This Gothic type standalone from Chanel Cleeton is quickly moving with interesting characters and an eerie, enormous house. Learning more about Miami history was a nice bonus, and the author will remain an auto-read for me.

Thank you Berkley Pub for the free book and thank you PRH Audio for my #gifted listening copy of The House on Biscayne Bay! #PRHAInfluencer #PRHAudioPartner #BerkleyBookstagram #berkleypub #BerkleyIG #berkley

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐲
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐳𝐨
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 - 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐰!

★★★★★

The House on Biscayne Bay was a blend of historical fiction and mystery and I LOVED it! It was so atmospheric and it honestly kept me guessing until the very end!

With the Great War finally over, Robert and Anna Barnes have built a glamorous estate named Marbrisa on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. With plans to entertain guests, they appear to have it all and can’t wait to show off. The only problem is, one scandal can change everything. Years later, after the death of her parents in Cuba, Carmen Acosta travels to Marbrisa to live with her sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher, who now own the estate. Carmen quickly learns that nothing is as it seems and tragedy once again strikes Marbrisa. Now Carmen must uncover past secrets and stop history from repeating itself.

I could not get enough of this one! I loved this historical fiction elements and how well it was intertwined with the mystery aspect of the novel. It just flowed so well and I feel like the dual timelines and POVs worked SO well.

I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, which featured two AMAZING narrators! The audiobook was narrated by Caroline Hewitt and Frankie Corzo and they were just perfect for their roles! Seriously, they were flawless and just elevated by listening experience. If you are looking for an amazing audiobook, this is it!

🦚Dual Timelines
🦚Atmospheric
🦚Historical Fiction
🦚Mystery
🦚Set in Miami

Posted on Goodreads on April 2, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
Posted on Instagram - Full Review- April 2, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 2, 2024
**-will post on designated date

PUB DAY REVIEW 📖 thank you @berkleypub for the gifted copy! #berkleypartner #berkley

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: A historical mystery revolving around a gothic manor in Miami told in two timelines - 1918, during the construction of the mansion, and 1940, after new owners have moved into the mansion. Marbrisa may seem like an idyllic estate in paradise, but it is haunted by a series of mysterious murders.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this unique take on the gothic manor setting. Miami is not a place that comes to mind when I think of this type of story, but it made for a lush and atmospheric setting that really lent a sense of foreboding to the book. Both timelines kept me interested, and the way they intersected was unexpected. The mystery was well paced, and I loved the way it unfolded. If you’re a fan of historical fiction or gothic mysteries in the vein of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, definitely check this one out!

Read this if you like:
🐊 dual timelines
🐊 historical fiction
🐊 gothic mystery
🐊 atmospheric setting
🐊 Rebecca

Anna and Robert look like the perfect couple as they build their gothic mansion on Biscayne Bay. The house stands as a beacon of their wealth and status, but even before construction is complete, a darkness seems to hover just at the edge of the glam. It doesn’t take long before real scandal rocks the opulent facade.

Decades later, there are new owners determined to rebuild Marbrisa. Carmen moves in with her sister and brother-in-law, the newest owners, and quickly learns that there are parallels to the past threatening the house. If she can’t figure out who to trust and what is going on, there will certainly be more tragedy at Marbrisa.

This was full of mystery and tension as the dual timeline plays out. I couldn’t help but feel bad for Anna, for whom Marbrisa was the catalyst for all the collateral damage she suffered. It was never her dream, but she wanted to be there for her husband’s dream, only the brilliance lost its luster quickly as the house consumed him.

In the later timeline, I found myself constantly comparing Carmen’s experiences with those in Anna’s scenes to look for commonalities that could link the threads together. This mystery was woven together with perfection, and I was constantly shifting my view of what was going on and who could be behind everything. The historical aspects became a backdrop for the mystery rather than being central to the story, and though there are threads of romantic relationships running through a few of the storylines, the primary focus is on the mystery. Though I primarily read romance, I love books like this to change things up a bit as their story aspects are strong, but there are still some pieces of happily ever after in the end.

This was a fantastic page turner. The dual timeline kept things moving as the stories unfolded and started weaving together. The characters were dynamic and full of questionable motives all around. (It didn’t help that the lead detective didn’t like anyone of wealth and just wanted to close the case no matter what!) I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and though it wasn’t set in the same location I was in, it made a perfect vacation read.

4.75/5
I love a good gothic novel and The House on Biscayne Bay fits that bill. Chanel Cleeton has a way with describing the setting that transports you and honestly I could hear the peacock screams. I wasn’t sure how it was going to come together but I was a bit shocked, in a good way. All 3 women in the novel were smart and brave in their own way. With a house with the name Marbrisa, you could say that it was the 4th female character.

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton

Pub Date: 04/02/24

As a fan of Chanel Cleeton's previous novels, I was really looking forward to The House on Biscayne Bay. The novel is narrated via dual timelines by Anna in 1919 and twenty years later by Carmen, who recently arrived in Miami from Cuba. Their timelines are tethered by the beautiful mansion, Marbrisa, built by Anna's husband as a gift for her. Several tragedies, including Anna's untimely death, left the house abandoned until Carmen's sister and her husband purchased the home.

Gothic fiction is my favorite genre, and the author did a great job of creating a dark, atmospheric vibe. The creepy vibe and the novel's historical aspect are where the novel shined the most. The murder mystery itself was a slow burn, and the twists weren't that hard to figure out. There were a few things regarding the twists and the subsequent events that I had lukewarm feelings about.

Overall, this was an enjoyable novel and worth a read for its historical elements.

Thank you @berkleypub for my digital copy and @prhaudio for the audio version. My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartner

This story reminded me of the gothic romance novels I devoured as a teenager! This intriguing story unfolds through two perspectives and dual timelines, Anna, just after WW1 and Carmen in the early 1940s.

ANNA reluctantly moves to Florida with her husband when he gifts her with a beautiful mansion that is the talk of Miami. Anna loves her New York and Rhode Island homes, and is unsure about the wildlife in Florida. Her husband pays to have the house exquisitely decorated and Anna tries to be happy. Then, at a lavish house party, a woman is murdered.

Years later, the estate has changed ownership and a young woman, CARMEN, travels to the estate to stay with her sister and brother-in-law. When Carmen arrives, she quickly realizes that her sister’s marriage is not a happy one. Soon, there is another death, and as Carmen asks questions, she realizes it may be related to a death in the past.

I enjoyed the gothic atmosphere in this novel…unhappy marriages, a beautiful (perhaps haunted) house, secret passages, and murders! Both of the main characters lived with suspicion and fear. I enjoyed both perspectives, but I was more intrigued by Anna’s story.

I enjoyed both the print and the audio versions. The audio was expertly narrated by Caroline Hewitt and Frankie Corzo.

Read (or listen to) this if you enjoy:
*Gothic mysteries
*Lavish settings
*Multiple perspectives
*Dual timelines
*Murders with a tie to the past

I loved the atmosphere and mystery that propelled me through @chanelcleeton ‘s new novel.

Thank you @prhaudio & @berkleypub for my early copy of Chanel Cleeton’s THE HOUSE ON BISCAYNE BAY, which is out April 2nd!

It is no secret that I love Cleeton, her strong female characters, the persistence of her stories, the drive for me as a reader to find out what happens. I love how she often immerses us as readers into the Cuban culture, and with THOBB, we get an immersive experience in southern Miami’s early 1900s culture, a glimpse at the rich families building monstrous mansious, in essence a commentary on how those with money tend to arrive and take over a corner of the world, a corner that is often occupied by locals, none of whom are typically asked how they feel about all of the change.

What is unique to The House on Biscayne Bay is the strong mysterious loss of women at Marbrisa, the opulent creation by a budding architect for Robert and Anna, a wealthy family with seemingly everything in place.

The novel shifts from present time (several decades after Robert and Anna owned Marbrisa) with Carmen who arrives from Havana to live with her sister Carolina and Asher Wyatt, her husband. Quickly we realize that the home Marbrisa becomes a character of the novel, and that Carmen must determine the reason for deaths, both in the present and those at Marbrisa in the past.

I felt the mystery easily propelled the novel and I found myself guessing who was responsible for both the past as well as the present, and which characters weren’t fully telling the truth.

This is quick paced, and you’d enjoy it if you like Cleeton’s past novels, South Florida setting, strong sisters, mysterious men, and half-truth histories.

› In the author's note, Cleeton said she was inspired by Florida's landscape and animals and you can feel her knowledge and love for Florida in this story. The House on Biscayne Bay is a moody tale of love, family, betrayal and greed.

1918. Anna Barnes finds out her husband Robert bought land and built an enormous house as a birthday gift to her. She never talked about moving from New York to Florida. She's never talked about wanting a huge mansion. She doesn't even like the ocean, the heat, or the animals around Miami. With the help of architect, Michael Harrison, Robert is determined to build the biggest and most extravagant house with a view of Biscayne Bay. They name it Marbrisa.

1941. Carmen is an eighteen-year-old who became an orphan three weeks ago when her parents were killed in a storm while boating. They left her brother-in-law, Asher Wyatt in charge of her inheritance. So Carmen travels to Miami to see Asher and her older sister Carolina. Upon arriving at Marbrisa Carmen can feel an ominous energy around the estate and her sister is acting strange. People who work at Marbrisa tell Carmen that the house is cursed and haunted by a ghost named Anna.

The screaming peacocks and juxtaposition of flipping back and forth from Anna in 1918 to Carmen in 1941 increase the dread and tension. How did these people die at Marbrisa? Is this enormous house cursed? What happened to Anna? Why is Carmen acting so strange?

› Anna and Carmen's voices felt similar, however, the setting, description, world-building, and mood are well-developed. The writing style has high readability with realistic dialogue and an effective point of view. The plot kept me engrossed from beginning to end. The ending left me wanting to know more about Miami's history and read more from Cleeton.

› Final Thoughts
• The House on Biscayne Bay is a mysterious historical fiction novel about marriage, sisters, feeling like an outsider, secrets, murder, and ghosts from the past. I enjoyed this gothic tale and I'm looking forward to reading The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Chanel Cleeton’s historical fiction novel, The House on Biscayne Bay, has multiple mysteries with two timelines. The first timeline is 1918 featuring Anna Barnes and the second is set in 1941 and features Carmen Acosta. Both are set at Marbrisa, an estate on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida

In the first timeline, Robert and Anna Barnes build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate. Robert wants the house to be his legacy. This is a time when wealthy industrialists like Robert are streaming into Florida where land and labor is cheaper than in New England. The house is Robert’s surprise birthday gift to Anna, who hates its garishness. The only thing she takes an interest in is the garden area.

In the second timeline, Carmen travels to Marbrisa to Marbrisa, the home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. The sisters’ parents died in an accident, and Asher is to manage Carmen’s inheritance until she is 21. The house has gained notoriety and many people won’t work on the estate.

The author has a descriptive way of writing that brought Marbrisa to life. I could easily envision the estate and its glamour. The story goes back and forth between Anna’s and Carmen’s points of view. While there are plenty of mysteries and secrets, the pacing was slow. Despite a couple of surprises at the end and compelling characters, the novel has a slow-burn plot throughout most of the story. Themes include death, family, legacies, fear, respect, trust, jealousy, secrets, and much more.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with great world-building highlighting the glamor of the times.

Berkley Publishing Group and Chanel Cleeton provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be April 2, 2024.

Not my favorite of Cleeton's, I am not much into the "haunted house" vibes. I wish she would've stuck to her more tried and true way of writing - Last Train to Cuba, etc. - but I can understand that she may have wanted to try something new.

The House on Biscayne Bay is wonderful. This was my first book by Chanel Cleeton, and I can't wait to read more from her. I loved the plot of The House on Biscayne Bay and how it bounces between the 1920s, right after the end of World War I when people were flocking to Florida to build extravagant homes and to the 1940s, right as World War II was happening in Europe and many Americans were enlisting.

The story features two independent women in both eras. Anna's husband builds her Marbrisa as a gift and it appears as if death is everywhere at the estate. Carmen arrives at the home after the death of her parents to go live with her sister and brother-in-law where she begins to unravel the story of Anna Barnes and the mysterious deaths that occurred in Marbrisa.

Cleeton's writing sucked me in. The way she weaves the story, and the timelines together was flawless. I couldn’t put the book down and loved it. Highly recommend.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review!
4.5/5 stars

My favorite aspect of The House on Biscayne Bay is the sense of place, supported by the lush descriptions of the grounds and house. The irony is not lost on me that my rising fourth grader picked Biscayne National Park as one of his top ten national parks he’d like to visit, and Cleeton’s descriptions definitely hold with everything he’s shared with me (except the manatees, but I digress). While Marbrisa is a fictional house, it is also the main character in the book. Both Anna and Carmen, among others, talk about the house as almost a sentient being. It’s not that the house takes action, but it almost has moods, and most definitely gives off vibes (as any house does, if we take the time to listen) and not necessarily by the design of the architect (who you meet early on in the book).

Overall, The House on Biscayne Bay is getting 4.5 stars from me, and rounding up to 5. It was engaging and exciting, well-written across time periods where there was a lot of change in the world, and included a fun mystery for the reader to try to solve alongside Anna and Carmen. I’m delighted to say Cleeton has maintained her season pass status, and I’m even more looking forward to reading more of her backlist.

4.5 stars rounded up
Is Marbrisa haunted or cursed, or both?

I love Chanel Cleeton's historical fiction novels, and I am a huge gothic mystery fan, so when I saw that Ms. Cleeton's The House on Biscayne Bay had gothic vibes, I couldn't wait to get hold of it. Although this marks a departure from her usual historical romances, Cleeton does not disappoint, and the mansion, Marbrisa, is as much a character as either of the women in the dual storylines that comprise this creepy mystery set in 1918 and 1940 on the coast of Biscayne Bay, in Miami, Florida.

In both timelines, the mansion is a moneypit, the marriage is full of secrets and resentments, and there is an air of desolation to Marbrisa. My favorite part of the book was that I really had no confidence in any of the characters being trustworthy, in either timeline, and I did not anticipate the final twists. For those who enjoy a good gothic novel, dual timelines and a possibly haunted mansion, The House on Biscayne Bay is a great choice.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the digital ARC of The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton. The opinions in this review are my own.

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton.

I've loved all of Chanel's books in the past and love her writing and sense of place in her books. The House on Biscayne Bay was a little different than her previous books since this has more of a mystery feel but I loved the gothic feel from Marbrisa which is like the house is a character in the book.

Told between 1918 when Marbrisa is being built for Anna by her husband and 1940 when Carmen comes to live with her sisters and her husband who recently purchased the house. We see these two women struggle with the unexpected deaths at the house and how Carmen tries to put together the pieces.

I liked the setting and Chanel's storytelling in this gothic mystery.

There are two storylines to this novel, one with Anna in 1918, and the second with Carmen in 1941. In 1918, Miami was first being built up, invested in by many rich Northerners. Anna’s husband gifts her Marbrisa, an enormous flashy house built to impress. Anna is not enamored of the house, its lonely location, and the type of life her husband, Robert envisions for them. Carmen is mourning the death of her parents in Cuba, when in 1941, she moves to Marbrisa to be with her sister, Carolina. Two deaths that occurred in 1918 become an interest of Carolina’s until she also comes to a violent end. Who can Carmen trust? Are the deaths related? I enjoyed this Gothic style mystery but do enjoy the author’s previous novels about Cuba be Cubans more. I would still recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Chanel Cleeton is a new author for me, although I see she has written at least nine other novels. The description drew me to this book and I'm happy to say I enjoyed the read.

Description:
With the Great War finally behind them, thousands of civilians and business moguls alike flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.

My Thoughts:
This book has two timelines related to murders at the same house - Marbrisa. One is right after the Great War when people from the north came to Florida to build mansions and communities. The other is around 1940. The deaths at the house are mysterious and some said the house was haunted by Anna Barnes who disappeared from the house in the first timeline and was presumed dead. It was speculated she drowned in the bay. Some speculated that her husband killed her, but he was never charged. Her body was never found. When murders happened again in the 1940 timeline Anna Barnes and the haunting theory were brought up. There was an eerie feel to the house that everyone seemed to notice. I enjoyed this story and the mystery surrounding it. The characters were interesting and captivating. The plot was a slow burn. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication April 2, 2024.

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton is historical fiction mystery novel that centers around the Marbrisa mansion in Miami. One of the timelines in the story follows the mansion as it was built in 1918 by Robert Barnes as a birthday gift for his wife Anna and the second timeline follows the mansion in 1941 after it has been purchased by Asher Wyatt and becomes his home and later his wife as well. Both timelines of the story have several unfortunate deaths that make the mansion not the paradise it seems!

I am a fan of both historical fiction and mystery novels, so I loved the combination of both of those in this book. I also enjoyed that the dual timelines in the story were both two different “past” times rather than the traditional past and present. I liked the pace of the book as it kept me reading and guessing. I did predict one of the end twists, but not until almost the end. Overall a very enjoyable read! I will definitely be adding Chanel Cleeton’s backlist to my TBR!

Told from dual POV, and dual time lines (Anna -1918, Carmen-1941) THE HOUSE ON BISCAYNE BAY focuses on deaths or perceived murders of the women of Maribrisa. In 1918, Robert Barnes, tired of New York society, moved his beloved wife to Miami, Florida where he gifted her with one of the most magnificent homes to be built in Florida but from the outset all was not as it appeared to be as cracks in the marriage began to reveal a disheartening reality.

Fast forward to 1941, businessman Asher Wyatt and his wife Carolina, the new owners of the refurbished Maribrisa home, find themselves with an unexpected houseguest in the guise of Carolina’s younger sister, following the tragic drowning of both of their parents. Similar to the 1918 timeline, Maribrisa holds too many deadly secrets, and when Carmen begins to investigate the truth, suspicion and rumors begin to spiral out of control when death and destruction, murder and infidelity mirror one another in two different timelines.

THE HOUSE ON BISCAYNE BAY is a story set in a gothic mansion, a mansion that keeps its’ secrets buried deep within the walls. Jealousy and envy, secrets and lies, infidelity and obsession blur as the investigation takes a twist no one expected. The premise is intriguing and enthralling; the characters are edgy, broken and struggling. Not everyone will get their happily ever after, and those that will, reveal a surprising and impassioned love.

I received a gifted galley of THE HOUSE ON BISCAYNE BAY by Chanel Cleeton for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and PRH Audio for the opportunity!

THE HOUSE ON BISCAYNE BAY is set across the backdrop of Florida. In the days after World War I, Robert and his wife Anna build a glamorous new estate on Biscayne Bay and Robert names it Marbrisa. While the home is magnificent and their social status rises to the top, this is not where Anna feels comfortable. They appear to have everything one could want, but when something tragic happens, the scandal has eyes on them for very different reasons.

In a second timeline we are following Carmen in the 1940s. After the death of her parents in Havana, 18 year old Carmen is left without much agency as she can’t get control over her own money until she turns 21. She has no options, but to come to stay with her estranged sister and brother-in-law at Marbrisa. Once again, there are secrets and danger at Marbrisa.

I have really enjoyed Chanel Cleeton’s books in the past, so I was looking forward to this one. I really enjoyed both Anna and Carmen as characters. Both are a bit trapped in ways in a society where women aren’t given as much freedom to make their own choices, but both still had a lot of agency and pushed back against expectations.

I enjoyed the Marbrisa setting and the way the author developed the atmosphere around the place in both timelines. The connections between the women’s lives and the things that were happening felt really well done. I enjoyed the mystery element also and didn’t see all of the reveals coming which is always nice!

THE HOUSE ON BISCAYNE BAY is a great read for the historical fiction fans.