I hate to say this but I enjoyed the 2011 parts more than the 1945 parts. (I'm a huge historical fan but I dreaded picking up this timeline)

It was interesting to read about Sophie being on a plane bound for New York on 9/11 and getting diverted to Newfoundland. There she gets to collect with felt though which was nice.

I have read a lot of historical fiction this past year, and most tend to kind of get the same story line going, and it is hard not to get burnt out from reading them. The English Wife, however, kept me hooked from the very first few chapters, and I loved it! I have never read anything by this author before, and I loved her writing style. I enjoyed learning about Newfoundland and the alternating time periods to 9/11. This is a must read for any historical fiction lover. Looking forward to more from this author.

Stayed up very late to finish this one. I was saddened to finish this lovely novel.
This book has two storylines, the first being 2001, the other during the 1940’s.
Two English sisters love George. Ellie realizes she only likes the security George brings her, not the true love she feels from Thomas, a handsome soldier from Newfoundland..
After the war, moves to Newfoundland and starts a new life a never heard from her family until it’s too late.
The other storyline features Ellie’s niece and her unplanned travel to Newfoundland.

The English Wife is the story of two women. In 1940's England, Ellie Burgess falls in love with Thomas, a soldier who hails from Newfoundland. In 2001, Sophie Parry finds her plane diverted from a trip to New York on 9/11. She lands in Newfoundland, where her Aunt Ellie lives.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction set in the 1940's. I also was intrigued by the Newfoundland setting, since that is an area I was not familiar with. I love traveling new places in a book!

This is an ambitious dual storyline novel that tells the story of two women, in World War II and in the aftermath of 9/11. The author does an amazing job at skillfully interweaving the stories of these women's lives.

The historical details are rich. I especially found the details of England during World War II to be fascinating, like the little cellar where Ellie and her little sister Dottie hide out (with their cat!) during a bombing raid.

I also love the current day descriptions of Newfoundland, which seems like a quirky, vibrant place. For instance:

"Sophie follows Sam and Becca through the screen door. Inside, long white-painted wooden counters stacked with boxes of art cards, homemade jams, rolls of colourful ribbon, plates of fat muffins, tempting cookies and red paper bags of something labelled hard tack flank the narrow walls in front of the sage green shelves displaying handmade glazed pottery and framed art prints. Four lively dachshunds clatter through the doorway from a back room, followed by a sturdily built woman of about fifty, in paint-spattered jeans and a Joni Mitchell T-shirt" (eBook location 851).

Although I initially was more interested in the 1940's story, as the book went on I became invested also in Sophie's storyline (2001 - 2011) and especially life in Newfoundland.

I enthusiastically recommend The English Wife for fans of historical fiction, especially anyone interested in the 1940's, Newfoundland, and dual storyline novels. It is a lovely and engrossing read!

The English Wife by Adrienne Chinn is an amazing historical fiction book which features two interesting historical time periods, 9/11/2001 and WWII. It is well researched and brings you into the life of a young woman, Ellie, in Bristol, England during WWII who falls in love with a soldier from Newfoundland, Thomas. You also see Ellie in 2001 as she intersects with her niece, Sophie, who unexpectedly ends up In Newfoundland as her plane is detoured during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, everything they had going on to become workers in France during 1917.

I loved every minute of it, and did not want it to end. It is told in multiple voices with alternating timelines providing backstory and slowly reveals secrets to keep you intrigued. The description of the landscape and heritage of Newfoundlanders can also not be forgotten. This is a location that I did not know much about. However, with the excellent introduction to the area by Chinn I feel that I might not be entirely pegged as a CFA (come from away) when I visit.

This book has an outstanding cast of characters that you truly feel connected to. The struggle Sophie feels when trying to decide her vocation is heart wrenching. Ellie being forced to adapt to a life she has had no experience with and then her successful transition will inspire you. The relationship Sam has with his daughter, Becca, will warm your heart. Truly Chinn has created not just an evocative story, but truly a sweeping masterpiece that spans almost 70 years. The care in creating this family drama is apparent on every page.

A group of strangers with a a tenuous family connection was made stronger together than apart. You will not soon forget the unfailing courage, sense of determination, warm heart, and sense of humor of Ellie. Despite her many challenges she found ways to defy the societal bounds to enact meaningful change. She was not looking for glory, just a chance to do something that was decent and worthwhile. What a legacy she left, you will be better after reading it. Her strength and determination should not be forgotten and you see the echoes of her influence strongly in Sophie.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Harper 360 One More Chapter in exchange for my honest review from Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

Two women with different perspectives from different eras! These women face different situations, but they still have to endure the right to be heard as women.
Ellie is a confident woman who leaves her family for a new life in a new country for love. Her sister Dottie sees this as a betrayal of sisterhood and she raises her daughter Sophie to be strong and not need anyone or anybody.

The book itself is a very slow read, but it does pickup in various areas throughout the storyline. I definitely enjoyed the characters, but it seemed as though they were missing something and the book kept losing my interest. I put it down and would go to another more cohesive book. Overall, I loved the premise of this book it just seemed to need more.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Trigger warnings: 9/11, war, grief over the loss of a loved one

Ellie is an English art student during World War II when bombs start being dropped on her English town. She meets a soldier from Newfoundland and marries him, and must travel to Canada to be with him after the war is over.

Sophie is Ellie's niece, who doesn't know about her estranged aunt until she sees a Christmas card in the mail from Ellie. She copies down her Canadian address and thinks nothing of it until years later her plane is grounded in Newfoundland on 9/11.

The stories are told in non-linear timelines, with Ellie's story beginning at the end of the war when she is traveling to Newfoundland. Then the narrative loops back to tell Ellie's wartime story. Sophie's story begins on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 when she is flying to Newfoundland for the second time for her company. Then the story of the flight ten years prior begins to unfold.

It becomes apparent within the first few chapters of the book why Ellie and her younger sister Dottie might have severed ties, and it involves a man. But is this man what drove the wedge between them? It is clear that Dottie doesn't want her older sister to leave England at the end of the war.

Sophie was raised in England but lives in New York City working for a prominent architectural firm. Her breathtaking photos of Newfoundland from her unintentional trip a decade prior have captured the attention of her firm as a new travel destination. Sophie must return to the rural area to convince the townspeople of the firm's plan to build a hotel nearby. Returning to the area means she must revisit her relationships with her aunt and an old flame.

While Ellie's wartime story would naturally be the more interesting of the two timelines, Sophie's story still captivates with historical details of 9/11 and her discovery of the self she left behind as she pursued a safe career.

Recommended for readers of historical fiction, family sagas, and women's fiction.

The English Wife by Adrienne Chinn is a wonderful story having two timelines, one of which takes place in Newfoundland. Since I have an ongoing love affair with Newfoundland, that attracted me right away and never let me down. The early timeline is World War II Ellie is in art school and dating George, assuming they will marry after the war. That is until she falls for a handsome soldier, Thomas, from Newfoundland that she meets at a local dance. It is not too long before they are in love and plan to be married. Their plans fall apart when Ellie's younger sister, Dottie, interferes with their communication and they miss their chance to be married. Thomas eventually writes and by then Ellie has discovered her sister's interference. Since it is wartime, their correspondence is sporadic until Thomas arrives in England and discovers George and Ellie together. Since he is confident in her love, he spirits away and they marry. After the war, Ellie and her son, Emmett, sail to Newfoundland to be with Thomas.

This is another side of the war. Usually it is all about the Holocaust. This is about regular people, living their lives. There are subplots aplenty and it isn't until 9-11 when Dottie's and George's daughter, Sophia, is on a plane forced to land in Gander, that the tow families come together again. By then Sophia's parents have both died, as has Ellie's daughter. This is a fabulous story about the things people do in desperate situations, and not so desperate situations. It is about the lies they tell and the justifications they use. It was a heart-rending story of love and loss and off how horrible people can be. All families have secrets. This one certainly did, plenty of them, and they hurt one another with those secrets. It was a terrific book, full of vignettes about lives lived as best they could be. I loved it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The English Wife by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #theenglishwife

Sophie’s flight to NYC has been diverted to Newfoundland. She is not very happy about it…at all. She must get to NYC for an interview. However, this diversion takes her on a quest to learn more about her family history and to possibly discover love in the process.

I enjoyed the setting on this one. You do not read too many books set in Newfoundland. I also loved the 9/11 segment. But, the WWII part was a little boring and drawn out. The story comes together with quite a few twists and turns. But, there were sections which I struggled with. Now…this could be more about me than the author. I have read so many WWII books lately. I could just be ready for something new.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC.

The story of The English Wife is told in 3 different timelines from WWII to 9/11 to 10 years after the period of 9/11 and takes place in England and Newfoundland. While the book was well-written, the story and the characters just didn't draw me in. Because of the different storylines, at times I couldn't quite make sense of where the story was going although things did come together at the end.

I really liked the character of Ellie and would have preferred learning more about her life in Newfoundland and her children. Sophie I wasn't quite so keen on as she came across as a bit self-centered and shallow. Nor did I care for Sam who seemed to disparage Sophie at times and didn't seem to really care about her. However, I did enjoy the setting quite a bit, never having read anything set in Newfoundland. It was fun to learn about this unusual location.

These things aside, it was a solid read and I would still recommend it based on the location and historical detail.

I really enjoyed this book. It is historically based, with multiple times in past and recent history considered. It is a family’s journey through three significant events: WW 2, September 11, 2001, and September 11, 2011, with the storyline skillfully intertwining all 3 together.

I liked that it’s not just history, not just family, and not just a love story, but all of these together. It is my first time reading this author but I will look for her books again.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

When Sophie's plane lands in Newfoundland on 9/11, she has no idea that she's about to open a door into her family's past. She meets Sam who takes her to her aunt Ellie, who moved to Newfoundland with her husband as a war bride- leaving her sister Dottie behind in the UK. Moving back and forth in time between WWII (and what came after), 2001, and 2011, this is the story of a family split by something that should not have caused such a big rift. I'll admit to enjoying the sections in Newfoundland the most- because of the characters but also because it's a good setting (and I learned a bit). There's perhaps a bit much in this sprawling novel (tightening might have increased the emotional impact) but I enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

“The English Wife” has dual story/timelines that cover England during the war, Newfoundland after the war and following Sept. 11 in Newfoundland when U.S. bound planes were diverted. The main characters are Ellie Burgess, a war bride that follows her husband to his home in Newfoundland after he was injured and missing during the war. Ellie’s sister Dottie stays in England and never forgives Ellie for leaving England. One of the planes diverted to Newfoundland on Sept 11, 2001, has a passenger Sophie Parry, who was traveling from England to New York for a job interview. She decides to visit her aunt Ellie who was now in her 80’s for the first time in Newfoundland. She meets a cast of characters including Sam, the widowed son-in-law of Ellie’s. Her time in Newfoundland changes her life. There are many twists and turns and an unexpected ending. The majority of the novel traces Ellie’s life in England and Newfoundland and the estrangement with her family. The author did a good job with character development. The novel, at times dragged due to the length of the book – some parts could have been condensed to improve the flow. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for a chance to read and review the novel.

The English Wife
by Adrienne Chinn
Harper 360
You Are Auto-Approved
One More Chapter
General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 16 Feb 2021 | Archive Date 09 Mar 2021

This is one of the best books I've read all year. I couldn't put it down. I think our readers who like historical fiction will enjoy this book. Thanks to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.


5 star

Lots of characters to keep up with plus all the different timelines made this a hard book to enjoy. I liked the different settings, with descriptions of the world events. I just thought the story was confusing.

Thanks to Net Gallery for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
The story has 3 timelines, but only switches between 2 at a time:
1) WWII to 1960s England: here we meet Ellie, a young girl with dreams who wants to make an impact in war time England. She is engaged to a long time friend, George, but meets a soldier from Newfoundland whose draw she can’t resist. They fall in love. Meanwhile, she has a tumultuous relationship with her sister Dottie. Ellie must choose which life she wants.
2) September 11 2001: Sophie Parry is married to her job. Success is all that matters. That’s what her mother, Dottie, taught her. She’s on her way to the interview of a lifetime but is diverted to Newfoundland b/c of the 9/11 attacks. She takes the opportunity to stay with her aunt Ellie whom she has never met. She meets the family, but also Sam, the first man she has ever truly fallen for. But is anything worth giving up her “life plan” for?
3) 2011: Sophie’s boss saw her pics of Newfoundland and wants to build a hotel. She has been tasked with convincing the locals to sell the land—or else she will loose her job. But what will it be like to see her family again? And Sam?
Overall, the plot and characters of this book are good. I appreciated that this wasn’t an overused historical fiction plot line. The last third has some interesting family twists and I finished the last 40% in just a few hours. I give it a 3 star because, as other reviewers have mentioned, it doesn’t pull you in as much as a 4/5 star book would. It took much longer to get through the first 50-60%. Some attribute this to the complexity of the timeline—personally I don’t. I think it was largely due to the length of the chapters. The chapters switch back and forth btwn timelines and are so short that I found myself just getting invested when I was forced to “start over” in a different decade.
Overall, I would say that if you are a historical fiction fan and want to read something without an overused plot, give this book a shot.

The English Wife is one of the best books I have this year. I did not put this down and told all my friends to order this book. I can't wait for the next book by this author. I would give a 10 star if they had it.

What a beautiful read! We have two couples, their stories set decades apart, Ellie and Thomas, and Sophie and Sam. The two couples shared an intertwined history. Ellie and Thomas first met while he was stationed in England during WWII. They fell in love, were married and moved to Newfoundland, where Thomas was born. Sophie and Sam meet through intriguing circumstances beyond their control, not completely unaware that they share strong ties in their history. This was such a lovely, well written book, filled with well developed characters and a thoughtful plot. I loved it!

I would like to thank Adrienne Chinn, Harper 360 - One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ellie is swept off her feet by Thomas, a soldier from the Newfoundland regiment, during World War II in Norwich, England . Thomas turns Ellie's life upside down with a whirlwind romance and quick elopement before he is sent off to war. Ellie doesn't receive another letter from Thomas until she learns that he has been injured and is now back home in Newfoundland recovering. Ellie packs up to leave the only home she has ever known with her newborn son, Emmett to forge a life in a new land with a man she barely knows.


September 11, 2001- Sophie Parry leaves London for New York. She is interviewing for her big break at an architecture firm. Unexpectedly, her plane is routed to the nearest airport in Newfoundland. Stuck in a small town and unable to reach her interview. Sophie seeks out her mother's sister that her family has long been estranged from. Sophie's Aunt Ellie welcomes her with open arms and introduces her to a family she never knew.


The English Wife is a multi-faceted historical fiction drama with dual timelines, intrigue, secrets and lies. I love a good dual-timeline and this one delivered. I loved that both Ellie and Sophie were tough, determined and willing to go against the grain. The writing was able to weave together Ellie's story in the 1940's along with her sister Dottie, her former fiance George and Thomas along with Ellie and Sophie in 2001 and 2011 in a way that I could easily follow. It was very interesting to see Ellie in the light of the 1940's and the 2000's; she was still very much herself, but different in many ways. Sophie was a surprising character, from the very beginning I knew that she had a difficult decision to make between sealing her career and destroying the family and town that she has just found. This created tension right from the beginning that carried throughout the story. As things progressed, secrets came out that changed my perspective as well as the characters. I really wish people would have stopped messing with Ellie's life; however, she seemed to come out ok in the end. In addition, I enjoyed Sam and Becca's characters as well as the town of Tippy's Tickle. I could imagine the houses, the seascapes and the songs of the whales singing.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

I loved this story so much! Rich in family history and long buried secrets, it reminded me of Kate Morton's writing, which have been some of my favorite books. I can now add The English Wife to that list. Adrienne Chinn's writing was paced perfectly as this gorgeous, emotional story unfolded. A must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360-One More Chapter for access to this ARC!