The London House

I have truly enjoyed reading Reay’s previous publications, and The London House was another rich story full of heart and emotion.

Synopsis: Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

What appealed to you the most in this story?

I loved the dual timelines in this story. Usually in a historical fiction book I tend to find myself engrossed in the past timeline and always wanting to get back to it. That was not the case in this book at all. I also liked how the past timeline was uniquely told mainly through letters, diaries, and documents from government archives.

Was this just another WWII historical fiction story?

Nope! Reay did her research and created a unique story that takes you right into WWII. She added some wonderful themes to the story - bringing truth to light and healing and learning how to accept the past in order to move forward with the future.

What made this story so unique is something I think applies to all of us and the way we look at our family. Sometimes I think that we see our relatives and our parents framed in a certain way in our minds, and when we encounter new information, it isn't always easy to reconsider and reevaluate.

How was the pace?

For me this was a fast-paced story that hooked me from the beginning. There was so much adventure and Reay’s atmospheric writing drew me right into WWII.

Do you recommend this book?

Yes! This story has everything - spies, love, secrets, and heartbreak!

Thank you, Harper Muse, for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.