Katherine Reay and Michael Greenberg's London House: A Story of Love, Loss, and Redemption

C. L. Corbaley: The story pulled me in and wouldn’t let me out. Each one of her novels is different, yet compelling in its own way. I hope this review doesn’t jinx her. ;).

United States on Nov 03, 2023

trina horgan: I was disappointed, didn’t think it was a great read. To many letters for me

United Kingdom on Jul 17, 2023

carolynmharper: I have read several of Reay’s books, and this one feels more substantive than the others I’ve read. She chronicles a woman’s search for the truth about the ancestor for whom she was named, and in the process also learns some truths about herself. Although there’s a little of Austen included, her work is not central to this novel. The faith-related content is also a bit more subtle though definitely present. Another enjoyable read.

United States on Jun 15, 2023

Sandy Sieber: The London House pulls you in and doesn't let go until you have read the conclusion. The theme is fighting fear to do what is right. Katherine Reay gives you a glimpse of what the rich went through during World War II and some of the choices they had to make. The present day times parts give some insight into families who have suffered great loss. The London House is a worthwhile read.

United States on May 26, 2023

Enthusiastic Reader: Caroline Payne was named for Caroline Waite, her great-aunt that died in childhood from polio. Mat Hammond, an old college friend of Caroline's, has discovered that her father's aunt Caroline was a Nazi collaborator, betraying her country and family and marrying her German lover. How could that possibly be true? Why is Caroline's father refusing to answer her questions? Caroline carries her great-aunt's name. Shouldn't she know the truth? Does her mother know the truth? This isn't a question to ask her mother on the phone. It's time to see her mother in London. Maybe Caroline will also learn why her grandmother, her father's mother, left the ancestral home to her mother. Caroline's grandmother Margaret was a twin, and the twins called each other Margo (short for Margaret) and Caro. Did Caroline's grandmother know the truth about her twin sister?

This novel of WWII historical fiction is compelling reading with dual timelines. Letters and journals of the past open the door to family history, yet rather than answers, more questions need research in historical documents. As a young woman, Caro was in Paris pursuing her dreams by working for the House of (Elsa) Schiaparelli. The...

United States on Apr 06, 2023

Angie67: Rating: 3,5 stars
This was quite enjoyable but failed to wow me in any way.

As this was a historical fiction, I was expecting the usual dual timeline between the present and the Second World War. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

The story revolves mainly around Caroline, a young American woman, and Mat, an old college friend. Mat has been hired by the family of a gentleman accused of being a Nazi during the war, to investigate and try and clear the man’s name.

What he discovers is that the twin sister of Caroline's grandmother is the woman who eloped with the German officer to Germany, abandoning her English fiancé and family. Caroline's family never mentioned her again and her father still seems to be suffering from this great betrayal. But is this really what happened?

Caroline doubts that this is the true story, and with Mat's help she starts reading her grandmother's diary and the letters the two sisters exchanged in order to piece together what really happened.

The letters and diary entries were interesting but also a little confusing because they were not always shown in chronological order. This involved constant flicking back...

Italy on Apr 05, 2022

Stephanie McCall: More a 3.5-3.7, The London House somehow mixes the best and worst of Katherine Reay. It contains the compelling epistolary elements of Dear Mr. Knightley, plus some of the character development and enchanting places of her book-centered novels (Printed Letter Bookshop and Of Literature and Lattes). However, The London House also has a slow pace, some odd plotting choices, and not a lot of character development.

The epistolary journey of Caro and Margo is easily the most compelling part of the book. It moves at a good clip, but is written in enough depth to let readers know who the sisters are and how they grow and change. I particularly applaud Katherine for exploring both a twin relationship and what happens when the roles in that relationship reverse. I've never seen it done in fiction before, at least not the way Katherine does it. I think I enjoyed Margo's development a bit more than Caro's, but that's simply because we see more of her in the book. Katherine's choice to focus more on the sister who stayed at home, who became the "secret keeper," was a unique choice for a World War II novel.

Additionally, I liked where Katherine tried to go with the modern...

United States on Dec 30, 2021