Jenny has just celebrated her 100th birthday and decides that now is the opportunity to revisit her past, and takes her carer, Candice, along for the ride. Written across dual timelines, 2019 and 1940s Wales and Italy, Jenny and Candice open up Jenny’s memory box and delve in to see where history will take them.

The Memory Box is beautifully researched and written, and I adored the characters and the story. I can guarantee that this book will trigger every emotion within you and just goes to show that relationships are often similar, regardless of the era.

Historical fiction books, set during WWII, are one of my favourite genres, and this book is right up there among the top.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the opportunity to read and review The Memory Box by Kathryn Hughes.

This was an interesting read by an author that I was not familiar with having never read their work before. I always enjoy a new to me author and I wasn’t disappointed.
I found the characters interesting and really had a depth to them with lots of details described for me to portray them in my mind and really get inside them.
The story line took me to a place I wasn’t expecting and kept me intrigued right until the end.
I would recommend to anyone interested in this genre and will be reading more.
Many tears shed and an eye opening read

From the bestselling author of The Letter, Kathryn Hughes returns with THE MEMORY BOX, a beautiful, timeless, and heartrending story of love in a time of war.

I adore everything the talented storyteller Kathryn Hughes writes. She dives deep into the hearts and souls of her characters, and they come alive on the page. THE MEMORY BOX is spellbinding, and the audiobook was swoon-worthy, narrated by the extraordinary Rachel Atkins. I was glued to the audiobook (and the book) for days and could not wait to get back to it.

Unforgettable. Utterly captivating! The characters still linger after the last page is turned.

Kathryn is engaging, witty, funny, and sassy, and her dual timelines are the BEST. Hughes is one of my favorite historical fiction authors of all time. Both the past and present are equally as compelling. Every book is absorbing and tantalizing, drawing you into the lives of her vivid characters and everything going on around them. Her style is unique and unlike any other author. Top Books of the year list.

Jenny (who just turned 100 yrs old) is one of the best characters. I fell in love with her immediately. She has had a rough life and is stronger for it. She resides in the Green Meadows retirement community.

She reflects upon her past with the young Candice, that works at the home. As she looks through her precious keepsakes in her memory box, she realizes there is one important painful journey she must make before it is too late. She must go return to Italy.

Jenny is smart, funny, feisty, razor-sharp, wise, and what I would hope to be at her age. I also enjoyed the gay friend, Frank, whose partner had passed, and he moved into the home.

Candice, her caregiver, and employee, is a highly relatable character with a crappy manipulative, abusive, dirtbag-controlling boyfriend, Beau, and Jenny is just the person to mentor and guide her. (her banter was laugh-out-loud).

Their Italy trip was truly mesmerizing. I laughed out loud and wanted to push Beau off a cliff. He was one nasty guy. There is so much backstory here, and it feels as though you are sitting down with a cup of tea or coffee with your grandmother, and she is telling you a story of her past. Intimate and entrancing! Wouldn't that be fun if we could get our grandparents to spill their deep dark secrets?

There are jaw-dropping twists and surprises before the book ends, which will keep you glued to the pages. Utterly, unputdownable and spectacular.

At the end of the book, the author writes about her Inspiration for THE MEMORY BOX, which I adored with some key recommended reads about women in Italy, the war, and more about this time tragic period in the forties and fifties.

You will laugh and cry. Just finished and wanted to let everyone know they must read this book. I have read all her books except Her Last Promise (not sure how I missed it) and could not purchase the audiobook fast enough. Cannot wait.

In addition to this one, check out The Secret, The Key, The Letter. Her audiobooks are highly engaging and magnetic.

If you have not read this author, highly recommend reading every single one. I am not particularly a huge fan of historical fiction, but trust me, this book and all her books are the BEST!

Heartwarming, powerful, riveting, and thought-provoking. Character-driven and plot-driven, fans of Catherine Ryan Hyde, Elizabeth Berg, Patti Callahan Henry, and Kristin Hannah will devour this one.

A special thank you to Headline and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. Also purchased the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Rachel Atkins - always a treat!

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My Rating: 💗💗💗💗💗
Pub Date: 08/05/21
US Blog Tour Dec 9, 2022

Really good book. The plot was well-written and engrossing. I look forward to reading more from this author.

A beautiful, sweeping novel that crosses generations wonderfully. I’ve read previous Kathryn Hughes’ books in one sitting which is unheard of for me, and The Memory Box did not disappoint - yet another one I couldn’t put down until I was finished!

Endearing characters that have you feeling so much for each of them. A heartbreaking yet heartwarming tale of love, loss and forgiveness.

Thank you for the reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory Box is another heartbreaking novel from Kathryn Hughes in her usual duel time style. It follows Jenny Tanner, an evacuee sent to Wales from Manchester with her young brother during the Second World War. They stay with a farming family in a small village and a tragic love story unfolds against the horrors of war.
In the present day, Jenny has just turned 100 and lives in a care home looked after by Candice who is facing her own struggles in life.
Jenny asks Candice to accompany her to Italy so she can lay to rest old ghosts from her past while revealing her story.
This is a well researched novel full of both sorrow and humour. The characters are believable and despite some twists but being such a surprise to me, I would highly recommend the book.

A sweet story. Thank you NetGalley for an early copy. I know that the book as been published and on the market for a year.. 'I absolutely loved this book. Devoured it in a few days. I eagerly await more of Kathryn Hughes' books.. I felt the author had a well researched story, beautifully told. It is sad in places, but heartwarming in others'. I will recommend this book to my fellow book lovers.

The Memory Box is a dual timeline story about love, loss and forgiveness. With most dual timeline stories I find that I am usually drawn one timeline more than the other, but the timelines here ran seamlessly along side each other and I found myself equally drawn to both. I loved the friendship and bond that developed between Jenny and Candace and found myself wishing each a happy ending. A poignant and thought provoking read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Well this was definitely a WOW kind of book, I was hooked from start to finish, it was beautifully written, wonderful characters. I just could not put this book now, literally read it in two days, some parts of the story even bought a tear to my eye, which is always a sign for me of just how well written a book can be when that happens.

So it didn't take me long to be drawn into the story of young Jenny in the 1940’s and that of older Jenny and her carer Candice in present day 2019. I was captivated right from the first few chapters. I loved how the story went back and forth from past to present day which was done so seamlessly.

This was a truly magnificent, emotional and well written story from start to finish. I was completely captivated and engrossed throughout, really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and to discovering their stories.

I even learnt a bit more with regards to World War II and in particular what happened when Italy entered the War on the side of the Germans, which then led Winston Churchill to declare all Italians living in the United Kingdom to be enemy aliens and him ordering every male Italian to be arrested and detained without charge and they weren’t released until each of them had been assessed as a threat or not. I certainly don’t remember learning that in my history classes in school.

If you love historical fiction books with dual timeline storyline involved, that tell a story in the present and in the past then I can highly recommend this one as a must read for any historical fiction fan.

Honestly I downloaded this novel # The Memory Box from a publisher I didn’t recognize. What a great action.
A story of hope and love. Also with twists. It will bring tears…..
Thank you for the advance copy,
# Netgalley, # Kathryn Hughes, and # Headline💜🐾🐾

Heart wrenching and suspenseful at it's best with this book. When I get obsessed with a genre I have to read a lot of them. Historical fiction was one that I never thought I would read, much less obsess over, but here I am. This book gave me everything I was looking for in this genre. A definite recommend from me.

I voluntarily reviewed this book provided by NetGalley.

Another wonderful read by Kathryn Hughes. Amazingly written with great characters. Not my firm book by Katherine and I really hope not my last and as always Kathryn made me cry!

Another wonderful read from Kathryn Hughes. Her books are always emotional and have great characters and this one was no exception.

I love Kathryn Hughes writing and I have read a number of her books before and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Dual timelines are my favourite trope so I knew picking this book up I would fall in love with it and it was easy to move between the two timelines.
It was an emotional read about love and loss and with such great characters there was nothing in this I would not have loved.
I think this author is underrated and I will be making sure her books feature on my social media all the time. A recommended author I tell my friends and family about all the time.
Thanks to the author and publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review

A beautiful story set in the present day and the harrowing days of war. Jenny has just celebrated her 100th birthday and she has one last thing she wants she do and that is to go back to where her life took a devastating turn all those years ago. The friendship between Jenny and Candice , one of her carers is just stunning , this really is an amazing book.

Another fantastic book from Kathryn Hughes. The Memory Box takes you on a wonderful journey of love and loss, betrayal and acceptance. A great book.

Phenomenal read. This is an exceptionally written and moving book, it will stay with you for a very long time after you finish. Louis and Jenny are sent away by their mother to keep them safe from the Nazi’s during a time of war. The direction their lives take and the people they meet take you on an incredible journey and will have you laughing and crying with them as they live their lives. This is a must read, I cannot give it enough stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley and Kathryn Hughes and Sphere for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I really enjoyed this book. I have read everything by Kathryn Hughes and this one did not disappoint. She writes in a simple manner and the books are easy to follow.
The story set in today and WWII works well and the suspense builds up as you progress. Likable ands believable characters.

I love Kathryn Hughes books and was delighted to read this one.
A beautiful love story set in WW2. Captivating and emotional on every level.

This was my first book by Kathryn, beautifully written and incredibly poignant.

It had me totally gripped from the beginning to the end and I would totally recommend.

Definitely worthy of 5 stars.