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The Memory House: A Love Story in Two Acts
It is 1859, and the son of an infamous fraudster enters the London home of a wealthy industrialist and his daughter. Before long, passions flare, three people have gone missing, and the work of a rising novelist has been abruptly stopped. A reputation is in ruins, and a fortune will be lost.
Fast-forward 150 years, and the bones of a young woman are unearthed in the garden of a banker’s house on the edge of Hyde Park. Can those in the present unpick a long buried tale of forbidden love, betrayal, and murder and how will it change their own lives?
Fast-forward 150 years, and the bones of a young woman are unearthed in the garden of a banker’s house on the edge of Hyde Park. Can those in the present unpick a long buried tale of forbidden love, betrayal, and murder and how will it change their own lives?
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Published November 12, 2020
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August 5, 2020
5+ stars!
Ms. James has been delighting the Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) community for years with her excellent writing and imaginative variations of Pride and Prejudice in Regency England. She's ventured into brand new territory here, applying her considerable talents to an original tale of Victorian and Modern London - in the same book! The connection is a home in the Victoria Gardens section of Kensington near Hyde Park, residence of Miss Kitty Cathcart in 1859 and workplace for Josie Minton, a nanny, in 2018.
Fittingly, the sections in the Victorian era give off a gothic vibe. Twenty-three-year-old Kitty may "have it all" as far as London society is concerned - beauty, wealth, and a considerable dowry (she is her father's sole heir) - but the entire household lives in fear of her father, Sir Roland, a ruthless, ill-tempered, power-hungry monster. Thus far, Kitty has managed to subtly undermine his plans for her, which are to marry a wealthy, titled gentleman of his choosing, but his patience with her has now run out. He's pushing her to accept the attentions of Lord Trefusis, a man who appears to be much in the same mold as Sir Roland himself. Kitty has been preparing for her escape for years. With the appearance in the household of Mr. Alexander Faraday, a law clerk working for her father's solicitor on a lawsuit Sir Roland is relentlessly pursuing, it seems the time may be right - unless she's caught.
In contrast, Josie's story starts out sounding like a straight-up modern romance, but it develops a couple of twists that dovetail nicely with Kitty's. Josie has been a nanny for ten years. When her current family must move to Dubai, she's interviewed and hired by Diana Cavendish on behalf of her son James to care for her twin grandchildren, two-year-old Maggie and Santa. There's no mother in the picture, and Josie doesn't even meet James until her second day on the job. He's a high-end banker, the workaholic type who puts in long hours. What's interesting is that the author inserts little teasers for potential story directions common in many contemporary romances, but she doesn't take an ordinary route. Instead, Josie and James eventually bond as a result of a shocking discovery in the home's garden, which also brings the 19th century storyline into play.
To say more would be getting into spoiler territory, which wouldn't be fair to anyone who decides to read this - and I defintely encourage you to read this. Just be aware there are many surprises.
It's a fabulous story. Ms. James's writing is absolutely pitch-perfect. In structure, it leaps back and forth between the two eras, telling the story from four points of view among the various protagonists in both time periods. It's an effective storytelling device that keeps the reader completely engaged. The Victorian storyline just builds and builds in intensity to an almost unbearable level. The investigation into the past going on in the modern story significantly affects Josie's future.
Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Opinions are my own.
Ms. James has been delighting the Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) community for years with her excellent writing and imaginative variations of Pride and Prejudice in Regency England. She's ventured into brand new territory here, applying her considerable talents to an original tale of Victorian and Modern London - in the same book! The connection is a home in the Victoria Gardens section of Kensington near Hyde Park, residence of Miss Kitty Cathcart in 1859 and workplace for Josie Minton, a nanny, in 2018.
Fittingly, the sections in the Victorian era give off a gothic vibe. Twenty-three-year-old Kitty may "have it all" as far as London society is concerned - beauty, wealth, and a considerable dowry (she is her father's sole heir) - but the entire household lives in fear of her father, Sir Roland, a ruthless, ill-tempered, power-hungry monster. Thus far, Kitty has managed to subtly undermine his plans for her, which are to marry a wealthy, titled gentleman of his choosing, but his patience with her has now run out. He's pushing her to accept the attentions of Lord Trefusis, a man who appears to be much in the same mold as Sir Roland himself. Kitty has been preparing for her escape for years. With the appearance in the household of Mr. Alexander Faraday, a law clerk working for her father's solicitor on a lawsuit Sir Roland is relentlessly pursuing, it seems the time may be right - unless she's caught.
In contrast, Josie's story starts out sounding like a straight-up modern romance, but it develops a couple of twists that dovetail nicely with Kitty's. Josie has been a nanny for ten years. When her current family must move to Dubai, she's interviewed and hired by Diana Cavendish on behalf of her son James to care for her twin grandchildren, two-year-old Maggie and Santa. There's no mother in the picture, and Josie doesn't even meet James until her second day on the job. He's a high-end banker, the workaholic type who puts in long hours. What's interesting is that the author inserts little teasers for potential story directions common in many contemporary romances, but she doesn't take an ordinary route. Instead, Josie and James eventually bond as a result of a shocking discovery in the home's garden, which also brings the 19th century storyline into play.
To say more would be getting into spoiler territory, which wouldn't be fair to anyone who decides to read this - and I defintely encourage you to read this. Just be aware there are many surprises.
It's a fabulous story. Ms. James's writing is absolutely pitch-perfect. In structure, it leaps back and forth between the two eras, telling the story from four points of view among the various protagonists in both time periods. It's an effective storytelling device that keeps the reader completely engaged. The Victorian storyline just builds and builds in intensity to an almost unbearable level. The investigation into the past going on in the modern story significantly affects Josie's future.
Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Opinions are my own.
August 10, 2023
Every man's memory is his private literature. ~ Aldous Huxley
“The Memory House” begins with a horrific event: the murder of a young woman.
Quote from the book: There was no light, so she felt her way. She could not risk a candle. A fresh one — far too bright; a gutted one — wild, unreliable. And it would have left a smell, the memory of a burning … The tiny clicks sounded like roars, like engines firing up, but that was unavoidable. And she knew that she exaggerated it, for fear made monsters of all … Silence gave way to heavy breathing. It was not hers. … She tried to stand. Suddenly, there were all colours, spiralling, sparking, even white. And sound too, a great deafening cacophony.
What word-pictures! What terror is captured in only a few sentences! What a word-smith this author is!
The work of memory collapses time. ~ Walter Benjamin
Two romances separated by more than one-hundred and fifty years intertwine and the only “character” central to both is a house in Veronica Gardens, London.
In 1859, the house is occupied by Sir Roland Cathcart and his daughter, Catherine, better known as Kitty. Sir Roland is as bad-tempered as he is wealthy and he refuses to let Kitty continue unmarried in her 23rd year. His choice for her husband, Lord Trefusis, is of no interest to Kitty who has avoided similar matches in the past. The question is: how far will Sir Roland travel to achieve his goal?
In 2018, the house is occupied by James Cavendish, his twin toddler daughters, and a newly-hired nanny, Josie Minton.
Can Josie and James find each other surrounded by a mystery?
If Kitty refuses Lord Trefusis, who will she choose?
“The Memory House” drew me in and kept me enthralled to the end since the author allows only a few clues to the murder. Hint: it wasn’t who I had guessed. I loved it!
I received an ARC of this book with no promise given of a review, good or bad.
Years fold their mantles
Round those dead blisses...
~ J.J. Britton (1832–1913), "Long Ago"
“The Memory House” begins with a horrific event: the murder of a young woman.
Quote from the book: There was no light, so she felt her way. She could not risk a candle. A fresh one — far too bright; a gutted one — wild, unreliable. And it would have left a smell, the memory of a burning … The tiny clicks sounded like roars, like engines firing up, but that was unavoidable. And she knew that she exaggerated it, for fear made monsters of all … Silence gave way to heavy breathing. It was not hers. … She tried to stand. Suddenly, there were all colours, spiralling, sparking, even white. And sound too, a great deafening cacophony.
What word-pictures! What terror is captured in only a few sentences! What a word-smith this author is!
The work of memory collapses time. ~ Walter Benjamin
Two romances separated by more than one-hundred and fifty years intertwine and the only “character” central to both is a house in Veronica Gardens, London.
In 1859, the house is occupied by Sir Roland Cathcart and his daughter, Catherine, better known as Kitty. Sir Roland is as bad-tempered as he is wealthy and he refuses to let Kitty continue unmarried in her 23rd year. His choice for her husband, Lord Trefusis, is of no interest to Kitty who has avoided similar matches in the past. The question is: how far will Sir Roland travel to achieve his goal?
In 2018, the house is occupied by James Cavendish, his twin toddler daughters, and a newly-hired nanny, Josie Minton.
Can Josie and James find each other surrounded by a mystery?
If Kitty refuses Lord Trefusis, who will she choose?
“The Memory House” drew me in and kept me enthralled to the end since the author allows only a few clues to the murder. Hint: it wasn’t who I had guessed. I loved it!
I received an ARC of this book with no promise given of a review, good or bad.
Years fold their mantles
Round those dead blisses...
~ J.J. Britton (1832–1913), "Long Ago"
August 20, 2020
This is one of those stories that you are afraid of saying too much about so as not to SPOIL it for others. It contains a mystery of many parts and I would hate to deprive other readers of the pleasure of reading the story while discovering the interlacing parts set 150 years apart.
The author's blurb tells us that both ladies, Kitty and Josie, have lived in Victorian Gardens; one as the daughter of the owner and the other as a nanny who is hired to tend to twin girls as the story unfolds.
It is March 1859 and Kitty's father, Sir Roland Longhaven, has plans for her future; she will marry for connections and for wealth. No if's, and's or but's! We read as she socializes with her close cousins, George and Philomena Christie. We also get to know that Kitty has a will of her own and is not afraid to direct events in her life. One of these becomes a man, Alex Faraday, hired by her father's law firm to research papers concerning an invention which he claims has been "stolen" from him. Alex has his own history due to his father's crimes and is not part of good society. He works long hours and basically shuns attempts by Kitty to get to know him. He is attempting to rebuild his life from nothing, except his good education.
In the parallel story set in February 2018; Josie Minton is hired by James Cavendish's mother to supervise the care of twins, Maggie & Santa. This man also is a work alcoholic and finds himself attracted to Josie. As a plumbing problem occurs and a suspected leaking pipe is dug up...the body of a young woman is found.
Who the body is? How she died and when? And even trying to identify her with DNA and possible living descendants becomes part of the mystery. Thrown into this is research James helps Josie find to learn more about a favorite author: one who disappeared from sight after writing and having successfully published two novels and a book of poetry.
Well done! This does begin slowly but soon builds and captures your attention. I would have liked a list of characters as I found my self having to go back and search for connections between actors.
The author's blurb tells us that both ladies, Kitty and Josie, have lived in Victorian Gardens; one as the daughter of the owner and the other as a nanny who is hired to tend to twin girls as the story unfolds.
It is March 1859 and Kitty's father, Sir Roland Longhaven, has plans for her future; she will marry for connections and for wealth. No if's, and's or but's! We read as she socializes with her close cousins, George and Philomena Christie. We also get to know that Kitty has a will of her own and is not afraid to direct events in her life. One of these becomes a man, Alex Faraday, hired by her father's law firm to research papers concerning an invention which he claims has been "stolen" from him. Alex has his own history due to his father's crimes and is not part of good society. He works long hours and basically shuns attempts by Kitty to get to know him. He is attempting to rebuild his life from nothing, except his good education.
In the parallel story set in February 2018; Josie Minton is hired by James Cavendish's mother to supervise the care of twins, Maggie & Santa. This man also is a work alcoholic and finds himself attracted to Josie. As a plumbing problem occurs and a suspected leaking pipe is dug up...the body of a young woman is found.
Who the body is? How she died and when? And even trying to identify her with DNA and possible living descendants becomes part of the mystery. Thrown into this is research James helps Josie find to learn more about a favorite author: one who disappeared from sight after writing and having successfully published two novels and a book of poetry.
Well done! This does begin slowly but soon builds and captures your attention. I would have liked a list of characters as I found my self having to go back and search for connections between actors.
October 21, 2024
One of my favorite books. Smart. Elegant. Well researched. With all the emotions of a dual era romantic fiction that you can’t help but recommend to your friends just so you can discuss it. The mystery will keep you turning pages. The love story will have you rereading the book or listening to the audiobook narrated by Harry Frost annually. This is a must read.
June 22, 2020
I was lucky to read an early version of this and I’m happy to say that Jenetta James is still one of the best.
December 27, 2020
An Exquisite and Deftly Woven Dual Timeline Romance
Similar in style to The Elizabeth Papers – Jenetta James’s incredibly brilliant story about a modern investigator and a descendant of the Darcys trying to uncover the truth about the Darcy lineage – The Memory House is a dual timeline tale that simultaneously follows two sets of characters. But instead of centralizing on Jane Austen’s characters and the Regency era, this story features all new characters and is partially set during the Victorian Era.
In the year 1859 we meet the affable and courageous Kitty Cathcart, who is under pressure from her hateful and determined father to marry a man of wealth and lineage. While Kitty would love to escape her domineering father’s control and unhappy home, she wants only to marry for affection and happiness. Can she find that with her father’s newest titled suitor, or with the extremely reserved solicitor, Alex Faraday? And even if Kitty is able to find her happiness, how long can she hold onto it?
In the year 2018, we encounter the bright, gentle, and straightforward Josie Minton, who is in search of a new nanny position. And while she has some reservations about the new family that hires her, fortunately for Josie, her situation of tending to sweet twin girls for their extremely preoccupied father in their grand Victorian townhome progresses without a hitch. But after awhile some unexpected emotions and discoveries begin to surface. And intentions and history are closely inspected. Is there something more in store for Josie?
What incredible writing! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to once again being reading a full-length story from the pen of Jenetta James! With its dual storylines/timelines, air of mystery, unraveling secrets, and portrayal of women who are resilient and persevere in finding their own way, there were so many elements that I loved and ardently admired about this story. But one aspect I especially loved most was Jenetta James’s character creations. Kitty, Alex, Josie, and James are all skillfully drawn and I genuinely loved spending time with them, feeling a part of their world, and becoming engrossed in all their concerns. Jenetta James’s portrays her characters in such a way that the reader cannot fail to feel an instant kinship with them – and that is quite special.
Another distinctive aspect about this story that I greatly enjoyed was the beautifully intertwining of both romance and mystery. With two timelines that each had their own romantic relationships and ensuing drama, there were moments where I couldn’t decide what I wanted more of and what time period I wanted the story to jump to next! Ms. James is a master at weaving her story with purposeful intentions, leisurely reveals, and succinct pacing. And my only complaint is that she did occasionally leave us wanting more – perhaps just a little more said or shown in one or two places.
The Memory House is a thoughtfully-composed, nuanced, and poignant tale about finding your own way and not allowing the constraints of society, your past, or your current situation define you. A beautifully illustrative and inspiring tale that deftly intertwines lives, time periods, and the undiscovered mystery of a great house. I highly recommend!
Austenesque Reviews
Similar in style to The Elizabeth Papers – Jenetta James’s incredibly brilliant story about a modern investigator and a descendant of the Darcys trying to uncover the truth about the Darcy lineage – The Memory House is a dual timeline tale that simultaneously follows two sets of characters. But instead of centralizing on Jane Austen’s characters and the Regency era, this story features all new characters and is partially set during the Victorian Era.
In the year 1859 we meet the affable and courageous Kitty Cathcart, who is under pressure from her hateful and determined father to marry a man of wealth and lineage. While Kitty would love to escape her domineering father’s control and unhappy home, she wants only to marry for affection and happiness. Can she find that with her father’s newest titled suitor, or with the extremely reserved solicitor, Alex Faraday? And even if Kitty is able to find her happiness, how long can she hold onto it?
In the year 2018, we encounter the bright, gentle, and straightforward Josie Minton, who is in search of a new nanny position. And while she has some reservations about the new family that hires her, fortunately for Josie, her situation of tending to sweet twin girls for their extremely preoccupied father in their grand Victorian townhome progresses without a hitch. But after awhile some unexpected emotions and discoveries begin to surface. And intentions and history are closely inspected. Is there something more in store for Josie?
What incredible writing! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to once again being reading a full-length story from the pen of Jenetta James! With its dual storylines/timelines, air of mystery, unraveling secrets, and portrayal of women who are resilient and persevere in finding their own way, there were so many elements that I loved and ardently admired about this story. But one aspect I especially loved most was Jenetta James’s character creations. Kitty, Alex, Josie, and James are all skillfully drawn and I genuinely loved spending time with them, feeling a part of their world, and becoming engrossed in all their concerns. Jenetta James’s portrays her characters in such a way that the reader cannot fail to feel an instant kinship with them – and that is quite special.
Another distinctive aspect about this story that I greatly enjoyed was the beautifully intertwining of both romance and mystery. With two timelines that each had their own romantic relationships and ensuing drama, there were moments where I couldn’t decide what I wanted more of and what time period I wanted the story to jump to next! Ms. James is a master at weaving her story with purposeful intentions, leisurely reveals, and succinct pacing. And my only complaint is that she did occasionally leave us wanting more – perhaps just a little more said or shown in one or two places.
The Memory House is a thoughtfully-composed, nuanced, and poignant tale about finding your own way and not allowing the constraints of society, your past, or your current situation define you. A beautifully illustrative and inspiring tale that deftly intertwines lives, time periods, and the undiscovered mystery of a great house. I highly recommend!
Austenesque Reviews
August 10, 2020
"These walls must have seen a fair bit over the centuries. Bet they have some memories." (quote from the book)
This a beautifully written and haunting story that lingers in the recesses of your mind. It is a story of two women, in two separate centuries and the men they love, trying to find not only themselves, but their purpose. It also about a grand house, Veronica Gardens, and the secrets hidden within.
"An atmosphere of malevolence pervades the whole house - but I cannot say exactly why." (quote from the book)
I felt drawn to Kitty Cathcart, the wealthy heiress, whose life is not her own. Controlled, to the point of suffocation, she quietly rebels in subtle ways, never revealing her emotions to her father. When Alex Faraday walks through the front door of Veronica Gardens, everything changes, for he has secrets of his own.
"She had learned from many years in her father's house that if one wished to survive, one never showed one's hand." (quote from the book)
Just as compelling is Josie Minton, a well educated woman with little money. Leaving her search to the last minute for a new nanny position, she quickly accepts one in the posh area of London to twin girls. Hired by their grandmother, there is a tingling sense of awareness between Josie and her real employer, James, when she finally meets him. That awareness was palpable.
"She had that skill, learned over many years of being a spare part in other people's homes, of diffusing tension. Of being a load bearer for other people's conflicts." (quote from the book)
There is a wonderful subtleness to both romances that I loved. It was as if gossamer threads pulled them slowly together. But what connects these two romances? What happened to Kitty Cathcart and what are the memories and mysteries still hidden within Veronica Gardens? I will leave that to you to find out.
"What darkness lurks beneath the carapace? And if one knew beforehand, would one ever have the strength to lift it?" (quote from the book)
I love Ms. James' writing style, and her previous novels, based on Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, are some of my favourites. There were some definite nods included in this one, though it steps outside that genre to one of romance and mystery. It was one I was thrilled to read. I highly recommend it!
"Our history is part of our present. One cannot forget it, still less erase it." (quote from the book)
The cover of this book is gorgeous, and as I own all Ms. James' others in paperback, I had to have this one as well.
This a beautifully written and haunting story that lingers in the recesses of your mind. It is a story of two women, in two separate centuries and the men they love, trying to find not only themselves, but their purpose. It also about a grand house, Veronica Gardens, and the secrets hidden within.
"An atmosphere of malevolence pervades the whole house - but I cannot say exactly why." (quote from the book)
I felt drawn to Kitty Cathcart, the wealthy heiress, whose life is not her own. Controlled, to the point of suffocation, she quietly rebels in subtle ways, never revealing her emotions to her father. When Alex Faraday walks through the front door of Veronica Gardens, everything changes, for he has secrets of his own.
"She had learned from many years in her father's house that if one wished to survive, one never showed one's hand." (quote from the book)
Just as compelling is Josie Minton, a well educated woman with little money. Leaving her search to the last minute for a new nanny position, she quickly accepts one in the posh area of London to twin girls. Hired by their grandmother, there is a tingling sense of awareness between Josie and her real employer, James, when she finally meets him. That awareness was palpable.
"She had that skill, learned over many years of being a spare part in other people's homes, of diffusing tension. Of being a load bearer for other people's conflicts." (quote from the book)
There is a wonderful subtleness to both romances that I loved. It was as if gossamer threads pulled them slowly together. But what connects these two romances? What happened to Kitty Cathcart and what are the memories and mysteries still hidden within Veronica Gardens? I will leave that to you to find out.
"What darkness lurks beneath the carapace? And if one knew beforehand, would one ever have the strength to lift it?" (quote from the book)
I love Ms. James' writing style, and her previous novels, based on Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, are some of my favourites. There were some definite nods included in this one, though it steps outside that genre to one of romance and mystery. It was one I was thrilled to read. I highly recommend it!
"Our history is part of our present. One cannot forget it, still less erase it." (quote from the book)
The cover of this book is gorgeous, and as I own all Ms. James' others in paperback, I had to have this one as well.
June 15, 2023
A current day London woman lands a position as nanny in a great situation and, with her employer, discovers a mystery in their own backyard while in the past, a young heiress living in that very house is being pushed to accept an undesired suitor of her father’s making.
Jenetta James has written some fabulous reads of mine and paired with the vocal talents of Harry Frost, The Memory House hit emotions and senses alike.
Told in split time between Kitty Cathart’s 1859 and Josie Minton’s 2019 story narratives, the listener/reader is pulled into the lives of two women separated by time and brought together by one woman’s struggle for freedom of choice and their shared complicated love lives.
With split time stories, I tend to prefer the historical over the contemporary and this started out that way for me with Kitty’s ruthless and abusive father pushing her to marry high and her newly discovered feelings for a man her father would never countenance. However, as Josie settled into her new job as nanny to a wealthy London man of business and they discovered the mystery in the back garden and worked on it together, I found I was fully engaged with both storylines. It spoke well that I was able to reluctantly part with one story thread to immediately dive back into the other with no struggle.
The author’s well-developed characters and backdrop for both settings and diversity of historical period were written well. There were times when the women experienced similar situations and feelings, but this wasn’t a cookie cutter story told in split time. I loved the atmospheric overtones of Kitty’s side of the story and the interesting complications woven into Josie’s life that came out after a time. I liked the unpredictability as a result.
Harry Frost did great voicing all the characters even the two main female leads, but also did a bang up job making it crystal clear when the story shifted between periods and situations, too. I never struggled to know whose storyline I was experiencing.
All in all, no surprise, this as another stellar story from an author who wowed me with her Jane Austen adaptions and now took that step away to write a fabulous standalone split period mystery.
I rec'd an audio from the narrator to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at That's What I'm Talking About on June 8th.
Jenetta James has written some fabulous reads of mine and paired with the vocal talents of Harry Frost, The Memory House hit emotions and senses alike.
Told in split time between Kitty Cathart’s 1859 and Josie Minton’s 2019 story narratives, the listener/reader is pulled into the lives of two women separated by time and brought together by one woman’s struggle for freedom of choice and their shared complicated love lives.
With split time stories, I tend to prefer the historical over the contemporary and this started out that way for me with Kitty’s ruthless and abusive father pushing her to marry high and her newly discovered feelings for a man her father would never countenance. However, as Josie settled into her new job as nanny to a wealthy London man of business and they discovered the mystery in the back garden and worked on it together, I found I was fully engaged with both storylines. It spoke well that I was able to reluctantly part with one story thread to immediately dive back into the other with no struggle.
The author’s well-developed characters and backdrop for both settings and diversity of historical period were written well. There were times when the women experienced similar situations and feelings, but this wasn’t a cookie cutter story told in split time. I loved the atmospheric overtones of Kitty’s side of the story and the interesting complications woven into Josie’s life that came out after a time. I liked the unpredictability as a result.
Harry Frost did great voicing all the characters even the two main female leads, but also did a bang up job making it crystal clear when the story shifted between periods and situations, too. I never struggled to know whose storyline I was experiencing.
All in all, no surprise, this as another stellar story from an author who wowed me with her Jane Austen adaptions and now took that step away to write a fabulous standalone split period mystery.
I rec'd an audio from the narrator to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at That's What I'm Talking About on June 8th.
September 9, 2020
Two stories that have something in common, two periods of time, two people...
I have enjoyed "The Memory House" very much and I love the idea that house can tell you things, even if they are "unexpected" and a bit "creepy" (but the story is not creepy at all).
Kitty, Josie, Alex and James: our main protagonists have such different lives but they find each other for good or for bad.
In the 19th century, the life is more stressing for a young heiress than it can be for a 21st century nanny. However, they are both under the power of another person and cannot freely take decision, or can they? Maybe they just need to learn.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes to read two different stories with a link between them. However, there is so much more: love, friendship, classes, creativity, legacy...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have enjoyed "The Memory House" very much and I love the idea that house can tell you things, even if they are "unexpected" and a bit "creepy" (but the story is not creepy at all).
Kitty, Josie, Alex and James: our main protagonists have such different lives but they find each other for good or for bad.
In the 19th century, the life is more stressing for a young heiress than it can be for a 21st century nanny. However, they are both under the power of another person and cannot freely take decision, or can they? Maybe they just need to learn.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes to read two different stories with a link between them. However, there is so much more: love, friendship, classes, creativity, legacy...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 17, 2020
A beautiful, haunting novel, The Memory House tells not just one story but many: the story of love, class, and especially the struggle for self-discovery in a world that too often tries to put people in neat little boxes. At the center of this multifaceted tale are two women: Kitty Cathcart, an heiress in the Victorian period, and Josie Minton, a nanny in 2018. Both come to find their voices in ways that are subtle yet powerful. This is not surprising considering author Jenetta James’s prose, for she is nothing if not a subtle and powerful writer. There is such emotional resonance in her scenes; in just a few words, she establishes entirely believable characters and relationships. My only complaint about this book is that it kept me up far too late each night that I read it. (If my schedule had allowed, I would have consumed it in one sitting.) I highly recommend The Memory House!
August 2, 2020
I started reading this book and simply couldn't put it down. It was beautifully written and very compelling.
It tells the story of Kitty Cathcart, a rich young woman living in London in 1859 and Josie Minton, a nanny searching for a new position in London in 2018. At first, we get to know a bit about their lives and situations but soon, we realize that the events of the past will have a huge impact in the present, while a mystery kept locked for more than 100 years is finally unraveled.
The book is a real page turner and I couldn't stop reading until I found out what had happened to Kitty and what the future held for Josie. The story is told with such an emotional language and the characters are so well written and rounded that it felt like I was right there with them, experiencing their love and struggles. The two parallel stories show us the huge differences in the lives of women in the past and now and how few choices and opportunities women from 1859 had.
It's a story about finding love, making choices and going after one's happiness and fate. My only complaint is that it ended far too soon, because I would love to get to know more about Josie's and Kitty's lives.
It tells the story of Kitty Cathcart, a rich young woman living in London in 1859 and Josie Minton, a nanny searching for a new position in London in 2018. At first, we get to know a bit about their lives and situations but soon, we realize that the events of the past will have a huge impact in the present, while a mystery kept locked for more than 100 years is finally unraveled.
The book is a real page turner and I couldn't stop reading until I found out what had happened to Kitty and what the future held for Josie. The story is told with such an emotional language and the characters are so well written and rounded that it felt like I was right there with them, experiencing their love and struggles. The two parallel stories show us the huge differences in the lives of women in the past and now and how few choices and opportunities women from 1859 had.
It's a story about finding love, making choices and going after one's happiness and fate. My only complaint is that it ended far too soon, because I would love to get to know more about Josie's and Kitty's lives.
August 13, 2020
Dear Reader,
They come along once in a while,those books that capture your heart and embroil you in their characters’ world so deftly that their woes are now yours,their happiness a joy to behold.
Such it is then with this most wonderful,heartwarming,deeply satisfying and utterly enthralling tale encapsulating the seemingly disparate worlds of Kitty,Mr Faraday,Sir Ronald,James and Josie.
I cannot recommend this highly enough and urge all those seeking comfort from this world’s raw realities to treat themselves to some ‘me’ time with this enchanting literary tale. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
They come along once in a while,those books that capture your heart and embroil you in their characters’ world so deftly that their woes are now yours,their happiness a joy to behold.
Such it is then with this most wonderful,heartwarming,deeply satisfying and utterly enthralling tale encapsulating the seemingly disparate worlds of Kitty,Mr Faraday,Sir Ronald,James and Josie.
I cannot recommend this highly enough and urge all those seeking comfort from this world’s raw realities to treat themselves to some ‘me’ time with this enchanting literary tale. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 15, 2020
The Memory House
by, Jenetta James
Thank you to @quillsandquartospkb @hfvbt and @jenettajames for the gifted copy of The Memory House! #TheMemoryHouse #JenettaJames #quillsandquartospkb
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Memory House by, Jenetta Jame, is meticulously written book that deftly weaves from the Victorian era to present day 2018. With central part of the story involving a House.
This captivating multifaceted book was such a joy to read. Written in a way that pulls the reader into the two protagonist lives.
The first is of Catherine “Kitty” Cathcart living in 1859, She is headstrong and wishes to make up her own mind who to choose to marry. This is not the norm of polite society or the of social doctrine during the Victorian era. A marriage during this time period, was usually more of a contract of family’s or to advance business dealings. She also caries the weight of being the sole Heir Cathcart Empire.
Living in a home in the Victoria Gardens section of Kensington witch is near Hyde Park. Twenty three year Kitty suffers under her domineering father Sir Roland.
Who seeks an advantage match for his sole heir. She has so far been able to avoid all the titled gentleman that Sir Rolands has paraded in front her. He finds his daughter Kitty to be willful, and of his patients is wearing thin. He has had enough and is pressuring Kitty’s hand into marry Lord Trefusis. A man who is very much like her own father. At a chance dinner party at her aunts house she is introduced to a Mr. Alexander Faraday, a law clerk working for her father's solicitor. Things take a different turn when Mr Faraday is assigned work on a lawsuit for Sir Roland.
Josie Minton, takes a nanny position after her present long time employers are moving out of the country. She is interviewed and hired to care for a successful banker, James Cavendish’s toddler daughters, Maggie and Santa.
Mr James Cavendish home is in present day 2018, which is at Victoria Gardens section of Kensington witch is near Hyde. Josie’s timeframe is spot on with realistic contemporary nuances. Josie and James find themselves drawn to each other after a pivotal point in the story involving a curious discovery in the garden’s home.
Of course I was completely immersed into the Victorian timeline, because historical fiction is my all time favorite. The rich atmospheric details were very compelling and I was completely captivated by the authors prose.
Jenetta James , delivers a storyline That is well paced. She reveals coming at just the place and time. The Victorian and Contemporary style romance befits each time period and was nicely executed. James narration flows effortlessly and smoothly through the dual timeframes. The characters themselves are well developed and believable, I felt completely vested with their lives.
The suspense builds as clues and hidden secrets are revealed and the tension rises to this absorbing, and a highly compulsive read.
Be prepared, this a book that will keep up at night, or like me and ignored all other responsibilities, to consume this book in one sitting. I will be recommending this book to friends and family members
#historicalfiction agwendayn_books_ #gwendalynbooks
September 7, 2020
Question for all my fellow bookdragons! Do you ever fall in love with a story before you’ve even read it?
Now don’t go looking at me like that. *waves hand* This is a perfectly legitimate question in my world *snorts*. I’m almost *pinches fingers* positive I can’t be the only one this has ever happened to... (and all she hears is crickets!)
Well, I just knew I was going to love The Memory House before I even read one word. However, love is too tame a term for my adoration of this story. I have THE worst book hangover. *wails* I’m too old for hangovers in any form. (Drama queen much?)
Two women, two eras, and a mystery all connected by one house. I was completely and utterly enthralled from beginning to end. I just couldn’t put the book down – I had to know what happened next!
Can you imagine being a female born in the 1800s? Independent and headstrong, Kitty is a woman well before her time. Her odious father treats her as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold by the highest bidder for his own gain. A marriage not of her own choosing is unpalatable to say the least. I admired how she did her best to subvert him at every turn with her intellect!
The historical chapters really made me feel as if I had walked through a door to the past. A time traveller if you will! All the good and bad of mid-nineteenth century London came alive through these pages!
Cut to modern day and I lost my heart to a set of adorable twins. My heart melted every time they said, “Oh-sie!”
I loved how through unravelling the historical mystery Josie ‘finds’ herself again. It’s never too late to follow your dreams. Who said life needs to be a straight road? Unexpected and wonderful things can happen when you take that diversion up ahead.
*sigh*
Can you tell I didn’t want it to end? But, alas, all good things...
Yet, guess what? You lucky lot get to read it for the first time. What are you waiting for?
The Memory House has cemented its place on my forever shelf and stole a little of my heart right along with it.
Now don’t go looking at me like that. *waves hand* This is a perfectly legitimate question in my world *snorts*. I’m almost *pinches fingers* positive I can’t be the only one this has ever happened to... (and all she hears is crickets!)
Well, I just knew I was going to love The Memory House before I even read one word. However, love is too tame a term for my adoration of this story. I have THE worst book hangover. *wails* I’m too old for hangovers in any form. (Drama queen much?)
Two women, two eras, and a mystery all connected by one house. I was completely and utterly enthralled from beginning to end. I just couldn’t put the book down – I had to know what happened next!
Can you imagine being a female born in the 1800s? Independent and headstrong, Kitty is a woman well before her time. Her odious father treats her as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold by the highest bidder for his own gain. A marriage not of her own choosing is unpalatable to say the least. I admired how she did her best to subvert him at every turn with her intellect!
The historical chapters really made me feel as if I had walked through a door to the past. A time traveller if you will! All the good and bad of mid-nineteenth century London came alive through these pages!
Cut to modern day and I lost my heart to a set of adorable twins. My heart melted every time they said, “Oh-sie!”
I loved how through unravelling the historical mystery Josie ‘finds’ herself again. It’s never too late to follow your dreams. Who said life needs to be a straight road? Unexpected and wonderful things can happen when you take that diversion up ahead.
*sigh*
Can you tell I didn’t want it to end? But, alas, all good things...
Yet, guess what? You lucky lot get to read it for the first time. What are you waiting for?
The Memory House has cemented its place on my forever shelf and stole a little of my heart right along with it.
August 3, 2020
Two women’s lives are intertwined when they both live in the same house, 150 years apart.
It’s a very easy book to read and doesn’t require much attention. For the first third, the plot does nothing but slowly meander. It’s got a smidge of mystery though half is blindingly obvious. I wanted more original substance; I’ve seen variations of this story but with better characters.
Kitty, the girl in the past, is rebellious, ungrateful, foolish and I had trouble seeing her as a real person. The choices she makes are all based on feelings instead of logic, and that doesn’t work for me. Because she’s governed by emotions, she can’t give good reasons for her choices, yet they are treated as romantic instead of stupid.
I’m not an expert on Victorian culture, but I do know that not every parent would be as unloving and inconsiderate to consistently sic old, fat, uncouth creeps on their daughters. I’d like to see a book where the father puts forth a reasonable suitor and the girl agrees to marry him not because she loves him, but because she realizes it’s a sensible move. I’m sick of women who think they must marry for love and thus alienate their family; or they must be a one-man (woman, sorry) band who can conquer anything because they’re just that good. Not every woman feels oppressed and restless in her life, and literature should reflect that.
Kitty’s romance with Alex is underdeveloped and unbelievable. Alex is mush. He’s not likable even on a shallow level.
In summary, I don’t like Kitty or her rubbish romance.
Switching to modern day Josie and James…I can understand her position and outlook on life, but neither is explored enough to look real. If we spent more time with her, she could’ve been a solid character. Her romance with James seems like the default option rather than the plausible one. As in Kitty’s case, I didn’t see a romance blossoming; James is boring, controlling and has no personality. But at least he can cook
The description is serviceable, but I really don’t like the fixation on hair. How it catches the light, flows over shoulders, or looks like spun gold, are descriptions that add nothing and get old real fast. And what’s up with these strange similes:
Silence sat down in the room like a lazy stranger.
The days approaching the dinner party sped past James like a series of gunshots.
…the volume of the collective chat and clink of glasses rose like a loaf in an oven.
…Josie took in the space around her like an unexpected fragrance.
If you want a lightweight read with unrealistic love and a dash of mystery, give it a go. Or better yet, read the Jeeves series by P.G. Wodehouse.
Original review on Reedsy: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the...
It’s a very easy book to read and doesn’t require much attention. For the first third, the plot does nothing but slowly meander. It’s got a smidge of mystery though half is blindingly obvious. I wanted more original substance; I’ve seen variations of this story but with better characters.
Kitty, the girl in the past, is rebellious, ungrateful, foolish and I had trouble seeing her as a real person. The choices she makes are all based on feelings instead of logic, and that doesn’t work for me. Because she’s governed by emotions, she can’t give good reasons for her choices, yet they are treated as romantic instead of stupid.
I’m not an expert on Victorian culture, but I do know that not every parent would be as unloving and inconsiderate to consistently sic old, fat, uncouth creeps on their daughters. I’d like to see a book where the father puts forth a reasonable suitor and the girl agrees to marry him not because she loves him, but because she realizes it’s a sensible move. I’m sick of women who think they must marry for love and thus alienate their family; or they must be a one-man (woman, sorry) band who can conquer anything because they’re just that good. Not every woman feels oppressed and restless in her life, and literature should reflect that.
Kitty’s romance with Alex is underdeveloped and unbelievable. Alex is mush. He’s not likable even on a shallow level.
In summary, I don’t like Kitty or her rubbish romance.
Switching to modern day Josie and James…I can understand her position and outlook on life, but neither is explored enough to look real. If we spent more time with her, she could’ve been a solid character. Her romance with James seems like the default option rather than the plausible one. As in Kitty’s case, I didn’t see a romance blossoming; James is boring, controlling and has no personality. But at least he can cook
The description is serviceable, but I really don’t like the fixation on hair. How it catches the light, flows over shoulders, or looks like spun gold, are descriptions that add nothing and get old real fast. And what’s up with these strange similes:
Silence sat down in the room like a lazy stranger.
The days approaching the dinner party sped past James like a series of gunshots.
…the volume of the collective chat and clink of glasses rose like a loaf in an oven.
…Josie took in the space around her like an unexpected fragrance.
If you want a lightweight read with unrealistic love and a dash of mystery, give it a go. Or better yet, read the Jeeves series by P.G. Wodehouse.
Original review on Reedsy: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the...
August 28, 2020
Told between two distinct periods of time, this novel tells the story of a house in London that holds more secrets than anyone knows.
1859 Veronica Gardens. Kitty Cathcart is expected to marry an aristrocat whether she loves him or not. Her father Sir Roland is completely unrelenting in this matter. Kitty continues to find ways to thwart her father's attempts but he won't take no for an answer.
2018 Veronica Gardens. Josie is a nanny for Annie and her husband Tom until they decide to move to Dubai for Tom's work. Josie is nervous to find another position. As there leave draws near, Josie finds a job at Veronica Gardens but she has to nanny two year old twins with an absentee father and controlling grandmother. That is until Josie gets to know James more, then she doesn't know what to think.
Told through alternating chapters of each woman, The Memory House was a pleasure to read and one I'd be open to reading again. It's the type of story that has mystery, historical fiction and romance to keep any readers attention
1859 Veronica Gardens. Kitty Cathcart is expected to marry an aristrocat whether she loves him or not. Her father Sir Roland is completely unrelenting in this matter. Kitty continues to find ways to thwart her father's attempts but he won't take no for an answer.
2018 Veronica Gardens. Josie is a nanny for Annie and her husband Tom until they decide to move to Dubai for Tom's work. Josie is nervous to find another position. As there leave draws near, Josie finds a job at Veronica Gardens but she has to nanny two year old twins with an absentee father and controlling grandmother. That is until Josie gets to know James more, then she doesn't know what to think.
Told through alternating chapters of each woman, The Memory House was a pleasure to read and one I'd be open to reading again. It's the type of story that has mystery, historical fiction and romance to keep any readers attention
August 25, 2020
This is such a fantastic book - we start in 1859 with Kitty. She is an heiress and has been dodging fortune hunters for years. However, her father decides she must now marry and the man he has chosen is just not to Kittys liking at all - she is interested in the mysterious Mr Faraday. But he has no wealth or connections and a marriage between them is impossible... then we get the second act - set at the same address in Veronica Gardens in 2018 where we meet Josie who is just starting as a nanny. We go back and forward between Kitty and Josie to see how their stories connect.
It's almost impossible to say anymore without giving anything away about the plot - the house connects the story in a surprising way. It was such a great read... I read it in one sitting. Once you start it, you're not going to want to put it down. The stories of Kitty and Josie are really good in their own right but the way they come together was really unexpected and unique.
I loved this book from start to finish - all the threads come to a conclusion and the story concludes... if not completely happily, satisfactorily.
I received an ARC of this book with no promise of a favourable review.
It's almost impossible to say anymore without giving anything away about the plot - the house connects the story in a surprising way. It was such a great read... I read it in one sitting. Once you start it, you're not going to want to put it down. The stories of Kitty and Josie are really good in their own right but the way they come together was really unexpected and unique.
I loved this book from start to finish - all the threads come to a conclusion and the story concludes... if not completely happily, satisfactorily.
I received an ARC of this book with no promise of a favourable review.
August 25, 2023
A Captivating Read
Many readers have already provided much background to this book, so I won’t again repeat what’s already been brilliantly described. I will say that the story had my attention from the first pages of the prologue, through to the end of the brief Epilogue. I have read all of this author’s books, which, including this one, are all wonderful and well-written. I highly recommend this one too.
Many readers have already provided much background to this book, so I won’t again repeat what’s already been brilliantly described. I will say that the story had my attention from the first pages of the prologue, through to the end of the brief Epilogue. I have read all of this author’s books, which, including this one, are all wonderful and well-written. I highly recommend this one too.
August 24, 2020
Number 50 Veronica Gardens, a grand London mansion, is the home of Kitty and her father, Sir Roland Cathcart. The appealing façade hides a loveless house. It lacks warmth and laughter, and a malevolent atmosphere permeates its rooms. The servants go about their duties in silence, terrified of their employer and under the watchful eyes and threatening presence of the butler, Havers.
Cathcart is a wealthy industrialist and engineer who has a reputation for ruthless business dealings. He is belligerent, aggressive and unfeeling; a man you do not cross. Kitty is just another means of expanding his empire and consequence. He is determined that she marry the much older Lord Trefusis, a very wealthy widower with vast country estates, but Kitty is as determined to choose her own husband, to leave her father's home in a manner of her own choosing.
Alexander Faraday is an articled clerk engaged to sort through Cathcart's papers, in an attempt to settle a dispute regarding an invention that has made Cathcart very wealthy. He immediately senses the atmosphere in the house and observes how Kitty is mistreated by her father. Mindful of his position as a professional servant in her father's house, Alex is reserved and wary of Kitty's attempts to get to know him. He is aware of the risks she is taking and the far reaching consequences should this come to her father's attention.
The house in the present day is the home of another wealthy business man: James Cavendish, workaholic and father of toddler twins. While James loves his daughters, he is not truly happy. This changes when Josie Minton is hired as a live-in nannny. Her presence in the house makes it a happier and brighter place, a place in which James is now eager to spend more time. She immediately falls in love with her charges and they with her. She also falls in love with the house and its garden.
Josie's connection with James is comfortable from the start and grows into much more. He encourages her to pursue her love of the classics by writing a thesis on her favourite Victorian author, Ethel Turner Everett, and she questions his relationship with his family and forces him to re-examine how he treats them.
Their lives, however, are thrown into disarray when an excavation of a leaky pipe in the garden uncovers more than a simple plumbing problem. The discovery sets Josie on a mission to discover the history of the house and its previous occupants, and how the disappearance of a promising Victorian author is linked to a scandal of the day known as the 'Cathcart Affair'.
This was such an engrossing story that I read it in an afternoon. Both story lines are equally compelling and both romances, even though they develop over a short space of time, are totally believable and more captivating due to their subtlety. The mystery is well done, too, sowing the right amount of uncertainty until the revelation of what actually happened.
At first, I didn't like Kitty and wasn't sure what her intentions were towards Alex. Given her privileged position, her actions seemed selfish and manipulative, but eventually I came to admire her strengths and her courage. Josie, I liked immediately, although I agreed with James that sometimes she had to put herself first.
Finally, I have to mention the house itself. I loved how it transitioned from a place of fear devoid of any joy, to one filled with love and laughter.
The Memory House is a wonderful romantic mystery and one I'm happy to recommend. Jenetta James certainly knows how to deliver a story.
Cathcart is a wealthy industrialist and engineer who has a reputation for ruthless business dealings. He is belligerent, aggressive and unfeeling; a man you do not cross. Kitty is just another means of expanding his empire and consequence. He is determined that she marry the much older Lord Trefusis, a very wealthy widower with vast country estates, but Kitty is as determined to choose her own husband, to leave her father's home in a manner of her own choosing.
Alexander Faraday is an articled clerk engaged to sort through Cathcart's papers, in an attempt to settle a dispute regarding an invention that has made Cathcart very wealthy. He immediately senses the atmosphere in the house and observes how Kitty is mistreated by her father. Mindful of his position as a professional servant in her father's house, Alex is reserved and wary of Kitty's attempts to get to know him. He is aware of the risks she is taking and the far reaching consequences should this come to her father's attention.
The house in the present day is the home of another wealthy business man: James Cavendish, workaholic and father of toddler twins. While James loves his daughters, he is not truly happy. This changes when Josie Minton is hired as a live-in nannny. Her presence in the house makes it a happier and brighter place, a place in which James is now eager to spend more time. She immediately falls in love with her charges and they with her. She also falls in love with the house and its garden.
Josie's connection with James is comfortable from the start and grows into much more. He encourages her to pursue her love of the classics by writing a thesis on her favourite Victorian author, Ethel Turner Everett, and she questions his relationship with his family and forces him to re-examine how he treats them.
Their lives, however, are thrown into disarray when an excavation of a leaky pipe in the garden uncovers more than a simple plumbing problem. The discovery sets Josie on a mission to discover the history of the house and its previous occupants, and how the disappearance of a promising Victorian author is linked to a scandal of the day known as the 'Cathcart Affair'.
This was such an engrossing story that I read it in an afternoon. Both story lines are equally compelling and both romances, even though they develop over a short space of time, are totally believable and more captivating due to their subtlety. The mystery is well done, too, sowing the right amount of uncertainty until the revelation of what actually happened.
At first, I didn't like Kitty and wasn't sure what her intentions were towards Alex. Given her privileged position, her actions seemed selfish and manipulative, but eventually I came to admire her strengths and her courage. Josie, I liked immediately, although I agreed with James that sometimes she had to put herself first.
Finally, I have to mention the house itself. I loved how it transitioned from a place of fear devoid of any joy, to one filled with love and laughter.
The Memory House is a wonderful romantic mystery and one I'm happy to recommend. Jenetta James certainly knows how to deliver a story.
September 21, 2020
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
I have read and enjoyed this author’s Jane Austen fanfiction, both her stand-alone novels and short stories in compilations. So, I was looking forward to this book when I found it at one of my favorite book review sites. The author did not disappoint. This dual timeline story is set in Victorian England and modern-day London. The book starts off with a bang, as we watch an unknown woman in the Victorian timeline escaping a house, but we witness her attack by an unknown assailant when she becomes greedy instead of fleeing. Interestingly, we don't know who either of them is until quite late in the novel. The Victorian timeline follows the story of Kitty and Alex, a prominent heiress and a law clerk, and is told from their perspectives. The modern-day timeline follows the story of James and Josie, a wealthy fund manager and his nanny. The contemporary storyline starts like many contemporary romances but then cools off until it heats up again as they bond after a gruesome discovery in James's garden. I'll admit that I didn't find the contemporary storyline nearly as compelling as the Victorian one. In that storyline, the heroine appears to be a spoiled wealthy young woman, but she is much more than that on several levels (some of which I'll let you discover on your own). Her father, Sir Roland, treats her terribly. He barely tolerates her and wishes her married off to a titled man as soon as possible. He is downright cruel at times, and Kitty certainly had grit and resilience to take his verbal and mental abuse while maintaining her resolve. Because this has a dual storyline, I felt the pacing was slow for the first third of the book, as the author set up both timelines. But when the Victorian timeline heated up, whoa, Nelly... did it ever get intense. Except for the slow start in both timelines, I thought this was exceedingly well written with complex characters and plots that didn't always go where you thought they would, which is unusual in romances. If the book's description or reviews here intrigue you at all, pick up this book. I doubt you'll be disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
I have read and enjoyed this author’s Jane Austen fanfiction, both her stand-alone novels and short stories in compilations. So, I was looking forward to this book when I found it at one of my favorite book review sites. The author did not disappoint. This dual timeline story is set in Victorian England and modern-day London. The book starts off with a bang, as we watch an unknown woman in the Victorian timeline escaping a house, but we witness her attack by an unknown assailant when she becomes greedy instead of fleeing. Interestingly, we don't know who either of them is until quite late in the novel. The Victorian timeline follows the story of Kitty and Alex, a prominent heiress and a law clerk, and is told from their perspectives. The modern-day timeline follows the story of James and Josie, a wealthy fund manager and his nanny. The contemporary storyline starts like many contemporary romances but then cools off until it heats up again as they bond after a gruesome discovery in James's garden. I'll admit that I didn't find the contemporary storyline nearly as compelling as the Victorian one. In that storyline, the heroine appears to be a spoiled wealthy young woman, but she is much more than that on several levels (some of which I'll let you discover on your own). Her father, Sir Roland, treats her terribly. He barely tolerates her and wishes her married off to a titled man as soon as possible. He is downright cruel at times, and Kitty certainly had grit and resilience to take his verbal and mental abuse while maintaining her resolve. Because this has a dual storyline, I felt the pacing was slow for the first third of the book, as the author set up both timelines. But when the Victorian timeline heated up, whoa, Nelly... did it ever get intense. Except for the slow start in both timelines, I thought this was exceedingly well written with complex characters and plots that didn't always go where you thought they would, which is unusual in romances. If the book's description or reviews here intrigue you at all, pick up this book. I doubt you'll be disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
December 20, 2020
While this book started slowly, it did pick up nicely and became a real page turner. We read two stories simultaneously, though they take place 150 years apart. Kitty Cathcart starts off being less than lovable in my opinion, but she grows on you as you get below the surface and begin to understand her and her circumstances. Josie is the modern counterpart and accepts a nanny job in the same home that Kitty grew up in more than a decade earlier. Unexpected events connect them as the story progresses. I love the mystery aspect and couldn’t wait to see how it all played out.
This was a great book that I enjoyed, however, i didn’t feel completely satisfied at the end. The ending seemed rushed and ended a bit abruptly and left many loose end that should have been tied up.
*** Spoiler Alert*** Stop reading now if you plan to read this but haven’t yet.
I still have unanswered questions that bother me. Mrs Christie is a mystery to me. I don’t understand her unyielding loyalty to Sir Roland at the expense of everything else including her own children. I kept expecting to read some secret or explanation as to why she would choose estrangement from her own children and her late sister’s only child and be true to such a horrible man. I need an explanation to reconcile that. She also intercepted the letters Kitty wrote to Philomena, so she obviously knew more of Kitty’s fate and circumstances than anyone else, but what did she do with the information. She never shared it with her children, even knowing their pain and their search efforts, did she take the information to her grave? Did she share it with Sir Roland? I also expected a more complete understanding later in the book of the murder itself. We saw only a glimpse of what happened in the beginning. I would have been interested in knowing who was involved in the murder and cover up and what their reactions were when they realized the true identity of the victim. In 2018 when DNA showed the victim was not Kitty, how were they able to determine the real identity?
***End of Spoilers***
With all this being said, this was a great book and I highly recommend it and I’m sure I will read it again!
This was a great book that I enjoyed, however, i didn’t feel completely satisfied at the end. The ending seemed rushed and ended a bit abruptly and left many loose end that should have been tied up.
*** Spoiler Alert*** Stop reading now if you plan to read this but haven’t yet.
I still have unanswered questions that bother me. Mrs Christie is a mystery to me. I don’t understand her unyielding loyalty to Sir Roland at the expense of everything else including her own children. I kept expecting to read some secret or explanation as to why she would choose estrangement from her own children and her late sister’s only child and be true to such a horrible man. I need an explanation to reconcile that. She also intercepted the letters Kitty wrote to Philomena, so she obviously knew more of Kitty’s fate and circumstances than anyone else, but what did she do with the information. She never shared it with her children, even knowing their pain and their search efforts, did she take the information to her grave? Did she share it with Sir Roland? I also expected a more complete understanding later in the book of the murder itself. We saw only a glimpse of what happened in the beginning. I would have been interested in knowing who was involved in the murder and cover up and what their reactions were when they realized the true identity of the victim. In 2018 when DNA showed the victim was not Kitty, how were they able to determine the real identity?
***End of Spoilers***
With all this being said, this was a great book and I highly recommend it and I’m sure I will read it again!
Read
August 12, 2020The Memory House: A Love Story in Two Acts had a great opening and beginning chapters. I was hooked, ready for suspense and romance. As the story progressed, however, I was underwhelmed with both.
Jenetta James’ writing is engaging, and the story moved along quickly. I wanted to love this book, but I wasn’t convinced of the chemistry between the two pairs of lovers.
** Some might find these next paragraphs to be SPOILERS.**
The norms in Kitty’s society didn’t require love before marriage (although Kitty yearned for that). It was only a contract between families. Still, as the title suggests, this is a love story. For any romance novel, I expected some courting and titillation, even from the Victorians.
In the contemporary setting, I wanted sparks and more flirtation from Josie’s and James’ “courtship”. Their matchup felt like a hookup of convenience, not growing love. I use “hookup” loosely. The romance is pretty tame, and sexual encounters are only briefly mentioned in both storylines. I was not expecting a sexy romance—but a little more sizzle would have been fun.
I liked the premise of the dual timelines, but clues to the mystery that linked the historical with the contemporary were, for me, too blatant. Maybe I am a good guesser, but I wanted to be on the edge of my seat and be wrong in my guess.
I hope my thoughts on this novel help you more than random star ratings. I would recommend "The Memory House" to readers who enjoy chaste Victorian period novels with a dash of romance and a splash of mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jenetta James’ writing is engaging, and the story moved along quickly. I wanted to love this book, but I wasn’t convinced of the chemistry between the two pairs of lovers.
** Some might find these next paragraphs to be SPOILERS.**
The norms in Kitty’s society didn’t require love before marriage (although Kitty yearned for that). It was only a contract between families. Still, as the title suggests, this is a love story. For any romance novel, I expected some courting and titillation, even from the Victorians.
In the contemporary setting, I wanted sparks and more flirtation from Josie’s and James’ “courtship”. Their matchup felt like a hookup of convenience, not growing love. I use “hookup” loosely. The romance is pretty tame, and sexual encounters are only briefly mentioned in both storylines. I was not expecting a sexy romance—but a little more sizzle would have been fun.
I liked the premise of the dual timelines, but clues to the mystery that linked the historical with the contemporary were, for me, too blatant. Maybe I am a good guesser, but I wanted to be on the edge of my seat and be wrong in my guess.
I hope my thoughts on this novel help you more than random star ratings. I would recommend "The Memory House" to readers who enjoy chaste Victorian period novels with a dash of romance and a splash of mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 25, 2020
Wonderful
Superb work which takes place in two different eras, and manages to entwine certain events and persons in a most interesting way. In the 1850's, Kitty Cathcart is a beautiful young society lady in her early twenties, living with her tyrannical and cruel, wealthy industrialist father. Against her father's wishes, she falls in love with a handsome young law clerk, and must carry on a clandestine effort to meet with him, and to plan an escape.
In the present day, Josie Minton is a newly hired Nanny to the two year old twins of James Cavendish, who just happens to reside in the upscale home in London that was, at one time, the home of Kitty Cathcart and her father. Josie's academic interest in the Victorian era writer Ethel Turner Everett, leads to some surprising discoveries, and to her decision to research the life and mysteries of the authoress. At the same time, Josie is discovering an interest in her new employer.
I deducted a star for a few reasons. One nitpicky one is the excessive use of similes. Sometimes similes are descriptive and poetic, but too many of them just becomes tiresome. Another reason is the lack of chemistry, in my opinion, between Josie and James Cavendish. They become bed partners fairly quickly, but there's very little leading up to it. I would have liked more romantic development there. Another reason, and this one is strictly personal, is the overall sense of melancholy and oppression to the story. This is a sad story, and the lack of HEA just kind of left me flat.
However, this is an engaging story, with engaging characters. The book is very well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
Superb work which takes place in two different eras, and manages to entwine certain events and persons in a most interesting way. In the 1850's, Kitty Cathcart is a beautiful young society lady in her early twenties, living with her tyrannical and cruel, wealthy industrialist father. Against her father's wishes, she falls in love with a handsome young law clerk, and must carry on a clandestine effort to meet with him, and to plan an escape.
In the present day, Josie Minton is a newly hired Nanny to the two year old twins of James Cavendish, who just happens to reside in the upscale home in London that was, at one time, the home of Kitty Cathcart and her father. Josie's academic interest in the Victorian era writer Ethel Turner Everett, leads to some surprising discoveries, and to her decision to research the life and mysteries of the authoress. At the same time, Josie is discovering an interest in her new employer.
I deducted a star for a few reasons. One nitpicky one is the excessive use of similes. Sometimes similes are descriptive and poetic, but too many of them just becomes tiresome. Another reason is the lack of chemistry, in my opinion, between Josie and James Cavendish. They become bed partners fairly quickly, but there's very little leading up to it. I would have liked more romantic development there. Another reason, and this one is strictly personal, is the overall sense of melancholy and oppression to the story. This is a sad story, and the lack of HEA just kind of left me flat.
However, this is an engaging story, with engaging characters. The book is very well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
June 24, 2025
I loved it!
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. This is a Pride and Prejudice variation. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is Book 5 in the Ardent Admiration series.
In 1859, Miss Kitty Cathcart is young and in love, with the wrong man. Her father, a wealthy industrialist, has firm plans for her future, and intends to see that his spirited daughter follows through with them, willingly or not. Tension builds and passions flare, and by the end of a hot summer’s night, three people have gone missing and the work of a rising novelist has been abruptly stopped. A reputation is in ruins and a fortune will be lost. One hundred and fifty years later the bones of a young woman are unearthed in the garden of the Cavendish house on the edge of Hyde Park. Josie Minton cannot help but wonder over the fate of the young woman. As she and the handsome owner of the house begin to investigate, a long-buried tale of love, betrayal, and the whereabouts of an obscure Victorian authoress begins to be revealed. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. This is a Pride and Prejudice variation. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is Book 5 in the Ardent Admiration series.
In 1859, Miss Kitty Cathcart is young and in love, with the wrong man. Her father, a wealthy industrialist, has firm plans for her future, and intends to see that his spirited daughter follows through with them, willingly or not. Tension builds and passions flare, and by the end of a hot summer’s night, three people have gone missing and the work of a rising novelist has been abruptly stopped. A reputation is in ruins and a fortune will be lost. One hundred and fifty years later the bones of a young woman are unearthed in the garden of the Cavendish house on the edge of Hyde Park. Josie Minton cannot help but wonder over the fate of the young woman. As she and the handsome owner of the house begin to investigate, a long-buried tale of love, betrayal, and the whereabouts of an obscure Victorian authoress begins to be revealed. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
August 21, 2020
This was a captivating read that I almost couldn't put down. It's a beautifully written story that weaves two women's lives together through time by one crime. Mystery and intrigue are interwoven as this story moves between the centuries in this heartfelt and deeply haunting story. It's a story of two woman finding love, finding their purpose, and facing the fact that they may not fit into the "box" society wants to place them in.
JJ has found a wonderful flow to her prose and her character development. The historical background development is descriptive enough for the reader to get a sense of the time period. Overall it a wonderful and I recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
JJ has found a wonderful flow to her prose and her character development. The historical background development is descriptive enough for the reader to get a sense of the time period. Overall it a wonderful and I recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 23, 2020
I could not put it down. The richly described scenes and verse is amazing. I liked that it was hard to guess what was going to happen. I thought I knew but then it turned in another direction. This book was not cut and dry on the stories. The characters were well developed and some were kind and some were not. This was a great book. Would like to read more from Jenetta James. The old world feel was amazing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 27, 2020
I could not even finish this book. It is rare that I do not finish a book I start, but I am almost half way and I cannot bring myself to like even one of the characters. Also I am not invested in finding out who died on page 2 (the book opens with a murder) which is unusual for me. Because this book has so many stunning reviews I felt I needed to rate it to give the other side. The writing is a bit stilted and the characters do not have a lot of depth. The story has no bright characters, they are all drab . The over all tone of the book is almost melancholy. I do not recommend this book.
September 4, 2020
Excellent read!
I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book at first, as it went back and forth between two eras and two story lines, and I have read books where it was a confusing mess. Not so here! Those lovely book was surprisingly coherent, with well developed characters and a satisfying ending. It's rare to find a book this well written and I was captivated by the
entwined storylines. Don't miss this one!
I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book at first, as it went back and forth between two eras and two story lines, and I have read books where it was a confusing mess. Not so here! Those lovely book was surprisingly coherent, with well developed characters and a satisfying ending. It's rare to find a book this well written and I was captivated by the
entwined storylines. Don't miss this one!
September 25, 2020
I think it’s great to be able to write a modern romance, a critical regency romance and a suspense story at the same time. Alltough the main character Josie is a bit to good to be true to me, I enjoyed it very much.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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