's previous novel, Letters To The Lost. I have been patiently waiting (for four years) for her next book and I can tell you that The Glittering Hour has most certainly been worth the wait.

The Glittering Hour is a dramatically written story that explores lost love and family secrets. The story has dual timelines. I didn’t see it coming; the book builds gradually then pounced on my unsuspecting self. Ms. Grey is great at delivering quiet poignancy, understated elegance and wonderful prose. Ms. Grey does an awesome job creating her story so intricately woven and some very irresistible and unforgettable characters. I was swept away into the glittering hour. I truly hope I won't have to wait another four years for another book by this amazing author.

I would like to thank the publisher, Iona Grey and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant book about self-discovery, love and loss. Whilst it is quite a long book it is a story worthwhile.
One of my favourite reads from last year.
Definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a captivating historical fiction book.

RATING: 4.5
2019; St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books

“Footfalls echo in the memory Down the passage we did not take, Towards the door we never opened Into the rose garden" T.S. Eliot

The Glittering Hour is a gorgeous read, just like all the different book covers associated with the title. Grey captures you from the first word to the last. It is written well, with the lavish drama of the 1920s. Selina is one of the Young Bright Things in Britain spending their days asleep and nights drinking, partying and getting into trouble. After losing her brother to the Great War, she is lost, as much as her mother becomes more strict. She wants her to act like a lady and marry well. One night Selina meets a poor young artist and they both fall hopelessly in love. Yet, the obstacles in their way seem to be too large. Weaved into this love story, eleven years later, is Selina's daughter, Alice. Alice is staying with her maternal grandparents while her parents travel for her father's job. She does not feel loved or wanted there, and cannot wait till her mother is back. To keep her occupied, Selina send her letters with a scavenger hunt. Alice starts to learn more about her mother and how her parents met.

I started this audiobook while I was doing chores, but spent the rest of the day making up chores to keep listening. I wasn't always fond of Selina and was scoffing a few times over her choices, but I loved Alice and Lawrence. Alice reminds me of a Frances Hodgson Burnett heroine, so not only brought back good memories, but made her endearing. I was invested in this story mostly because of Alice. With her meanie maternal grandmother, this added to the fairy tale tone of the story. I enjoyed the writing, the era, the story and characters so I would recommend you add this to your TBR list!

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

This novel features a dual timeline, and is a sweeping, glittering story about a young woman, Selina, in 1925 and her daughter, Alice, in 1936.

Selina is flighty and fun, a wealthy socialite who has always been wild but especially so after the death of her brother in WWI. One fated night she meets Lawrence, an artist who makes his living by painting portraits of dead soldiers for their families, but whose dream is to be a professional photographer. He is not from her elite circle, and as the two become closer, she realizes that she will ultimately have to choose between The security of a life with the man her parents have chosen, or the unknown of a life with Lawrence.

I felt as though this book was rather slow at first. I struggled to get into it, plus Alice's timeline was so sad - a little girl left with her cold, uncaring grandparents while her parents are away. Towards the middle it really picked up and I flew through the rest of it - I had to know what was going on and what the end result would be, and it did not disappoint.

A divine book of love and loss, of finding and being yourself, and of knowing your place and having the courage to break free of it. The characters are deliciously varied and rich, the story line a puzzle of time and events, and the writing masterful. I was enchanted and immersed within the story, and had to slow myself down in reading so that I could savor it until the last word. Beautifully written, one of my favorites this year by far.

I absolutely loved this book. The writing is beautiful and the story captured my heart. This is a new author for me and I will be seeking more of her work.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Breathtaking and delicious, this story is alive and paints a vivid picture into the lives of the privileged during 1920's to 1930's in England.

With a dual timeline and dual POV, we learn the stories of "Alice", young daughter of "Selena Lennox", who finds herself under the guardianship of her very strict and stoic Victorian Grandmother. Young Alice is very lonely and misses her mother greatly, (currently travelling to the indies). Through a scavenger hunt and hand written letters sent from her mother, Alice begins to learn about her mother's exciting past...and her secrets.

A story of love, duty and honour, this story will have a hold on your heart as you discover along with Alice, the many heartfelt loses, based on hard choices, that Selena had to make.
5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, St.Martin's Press- Thomas Dunne Books and the author Ms. Iona Grey, for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "The Glittering Hour". The opinions expressed in this review are mine alone.

This is a long book. I think it was a good story, but I also think that it could have been written in a lot less words that would not have taken from the story. I enjoyed it, though tedious at times.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley.
All opinions are my own.

I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I'd had more time to read and therefore read it in a shorter period of time. I feel like I say this a lot. This was one of the best historical fiction books I've read in the post-WWI period for making it clear why the Bright Young Things of the era were living the way they did, as Selina specifically says she's living for herself and her brother killed in the war too. The romance was almost too intense to feel real. But the mother/child relationship is what really sold the book. Alice's pieces are the best part of the book. Her innocence and longing for her mother are absolutely heartbreaking, and getting invested in her life is what really moved the story along for me.

Review will be posted on 1/`10/20

It's 1936 and Alice is staying with her grandparents at their estate as her parents are on a business trip overseas. Alice is feeling sad without her parents around, but thankfully, she has Polly, her grandparents' servant to keep her company. Polly gives Alice letters from her mother as well as clues to a treasure hunt that she set up. This obviously gives Alice something to look forward to while missing her mother. Then the narration is also shared with Selina, Alice's mother, except it takes readers back to the year 1925 when Selina was a young woman and had her whole life in front of her. She was always in the tabloids, along with her other wealthy and adventurous friends, and was commonly referred to as a "Bright Young Thing." While on a treasure hunt of her own with her friends, she meets a struggling artist, Lawrence. He is pretty much the opposite of the type of guys she should be dating, but despite this, they fall in love. Her parents have encouraged her to marry someone else, so Selina will have to decide soon which path she will choose and this decision will impact her life forever. The Glittering Hour is a charming historical novel and while I found it predictable, I still enjoyed getting lost in Selina's glittering world.

I really enjoyed the unconventional character of Selina in The Glittering Hour. She is outgoing, witty, and knows how to have a good time. She is exactly what I would expect from a Bright Young Thing. When she meets Lawrence her world is turned upside down. I did enjoy their romance despite the fact that it was heart wrenching and not the simplest of romances.

In the future, Selina sends her daughter, Alice, on her own treasure hunt in The Glittering Hour and I could see where this was going, but nonetheless, I enjoyed going along for the ride. It was a fun way to uncover Selina's story alongside Alice, so in turn, the dual narrative did work for me. Another aspect of The Glittering Hour that kept me engaged were Grey's evocative descriptions of the exciting time of the 20s in London.

So, if you enjoy historical fiction that will tug on your heartstrings and is filled with family secrets, give The Glittering Hour a try this winter. I was hoping to love it a bit more than I did, but overall, it was a decent read.

The Glittering Hour is a beautiful story about love, those we have to love and those we choose to love, and the sacrifices we all make to feel like we belong to something greater. I loved the mother/daughter treasure hunt, and I loved reading Selena's letters to her daughter.

Out of the 201 books I read in 2019, only 6 received that coveted 5-star rating. The Glittering Hour was number 6 and that alone should say everything about how I felt about this magnificent, wonderful book.

This is my first novel by this author but when I read the summary, I really was intrigued by how the story would turn out. I love the forbidden love type stories so knew this would probably hit it for me. The book is written in two points of view and between two different times. Normally I’m not a huge fan of the back and forth but I think it worked really well for this story. I loved the dynamic between mother and daughter with Alice and Selina. It was heartbreaking to feel Alice’s longing for her mother while she was away. The beginning of the book was a little slow but it gradually picked up. I found myself really living for Selina’s interactions with Lawrence. Like I said, I’m a sucker for forbidden romances. I also really loved the glimpses of 1920s London. That time period always seemed so glamorous but also a tad gritty. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the characters of this story. Have some tissues on hand because it is a bit of a tearjerker!

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.



I remembered the first Iona Grey book I read and how much it impacted me so I did not hesitate to say yes to reading her latest. Grey is a fabulous writer, able to capture human emotion accurately in the written word. Read this book. It is likely that you will cry (I was sobbing at the end) but you will be better for it, for glimpsing a love and devotion that spans time and distance.



Reviews for books that I loved at this level are difficult to write. I don't want to spoil anything and yet want to gush with all the details. One of the reasons I enjoyed this book is the language - Grey writes beautifully, which rich, enchanting words. It is so easy to picture the setting of each scene. This book features a dual timeline, which is also handled very well.



If you enjoy Downton Abbey, this is a book that fits in with that era in history.



I eagerly await Grey's next book - she has cemented herself on my auto-buy author list.

The title is an exquisite metaphor for this poignant novel set in World War I England. It centers around a mother's dark secret and the treasure hunt surrounding its answer on which she leads her young daughter.. The prose is sparse and full of what is left unwritten. One word expresses a moment, a character trait, or an image, reminiscent of Cather or Hemingway. A good read!

The cover of this book is stunning. The flecks of gold are eye-catching.

I was not familiar with Grey's previous works so I have nothing to compare. I did find this book started a bit slow for me. It was one of those slow burns that I ended up loving.

This is a story set in two different time periods from two different points of view. 1920s was Selina's story and the 1930's was Selina's daughter's, Alice, story. At times I felt like Alice's story was a bit too slow moving but Selina's made up for it.

This is my 94th book of 2019 and I will say that it has made the list of my favorites of the year. I will be checking out other works by this author. Her writing style is smooth and descriptive.