A different genre of book from Jules and what a wonderful book it is. I don't normally like historical fiction or books set with a war backdrop but this was truly stunning.

A beautifully written account of how the war effort was supported. The three main characters, all with an interesting tale to tell, unite together to help the allies. Many secrets of WW2 were witnessed at Latimer House. Friendship between them is strong. An interesting read.

I have read a number of Jules’ books (and all of her books under her Julie Caplin) and adore her writing so I was looking forward to reading a book that wasn’t her normal type of book and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Evelyn, Betty and Judith are all doing important war work at Latimer House (which was a real location for secret army work during the second world war). They come from different backgrounds but become firm friends and all have one goal – to help win the war.
There are difficulties for all three woman, Evelyn was engaged to a German man prior to the war, Judith is Jewish and managed to escape from Germany and Betty who is from the village Latimer House is in (the locals think it’s a distribution centre) is in a relationship with a bully.
The book explores the friendship between the ladies, their struggles in their relationships and the difficulties people experienced during the war are also touched upon but primarily this is a book of friendship during difficult times and overcoming adversity and of course romance, I would expect no less from Jules.
An absorbing, really enjoyable read that I would not hesitate in recommending.

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

The Secrets of Latimer House is a well written novel, and the central theme is based in part on a true historical fact regarding the “M Room”, and I enjoyed that. However, the execution of this was a bit superficial. The basis of the story is the friendship between three young women and how the war affected them with a great deal of emphasis on their love life.

Whenever multiple characters are primary, the depth of them is less than what is found in most novels, whether they are historical fiction or romance. It becomes a bit convoluted to follow multiple characters. It helped that the three women come from vastly different backgrounds.

While I enjoyed the romantic elements involving the three women, there wasn’t as much heart pounding action I’ve come to expect in most of the WWII novels I read, and I’ve read quite a few of them this year.

If you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII with engaging characters and an interesting plot, then you will like The Secrets of Latimer House. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Wake, and from what I can tell, her other works are romances, which explains why this novel leans heavily on that aspect of the story. I love romance, but the book description is a bit misleading since it focuses on the women and their work at Latimer House. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read, and I will check out the author’s other books. Several of the book descriptions sound delightful. Happy reading!

This is a fictional story about three young women from different backgrounds who meet when they start working for the Armed Forces intelligence service at Latimer House. I enjoyed reading about how hearing the true story of how Latimer House staff helped during the war, inspired Jules Wake to write this book.

As the story develops, the three young women start to deal with their past lives, the present day and to start thinking about what may be in their futures. The war has changed their lives and plans, taking away family and friends, but also giving them different opportunities including their new friendship.

I’ve read other books about the work done by women in the Armed Forces during World War 2, including the recent The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, set in the now famous Bletchley Park, but wasn’t aware of Latimer House, where high ranking enemy POW’s would be interviewed and listened to in their cells.

I loved the way Jules Wake has shared the stories of Betty, Evelyn and Judith, looking at each one in turn as they deal with new jobs, the Official Secrets Act, and their own secrets, hopes and fears.

This is a powerful reminder about how important the role of all the staff who dealt with spying on the enemy were, and how something quite minor could save the lives of thousands of people. Judith was my favourite character, as she started to find her identity and to trust other people.

Happy to recommend this book, it recognises the importance of women in the workforce, the power of friendship and why we can all contribute our different strengths and skills, irrespective of our place of birth.

There is something quite powerful about WWII stories. We all have heard survivors' stories, we have seen historical fiction novels about the horrors that happened during that time, we have read the nonfiction stories and we may have wondered what we could have done with we had been there.

This is a fiction story, it focus on the secrets, on the uncovering the information that could help during the war. It's about three women doing their role in a secret group, helping the Allies. It's about them forming a friendship, it's about their strength and about their lives.

We follow Evelyn Brooke-Edwards, a society heiress, Betty Connors, a farm girl, and Judith Stern, a German ex-pat. This may be a fictional story set in our world and our story, but that meant nothing. The characters were brilliant and I felt connected to them. I felt as if I was part of their lives. Each one of them was amazing, and unique. They had their past, their goals, their fears and their roles.

From start to finish I was mind blown. It was the kind of book I enjoy. It was powerful, it had a sense of community and friendship, it had secrets and the connection to the real History. It has inspiring and it made me want to go learn more about this particular side of the WWII history.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Jules Wake and One More Chapter for the eCopy of this book, via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

I have been a fan of Jules’ work for a little while now. I also absolutely love historical fiction with a special focus on the Second World War. So you can probably appreciate why the synopsis of ‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ screamed ‘read me’ at me. I was so looking forward to reading ‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ and I wasn’t to be disappointed. I loved reading ‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ but more about that in a bit.
I absolutely loved the three main characters in this story- Evelyn, Betty and Judith. All three young ladies are from totally different backgrounds and united by the fact that they want to do something to help the war effort. Evelyn is from an upper class background, Betty is from a farming background but she is an ace analyst and Judith is actually a German Jew who managed to escape Nazi Germany and she wants to help defeat the regime in her home country. I just wanted to grab Evelyn, Betty and Judith and give them a hug. In their own way, each of the young ladies have their own problems and they need a helping hand to find a way through. The three young ladies form a strong friendship and their bond continues to grow. I kept everything crossed that things would work out for the three young ladies. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh wow, I was drawn into this story from the very start. As soon as I started to read, I knew that I would find it extremely difficult to put this book to one side for any length of time. I made the fatal mistake of starting to read the book shortly before I went to bed. Let’s just say that bedtime was delayed and I had a ‘lack of sleep’ hangover the following morning. This was one of those books that was constantly on my mind. If I wasn’t reading the book, then I was thinking about the book. If I had to put the book down for any length of time then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I was desperate to find out what happened and I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. I become so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say goodbye to all three ladies. I found ‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ to be a gripping read, which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ is extremely well written. Jules certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into what proves to be one hell of a story. I love the very vivid and realistic way in which Jules tells the story as she really did make me feel as though I had borrowed a time machine and I had travelled back to Wartime Britain. Jules has clearly done a lot of research into the Second World War and this shines through in the quality of her writing. Reading ‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster at times. I find that if I enjoy a story to the extent that I enjoyed this one then I tend to get far too involved in the story. I kept finding myself wanting to jump inside the pages of the story to sort out certain characters.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Secrets Of Latimer House’ and I would definitely recommend this book to the other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jules’ work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

With vibrant characters and based on historical events, this story of courage, friendship and intrigue is an engaging read. Evelyn, Judith and Betty, are three women from differing backgrounds who are billeted together during WW2. They all play pivotal roles and allow the reader to explore the roles fulfilled by women during this war.

The characters are cleverly created and easy to empathise with. Their friendship is realistic and full of humour, love and poignancy. The story has an intriguing ethos and gives the reader a great sense of place and time.

This is an absorbing historical read with vivid characters and events.

I received a copy of this book from the author and One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Readers will be drawn to this book fo a number of different reasons – wartime stories are, I know, immensely popular, and the publishers are calling this book “a treat for lovers of this genre”. Indeed it is, but there will be others who are drawn to it because it’s written by an author they’ve loved before – and others will be intrigued by the secret history of Latimer House, the interrogation unit the Buckinghamshire locals believed to be a distribution centre, the inspiration for the story. And then there’ll be the saga readers, who simply enjoy reading about the lives of women in wartime – and they most certainly won’t be disappointed by this one. But whatever your reasons for picking it up, I can promise you have rather a treat in store.

This is the story of three women, who find themselves working at Latimer House, carrying out different roles, sharing a room. Evelyn is from a privileged background, an officer in naval intelligence, both intelligent and striking to look at, speaks fluent German, her self-confidence perhaps a little off-putting to some – but her family has been touched by the impact of war, and she’s been separated from the man she’d hoped to marry. Judith is German, and Jewish – she has no family now, fled from the Nazis as a refugee having witnessed some of the horrors, and finds it difficult to trust others and to forge new friendships. And then there’s Betty – with film star looks, a bubbly personality, a girl from a nearby village but aspiring to a better life than marriage to her family’s thug of a landlord.

Evelyn becomes an interrogator of the prisoners of war who pass through Latimer House on their way to the prison camps: Judith is a listener, working in M Room, noting and recording conversations between prisoners covertly monitored in their cells. Betty arrives as a rather inept typist, but proves to have other skills, and ends up analysing transcripts of conversations looking for links between them – but she also has die Helligkeit, the ability to light up a room, and you really can’t fail to take her to your heart.

The historical background to this book is simply fascinating, and I can see why the author was inspired to write it – I’d never heard of Latimer House before, and you might well want to turn to Google in the same way I did to find out more. The surrounding community were wholly unaware of the pivotal part both the house and its grounds played in the collection of crucial wartime intelligence, and its secrets aren’t anything like as well known as other locations like Bletchley Park. The author’s research is simply superb, and she brings the location and its day-to-day activities vividly to life.

But this is also the story of the strong friendship that develops between the three women, the trials and tribulations they all experience, their shared moments of joy, their bravery and determination – and I have to say I loved every single moment. It’s a cracking story, the characterisation is excellent – there’s a really strong supporting cast too, with some convincing villains and a few particularly well developed good guys – and I was more than happy to be carried away by it all for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of reading. There’s plenty of drama too, a good touch of romance, a few unexpected twists and turns… and there are more than a few moments of particular emotion, often accompanied by music, that brought a tear to my eye. And it’s a real page-turner too… I really loved it, and recommend it really highly.

Three young women become the best of friends when they meet at Latimer House, a grand old country house tucked away in the Buckinghamshire countryside which guards some deadly WW2 secrets. Whilst Evelyn Brooke-Edwards, Betty Connors and Judith Stern are very different in style, and personality, they soon form a close bond with each other and are determined to stick together come what may. Evelyn, Betty and Judith each their own specific tasks at Latimer House, for which they are well suited, but as they have all signed the Official Secrets Act they can't even disclose to each other the extent of their secret war work.

What then follows is a different look at one of the secret operations that was taking place during WW2 and Latimer House played a real part in this secret world. Under the auspices of the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Unit (CSDIC) thousands of prisoners of war passed through Latimer House and by interrogation and in listening into their private conversations, important information about the threats to air, sea and land was obtained in a clandestine manner. The Secrets of Latimer House moves between what is happening at Latimer House, and as Evelyn, Betty and Judith each have their own particular burdens, the story shows how their secret work affects each of the women, these difficulties are handled well and give an authentic feel to the story.

The Secrets of Latimer House is a beautifully written war-time story which shows the importance of female friendship, the camaraderie of sticking together when the going gets tough, and regardless of circumstances, the importance of giving love and romance a chance to flourish.

Jules Wake is famous for her rom-com stories and I have collected a few over the years, but somehow never gotten around to reading one, so when I was invited on to the Blog Tour for her new book I was super excited, but also a little scared with it being historical fiction and not just rom-com. This meant when I started the book I was a little worried I would find it hard to read, but boy was I wrong!

Within a short amount of time I was completely absorbed in the lives of three very different young women in the middle of World War II. Nearly all of the story takes place at Latimer House where these three extremely different women end up as roommates while working there.

I loved how different these three women were and how they could all learn from each other and all grew during the story. Friends don’t all need to have the same background or similar characters, every unique person has something to add to the mix and this was really nice to see. Judith Stern the German ex-pat is so serious, Betty Connors from the village near Latimer House is just a happy go lucky girl and then there is Evelyn Brooke-Edwards from a well-off family with a good education that knows how to deal with matters with class and diplomacy. No matter what their background was, they all came to the house with emotional baggage and through their unlikely friendship they helped each other.

The setting in 1943-1944 and dealing with POW leads to a more serious story than if it was just women’s fiction where three different women become friends but it also made for a really interesting read. What went on at the house was interesting to read about, but for me the highlight was the story of these three women, full of friendship, love and hope. All these characters were so well written that each in turn had me smiling and also in tears. They were so real!

Now that the book is finished it will be hard not to wonder what happened after the story ended. I would love to read a sequel set after the war!

A Historical fiction novel based on true happenings at Latimer house during WW2.

This was a story told from the 3 different POVs of Evelyn a ranked officer with a high society background, Betty a rubbish typist but brilliant analyst from a lower class background and Judith a German who escaped to London and finds her feet helping the war effort.

The chapters rotate through all 3 girls and their personal lives and how the war impacts them. It provides a glimpse into what life could have been like at the secret Latimer house facility which poses as a distribution centre but is actually an intelligence base for interrogating POW.

An enjoyable read with a good mix of historical information, interspersed with daily life. A story of tragedy, hope, despair and friendship. This book blends together the way in which people can overcome societal and cultural differences to make a difference and forge relationships.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of #TheSecretsofLatimerHouse which is due to be published on August 30th 2021.

I loved this book! I was drawn in immediately and didn't put it down unless I had too. The family kept wanting to eat, and they didn't think my offer of cereal was a good one! Anyway, I love WWII books that offer a different perspective, or venue, on the war. The Secrets of Latimer House was based on real events in a real place. Latimer House was where German prisoners of war were brought to be interviewed and then processed to other POW camps. Our three main characters came from all walks of life. Evelyn, a debutante, Judith, a Jewish refugee from Germany, and Betty, a maid in a neighboring village. Together they form a fast friendship and play a meaningful role in each other's lives as they perform their secret work. One is an analyst, one is a listener, and one is an interrogator. I loved the bits of romance that were intertwined within the story. I felt it really rounded out the book. There was heart, tension, a good plot, and good dialogue. I loved it (have I mentioned that?) and want to buy a physical copy since the copy I received was an e-book ARC.

Secret things are afoot in the Buckinghamshire countryside in wartime – and this time, it’s not the codebreaking goings on at Bletchley Park, but a top secret interrogation operation at Latimer House.

In The Secrets of Latimer House, Jules Wake draws upon a real-life chapter of the Second World War that seems to be little known these days, eclipsed by other operations that have come to light in the post-war years.

However, like Bletchley Park, Latimer House relies upon a veritable army of women at the core of the operation and we meet some of them here.

It’s great to see many more stories of the contribution of women to the war effort as their contribution is so often overlooked – not so here, as our main characters turn their unique skills towards winning the war – but there is still time for love in the mix, which acts as some welcome light relief!

The book really excels in showing how women and men from completely different social spheres and different countries worked together to defeat the Nazis, but also acknowledges that these close working relationships sometimes developed into more. It does not do so in an overly sentimental way, but there is plenty of romance wrapped in the historical details to make it appeal to lovers of both genres.

There is plenty of period detail in the book, but it is used with a light hand and never overwhelms the story. The main characters are likeable, even when they are having the squabbles that are all too common for people living in close quarters – they are a supportive group and they form a great bond that is lovely to read.

The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake is a story of three women chosen to work in Latimer House during WWII. Each woman comes from a different background snd has their own trials and tribulations. They all have the same goal, to help the allies win the war. The Secrets of Latimer House is a captivating read that has been well researched.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

I love historical fiction, particularly those featured during wartime. THE SECRETS OF LATIMER HOUSE may be a work of fiction and its characters fictionally drawn from the author's pen but the events upon which this story is based are real. Nestled in the Buckinghamshire countryside just an hour outside of London, Latimer House was a top secret site where high-ranking German POWs were held and interrogated during World War 2. Thousands of prisoners passed through its doors as their conversations were listened to by German speaking operatives via the bugs in their cells. Everything of note was transcribed, conversations recorded and are now in the archives, revealing information about Hitler's weapons and strategies to invade Britain and win the war. Thus providing an ideal background for this story.

Society heiress Evelyn Brookes-Edwards, a lieutenant with the Wrens, finds herself facing a court martial for breaking her commanding officer's jaw when he tried forcing himself on her. Instead she is transferred to a top secret location in a sleepy village in Buckinghamshire to Latimer House where she is to interrogate high-ranking German POWs. Her fluency in German proves her to be invaluable in Britain's war against Hitler.

Before the war, Evelyn enjoyed high society and trips to Bavaria where she met and fell in love with Peter Von Hoensbroek, a German aristocrat. The couple enjoyed a courtship before becoming engaged. And then war was declared. And so Peter thought it best to break off their engagement, being on opposite sides of battle. Her father agreed it was for the best as he and her brother David set off to fight for King and country. It is now 1943 and Evelyn hasn't heard from Peter in four years and her own brother for six months, who is now in a German POW camp. But Evelyn, whose German is impeccable, puts her strengths to good use for the war effort to help bring an end to it all.

Local girl Betty Connors enjoys her work with the ATS in London away from her the fussing of her mother and her sort-of fiance Bert. But on a visit home when her mother lets slip that something is going on "up at the big house" and that maybe she could get a job up there, Betty isn't so sure. It would mean she would always be there for Bert to paw at and expect things of her. Bert's family own the terraced cottage in which Betty's family live and to ensure their continued safety Betty has to keep in sweet with Bert...something which she does not relish. There is something about him she is not comfortable with but her mother thinks the sun shines out of him and it just became expected that they would marry. Now Bert throws his weight around and sits at the head of the table, where her father used to sit, when he visits, expecting Betty to do his bidding "when we're wed".

But when he begins to make insinuations about her younger sister who appears younger than her fifteen years, Betty realises she needs to be close by to protect her. So she requests a transfer to Latimer House, known locally as a Distribution Centre, as a typist though she is anything but. Her presence immediately catches the eye of American Major Carl Wendermeyer who notices right away that she is no typist, but she is smart and with her photographic memory of transcripts she has typed up - albeit terribly - she is transferred as an analyst and is promoted to sergeant.

Judith Stern is a German Jew is lost everything in Kristallnacht. She came to England at the tender age of 17 in 1938 but has never truly conformed. It is even harder now as all Germans are viewed as the enemy, even the Jews, which is ironic considering she fled her country to find peace only to find her new home is at war with her old one. Judith keeps to herself for even opening her mouth to speak will give her ethnicity away and then come the sneers and the outrage from those around her.

Her work in Hull was boring and unfulfilling until one day Judith is transferred to Latimer House where her job will be to listen in to the private conversations of prisoners in their cells to ascertain whether they will reveal any secrets they have not disclosed to their interrogators. Most of those she works alongside have escaped similar circumstances and can sympathise, but their knowledge of the German language can help work for Britain in its war against Germany. Judith is incredibly reserved and simply wants to get on with the job for which she has been employed. She wasn't prepared to meet Walther, nor find the bond of friendship with Evelyn and Betty.

The three women are billeted together in an attic room of the manor house where they become friends. Although having all signed the Official Secrets Act, neither woman can speak of the work they each undertake - even to each other. But it isn't long before they become familiar with the workings inside Latimer House, and its secrets, and what each of them does there. They each learn to trust each other and build a friendship that will last a lifetime as they face the demons of their pasts and in the present.

Although a little slow to take off as each of the women's stories are set, it then takes off into an emotionally addictive read. There are so many secrets wrapped up in this wonderful story that I found I didn't want it to end. It is such a different aspect to the war. It is entertaining, emotional and entirely believable. I loved each of the women for their differences and their strengths...but I loathed Bert.

THE SECRETS OF LATIMER HOUSE is an enjoyable leisurely read based on real event and fact of Britain's darkest time. It focuses somewhat on those events as well as friendship, loyalty and a little bit of romance. A pure delight to read.

I would like to thank #JulesWake, #Netgalley, #RachelsRandomResources and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #TheSecretsOfLatimerHouse in exchange for an honest review.

Three very different women bond doing secret war work. Set in Latimer House, a real mansion in the Buckinghamshire countryside, used in WWII for covert surveillance of German prisoners of war, this is the story of how Jewish German ex-pat Judith, wealthy beauty Evelyn, local village girl Betty and how they help the war effort. For all of them in different ways, it is a tale of triumph over adversity. They all have worries. Evelyn's brother is in a German prisoner-of-war camp, Judith has lost members of her family in Nazi Germany and Betty is expected to marry a man she despises in order to bring her family stability. A beautifully written piece of historical fiction.

‘Friendship improves happiness and abates grief by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.’
The Secrets of Latimer House drew me in and gave me all the feels♥️
What a beautifully written historical novel based on true events. Following three young women determined to help with the war effort no matter what comes their way. Judith, Evelyn and Betty….what endearing characters to get to know. It was heartwarming to watch their friendship grow and mature.
Such a unique insight into what went on at the Latimer House. The authors research and quest to get the facts. correct shows in her writing.
Highly recommend for fans of WWII novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake is Historical World War II Fiction. The author tells the story of a local manor used to gather intelligence from German Prisoners during World War II. I am so impressed by the historical details, writing style, characters, descriptions and the various perspectives in this book.
Wow, an incredible story that is far beyond what I ever expected, all I can think of now is I hope there will be a sequel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

One of my new favorite books. Based on true facts this book is a must read. Great characters, terrific storyline.