I loved this book so much! I love a dual timeline historical fiction, and this book takes place during my favourite time period- Tudor England! This also included a bit of historical mystery, which I love!
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I was immersed in the story of both the main characters-Amber and Eleanor. Amber is dealing with grief and goes to live with her grandfather in Saffron Hall to help catalogue his collection of books so that she can get away and take a moment to grapple with her grief. Through her work, she finds something that connects to someone in the 1500s England, that might connect to her family home, Saffron Hall. Now, moving to Eleanor, she was such a fierce and strong character. She is forced to leave her family home to live in her new husbands household, but the brings Saffron to the new home and completely changes the identity of the Hall and helps with her husbands merchants business. I loved both of these characters so much and they were strong female characters.
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This book takes place during a very turbulent time in history, when Henry Tudor broke away from the Catholic Church in order to divorce his first wife and marry his second. People in England have a tough time with this change, because their religion played a large role in their lives and the monasteries play a large role in society, which we can see through Eleanor's experiences.
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Overall, this was a great book if you love historical fiction!

Wow what a first book. Many congratulations!! It started off slowly but the characters built with each chapter and I loved learning more about each different one. And so wonderfully described. I felt I was in that tower sorting out the saffron. And the link into the current day was so well done. I was in tears at the end. I loved it

I found this book enjoyable, it is not a deep serious read though and I engaged little with the characters. For me the clash of modern and Tudor was a bit too much. Some parts were very funny, which I’m not sure was the authors intention but as I said it was, for me, a fun, light summer read.

I really enjoyed this book. It has the dual time Lines i really like in a historical fiction book. It had strong Main characters that i fell inn love with. And i just needed to read one more chapter just one more chapter. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc

I love historical fiction and was excited to read this book, I found it absolutely charming, especially as I live in Kings Lynn, which was mentioned many times throughout the book.
I enjoyed how the historical sections were intertwined with the modern day scenes via the Prayer book.
The secrets were enthralling and I found the book absolutely gripping to read. Emotional at times, I found myself willing Amber on with her mission, not only to help her grandfather but to overcome her own heartbreak and for her to start embracing her life once more.
Such a beautiful story,that is told with such clarity and intricate details, that led to me becoming completely absorbed into the happenings at Saffron Hall and especially with the lives and losses of the two women that lived there, one who was from the Hall’s past and one who is its future mistress.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Avon Books UK and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

To begin with, that gorgeous cover that had me requesting the book without even checking the blurb. And then my favorite genre of dual time story that had me in heaven.

The Secrets of Saffron Hall is the story of 2 women spanning centuries who fights against unbearable grief and then learn to live with that pain making them that much stronger and tougher to face life.

Eleanor at 17 in 1538 is married by her guardian to Greville Richard Lutton, a wealthy merchant looking to move into the exalted circle of the King’s men. Her only dowry is the bulbs of crocus that is given to her by the priests of the Priory to which Eleanor is infinitely attached. Eleanor and her faithful friend and companion Joan begin a new life in Milfleet, growing into the responsibilities of being a mother to Greville’s 3 yr old child, and as the new mistress of the hall. Each and every change in her life with the birth of Henry, adopting the young mute boy Thomas, bringing her husband riches and value in the form of the saffron she cultivates in the fields, Eleanor has her hands full. It is also the time in history when the King ordered the closure of abbeys and monasteries thus leading to daring acts of courage and bravery.

Amber in 2019, recovering from a traumatic event has taken refuge at her family estate called Saffron Hall cataloguing her grandfather’s immense collection of books. When a Book of hours is discovered in a tower room abandoned by the family for centuries, Amber becomes intrigued and begins the search for answers about her family history and the significance of the name Saffron.

There’s a gentle flow to the story that lures the reader in, a tug at your heart as the story of both women unfolds thru each and every page. The secret that is revealed is not much of a mystery as it is easy to guess the direction it is leading to. But the sense of the era thru Eleanor’s story was brilliant and fans of historical fiction are really going to be overjoyed reading this tale.

The slow and painful process of struggling with grief and finding a semblance of peace to never let go of hope has been described beautifully. I loved the gentle pacing of love between Amber and Jonathan and the space and distance that they both struggle to overcome.

A beautifully written tale of 2nd chances and not forgetting to live!


DUM SPIRO SPERO, while I breathe, I hope

I loved this book and the women who are at the heart of the story.
It's a well written, engrossing and entertaining book with great characters and a plot that kept me hooked.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is one of those books with 2 timelines explored in parallel. One is the present day and the second relates to the Book of Hours with journal entries which is found when lightning damages Saffron Hall. The earlier part of the story is set during the dissolution of the monasteries, when Henry VIII was wresting power from the church. These were exciting and dangerous times when one had to be careful about the company one kept, but had to develop friendships in order to "get on", particularly at court. One of the morals of the tale is to be careful what you wish for.
This is an interesting and well written novel with a wealth of historical detail.

A beautifully constructed tale dealing with parallel stories of Eleanor and Amber who live 5 centuries apart. The reader is engaged from the first chapter with Amber retreating to her grandfather’s home, the Saffron Hall of the title and her involvement in sorting out his library and the discovery of a beautiful ancient Book when a storm hits the tower of the property. Eleanor the reluctant bride who is turned out of her home with only the crocus bulbs from the monks at the nearby abbey settles into a desolate landscape where she is now the step-mother to her husband’s little daughter. Whilst Eleanor lives in the sixteenth century and Amber in 2019, each has similar feelings and sadness and how the stories lead to a discovery is carefully crafted. A great read and it begs for another book on Eleanor’s life after Saffron Hall! Excellent - had to read it in one go!

I have had this book on my shelf for some time and hadn’t started it as I felt it may be a bit dry. How wrong I was. The book was beautifully written and the 2 storylines were absolutely superb. The storytelling was faultless and very moving. If I could award more than 5 stars I would. It would have been fantastic to find out what happened to Eleanor but I can understand the need to stop her story where it did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers who allowed me the opportunity to read this excellent book. I really hope the author writes more. I cannot believe it is her first novel.

Completely incomparable! The writing style is profound with articulate blends of the two different but similar stories.
This was a wonderful novel, very rich in character and history. I could literally see the events through the eyes of the two heroines.

Simply magnificent

I am a huge fan of dual time period novels, especially set in Tudor times. This was a wonderful addition to the genre. I first saw it advertised on a Facebook group page for historical and time slip novels that I belong to and then was delighted to see it as a pick on Netgalley.

This is the 1st novel that I have read of Clare Marchant, but will not be the last. The story follows Amber in the present. She is assisting her grandfather with the cleaning of the family home, Saffron Hall and mourning the death of her infant daughter. One evening a violent storm literally hits the tower of the hall and when the workmen examine the damage, they find a Tudor book of hours that they pass onto Amber.

In the past we have Eleanor, the educated, much loved daughter who is left orphaned and alone when her father dies. His estate is inherited by a cousin and the cousin’s not very likable wife. They arrange to marry Eleanor off to a wealthy widower with his own estate and young daughter. Eleanor is given crocuses by the monks who lived in the monastery by her childhood home and decides to grow saffron at her new home. Not an easy task.

The story goes between the past and the present smoothly and the mystery is well done. I liked the past story a bit better than the modern, but that is usually the case with me and dual time line stories. The characters were likeable, well drawn and the story kept my interest. I recommend this book for any readers who love dual time stories with a bit of mystery, ghostliness and history mixed in. I look forward to future books from Clare Marchant as she has a great way of drawing the reader into another world.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon books and Clare Marchant for the chance to read and review this book.

Past and present weave together to tell the story of Saffron Hall as well as some of its inhabitants. Eleanor (past) and Amber (present) share bonds of joy and sadness as each learned to deal with the blows life gave them. This story touched me in a way few books do and I would love to see a sequel. The diary might have ended but that is not the end of Eleanor's story nor Amber's. I would definitely read more by this author but not sure if eBook is the best way to enjoy this particular story because the typesetting didn't align properly and parts were difficult to read because of it.

Wow, what a story. I read till four a.m. The author used two timelines one from 1541 and the other in
2019. Eleanor is seventeen, her father has died, her uncle has come to claim the castle. He also arranged a marriage for her with someone she had never met. While in 2019 Amber has come to live with her grandfather at Saffron Hall. Her husband is a vicar in town and she is an archivist at the university but she needed time away. I love the story Eleanor fell in love with her husband eventually and Amber loved her husband but a tragic event has overtaken them. There are a few surprises along with happy and sad occasions. I must admit the tears flowed a couple of times. I had hoped for an epilogue after everything. Eleanor lived during the time of Henry the eighth and that was a turbulent time. There are a lot of similarities between the two women.
The characters and the descriptions of the surrounding area were wonderful. Both in Ixworth and
Norfolk. The author used her words quite effectively to make things come to life.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed this marvelous book.

This story begins in 1541 with the sad death of a new born child. Her mother Eleanor leaves a message in her prayer book but it is not until 2019 that the message is finally read. It is found by Amber, another young mother who has lost a child. At first we think Amber is feeling her own pain rather than a ghostly presence in the Hall. As the story switches between the lives of both the two women it becomes obvious why Amber has been chosen to solve the mystery. Saffron Hall has been home to both of them and there is family connection between them.
At first this is an enjoyable mystery but the destruction of the monasteries by Henry V11 brings danger to Eleanor and just as Amber reunites with her vicar husband another tragedy for Eleanor unfolds. Her husband Greville is working at court for one of Katherine Howards lovers and he sadly dies under torture as one of the men who have surrounded her.
This is an entertaining novel with characters that are easy to sympathise with. The Tudor part of story is well researched and believable. This is an enjoyable read for anyone who likes historical mysteries.

To be honest I was first drawn to this book by the fact it was 2 stories in different ages being told simultaneously, very much in the Lucinda Riley style of the Seven Sisters series which I really enjoyed, so I was expecting a poor man's version of this. What I found however was something that day surpassed my expectations, and if I'm being honest, was better than the Lucinda Riley series due to not having needless swearing and sex scenes in it. This story was more an emotional rollercoaster where you felt each woman's pain off the circumstances they'd been found in, and in particular Amber's story was all the more heartbreaking due to knowing what was happening in the country at that time, so I was on the edge of my seat knowing where the story could end up but not knowing if/when it would affect her. I am definitely going to be looking out for further books by this author as I really devoured this one

Two women, centuries apart, find a connection. A good book overall, but did tend to skim at times. Would still recommend this book though, A good summer read,

In “The Secrets of Saffron Hall” by Claire Merchant, the intertwined stories of Eleanor during the reign of Henry VIII and modern-day Amber bring a gripping story of love and loss in the setting of a beautiful ancient British Hall. The tower is a landmark feature and a focus to bringing this story to life. I loved reading about the cultivation of crocuses that make the prized saffron spice and how each woman lived in her respective time and station in the same place. The characters in this book are ones that you want to get to know and the author brings them and their thoughts and feelings alive very well.
This book kept me going until the very end. If anything, I wanted more detail at the end and was surprised at the sudden ending. I do not want to give away any spoilers, but I wanted a bit more resolution to one of the character’s stories. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and AvonUK for the opportunity to read this ARC. My review is my own thoughts on the book and are not influenced by the receipt of the ARC.

I’m torn on this book. Normally I love dual timeline historical fiction novels, but this one started off really slow for me. It is very well written and researched (the historical part takes place during the time of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard) but I just did not care very much about the characters in either timeline or mysteries. I can see I’m in the minority based on other reviews, but this book just wasn’t engaging enough for me. Thank you Avon UK for e-arc!

I love a good historical novel and this definitely fit the bill. It has a dual timeline which I loved and i found it to be a compelling and interesting read.