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A Place For Us
From international bestselling author Harriet Evans, an engrossing new novel about a woman who, on the eve of her eightieth birthday, decides to reveal a secret that may destroy her perfect family.
The day Martha Winter decided to tear apart her family began like any other day.
When Martha, a wife and mother of three, sits down one late summer’s morning to write out the invitations to her eightieth birthday celebration, she knows that what she is planning to reveal at the party could ruin the idyllic life she and her husband David have spent over fifty years building…
But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more.
The invitation goes out far and wide, calling her three children and their families back home to Winterfold, their rambling house in the heart of the English countryside. They are Bill, the doctor; Florence, the eccentric academic; and Daisy, the child who never fit in. As the story unfolds, each character reveals the secrets, joys, and tragedies they are wrestling with through the confines of the family. What will happen when Martha finally tells the truth?
The day Martha Winter decided to tear apart her family began like any other day.
When Martha, a wife and mother of three, sits down one late summer’s morning to write out the invitations to her eightieth birthday celebration, she knows that what she is planning to reveal at the party could ruin the idyllic life she and her husband David have spent over fifty years building…
But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more.
The invitation goes out far and wide, calling her three children and their families back home to Winterfold, their rambling house in the heart of the English countryside. They are Bill, the doctor; Florence, the eccentric academic; and Daisy, the child who never fit in. As the story unfolds, each character reveals the secrets, joys, and tragedies they are wrestling with through the confines of the family. What will happen when Martha finally tells the truth?
448 pages, Hardcover
First published August 18, 2014
159 people are currently reading
2884 people want to read
About the author
Harriet Evans
109 books1,200 followersI was born in London and grew up there. I was very bookish, and had a huge imagination which used to cause me to get rather anxious at times. Now I know it's a good thing for a writer to have. I loved musicals, and playing imaginative games, and my Barbie perfume making kit. Most of all I loved reading. I read everything, but I also read lots of things over and over, which I think is so important.
At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and i loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.
After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.
I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.
In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm. xxx
At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and i loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.
After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.
I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.
In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm. xxx
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
October 7, 2015
Honestly? I just couldn't get into this book. There were way too many POV's. I just couldn't begin to care about any of the characters because of this. All it did was annoy me every time it went to a different character's "voice" and I just couldn't keep every one straight. I wanted to know what the "secret" was but as I kept reading all I cared about was the story to be done! The book didn't keep my interest, my mind just kept wandering even as I was reading. I tried a couple a times to read this but I think its time to just give it up. This just wasn't for me.
**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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March 29, 2022No rating, as after around 150 pages I have given up on this one. Martha Winters is turning 80. She has sent out invitations to draw all the family home. She tells them there will be an important announcement. It is time for a secret, or maybe more than one, to be revealed. So the family are summoned back to the beautiful old home Winterfold.
This sounded interesting but I found firstly, too many characters were introduced in quick succession and just as I was getting to know one of them I was whisked off to the next one. Secondly, I never particularly related to, or liked any of the characters. So in the end I thought, ‘why am i reading this when I am not enjoying it?’ I didn’t even care about the secret, or secrets, to see if I was right in what I thought. However, that is not to say others may not like it more than I did.
June 13, 2015
When I read the first installment I only gave this 2 stars, it did almost nothing for me.
Now that I was able to read this in full, its completely brought everything together for me.
All families have secrets, no matter how big or small they are, some are just little secrets that won't really harm anyone or change their entire life unlike this one
When they are all going to be invited to a birthday party where ubeknown to them, a revelation will take place that will not only alter they're lives, and their outlook, but how they see their parents, its amazing to watch this unravel before your eyes.
I'm so glad I got the entire book, it really made a difference to how I viewed this story.
Thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via net galley for my read to review copy
August 25, 2015
Windows and families are alike in that the view from within is vastly different than the view from without.
Harriet Evans has created a charming, realistic and heartrending novel set in a wonderful old home called Winterfold located deep in the Somerset countryside.
Martha and David Winter have lived and loved in Winterfold for nearly fifty years. It is there that they raised their family of three, Bill, Daisy and Florence. It is also where they raised their granddaughter, Cat. Both David and Martha, from London’s East End, have memories of WWII. David lived through the Blitz during his childhood whilst at the same time enduring life with an abusive father.
The story opens with Martha who has issued an invitation to her family to return to Winterfold to celebrate her eightieth birthday. But this is more than just a milestone birthday. Martha has intimated that she will be making an important announcement. An announcement which she acknowledges may destroy the family she loves so much.
David and Martha are both artists – though Martha has relinquished her art to maintain her beautiful home and raise their children. David is a successful cartoonist who has based his art on his daughter Daisy and her dog, Wilbur. These days David struggles to keep up with his deadlines due to ill health and old age. Their daughter Florence, who never married, is a renowned art historian living in Italy. Their daughter Daisy has distanced herself from the family by working in third world countries. Their son Bill, a married physician, lives locally. Bill and Florence do not have happy memories of Daisy – she was unkind to them when they were children and seemed ‘different’ to the rest of the Winter clan.
David loves his family dearly, but above all else he adores Martha. Their lives are perceived as idyllic by strangers and neighbours alike. They are renown for their entertaining, and for their beautiful home. The reader eventually comes to realize that their bucolic life masks deception and heartbreak.
Throughout the novel we come to know and love the members of the Winter family. We come to understand their foibles, their strengths and weaknesses, their loves, their self doubts and aspirations, their desire for approval. We come to love others as well. Karen, Bill’s wife, and Joe, a local chef to name but two.
“A place for us” is an enjoyable and thoughtfully rendered family saga reminiscent of the novels of Rosamunde Pilcher, Maeve Binchy and the like. It aptly depicts the complications that can be created when family members strive to present an “all’s well” face to the world, when family members keep the truth hidden in order to protect those they love most. The author, Harriet Evans displays a keen understanding of family relationships and the human psyche. “A Place for Us” touches upon many themes. The ravages of war, domestic abuse, loneliness, despair, grief, and of course… love.
Heartfelt thanks to Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster for providing me with a digital ARC of the novel via NetGalley. It is one of my favourite titles so far this year.
Harriet Evans has created a charming, realistic and heartrending novel set in a wonderful old home called Winterfold located deep in the Somerset countryside.
Martha and David Winter have lived and loved in Winterfold for nearly fifty years. It is there that they raised their family of three, Bill, Daisy and Florence. It is also where they raised their granddaughter, Cat. Both David and Martha, from London’s East End, have memories of WWII. David lived through the Blitz during his childhood whilst at the same time enduring life with an abusive father.
The story opens with Martha who has issued an invitation to her family to return to Winterfold to celebrate her eightieth birthday. But this is more than just a milestone birthday. Martha has intimated that she will be making an important announcement. An announcement which she acknowledges may destroy the family she loves so much.
David and Martha are both artists – though Martha has relinquished her art to maintain her beautiful home and raise their children. David is a successful cartoonist who has based his art on his daughter Daisy and her dog, Wilbur. These days David struggles to keep up with his deadlines due to ill health and old age. Their daughter Florence, who never married, is a renowned art historian living in Italy. Their daughter Daisy has distanced herself from the family by working in third world countries. Their son Bill, a married physician, lives locally. Bill and Florence do not have happy memories of Daisy – she was unkind to them when they were children and seemed ‘different’ to the rest of the Winter clan.
David loves his family dearly, but above all else he adores Martha. Their lives are perceived as idyllic by strangers and neighbours alike. They are renown for their entertaining, and for their beautiful home. The reader eventually comes to realize that their bucolic life masks deception and heartbreak.
Throughout the novel we come to know and love the members of the Winter family. We come to understand their foibles, their strengths and weaknesses, their loves, their self doubts and aspirations, their desire for approval. We come to love others as well. Karen, Bill’s wife, and Joe, a local chef to name but two.
“A place for us” is an enjoyable and thoughtfully rendered family saga reminiscent of the novels of Rosamunde Pilcher, Maeve Binchy and the like. It aptly depicts the complications that can be created when family members strive to present an “all’s well” face to the world, when family members keep the truth hidden in order to protect those they love most. The author, Harriet Evans displays a keen understanding of family relationships and the human psyche. “A Place for Us” touches upon many themes. The ravages of war, domestic abuse, loneliness, despair, grief, and of course… love.
Heartfelt thanks to Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster for providing me with a digital ARC of the novel via NetGalley. It is one of my favourite titles so far this year.
June 6, 2015
This book really pulled on my heartstrings. I am currently dealing with a loss in my family so reading this book hit really, really close to home. How do prepare to open up your life and share a big secret that you have been harboring for years?
This book is loaded with family members and sometimes it was hard to keep them straight. The Point of views that the story was written in changed often and while the stories about the family members were interesting, it could be a bit tough to follow as well. The family was not without their own trials and tribulations and this author has a beautiful talent for writing with amazing description. The issue was getting lost in the constant flipping back and forth. Just as I was getting into someones story, you were sent off to someone else. The momentum was lost for me.
The storyline is wonderful and the secret allows you to understand the family a bit more. This book is filled with rich writing and the author has created an in depth story that could have captured my interest more had it been more in depth about the parents and their history, rather than the children and grandchildren with all of their issues. But that, of course, is my opinion.
I did enjoy the writing as the author is very talented and I would not hesitate to read more from her. For lovers of big family sagas, this is an interesting story, just be prepared to pay full attention while reading for the maximum effect. Oh, and the home?? I want to move there!!
Read more at http://twoclassychics.com/2015/06/a-p...
This book is loaded with family members and sometimes it was hard to keep them straight. The Point of views that the story was written in changed often and while the stories about the family members were interesting, it could be a bit tough to follow as well. The family was not without their own trials and tribulations and this author has a beautiful talent for writing with amazing description. The issue was getting lost in the constant flipping back and forth. Just as I was getting into someones story, you were sent off to someone else. The momentum was lost for me.
The storyline is wonderful and the secret allows you to understand the family a bit more. This book is filled with rich writing and the author has created an in depth story that could have captured my interest more had it been more in depth about the parents and their history, rather than the children and grandchildren with all of their issues. But that, of course, is my opinion.
I did enjoy the writing as the author is very talented and I would not hesitate to read more from her. For lovers of big family sagas, this is an interesting story, just be prepared to pay full attention while reading for the maximum effect. Oh, and the home?? I want to move there!!
Read more at http://twoclassychics.com/2015/06/a-p...
April 21, 2017
This book should have made my heart sing! A tale of a family and their secrets and a book with a stunning cover, but it left me feeling cold as I just couldn't connect with the numerous characters and found it to be really slow and the family just really annoyed me!
October 11, 2014
I have to admit I found A Place For Us very difficult to get into. I found the constant changes in POV far too regular and that frustrated me. I wasn’t given enough time to familiarize myself with one member of the family before I was being thrust upon another.
I had the same problem with the time differences and I had to make a conscious effort to push through my misgivings and carry on because if I hadn’t this book would have ended up on the DNF (did-not-finish) pile less than 100 pages in!
It’s not that it was a bad book in any way, the writing is well developed and the story has merit – a little romance, some mystery, but it was all just a bit ordinary. I mean, I’m sure there are plenty of readers that will love this slowly paced family saga; I just found the time shifts and multiple points of view a little overdone and it made the flow of the book too clunky for me. And I prefer my family dramas more real, heated, scandalous, and full of gasp worthy moments – A Place For Us was just too safe and vanilla for my tastes.
Still a good if safe read, 3.5 stars.
I had the same problem with the time differences and I had to make a conscious effort to push through my misgivings and carry on because if I hadn’t this book would have ended up on the DNF (did-not-finish) pile less than 100 pages in!
It’s not that it was a bad book in any way, the writing is well developed and the story has merit – a little romance, some mystery, but it was all just a bit ordinary. I mean, I’m sure there are plenty of readers that will love this slowly paced family saga; I just found the time shifts and multiple points of view a little overdone and it made the flow of the book too clunky for me. And I prefer my family dramas more real, heated, scandalous, and full of gasp worthy moments – A Place For Us was just too safe and vanilla for my tastes.
Still a good if safe read, 3.5 stars.
March 23, 2015
I want to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book.
I really loved the cover of the book, it makes you want to take a walk through the flowers and gardens.
I was on the fence with this book the whole time. There are so many people involved and the telling of their stories started to get tedious. The premise is good and pulls you in, it was just a little too much in some areas.
I really loved the character of Cat and her son Luke. She went through a lot of stuff in the book, but she was still a very loveable character.
I had a hard time in the beginning keeping up with who was the children, the first wife, second wife, the cousin, and on and on with different characters. I know the author was trying to write each person's storyline which is great, but for me I got lost in the shuffle at times.
There is a lot of happiness, sadness, betrayal and pain in the book. I really did like it for what it was and like I said a lot of the characters I liked, I just wish I could have kept up more with some of who, what, when and who was it again?
I really loved the cover of the book, it makes you want to take a walk through the flowers and gardens.
I was on the fence with this book the whole time. There are so many people involved and the telling of their stories started to get tedious. The premise is good and pulls you in, it was just a little too much in some areas.
I really loved the character of Cat and her son Luke. She went through a lot of stuff in the book, but she was still a very loveable character.
I had a hard time in the beginning keeping up with who was the children, the first wife, second wife, the cousin, and on and on with different characters. I know the author was trying to write each person's storyline which is great, but for me I got lost in the shuffle at times.
There is a lot of happiness, sadness, betrayal and pain in the book. I really did like it for what it was and like I said a lot of the characters I liked, I just wish I could have kept up more with some of who, what, when and who was it again?
May 18, 2015
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Great cover, a huge draw!
Harriet Evans delivers a suspenseful and complex family drama of deep troubled dark secrets, with the A PLACE FOR US. A woman on the eve of her eightieth birthday chooses to reveal secrets, that may destroy her family.
From 1948 to the present, starting out in August, 2012, Martha Winters is approaching eighty years old and she realizes she cannot put off the inevitable. She has to come clean with her family. What has prompted her to now tell the truth after all these years? The beautiful exterior of the home definitely does not match the chaos of the interior family members.
Mother of three, and wife of David for over fifty years, they had not always had money. But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more. She had forgotten nothing, nothing that had happened before or afterward. The secrets every family acquires, some small-little indiscretions, tiny jokes. Some big, too big for her to bear anymore. They both were from gray worlds and suddenly there was art, and music and poetry and things she had never experienced.
Bill, (doctor) Daisy (the one who never fit in), Florence (eccentric academic). Martha told herself she loved all her children equally, but in the secret part of herself she had a little rhyme. Bill was her first baby, Daisy her first girl, and Florence was like David. She found is terrifying that someone may look into her heart and see what she had done. But the time for secrets was over. It was coming. It was all coming to her and soon would come out. A time bomb waiting to go off.
After she comes clean, would anyone come to Winterfold any longer? The invitations have gone out requesting the families to return to their English countryside. All will come down on Nov 24th.
David, an illustrator, was the creator of Wilbur the Dog and Daisy, the little girl who thought she understood him. Every home had Wilbur tea towel, pencil case, book of cartoon strips. But back then Wilbur was in the future and the Winters had nothing much, except each other. Only Martha and David knew what they’d gone through to get to the moment when they stood on the lawn that hot day in 1967 and decided they’d buy Winterfold.
As the book progresses we hear from a variety of characters, alternating between each of the family members. There are many members of this family saga, and they each have their own dramas. If you are patient and enjoy an even slower pace to learn the background of each character, you will enjoy the secrets as they unfold.
Bill is struggling with problems in his second marriage and feels inferior around his younger wife, Karen with his older daughter Lucy. Florence, the baby, a professor of art history, has been overlooked both professionally and personally, lives in Florence. Daisy, the middle child, has been out of pocket in India, a charity worker raising money for schools who has not been home in years with a daughter Cat who lives in Paris whom they raised after Daisy left. David also wants the truth told before he dies, as it may be close. We also hear from Joe, the caterer and chef.
We do not hear from Martha again until almost fifty percent through the book, and I was dying to hear her story, since this is her party. I will have to agree with some of the other reviewers, a little too slow for me as why the 3 star rating. Like I am rushing to get to the secret, and then it happens. I would have enjoyed more from David and Martha (found their past very intriguing) and less from the drama filled children; however, realize all parts are an integral component to the plot.
However, I was not completely emotionally connected to the characters, as they all seemed at arm’s length. Possibly due to the multiple characters, layering, and dysfunction, not sure I can pinpoint one thing. Evans does take her time introducing each character, and we travel back and forth in time to blend the storylines
The book is broken down into Parts and we hear from almost each child and spouses, and children in each, so a lot of back and forth and time periods.
Part One: The Invitation (introduction)
Part Two: The Party (cliff hanger)
Part Three: The Past and the Present (more from each member of the family and their part)
Park Four: The End and the Beginning (Summary of why Winterfold was so important to this couple)
And Epilogue
A Place for Us is my first book by Evans. I almost felt exhausted when completing. I have felt similar when attempting to read Maeve Binchy and Jan Karon's books, as almost like work, taking away the pleasure, as not a big fan of this style. I do however, enjoy a good secret reveal especially from an older parent, keeping quiet until towards the end of their life. Making me always wonder what my parents are holding back, now that they are in their mid- eighties.
JDCMustReadBooks
Harriet Evans delivers a suspenseful and complex family drama of deep troubled dark secrets, with the A PLACE FOR US. A woman on the eve of her eightieth birthday chooses to reveal secrets, that may destroy her family.
From 1948 to the present, starting out in August, 2012, Martha Winters is approaching eighty years old and she realizes she cannot put off the inevitable. She has to come clean with her family. What has prompted her to now tell the truth after all these years? The beautiful exterior of the home definitely does not match the chaos of the interior family members.
Mother of three, and wife of David for over fifty years, they had not always had money. But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more. She had forgotten nothing, nothing that had happened before or afterward. The secrets every family acquires, some small-little indiscretions, tiny jokes. Some big, too big for her to bear anymore. They both were from gray worlds and suddenly there was art, and music and poetry and things she had never experienced.
Bill, (doctor) Daisy (the one who never fit in), Florence (eccentric academic). Martha told herself she loved all her children equally, but in the secret part of herself she had a little rhyme. Bill was her first baby, Daisy her first girl, and Florence was like David. She found is terrifying that someone may look into her heart and see what she had done. But the time for secrets was over. It was coming. It was all coming to her and soon would come out. A time bomb waiting to go off.
After she comes clean, would anyone come to Winterfold any longer? The invitations have gone out requesting the families to return to their English countryside. All will come down on Nov 24th.
David, an illustrator, was the creator of Wilbur the Dog and Daisy, the little girl who thought she understood him. Every home had Wilbur tea towel, pencil case, book of cartoon strips. But back then Wilbur was in the future and the Winters had nothing much, except each other. Only Martha and David knew what they’d gone through to get to the moment when they stood on the lawn that hot day in 1967 and decided they’d buy Winterfold.
As the book progresses we hear from a variety of characters, alternating between each of the family members. There are many members of this family saga, and they each have their own dramas. If you are patient and enjoy an even slower pace to learn the background of each character, you will enjoy the secrets as they unfold.
Bill is struggling with problems in his second marriage and feels inferior around his younger wife, Karen with his older daughter Lucy. Florence, the baby, a professor of art history, has been overlooked both professionally and personally, lives in Florence. Daisy, the middle child, has been out of pocket in India, a charity worker raising money for schools who has not been home in years with a daughter Cat who lives in Paris whom they raised after Daisy left. David also wants the truth told before he dies, as it may be close. We also hear from Joe, the caterer and chef.
We do not hear from Martha again until almost fifty percent through the book, and I was dying to hear her story, since this is her party. I will have to agree with some of the other reviewers, a little too slow for me as why the 3 star rating. Like I am rushing to get to the secret, and then it happens. I would have enjoyed more from David and Martha (found their past very intriguing) and less from the drama filled children; however, realize all parts are an integral component to the plot.
However, I was not completely emotionally connected to the characters, as they all seemed at arm’s length. Possibly due to the multiple characters, layering, and dysfunction, not sure I can pinpoint one thing. Evans does take her time introducing each character, and we travel back and forth in time to blend the storylines
The book is broken down into Parts and we hear from almost each child and spouses, and children in each, so a lot of back and forth and time periods.
Part One: The Invitation (introduction)
Part Two: The Party (cliff hanger)
Part Three: The Past and the Present (more from each member of the family and their part)
Park Four: The End and the Beginning (Summary of why Winterfold was so important to this couple)
And Epilogue
A Place for Us is my first book by Evans. I almost felt exhausted when completing. I have felt similar when attempting to read Maeve Binchy and Jan Karon's books, as almost like work, taking away the pleasure, as not a big fan of this style. I do however, enjoy a good secret reveal especially from an older parent, keeping quiet until towards the end of their life. Making me always wonder what my parents are holding back, now that they are in their mid- eighties.
JDCMustReadBooks
May 7, 2015
This review was originally posted on Between My Lines
Unfortunately this just wasn’t a Trish book. And I hate when a book I was excited about ends up being a book that I have struggle my way. But c’est la vie! We can’t love them all...
First Line of A Place for Us by Harriet Evans:
My Thoughts on A Place for Us by Harriet Evans:
I was eagerly anticipating this book as it’s a family drama and I’m a huge fan of domestic settings, family squabbles and hidden skeletons. And I thought the first line was hugely promising so I was ready, willing and able to be captivated by this book. But it just didn’t happen.
There are a lot of characters and a lot of different povs and I think that might have distanced me from really getting absorbed into their lives. But then again the book blurb compares this author to Maeve Binchy and I have never once felt that while reading a Maeve Binchy book. Her books are bursting with characters and they always draw me in.
The characters in A Place for Us are very varied and they are all going through a life crisis. You have Marta and David, their three children Bill, Daisy and Florence, their daughter in law Karen, and the the two grandchildren Cat and Lucy. The only two characters that I cared about were David and Lucy. The story of David’s life as a child just after the war was absorbing and I felt a bit robbed when we moved from his point of view. And I just liked Lucy’s optimistic, warm personality. The others though, I can take them or leave them.
The language in the book is very wordy and as a style that doesn’t work for me. I prefer books that get to the point and don’t labour industriously to make that point. In addition, I read a lot as you know and I think I have a pretty extensive vocabulary but a few words in this one threw me and I had to go look them up. Again this just takes me out of the story and fazes me a bit as I’m not used to that happening.
I did however read the whole book despite not being that into it and overall I thought the storyline was good.
So the issues for me personally were
- I’m just not a fan of the authors writing style
- the pace was too painfully slow for me.
Who should read A Place for Us by Harriet Evans?
I find it hard to know who to recommend this book to as it didn’t work for me. However the Goodreads average rating at the moment is 3.71 so obviously a lot of people do love the book. Maybe check a few of their reviews if the synopsis has peaked your interest.
Thanks to Bookbridgr and Headline for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Unfortunately this just wasn’t a Trish book. And I hate when a book I was excited about ends up being a book that I have struggle my way. But c’est la vie! We can’t love them all...
First Line of A Place for Us by Harriet Evans:
"The day Martha Winter decided to tear her family apart began like any other day."
My Thoughts on A Place for Us by Harriet Evans:
I was eagerly anticipating this book as it’s a family drama and I’m a huge fan of domestic settings, family squabbles and hidden skeletons. And I thought the first line was hugely promising so I was ready, willing and able to be captivated by this book. But it just didn’t happen.
There are a lot of characters and a lot of different povs and I think that might have distanced me from really getting absorbed into their lives. But then again the book blurb compares this author to Maeve Binchy and I have never once felt that while reading a Maeve Binchy book. Her books are bursting with characters and they always draw me in.
The characters in A Place for Us are very varied and they are all going through a life crisis. You have Marta and David, their three children Bill, Daisy and Florence, their daughter in law Karen, and the the two grandchildren Cat and Lucy. The only two characters that I cared about were David and Lucy. The story of David’s life as a child just after the war was absorbing and I felt a bit robbed when we moved from his point of view. And I just liked Lucy’s optimistic, warm personality. The others though, I can take them or leave them.
The language in the book is very wordy and as a style that doesn’t work for me. I prefer books that get to the point and don’t labour industriously to make that point. In addition, I read a lot as you know and I think I have a pretty extensive vocabulary but a few words in this one threw me and I had to go look them up. Again this just takes me out of the story and fazes me a bit as I’m not used to that happening.
I did however read the whole book despite not being that into it and overall I thought the storyline was good.
So the issues for me personally were
- I’m just not a fan of the authors writing style
- the pace was too painfully slow for me.
Who should read A Place for Us by Harriet Evans?
I find it hard to know who to recommend this book to as it didn’t work for me. However the Goodreads average rating at the moment is 3.71 so obviously a lot of people do love the book. Maybe check a few of their reviews if the synopsis has peaked your interest.
Thanks to Bookbridgr and Headline for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
July 21, 2015
I was drawn to read A Place for Us by the beautiful cover and the desire to find out the huge secret that has haunted Martha Winter. In the story, Martha Winter is planning to reveal a huge family secret on her 80th birthday. The chapters in the book go back and forth between the different family members, including Martha’s husband David, their children, and grandchildren. Each chapter includes the family members POV and experiences. At first I thought this was a really interesting way the author allowed the reader to get everyone’s own perception of events. However, I quickly realized that I was having trouble relating and empathizing with the characters. This continued throughout the read and I think it had to do with the fact that there was such a wide range of characters and settings within the book. The back and forth between characters made me feel like I was never able to get a connection between the characters and events. Right when I was beginning to feel comfortable with a character, the next character was introduced which made the read very confusing.
Despite all of the above, Harriet’s writing was fantastic. The characters were structured well with remarkable depth to each of them. I truly felt sadden that I was not able to connect to any of them. With so many characters I was only able to understand somewhat of the story line behind Martha and Bill, the mother and father of the Winter family. When it came to their children Bill, Florence, Daisy and their offspring; this is where it got extremely complicated and just overall boring. Personally, the story of Winterfold may have been a bit drawn out in places. And at times, I felt like I was forcing myself to carry on with hopes of something more exciting. I prefer my family dramas more real, scandalous, and heated. I especially like when a story line is full of gasp worthy moments and A Place for Us was just too safe for my liking. This however, will not put me off from reading any of Harriet’s future novels. As I believe the author has an excellent way with words that I’m certain I would enjoy in other reads.
Despite all of the above, Harriet’s writing was fantastic. The characters were structured well with remarkable depth to each of them. I truly felt sadden that I was not able to connect to any of them. With so many characters I was only able to understand somewhat of the story line behind Martha and Bill, the mother and father of the Winter family. When it came to their children Bill, Florence, Daisy and their offspring; this is where it got extremely complicated and just overall boring. Personally, the story of Winterfold may have been a bit drawn out in places. And at times, I felt like I was forcing myself to carry on with hopes of something more exciting. I prefer my family dramas more real, scandalous, and heated. I especially like when a story line is full of gasp worthy moments and A Place for Us was just too safe for my liking. This however, will not put me off from reading any of Harriet’s future novels. As I believe the author has an excellent way with words that I’m certain I would enjoy in other reads.
October 3, 2014
I received part one from Net Galley for a review- with thanks.
Martha is organising a huge party for her 80th birthday- the whole family has been invited. The invitation tells them all that something will be revealed at the party. There are plenty of family secrets- they are scattered in different corners of the world. They all wonder what the secret is. The chapters were all from the characters points of view and with a huge cast of characters this could be a little confusing at first. But the more I read- the more I wanted to know.
This was part one of four parts- and I was left desperate to read the remaining books in the series. I really want to know what has been kept secret and also that the lad responsible for the catering does a wonderful job.
Harriet Evans is one of my favourite authors and I am so looking forward to seeing the rest of this story unfurl.
Part Two
Oh what a tangled web we weave!!!! Secrets come tumbling out of the woodwork as the family gather for the party. Everyone seems to have secrets they have been keeping from their family- and they have all been called to the family party- because a BIG family secret needs to be shared.
I enjoyed the details padding out everyone's stories and again I can't wait to read more.
Part Three
Martha is struggling to cope with recent events and her granddaughter is worried about her and travels over from France to check on her. Further developments are revealed with other characters. I can't wait to read the final part of this story. I hope it is released soon.
Martha is organising a huge party for her 80th birthday- the whole family has been invited. The invitation tells them all that something will be revealed at the party. There are plenty of family secrets- they are scattered in different corners of the world. They all wonder what the secret is. The chapters were all from the characters points of view and with a huge cast of characters this could be a little confusing at first. But the more I read- the more I wanted to know.
This was part one of four parts- and I was left desperate to read the remaining books in the series. I really want to know what has been kept secret and also that the lad responsible for the catering does a wonderful job.
Harriet Evans is one of my favourite authors and I am so looking forward to seeing the rest of this story unfurl.
Part Two
Oh what a tangled web we weave!!!! Secrets come tumbling out of the woodwork as the family gather for the party. Everyone seems to have secrets they have been keeping from their family- and they have all been called to the family party- because a BIG family secret needs to be shared.
I enjoyed the details padding out everyone's stories and again I can't wait to read more.
Part Three
Martha is struggling to cope with recent events and her granddaughter is worried about her and travels over from France to check on her. Further developments are revealed with other characters. I can't wait to read the final part of this story. I hope it is released soon.
May 7, 2019
Review to follow
September 11, 2014
My Review:
What I liked about the book?
I liked the idea of the disjointed family and like the way Martha’s character is portrayed, she is very believable as a person in a small village. I can see a family who looks on the outside to be privileged as so many country folk were, but the reality was different. This is a complex novel and I can see intricate workings of the writers mind although it feels untamed.
What I was unsure about:
I found this book to be very depressing without much lightness to it.
This is about a family and the secrets which everyone has. The mainstay of the family is Martha the Grandmother, wife to David, the artist who has spent a lifetime producing cartoons about Daisy and Wilber a dog.
Who is Daisy: she is their first child who appears to be wild and out of control and whom we know very little about. In fact I am not sure we get to know anyone in the family personally. I did not feel connected to the family at all. I wanted so much to like at least one of them personally, but could not.
Florence would have been a book in itself, her life her story was interesting, but I felt that she was type cast as a typical geeky woman in academia who has little social skills.
There is a kind of flow to the book which comes back to Martha and the parties that she holds at the grand house where the family gets together and put on a show for the invited villagers . Martha feels her duty to host these parties for the village and be be the mother hen. However despite the outward appearance of togetherness the family have drifted apart.
Each person had their own narrative which became confusing with so many of them, and because of this I found it difficult to like any of them and could not connect to them.
I found the book very readable, but my wish to have the big secret revealed was lost the within the complexity of the plot. The mind of the writer is probably more interesting than this book because it is so complex. I found the only person I wanted to know about was Florence: she is someone who should have their own book, such an enigma in her own right.
I am not sure I will bother to read the next book because it is hard work reading this style of novel. This for me was not a book that lent itself to a sequel. I can guess the secret: Daisy/Forence is the child of the lover her husband had and Martha who took her in as her own and even if this is incorrect it would not matter Put this in one book and it would have satisfied the reader.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Netalley for an honest review.
What I liked about the book?
I liked the idea of the disjointed family and like the way Martha’s character is portrayed, she is very believable as a person in a small village. I can see a family who looks on the outside to be privileged as so many country folk were, but the reality was different. This is a complex novel and I can see intricate workings of the writers mind although it feels untamed.
What I was unsure about:
I found this book to be very depressing without much lightness to it.
This is about a family and the secrets which everyone has. The mainstay of the family is Martha the Grandmother, wife to David, the artist who has spent a lifetime producing cartoons about Daisy and Wilber a dog.
Who is Daisy: she is their first child who appears to be wild and out of control and whom we know very little about. In fact I am not sure we get to know anyone in the family personally. I did not feel connected to the family at all. I wanted so much to like at least one of them personally, but could not.
Florence would have been a book in itself, her life her story was interesting, but I felt that she was type cast as a typical geeky woman in academia who has little social skills.
There is a kind of flow to the book which comes back to Martha and the parties that she holds at the grand house where the family gets together and put on a show for the invited villagers . Martha feels her duty to host these parties for the village and be be the mother hen. However despite the outward appearance of togetherness the family have drifted apart.
Each person had their own narrative which became confusing with so many of them, and because of this I found it difficult to like any of them and could not connect to them.
I found the book very readable, but my wish to have the big secret revealed was lost the within the complexity of the plot. The mind of the writer is probably more interesting than this book because it is so complex. I found the only person I wanted to know about was Florence: she is someone who should have their own book, such an enigma in her own right.
I am not sure I will bother to read the next book because it is hard work reading this style of novel. This for me was not a book that lent itself to a sequel. I can guess the secret: Daisy/Forence is the child of the lover her husband had and Martha who took her in as her own and even if this is incorrect it would not matter Put this in one book and it would have satisfied the reader.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Netalley for an honest review.
March 6, 2015
See the locations of the book here
Settings
The setting is a time gone by – a peaceful ramshackle house deep in the English countryside where the scent of wisteria climbing up the walls floats alongside the aroma of something being baked within. gingerbread covered hands wiped on tea towels then someone comes to the beautifully painted door opening to let you in. Only when you get inside, and meet your mother, she sits you down and tells you the truth, shattering everything you believed in in the process….
We go to Florence, Paris and Wartime London...
Originally posted in four parts like a serial read, I would think each part would make you read the next so it would be easier to read all in one volume such as this one. I would think that a book format rather than an ebook would be better as in the earlier part, each chapter flits from one character to the next and I often had to check back.
The story is in the form of a saga and I just love it when old people give up their secrets and reveal something to their children years later. Many of my favourite reads involve such a scenario and so I was enthralled from the get go. Despite a slow start, the tension and intrigue do build and I was really wanting to know what happened but also not sure that I did – as if I was one of the family.
Tell you what though, despite the darkness behind the facade, living in Winterfold sounds very nice indeed. A family saga that spans time periods, war and peace, london and italy and a range of characters with secrets and histories of their own if Harriet ever decides to branch out and explore this more.
Which I hope she does.
Settings
The setting is a time gone by – a peaceful ramshackle house deep in the English countryside where the scent of wisteria climbing up the walls floats alongside the aroma of something being baked within. gingerbread covered hands wiped on tea towels then someone comes to the beautifully painted door opening to let you in. Only when you get inside, and meet your mother, she sits you down and tells you the truth, shattering everything you believed in in the process….
We go to Florence, Paris and Wartime London...
Originally posted in four parts like a serial read, I would think each part would make you read the next so it would be easier to read all in one volume such as this one. I would think that a book format rather than an ebook would be better as in the earlier part, each chapter flits from one character to the next and I often had to check back.
The story is in the form of a saga and I just love it when old people give up their secrets and reveal something to their children years later. Many of my favourite reads involve such a scenario and so I was enthralled from the get go. Despite a slow start, the tension and intrigue do build and I was really wanting to know what happened but also not sure that I did – as if I was one of the family.
Tell you what though, despite the darkness behind the facade, living in Winterfold sounds very nice indeed. A family saga that spans time periods, war and peace, london and italy and a range of characters with secrets and histories of their own if Harriet ever decides to branch out and explore this more.
Which I hope she does.
March 21, 2015
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review.
In this story, Martha Winter decides to reveal a huge family secret on her 80th birthday. Each chapter switches between the point of view of one of the many characters, including her husband David, children, and grandchildren. For the first half of the book, I kept thinking, "What an odd set of characters." I was having trouble relating and empathizing with them. About half way through the book, Martha reveals her secret. From then on out, I began to understand each character and was totally drawn in. My favorite character was Cat and I also loved the parts of the story telling David's past. This book has such a wonderful ending, dealing with things both in the present and past. While I was lukewarm on this book at first, I was totally enthralled with the second half. Stick with this book, you will be happy that you did.
In this story, Martha Winter decides to reveal a huge family secret on her 80th birthday. Each chapter switches between the point of view of one of the many characters, including her husband David, children, and grandchildren. For the first half of the book, I kept thinking, "What an odd set of characters." I was having trouble relating and empathizing with them. About half way through the book, Martha reveals her secret. From then on out, I began to understand each character and was totally drawn in. My favorite character was Cat and I also loved the parts of the story telling David's past. This book has such a wonderful ending, dealing with things both in the present and past. While I was lukewarm on this book at first, I was totally enthralled with the second half. Stick with this book, you will be happy that you did.
April 26, 2018
[April romance, 4]
Όχι ακριβώς romance, σίγουρα "γυναικεία λογοτεχνία" ότι κι αν σημαίνει αυτό.
Πολλά μυστικά, αλλόκοτοι χαρακτήρες, ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία. Περιέργως τα ελάχιστα κεφάλαια για την παιδική/ εφηβική ηλικία του David στον πόλεμο ήταν τα πιο ενδιαφέροντα. Καλογραμμένο. Ανάμεσα στο 2,5 και το 3.
Όχι ακριβώς romance, σίγουρα "γυναικεία λογοτεχνία" ότι κι αν σημαίνει αυτό.
Πολλά μυστικά, αλλόκοτοι χαρακτήρες, ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία. Περιέργως τα ελάχιστα κεφάλαια για την παιδική/ εφηβική ηλικία του David στον πόλεμο ήταν τα πιο ενδιαφέροντα. Καλογραμμένο. Ανάμεσα στο 2,5 και το 3.
October 27, 2020
3,5/5 ⭐
Me gustó un montón! 💙 El libro está dividido en cuatro partes, y al final tiene un epílogo muy lindo. Si bien al principio cuesta engancharse, no tarda demasiado en hacer mella en el lector y particularmente, la historia encierra un misterio que me llamaba mucho la atención. El libro es una drama familiar, gira entorno a la familia Winter y sus miembros tan particulares, y pronto veremos que, como toda familia que parece perfecta, no lo es. Cada capítulo está contado por un personaje diferente, desde sus perspectivas, sus recuerdos y sus emociones, y así, de a poco, vamos conociendo a cada uno. El personaje más fuerte sin duda será el de Daisy, por su personalidad tan particular, pero veremos que todos tienen algo y ningún personaje aburre ni deja que desear. También encontramos flashbacks, más que nada de la época de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en Londres, que dejó muy marcados a dos de los protagonistas. Los Winter son muy queridos en Bath, y hasta famosos en su comunidad, por sus enormes y especiales fiestas anuales, sin duda, nadie quiere perdérselas y por eso, Martha decide que está será la más especial de todas en donde quiere revelar un secreto que lleva años escondido.
La verdad que el libro me gustó mucho, no suelo leer estas historias, porque prefiero otros géneros, pero estoy contenta de que me haya gustado tanto. Lo recomiendo!
Me gustó un montón! 💙 El libro está dividido en cuatro partes, y al final tiene un epílogo muy lindo. Si bien al principio cuesta engancharse, no tarda demasiado en hacer mella en el lector y particularmente, la historia encierra un misterio que me llamaba mucho la atención. El libro es una drama familiar, gira entorno a la familia Winter y sus miembros tan particulares, y pronto veremos que, como toda familia que parece perfecta, no lo es. Cada capítulo está contado por un personaje diferente, desde sus perspectivas, sus recuerdos y sus emociones, y así, de a poco, vamos conociendo a cada uno. El personaje más fuerte sin duda será el de Daisy, por su personalidad tan particular, pero veremos que todos tienen algo y ningún personaje aburre ni deja que desear. También encontramos flashbacks, más que nada de la época de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en Londres, que dejó muy marcados a dos de los protagonistas. Los Winter son muy queridos en Bath, y hasta famosos en su comunidad, por sus enormes y especiales fiestas anuales, sin duda, nadie quiere perdérselas y por eso, Martha decide que está será la más especial de todas en donde quiere revelar un secreto que lleva años escondido.
La verdad que el libro me gustó mucho, no suelo leer estas historias, porque prefiero otros géneros, pero estoy contenta de que me haya gustado tanto. Lo recomiendo!
January 2, 2015
This book has previously been published in 4 instalments during 2014. I was lucky enough to have been sent Part 1 back in the summer but because I prefer to read a book in one go, I resisted reading the other 3 parts until the whole book had been published.
The story begins in the summer of 2012 when the matriarch of the family, Martha Winter, sends out invitations to her family for her 80th birthday celebration, at which an “important announcement” will be made. The family are left wondering what is in store. With each chapter narrated by a different family member, we begin to get to know a little of their background and we learn why some chose to move away. Although necessary, this slowed the story slightly whilst the family were being introduced. Even at this stage, secrets are hinted at and the drama is building.
There are several family members to get to know and I’m actually glad that I read the first part twice because on the second reading, it was easier to understand the relationships. There are children and grandchildren and initially I frequently mixed up the characters.
Martha and her husband David (also known as ‘Southpaw') are both artists and when they first scraped together the money to buy Winterfold, they had a vision of raising their family there and of the house offering happiness and a place of refuge for their extending family. Sadly this dream didn’t quite go to plan and they watched their family fracture and disintegrate.
This is a story of a family life built on secrets and lies. We are taken back in time to WW2 when David was just a boy and living through the war in London and then forwards to different chapters in each character’s life. There were times when I found the jump in timelines a little confusing.
The three children are all very different. Bill, the eldest, is a GP and on his second marriage, to Karen, which is proving to be as unsuccessful a union as his first. Bill has a daughter, Lucy, from his first marriage. Then there is Daisy. Daisy was always the most troubled and problematic of the siblings. She ran away to help with a charity in India but left behind her daughter, Cat. Although Cat was very young when her mother left, she has some memories of Daisy and has felt her absence keenly as she has grown up. Finally, there is Florence. Florence was probably my favourite character; she was an academic/Professor of art and in lived in – Florence! She wasn’t graceful either in manner or looks but there was something endearing about her awkwardness and lack of social skills.
These people and their lives form the main part of this family drama. These are all the people that we get to know and when Martha plans to drop her bombshell, each of them will have to deal with the consequences.
I don’t want to give any spoilers so that is really all I can say about the story. Some of the characters are more likable than others and the house itself, ‘Winterfold’ sounded idyllic. For many years the Winters and Martha in particular, with her parties and gatherings, had presented this perfect image to outsiders of their family life, however in reality, this was far from the truth.
I did enjoy this family saga, even though at times I felt the story could have been a little shorter without losing anything. Harriet Evans has superbly captured the complexities and emotions of her characters and making them face up to the reality of their lives. Like them or not, the Winters will draw you into their world.
The story begins in the summer of 2012 when the matriarch of the family, Martha Winter, sends out invitations to her family for her 80th birthday celebration, at which an “important announcement” will be made. The family are left wondering what is in store. With each chapter narrated by a different family member, we begin to get to know a little of their background and we learn why some chose to move away. Although necessary, this slowed the story slightly whilst the family were being introduced. Even at this stage, secrets are hinted at and the drama is building.
There are several family members to get to know and I’m actually glad that I read the first part twice because on the second reading, it was easier to understand the relationships. There are children and grandchildren and initially I frequently mixed up the characters.
Martha and her husband David (also known as ‘Southpaw') are both artists and when they first scraped together the money to buy Winterfold, they had a vision of raising their family there and of the house offering happiness and a place of refuge for their extending family. Sadly this dream didn’t quite go to plan and they watched their family fracture and disintegrate.
This is a story of a family life built on secrets and lies. We are taken back in time to WW2 when David was just a boy and living through the war in London and then forwards to different chapters in each character’s life. There were times when I found the jump in timelines a little confusing.
The three children are all very different. Bill, the eldest, is a GP and on his second marriage, to Karen, which is proving to be as unsuccessful a union as his first. Bill has a daughter, Lucy, from his first marriage. Then there is Daisy. Daisy was always the most troubled and problematic of the siblings. She ran away to help with a charity in India but left behind her daughter, Cat. Although Cat was very young when her mother left, she has some memories of Daisy and has felt her absence keenly as she has grown up. Finally, there is Florence. Florence was probably my favourite character; she was an academic/Professor of art and in lived in – Florence! She wasn’t graceful either in manner or looks but there was something endearing about her awkwardness and lack of social skills.
These people and their lives form the main part of this family drama. These are all the people that we get to know and when Martha plans to drop her bombshell, each of them will have to deal with the consequences.
I don’t want to give any spoilers so that is really all I can say about the story. Some of the characters are more likable than others and the house itself, ‘Winterfold’ sounded idyllic. For many years the Winters and Martha in particular, with her parties and gatherings, had presented this perfect image to outsiders of their family life, however in reality, this was far from the truth.
I did enjoy this family saga, even though at times I felt the story could have been a little shorter without losing anything. Harriet Evans has superbly captured the complexities and emotions of her characters and making them face up to the reality of their lives. Like them or not, the Winters will draw you into their world.
May 6, 2016
Wat me opviel bij dit boek is dat het naar mijn maatstaven vrij lang duurde vooraleer ik het kon uitlezen. Dit is deels te verklaren door het feit dat ik minder vaak aan lezen toekwam maar toch ook gedeeltelijk door het rustige tempo van dit boek.
De eerste hoofdstukken zijn best te omschrijven als introductierondes. Vermits er heel wat personages aan bod komen in ‘Terug naar het grote huis’, duurt het een tijdje vooraleer je iedereen kent en de schrijfster kan verdergaan met het uitwerken van de onderlinge relaties tussen deze karakters.
Ik vind het steeds knap wanneer een auteur er in slaagt om al die verschillende levenslijnen én de bijhorende verhalen met elkaar kan verweven zonder zichzelf vast te leggen in een wirwar van knopen. Geleidelijk aan ontmoeten we elk lid van de Winter-familie en leren we ook enkele bewoners van het dorp beter kennen. Martha is als grootmoeder en moeder de persoon die het verhaal op gang brengt maar haar dochter Daisy vormt voor een groot deel de rode draad in dit verhaal.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
De eerste hoofdstukken zijn best te omschrijven als introductierondes. Vermits er heel wat personages aan bod komen in ‘Terug naar het grote huis’, duurt het een tijdje vooraleer je iedereen kent en de schrijfster kan verdergaan met het uitwerken van de onderlinge relaties tussen deze karakters.
Ik vind het steeds knap wanneer een auteur er in slaagt om al die verschillende levenslijnen én de bijhorende verhalen met elkaar kan verweven zonder zichzelf vast te leggen in een wirwar van knopen. Geleidelijk aan ontmoeten we elk lid van de Winter-familie en leren we ook enkele bewoners van het dorp beter kennen. Martha is als grootmoeder en moeder de persoon die het verhaal op gang brengt maar haar dochter Daisy vormt voor een groot deel de rode draad in dit verhaal.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
March 18, 2018
True rating of 3.5 stars
I think it was probably the cover that sucked me in originally---it just looks so warm and inviting. And that's kind of what the book is all about, too. The appearances families keep, what it means to be truly happy, and whether or not what we remember as good and comforting times are actually that way, and if it matters what the "reality" was if we felt something.
It's a sweet story, and I did enjoy it. However, I borrowed it from my library as an ebook to read in bed at night. There were so many different characters and so many different perspectives that I was often a bit confused. I like to read something light before bed, but this had too many names and stories to keep track of for me. Some were unnecessarily similar, as well, which didn't help.
It was also a little slow. Sometimes unrealistic. But overall very sweet and made me feel extra loving towards those I hold close.
I think it was probably the cover that sucked me in originally---it just looks so warm and inviting. And that's kind of what the book is all about, too. The appearances families keep, what it means to be truly happy, and whether or not what we remember as good and comforting times are actually that way, and if it matters what the "reality" was if we felt something.
It's a sweet story, and I did enjoy it. However, I borrowed it from my library as an ebook to read in bed at night. There were so many different characters and so many different perspectives that I was often a bit confused. I like to read something light before bed, but this had too many names and stories to keep track of for me. Some were unnecessarily similar, as well, which didn't help.
It was also a little slow. Sometimes unrealistic. But overall very sweet and made me feel extra loving towards those I hold close.
February 26, 2015
Received part one from Netgalley read it and really enjoyed how Winterfold was the backdrop for a family drama. The Winter family had lots of secrets. I found Martha the matriarch a strong character although she went to extremes to protect her children and hide secrets from them. Gradually the secrets unfold spanning the past and the present an interesting concept. Liked romance between Kat and Joe after their rocky meeting love blossoms. liked how some of family lived in France and got a feel of living in continent. Madame was hard work not surprising Cat and Luke returned to Winterfold to start a new life. Like every family they have happy times but this family have more than their share of heartbreak and deaths. A close knit family in a small community especially liked how minor characters gave some body to main characters. Would like to see more family dramas at Winterfold
November 7, 2016
I quite enjoyed the first Harriet Evans book I read but found it very similar to another author's book I had just read, and it wasn't anything special. I wasn't particularly looking to read one of her books again quickly until this was put on my book club reading list.
I much preferred this book, for a number of reasons. I liked the way each chapter was told from a different character's viewpoint. It is reassuring that even the most seemingly perfect family is not perfect (though perhaps not quite like this family!!!). I liked the dips into the past. I particularly liked how the house resembled a home to all of the different characters in different ways - being about to buy a new house myself I like to think of it being the hub of our family. I would definitely like to read more of her books now and would recommend this one, which is lovely.
I much preferred this book, for a number of reasons. I liked the way each chapter was told from a different character's viewpoint. It is reassuring that even the most seemingly perfect family is not perfect (though perhaps not quite like this family!!!). I liked the dips into the past. I particularly liked how the house resembled a home to all of the different characters in different ways - being about to buy a new house myself I like to think of it being the hub of our family. I would definitely like to read more of her books now and would recommend this one, which is lovely.
June 17, 2015
Martha Winter is turning eighty and having a big family party, at which she plans on revealing a secret. Martha and her husband, David (a famous cartoonist) have built what looks like, from the outside, an idyllic life at Winterfold, their home in Surrey. Their granddaughters, Lucy and Cat, now grown, remember it that way too. For Martha and David's three children, however, there was conflict between Daisy (the middle child) and her siblings--eldest Bill and youngest Florence. In the novel, the reader explores the family's lives both past and present from many points of view. A Place for Us is an exploration of family relationships and is a real treat for people who enjoy the novels of Joanna Trollope, Rosamunde Pilcher and early Jojo Moyes.
May 31, 2015
I'm so happy that I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway! The story is about an older couple who obviously love each other deeply. Their pasts have shaped who they are today and why they wanted a home their family would feel 'at home' in. As the main character, Martha is preparing for her 80th birthday, she feels the need to let go of some of her darkest secrets, but we find out that she's not the only one hiding something. The characters were very interesting and I loved all the little secrets that were slowly revealed for each character throughout the story. I felt each character grew through the story and became who they were really supposed to be in the end.
July 2, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from Gallery Books in a giveaway.
Despite not being something I would normally read I found myself reading just one more chapter to find out what happens next with each character. Each one, and there are quite a few, has their own arc and voice.
Even though I guessed what most of the family secrets were long before they were revealed it was still interesting to see how or if they would unfold. Anyone who enjoys reading about family drama or following the personal journey of multiple characters should find this book enjoyable.
Despite not being something I would normally read I found myself reading just one more chapter to find out what happens next with each character. Each one, and there are quite a few, has their own arc and voice.
Even though I guessed what most of the family secrets were long before they were revealed it was still interesting to see how or if they would unfold. Anyone who enjoys reading about family drama or following the personal journey of multiple characters should find this book enjoyable.
March 5, 2018
It was a little confusing at first keeping all the characters straight. Each chapter is a different character so as soon as you get used to that person and their story you are introduced to a new person. You learn the big secret half way in the middle of the book so their is "anticipation" up to that point on what the secret is but than afterwards nothing really happens in my opinion once the secret is learned. I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars but it won't let me do a 1/2 a star.
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