The Library of Lost Dollhouses

by Elise Hooper

When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s uneventful life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses. After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy starts to believe that Belva Curtis LeFarge, the influential heiress who established the library a century ago, is conveying a significant final message.

With a newfound sense of spontaneity, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey to understand introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, overlooked history, but also a future for herself, filled with exciting possibilities—and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women of the past.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Books About Books, Audiobook, Historical, Romance

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2025

About the author

A native New Englander, Elise spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting a MA and teaching high-school literature and history. She now lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters.

Follow Elise on Instagram to see more of what she's reading: @elisehooper

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very hesitant 3.75 stars. Not because it’s a bad book, but it just didn’t have enough detail for me.

Two of my favorite things wrapped into one - libraries and miniatures.

Tilda works at a historical library museum in San Francisco, and one day, she uncovers a secret room filled with two of the most detailed dollhouses she's ever seen. She quickly uncovers the history of the creator and the story behind them.

The entire backstory is draped in a very quick history and mix of WWI and WWII, secret loves, art history, family histories, women who worked under cover during the wars, even Walt Disney is thrown into the mix.

While this could actually be a much longer detailed historical fiction book about how women were a key component to working during the wars, it instead is a very quick read on how the dollhouses have shaped Tilda's entire existence.

In the end, while this book isn't bad, I found it to be not as immersive as it could have been. I left having more questions than answers. Either it should have been more about the wartime era, or more about the creation of the dollhouses themselves.

[Bolt Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an intriguing premise, but it struggled to find its identity. It shifted between romance, mystery, and historical fiction without fully developing any of them. The story introduced multiple mysteries but lacked a central focus, making it difficult to stay engaged. Some plot points were exaggerated, while others were brushed aside, and one character seemed to defy time itself. If the novel had centered on the mysteries within the dollhouses, it could have been a compelling read. Unfortunately, the lack of focus and emotional connection left me feeling detached, and by the end, I just wanted to finish it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Sarah (unable to comment) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

Tildy Barrows is the head curator of a beautiful library in San Francisco, a place she not only considers her workplace but also her home. Thriving off of a neat and scheduled routine, Tildy makes an unexpected discovery in the library that rocks her world and changes not only the library’s future but her life as well. She discovers dollhouses. But they aren’t just any dollhouses, no, these miniatures of exquisite homes hold secrets about the women who lived in each house the dollhouses replicated. From the glistening streets of Paris to war-stricken England to sunny California, Tildy embarks on a journey to know the meaning behind each clue hidden in the miniatures and understand how and why she is connected to the artist.

First off, the cover is adorable.

Second off, the book itself wasn’t adorable, but the story was good, and I enjoyed reading it. It did seem to drag on a bit at the beginning, but once you hit the 35-40% mark, it gets really interesting.

The story flowed well, even with the POV switches. The writing was easy to read and had a good balance of dialogue and description. The plot was good and well-structured; I didn’t feel confused or left in the dark about anything that occurred or about any of the characters. The setting was a perfect fit, and I particularly loved the bits about Paris and England. And the history behind everything was so fun! I admit that I am not a fan of building dollhouses or miniatures of anything because I can’t build one for the life of me, but it was so cool to read about how to make one and how beautiful they are when they are completed. It was also great to see how women managed to do what they loved despite it being "a man's world."

What I did have a problem with was the characters. Not that they were horrible human beings, but they seemed kind of…bland. I didn’t connect with the characters like I wanted to, but I rooted for them nonetheless because I understood their struggles and wanted them to overcome them somehow beyond the pages. 😂 It felt like the book was more for and about the dollhouses than the characters, which is why I’m giving this a 3.5 and not four stars. This book, for me, is a one-and-done type of book. I read it once. Great. I’ll maybe recommend it to a friend or two. I’ll keep it on the shelf. On to the next book. 🙂

I received an arc from William Morrow via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.

#TheLibraryofLostDollhouses #NetGalley

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Library of Lost Dollhouses, by Elise Hooper, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Tildy Barrows works in a library in California. Library's are great places, dollhouses are amazing things to play with, use your imagination with. This story had a lot of twists and turn, it was a very enjoyable read.

[Jaksen]

This book is so full of description that that is all I could see as I read. There is nary a spot, space or thing which is not fully, completely, meticulously described. Floors, walls, ceilings, lamps, curtains, paintings. Windows, staircases, doors and doorknobs. It is endless - and unending. (Yeah I'm being verbose here, but it fits.) I have seldom read a book in which so much depends on what things look like! It's overkill. And more overkill. And even again, more overkill. Now there is a story in here somewhere and characters and even some dialogue, but this book feels like it was written - then overwritten, and overwritten some more to add in more detail, more description, more words in order to plump it up and lengthen it. It becomes repetitious and mind-numbing.

Now some readers like this sort of thing, but I like good writing: succint, to the point, the kind which moves a story along. You needn't write like Hemingway, all sparsed down so to speak, but any time I got involved in what someone was doing or discovered or said - more description. It takes away from everything else when it is so excessive! Reminds me of writing from the 1800's when every little thing had to be described because, for example, so few people really knew what a whale looked like. Therefore, a writer had to over-describe the poor creature to get a fully idealized idea of what a ruddy whale actually looked like! (This was during the era before photography, and illustrations in books were few, and though not all 19th century literature was written this way, a lot of it was.)

So when my eyes glazed over the fourth or fifth time a dollhouse was described, I gave up.

(I won this book through the Goodreads giveaway program - thank you Goodreads!)

DNF. No rating.

[Taury · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5✨ rounded up

Review coming soon

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique and delightful combination of two of my favorite things: historical fiction and miniatures. Elise Hooper does an exquisite job of weaving together this multigenerational tale, which includes romance, suspense and history. The characters are authentic and vulnerable and easy to fall in love with. For fans of B. A. Shapiro and Brendan Slocumb.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, William Morrow Paperbacks and Elise Hooper for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. I was attracted to the cover and I was really enjoying this book until the lesbian undertones started coming in. I wish that this was mentioned as I do not read that kind of books. So that was a negative for me.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this for the most part. I found the idea of a dollhouse builder hiding mysteries within the walls, rooms, and tiny decor of her houses unique and fascinating. The author wove the timelines together nicely and the history was interesting. I love tiny things and enjoyed the details of how the artist made all the intricate pieces of her houses. The mystery of the storyline drew me in and I was delighted with the ending. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read the advanced reader’s copy.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Library of Lost Dollhouses
By: Elise Hooper
Pub Date: April 1, 2025
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

This novel beautifully weaves the past and present with a mystery waiting to be solved.

Tildy Barrows is the Head Curator of a beautiful library, located in San Francisco. The library is in the historic Beaux Art building and her life revolves around her job. She will discover a secret past and hidden dollhouses located in the building.

As her job is on the line, because the library might be sold, she wants to have a dollhouse exhibit to save the library. These dollhouses hold secrets from the past and will take Tildy on a journey with the secrets of past owners and discover more about her past. I loved Tildy and enjoyed her love of the library and her personal growth as her story evolved.

The dollhouses hold keys to wealthy women from the past and their hidden secrets. This is one is already one of my favorites this year. I have followed Hooper and her own dollhouse stories. The author notes are a MUST read as well.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Library of Lost Dollhouses is one of those books that goes back and forth in time, with two narrators slowly spinning out their stories. Tildy is a young librarian who discovers hidden dollhouses in a secret room in the library where she works. Her chapters are told in third person. Cora is the creator of the dollhouses. Her chapters are told in first person.

Tildy has a mysterious connection to the dollhouses that I found hard to accept. Cora has a deep dark secret, about a Bad Thing that she did under pressure, that I really found hard to believe. This is one of those books that very earnestly wants to show different people with different sexual interests in the past, and while inclusion is great, I found the way the author handled it got in the way of my immersion in the story at times. For example, this passage reads to me like an author note, not something a teenaged girl sexually involved with a female friend would say:

“If such a Sapphic relationship sounds rather advanced, you might be surprised to learn our sudden intimacy didn’t raise any eyebrows. For two young single women of our era, chumminess easily entailed holding hands, even exchanging a few kisses on the cheek.” (p. 191 of the ARC)

There is also a lot of telling, telling, telling of things.

The book seemed well researched, and it was an easy read. I enjoyed the dollhouses and miniatures. But I had a hard time suspending my disbelief for some of the plot twists.

This book seemed like it should have been perfect for me, but we just didn’t click. However, I think it will find many readers who love it. It reminded me of The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis and books by Kate Morton. I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

[Chelsea]

I received a free audio copy via NetGalley.

I normally love books like this when it involves libraries and such, but for right now I just wasn't feeling it.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book. It contains a library, a secret room, and dollhouses with secrets. Sounds great to me!

Tildy the main character is fun and predictable. She has a specific mug for every day. Tildy just happens to find a secret room in the library with two immaculate dollhouses. These dollhouses have been meticulously made. When Tildy learns that the library is in financial trouble she starts searching for answers on where the dollhouses came from.

The story switches point of views. From Tildy in the present day and Cora Hale during World War II. Cora has lots of secrets in her past. Cora ends up meeting a lot of high society women in her career.

Turns out the dollhouse hold secrets of wealthy women during a time when it was a "man's world".

The thing that is not mentioned on the back cover is the intimate nature of the female characters in Cora's time. I understand that authors might do this so that a reader does not discriminate against their book. I have a hard time with this because I am a librarian. There are patrons that I know that would be offended if I had suggested this book to them. Being forthright with a topic is helpful. There are quite a few lesbian relationships in this book.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two of my favorite things in the title - that's what got me on this one.

This is all about Tildy Barrows following up on her love for libraries, art and she gets tangled up in local history only to discover it's also her history. . . . that's it from me on the narrative path.

If miniatures, art, dollhouses, history, libraries&books, puzzles, codes&ciphers are your hot buttons, then this read will appeal.

*A sincere thank you to Elise Hooper, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

[Kremena Koleva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ако някой иска да се превърне в изследовател и да тръгне по следите на забравени артефакти, трябва само да попадне на книга като The Library Of Lost Dollhouses. Тъй като нея историческата истина се преплита толкова фино и деликатно с историческата измислица, всеки ще има възможност да се порови в съществуващи документи и истински музейни експонати, не къде да е, а в Art Institute of Chicago. Направих си виртуална обиколка из залите. Там е изложена известната картина American Gothic на Grant Wood. А също и Stacks of Wheat на Claude Monette .
Но заради сюжета на Elise Hooper бях любопитна да видя Thorne Rooms с всички изящни миниатюри, запазени през вековете. Четейки описания, диалози и случки и съпоставяйки ги с експонатите в Чикагския музей, разбрах за какъв талант , майсторство и обем работа става дума, когато се говори за куклени къщи. Те се превръщат в обществото в етикет за престижа и богатството на притежателя си.
За страничният наблюдател би изглеждало любопитно как една книга може да подтикне към артистичен авантюризъм някой читател? В The Library Of Lost Dollhouses ме увлякоха няколко неща наведнъж. Библиотека в историческия дом на известна личност. Музей , който носи духа и вида на собственика си. Богата лична Библиотека, оставена на поколенията, които обаче все по - рядко се сещат да посещават музеи. И къщи за кукли, които са безценни експонати.

* " Libraries are viewed as such solemn places—but why? Reading is magic. Think of the imagination and sense of adventure that readers employ every time they crack open a book. There are few places filled with more magic than libraries, no doubt about it."

И друга една идея е заложена в книгата на Elise Hooper. Може ли любовта да бъде правилна и грешна? Странните привличания, гледани от обществото с подозрително око. Тайният живот, който трябва да водят онези, които се влюбват извън общественото одобрение. Прикрити под формата на благочестиво женени, за да могат да изживяват влечението си, без да бъдат низвергнати и анатемосани. Обикновено такива хора са били талантливи, бляскави, напористи и авантюристи. Отличаващи се от всички, но длъжни да се сливат с останалите.
В мирно време или по време на война, жените са искали да бъдат забелязвани и да имат шанс да развиват способностите си. А не да изчезват в сянката на мъжете около себе си.
The Library Of Lost Dollhouses възпява множеството таланти, умения и цели, които жените от началото на двадесети век до днес развиват и предлагат, въпреки архаичните обществени порядки.

* " Spring always embodies a certain magic, a feeling of redemption and possibility. "

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating! I loved the premise of a dollhouse exhibit unearthing so much more. This story covers a lot of bases and has tons of moving parts that all come together in the end but had me reeling trying to keep it all straight. There was so much detail to keep me interested in the story and I enjoyed the story. One or two less threads to keep track of might have made this a five-star read for me but it was great as is, just too much for me.

I received a copy from #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for an honest review.

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for a buddy read with a dear friend, and it turned out to be a wonderful and engrossing story of female resilience.

We have two timelines:

1) Current Timeline

in which Tildy, a librarian, finds in a secret room inside the library where she works, three dollhouses that belonged to three brave women with a secret history;

2) Past

(Since WWI till the '70s)

we are put into the confessions of Cora Hale, the dollhouse-maker, a young woman with a great artistic talent and also a big secret she's running away from.

There's a connection between Cora and Tildy's own late mother, and, being on the track of the former, the librarian will discover something important about her own history too.

Easy to read and very addictive, especially in the last part.

[Crystal King · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper is an absolute delight—an enchanting blend of history, art, and mystery that kept me turning pages late into the night. The dual timeline narrative weaves together the lives of Tildy, a present-day curator in San Francisco, and Cora, a miniaturist from the early 20th century, with intricate precision, much like the dollhouses at the heart of the novel. Hooper's storytelling is rich with historical detail, transporting readers from Belle Époque Paris to wartime England and beyond, while also delivering an emotionally satisfying tale of resilience, creativity, and the hidden stories of remarkable women. If you love books that uncover forgotten histories, celebrate the art of craftsmanship, and offer a touch of nostalgia, this one is a must-read.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper offers an intriguing blend of history, art, and mystery, with a touch of romance.

When curator Tildy Barrows discovers two exquisite dollhouses in a walled off room of the Belva Curtis LeFarge Library in San Francisco where she works, she is both fascinated and hopeful. With the historic institute struggling in the wake of the pandemic the find has the potential to boost its funds.

The narrative alternates between that of Tildy, and Cora Hale, an artist from the early 20th century, who is the mysterious creator of the dollhouses. I liked Tildy well enough, though I found her to be a bit bland and passive. I found the women of the historical timeline, which moves from France, to England and finally to the USA, to be far more interesting, especially with the knowledge that the author draws inspiration from real life women for several of the characters. Cora’s story is quite busy involving secret sapphic relationships, exile, art forgery, wartime drama, and family tragedy, and spanning almost a century. I feel Hooper links the mystery that connects Tildy and Cora well, but some of the twists in the novel require suspension of belief.

I do think the novel has a small issue with pacing. I found it slow to begin with, and while Hooper’s writing is assured, and rich in detail, it sometimes becomes dense under the layers of description.

What I really drew me to story was the idea of women’s secrets deliberately being hidden within the walls of the dollhouses. If the notion also piques your interest, then I recommend The Library of Lost Dollhouses.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel will appeal to historical fiction readers—especially fans of art, architecture, miniatures, or women’s history. Author Elise Hooper interweaves the lives of two female protagonists in a dual timeline. Tildy is a modern-day curator at a museum in San Francisco who makes a serendipitous and intriguing discovery. Cora Hale is a miniaturist who designed and built bespoke dollhouses for grown women from World War I into the 1960s. Both women experience tragedy within their families, keep secrets from those around them, and are transformed by the choices they make.

Readers will be quickly drawn into Tildy’s and Cora’s stories. Although the plot is somewhat complex the pace moves at a good clip.

This book could be a great introductory pick for a book club that subsequently reads historical fiction based on other notable women in history who were inspirations for characters in Library of Lost Dollhouses.

Reading this book was entertaining and thought-provoking. No tears were shed and while there were intimate scenes they were not graphic nor gratuitous.

Thank you HarperCollins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating premise, but the writing was so dry and dull that I had a hard time maintaining my interest. Managed to finish it, but it never gained traction and I was left with the impression of a short book that felt tediously too long. Meh.

Three blah stars.

[Andrea | andrea.c.lowry.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in vivid detail and with tremendous heart, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a shape shifting story with a cast of dazzling characters.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I love the idea of highly extravagant dollhouses hiding things and enjoyed the details of how the artist made all the intricate pieces of her houses. Plus, the added mystery behind the origin of the dollhouses had kept me wanting to know more.

I also appreciated how both FMCs are fully-fleshed, in so far as I was able to feel what they were feeling. There were a few poignant moments that really had me holding my breath for them.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Dual Timelines
Dual POV
Mystery
Diverse Characters
Atmosphere
Bit of romance
Multiple subplots

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

This is a story that just flew by. As the story alternated between past and present, everything flowed together seamlessly as each chapter meshed together and further explained the mystery behind the doll houses.

Thank you WilliamMorrow for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Farina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled at times with this book. I didn’t find the storyline particularly gripping, and I had a hard time staying motivated to keep reading.

[Amanda Bennett at passionforprose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever baked something, followed the directions with fidelity, and it still didn’t turn out as expected? This is what I had with The Library of Lost Dollhouses. It has all the right ingredients, the plot moved at a great pace, but somehow at the end, I was feeling a little meh. I love character driven novels, and I just didn’t connect to the historical character very well and not to the modern character at all.

Tildy Barrows, head curator, at “The Bel” in San Francisco stumbles upon a hidden room in the beaux arts building with two dollhouses inside. These aren’t any ordinary dollhouses. The level of artistry and detail is like nothing she’s ever seen. When she discovers a maker’s mark and a miniature portrait of her own mother, she is determined to figure out the provenance of the two remarkable pieces. Why on earth is her deceased mother in this historical piece of art?

Cora Hale is more than happy to put New York in her hindsight as she heads Paris to pursue her artistic dreams. Here she meets the heiress Belva Curtis LeFarge, who turns her world upside down and changes the trajectory of her life. Determined to make a name for herself, she creates intricate dollhouses commissioned by her wealthy patronesses, all of which hide secrets about their owners. But more than anything, Cora wishes for recognition of perhaps her greatest work made under duress when she was only seventeen years old, but she knows this can never happen.

Alternating between two timelines we learn Cora’s story through the lense of Tildy. These two remarkable women shed light on how women survived in a man’s world through more than one world war. I do believe the vast number of years covering Cora’s life was a little overly ambitious. Focusing on a shorter time period might have done her more justice. Also, what is not mentioned probably to prevent discrimination, is the sapphic relationships in this novel. Though I do not mind, I do know other readers would prefer the publisher to be more forthright.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and of course the author Elise Hooper for the advanced copy of the book. The Library of Lost Dollhouses is out on now. All opinions are my own.

http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up THE LOST LIBRARY OF DOLLHOUSES because I really enjoyed Elise Hooper’s ANGELS OF THE PACIFIC. This story follows Tildy, a librarian in San Francisco, who discovers two hidden dollhouses that lead her on a journey to uncover their fascinating history. The book spans a century, weaving in stories of overlooked women, creativity, and unexpected connections.

Halfway through reading, I visited Amsterdam and was thrilled to see some of the dollhouses mentioned in the book at the Rijksmuseum. It brought the story to life in such a special way! This is a warm and engaging read, perfect for fans of history and mysteries with heart. Releases April 1.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential. Tildy works in a historical museum and discovers a hidden, secret room with dollhouses that hide secrets as well. The book has a dual time line between modern day and historical fiction. Both stories were well written. The historical fiction was fantastic. I loved the portrayal of strong women who were unsung heroes during the war. The historical romance stories were believable as well. But the modern story that framed this book promised to be a personal mystery, which basically fell flat, and the romance story was undeveloped and seemed to be tacked on for good measure. I listened to the audiobook which had separate narrators for each of the two stories. Both narrators did a fine job. This audiobook was interesting, but the story was not compelling.

[Ania Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, wonderful read, from the moment I picked it up to read the prologue (one of the best I’ve ever read) until the end. Heartfelt, tender, and ultimately a reminder that truth — even when your voice shakes — is the only thing that will liberate you from the narrative you’ve otherwise justified for yourself. Hooper seamlessly weaves timelines and points of view between Cora and Tildy. I loved getting to know the women of this novel and really appreciate the chance to get lost in a historical fiction novel. Hooper’s Library reminded me how much I love the genre. Thank you.

[Cari Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a native to Chicagoland, I have had the privilege of growing up with both the iconic Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle in the Museum of Science and Industry as well as the miniature Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago. Both exhibits still leave me in awe to this day that every time I visit, I find some new detail that I've never noticed before. It has also led me to fall in love with miniatures and collect pieces for my own dollhouse that was passed down to my daughter to continue the tradition.

Armed with this love of miniatures, I knew that The Library of Lost Dollhouses was going to be an enticing read. I enjoyed the alternating timelines that pulled the story together of past and present and the secrets that had been built into each individual dollhouse per the owner's wishes. The hidden secrets of the women who commissioned them was a delight to uncover and I loved the overall themes of feminism.

My only complaint with the book is that I wish there had been far more detail of Cora's building of the houses and deciding where and how she was going to hide the secrets. I felt like there was a lot more relationship detail than the actual art, however if the author herself is not an artist or a miniaturist in that respect, I can understand the glossing over of the details of the artwork itself. As far as the modern romance, I thought it was cute, but not necessary for the story as a whole.

Overall, an entertaining read and perfect for fans of miniatures and historical fiction in general, but not one that will ultimately stick with me. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elise Hooper, and William Morrow for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Holly (hollylovesbooks1519) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, #Partner @williammorrowbooks, @harpercollins, and @netgalley for my #gifted (free) copy. Pub date 4/1/25.

WOW, sometimes a book comes along and just steals your heart away! Well, this is one of those books. I love #miniatures, and the way #elisehooper describes the dollhouses down to every last detail was done with perfection. I could not wait to find out the big reveal behind the mystery throughout the book, and the wait was worth it. I fell in love with all the characters, and I truly did not want this book to end. Pre-order and add this one to your TBR. You will not be disappointed!

Current time: Tildy Barrows is the head curator of a beautiful historic library in San Francisco. She finds a hidden room, and she discovers two extraordinary dollhouses. Little does she know she is about to discover hidden secrets throughout the dollhouses and will delve into a mystery that she never could have imagined.

1910: Cora Hale arrives in France after a scandal leaves her packing her bags and leaving NYC. She needs a place to stay so she can pursue her passion for art. She meets Belva Lafarge, and the two instantly hit it off, and Belva gives her a place to stay. Cora's story spans through decades, and she makes a name for herself designing dollhouses and meeting incredible people along the way, but will her past catch up to her?

[Kelly Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 3.5. The story was interesting but didn’t always love the writing style.