This was SUCH a wonderful book. I wanted to keep listening and ignore literally everything else in my life.

I initially had difficulty keeping all of the characters straight, but after only a handful of chapters, I was fully immersed. The non-linear timeline was really fascinating, and I loved hearing the story play out in kind of a non-order order, if that makes sense.

I loved the setting of circa-WW1 England—it’s not a time period that I’ve read much about. I also loved that the book was told about the help—the people who worked so hard to make sure that the nobility could live their posh lives without interruption—despite the war.

The narration was so good. It really set the tone and atmosphere of this meaningful book, and conveyed ALL the emotion that came with such a difficult time in history.

Overall, this was one of those stories that sticks with you. About love, friendship, solidarity, commitment, hard work, and pushing forward despite heartbreak and tragedy.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced preview audio book. I just love getting advance copies! This one lives up to the hype!

Grey is a lovely writer, but this isn’t going to be for you if you’re not into romance.

I was hoping the book would feel more like the historical fiction label it’s been tagged with, but it’s more of a historical romance, which didn’t work for me.

I liked the writing and the sense of place is very well-rendered, but the history (and really, any broader plot) takes a backseat to a fairly overwrought love story, which failed to hold my attention well and veers too frequently into manufactured angst and heartache for my taste.

If you enjoy romance, this one is at least well written, relatively accurate historically speaking, and not of the open door persuasion. But if you’re looking for true historical fiction, look elsewhere.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The setting in a spooky manor house and a main character with a secret made me want to read it. However, it didn’t live up to expectations. The dual narratives of Kate and Jem initially promised intrigue, but the pacing in *The Housekeeper's Secret* was simply too slow.

The mystery surrounding the housekeeper's past lacked the element of surprise. Readers can easily guess what Kate is trying to hide and predict the events of the second half of the novel. Jem's arc is more intriguing but was kept vague for a large part of the story. The slow unveiling of his secrets could have been more effective with earlier foreshadowing. The romantic elements were interesting and could have got moving sooner than they did,

The audiobook narration by Raphael Corkhill and Shakira Shute is a highlight, delivering a pleasant listening experience. However, the novel's uneven pacing made it difficult to finish.

I overall enjoyed this book!

I felt like it was beautifully written, and was easy to read and absolutely enjoy

While "The Housekeeper's Secret" was a lovely historical romance with a darker undertone, it was not the gothic "Rebecca"-esque book I hoped it would be. There was a sweet, soft romance and close-to-no twisty moments. I made it 70% through then called it quits because of the pacing.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio for a copy of this book. I really enjoyed it. It took me a bit to figure out who was who and the different time periods in the beginning but once I got that down I was invested in the story. Everyone has secrets! Following the servants gave me Downton Abbey vibes - loved that! It all wrapped up well in the end. Highly recommend if you like historical fiction + mystery + a love story.

Grey gives gothic mystery meets Downton Abbey with this emotional thriller.

Kate and Jem are servants in early 1900s England. A dreary existence on the moor as the house they serve isn’t too colorful or exciting. The characters carry the story with their stories they keep the reader feeling like some things are absolutely going unsaid. As secrets reveal themselves, I couldn’t help but find myself wanting a future for the two if they could ever escape the lives they’ve planted themselves in.

This gripping tale of forbidden love, secret notes, proper society, and clandestine meetings is a fantastic book to listen to! The setting is Coldwell Hall. Kate Furniss runs a tight ship as the head housekeeper. She knows her place and maintains all her countenance as she, also, expected all the maids in her charge to. In 1911, a new footman, Jem Arden, employs at the mansion and is a handsome addition to the staff according to all the maids' giggles and looks. The story alternates between the early 1900's to WWII, where Kate and Jem are separated. They each had alternative goals for working and living at Coldwell Hall and their story spans throughout decades. Will they ever reunite?
This story displays a true love that is a deep, trusting connection and their love was woven by an unwavering dedication to one another.
The narrators Raphael Corkhill and Shakira Shute were extraordinary! Raphael's voice was deep and dreamy. Shakira managed to execute multiple accents and characters remarkably! I enjoyed listening to this tale.
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio, for the advanced readers copy in audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#netgalley #TheHousekeeper'sSecret #HistoricalFiction #Romance #Audiobook

The Housekeeper's Secret
A Novel
by Iona Grey
Narrated by Raphael Corkhill; Shakira Shute

I was thrilled to listen to this novel and unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me. I tried. The story started off promising-very Downton Abbey-ish. Unfortunately what followed was filled with tons of filler, and instead of a fast-paced story, it just lagged. I kept on waiting for something substantial to occur, and by the time it did, I was bored and didn't care. Kate and Jem's relationship didn't move fast at all, and the questions that Jem was trying to get answers for took forever to be revealed. Overall, this may be a fantastic book for some, but it just didn't keep me interested.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author, and MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen and review this ARC!

I enjoyed the audiobook. The overall story was just ok because I felt there was a lot of filler. Certainly there are some twists and turns that was supposed to keep the reader guessing. However, it went a bit long and dripfeedy at times.

I tried. Man did I try. This is the first book I’ve DNF’d in a VERY long time. I just couldn’t get through it. I stopped and restarted several times as I struggled to follow what on earth was going on and then even when I was able to I just couldn’t get into it at all. So many characters, so many view points. Being sent the audiobook was great except for the fact that with the flash backs (the letters being written/read) I had no idea what the heck is going on. Just an overall no for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.

Fans of Downton Abbey will get lost in this saga of downstairs drama in Edwardian England, juxtaposed against the horrors of life in the trenches during World War I.

This book is beautifully written and paints a vivid picture of what life was like in a manor house in the Edwardian era. However, there were a lot of different storylines that were hard to keep up with in audiobook format, and I think the book was just a bit too long. Great narration.

I enjoyed that this very much had a Downton Abbey/ Upstairs Downstairs vibe with a focus on the downstairs aspect of the grand house. However, the book felt long to me; I thought it could have been shorter. It also started out very slow, which didn’t help my overall impression of the book at the outset.

I also thought it was very light on the historical or romance part of the story, which are the parts I enjoy the most. There is a romance that happens, but it just happens without much insight into what drew this couple together. The story did have a very creepy/suspense vibe and if that is your jam, then this book is for you!

The story is told from various servant’s POVs. I listened to the audiobook and I had a tough time picking up on some of the POV changes from the housekeeper to the maid(s).

Narrators: Both narrators do an excellent job of making the story come alive. Raphael Corkhill was only used for the parts of the story where Jem is writing a letter - usually starting the chapters. I really would have enjoyed it if he narrated all of Jem’s POV sections in the book.

Huge thank you to St Martin's Press for the ALC!

I was so excited for this one based on the moody cover and the fun synopsis!

Ultimately, this one fell short for me and I was struggling to pay attention as I often was bored by the storyline. I think it's a me problem, so be sure to read other reviews before making your decision!

While the narrators voice was beautiful, I did struggle a little bit with the accent even though I think it was a good choice for the character.

This is out now!

Not quite what I expected but was still a very good listen. Kate is the head housekeeper who is secretly in love with Jim. This is more a love story than a thriller.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the review copies!

If you were a fan of Downton Abbey, you will love The Housekeeper’s Secret. It is an angsty multi-genre book, combining mystery, historical fiction, and romance.

For me, I think I would have liked it more if it focused on developing one genre well. The setting was atmospheric and moody, and the mystery was high-stakes and held my interest, but the romance was a bit shallow. I don’t think I would have minded if it hadn’t been marketed to me as a romance, but since it was, I expected more development of the relationship. As it was, it felt very instalust - turned - love, and besides finding each other attractive, I wasn’t sure what really brought the two together or kept them interested in each other.

🎧 The audiobook was narrated fairly well, and I would have liked it if there were fewer POVs. However, the writing often shifted POVs suddenly, and without the visual cue of a larger paragraph break, I often was confused. Paired with everyone having very typically British names, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what was going on.

I personally found Downton Abbey to be a little too moody for me, especially after the first two seasons, so I have seen a lot of five star reviews from people who loved that vibe.

I just finished The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey and here are my thoughts.

I love historical fiction and this one was a truly amazing read.

In the summer of 1911, Kate had been working as a housekeeper for 5 years… Trouble is she is hiding who she truly is and all of her carefully guarded secrets become harder to hide with the arrival of Jem, the new footman who is also guarding a secret of his own.

It had some really slow moments and some really fast moving parts to the storyline which worked to add a level of suspense you don’t often see in historical fiction. The book staddles 2 timelines which I didn’t much care for but it added some depth to the story so I can overlook it.

I loved the romance between Kate and Jem. Forbidden love is one of my favorite tropes and the author did a really excellent job of building up to the beautiful crescendo of the two of love falling for each other.

I loved the descriptive prose and the way the story kept moving forward with ease. I never got confused by the timelines but I didn’t much care for them being woven together. I could see them being excellent as 2 separate books though.

4 stars

Thank you to @netgalley for my ALC which done very well and my gifted paperback from @stmartinspress

Out Aug 14th!

#thehousekeeperssecret #ionagrey #historicalfiction #historicalromance #romance #romancereader #booklover #smp #smpinfluencer #bookreview #bookalorian #booksta #canadianbookstagram

"The Housekeeper's Secret" by Iona Grey is historical fiction with a romance. This book was quite long but good. (368 pages or 13 hrs 15 min audio.) I listened to the audio, expertly narrated by Raphael Corkhill and Shakira Shute.

This is set in 1911, France, the Sonne Valley, at the Coldwell House. Katie Furnis is the head housekeeper and the main character. The home belongs to Mr Hyde, but he is quite elderly and reclusive. His son, Randall, is returning from India with his girlfriend and their staff. Randall's servant Mr. Henderson is quite nasty.

A new footman, Jem Arden, is hired, and all the ladies swoon over him and his good looks. It's only the housekeeper, Kate, who catches his eye. Of course, staff relationships are unacceptable in this time, but that doesn't mean they don't happen. There is more romance than spice in this, but it is nice. There's a bit of thriller intrigue in this, too.

The chapters alternate between the story at the manor from 1911 with letters from the war from 1916 written from Jem to Kate.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 31/8 = 3 7/8 rounded up to 4 stars

I recommend this book for historical fiction lovers who enjoy a good love story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Iona Grey for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Kate tries to escape the horrors of her past by taking a housekeeper position for a wealthy family with lots of secrets.

Jim is looking for answers and finds himself working for the same household that he later brother worked for.

With interwoven timelines and multiple viewpoints, this story was an interesting read! Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc!