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The House of Hidden Letters
“A joy from start to finish.”—Alex Michaelides, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient
A beautiful and escapist novel full of heart, for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and readers who love book club fiction.
For Greek cottage. One euro.
Skye MacKinnon is desperate for an escape. When she wins a lottery to buy a run-down cottage on a Greek island for only one euro, Skye jumps at the chance to get out of England and start over. As she unlocks the tattered blue door of her whitewashed new cottage, the sun-kissed sea glinting in the bay outside her windows, Skye immediately feels like she’s found her true home.
Skye and the other lottery winners—the first residents in these houses since the 1940s—form a tight-knit group, finding in one another the strong relationships they’d been missing in their own lives. When Skye and local contractor Andreas find a set of mysterious letters, they begin to unravel the history of the prior residents, and the truth about life on Folegandros during World War II.
Sweeping, escapist, and full of heart, The House of Hidden Letters reminds us of the importance of human connection. Izzy Broom has written a poignant and hopeful novel for those who have found love and family in unexpected places.
A beautiful and escapist novel full of heart, for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and readers who love book club fiction.
For Greek cottage. One euro.
Skye MacKinnon is desperate for an escape. When she wins a lottery to buy a run-down cottage on a Greek island for only one euro, Skye jumps at the chance to get out of England and start over. As she unlocks the tattered blue door of her whitewashed new cottage, the sun-kissed sea glinting in the bay outside her windows, Skye immediately feels like she’s found her true home.
Skye and the other lottery winners—the first residents in these houses since the 1940s—form a tight-knit group, finding in one another the strong relationships they’d been missing in their own lives. When Skye and local contractor Andreas find a set of mysterious letters, they begin to unravel the history of the prior residents, and the truth about life on Folegandros during World War II.
Sweeping, escapist, and full of heart, The House of Hidden Letters reminds us of the importance of human connection. Izzy Broom has written a poignant and hopeful novel for those who have found love and family in unexpected places.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 394 reviews
September 14, 2025
I received a free copy of, The House of Hidden Letters, by Izzy Broom, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Skye decides to enter a competition to buy a Greek cottage, she decides to try for it. The cottage is not what it looked like at all. This book has all the emotions, so much going on, past and present.
February 21, 2026
What an utterly absorbing novel this turned out to be! From the moment Skye wins a lottery that makes her one of six owners of a derelict cottage on the Greek island of Folegandros, I was hooked. The premise alone feels wonderfully escapist, but it’s the warmth, depth, and emotional pull that makes this book so special.
One of the first things I loved was the immediate sense of community. The other cottage owners are a delightful group and their friendships form quickly and authentically. Add to that Andreas, the local Greek builder—kind, capable, never pushy, always quietly there to help—and you have a setting that’s impossible not to fall in love with. There is a tad of romance between the two of them but it’s subtle and perfectly judged: present but never overpowering.
But this story is far more than a dreamy island escape. When Skye discovers a bundle of hidden letters tucked away in her fireplace, the novel opens into a second, deeply moving narrative. The faded pages pulled both Skye and myself into the life of Katerina during World War II, revealing a story of love, tragedy, and astonishing bravery. I fell in love with Katerina instantly. She is bold, brave, and fiercely determined, and even in the face of terrible events, she never loses her capacity to love or to hope.
The dual timeline is beautifully handled. Both narratives are equally compelling, and the novel treads that difficult line between Skye’s struggles and the island’s painful past with great skill. I could see the parallels between Katherina and Skye as they both have a fight on their hands for freedom. Their will to make their own choices is present in both storylines and I rooted fiercely for both Skye and Katherina as both of them – across different eras – are determined to follow their own path.
By the final page, I was convinced of two things: everyone who reads this book will want to move to Folegandros and become part of that island community, and I have discovered a wonderful new author whose work I’ll be seeking out again without hesitation. This was a truly fabulous read—thoughtful, hopeful and unforgettable.
One of the first things I loved was the immediate sense of community. The other cottage owners are a delightful group and their friendships form quickly and authentically. Add to that Andreas, the local Greek builder—kind, capable, never pushy, always quietly there to help—and you have a setting that’s impossible not to fall in love with. There is a tad of romance between the two of them but it’s subtle and perfectly judged: present but never overpowering.
But this story is far more than a dreamy island escape. When Skye discovers a bundle of hidden letters tucked away in her fireplace, the novel opens into a second, deeply moving narrative. The faded pages pulled both Skye and myself into the life of Katerina during World War II, revealing a story of love, tragedy, and astonishing bravery. I fell in love with Katerina instantly. She is bold, brave, and fiercely determined, and even in the face of terrible events, she never loses her capacity to love or to hope.
The dual timeline is beautifully handled. Both narratives are equally compelling, and the novel treads that difficult line between Skye’s struggles and the island’s painful past with great skill. I could see the parallels between Katherina and Skye as they both have a fight on their hands for freedom. Their will to make their own choices is present in both storylines and I rooted fiercely for both Skye and Katherina as both of them – across different eras – are determined to follow their own path.
By the final page, I was convinced of two things: everyone who reads this book will want to move to Folegandros and become part of that island community, and I have discovered a wonderful new author whose work I’ll be seeking out again without hesitation. This was a truly fabulous read—thoughtful, hopeful and unforgettable.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
AN INTRIGUING AND MYSTERIOUS STORY OF HOPE FOR A NEW BEGINNING
SUMMARY
Change Your Life for €1. Skye is not impulsive, but when she sees a derelict Greek cottage for sale by lottery for one euro, she applies. She needs a fresh start far from London and her husband. Weeks later, she feels disheartened as she opens the tattered blue door, questioning whether it can ever be her home. During renovations, she finds a bundle of faded letters behind a wall that reveal a story of love, tragedy, and bravery. Meanwhile, Sky’s own past is always on her mind, reminding her that fate will follow no matter how far she runs. But what was she running from?
REVIEW
I loved Skye’s intriguing and mysterious story. Author Izzy Broom’s fabulous descriptions of the remote Greek island of Folegandros were fabulous. Mountains, a cobalt blue sky, a ribbon of sea, and a church high on a distant hill all serve as the backdrop for Skye’s new backyard. The book pulled me into the story, and I wanted to join Skye and help her renovate her crumbling cottage.
The story weaves a quick-moving and fascinating tale featuring three threads: Skye and her past, her new community on the island, and the thrilling story of love and tragedy told in the letters she found. All of the characters are simply engaging. Read it, and you’ll love it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Berkley
Published March 17. 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
Change Your Life for €1. Skye is not impulsive, but when she sees a derelict Greek cottage for sale by lottery for one euro, she applies. She needs a fresh start far from London and her husband. Weeks later, she feels disheartened as she opens the tattered blue door, questioning whether it can ever be her home. During renovations, she finds a bundle of faded letters behind a wall that reveal a story of love, tragedy, and bravery. Meanwhile, Sky’s own past is always on her mind, reminding her that fate will follow no matter how far she runs. But what was she running from?
REVIEW
I loved Skye’s intriguing and mysterious story. Author Izzy Broom’s fabulous descriptions of the remote Greek island of Folegandros were fabulous. Mountains, a cobalt blue sky, a ribbon of sea, and a church high on a distant hill all serve as the backdrop for Skye’s new backyard. The book pulled me into the story, and I wanted to join Skye and help her renovate her crumbling cottage.
The story weaves a quick-moving and fascinating tale featuring three threads: Skye and her past, her new community on the island, and the thrilling story of love and tragedy told in the letters she found. All of the characters are simply engaging. Read it, and you’ll love it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Berkley
Published March 17. 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
August 31, 2025
Delighted to have had the opportunity to have an early copy of this book!! Set in Greece, Skye arrives having won a lottery for an abandoned Greek house along with some others. Helped by Andreas to renovate the cottage, Skye finds her community, there to support her!! The story has two time lines, the present and also the previous cottage owners during the war! Skye finds this link during her time at the cottage. Really enjoyed this book, characters likeable and story line kept me wanting to know more!! 5 stars 🌟
March 27, 2026
This book ended up being a lot heavier than I initially thought it would be from the description. Somehow I missed that it was a WWII book.
I wanted to love this book more. I really enjoyed the island and it felt like I was there, and now I want to move to Greece. But I am not satisfied with the ending. I want to know what happened to Katerina when she left the island.
Also - there really should be trigger warnings for this book. Since I didn't see them anywhere: heavy DV, rape, and infant death.
I wanted to love this book more. I really enjoyed the island and it felt like I was there, and now I want to move to Greece. But I am not satisfied with the ending. I want to know what happened to Katerina when she left the island.
Also - there really should be trigger warnings for this book. Since I didn't see them anywhere: heavy DV, rape, and infant death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2026
Both too much, and not enough going on for the entire book makes for a hard and slow read
May 21, 2026
I liked the story concept but I found it to be really slow. It didn’t grip me at all. I would like to have read more about Katerina’s story and read more letters.
July 19, 2026
Overall, a quick, easy beach read. But, there are some factors that brought down my rating.
I think the author missed a chance to reveal every single letter, or at least in parts. While it was interesting to get Katerina’s POV directly, more letters would make sense with such a title.
The whole Andreas’s ex wife discovery plot point was silly and felt clumsily executed. A glimpse of a bird book on his shelf and his ex making a comment about her ex being a birder? Really? Not to mention Skye’s reaction to it was hypocritical and irrational. She wasn’t honest from the start, too.
This book feels like a TON of dialogue filling in for weak plot points. You could cut entire chapters and not miss anything.
I greatly dislike purposeful and cheap cliffhanger chapter endings, ie: “Then the screaming began.” Referring to a woman who discovers her underage son left town with his father to fight the war? It feels like a cheap and misleading sentence meant to invoke a whole village of screams.
I like Skye and Andreas together, but their on/off flirtation didn’t totally sell the final page of the final chapter for me. Felt too sudden and too deep for just having their first kiss.
Oh, and we never find out who is buried under the tree?? Or what happened to Kat? Maybe there’s a sequel coming but idk if I care to read it…
I think the author missed a chance to reveal every single letter, or at least in parts. While it was interesting to get Katerina’s POV directly, more letters would make sense with such a title.
The whole Andreas’s ex wife discovery plot point was silly and felt clumsily executed. A glimpse of a bird book on his shelf and his ex making a comment about her ex being a birder? Really? Not to mention Skye’s reaction to it was hypocritical and irrational. She wasn’t honest from the start, too.
This book feels like a TON of dialogue filling in for weak plot points. You could cut entire chapters and not miss anything.
I greatly dislike purposeful and cheap cliffhanger chapter endings, ie: “Then the screaming began.” Referring to a woman who discovers her underage son left town with his father to fight the war? It feels like a cheap and misleading sentence meant to invoke a whole village of screams.
I like Skye and Andreas together, but their on/off flirtation didn’t totally sell the final page of the final chapter for me. Felt too sudden and too deep for just having their first kiss.
Oh, and we never find out who is buried under the tree?? Or what happened to Kat? Maybe there’s a sequel coming but idk if I care to read it…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2026
This months book club pick. Wasn’t at all what I expected but really enjoyed it. Gave me Kristin Hannah vibes. Definitely worth a read.
April 4, 2026
A gentle, engaging read with just the right blend of mystery and romance, it’s a lovely dual timeline story and a great introduction to Izzy Broom’s work. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more.
Skye needs a fresh start, and when she spots a one euro lottery for a derelict cottage on a remote Greek island, it feels like the perfect escape. Winning it brings not just a crumbling home to restore but a whole new circle of friends and a community she didn’t know she needed. When she uncovers a bundle of wartime letters hidden in the cottage — and the discovery of long buried skeletons shakes the island — Skye is drawn into uncovering the truth, piecing together a story that’s been hidden for decades.
Overall, it’s an engaging, atmospheric read with a lovely mix of mystery, history and new beginnings. The setting is gorgeous, the story unfolds beautifully, and it’s easy to get swept up in Skye’s journey. A really enjoyable escape.
Skye needs a fresh start, and when she spots a one euro lottery for a derelict cottage on a remote Greek island, it feels like the perfect escape. Winning it brings not just a crumbling home to restore but a whole new circle of friends and a community she didn’t know she needed. When she uncovers a bundle of wartime letters hidden in the cottage — and the discovery of long buried skeletons shakes the island — Skye is drawn into uncovering the truth, piecing together a story that’s been hidden for decades.
Overall, it’s an engaging, atmospheric read with a lovely mix of mystery, history and new beginnings. The setting is gorgeous, the story unfolds beautifully, and it’s easy to get swept up in Skye’s journey. A really enjoyable escape.
July 20, 2026
Another sad and beautiful book that immersed me in the setting. Loved it!
May 15, 2026
Skye MacKinnon has won a lottery to buy a cottage on a Greek island for only one euro. The cottages date back to the 1940s and have largely been abandoned. It's up to Skye to get her cottage in working order, and once she sees the views, she is smitten. It's much different than her life in dreary England! While working on the cottage with local contractor, Andreas, she finds hidden letters dating back to the 1940s. Through these letters, Skye finds out more about the island during the war, the cottage's previous residents, and more. Broom includes chapters that flashback to the 1940s, which paint a brighter picture of the past. In addition to the flashbacks, there's also a focus on Skye, her new life on the Greek island, the other residents of the cottages, and the connection to the 1940s during WWII, when the Nazis infiltrated the island. The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom is a novel that will transport readers to sunny Greece and is perfect for readers who enjoy historical touches in their summer reads.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
September 20, 2025
I so badly wanted to really love this book, but for some reason, I can't explain, I just couldn't completely connect with it. That's not to say it's a bad book because it really isn't, and i know im definitely in the minority with this one!
Told from dual perspectives and parallel timelines, this made it an interesting read.
In the present, needing to escape her past, Skye enters and wins a €1 house lottery, along with a few others. Arriving in Follegandros, Greece, she is shown to her new home. A very run down cottage in need of major refurbishment. On starting the work, Skye stumbles a stash of hidden letters, and the local builder, Andreas, starts translating them for her.
In the past, a young greek woman, Katerina, comes to realise that her village and home are slowly being taken by the Nazi's. She doesn't want to be sat on the sidelines while the war is raging around her. She wants to be fighting for her country.
I found most of the characters, apart from Skye and Andreas, to be rather flat, two dimensional. I wish they had had a little more about them because there was a lot of potential there for them to be more interesting.
If I'm being completely honest, I much preferred reading about Skye's story, I found myself more engaged with that part of the book and I think there could easily be a second follow on book, just with Skye and Andreas!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC.
Told from dual perspectives and parallel timelines, this made it an interesting read.
In the present, needing to escape her past, Skye enters and wins a €1 house lottery, along with a few others. Arriving in Follegandros, Greece, she is shown to her new home. A very run down cottage in need of major refurbishment. On starting the work, Skye stumbles a stash of hidden letters, and the local builder, Andreas, starts translating them for her.
In the past, a young greek woman, Katerina, comes to realise that her village and home are slowly being taken by the Nazi's. She doesn't want to be sat on the sidelines while the war is raging around her. She wants to be fighting for her country.
I found most of the characters, apart from Skye and Andreas, to be rather flat, two dimensional. I wish they had had a little more about them because there was a lot of potential there for them to be more interesting.
If I'm being completely honest, I much preferred reading about Skye's story, I found myself more engaged with that part of the book and I think there could easily be a second follow on book, just with Skye and Andreas!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC.
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September 30, 2025This is the perfect holiday read. It’s a beautiful story of love, loss and new beginnings. I loved it.
March 21, 2026
The House of Hidden Letters
By Izzy Broom
Published by Berkley on March 17th, 2026 (out now)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book came as such a surprise for me! Even at 15% in, I didn’t think I was enjoying it. Then I realized that I was just too busy and wasn’t dedicating time to it. When I did, I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. It had so much more going on and going for it than I expected. It is very entertaining and propulsive - as you go further, every chapter starts to end on a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more.
Read this if you like
-plot driven novels
-atmospheric settings
-WWII historical fiction
-mystery and intrigue
-Emma Grey’s Pictures of You
-dual timelines
📖 In present day, Skye is one of 5 people who win a lottery to purchase one of 6 abandoned homes on Greek island, Folegandros. Running from conflict at home, she jumps into the chance to renovate the long abandoned home with local contractor Andreas. When they come across some hidden letters (amongst a couple other things) from WWII, they learn more about the houses history and what led them to become abandoned.
Thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
By Izzy Broom
Published by Berkley on March 17th, 2026 (out now)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book came as such a surprise for me! Even at 15% in, I didn’t think I was enjoying it. Then I realized that I was just too busy and wasn’t dedicating time to it. When I did, I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. It had so much more going on and going for it than I expected. It is very entertaining and propulsive - as you go further, every chapter starts to end on a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more.
Read this if you like
-plot driven novels
-atmospheric settings
-WWII historical fiction
-mystery and intrigue
-Emma Grey’s Pictures of You
-dual timelines
📖 In present day, Skye is one of 5 people who win a lottery to purchase one of 6 abandoned homes on Greek island, Folegandros. Running from conflict at home, she jumps into the chance to renovate the long abandoned home with local contractor Andreas. When they come across some hidden letters (amongst a couple other things) from WWII, they learn more about the houses history and what led them to become abandoned.
Thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this one; all thoughts are my own.
📖 Book Review 📖 If I win the lottery, there will be signs. My instagram will be filled with me reading books from exotic locations and I will most certainly be returning to the Greek isles. Twenty years ago, I was swept away by the majestic colors and rich history of the Aegean Sea. When a silver key is placed into Skye’s palm and she takes ownership of a villa abandoned since World War II, her world changes in the most remarkable way. Told in dual timelines, The House of Hidden Letters is a beautifully haunting reminder that our world is connected across time and space. In a moment when it feels like the walls are closing in around us, Izzy Broom’s novel feels poignantly relevant while still maintaining a breezy aura of hopeful escapism.
Would you buy a house on a remote Greek island for €1?
📖 Book Review 📖 If I win the lottery, there will be signs. My instagram will be filled with me reading books from exotic locations and I will most certainly be returning to the Greek isles. Twenty years ago, I was swept away by the majestic colors and rich history of the Aegean Sea. When a silver key is placed into Skye’s palm and she takes ownership of a villa abandoned since World War II, her world changes in the most remarkable way. Told in dual timelines, The House of Hidden Letters is a beautifully haunting reminder that our world is connected across time and space. In a moment when it feels like the walls are closing in around us, Izzy Broom’s novel feels poignantly relevant while still maintaining a breezy aura of hopeful escapism.
Would you buy a house on a remote Greek island for €1?
March 21, 2026
Thank you Berkeley and Penguin random house for the free book.
This was such a great read. It’s told in dual timeline between the past and the present and I think both stories were equally as compelling. I was excited to read from both pov’s and I loved how interwoven they were and how emotional each story was.
Skye’s is in present day Greece, an island called Folegrandos after she wins a house for one euro. The sense of small town community is strong and felt with every character. And then WWII 1942 and Katerina’s story and the mystery and awful history and tragedies that happened and how they can make peace with their findings from the letters and the houses.
Overall a great story.
This was such a great read. It’s told in dual timeline between the past and the present and I think both stories were equally as compelling. I was excited to read from both pov’s and I loved how interwoven they were and how emotional each story was.
Skye’s is in present day Greece, an island called Folegrandos after she wins a house for one euro. The sense of small town community is strong and felt with every character. And then WWII 1942 and Katerina’s story and the mystery and awful history and tragedies that happened and how they can make peace with their findings from the letters and the houses.
Overall a great story.
April 14, 2026
What an utterly beautiful story set in Greece. I felt completely transported into the story, the history, the love and intrigue it was all there.
Skye is trying to deal with something the only way she knows how, can she break free and stop the past reaching her?
Izzy made it sound like such a beautiful place and a true special community of people, the characters sounded so real and friendships seemed like they would last a lifetime 🇬🇷
I loved the relationships, friendships found family and Tigri the ginger cat!
This is definite MUST read for everyone
Skye is trying to deal with something the only way she knows how, can she break free and stop the past reaching her?
Izzy made it sound like such a beautiful place and a true special community of people, the characters sounded so real and friendships seemed like they would last a lifetime 🇬🇷
I loved the relationships, friendships found family and Tigri the ginger cat!
This is definite MUST read for everyone
May 12, 2026
I picked up this book at the library one a whim- loved the cover and the storyline intrigued me. I am so glad I picked it up? I love the descriptive detail of the remote Greek island, the cast of characters, and the inter-twined story of 2 very strong, brave women! There are themes of grief, abuse, and violence. The ending leaves you hanging which was the only draw back for me-I wanted a little more and for the story to feel complete.
March 19, 2026
This was delightful. Why not it's only a dollar! Skye wins a cottage in the Greek lottery and get to renovate while living on a n island with 5 other owners. While she starts to fix up her cottage she finds a bundle of letters hidden in the fireplace, She has her Greek handyman Andreas help her understand them. I like that they read them over time to discover what is hidden in them.
The dual timeline was done so well.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The dual timeline was done so well.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2026
4.5⭐️ rounded up!
This book was surprisingly good! It alternates from the current story of Skye, who won an old home to renovate and revitalize in Greece, to the past days of the occupation in Greece.
Skye, not being the only new homeowner, meets new neighbors in this small town. Every winner has much in common, and they find a sense of community within the reconstruction, but that’s not all they uncover!
I highly recommend!
This book was surprisingly good! It alternates from the current story of Skye, who won an old home to renovate and revitalize in Greece, to the past days of the occupation in Greece.
Skye, not being the only new homeowner, meets new neighbors in this small town. Every winner has much in common, and they find a sense of community within the reconstruction, but that’s not all they uncover!
I highly recommend!
April 11, 2026
Such a good book and I could almost imagine being there in Greece! Can’t wait for the next book to come out in 2027……/
July 1, 2026
4,5 Sterne
May 25, 2026
this book was so engaging and i loved the mix of mystery, romance and history. the storyline honestly unfolded in such a cool way and i wasn’t expecting to love this as much as i did! very fun, and easy read!
overall, i would like to visit greece please
overall, i would like to visit greece please
May 24, 2026
Well, this was the first of Izzy's books I have read & it certainly won't be the last.
It certainly makes me want to add Folegandros to my bucket list of places to visit.
It certainly makes me want to add Folegandros to my bucket list of places to visit.
July 5, 2026
Skye wins the opportunity to buy a Greek property for one euro. She finds herself and a community in her new destination while learning more about the owners of the home as she renovates her new space. Another book where I was hooked by the premise and the story fell flat. I also have no desire to read about an abusive ex-husband. Not my idea of fun.
June 9, 2026
Dual timeline story tells a story of WWII on a Greek Isle and a present day community that offers safety for Skye as she tries to escape her husband's abuse. The letters that are found in the house lead to the key of the story. Great read
March 15, 2026
I’m a sucker for novels set in Greece and also those written by Izzy Broom, so combining the two for me is a match made in heaven. The House of Hidden Letters is a beautiful story set on the Greek island of Folegandros, and follows Skye as on impulse, she enters a lottery to purchase a home for one euro and moves there to begin a new life within the local island community. Dreams of a fresh start are quickly hampered when she sees the state of the property but needs to turn the derelict property into her home and finally escape her past. As the renovations begin, she finds a bundle of letters telling a tale of long forgotten love, tragedy and bravery. This novel seamlessly intertwines past and present. It draws you in and pulls at your heartstrings with each chapter urging you on to continue reading. It’s a tale of love, friendship and secrets and will stay with you long after you turn the last page. One of my favourite novels of this year. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and the author for the
May 28, 2026
I wasn’t sure in the first few pages, and sometimes dual POVs that switch to past decades stress me out but this one hooked me and I read it alllllllllll. I had to sleep / that’s why it took two days
August 27, 2025
The House of Hidden Letters was a really interesting book - and the dual narrative and timeline set it up for lots of potential.
Skye needs a fresh start and enters (and wins) the 1 Euro house lottery on the tiny island of Folegandros. She's a bit secretive about her past, even in the company of her new friends who have also come to refurbish the abandoned properties on the island.
The other narrative is told from the point of view of Katerina, a young Greek woman who realises her home is being slowly taken by the Nazis and can't bear to sit on the sidelines to watch.
I really enjoyed Skye's point of view and the budding romance with one of the other characters. The secondary characters (other than Andreas) were a little less developed than I would like but I did enjoy reading about their antics. For some reason I didn't really connect with Katerina's storyline (but that could also just be me being slightly WW2 fictioned out!) The ending resolved a little too neatly but overall an enjoyable read with great descriptions of the beautiful island! 3.5 stars for me. Would definitely read more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers foir a ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Skye needs a fresh start and enters (and wins) the 1 Euro house lottery on the tiny island of Folegandros. She's a bit secretive about her past, even in the company of her new friends who have also come to refurbish the abandoned properties on the island.
The other narrative is told from the point of view of Katerina, a young Greek woman who realises her home is being slowly taken by the Nazis and can't bear to sit on the sidelines to watch.
I really enjoyed Skye's point of view and the budding romance with one of the other characters. The secondary characters (other than Andreas) were a little less developed than I would like but I did enjoy reading about their antics. For some reason I didn't really connect with Katerina's storyline (but that could also just be me being slightly WW2 fictioned out!) The ending resolved a little too neatly but overall an enjoyable read with great descriptions of the beautiful island! 3.5 stars for me. Would definitely read more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers foir a ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 394 reviews