With only a few days left of 2019, it is time to share with you the 10 books that have stolen my heart this year. Although it has not been a great reading year for me in the sense that I have not read as much as I would have liked, I have read some really special books that have completely transported me to stunning locations, fascinating eras and have allowed me to forget to forget about reality for a few hours. And for that I am so thankful! In no particular order, here are the 10 most special books I've read:

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

What it is about: Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. 

Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash.

Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly-imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window...

Why I loved it: I only read this one a couple of weeks ago and I am still wondering why it took me so long to pick it up as I had been hearing great things about it for months. The concept is very unique and original but above all, I think that it is very well executed. Although they share the same bed, it takes a long time for Tiffy and Leon to actually meet. However, thanks to sharing the same space for months and to their post-it exchanges they already know a lot about each other. 

I had a great time following their exchanges and I kept wondering how and when they were going to meet. In the meantime, I loved getting to know them as individuals and I think both of them were great complex characters. The actual meeting didn't disappoint at all and it had me laughing for a good ten minutes. This is a very warm and uplifting story that also touched on more serious topics. Definitely one book that I will be re-reading pretty soon to enjoy all the little details again.

A Million Dreams by Dani Atkins 

What it is about: Beth Brandon always dreamed of owning a florist, but today the bouquets of peonies and bright spring flowers are failing to calm her nerves. Because today, Beth has a life-changing decision to share with her husband.

Izzy Vaughan thought she and her husband would stay together forever, but sometime last year, their love began to fade. They both find such joy in their young son Noah – but is he enough to keep them together?

Eight years ago, something happened to these two women. Something that is about to bring them together in a way no-one thought possible...

Why I loved it: A Million Dreams is absolutely gorgeous. The story is narrated by two women: Beth and Izzy and at the beginning it is not clear how their stories are going to relate to each other. Thanks to this dual narrative, I got to really know these two characters and I felt really connected to them, I understood what they were going through and how it affected them. So when I discovered how they were linked, it shocked me to the core. Their story really brought up so many emotions!

I think the plot for this story was really original and surprising. It made me wonder a lot about what I would do in their situations and question what is right and what is wrong. Definitely a very thought-provoking story. I really didn't know how the story was going to unfold but I think the author made a magnificent job with it. I closed the last page with tears in my eyes but a huge smile in my face. A highly recommended read from me. 

What it is about: When her daughter Beth dies suddenly, Peggy Andrews is left to pick up the pieces and take care of her granddaughter Flo. But sorting through Beth’s things reveals a secret never told: Beth was sick, with the same genetic condition that claimed her father’s life, and now Peggy must decide whether to keep the secret or risk destroying her granddaughter’s world.

Five years later, Flo is engaged and ready to pack up her life and move to New York with her high-flying fiancé. Peggy never told Flo what she discovered, but with Flo looking towards her future, Peggy realises it’s time to come clean and reveal that her granddaughter’s life might also be at risk.

As Flo struggles to decide her own path, she is faced with the same life-altering questions her mother asked herself years before: If a test could decide your future, would you take it?

Why I loved it: the main character, Flo, was such a fascinating and interesting character, it was impossible not to root for her. I loved getting to know her and she really inspired me to value life more and to challenge myself. Although I really don't know what I would do in her shoes, it was a real pleasure to share this journey with her and learn more about Huntington's and how it affects people and their family and friends. I really cannot imagine how hard it must be to live with it but I do think that this book shows us a fair portrayal of it and I'm sure that it will raise awareness on this disease.

Flo was not the only special character in this story though. I had a great team hanging out with Flo's granny Peggy and thanks to her old diaries, with Flo's mum too. The friendship between Peggy and her neighbour was definitely a highlight of the story for me, such a touching relationship. And the rest of the characters were pretty great too. 

If You Were Here is truly amazing, an unforgettable story that will pull at your heart-strings. Definitely one not to miss.

The Cornish Cream Tea Bus by Cressida McLaughlin

What it is about: Baking fanatic, Charlie Quilter, is surprised when her late uncle bequeaths his vintage bus to her in his will. Keen to give the bus a new lease of life, Charlie thinks it will be the perfect mobile café for afternoon tea, and when her friend, Juliette, suggests Charlie comes to stay with her in the picturesque Cornish village of Porthgolow, she’s thrilled at the chance of a new start.

Charlie and her cute dog, Marmite, make new friends wherever their bus stops – except for the sexy but reclusive owner of the posh spa up on the hill, Daniel Harper, who isn’t very pleased that her bus is parked outside his lovely hotel.

Has Charlie’s Cornish dream developed a soggy bottom? Or can she convince Daniel that her bus could be the start of something wonderful for the little village – and for them.

Why I loved it: I absolutely loved this story. It is such a feel-good book set in the stunning setting of Cornwall. The small town community was a delight to read and I could picture their gatherings perfectly in my head. I would highly recommend this story for anyone looking for a touching, up-lifting and charming story!

It had a good dash of romance, with a love triangle going on, which kept me intrigued and very satisfied with the ending. But what really stole my heart were two things: the descriptions of the stunning Cornish coast and of the delicious food Charlie was preparing.

One Winter Morning by Isabelle Broom

What it is about: Genie isn't feeling very festive this December.

The frosty mornings and twinkling fairy lights only remind her it's been a whole year since she lost her adoptive mother, who took her in as a baby and raised her as her own.

She's never felt more alone - until she discovers her birth mother's identity.

And where to find her: New Zealand, half the world away.

Travelling there could be her one chance to meet the woman who gave her up.

But will she find the answers she has been looking for? Or something she could never have expected?

Why I loved it: A new Isabelle Broom book has become a highlight in my reading year and with One Winter Morning she completely surpassed all my (high!) expectations. This is a beautiful touching story set in a stunning location that stole my heart. 

I found the characters in this story very interesting and I loved getting to know them. The story unfolds quite slowly so you don't really know how they are connected until you are totally immersed in their world. I think this worked very well here because it gave me time to connect with them and understand what they were going through. 

I especially enjoyed reading about New Zealand. Locals Tui and Kit were the perfect guides for Genie in this foreign land and they made such a great job that not only did she fall in love with the this beautiful country but so did I. The perfect story to escape to this winter!

The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey

What it is about: Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying just the right side of scandal.

Lawrence Weston is a penniless painter who stumbles into Selina's orbit one night and can never let her go.

Spanning two decades and a seismic shift in British history as World War II approaches, this is an epic novel of passion, heartache and loss. 

Why I loved it: Iona Grey already made me fell in love with her writing with her acclaimed debut, Letters to the Lost, but I think that The Glittering Hour is in a whole new level. The writing really transports you back in time and the characters feel like part of your family. 

The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson 

What it is about: Sophie Mayhew looks like she has the perfect life. Wife of rising political star John F Mayhew, a man who is one step away from the top job in the government, her glamour matches his looks, power, breeding and money. But John has made some stupid mistakes along the way, some of which are threatening to emerge. Still, all this can still be swept under the carpet as long as Sophie 'the trophy' plays her part in front of the cameras.

But the words that come out of Sophie’s mouth one morning on the doorstep of their country house are not the words the spin doctors put in there.  Bursting out of the restrictive mould she has been in since birth, Sophie flees to a place that was special to her as a child, a small village on the coast where she intends to be alone.

But once there, she finds she becomes part of a community that warms her soul and makes her feel as if she is breathing properly for the first time. Sophie knows she won't be left in peace for long. Now she must decide: where does her real future lie? 

Why I loved it: The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew is a delightful story. I had such a great time reading it that I completely forgot about anything else! And once I finished it, I actually had to remind myself a couple of times that Sophie and all the other characters were not real and that I would not find their latest adventures in the newspaper.

This book reminded me that no dream is too small or too big, you just need to go for it. Plus, Milly Johnson's writing is a joy a to read, engaging and with the perfect dash of drama and magic. Definitely a story that will leave you with a warm heart and a very positive vibe.  

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor

What it is about: 1838: Northumberland, England. Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands has been Grace Darling’s home for all of her twenty-two years. When she and her father rescue shipwreck survivors in a furious storm, Grace becomes celebrated throughout England, the subject of poems, ballads, and plays. But far more precious than her unsought fame is the friendship that develops between Grace and a visiting artist. Just as George Emmerson captures Grace with his brushes, she in turn captures his heart.

1938: Newport, Rhode Island. Nineteen-years-old and pregnant, Matilda Emmerson has been sent away from Ireland in disgrace. She is to stay with Harriet, a reclusive relative and assistant lighthouse keeper, until her baby is born. A discarded, half-finished portrait opens a window into Matilda’s family history. As a deadly hurricane approaches, two women, living a century apart, will be linked forever by their instinctive acts of courage and love.

Why I loved it: Hazel Gaynor is one of my favourite Historical Fiction authors, so I know that her stories are always special, but The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter surpassed all my expectations. With two timelines set a hundred years apart, this story completely stole my heart.

Today I am sharing my review for a very special book, The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey. This is the epic and long-awaited new romance from the author of Letters to the Lost, winner of the RNA Award.

Title: The Glittering Hour 

Author: Iona Grey 

Published: May 30th 2019 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying just the right side of scandal.

Lawrence Weston is a penniless painter who stumbles into Selina's orbit one night and can never let her go.

Spanning two decades and a seismic shift in British history as World War II approaches, this is an epic novel of passion, heartache and loss.

Review: I have just finished reading this stunning story and I need to put into paper how much I loved The Glittering Hour. I still have tears in my eyes and I cannot believe that Selina and Alice's story is over. I am definitely going to miss them immensely. As you can tell, this book has made me feel many emotions, as I felt really connected to story and its characters. 

Iona Grey already made me fell in love with her writing with her acclaimed debut, Letters to the Lost, but I think that The Glittering Hour is in a whole new level. The writing really transports you back in time and the characters feel like part of your family. 

The story is set in two different decades. We have shy young Alice in the thirties, who has gone to live with her grandparents in the big and cold Blackwood House, while her parents go on a long business trip. And then, thanks to letters sent by her mother, Selina, we discover more about her mother's youth and how Alice herself came to be. 

Together with the letters, Selina sends Alice in a treasure hunt to help her feel better in this new foreign setting but also as a way to share with her her past and talk about the people that were important to her. I loved discovering the glittering twenties through Selina's eyes, Iona Grey painted such a clear image of the colours, the fashion, the cars, the parties... that I felt like I was looking at photos rather than just reading. 

I can only praise this epic story and I highly recommend you pick it up if you are looking for a very special story that will fascinate you and probably steal your heart. It has secrets, it has family drama, it has love, it has glamour but also lots of pain. A book that has found a place in my favorite books ever list, for sure. 

Rating: 5 stars

The next guest on my Historical Fiction Week is Iona Grey, author of the stunning Letters to the Lost, Winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2016. Today she stops by to talk about houses and their role in Historical Fiction:

I’m currently hard at work on my second book, and taking a welcome break to drop in to Alba’s fabulous blog and say hello! I’m at the stage of the book where it feels a bit like living underground and coming up for air every now and again, blinking stupidly in the daylight, but I can’t really complain as the (imaginary) place where I’m spending my days is a huge and beautiful eighteenth century house in the rolling Herefordshire countryside. There are far worse places to be!

As well as writing I’ve also been doing a few pieces of promotion for Letters to the Lost (which has recently been released in France and Germany) so I’ve been thinking a lot about setting and theme, and realising all over again how important houses and the concept of home are in my writing. In Letters to the Lost the small house on Greenfields Lane not only provides sanctuary to both Jess and Stella, but the link between the present and the past. Houses endure in a way that the people who pass through them cannot, though I love the idea that the lives that are lived within their walls leave an impression, and the events and emotions that are experienced there can echo down the years. I also like examining the way in which some things change and others stay the same, and how time and memory can give significance to things that might appear quite ordinary at first glance. 

So, with all this uppermost in my mind as I write my own book, I’ve been thinking about fiction I’ve loved where the present and the past collide against the beautifully evoked backdrop of a house. Here are my top five.

The Go Between L. P. Hartley

‘The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.’ For me that’s the most intriguing, promise-laden first line ever, matched only by the poignancy of the book’s last line when Leo finally returns to Brandham Hall. What comes between the two is a story that is told through the filter of memory, but which vividly conjures up a sweltering summer and a grand country estate in its heyday at the very start of the twentieth century – an era which will bring devastating change.

Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier

Another contender for the prize of ‘most magical first line’. A brief but brilliant opening chapter leads the reader down the tangled drive to Manderley, the house that stands at the heart of the story, and our interest is immediately, irresistibly hooked. We’re desperate to know the chain of events that have led to such a beautiful house being abandoned, and the glimpse the author gives us of how it used to be is both poignant and persuasive. Has anyone ever read the first chapter and not got any further? I seriously doubt it!

Carrie’s War Nina Bawden

I read this when I was about seven and think it was probably my first introduction to dual time frame novels. I can still remember the shiver that went up my spine when I read the opening paragraph (with its echoes of Rebecca, though I didn’t know that at the time) in which Carrie dreams about going back to the house she last visited as an evacuee, thirty years before. The story itself is gripping, but for me it was viewing it through the frame of the present, and seeing the changes that the years have made on the setting, that made it truly heart-wrenching (and instantly turned me into a dual time-frame addict!)

The House at Riverton Kate Morton

I read this on holiday when it came out in 2007 – almost exactly thirty years after I read Carrie’s War – and it was a bit like coming home! I believe (and I might be wrong about this – let me know!) that it marked the start of the resurgence in the dual time-frame/house-as-character genre, which was excellent news for me! I think this remains my favourite of Kate Morton’s books. In it the elderly Grace doesn’t go back to the house itself but to a film-set recreation of it, but the emotions it evokes in both character and reader are just as powerful.

Brideshead Revisited Evelyn Waugh

The title says it all! This has got to be my favourite ever past-present juxtaposition, when cynical, world-weary Charles emerges from his hut in the army training camp he arrived at in the dark the night before, and says, ‘I’ve been here before.’ I’m part of the generation who discovered the book through the Jeremy Irons/Anthony Andrews TV series, which was lit up weeks of dreary Sunday nights when I was about ten years old, so I can never read the exquisite Chapter One, when Charles arrives at Brideshead for the first time (‘on a cloudless day in June, when the hedges were creamy with meadowsweet and the air heavy with all the scents of summer’) without hearing the theme tune. Or without a lump in my throat. 

What are your favourite fictional houses, or your most memorable journeys back to places from the past? I’d love to hear them!

***

Thank you Iona for such an interesting post. It's true that houses or places sometimes play such an important role as a character in novels. One example that comes to my mind now is The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies, where a French villa in French Indochina is central to the life of a métisse. 

About the book:

Title: Letters to the Lost

Author: Iona Grey

Published: April 23rd 2015 by Simon & Schuster UK

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: 1943, in the ruins of Blitzed London…

Stella Thorne and Dan Rosinski meet by chance and fall in love by accident. Theirs is a reluctant, unstoppable affair in which all the odds are stacked against them: she is newly married, and he is an American bomber pilot whose chance of survival is just one in five.

…He promised to love her forever

Sixty years later Dan makes one final attempt to find the girl he has never forgotten, and sends a letter to the house where they shared a brief yet perfect happiness. But Stella has gone, and the letter is opened by Jess, a young girl hiding from problems of her own. And as Jess reads Dan's words, she is captivated by the story of a love affair that burned so bright and dimmed too soon. Can she help Dan find Stella before it is too late?

Now forever is finally running out.

Letters to the Lost was one of my favourite reads of 2015. There was not a single thing I didn't love about this book. It had me in tears in public more than once. It was heart-breaking but also uplifting. Extraordinarily beautiful, Letters to the Lost is one of those books you simply cannot miss.

Read my full review here

Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey. An epic love story that made me cry a lot (in public places). This will probably be the debut of the year for me, so beautifully written and such a moving story. Also, it would make such a fantastic movie.

I spotted this tag on Sky's Book Corner and also on Jenny in Neverland and I couldn't resist joining in with the fun. I loved their answers and as a major Disney fan, I found the idea of matching Disney characters with books according to their treats and characters fantastic! 

One day, Rosie Potter wakes up with what might be the world's worst hangover, until she discovers that she's actually dead... But Rosie has no idea how to be a ghost. Is she supposed to haunt her killer? But who killed her? 

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson. 

Ivy Lane by Cathy Bramley.

This sweet story takes place in the allotment of Ivy Lane, where a lively and friendly community shares not only a place to grow their plants but also products, tips on how-to and friendship. With the lovely Tilly as the main character, we get to know all the members: from Charlie, the sexy fireman, the talkative Gemma and her persuasive mother, to the sweet old Alf, they all welcome her to their family. 

There are so many fantastic characters in this book and they all add their own spark to the story! 

4) Sleeping Beauty: A book that put you to sleep

One Thousand and One Nights
I remember that my mum got me this book in my teen years and said to me, this one is gonna take you a while to finish (it was huge). But I just couldn't get into the stories. Some I already knew and enjoyed but some where just too boring. It's one of the few books I have never finished and it's still sitting in my room at my parents'. Maybe one day I'll give it another try, now I'm older and wiser (ehem...).

It has been a while since a book had made such a strong impression on me. Girl at War is an extraordinary tale about war, loss and grief but also about love and hope and the need to find your place in the world. With two main story lines, Girl at War tells the story of Ana, a Croatian girl who survived a cruel and violent war but lost almost everything in it, even a part of herself. We follow a ten-year-old Ana in Zagreb, in the midst of the civil war, and a twenty-year-old Ana in New York, on her third year of university.

6) Beauty and the Beast: A beast of a book that you were intimidated by but found to be beautiful

I flew through the story in no time at all. It's such a well written story with so much heart in it, just like Belle!


7) Aladdin: A character that gets their wish granted, for better or for worse

With the imminent publication of I Knew You Were Trouble, the second book on the Jessie Jefferson Series, I have been thinking a lot about Jessie. She would be the perfect Aladdin, she wished with all her heart to know who her father was. Imagine her surprise when her father turned out to be a huge rock star! I cannot wait to see how her relationship with him develops in the second book. 

8) Mulan: A character who pretends to be someone or something they’re not

In this one not only one but two characters pretend to be someone they are not. Renée, the concierge, conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, Renée is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. 

Then there's Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She behaves as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.

Where's my letter? I'm still waiting for my letter...

Do I need to say anything else? 

10) Disney Descendants – your favourite villain or morally ambiguous character

Well, that was a lot of fun! If you want to do this tag yourself, feel free! I’d love to see more of these around, bring the magic of Disney to the blogosfera! 

I can’t believe it’s already the end of June, where have these months gone? 2015 is certainly flying by. I have just checked Goodreads and I have read 70 books already. I have to say that 2015 has been amazing year, bookswise. I have read so many amazing books! This is why I wanted the share with you my top ten for the first half of the year. I don’t even know how I managed to narrow it down to 10 only but here they are:

Ivy Lane by Cathy Brambley. Who could have though life in an allotment could be so entertaining? As the seasons pass by, the community of Ivy Lane grow closer and new loves and friendships flourish. I loved how easily Cathy made me feel part of the community too and all the descriptions of gardening.  

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson. Lucy’s talent just keeps surprising us. With her latest book, she fooled us all and took our breath away. A clever story with a twist you won’t forget in a long time.

Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey. An epic love story that made me cry a lot (in public places). This will probably be the debut of the year for me, so beautifully written and such a moving story. Also, it would make such a fantastic movie.

The Vintage Guide of Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood. Funniest book I’ve read in a long while. I loved Jessica Beam and her adventures following her grandma’s vintage guides. If you are in need of cheering up, definitely go for this one, genius!

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. If anyone is worried about Sophie writing her  first YA novel, then you shouldn’t. It totally exceed my expectations. Audrey is a character I won’t forget in a long time and Sophie handles mental health issues with tact and resposability.

Catch Me If You Cannes by Lisa Dickenson. The Summer Read for me! It has all the ingredients: sunshine, stunning setting, romance and Nutella! What else can you ask for? Perfect for an afternoon on the beach with some cocktails to go with!

Mobile Library by David Whitehouse. David takes us on a magic road trip on a mobile library. The story is beautifully written with a unique narrative and a mixture of adventure, fantasy, love and friendship but also with some darker details. A real gem of a book.

Always the Bridesmaid by Lindsey Kelk. This is Lindsey’s first stand-alone novel in a long time and I wish, with all my heart, that is was actually a series, so we could go back to Maddie’s world again. Certainly one of her best books, Always the Bridesmaid will make you giggle non-stop!

The Silent Hours by Cerca Major. Set in France during the Second World War and based on a historical event, it tells a powerful and moving story about life during war. With different points of views, I felt like I was part of the story too.

So this are the best books I've read so far this year. I don't know how I'm going to pick my top ten at the end of the year if the books continue being so amazingly good. Not that I'm complaining! What are the best books you've read so far?