Aside from my bank account and a plate of nachos… aren’t miniature things just infinitely cuter than their larger counterparts!?⁣
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Myra Malone doesn’t leave her Arizona home after a car accident killed her grandmother and left her face severely scarred. She spends her days curating her “don’t-call-it-a-dollhouse” minuscule mansion while her best (and only) friend Gwen, has turned the spectacular tiny abode into a social media sensation.⁣
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Meanwhile, Alex Rakes, in Virginia, stuck in the family furniture business and quite miserable when he sees a photo of Myra’s magical miniature manor. ⁣
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He’s shocked though, when he realizes…it’s an exact replica of the home he lives in - right down to the furniture. And as he changes things in his own home, they instantly transform in Myra’s mansion as well.⁣
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The two connect and together try to solve the mystery of the connected homes. What follows is a several intertwining stories of love, tragedy, mystery, and a whole lot of magic. And while it’s a tad heavier than I expected, and a little bit sad - I enjoyed this unique and enchanting story so, so much and it was quite unlike anything I’ve ever read.

"She felt in her bones that the rooms weren't gone. They were living somewhere else, and someone else could feel the love she poured into them."
Titular character Myra is a 34-year-old recluse who spends her days physically in the attic of an Arizona mountain town. But her mind and soul are focused on a magical miniature house that she was gifted as a child. Rooms come and go, and the magical minuscule mansion has a rapport with the ever-grieving and wounded Myra, speaking to her through light and music and miniature objects that appear and disappear as required. There's a lot that goes unexplained in this debut novel that switches back and forth from the present (2015) to the past to tell the parallel stories of Myra Malone and Alex Rakes, who was born into a wealthy but troubled family in Virginia, which is where the IRL mansion stands. Alex lives in the mansion, which belonged to his mother before she disappeared at the urging of the overbearing Rakes matriarch. It's not clear how the Rakes came to be 'rakes,' but the name is a not-subtle clue. Alex is more like his mother than the family whose last name he bears, and the house is an extension of her. Thus, Myra and Alex form a long-distance relationship, with the house and the Lady of the house their touchstones. Fun premise. Solid enough execution.
[Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

I was in the mood for something different to read and this was just the book I was craving!

There were adorable characters that were both quirky and memorable, and it was such a
unique plot about a woman named Myra who suffers from agoraphobia, and hasn’t left her home, and Alex who works in his family’s furniture store.

*many thanks to Berkley for the gifted copy for review

Creepy, magical mystery!
Myra, 34, has been a recluse since her disfiguring accident when she was a young child. She inherited a small mansion from her grandfather and step-grandmother and it seems to have a mind of its own. Alex returns home to a sick father that’s always pushed him away and he needs help running their business. Myra blogs about her miniature mansion and Alex notices that some of the furniture in his life-size mansion matches exactly to the tiny furniture in Myra’s. The characters are lovable and I appreciate the empathy shown throughout the book. The mystery behind the two mansions is written with creativity and unravels perfectly, 4 stars!

don’t know what I expected when I entered the world of Burges’ novel, but what I got was a beautiful story about family, love, isolation, and the refuge we all need in our lives. THE MINUSCULE MANSION OF MYRA MALONE explores the relationships that can be forged by letting people into your world and sharing a small part of yourself, even on a blog.

There is a timeless lyrical nature to this book weaving together the past and the present effortlessly. And though there is a budding romance between Myra and Alex, the history and strange links between the mini-mansion and the real location are the catalyst for a truly heartwarming narrative.

There is something so special about having this tale grounded in mystical lore and a tradition of maintaining the mansion for those who need it. Through her eloquence, Burges delves into the core of who her characters are and allows them to develop beyond the confines of the situations they are put in.

THE MINUSCULE MANSION OF MYRA MALONE is a wonderfully charming novel with just the right amount of magic, emotion, and humor.

An enchanting tale, spanning several decades. After a terrible accident leaves Myra traumatized and disfigured, she becomes a recluse; her only escape being a miniature mansion left to her by her step-grandmother.

Little does she know that her grandmother had a long-held secret, linking her to a life far from Myra and her family.

Magical rooms and furniture that appear and disappear overnight, leave Myra knowing that there is something more the the miniature house.

An online presence sparks a contest and connection with Alex, from across the country. Pieces come together as histories collide.

I was a much bigger fan of the Willa/Ford romance than anything between Alex and Myra; that relationship fell flat for me. Overall cute and mystical, though slow at parts. Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for my review.

Thank you to Berkley and the author for an advance copy; all opinions are my own! This debut was tender and touching, a moving story with just the right dash of magic and mystery. I rooted for Myra and Alex as individuals and for their budding love story.

Stevie‘s review of The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges
Contemporary Magical Realism published by Berkley 24 Jan 23

I have a long-standing love for dollhouses and miniature dioramas, so this book looked very much like something I would enjoy reading. Myra Malone inherited a dollhouse and furnishings (but no dolls) from her grandfather’s second wife, who died in a car crash when Myra was five. Badly injured in the same accident, Myra has hardly left the cabin in which she lives with her mother since leaving the hospital six months later, almost thirty years ago. There are magical aspects to the dollhouse: accessories, items of furniture, and even whole rooms appear and disappear without warning; music plays from the house, especially at night. Myra feels as if the house is telling her what it wants. When Myra’s mother confesses that their cabin is about to be repossessed due to her overspending on the high-end fashion items she hoards, Myra’s saved income from freelance writing isn’t going to be enough to save them. However, Myra’s best friend, Gwen, suggests they hold a series of competitions for followers of Myra’s blog, with the main prize a chance for the winner to see the house for themselves. Enter Alex…


Rutherford Alexander Rakes III has returned from working in China as an English teacher to step into his family’s furniture village, due to his father’s declining health. The company has flourished in recent years, selling overpriced replicas of vintage furniture to wealthy patrons. Alex, who much prefers hunting down bargain examples of genuinely old furniture, hates the job, and the only consolation he gets from his return is that he is able to stay in the mansion that used to belong to his grandmother, a house his father hates. Talking one day to customers who have a particular piece in mind, Alex sees pictures from Myra’s blog and realises that her mansion is a very close replica of the one he inhabits. Taking advantage of the competition, Alex writes to Myra in hope of answers.

The two soon become friends, but Myra is reluctant to meet Alex, or even talk to him on the phone initially. Meanwhile, Alex’s father is struggling with his mental health, as well as his physical limitations, and takes his frustrations out on Alex and his love for the mansion. Things come to a head right before Myra’s house is due to be auctioned, and everything looks grim for both families. Money and magic save the day, though, and a solution is found that works for almost everyone.

Told from multiple points of view across the years spanning the lifetimes of both Myra and her step-grandmother, this story was enchanting, if a little disjointed at times. I could have done without the epilogue, but I definitely want to see more from the author.

Grade: B

This story is unlike anything I’ve read before, but it has themes that are constant: family, love and loss, safety and courage. Myra is a fascinating character, and the stories that Burges weaves through multiple timelines and places are magical and mysterious.
One complaint is that this should not be categorized as a romance book. It has a romance storyline, but that plot is not the most important one in the book. It’s much more about family. This reads more as contemporary fiction or “women’s fiction.”

This book is not about a dollhouse per we. It's about a special minuscule mansion and the woman who takes care of it. I don't want to give away any spoilers, so will share instead how this book made me feel.

The books is told from multiple points of view and switches frequently from present to past. The flashbacks to the past are puzzle pieces helping us better understand what's occurring in the present. There's a sense of mythology, storytelling, and mystery. There are also themes of family, friendship, regret, loss, resilience, and forgiveness.

Alex and Maya connect because of her blog about the mansion and they also Connect (capital C ) as they try and unravel secrets and figure out how they are connected. I loved the multiple storylines and connections as well as the ongoing seeking and searching for connection and groundedness.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

thank you to netgalley and berkley publishing group for the advanced reading copy of The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges. This was not too long but a feel good story. I think it is a great read for anyone in need of a refreshing break from high adventure fantasy etc.

This is a rare case where flashing back and forth between multiple time periods actually worked for me, even if I still ended up preferring timeline over the other. At its best, The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone reminds me of John Steinbeck's haunting East of Eden — and even at it's worst, it's still a darn good book, full of whimsy and heart. If I never quite fell in love with the modern protagonists' and their story the way I did with Willa's tale, that's entirely a reflection on my own taste, I'm sure. If you're looking for something engaging and different, this is worth picking up. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone. A very different story from any that I've read before; I'm not one to really enjoy this genre on a typical basis, but the book description captured my imagination, and I'm really glad I read this one! I've seen it described by another reader as "quietly lovely" and I think that might be the most apt phrase for describing this gentle story of a woman reaching ever so tentatively out to the rest of the world, with the "help" of her best friend, and her connection to a man across the country.

This one was a solid three for me. It had a wonderful intergenerational tale and several adorable romantic plotlines. There was a bit to much unsaid when it came to explaining the mystery of Alex's grandmother. The way that Burges developed the character Trixe was delightful. I adored the short but everlasting relationship between Trixie and little Myra. Myra seemed to be a poster child for all who work at home, whether by choice or by circumstance. The revelations regarding her situation and how it impacted her family were somewhat expected but well done. This was a slow burner for me but I enjoyed it.

This was a great book to curl up inside with while raining outside. Cozy. I love the idea of the dollhouse/mansion as microcosm to not only the protagonist's world, but the outside world. The settings were rich and in particular, I loved the secondary characters, Myra's mother, her grandparents, Alex's family, etc. Without spending too much time with those characters, Burges was able to give a full experience of people and their lives.

I greatly enjoyed this book. It was so whimsical and fantastic, with a sincere charm. I loved the dual narratives, the back-and-forth between the past and the (more or less) present, the little blog posts thrown in here and there. One thing I did not like, however, was how rushed it felt toward the end--it felt a little corny too, when Alex comes to his realization and relates it to Myra the moment it happens (when you read it, you'll know). But it still fits rather well into the story and how things have happened up til then, so I'll give it a pass.

This is one of those stories that I wish to see in many forms and I do hope it one day becomes a movie or mini-series (pun intended). Definitely worth checking out.

I've been on a "magical realism" reading kick lately and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. I am also obsessed with miniature and dollhouses, and it was a unique story with quirky characters, so even more boxes were ticked.

This book is about love, hope, dreams, forgiveness, and magic. I loved Myra. and was happy she had Gwen, who never gave up on her. and pushed her. As more details of the story emerged, I had my ideas about what was going to happen and who was who and I was happy I was right. Sometimes with some books, mostly mysteries, you want things to not be "obvious" and you want to be surprised, but sometimes you just want the story make you happy, whether it's a happy ending or not.

I loved this book. The author can write dialogue well and creates likeable characters, and even the ones you don't like, you can understand why they're the way they are.

I can't wait to read more by this author. It's perfect for fans of such authors as Sarah Addison Allen and Charlie N. Holmberg. I hope you love it, too!

My only complaint about the book, and this isn't on the author, is that the emails between Alex and Myra should have been presented differently, either in an italic or different font, Sometimes they started mid-paragraph and it was a little confusing.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

This is a story about Myra Malone and the miniature, magical mansion she inherits and how, through urging and encouragement of her friend, gains an immense and loyal online following of individuals enraptured by the attention to detail, the whimsy of the mansion’s decor, and most of all, the stories shared by the reclusive Myra through the online forum.
It’s also a story of the Rakes family. Alex Rakes is a third-generation furniture collector and salesman has a difficult relationship with his Father, Rutherford Rakes. Alex stumbles across Myra’s website during a sales interaction, and is baffled to find that the mansion that Myra curates and decorates is a mirror-image of the Rakes family mansion that his Father has despised his entire life.
Alex and Myra become intertwined, piecing together the history of their families that have brought them to this place, and healing wounds caused by the past by pushing each other’s boundaries and being vulnerable together.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and found it to be such a whimsical and enchanting story. The history of the Rakes family was incredible heartbreaking, and I loved how the author tied the emotions of that history so closely to the mansion, as well as to the struggles and emotions demonstrated in Alex and Myra.
I wanted a little bit more about the history of the minuscule mansion, and how it came to be when I finished the book. I think a little more of that history would have served the reader well in putting the final pieces into place in this story that demands quite a bit of connecting-the-dots work of the reader.

Overall, this was a fun read. I loved the overall tone and ambience throughout the book, and really did love the characters (the ✨mansion✨most especially!).

Wow. I didn't really know what to expect with this book when I first picked it up, but I was immediately intrigued by the premise. Of course the beautiful cover caught my attention--but the words on the page really drew me in. Audrey's writing was so lovely. The words flowed on the page, allowing my mind to envision all of the nooks and crannies of Myra's mansion (NOT her dollhouse). I found myself quickly turning pages because I needed answers to all of my questions ASAP, such as how to Myra become a recluse? How did she get that amazing mansion? How was it possible that Alex lived in the IRL version of the house?!?!?! Thank you to Audrey for the advanced copy! Such a lovely read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

I wish I had understood that The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone was magical realism prior to requesting the book. This genre is one of which "I just don't get" and did not finish.

3.5 stars out of respect for the author and the fact that The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone was not written for me. I leave this review with the hope that others find it to be an enjoyable experience!