Going in I expected a lighthearted, self referential new take on the Sabrina Story.

Emma is a big name chef, with a catering business called La Vie En Rose in honor of the Hepburn movie which was a favorite of hers. In fact she felt like she lived a bit of it. She lived on estate the neighbors took to calling the Hepburn Estate due to a loose connection with the movie, lived above the garage because her parents were staff. There was a love triangle between herself and Henry, the owner’s grandson and Leo, the driver’s son.

By the time the book opens, they’ve all moved on from their childhood, and are coming back into contact as adults. Henry’s family has long since left the property. Leo has bought it out of foreclosure after the last owners abandoned it, with plans to demolish it and build townhouses and condos. Emma wants more than anything to stop him, because she believes it can be salvaged and has emotional attachment.

Now maybe this is my own fault for not checking into the book more before picking it up - judging by a cover/title strikes again - but this one took a turn I had not expected. It wasn’t just a dramatic love triangle rekindled from childhood friends all grown up.
There’s a dark mystery with nazis, nazi hunters, stolen art/artifacts, hidden rooms and murder.

This was a difficult one for me to rate
I can’t say it wasn’t interesting, because it was
But honestly it was also kind of *A Lot* and not at all what I anticipated
I personally don’t feel like that much Nazi related plot should be a surprise twist

Still, thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin/Graydon House for the arc

Emma grew up on The Audrey Hepburn Estate with Henry and Leo. When Leo's company goes to demolish the home Emma steps in to stop it. Of course Emma can't decide which guy she loves the most.
I liked the notes at the end about Audrey Hepburn.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Graydon House.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free ereader copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Audrey Hepburn Estate” features a dual timeline centered around protagonist Emma, a chef who has grown up on a Long Island estate as the daughter of the maid. The estate itself is nicknamed this because the film Sabrina was shot there. There are several somewhat disjointed story arcs. There’s a love triangle: in childhood as in adulthood, Emma pines for the owner’s grandson Henry who pretends not to know her when it counts, while the groundskeeper’s son Leo pines for Emma. The estate is now up for development by Leo, who has bought it, but Emma doesn’t want to see it turned into condos. There’s an unsolved accident / murder of Emma’s childhood confidant, the cook, Fleur. And what’s up with the swastika plates hidden in a secret passageway? Is Henry’s grandfather a Nazi?

All in all this was a nice read that will really resonate with fans of Hepburn and “Sabrina,” and I found the most entertaining parts of the book to be the author note and chapter analysis at the end explaining how various segments were inspired by Audrey’s life and body of work.

Three stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was expecting a book about Audrey Hepburn but what I got was so much more. There’s a few references to Ms Hepburn that I didn’t know about. All very interesting.

Emma grows up with Henry and Leo, friends for life.
The chapters alternate between past and present, both page turners! There’s a bit of a mystery throughout the book. Lots of romantic tension.

I really liked this book! Definitely recommend
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is the delightful tale of Emma, Leo and Henry.

All three grew up together on the estate referred to The Audrey Hepburn Estate. The house itself has a fascinating history as do the families of the three friends.

Henry is the grandson of the owner and Leo and Emma are children of the staff.

These three are inseparable growing up but life gets in the way.

The house holds many memories, some good, some bad but most of all it holds a secret that will shake their worlds when discovered.

There is romance, mystery , historical fiction and coming of age all rolled into this intriguing story that is told in dual time lines Then and Now.

The pages turn quickly as you get lost in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harelquin Trade Publishing, Graydon house for a captivating read.

As we near publication of #theaudreyhepburnestate on April 18 (and my event with @brendajanowitzwriter !! ) I couldn’t wait another day to dive into this book! Set on Long Island with fantastic Jewish representation - I wish I could say more without spoilers - this book is truly Janowitz best yet and hands down !

One of my favorite movies of all-time is from 1954. Sabrina, starring Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. It is an important film, so much so that it “was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.’”

Author Brenda Janowitz, in her eighth novel, has taken the essence of the movie and of Hepburn to craft a warm and surprisingly twisty work. The story is told with two narratives, “Now” and “Then.”

“Now” is current time. Emma, Henry and Leo grew up on Henry’s grandparents’ Long Island estate, known as Rolling Hill. The grand mansion has fallen into such disrepair that it is beyond saving. Or so says Leo, who has recently purchased the estate and plans to raze it. Emma has not seen Leo in almost seven years. It had been even longer since she had seen Henry. “Then” fills in the backstory, giving the reader insight into the characters as children and young adults.

Since Emma was eight years old, she knew that Henry was the one for her. They were childhood sweethearts. Janowitz reverses male roles. Think Henry in the Linus/Bogart role. Leo, the driver’s son, had been in love with Emma since they played together as children. Leo has the William Holden role. Since Leo first met Emma, he knew that she was the one for him. Who will Emma cling to in the turmoil that lies ahead.?

Emma returns to Rolling Hill for a trip down memory lane. What she didn’t know was that the house held more than one secret. She tried to get to Leo not to raze the house, but she was talking to deaf ears. She goes so far as to join the local historical society in the hopes of obtaining an injunction against Leo and his company. Along the way, Janowitz throws in a few twists that turned the story in a different, yet same, direction.

Be sure to read the Appendix, “Finding Audrey Hepburn in ‘The Audrey Hepburn Estate.’”

The Audrey Hepburn Estate receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Seeing Audrey Hepburn in the title’s name grabbed my interest. Reading the synopsis, it mentioned a love triangle and living in a mansion. That sold me! The main character, Emma grew up living above the garage on the estate of a family whom her parents worked for. The love triangle was between her, the family grandson Henry and the driver’s son Leo. This was much more than a romance read, it was a well written historical fiction and mystery book. This is definitely the book to have for all Audrey Hepburn fans, there are several easter eggs throughout the book (author listed them all in her author’s note at the end). I was very engrossed in this book! Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The history behind this book is really interesting, and the author did her research and I learned a lot in her note section -- but the book and plot and writing itself was pretty dull.

An entertaining dual timeline historical fiction book that is a must-read for Audrey Hepburn fans or the movie Sabrina. The author's note included at the end in particular highlights just how in depth this book is sprinkled with references to the famous actress. Very much modeled after the Sabrina plot, this book follows a young woman who grows up alongside two brothers on a wealthy estate.

Aside from the love triangle, there's also a Nazi hunter plot/mystery that kept me guessing right to the end related to the real life Operation Paperclip that took place in post WWII America. Good on audio narrated by Cassandra Campbell too. Many thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and Librofm for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!

I love Brenda Janowitz books, but this one wasn't my favorite. I liked it enough to recommend it to others, but the main character Emma really annoyed me. She played both men in the book and acted like she didn't know she was doing it. The writing overall was great and I loved all the Audrey Hepburn references but this was definitely my least favorite of her books.

This was a really unique genre blend between women’s fiction, historical fiction and mystery. With dueling timelines that offer us both Emma’s present day status and romantic entanglements, and her formative years and the relationships that helped to shape her into who she is. Part love story and part coming of age, The Audrey Hepburn Estate takes us into the mansion rumored to be the property featured in the Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina, and illuminates some of the darkest secrets hidden within it’s walls.

I have long been a fan of Brenda Janowitz’ writing, from her earlier romcoms that had me belly laughing, to her emotional family dramas that left me a sobbing mess. Her characters are always very real and incredibly relatable, expressing a vulnerably and rawness that is so unique to her writing. As such, I wind up thinking about her stories long after I have finished reading them.

As someone who loves classic Hollywood, I adore her trio of novels named for the glamour girls of Hollywood - Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, and now, Audrey Hepburn. And if you love to geek out on old Hollywood trivia and/or want to see for yourself the insane amount of research Janowitz completed prior to writing this novel, make sure to read the authors note once you have finished the story.

Of note, I listened to this book on audio. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, did a spectacular job bringing this story to life and complimenting the already gorgeous writing. The versatility of her narration helped to create a unique voice for each and every character.

Read if you like:
•historical fiction
•coming of age stories
•classic Hollywood
•dual timelines

Thank you to Graydon House, HTP Books and Libro.fm for my gifted advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this one!! Audrey Hepburn is my favorite actor so I was hooked from the title and the first page. Such a unique story interwoven with facts and adventure

Wow… this one was all that I had hoped for and more! There are expectations and then those are blown away as you delve into the nuances of this novel. The one has as many levels of plot as a high rise building has floors, and each is woven together in a remarkable story that just kept me wanting more. I was most surprised by the fourth section of this book - and it’s where things all begin to fall into place. All I can say is Bravo!!! This book has pieces of historical fiction, romance, art, and suspense told through voices of the characters past and present as they seek to uncover who they truly are and define what really makes a place home. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this fantastic read. Move it to the top of your TBR list.

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is a wonderful homage to the talented movie star who herself. Janowitz effortlessly incorporates snippets of Hepburn’s movies into the story making this not only a wonderful read, but also a wink to Hepburn’s brilliance as an actor and philanthropist.

When Emma, owner and chef of a catering company returns to the estate in which she grew up and fell in love with as well as where she fell in love with the owner’s son, Henry because she recently found out it had been sold and was being torn down by none other than her best friend, Leo who had lived there as well, she takes it upon herself to try and save the only home she ever really loved.

As Emma relives scenes from her history at the infamous named Audrey Hepburn Estate, she begins to remember the good times and also the bad. Her mother was a maid at the mansion and worked her way up to house manager, while her father whom Emma adored, tragically died when she was a young. She remembers the chef who cooked and taught her everything she knows, she and her best friend Leo running all around the land and sneaking into unknown hideaways, and lastly, Henry, whose family owned the infamous house who was her first and only love.

Emma tries to plead with Leo to stop the destruction of the mansion. But Leo, now a business owner refuses. Emma’s heart is broken. She inevitably calls on her once love, Henry to help her convince Leo to stop the demolition. But Henry is on Leo’s side. As the three friends are reunited, memories of them as children surface and are seen quite differently by each.

She discovers secrets which had been kept from her when she was a child, about her own family and is not only devastated by the information, but that it had been kept from her by someone she implicitly trusted. How does she recover?

Blindsided, she tries to come to grips with what happened all those years ago. But in the end, what she discovers is that sometimes a house, is just a house where you live and have memories, but a home is really who your heart truly belongs to and who you love, no matter where you live. That is the real joy of being home.

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is not only a mysterious page turner filled with historical references as well as Hepburn easter eggs, but also a coming-of-age love story and a beautiful love letter to the great actress herself. My only advice would be watching the movie Sabrina first, if not you will excitedly feel the need to do so after you finish the incredible book!

Thank you #NetGalley #GraydonHouse #TheAudreyHepburnEstate #BrendaJanowitz for the advanced copy.

This book was WONDERFUL! I loved the storyline and the characters and the ending! It just doesn’t get any better than that! I just couldn’t put this one down!

Bits of Hepburn’s life is woven into this modern-day twist of the movie Sabrina. Centered around the soon to be demolished estate, three childhood friends who grew up very differently from one another in the same house have reunited. Secrets are revealed and relationships shift. Told in dual timelines added to the nice pace of the storyline. Well written, wonderfully descriptive, and intriguing. I highly recommend this entertaining, memorable and thought-provoking novel. Fans of Audrey Hepburn will surely adore it. Bonus is that the author has included a list of “Easter Eggs” that appear in the story.

This book was not at all what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it. I was expecting more historical fiction but it is more contemporary. This book is a nod to the movie Sabrina, the one with Audrey Hepburn not the 90s remake. After reading this book I do want to check out the movie. It is two timelines but it just goes from present to when Emma was growing up on the estate. Emma's parents worked at the main house and they all lived in the apartment above the garage. Emma falls in love with Henry, the wealthy couple's grandson. Eventually Leo comes along and also lives at the estate. He is the chauffeur's son. Leo loves Emma, but Emma loves Henry. Something eventually pushes them all apart and they all come back together in the present because Leo is a developer and wants to tear down the house for condos. For Emma, the property always felt like home to her but sometimes you need to leave the past behind and move on. Henry broke Emma's heart once but can they get a second chance? And then all these secrets start coming out. I enjoyed the author's note at the end about Audrey Hepburn's life. I know nothing about her and what a life she lead. I also liked how the author includes at the end all the nods to Audrey Hepburn sprinkled throughout the book.

-"When you get upset, you tend to destroy things."
"I'm pretty good at destroying things, no matter what my mood."

-"Samantha says that accepting what happened doesn't mean that it's okay. It just means that it happened."

-"It's about the truth. After all this time, don't you want to know the truth?"

Summary:
Emma Jansen grew up on the Rolling Hill Estate. Rumored to be the inspiration for a beloved movie, the walls hold more than Emma bargained with when she comes back hoping to prevent it from being demolished. Emma revisits the house- which holds life altering secrets. She also revisits her two best friends and the complicated dynamic the three shared. There's a lot Emma didn't know- and she's about to find it all out.

Brenda Janowitz has done it again!! Once again, she's crafted a story you get lost it. She's created characters and storylines with them that you can't put down. The Audrey Hepburn Estate is a prime example of what I love about historical fiction. Brenda takes a subject you think you're pretty knowledgeable in and introduces you to things you never knew about it. She's so gifted at telling a story from an angle you wouldn't normally think about. She's so talented at writing a plot that you don't want to put down. And just when you think you have a lock on what's going on, she throws a plot twist to throw everything you thought out the window. I stayed up WAY past my bedtime because I didn't want to stop reading her words. I was hooked! I was torn between wanting to see what happened next and not wanting the book to end. I loved every bit of this book!

Emma grew up on the grounds of Rolling Hills. While she may have been the maid's daughter, she was best friends with the estate owner's grandson. She and Henry later add Leo to the mix when his father becomes Felix's (Henry's Grandfather/estate owner) driver. As you can imagine, the dynamic evolves over the years- in different ways. While hearts are falling in love and getting broken, secrets are being suspected. Is Felix who they think he is? How did the beloved chef really die? Why is Mila, Emma's mother, spending so much time with Felix? Assumptions are made, but it'll be decades before the truth behind them is uncovered.

Now adults, Leo is the owner of a company who has bought the Rolling Hill estate- in all it's disrepair. Emma comes back hoping to stop him from tearing it down. The course of this mission gets the three of them back together- and some dynamics die hard. Will there be a happier ending this time?

However, the past collides with the present when secrets are uncovered as the house is torn down. A subbasement holds far more than the shock of it's existence. What is found within these hidden walls changes the lives of these three forever. The truth is nothing like what Emma had once thought it was. It's far worse. Her life is never the same once the truth comes out.

If you love historical fiction, I cannot recommend The Audrey Hepburn Estate enough. Little Audrey Hepburn references are planted throughout the book, but the story itself was nothing short of amazing. I loved it. I couldn't put it down. I devoured it. I loved how Brenda crafted a story that taught me history I never knew prior to her book. Those are my favorite historical fiction books to read! It's what I love most about the genre. The direction she took is one I don't read very often- if ever. It's so deserving of a story to be told and she brings it to you out of nowhere!!

I really don't know what to think about his book. There were parts I really liked--especially the premise of the house representing the house in the Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina and a love story to go with it. But then the plot took a swerve and became about Nazi and Nazi hunters. Then there was a whiff of a huge plot twist, only to die out in the end. I appreciated the epilogue of what happens with Leo and Emma, but I wondered what happened to Henry. I kept wanting more...but what was contained in the book was a pleasant love story (not counting the Nazi detour) and maybe that will have to be enough.