A House Full of Windsor
by Kristin Contino
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Pub Date Jul 13 2021 | Archive Date Aug 15 2021
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Description
Spanning from 1980s London and the royal wedding of a century to a present-day reality TV show, A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR explores how one woman's messy past shapes her family's future.
Sarah Percy's career depends on New Yorkers taking her household advice as gospel. "Sarah Says" used to be the most popular segment on the city's top morning show, but ratings are down and it looks like Sarah might not have a tip for everything, after all... especially when her mother gets involved.
Debbie Windsor, Sarah's mother, is a shopaholic and compulsive hoarder, a secret Sarah has worked tirelessly to hide her entire life. Debbie was always fascinated by royalty, but when her real-life love story started to parallel Princess Diana's, she turned to collecting royal souvenirs to fill the void. Leaving her husband's native England and relocating the family to her hometown in Pennsylvania doesn't help the situation, and two decades later the house is a royal mess. Debbie's safety is on the line, but she brushes off any attempts her family makes to help.
When Sarah's brother gets a job on Stuff, a TV show about compulsive hoarding, he nominates their mother for an episode and promises his famous sister's participation. Backed into a corner, Sarah and Debbie agree, but everyone has something at stake whether the episode does or doesn't go off without a hitch. With both family and romantic relationships on the line--including the connection between Sarah and the show's sexy host, and Debbie's budding romance with a local shopkeeper --long-buried secrets and resentment must come to the surface for the family to move on.
A Note From the Publisher
The author is available for interviews. Kristin is a reporter for royalcentral.co.uk.
Advance Praise
"A spectacular and addictive family tale that’s equal parts charm and depth."--Kirkus Reviews
“When three siblings convince their mother to sign on to a reality show for hoarders, the result is part chaos, part nostalgia, and completely absorbing. Moving seamlessly between a contemporary Philadelphia suburb and Princess Diana's 1980's England, Kristin Contino weaves a poignant, heartwarming tale about the things we hold onto for far too long, and why. This is a curl-up-and-ignore-everything kind of read. I loved it!”
—Amy Impellizzeri, Award-winning author of Lemongrass Hope and I Know How This Ends
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Featured Reviews
Jessica S, Reviewer
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are many, many books that draw on the royals for inspiration, but A House Full of Windsor is one of the most thoughtful and touching. The royals are certainly woven throughout the story- what would royal watching be without memorabilia, and Debbie certainly has more than her fair share. I loved that Contino showed a less glamorous side of the royals; as Debbie's marriage fell apart, so did the Wales'. This made it a much more poignant comparison though, and I think really speaks to how people view the royals- they are seen as part of peoples' lives, even though they've never met them. (I've read nearly every chick lit book vaguely related to the royals, but none will stay with me like AHFOW.)
I think that choosing to anchor the story around Debbie's hoarding (of said royal memorabilia) was the perfect way to go here. It is easy to mock people who hoard for simply "having too much stuff", but Contino thoughtfully explores the reasons and emotions behind Debbie's hoarding, and how it affected each member of her family. They don't all understand, but that is reality for all of us. I didn't know if I would, but very quickly on, I was incredibly invested in Deb- I don't often root for characters, but I was rooting for Debbie. It can be sad to read at a few points, but that only made me want to read more- I had to find out where it would end. From start to finish, a rich, royal read!
Alison C, Reviewer
This is such a charming book! It was written with such love and care--for both the characters and for royal history--and I really loved the development throughout. Perfect for fans of the Crown!
Andee R, Educator
What do I have in common with the royal family or hoarders? Nothing at all. What do I love about Kristin Contino's new book A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR? Absolutely everything! Debbie, a royal-obsessed woman who finds comfort in her massive collection of trinkets, proves a sympathetic heroine. Throughout the narrative, the reader comes to understand why she became a hoarder in the first place. Debbie’s children attempt to help their mother by casting her in a reality television show called Stuff. The irony is that while they’re saving their mother, they also save themselves. Contino’s depiction is both believable and compelling.
This is a delightful read. The pacing is quick and the conflict kept me turning the pages. Definitely a five-star book I highly recommend!
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