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The House on Bellevue Gardens
Rosa has arrived in London from Poland to look for her younger brother Mikhail. He is supposed to be staying with their English father, but when she visits the house she finds it's locked up and there's no sign of either of them. She urgently needs work and somewhere to live while she continues her search, but what can she do and where can she go?
Stef is running away from her boyfriend Oliver and the claustrophobic life she's been living in his opulent flat. Frightened, friendless and far from her family, she needs somewhere to hide.
Rick is living in a limbo, a shy young man hiding from the world to write and draw and dream. How will he find fulfilment?
All three find refuge at 11 Belvue Gardens, the shabbiest house of a smart white-painted Georgian terrace in North London. Here, its owner Leonie herself once found sanctuary following a short career as a model in the sixties and a destructive marriage. Now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.
However, as she helps Stef and Rosa and Rick to find their way, Leonie finds that once again the very foundations of her own life and happiness are under threat.
Stef is running away from her boyfriend Oliver and the claustrophobic life she's been living in his opulent flat. Frightened, friendless and far from her family, she needs somewhere to hide.
Rick is living in a limbo, a shy young man hiding from the world to write and draw and dream. How will he find fulfilment?
All three find refuge at 11 Belvue Gardens, the shabbiest house of a smart white-painted Georgian terrace in North London. Here, its owner Leonie herself once found sanctuary following a short career as a model in the sixties and a destructive marriage. Now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.
However, as she helps Stef and Rosa and Rick to find their way, Leonie finds that once again the very foundations of her own life and happiness are under threat.
452 pages, Hardcover
First published February 11, 2016
55 people are currently reading
896 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Hore
38 books744 followersRachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk and turning to writing fiction.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
May 5, 2016
“The whole value of solitude depends upon oneself; it may be a sanctuary or a prison, a haven of repose or a place of punishment, a heaven or a hell, as we ourselves make it.”
----John Lubbock
Rachel Hore, an English best-selling author, pens her latest contemporary story in her new book, The House on Bellevue Gardens, that narrates the story of four central characters among whom three are trying to find their way in life as they are lost and heart-broken, and the fourth person is a god-send who is here to give them shelter in her sanctuary, the house which is centered around all the four characters and holds them together tightly with an invisible string.
Synopsis:
Rosa has arrived in London from Poland to look for her younger brother Mikhail. He is supposed to be staying with their English father, but when she visits the house she finds it's locked up and there's no sign of either of them. She urgently needs work and somewhere to live while she continues her search, but what can she do and where can she go?
Stef is running away from her boyfriend Oliver and the claustrophobic life she's been living in his opulent flat. Frightened, friendless and far from her family, she needs somewhere to hide.
Rick is living in a limbo, a shy young man hiding from the world to write and draw and dream. How will he find fulfillment?
All three find refuge at 11 Bellevue Gardens, the shabbiest house of a smart white-painted Georgian terrace in North London. Here, its owner Leonie herself once found sanctuary following a short career as a model in the sixties and a destructive marriage. Now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.
However, as she helps Stef and Rosa and Rick to find their way, Leonie finds that once again the very foundations of her own life and happiness are under threat.
Leonie's 11 Bellevue Gardens home, with its shabbiness and a hidden history yet with a gorgeous surrounding, has always welcomed the warmth and the solitude of a lost stranger irrespective of his/her gender or age. This story particularly revolves around this home, as Leonie lets an Indian couple, Bella and Hari to stay along with a painter in this house. But three more new members join them, Stef, a woman running away from her abusive relationship, Rosa, a woman straight from Warsaw is here in London to look for her missing brother and Rick, a man, looking for means and space to give wings to his dreams of being a graphic artist. As the story laces from Leonie's early teenage-hood days when she was a celebrated model and days from when she suffered a distasteful marriage to the present days, along with the stories of Rosa, Stef and Rick, it will actually feel like the readers too are swaying in this shifting yet remarkable jumps in the timeline. As the house suffers a threat from the world hidden away from its love, support and free shelter, the lives of these individuals are on the verge of tumbling down.
The Silent Tide by Rachel Hore was the first book that got me into the world of this author's incredibly beautiful yet poignant stories and I was bound to become an instant fan of her writing. So when her new book came out, I couldn't resist myself from reading it. Firstly, covers of all her books are fascinating and mesmerizing to look at it. Similarly, in this book too, the cover image of a white mansion with a green and serene garden is bound to give the readers an atmospheric feel to it.
The writing style of the author is coherent as well as eloquent that is laced under a deep ocean of emotions. The narrative is at times bit dull, but most of the times the author kept it interesting and expressive enough for the readers to comprehend with the dialogues. The story opens a bit slow and midway through the story, the story moves at a snail's space and only near the end of the book, the story picks up pace where some of the major twists and unraveled and that is when it demands of a reader's full attention till the very end.
The flaws in this book are not that major and their presence is covered with the excellent set of characters. The characters are forever the best part of this author's books who will make the readers forget about their own lives and will force them to get complete lost into these character's devastating and troubling lives and circumstances. The characters are so well-developed that they will make the readers root out for them till the very last page. All the main characters are inspired from reality and their problems are very much relatable as they face some complicated issues like dominating relationship, beating shyness of one's own etc.
Next the setting of the book is very well captured by the author and depicted in its brightest hue of colors that will only make the readers feel like experience the whole story right in front of their eyes. The house itself is described with lots of in-depth details and layers thus making it alive by the author with her carefully chosen words.
In a nutshell, this coming-of-age contemporary story is laced with love, drama, friendship, bonding, family and everything in between to make it delectable and deeply touching for its readers.
Verdict: This is the kind of book that you need to carry in your handbag while you're travelling to your next vacation getaway.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author and her publishers from Simon and Schuster, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----John Lubbock
Rachel Hore, an English best-selling author, pens her latest contemporary story in her new book, The House on Bellevue Gardens, that narrates the story of four central characters among whom three are trying to find their way in life as they are lost and heart-broken, and the fourth person is a god-send who is here to give them shelter in her sanctuary, the house which is centered around all the four characters and holds them together tightly with an invisible string.
Synopsis:
Rosa has arrived in London from Poland to look for her younger brother Mikhail. He is supposed to be staying with their English father, but when she visits the house she finds it's locked up and there's no sign of either of them. She urgently needs work and somewhere to live while she continues her search, but what can she do and where can she go?
Stef is running away from her boyfriend Oliver and the claustrophobic life she's been living in his opulent flat. Frightened, friendless and far from her family, she needs somewhere to hide.
Rick is living in a limbo, a shy young man hiding from the world to write and draw and dream. How will he find fulfillment?
All three find refuge at 11 Bellevue Gardens, the shabbiest house of a smart white-painted Georgian terrace in North London. Here, its owner Leonie herself once found sanctuary following a short career as a model in the sixties and a destructive marriage. Now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.
However, as she helps Stef and Rosa and Rick to find their way, Leonie finds that once again the very foundations of her own life and happiness are under threat.
Leonie's 11 Bellevue Gardens home, with its shabbiness and a hidden history yet with a gorgeous surrounding, has always welcomed the warmth and the solitude of a lost stranger irrespective of his/her gender or age. This story particularly revolves around this home, as Leonie lets an Indian couple, Bella and Hari to stay along with a painter in this house. But three more new members join them, Stef, a woman running away from her abusive relationship, Rosa, a woman straight from Warsaw is here in London to look for her missing brother and Rick, a man, looking for means and space to give wings to his dreams of being a graphic artist. As the story laces from Leonie's early teenage-hood days when she was a celebrated model and days from when she suffered a distasteful marriage to the present days, along with the stories of Rosa, Stef and Rick, it will actually feel like the readers too are swaying in this shifting yet remarkable jumps in the timeline. As the house suffers a threat from the world hidden away from its love, support and free shelter, the lives of these individuals are on the verge of tumbling down.
The Silent Tide by Rachel Hore was the first book that got me into the world of this author's incredibly beautiful yet poignant stories and I was bound to become an instant fan of her writing. So when her new book came out, I couldn't resist myself from reading it. Firstly, covers of all her books are fascinating and mesmerizing to look at it. Similarly, in this book too, the cover image of a white mansion with a green and serene garden is bound to give the readers an atmospheric feel to it.
The writing style of the author is coherent as well as eloquent that is laced under a deep ocean of emotions. The narrative is at times bit dull, but most of the times the author kept it interesting and expressive enough for the readers to comprehend with the dialogues. The story opens a bit slow and midway through the story, the story moves at a snail's space and only near the end of the book, the story picks up pace where some of the major twists and unraveled and that is when it demands of a reader's full attention till the very end.
The flaws in this book are not that major and their presence is covered with the excellent set of characters. The characters are forever the best part of this author's books who will make the readers forget about their own lives and will force them to get complete lost into these character's devastating and troubling lives and circumstances. The characters are so well-developed that they will make the readers root out for them till the very last page. All the main characters are inspired from reality and their problems are very much relatable as they face some complicated issues like dominating relationship, beating shyness of one's own etc.
Next the setting of the book is very well captured by the author and depicted in its brightest hue of colors that will only make the readers feel like experience the whole story right in front of their eyes. The house itself is described with lots of in-depth details and layers thus making it alive by the author with her carefully chosen words.
In a nutshell, this coming-of-age contemporary story is laced with love, drama, friendship, bonding, family and everything in between to make it delectable and deeply touching for its readers.
Verdict: This is the kind of book that you need to carry in your handbag while you're travelling to your next vacation getaway.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author and her publishers from Simon and Schuster, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
June 25, 2020
Leonie has lived at 11 Bellevue Gardens for many years. It was left to her by her dear friend George with the proviso that she take care of Peter, an artist. Peter has a room in the basement. Over time Leonie has collected a few other people to share her home, at a minimal rent. There is Indian couple Hari and Bela, Rick works in a supermarket but is an aspiring graphic artist. For a time Leonie’s grandson Jamie also lived there till he left without any word to his grandmother. Leonie has no idea where he currently is. She greatly misses him. Due to unforeseen circumstances, two other young women come to live at the house. Meanwhile Leonie has been ignoring letters from the solicitor since she is sure what they are going to say. But what of she is wrong and the situation is far more serious than she expects?
Leonie is a warm generous hearted person who cares about other people and manages to put them at ease. Peter, who lives in the basement is a curmudgeon tolerated by the other inhabitants of the house. The novel gives the perspectives, backgrounds and stories of the various characters and the situations confronting them. Each change of character is clearly marked so there is no confusion. There are some incidents set back in time too. These include some interesting pictures of modelling and the fashion scene of the 1960s. All this adds up to an interesting mix.
I chose this book initially because I had read and really enjoyed two other novels by this author. This one captured my interest from the start and I enjoyed getting to know all the characters. Even though it deals with some emotive themes like loss and physical and emotional abuse, it still manages to end up a feel good but involving read. Freedom is a theme that is echoed in paintings and in a bird trapped in the chimney of the house. It fits into the narrative really well. Beautifully written, I even managed to find a couple of unfamiliar words I had to look up. I like learning new words. Although it slowed down in a couple of places I still found this satisfying read. Then ending wasn’t quite as I thought it might have been and yet I liked it. With memorable characters and a terrific setting, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Leonie is a warm generous hearted person who cares about other people and manages to put them at ease. Peter, who lives in the basement is a curmudgeon tolerated by the other inhabitants of the house. The novel gives the perspectives, backgrounds and stories of the various characters and the situations confronting them. Each change of character is clearly marked so there is no confusion. There are some incidents set back in time too. These include some interesting pictures of modelling and the fashion scene of the 1960s. All this adds up to an interesting mix.
I chose this book initially because I had read and really enjoyed two other novels by this author. This one captured my interest from the start and I enjoyed getting to know all the characters. Even though it deals with some emotive themes like loss and physical and emotional abuse, it still manages to end up a feel good but involving read. Freedom is a theme that is echoed in paintings and in a bird trapped in the chimney of the house. It fits into the narrative really well. Beautifully written, I even managed to find a couple of unfamiliar words I had to look up. I like learning new words. Although it slowed down in a couple of places I still found this satisfying read. Then ending wasn’t quite as I thought it might have been and yet I liked it. With memorable characters and a terrific setting, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
November 19, 2016
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
I really enjoyed the other novels I've read by Rachel Hore, and eagerly anticipated reading this one. It moves a bit away from the style of many of the other novels that I've read - often moving between time frames with an element of mystery linking characters in the past and present together, etc. This novel still had two time frames - current day, where the majority was set, and small parts from the 1960's, showing Leonie's life as a model in London.
The story was nice enough to read, with characters developing as the storywent on, but it lacked any real tension or mystery/ unexpected links between the two time frames, and the characters - although nice enough - didn't really grab me like her other novels have done. The story is quite slow paced which I suppose does allow the reader to get to know the characters more this way - it just didn't draw me in the way I hope it would.
I would definitely say that if you haven't read any other books by Rachel Hore, start with either The Silent Tide or A Gathering Storm, as they're probably my favourites and I utterly love the style and changing time-frames within those novels. Sadly The House on Vellevue Gardens just didn't live up to my expectations - I think the bar has just been set too high by some of her other novels, to be honest! It's a pleasant enough read, though, and has a fairly satisfying ending, so it would be fine if you want something fairly easy to read and not too demanding.
I really enjoyed the other novels I've read by Rachel Hore, and eagerly anticipated reading this one. It moves a bit away from the style of many of the other novels that I've read - often moving between time frames with an element of mystery linking characters in the past and present together, etc. This novel still had two time frames - current day, where the majority was set, and small parts from the 1960's, showing Leonie's life as a model in London.
The story was nice enough to read, with characters developing as the storywent on, but it lacked any real tension or mystery/ unexpected links between the two time frames, and the characters - although nice enough - didn't really grab me like her other novels have done. The story is quite slow paced which I suppose does allow the reader to get to know the characters more this way - it just didn't draw me in the way I hope it would.
I would definitely say that if you haven't read any other books by Rachel Hore, start with either The Silent Tide or A Gathering Storm, as they're probably my favourites and I utterly love the style and changing time-frames within those novels. Sadly The House on Vellevue Gardens just didn't live up to my expectations - I think the bar has just been set too high by some of her other novels, to be honest! It's a pleasant enough read, though, and has a fairly satisfying ending, so it would be fine if you want something fairly easy to read and not too demanding.
May 8, 2019
Enjoyed this easy reading. Not as good as previous books by her.
May 25, 2021
This was my first book of this author and apparently her previous works were much better. I kept waiting for some big twist as I kept reading and it fell a bit flat for me. There was so much scope in the story and all the characters were so interesting. The sad part was that I was more interested in all the other characters than the MC.
I kept waiting for a big reveal. The reveal when it came was just not all that interesting. The book had dual timeliness and multiple POV's. The book was written very well. The only thing that was lacking was the plot. Though the premise was good, it just lacked the "Zing".
The book was about the people who lived on No.11, Bellevue Gardens. It was owned by Leonie and she rented out her rooms at a very nominal rate for anyone who was in need. To her the tenants were her family. We get to know about all the issues faced by everyone who lived there. There were a lot of touching scenes and it was nice to see the characters evolve as they had time to heal.
Overall, it was a decent one time read.
May 26, 2017
I was rather disappointed by this novel. It had quite an interesting story especially the part surrounding the fashion scene in the 60's but I did not find it well written.
The basic style of telling the story using different people's perspectives and particularly changing the point of view in the middle of a scene made for a very disjointed narrative.
Most of all though I found the 'showing not telling' aspect almost non existent. Good writing is supposed to be show not tell but this story was almost exclusively told and rarely shown. The book also needed a good edit. I do find it hard that professional publishers do not take enough care with their authors to produce a well written novel.
The basic style of telling the story using different people's perspectives and particularly changing the point of view in the middle of a scene made for a very disjointed narrative.
Most of all though I found the 'showing not telling' aspect almost non existent. Good writing is supposed to be show not tell but this story was almost exclusively told and rarely shown. The book also needed a good edit. I do find it hard that professional publishers do not take enough care with their authors to produce a well written novel.
May 26, 2016
A sweet story but a little unsatisfying and lacking in any of the atmosphere and mystery of the author's previous novels. If you haven't already read it I'd highly recommend The Glass Painter's Daughter as an alternative to this one.
July 10, 2019
Niet het beste boek dat ik gelezen heb van Rachel Hore. Maar het is wel het lezen waard.
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May 27, 2019
Dit is zo'n gezellig en knusse roman. Heerlijk om te lezen, je hoeft niet echt na te denken en gewoon genieten van alle verwikkelingen waarvan je zo goed als zeker weet dat alles goed afloopt. Weer een prima boek van Rachel Hore.
March 3, 2019
I enjoyed the plot. It was an interesting point of view choice of how the chapters were spread out. However I felt the book moved a bit slow for my complete liking
April 21, 2018
I've read 5 or 6 of Rachel Hore's books and unfortunately this book is just not up to the standard of some of her others - my favourites so far being A Gathering Storm and A Place of Secrets, both of which had me really absorbed, in contrast to this rather slow dull novel.
Hore has done away with her usual dual-timeline approach as this is entirely set in the present. But this novel didn’t seem to have a proper plot for most of the time so there was nothing driving it forwards and keeping my interest. It was just a collection of fragmented stories about this jumble of characters who live in the same house but don’t really all interact a great deal. Half the house’s inhabitants we barely hear of at all i.e Peter, Hari and Bela
Leonie seemed sweet but essentially a wishy-washy pushover. Although at least the chapters reflecting back on her life as a young model in the early 60s were far more interesting than the rest of the present day narrative. I'm afraid I thought that Stef was a completely annoying flake; a ‘fragile female’ that men always rush to rescue, who is not innocent or worthy of such care but is actually just wilfully stupid and bloody useless! But she was given far too much prominence in the book (not just the numerous chapters from her point of view but most of Rick’s chapters were all focused on Stef, and large chunks of Leonie’s were as well), considering how weak and uninteresting her life, her story and her personality was. Rick I simply had no idea about, and it seems the author didn’t either as he wasn’t really created with any backbone or interesting dimension to him. He just seemed to be on the outskirts of whatever was happening with other people - Stef, Rosa, Leonie and Jamie - rather than having his own storyline. Rosa probably should’ve been given more page-time as she seemed the most interesting character out of all of them to me.
So all in all, this is a fairly dull read I'm afraid. I'd suggest by-passing this in favour of one of her early novels.
Hore has done away with her usual dual-timeline approach as this is entirely set in the present. But this novel didn’t seem to have a proper plot for most of the time so there was nothing driving it forwards and keeping my interest. It was just a collection of fragmented stories about this jumble of characters who live in the same house but don’t really all interact a great deal. Half the house’s inhabitants we barely hear of at all i.e Peter, Hari and Bela
Leonie seemed sweet but essentially a wishy-washy pushover. Although at least the chapters reflecting back on her life as a young model in the early 60s were far more interesting than the rest of the present day narrative. I'm afraid I thought that Stef was a completely annoying flake; a ‘fragile female’ that men always rush to rescue, who is not innocent or worthy of such care but is actually just wilfully stupid and bloody useless! But she was given far too much prominence in the book (not just the numerous chapters from her point of view but most of Rick’s chapters were all focused on Stef, and large chunks of Leonie’s were as well), considering how weak and uninteresting her life, her story and her personality was. Rick I simply had no idea about, and it seems the author didn’t either as he wasn’t really created with any backbone or interesting dimension to him. He just seemed to be on the outskirts of whatever was happening with other people - Stef, Rosa, Leonie and Jamie - rather than having his own storyline. Rosa probably should’ve been given more page-time as she seemed the most interesting character out of all of them to me.
So all in all, this is a fairly dull read I'm afraid. I'd suggest by-passing this in favour of one of her early novels.
March 14, 2016
Quite disappointed. Not nearly as good as the author's previous books. The style of the story telling didn't help - short bursts of story from the viewpoint of too many different characters. It ended well though.
May 18, 2017
A nice read.
A nice way to idle away the hours with some interesting twists. But very similar to other books , although this does not diminish it's storytelling skill. A very likeable read.
A nice way to idle away the hours with some interesting twists. But very similar to other books , although this does not diminish it's storytelling skill. A very likeable read.
August 4, 2019
Felt quite tough getting through this book, and slightly disappointed by the ending as I felt some things were rushed, and questions left unanswered. However, I did like many of the characters and wanted to know how things worked out.
July 14, 2017
not my favourite of Rachel Hore's books , I felt that this was a rather disjointed read. so many characters with different stories that didn't thread well.
March 29, 2017
Number 11 Bellevue Gardens, is in an Edwardian Terrace in a quiet square in London. It may look like the other houses, if a little more shabby and in need of paint, but to its residents it is a safe haven, a place to call home. Leonie came to the house nearly forty years ago when she needed a place to stay after the breakdown of her marriage, and now lets out rooms to others who need a place to stay and sort out their lives. Rick, works in a supermarket but really wants to write his Graphic Novel. Rosa comes to London from Poland in search of her brother who came to London a few months previously. Steph, who ups and leaves her boyfriend and needs somewhere to feel safe an decide what she wants to do with her life.
When the house comes under threat, Leonie and the other residents have to look at what the future may hold for them all outside Number 11 Bellevue Gardens.
Rachel Hore is one of my favourite authors, her books are always well written with a good plot and characters. I find she excels in her understanding of people and their traits and relationships with each other. The characters in this book are very diverse and all come from very different backgrounds but they all share the love for the house and the safety it offers them.
The book follows Leonie's story from her teenage years working in her parents shop, to her becoming a model then her marriage and its subsequent demise and her coming to Bellevue Gardens. The plot also includes the story of Rick, Steph and Rosa as their lives intertwine and overcome hurdles in their lives. The book deals with issues such as the slave labour of immigrants, emotional and physical abuse, all dealt with great understanding and knowledge. The book written from the perspective of the main characters so each section is told from a different perspective. I found that this kept my interest, and attention.
I read this as part of bookclub's March choice and really enjoyed it. I found it a compelling and interesting read that had the message that everyone should should feel safe in their home, no matter what 'home' means to them. It is a beautifully written book full of characters you will love.
February 1, 2019
An okay read, I liked the plot and the characters but I found the vocabulary clunky at times, as thought the author was trying hard to put in "interesting words" where they didn't quite fit. Other reviews suggest it's not her best so I may try others
March 13, 2021
Lovely story about a lady and a house she let out to various people with all kinds of problems. It told us their stories but mostly hers. The house lease was up and she could not afford the huge payment
November 24, 2018
2.5 bumped up to 3 stars. I quite enjoyed this audiobook, but it is certainly not as good as others I have read by the same author. It rambles on rather too much for my taste.
July 25, 2024
Good characters, easy read.
October 15, 2016
Yet another fantastic read from Rachel Hore, I can honestly say I don't don't think I would ever tire of reading her books. Number 11 Bellevue Gardens sits in quiet London square, hidden behind a busy street. It is a place of sanctuary for it's assortment of tenants. But there are also hidden secrets. For Leonie, it is home and after a successful modelling career in the 1960s, she runs there to escape her faltering marriage. Now, she opens the house to others who may need it.
There is Stef, Rosa and Rick, all hiding and running from their own problems, and seek a place at number 11 in the hope of finding the new starts they so desperately seek. But then there is a threat that the place in which they have found peace will now be taken away. Can Leonie, withe the help of all those that live there, save the one place they feel safe?
I love the mix of both young and old characters, all with complex lives that we discover over the course of the book. Each character stood out in their own right and all the stories were interwoven, providing a compelling read. The authors prose is beautiful, building up mood, atmosphere and scenes as the reader immerses themselves in the moment. The difficult issues are dealt with sensitively as well as compassionately.
I'm looking forward to what Rachel can think up next!
There is Stef, Rosa and Rick, all hiding and running from their own problems, and seek a place at number 11 in the hope of finding the new starts they so desperately seek. But then there is a threat that the place in which they have found peace will now be taken away. Can Leonie, withe the help of all those that live there, save the one place they feel safe?
I love the mix of both young and old characters, all with complex lives that we discover over the course of the book. Each character stood out in their own right and all the stories were interwoven, providing a compelling read. The authors prose is beautiful, building up mood, atmosphere and scenes as the reader immerses themselves in the moment. The difficult issues are dealt with sensitively as well as compassionately.
I'm looking forward to what Rachel can think up next!
Read
May 9, 2016Yet again another beautiful story from Rachel.
Following the life of Leonie as she opens her door to strangers in need of a safe haven to live. Becoming a support for all of her residents throughout the years, listening and helping with their many troubles whilst trying to suppress her own past and face a future she hasn't forseen.
Loved all the characters stories, how they became a resident of Bellevue Gardens and their interaction within each other's lives.
I received this book as a GoodReads giveaway.
Following the life of Leonie as she opens her door to strangers in need of a safe haven to live. Becoming a support for all of her residents throughout the years, listening and helping with their many troubles whilst trying to suppress her own past and face a future she hasn't forseen.
Loved all the characters stories, how they became a resident of Bellevue Gardens and their interaction within each other's lives.
I received this book as a GoodReads giveaway.
January 4, 2018
I enjoyed this book. It tells the story of several people via or because of their connection with the house. The characters have almost all experienced some trauma in their lives, whether domestic abuse, loss of loved ones, mental health difficulties etc... which makes it sound dreadfully serious and dull, and it isn't. Far from it, it's a fascinating series of stories about the characters, with whom I laughed, sympathised, empathised, and at times cried. It's a people book, looking at humanity: the best and the worst that happens to them. Well worth reading!
April 4, 2016
I didn't feel this was quite as good as some of the author's previous books however, the characters were an interesting and eclectic bunch and the description of the house and the lifestyles within it were very convincing. Great atmosphere and an ending that you presume is a happy one for all concerned!
September 23, 2016
Goodreads Giveaway Winner - thank you!
I enjoyed the use of short snippets of story from the viewpoint of each of the main characters, made it a great book for winding down before sleep. The story progresses quite gently and heads towards good outcomes for all. Nothing very surprising in the plot but an easy read that put a smile on my face.
I enjoyed the use of short snippets of story from the viewpoint of each of the main characters, made it a great book for winding down before sleep. The story progresses quite gently and heads towards good outcomes for all. Nothing very surprising in the plot but an easy read that put a smile on my face.
October 10, 2017
This was a new author to me, but I'd been wanting to read her books for awhile as had heard lots of good things about her books.
This was a truly lovely read, wonderful stories throughout of all the numerous characters. Very well written, kept me glued to its pages from start to finish.
I'll certainly be looking to read her other books.
This was a truly lovely read, wonderful stories throughout of all the numerous characters. Very well written, kept me glued to its pages from start to finish.
I'll certainly be looking to read her other books.
May 10, 2017
A lovely holiday read about the inhabitants of 11 Bellevue gardens - its owned by Leonie who opens her doors to people in need - the book follows the story of its inhabitants and also how Leonie came to inherit the house.
Want to read
February 17, 2016I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Review will be added later.
December 13, 2019
Back with a long post alert !!! 😁😁🤓🤓
This time, it was London calling !!
Just finished this beautiful book "The house on Bellevue Gardens" by Rachel Hore when I thought I wouldn't finish it before the library due date... But i did !! 🤓😎😎
Now, I don't know how to start or from where to start the review... Like always, the book called out to me when i visited the library, and I couldn't ignore it.. 🙄🤫😁 Though I was a bit skeptical with the number of pages (452) and thought that it's a big book... But than, big books are so attractive... 😜😜 And so I ended up taking this one home...
The story is set in London.. I have never been there so I had lots to imagine.. 😍 (Which I consider very essential during reading).. Leonie is a yester year super model, now in her sixties, living in a big inherited house. She has seen so much in life, that she knows how it feels to be sad and alone... And so she opens the doors of her house to the needy...
Her tenants are asked no questions, they can be themselves and stay as long as they want with a minimum rent but still Leonie looks after them given the generous soul that she is.. Rosa, Stef, Rick and Peter live in the house alongwith Leonie. All five of them have so different backgrounds, so different lives, but are bounded by together by one common string - House No 11, Bellevue Gardens !!
The life of all the characters in the novel is described so vividly and so beautifully that you cn practically feel the situations they are facing... As storyline moves forward, there comes a point when Leonie learns that the house which she thought was hers, is not actually hers and is worried about her tenants and her future ! What follows next is better left for reading !! 🤫🤫
The narrative is divided between chapters wherein each chapter covers a slice each of everyone's life... The characters are very beautifully written and are very distinctive from each other and the diversity of the lives that they lead makes the reading more interesting... 😍
The only thing that I felt was the length of the book... I think it could have been reduced as there were some parts where I skipped the pages... 🙈🙊 But the character sketches are so powerful and effective, they are going to stay with me for a long time, especially Leonie... ❤️
This book is definitely worth reading... For me, it has been a different experience all together, as I've read novel with English background, but mostly light reads, this one has been a little different one.. and I absolutely devoured it !! ❤️❤️
This time, it was London calling !!
Just finished this beautiful book "The house on Bellevue Gardens" by Rachel Hore when I thought I wouldn't finish it before the library due date... But i did !! 🤓😎😎
Now, I don't know how to start or from where to start the review... Like always, the book called out to me when i visited the library, and I couldn't ignore it.. 🙄🤫😁 Though I was a bit skeptical with the number of pages (452) and thought that it's a big book... But than, big books are so attractive... 😜😜 And so I ended up taking this one home...
The story is set in London.. I have never been there so I had lots to imagine.. 😍 (Which I consider very essential during reading).. Leonie is a yester year super model, now in her sixties, living in a big inherited house. She has seen so much in life, that she knows how it feels to be sad and alone... And so she opens the doors of her house to the needy...
Her tenants are asked no questions, they can be themselves and stay as long as they want with a minimum rent but still Leonie looks after them given the generous soul that she is.. Rosa, Stef, Rick and Peter live in the house alongwith Leonie. All five of them have so different backgrounds, so different lives, but are bounded by together by one common string - House No 11, Bellevue Gardens !!
The life of all the characters in the novel is described so vividly and so beautifully that you cn practically feel the situations they are facing... As storyline moves forward, there comes a point when Leonie learns that the house which she thought was hers, is not actually hers and is worried about her tenants and her future ! What follows next is better left for reading !! 🤫🤫
The narrative is divided between chapters wherein each chapter covers a slice each of everyone's life... The characters are very beautifully written and are very distinctive from each other and the diversity of the lives that they lead makes the reading more interesting... 😍
The only thing that I felt was the length of the book... I think it could have been reduced as there were some parts where I skipped the pages... 🙈🙊 But the character sketches are so powerful and effective, they are going to stay with me for a long time, especially Leonie... ❤️
This book is definitely worth reading... For me, it has been a different experience all together, as I've read novel with English background, but mostly light reads, this one has been a little different one.. and I absolutely devoured it !! ❤️❤️
December 11, 2019
Brief synopsis from the book cover
Rosa has arrived in London from Poland to look for her younger brother Mikhail. He is supposed to be staying with their English father, but when she visits the house she finds it's locked up and there's no sign of either of them. She urgently needs work and somewhere to live while she continues her search, but what can she do and where can she go?
Stef is running away from her boyfriend Oliver and the claustrophobic life she's been living in his opulent flat. Frightened, friendless and far from her family, she needs somewhere to hide.
Rick is living in a limbo, a shy young man hiding from the world to write and draw and dream. How will he find fulfillment?
All three find refuge at 11 Bellevue Gardens, the shabbiest house of a smart white-painted Georgian terrace in North London. Here, its owner Leonie herself once found sanctuary following a short career as a model in the sixties and a destructive marriage. Now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.
However, as she helps Stef, Rosa and Rick to find their way, Leonie finds that once again the very foundations of her own life and happiness are under threat.
My rating:
Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
Women’s Fiction
General Fiction
Review:
This book is different from the other books by this author which were very atmospheric and had an air of mystery in them. This book is a lot more contemporary. The story is well written and has a nice plot, with an interesting set of characters with complex personalities from different backgrounds who have one thing in common; they all call “Bellevue Gardens” home. The plot is mostly written in the present except for a small part that is set in the Swinging Sixties and tells the story of Leonie the owner of the house. I found this the most interesting and strongest part of the book and would have liked it if this was a bigger part of the main story.
Overall a great story, this is great book to read on a holiday. I would recommend it for any one that is looking for a relaxing easygoing book to forget the world around you for a while.
Rosa has arrived in London from Poland to look for her younger brother Mikhail. He is supposed to be staying with their English father, but when she visits the house she finds it's locked up and there's no sign of either of them. She urgently needs work and somewhere to live while she continues her search, but what can she do and where can she go?
Stef is running away from her boyfriend Oliver and the claustrophobic life she's been living in his opulent flat. Frightened, friendless and far from her family, she needs somewhere to hide.
Rick is living in a limbo, a shy young man hiding from the world to write and draw and dream. How will he find fulfillment?
All three find refuge at 11 Bellevue Gardens, the shabbiest house of a smart white-painted Georgian terrace in North London. Here, its owner Leonie herself once found sanctuary following a short career as a model in the sixties and a destructive marriage. Now, out of gratitude, she opens her house to others in need.
However, as she helps Stef, Rosa and Rick to find their way, Leonie finds that once again the very foundations of her own life and happiness are under threat.
My rating:
Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
Women’s Fiction
General Fiction
Review:
This book is different from the other books by this author which were very atmospheric and had an air of mystery in them. This book is a lot more contemporary. The story is well written and has a nice plot, with an interesting set of characters with complex personalities from different backgrounds who have one thing in common; they all call “Bellevue Gardens” home. The plot is mostly written in the present except for a small part that is set in the Swinging Sixties and tells the story of Leonie the owner of the house. I found this the most interesting and strongest part of the book and would have liked it if this was a bigger part of the main story.
Overall a great story, this is great book to read on a holiday. I would recommend it for any one that is looking for a relaxing easygoing book to forget the world around you for a while.
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