The main setting of the book is an old house in a seaside town in England. The year is 1957. The house has been repurposed into a boarding/rooming house. Olive is the housekeeper. Her old friend Margery is the owner of the house and also runs a shop in town. There are 3 boarders. One of the boarders (my favourite) is Juniper, an 11-year-old orphan whose ability to walk has been affected by polio. She has been placed in Margery's guardianship.

The first half of the book ambles along at a sleepy pace. It’s not a bad thing, it's like a comfort read. There is a strong undercurrent that not everyone is as they are presented to the reader. Of course, everything is in the open in due course.

The town is portrayed as I think a British seaside town should be, in MY mind. There are some interesting characters. The one that stood out the most was Constance Binny, the local busybody who knows it all. It seems that her job is to dig out every little bit of gossip available. Even her name suits her character.

And, Olive, the housekeeper/manager of the home was extraordinary. She was intuitive in dealing with her guests and showed patience, empathy and understanding to the young girl, Juniper. To paraphrase Olive, the household consisted of an odd lot, but a lovely lot.

This is not the book for someone looking for a fast-paced book with lots of action. The plot is character driven. To me, it was a cozy, rainy day read. Ideally, I would cozy up with a cup of tea and this book. I think that fans of Rosamunde Pilcher would enjoy it. I found the writing style and tone quite similar.

This is a perfect book as a palate cleanser away from domestic thrillers, bodice ripper romances and action filled stories. A good reset.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Random House, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Last The Orphans of Mersea House. This was an engaging read from the start. The story was heart-warming, and while some of the characters were not very well developed, the story itself stirred up emotions in me. It starts when Olive, the main character, finds herself in a difficult predicament - without giving spoilers - she's experienced loss and she finds herself unmarried and penniless at the age of 37. She then reunites with her childhood friend Margery and opens up a boarding house with her. At one point Margery becomes the unexpected guardian of a young girl, and this changes everything for Olive as she easily falls into the role of caregiver of the child. From the annoying busy body who demeans Olive (the main character) because of her situation to the social worker assigned to assess Olive and the boarding house occupants to see if they are fit to raise a child, Olive triumphs and shows everyone that in spite of the challenges she's faced, she is capable, well loved and a loving guardian. It's so nice to see the people in the boarding house support one another and turn into a family. I gave this story 4 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and looked forward to seeing what would happen next. It wasn't terribly deep and it didn't leave me thinking about it for long afterward. If you're in the mood for a light, entertaining story that you will fly through - try The Orphans of Mersea House - it was worth the read!

The was a nice enough story that I did enjoy. I read the book in one day and found it nice and relaxing. I actually rated it 3.5 but rounded up as it was better than a 3 star rating. At first I thought I had read it before as I have read another book with a similar start but it soon changed to be different. I did like the main characters in the book and warmed to them. They were realistic and developed well enough. They just wasn't all that exciting nor allow me to feel their emotions. It was a slow burning book and the storyline was enjoyable it just didn't capture my full attention with was rather disappointing as it started put with so much promise. I did like the main female protagonist and her sister. I loved there relationship development. This book takes place in the aftermath of WW2. This book is very character driven and I really needed more of an exciting storyline that engages more with the reader. I did like the ending. Remember I am one person my views maybe very different from yours so read a sample to see if this book is your 5 star read 

Many thanks to the author and publishers for creating this enjoyable story that I am sure others will like more than I did.

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/the-orphans-of-mersea-house-by-marty-wingate-alcove-press-3-5-stars either under my name or ladyreading365

This was such a heartwarming historical fiction novel, and I couldn’t help but love each and every character.

Olive is alone, unmarried, and penniless. But things start to look up when her childhood friend, Margery, returns to Southwold and informs Olive of her inheritance: Mersea House. She plans to convert it into lodging and wants to hire Olive to run it. An eclectic group of lodgers begin to fill the home, but the most surprising is Margery’s new ward, Juniper, the orphaned daughter of her first love. Juniper was stricken with polio as a child, but her resilience is quite inspiring. It doesn’t take long for the locals to begin gossiping about the new inhabitants of Mersea House and secrets surrounding them threaten to be revealed, putting Juniper’s future in jeopardy, but Olive is determined to protect her new family of misfits at all costs.

Juniper was a shining star in this story, and I simply adored her. She was unwilling to let her ailment hold her back from living her life to the fullest, and Olive and Margery provided her with a loving home where she could achieve that. I also thought Hugh and Abigail were wonderful additions to the story, and while all of these characters were drastically different, they all played such important roles in each other’s lives.

Highly recommending this one!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Olive Kersey’s mother dies, she’s unmarried and at thirty seven she needs to find a job. She’s lived Southwold in Suffolk her whole life, she doesn't want to leave, her childhood friend Margery Paxton returns for a visit and this cheers her up. Olive assumes Margery is here to sell her inheritance, a shop called Paxton’s Goods and her uncle’s house. Margery is tired of living in London, she wants to turn Mersey House into a boarding house and she asks Olive to be the housekeeper.

After a lot of work getting it ready, two permanent lodgers move in, Hugh Hodgson the manager of the town’s cinema and Mrs. Abigail Claypool a war widow. Margery and Olive are just settling into their new roles, when Margery receives a letter from Mrs. Lucie Pagett a Children’s Officer and she’s been nominated as a guardian for a young girl. Juniper Wyckes is an eleven year old orphan, she’s to live with Margery for three months and Mrs. Pagett will visit to see how it’s going and she will decide if it will be a permanent arrangement. Juniper contracted polio when she was four, she wears brakes on her legs, and needs assistance with her personal care, some people think Juniper is still contagious and it’s ridiculous.

Olive is in her element running the boarding house, she likes caring for Juniper and discovers her maternal side. The story is set in a small English seaside village in the 1950’s and it has a mixture of interesting and engaging characters. Everyone living at the boarding house has a past and secrets, they slowly get to know each other and become friends and an unconventional family.

I received a copy of The Orphans of Mersey House by Marty Wingate from NetGalley and Alcove Press. What a delightful and moving story about friendship, kindness, second chances, fighting prejudice, and Juniper finding a loving home. Five stars from me and I highly recommend reading this wonderful book.

As a big fan of “First Edition Library Mystery” series by Marty Wingate, I hoped I would like this stand alone book as well. But the plot line was too thin, too slow for me with little action until the end. Since this is a very talented author, I blame the editor for not encouraging a faster paced narrative. I did like the title and found it appropriate to the characters. Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheOrphansOfMerseaHouse for an advanced digital copy.

The Orphans of Mersea House, by Marty Wingate, is a WWII historical fiction novel. For a WWII novel, the story is a bit more on the lighter side of things than the usual ones I read. More of a sweet feel-good book with historical information peppered in. It was a nice change. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a Historical fiction. This book takes place after World War II, and it is really just about people putting themselves back together. The characters in this book are so great, and they all make this book what it is. My favorite character is Juniper, and that little girl made this book 5 stars. That little girl really shows everyone that you can really overcome anything. I love Mersea House, and that the people that are staying at the Mersea House become one big family. This is a great read. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Alcove Press) or author (Marty Wingate) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

After Olive’s mother dies she becomes the housekeeper of Mersea House- a boarding house in Southwold, England where she makes great friends, falls in love, and becomes “mother” to Juniper who has lost the use of her legs after contracting Polio.

This book is so cozy and charming! I couldn’t put it down. It takes place in the 1950s and has great characters that become instant friends to the reader. It reminded me of Anne of Green Gables.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Orphan’s of Mersea House by Marty Wingate is a wonderful historical fiction that takes place during the 1950s in a small, rural village in England. It was just splendid!

This book is such a heartwarming, gentle, character-driven novel. We slowly become introduced to the full cast of characters that one by one have come to live under the roof of Mersea House. I just loved seeing the relationships unfold, and the mysteries concerning some of their pasts be revealed, of the main characters. Olive, Margery, Hugh, Mrs. C, Juniper…were all delightful in their own ways. I also loved the addition of Charlie, Billy, and Casper. The progression of their lives throughout the book, how they showed that families and relationships are created and blossom not on blood, but by affection, friendship, love, kindnesses, and acceptance. All bring to the table their own insecurities, losses, fears, mistakes, and secret hopes. All finding out that they deserve a second chance.

I love how it all developed, unfolded, and especially the ending. It is beautiful, sweet, and truly touching. I just can’t recommend it all enough.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Alcove Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/9/22.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-orphans-of-mersea-house-marty-wingate/1140507998?ean=9781639100880&bvnotificationId=a66b664b-18ef-11ed-93e6-0e05d71fe049&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=hotmail.com#review/215089763

4.5/5⭐️

Just an overall lovely, heartwarming book (and that cover!).

Set in 1957 South wild, this is a story revolving around the lifelong friendship between two strong, (learning-to-be-independent) women, Olive and Margery, who bolster and support each other through their opening of a lodging house (Mersea House) and general store. Their assortment of guests/neighbors including Hugh (the manager of the movie theatre and London transplant), Abigail (a recluse and war widow), Billy (a local 11-year-old delivery boy), Charlie (a local driving instructor) and Juniper (an 11yo surprise ward and polio survivor), are simply lovely and shine brightly, both individually and as a collective makeshift family of sorts.

Each character is a misfit for the time, running/hiding and looking for a place to belong. Olive and Juniper especially shine here (I fell hard for the latter), and the story is told from Olive’s perspective.

Not a lot of action, but I didn’t miss it as I was too busy becoming involved with these wonderful characters. Well done. Recommended.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me the free early arc of The Orphans of Mersea House for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Postwar England 1957. Respectable ladies when they left bereft of any income what does one do. Olive finds herself after a lifetime of caring for everyone else totally alone - she has no financial back up, no one to turn to and with the avenues of employment also restricted she really does not know what to do next.

At the very last minute her friend Marjery turns up with a brilliant offer. Relocating from London, she has decided to re-open her uncle's shop with upto the minute, modern appliances for the home none of which is available in their village, and open the house as a lodging. She offers the post of housekeeper to Olive who accepts it gratefully.

Lodgers aside, a ward of Margery appears. A little girl stricken with polio and now in caliphers. Though she is Marjery's ward, it is Olive who falls in love with the little girl and seeks to protect her against any ill wisher or ignorant villager who maybe harsh to Juniper. The story highlights the ignorance about polio and also a hitherto
unspoken of subject - homosexuality.

The story is a lovely warm hearted read - reaching out to everyone around. It ends well for everyone but it is descriptive and
very well told.

What a delightful book. It’s a comforting read about strangers who make a motley family for,themselves. Olive, whom I adore because she is the main driving force, is left alone until her friend Margery returns to the shore and offers her a job. Renters begin snowing up along with precious Juniper, who has been afflicted by polio.
There all sorts of ups and downs, but the warmth and love between the characters is heartwarming.
I didn’t want the book to end.

This is a wonderful book for readers who are craving a sweet story with likable characters. Set in a seaside English village, Mersea house is a welcoming place for vacationers who need a break from their stressful lives.

Margery owns the house and her longtime friend Olive has agreed to be the house keeper. Soon after they open, a woman from social services contacts Margery letting her know that she has been named guardian of a little girl named Juniper.

When Juniper arrives, Margery and Olive take to her right away and begin making changes about the house so Juniper will feel more comfortable. Soon the entire village has embraced Juniper and she finds a good friend and protector in Billy, one of her classmates.

In the meantime, Margery pursues her dream of owning a local business and Olive finds herself falling in love. Things just naturally come together for this group and I found this to be a predictable, but enjoyable story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer an honest review.

3.5 stars. Plot: Set in a seaside village that is healing from the losses caused by World War II, Olive grieves the loss of her mother. As a single woman in her 30s who is now newly orphaned, Olive does not know how to move forward in her life, especially since she is still healing from the death of her brother Donald (during the war). When she bumps into her childhood friend Margery, an opportunity to help run the Mersea House is presented, and it will change Olive's life forever.

Thoughts: I really wanted to love this book, but it wasn't for me. I think it was well-written and Wingate created thoughtful characters (loved that she brought attention to issues of sexuality and physical disability); however, nothing really happens plotwise. This book leans very heavily toward character-driven to the point where I was waiting for something dramatic to happen, and nothing really does. I understand the objective of the story was to bring this unlikely cast of characters with their own stories and baggage into this common place, but I longed for something more to happen. Don't get me wrong, the characters were great, especially Olive and Juniper, but this wasn't right fit for me. If you love stories that are heavily character-centric, this may be a good fit for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for my eARC.

I just finished The Orphans of Mersea house by Marty Wingate and here is my review

It’s 1957 and Olive is now alone and penniless. She is weighing her options when her childhood friend, Margery, returns home to claim her inheritance… Mersea house. She plans on turning the place into a boarding house, a boarding house she wants Olive to run. Grasping the lifeline with both hands, Olive agrees.

A letter one day, changes everything. A young girl, Juniper, has been left in Margery’s care. A young girl, the daughter of a past lover… A little girl that survived polio. The little girl brings love and life to all the residents of Mersea House but social services are keeping an incredibly close eye on them all and have made it very clear that Juniper isn’t necessarily there to stay…

This book was so beautifully written I felt like my heart was going to burst. This book was amply named for the people who all ended up living at mersea house. A man with no family and who had to leave the love of his life. A widow who suffered so much loss and a beautiful little girl who faced such a horrific start to her life but grabbed the small pleasures with both hands. I loved watching her bond with Olive especially. Everyone in the house became a family, not by blood ties or marriage but by a deep love that can only come from allowing people into your hearts when you don’t want to get hurt.

I loved the house too. I felt like I knew every creak of the floorboards and walked around with my eyes closed. Everything was described with meticulous detail that I found heavenly and couldn’t wait to devour the next page. This unconventional love story really warmed my soul and I couldn’t have loved the ending more.

This is the kind of historical fiction I feel everyone should read. It was so breathtaking in the way it all came together.

I cannot recommend this book more! 5 stars

If you love a historical romance with a seaside theme, this has to be on your list!

Thank you netgalley and alcove press for my arc copy in exchange for my honest opinions

Thank for allowing me to read this story in advance.
This was a cute easy read but the entire time I was expecting more to happen. It lacked build up and there could have been much more excitement. The most I got out of this was the author wants people to not spread rumors and be kind to others.
I loved Olive and her relationship she created with Juniper. All the other characters seemed dry and lacking. Olives relationship with Charlie seemed rushed and out of place except for the need to have an ending for the child.
Mersea House seemed to house secrets but none of them had the wow factor that I would have like to have had.

A lovely story about the family we make. Set in post WWII England, it's a tale that will indeed pull at your heartstrings. Olive lost her one love and her brother in the war and now, with the death of her mother, she''s not sure what she's going to do but then Margery appears and wraps her into a plan to turn an inherited home into a boardinghouse. Much to both of their surprise, just as things are getting going, Juniper arrives. The 11 year old, who suffered polio, is the daughter of Margery's wartime boyfriend and his wife. She changes everything for all of them. There's no great drama here, only small gentle waves of change of the period as the women find themselves. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

5 stars for this one.
I loved this book. Historical fiction at its finest. This book reminds me of watching the shows based in more simple times like Anne of Green Gables or Road to Avonlea (a Canadian thing I guess).
I was able to connect to the characters in this story. It reminded me of one big family.
Super enjoyable read. I would recommend this book to friends and others who enjoy historical fiction.

Heartfelt historical fiction set in England after WWII. Loved Olive & Juniper’s relationship and the character development. Appreciated little moments of romance too. The author gave us themes that we unfortunately still deal with today, such as LGBTQ+ issues, adoption, and suicide. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. I’m so grateful I received this book!