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The Orphan House
Two women uncover the secrets of the past in this emotional and poignant story that’s perfect for fans of Lisa Wingate and Kristina McMorris.
1934 : Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognizes . . .
Present Day : Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the Thames, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, and an escape from her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and poring over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate his elusive past herself.
The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall when Sarah’s father was there is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between the two women that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine.
A heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting tale inspired by the lives of the children who lived at the author’s great-grandfather’s orphanage
1934 : Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognizes . . .
Present Day : Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the Thames, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, and an escape from her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and poring over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate his elusive past herself.
The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall when Sarah’s father was there is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between the two women that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine.
A heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting tale inspired by the lives of the children who lived at the author’s great-grandfather’s orphanage
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2018
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September 24, 2024
EXCERPT: She's drifting off again, her mind wandering as it always does, back to that time she tried for years to bury. Tonight, against her will, it takes her to a place she has trained herself never to visit. But there is no stopping it now. The memories rush to the surface like bubbles in a bottle of champagne when the cork is popped.
It is spring. The hedgerows are coming into bloom, dusted with powdery white hawthorn flowers. Drifts of yellow primroses sprinkle the bank. She's not alone. Her arm is tucked inside his. She can feel the smooth cotton of his shirt against her skin. His body is strong and warm next to her, a comforting shield between her and the river. She knows she should feel guilty, she should feel bad about this, but she doesn't. She can imagine the shock and recriminations that would follow if Mother or Evie were to find out; their wide eyes, their wagging fingers.
She shakes her head, trying to banish the memory. She can feel the tears welling again, aware that they're tears of self pity and of mourning for what might have been.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: As she looks at the baby wriggling in her father’s arms, a bolt of recognition goes through her and she takes a step back. And it’s in that moment that she begins to protect her father’s secrets.
1934, Weirfield-on-Thames. Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognises…
Present day. Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the river, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, to escape her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and hunched over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate it herself.
The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between them that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine.
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed The Orphan House by Ann Bennett, which is a mix of historical and contemporary fiction, moving between the 1930's and today, Colonial India and England.
It pays to remember, as you read, that the social mores of the 1930s were vastly different to those of today. The father in the household wielded absolute power - his word was law. Having a child out of wedlock was the kiss of death for any young girl hoping to make a 'decent' marriage - she was damaged goods - as was having a parent in jail. Thank goodness for India, a place where those not quite socially acceptable, and those who failed to live up to family expectations, could be shipped off to.
And that is where we find Anna, one of the three women who narrate this story. Connie, when we first meet her, is the elderly resident of a retirement home, and her story is told in flashbacks. Sarah is the contemporary woman who buys Connie's home and discovers the secrets contained within. How does Anna in India connect to Connie and Sarah? That is the mystery.....
While there is nothing startling in the revelations, this is a lovely read, and one that I enjoyed. The characters are well portrayed, as are the historical and emotional aspects.
😊😊😊.5
#TheOrphanHouse #NetGalley
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ann Bennett was born in a small village in Northamptonshire, UK and now lives in Surrey. Her first book, A Daughter's Quest, originally published as Bamboo Heart, was inspired by her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway. The Planter's Wife (originally published as Bamboo Island) a Daughter's Promise and The Homecoming, (formerly Bamboo Road) are also about the war in South East Asia. The idea for The Orphan House came from researching her great-grandfather, Brice Bennett, who was headmaster of a county school for pauper children in Wargrave, Berkshire. The Orphan House and a further WW2 historical novel will be published by Bookouture in 2020. Ann is married with three grown up sons and works as a lawyer.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Orphan House by Ann Bennett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
It is spring. The hedgerows are coming into bloom, dusted with powdery white hawthorn flowers. Drifts of yellow primroses sprinkle the bank. She's not alone. Her arm is tucked inside his. She can feel the smooth cotton of his shirt against her skin. His body is strong and warm next to her, a comforting shield between her and the river. She knows she should feel guilty, she should feel bad about this, but she doesn't. She can imagine the shock and recriminations that would follow if Mother or Evie were to find out; their wide eyes, their wagging fingers.
She shakes her head, trying to banish the memory. She can feel the tears welling again, aware that they're tears of self pity and of mourning for what might have been.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: As she looks at the baby wriggling in her father’s arms, a bolt of recognition goes through her and she takes a step back. And it’s in that moment that she begins to protect her father’s secrets.
1934, Weirfield-on-Thames. Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognises…
Present day. Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the river, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, to escape her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and hunched over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate it herself.
The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between them that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine.
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed The Orphan House by Ann Bennett, which is a mix of historical and contemporary fiction, moving between the 1930's and today, Colonial India and England.
It pays to remember, as you read, that the social mores of the 1930s were vastly different to those of today. The father in the household wielded absolute power - his word was law. Having a child out of wedlock was the kiss of death for any young girl hoping to make a 'decent' marriage - she was damaged goods - as was having a parent in jail. Thank goodness for India, a place where those not quite socially acceptable, and those who failed to live up to family expectations, could be shipped off to.
And that is where we find Anna, one of the three women who narrate this story. Connie, when we first meet her, is the elderly resident of a retirement home, and her story is told in flashbacks. Sarah is the contemporary woman who buys Connie's home and discovers the secrets contained within. How does Anna in India connect to Connie and Sarah? That is the mystery.....
While there is nothing startling in the revelations, this is a lovely read, and one that I enjoyed. The characters are well portrayed, as are the historical and emotional aspects.
😊😊😊.5
#TheOrphanHouse #NetGalley
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ann Bennett was born in a small village in Northamptonshire, UK and now lives in Surrey. Her first book, A Daughter's Quest, originally published as Bamboo Heart, was inspired by her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway. The Planter's Wife (originally published as Bamboo Island) a Daughter's Promise and The Homecoming, (formerly Bamboo Road) are also about the war in South East Asia. The idea for The Orphan House came from researching her great-grandfather, Brice Bennett, who was headmaster of a county school for pauper children in Wargrave, Berkshire. The Orphan House and a further WW2 historical novel will be published by Bookouture in 2020. Ann is married with three grown up sons and works as a lawyer.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Orphan House by Ann Bennett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 5, 2021
All the feels. All of them. My heart, this is such an amazing story. I don't know what drawls me to orphan HF stories, but they just grab me. This does exactly that. Grabs you and keeps you tearing up as you turn pages unraveling secrets. Two women finding themselves and their connection to each other. So good and so darn heartbreaking. There are alternative time lines, but I don't have issues with that at all. I know some people don't like that though. If you like Lisa Wingate or Christina Baker Kline, I think you would enjoy this. Just keep some tissues and a cup of tea close by. Perfect cozy weather read!
August 21, 2021
Sisters Connie and Evie live at Cedar Hall a house on the grounds of the orphanage run by her their father Ezra Burroughs at Weirfield in England. In 1934, the orphanage is home to a hundred abandoned children and babies. Connie and Evie help look after the children, their father provides a safe place for the orphans to live and he's a respected member of the community. Newborn babies are found on the doorstep, they stay in the nursery and when they leave and Connie assumes they had been legally adopted. Ezra Burroughs is a complicated man, he’s extremely religious, he can be very nice, and he has a secretive and dangerous side. He converted the upstairs of the old coach house into a room for himself, and sometimes Connie thought she heard crying coming from the building?
Sarah Jennings is devastated when she’s questioned by the police about her husband Alex, they run a successful restaurant together and she has no idea her husband's involved in illegal activities. She leaves London, to say with her father William at his cottage at Weirfield and she needs time to decide what’s she’s going to do. She notices Cedar Hall is up for sale, the old house has always fascinated her and her father William was abandoned at the orphanage as a baby and he’s trying to find out about his birth family. Her father isn’t well, so Sarah decides to try and solve the mystery herself and she visits Connie Burroughs in her nursing home.
Connie promised her father, she would keep his papers private, she questions if she has done the right thing, she did notice some sinister things happening at the orphanage and maybe it’s time for her to expose her father’s past and free herself from the burden she’s been carrying for all these years. The Dual timeline narrative goes between the 1930’s in England and India and present time England and it’s fascinating to read. A story about secrets, family, duty, mystery, adoption, and illegal activities being hidden and covered up in the past and the present.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it’s well written, hard to put down, and I highly recommend The Orphan House by Ann Bennett and five stars from me.
Sarah Jennings is devastated when she’s questioned by the police about her husband Alex, they run a successful restaurant together and she has no idea her husband's involved in illegal activities. She leaves London, to say with her father William at his cottage at Weirfield and she needs time to decide what’s she’s going to do. She notices Cedar Hall is up for sale, the old house has always fascinated her and her father William was abandoned at the orphanage as a baby and he’s trying to find out about his birth family. Her father isn’t well, so Sarah decides to try and solve the mystery herself and she visits Connie Burroughs in her nursing home.
Connie promised her father, she would keep his papers private, she questions if she has done the right thing, she did notice some sinister things happening at the orphanage and maybe it’s time for her to expose her father’s past and free herself from the burden she’s been carrying for all these years. The Dual timeline narrative goes between the 1930’s in England and India and present time England and it’s fascinating to read. A story about secrets, family, duty, mystery, adoption, and illegal activities being hidden and covered up in the past and the present.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it’s well written, hard to put down, and I highly recommend The Orphan House by Ann Bennett and five stars from me.
December 10, 2021
I think it's neat when an author takes a bit of their family history and uses their imagination to build a story around it. In this case, Ann Bennett's great-grandfather worked as a superintendent at a county school for pauper children and she was inspired by the lives of the kids to write this novel. It led to an interesting reading experience as the story manages to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming at times.
In 1934, Connie Burroughs was living at the orphanage, Cedar Hall, with her father who runs the place, and her mom and sister. Decades later, she has moved into a nursing home and Cedar Hall is up for sale.
Sarah Jennings has left her husband and is staying with her father at his cottage while she figures out her next move. Her father briefly spent time at Cedar Hall as a baby before he was adopted by a couple. He knows nothing about his biological parents and would love to finally get some answers. Sarah decides to do some investigating and perhaps Connie is the key to helping solve the mystery of her dad's past.
Recently I have been reading a ton of thrillers, mysteries, and romances so this book really was like a breath of fresh air. I did have a general sense of the direction of certain storylines, but the journey to get there certainly held my interest. It helps that the women are characters you feel invested in. I don't want to make it seem like the story is all sunshine and roses as there are sad elements to the plot, but overall it really is a pleasant read.
Thank you to Forever for providing me with a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
In 1934, Connie Burroughs was living at the orphanage, Cedar Hall, with her father who runs the place, and her mom and sister. Decades later, she has moved into a nursing home and Cedar Hall is up for sale.
Sarah Jennings has left her husband and is staying with her father at his cottage while she figures out her next move. Her father briefly spent time at Cedar Hall as a baby before he was adopted by a couple. He knows nothing about his biological parents and would love to finally get some answers. Sarah decides to do some investigating and perhaps Connie is the key to helping solve the mystery of her dad's past.
Recently I have been reading a ton of thrillers, mysteries, and romances so this book really was like a breath of fresh air. I did have a general sense of the direction of certain storylines, but the journey to get there certainly held my interest. It helps that the women are characters you feel invested in. I don't want to make it seem like the story is all sunshine and roses as there are sad elements to the plot, but overall it really is a pleasant read.
Thank you to Forever for providing me with a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
February 10, 2020
2.5 STARS - The Orphan House's blurb promises a story about 'incredible acts of courage' and features a Gothic old house (who doesn't love one of those?), dual time frames and a mystery. With that description and its gorgeous cover art, it sounded like a book that was right up my alley! But this book isn't so much eerie and mysterious as it is a sweet story.
I hate to say it but I was underwhelmed with this book. Readers are given an abundance of foreshadowing that made the story predictable and lack tension. There are some interesting characters, but they remain underdeveloped and readers are told, not shown, many of their connections and feelings. I also questioned why some aspects (ie. the romance, Sarah's marriage problems) were included at all since they didn't add to the story.
While this book had great potential, it fell flat for me but please know that I am in the minority with my review. Many other readers enjoyed this book but for me, an avid Historical Fiction reader, it needed more tension in its mystery, depth to its story and better developed characters.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Bookouture for my complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I hate to say it but I was underwhelmed with this book. Readers are given an abundance of foreshadowing that made the story predictable and lack tension. There are some interesting characters, but they remain underdeveloped and readers are told, not shown, many of their connections and feelings. I also questioned why some aspects (ie. the romance, Sarah's marriage problems) were included at all since they didn't add to the story.
While this book had great potential, it fell flat for me but please know that I am in the minority with my review. Many other readers enjoyed this book but for me, an avid Historical Fiction reader, it needed more tension in its mystery, depth to its story and better developed characters.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Bookouture for my complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 1, 2022
Secrets are at the heart of this story about a house located beside an orphanage where Connie and Evie lived with their father who ran the orphanage. The orphanage was demolished leaving the house Cedar Hall where Connie and Evie remained well into old age until Evie died and Connie was put into a home. Cedar Hall has to be sold.
Sarah Jennings has left her husband in London due to the police’s financial investigations into his business dealings. Sarah has come to be near her father and finds him engrossed in finding his birth mother since he grew up in the orphanage. Sarah driving by is fascinated by the old decrepit Cedar Hall.
Long story short she buys Cedar Hall only to find, while doing up the place, some very disturbing things on the property.
There are secrets upon secrets much of which Connie is keeping about her father who she respected but also feared, but the time has come to set things right and stunning secrets are revealed.
Sarah Jennings has left her husband in London due to the police’s financial investigations into his business dealings. Sarah has come to be near her father and finds him engrossed in finding his birth mother since he grew up in the orphanage. Sarah driving by is fascinated by the old decrepit Cedar Hall.
Long story short she buys Cedar Hall only to find, while doing up the place, some very disturbing things on the property.
There are secrets upon secrets much of which Connie is keeping about her father who she respected but also feared, but the time has come to set things right and stunning secrets are revealed.
February 3, 2020
Oh what a wonderful book! This beautifully written story tugs at the heart strings. The writing is assured, stunning. Secrets are revealed as this masterful tale unfolds, every page a treat to be savoured. I lived this book, it hooked me from the first line and kept me engrossed until the last, the characters coming to life so it took a while to adjust to my surroundings when real life beckoned. I am still thinking about the characters and their choices. A book to treasure and reread. A masterpiece.
February 1, 2020
A Mother Found
This book was fascinating in its vivid description of the village in India, the many sites such as the bazaar, the Baptist church, and the Castle. It was also quite descriptive of the English village where sat Cedar Hall and where the orphanage once stood. It is a story of a mother's heartbreak, a child lost and finally the love between a daughter and her father. There was a lot going on and it kept the pages turning.
I loved the characters, Connie, Sarah, and Anna. The story is rather sad, the ending happy and with a twist toward the end involving Connie. Sara's father's search for his birth mom, and Connie's secret she was finally able to let go of. The story of Anna was very sad.
The story was well written, the book kept my interest to the end, and I would definitely recommend it.
Thanks to Ann Bennett, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of the book.
This book was fascinating in its vivid description of the village in India, the many sites such as the bazaar, the Baptist church, and the Castle. It was also quite descriptive of the English village where sat Cedar Hall and where the orphanage once stood. It is a story of a mother's heartbreak, a child lost and finally the love between a daughter and her father. There was a lot going on and it kept the pages turning.
I loved the characters, Connie, Sarah, and Anna. The story is rather sad, the ending happy and with a twist toward the end involving Connie. Sara's father's search for his birth mom, and Connie's secret she was finally able to let go of. The story of Anna was very sad.
The story was well written, the book kept my interest to the end, and I would definitely recommend it.
Thanks to Ann Bennett, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of the book.
February 19, 2020
This is a really good story with a good plot and one I didn't want to end. The characters all came to life so vividly, and the authors descriptions of things and places from the past were beautifully realized.
The Orphan house follows the story of Connie, now in a senior living facility and Sarah, a young woman who moves to town to see her father, but also to get away from her life back in London, and from her husband.
Connie grew up in this small town, her father was a minister and ran an orphanage in town. She was alone now as her sister the only other living relative had died the year before
Sarah's father was an orphan that had been adopted from that orphanage, and he was trying to find out about his birth mother. When his daughter arrives, in town, she tries to help him in his search.
While driving around town, she sees a wonderful old house, which actually was where Connie grew up and the minister lived.
Sarah is able to buy the house, thanks to an intervention that happened thanks to Connie, so the two meet and start forming a friendship.
This house is full of mystery, secrets, and a surprising past. This story has a lot of great things working for it and never leaves you bored
I enjoy this Authors storytelling very much and look forward to reading more of her books.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.
The Orphan house follows the story of Connie, now in a senior living facility and Sarah, a young woman who moves to town to see her father, but also to get away from her life back in London, and from her husband.
Connie grew up in this small town, her father was a minister and ran an orphanage in town. She was alone now as her sister the only other living relative had died the year before
Sarah's father was an orphan that had been adopted from that orphanage, and he was trying to find out about his birth mother. When his daughter arrives, in town, she tries to help him in his search.
While driving around town, she sees a wonderful old house, which actually was where Connie grew up and the minister lived.
Sarah is able to buy the house, thanks to an intervention that happened thanks to Connie, so the two meet and start forming a friendship.
This house is full of mystery, secrets, and a surprising past. This story has a lot of great things working for it and never leaves you bored
I enjoy this Authors storytelling very much and look forward to reading more of her books.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.
November 17, 2021
Pensive, tense, and emotive!
The Orphan House is an engaging, mysterious tale that sweeps you away to the idyllic village of Weirfield and immerses you into the lives of two main characters, Sarah Jennings, a young woman who, after heading to her father’s home to regroup after her marriage falls apart, finds herself taking care of her father, purchasing a historic home, and endeavouring to rebuild a new life in a house that needs a lot of work and seems to contain a lot of hidden surprises; and Connie Burroughs, an elderly woman who, after a recent fall and subsequent move to an assisted-living facility, decides to let the memories she’s been protecting and her father’s long-buried secrets finally come to light.
The prose is evocative and expressive. The characters are focused, troubled, and attentive. And the plot, set in both the 1930s as well as present-day, is a tender, heartfelt mix of life, love, family, friendship, self-reflection, history, abuse, power, negligence, community, new beginnings, and second chances.
Overall, The Orphan House is a hopeful, absorbing, reflective tale by Bennett that, with its compelling storyline and endearing characters, I’m sure glad I didn’t miss.
Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Orphan House is an engaging, mysterious tale that sweeps you away to the idyllic village of Weirfield and immerses you into the lives of two main characters, Sarah Jennings, a young woman who, after heading to her father’s home to regroup after her marriage falls apart, finds herself taking care of her father, purchasing a historic home, and endeavouring to rebuild a new life in a house that needs a lot of work and seems to contain a lot of hidden surprises; and Connie Burroughs, an elderly woman who, after a recent fall and subsequent move to an assisted-living facility, decides to let the memories she’s been protecting and her father’s long-buried secrets finally come to light.
The prose is evocative and expressive. The characters are focused, troubled, and attentive. And the plot, set in both the 1930s as well as present-day, is a tender, heartfelt mix of life, love, family, friendship, self-reflection, history, abuse, power, negligence, community, new beginnings, and second chances.
Overall, The Orphan House is a hopeful, absorbing, reflective tale by Bennett that, with its compelling storyline and endearing characters, I’m sure glad I didn’t miss.
Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2020
Baby born 5th September 1934 approximately. Place of birth, unknown; father, unknown; mother unknown.
But all these unknowns add up to one thing that is perfectly clear...someone knows something.
It's 1934 and Connie Burroughs sees her father, the Reverend Ezra Burroughs, holding a bundle in his arms. Another abandoned baby left on the steps of Cedar Hall orphanage. But Connie knows that Father will see that the little mite is taken care of as he hands the bundle over to the housekeeper. He will take care of the paperwork and see that the child goes to a good home.
Present day: Sarah Jennings has just experienced the shock of her life. While her chef husband is overseas, police have knocked on her door wanting to go through the financial records of their restaurant business. During this process she discovers that not only was Alex mixed up with some questionable business partners but he appears to be having an affair as well. Packing her bags and leaving immediately, Sarah drives to the small Berkshire village where her father now lives.
But for some reason upon arrival in Weirfield-on-Thames, she stops outside a now derelict and seemingly abandoned Cedar Hall house that once stood adjacent to the foreboding orphanage for many years...until it was demolished to make way for a housing development. There is a For Sale sign hidden amidst the hedgerow and she wonders what secrets lay behind those doors. Sarah knows her father began his life at the orphanage for he made no secret of it and now, as she stands on the doorstep enjoying a cigarette out of the rain, she somehow feels drawn to it. When the real estate agent surprises her with his arrival and offers to show her around she finds she can't refuse. But as she walks through the rooms and its empty halls there is something haunting and sinister about the place. And yet, she is still drawn to it.
Connie Burroughs is the last remaining member of the Burroughs family of Cedar Hall. After sustaining a broken leg in a fall, she now finds herself in long term residential care and that she must sell Cedar Hall to cover her costs. But Connie is the gatekeeper to her father's secrets which lay hidden within the Hall and, according to her father's wishes, she must protect his memory at all costs. Her solicitor removes her belongings and paperwork to keep in trust until she is able to go through them but Connie fears that her father's secrets may come to light if she doesn't personally see to them herself. And yet, all too soon, her promise to her father becomes impossible to keep when, after the Hall is sold, some papers and belongings of his are uncovered.
Before moving into the care home, Connie had some of her most important possessions brought to her and buried deep within her sewing kit is one such thing. A diary, leather-bound and locked, which has remained unread for eight decades even by Connie herself. For in 1934, she found herself entrusted with it by a woman whose face has haunted her since. It is only now that Connie unlocks the diary and begins to read Anna's heartbreaking story.
1934: Anna finds herself in India after a scandal surrounding her father and married off to Lt Col Donald Foster, a man with his own demons. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Anna finds herself largely alone and left to her own devices. She spends days travelling by rickshaw to various places throughout the area to explore and sketch. But one day, she makes a mistake that sends her back to England where she crosses paths with young Connie Burroughs, entrusting her with a secret.
Meanwhile Connie's present dreams take her back to the past as she recalls secrets locked behind closed doors and her desire to know what lay beyond them. But eighty years of secrets has taken its toll on Connie and she wonders how much longer she can protect the truth from being revealed.
Three women whose lives intersect as the past meets the present in tragic circumstances with overwhelming results.
My first book by Ann Bennett, THE ORPHAN HOUSE is a delightful read filled with suspense, mystery and intrigue as Sarah tries to uncover the truth. It is a historical book with a difference in that the only historical timeline is seen through Connie's eyes as she remembers the past and in reading Anna's diary. It was different and yet still enjoyable.
Although I found THE ORPHAN HOUSE a relatively easy read, I thought some of it to be a little convoluted in presentation. For example, when Connie is reliving moments from her past these could have been placed as new chapters and titled "Connie, 1934" to make the past and the present easier to distinguish, rather than throw her memories into the present day chapter. Also with Anna's diary entries, I felt the chapter should also have been given over to Anna completely and titled "Anna, 1934" and kept in italics so the reader knows it is from her diary. Separating chapters into past and present makes for much easy reading and the story flows with greater ease.
While the story is probably somewhat predictable, THE ORPHAN HOUSE is still an enjoyable read taking place in both British India in the 1930s and England both in the past and present day. The ending is a heartfelt and somewhat heartbreaking touch that had me in tears.
Haunted with secrets and regrets, THE ORPHAN HOUSE weaves a tale that spans across oceans and generations that comes full circle by the story's end.
Recommended for a light and yet fulfilling read.
I would like to thank #AnnBennett, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOrphanHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
But all these unknowns add up to one thing that is perfectly clear...someone knows something.
It's 1934 and Connie Burroughs sees her father, the Reverend Ezra Burroughs, holding a bundle in his arms. Another abandoned baby left on the steps of Cedar Hall orphanage. But Connie knows that Father will see that the little mite is taken care of as he hands the bundle over to the housekeeper. He will take care of the paperwork and see that the child goes to a good home.
Present day: Sarah Jennings has just experienced the shock of her life. While her chef husband is overseas, police have knocked on her door wanting to go through the financial records of their restaurant business. During this process she discovers that not only was Alex mixed up with some questionable business partners but he appears to be having an affair as well. Packing her bags and leaving immediately, Sarah drives to the small Berkshire village where her father now lives.
But for some reason upon arrival in Weirfield-on-Thames, she stops outside a now derelict and seemingly abandoned Cedar Hall house that once stood adjacent to the foreboding orphanage for many years...until it was demolished to make way for a housing development. There is a For Sale sign hidden amidst the hedgerow and she wonders what secrets lay behind those doors. Sarah knows her father began his life at the orphanage for he made no secret of it and now, as she stands on the doorstep enjoying a cigarette out of the rain, she somehow feels drawn to it. When the real estate agent surprises her with his arrival and offers to show her around she finds she can't refuse. But as she walks through the rooms and its empty halls there is something haunting and sinister about the place. And yet, she is still drawn to it.
Connie Burroughs is the last remaining member of the Burroughs family of Cedar Hall. After sustaining a broken leg in a fall, she now finds herself in long term residential care and that she must sell Cedar Hall to cover her costs. But Connie is the gatekeeper to her father's secrets which lay hidden within the Hall and, according to her father's wishes, she must protect his memory at all costs. Her solicitor removes her belongings and paperwork to keep in trust until she is able to go through them but Connie fears that her father's secrets may come to light if she doesn't personally see to them herself. And yet, all too soon, her promise to her father becomes impossible to keep when, after the Hall is sold, some papers and belongings of his are uncovered.
Before moving into the care home, Connie had some of her most important possessions brought to her and buried deep within her sewing kit is one such thing. A diary, leather-bound and locked, which has remained unread for eight decades even by Connie herself. For in 1934, she found herself entrusted with it by a woman whose face has haunted her since. It is only now that Connie unlocks the diary and begins to read Anna's heartbreaking story.
1934: Anna finds herself in India after a scandal surrounding her father and married off to Lt Col Donald Foster, a man with his own demons. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Anna finds herself largely alone and left to her own devices. She spends days travelling by rickshaw to various places throughout the area to explore and sketch. But one day, she makes a mistake that sends her back to England where she crosses paths with young Connie Burroughs, entrusting her with a secret.
Meanwhile Connie's present dreams take her back to the past as she recalls secrets locked behind closed doors and her desire to know what lay beyond them. But eighty years of secrets has taken its toll on Connie and she wonders how much longer she can protect the truth from being revealed.
Three women whose lives intersect as the past meets the present in tragic circumstances with overwhelming results.
My first book by Ann Bennett, THE ORPHAN HOUSE is a delightful read filled with suspense, mystery and intrigue as Sarah tries to uncover the truth. It is a historical book with a difference in that the only historical timeline is seen through Connie's eyes as she remembers the past and in reading Anna's diary. It was different and yet still enjoyable.
Although I found THE ORPHAN HOUSE a relatively easy read, I thought some of it to be a little convoluted in presentation. For example, when Connie is reliving moments from her past these could have been placed as new chapters and titled "Connie, 1934" to make the past and the present easier to distinguish, rather than throw her memories into the present day chapter. Also with Anna's diary entries, I felt the chapter should also have been given over to Anna completely and titled "Anna, 1934" and kept in italics so the reader knows it is from her diary. Separating chapters into past and present makes for much easy reading and the story flows with greater ease.
While the story is probably somewhat predictable, THE ORPHAN HOUSE is still an enjoyable read taking place in both British India in the 1930s and England both in the past and present day. The ending is a heartfelt and somewhat heartbreaking touch that had me in tears.
Haunted with secrets and regrets, THE ORPHAN HOUSE weaves a tale that spans across oceans and generations that comes full circle by the story's end.
Recommended for a light and yet fulfilling read.
I would like to thank #AnnBennett, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOrphanHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 28, 2020
The Orphan House is the first book that I have read by Ann Bennett and I have to say it was a brilliant read with a really good plot packed full of suspense, intrigue, tension and emotion. The first few pages made me think oh this is just going to be another run of the mill saga book with nothing that really sets it apart from all the rest, one that you enjoy reading at the time but it doesn't leave much of a mark on you when finished. But delving further into a couple of chapters I soon came to realise that this book had real depth to it and that it was more so set in the present day and every so often it ventured to the past through Connie's memories and also diary entries from a character whose true importance only becomes apparent from around the midway point. Even more so I didn't expect to be taken to India within this story and that added an extra dimension to what was already shaping up to be a book that would become hard to leave out of your hands. I certainly wasn't expecting such a roller-coaster of a read that has you rapidly turning the pages because you so keen to uncover the mystery and secrets that permeate each of the pages.
Two women are the focus of the book Sarah Jennings and Connie Burroughs. Sarah's life has imploded as she flees from the marital home following revelations and surprising visits which she had never believed could be possible. She knows now her marriage to Alex is over as she cannot comprehend nor forgive what has come to light. As she travels to her father's home seeking refuge and to take stock of what has just happened, she stops for a break from the drive and in the village of Weirfield she spots a house which instigates some niggling memories. Cedar Hall is now on the market and then it comes to her what is now a housing estate next to it was once an orphanage. In fact the orphanage was where her father William was placed as a foundling. The full circumstances of which he never uncovered but now he wishes to do so given he himself has some news that will change everything for him.
By chance the estate agent arrives and shows Sarah around. Two sisters Connie and Evie Burroughs once lived there but now Evie has passed away and Connie is in a nursing home due to a fall. The house stirs something in Sarah but she can't quite put her finger on what it is. At this pivotal turning point in Sarah's life she starts to comprehend that for too long she has been smoothing over everything in her life on the surface, refusing to accept that anything is wrong and maybe now a new opportunity is being afforded to her. As she makes contact with Connie and beats the developers in their offer she becomes the new owner of Cedar Hall and sets about renovating it. I did think all of this was very sudden and out of the blue and that money seemed to be no issue. She did own a restaurant with her husband but still does money become that readily available so easily? Anyway, that is a minor issue and not relevant over all to the plot. More so it is an observation on my part.
As Sarah begins stripping back the house to decorate in a way which suits her she uncovers some things that pose many questions. There is a sinister feeling that she just can't shake, just what has happened here in the house in the past? Why were the things she found hidden away? Can she get through to Connie and make her reveal and explain as to what exactly went on and why? If Sarah can do this maybe sleeping dogs can be finally be allowed to lie? I enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and her father and the further I read the more I came to understand that her buying the hall was a way to help her father but also a way to aid her own recovery from what had to have been very traumatic experiences.
It was almost as if the house had been waiting for Sarah to take ownership of it and that it was breathing a sigh of relief as all the secrets and goings on within it were now going to come to light and that confidences and mysteries were finally about to reveal themselves. Sarah was the bridge between the past and the present and she had the tools and the methods in which to unlock the secrets if she followed the right path and joined the dots together. Having a bit of romance on Sarah's part also offered some light relief when I felt things were really reaching that point of no return once things were out in the open.
Connie is in her 90's and though she has suffered a setback with her fall, she has all her faculties about her and her mind is as sharp as a pin and maybe that is what torments her the most. That she remembers and is holding onto things close to her chest that really she should have admitted to many years ago. But the power someone still exerts over her dominates her every thought and action and I thought she was being meek and submissive instead of following the right path and listening to her conscience. But on the other hand I suppose one can't easily change a viewpoint or stance that has been held for practically a lifetime if they have lived in fear of retribution and punishment for so long. But now with Sarah stirring things up I hoped that Connie would find the guts to admit what she knew because it was evident from the very beginning that she was laying many cards close to her chest.
Past events have not been spoken about by Connie for many years if ever and her thoughts and dreams are terror filled. The past is a force that both controls and frightens her but you would think at this stage of her life what has she really got to loose by unburdening herself from a lifetime of constraints. She was consumed by guilt but yet a grip and control was still exerted over her that she didn't think she could shake off. The arrival of someone from her past to live in the nursing home combined with Sarah buying the hall is another motivation for her to share everything. But she is willing to take the risk and let everything be known or is she still too fearful of the repercussions?
The Orphan House drip feeds the reader clues and hints as to what is going on. You can never fully guess with certainty as to what is happening but from the descriptive language used and the sinister and tense images conjured up you just know that it can't be all good. Transporting the reader to India through the diary entries brought another dimension to the story and again the author showed that no matter what setting she was writing or what point in time she had the knack of transporting the reader and showing another side to the overall story. There are so many dots to join together and conundrums to decipher but it was a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience as you journey with both Sarah and Connie to do so. The Orphan House is a compelling story where you are quickly transported to the heart of things and are not released until the very last moment. It's well worth a read.
Two women are the focus of the book Sarah Jennings and Connie Burroughs. Sarah's life has imploded as she flees from the marital home following revelations and surprising visits which she had never believed could be possible. She knows now her marriage to Alex is over as she cannot comprehend nor forgive what has come to light. As she travels to her father's home seeking refuge and to take stock of what has just happened, she stops for a break from the drive and in the village of Weirfield she spots a house which instigates some niggling memories. Cedar Hall is now on the market and then it comes to her what is now a housing estate next to it was once an orphanage. In fact the orphanage was where her father William was placed as a foundling. The full circumstances of which he never uncovered but now he wishes to do so given he himself has some news that will change everything for him.
By chance the estate agent arrives and shows Sarah around. Two sisters Connie and Evie Burroughs once lived there but now Evie has passed away and Connie is in a nursing home due to a fall. The house stirs something in Sarah but she can't quite put her finger on what it is. At this pivotal turning point in Sarah's life she starts to comprehend that for too long she has been smoothing over everything in her life on the surface, refusing to accept that anything is wrong and maybe now a new opportunity is being afforded to her. As she makes contact with Connie and beats the developers in their offer she becomes the new owner of Cedar Hall and sets about renovating it. I did think all of this was very sudden and out of the blue and that money seemed to be no issue. She did own a restaurant with her husband but still does money become that readily available so easily? Anyway, that is a minor issue and not relevant over all to the plot. More so it is an observation on my part.
As Sarah begins stripping back the house to decorate in a way which suits her she uncovers some things that pose many questions. There is a sinister feeling that she just can't shake, just what has happened here in the house in the past? Why were the things she found hidden away? Can she get through to Connie and make her reveal and explain as to what exactly went on and why? If Sarah can do this maybe sleeping dogs can be finally be allowed to lie? I enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and her father and the further I read the more I came to understand that her buying the hall was a way to help her father but also a way to aid her own recovery from what had to have been very traumatic experiences.
It was almost as if the house had been waiting for Sarah to take ownership of it and that it was breathing a sigh of relief as all the secrets and goings on within it were now going to come to light and that confidences and mysteries were finally about to reveal themselves. Sarah was the bridge between the past and the present and she had the tools and the methods in which to unlock the secrets if she followed the right path and joined the dots together. Having a bit of romance on Sarah's part also offered some light relief when I felt things were really reaching that point of no return once things were out in the open.
Connie is in her 90's and though she has suffered a setback with her fall, she has all her faculties about her and her mind is as sharp as a pin and maybe that is what torments her the most. That she remembers and is holding onto things close to her chest that really she should have admitted to many years ago. But the power someone still exerts over her dominates her every thought and action and I thought she was being meek and submissive instead of following the right path and listening to her conscience. But on the other hand I suppose one can't easily change a viewpoint or stance that has been held for practically a lifetime if they have lived in fear of retribution and punishment for so long. But now with Sarah stirring things up I hoped that Connie would find the guts to admit what she knew because it was evident from the very beginning that she was laying many cards close to her chest.
Past events have not been spoken about by Connie for many years if ever and her thoughts and dreams are terror filled. The past is a force that both controls and frightens her but you would think at this stage of her life what has she really got to loose by unburdening herself from a lifetime of constraints. She was consumed by guilt but yet a grip and control was still exerted over her that she didn't think she could shake off. The arrival of someone from her past to live in the nursing home combined with Sarah buying the hall is another motivation for her to share everything. But she is willing to take the risk and let everything be known or is she still too fearful of the repercussions?
The Orphan House drip feeds the reader clues and hints as to what is going on. You can never fully guess with certainty as to what is happening but from the descriptive language used and the sinister and tense images conjured up you just know that it can't be all good. Transporting the reader to India through the diary entries brought another dimension to the story and again the author showed that no matter what setting she was writing or what point in time she had the knack of transporting the reader and showing another side to the overall story. There are so many dots to join together and conundrums to decipher but it was a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience as you journey with both Sarah and Connie to do so. The Orphan House is a compelling story where you are quickly transported to the heart of things and are not released until the very last moment. It's well worth a read.
September 10, 2025
Powerful story
This is a novel about family in its many different forms. We don't have to be blood related to be like family. It explores the lengths that some people will go to for each other, and the lengths that others will go to for themselves.
This is a novel about family in its many different forms. We don't have to be blood related to be like family. It explores the lengths that some people will go to for each other, and the lengths that others will go to for themselves.
February 14, 2020
I absolutely loved this book and I had a hard time putting it down. Sarah and her husband Alex split up and Sarah returns to her father's home to begin divorce proceedings. Her father is having health problems and would like to know who his real mother is, so he moved near the orphanage that he was in before he was adopted. The orphanage has been torn down and homes built but the house that belonged to it is on the market now - a big 3-story home in need of a lot of TLC. Sarah falls in love with it and buys it. While beginning renovations, she starts to uncover secrets of the orphanage, secrets of who her father's mother was and secrets of the Reverend Burroughs, Headmaster, as well as his two daughters, Constance and Evie, who lived in the house until just recently. This book is told from different POVs and time periods but everything is neatly wrapped up in the end. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this very fascinating book in exchange for an honest review, I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could.
January 28, 2020
If there were ever to be a perfect bookclub book, it would be The Orphan House.
Beautifully portrayed charecters, who were so vivid reading The Orphan House almost felt like watching it on the big screen, every place, person, and circumstance came to live and felt almost tangible. From growing up in an orphanage, to leaving a deceiptful marriage, overcoming family illnesses and secrets, to re-finding old love, and traveling to far off lands, The Orphan House will surely touch your soul.
The interweaving of timelines and families through hardships and triumphs over generations and across oceans came together to be all tied up in a bow by the last page.
Highly recommend for a light yet fulfilling read.
Beautifully portrayed charecters, who were so vivid reading The Orphan House almost felt like watching it on the big screen, every place, person, and circumstance came to live and felt almost tangible. From growing up in an orphanage, to leaving a deceiptful marriage, overcoming family illnesses and secrets, to re-finding old love, and traveling to far off lands, The Orphan House will surely touch your soul.
The interweaving of timelines and families through hardships and triumphs over generations and across oceans came together to be all tied up in a bow by the last page.
Highly recommend for a light yet fulfilling read.
March 5, 2020
Love the cover! But that was about all I liked about this book. I thought all the characters were insufferable and there were so many unbelievable parts in the story. Sarah just ups and leaves her marriage and doesn't even have a discussion with her husband? It's not until after the divorce that he explains himself?? She closes the business without a second thought about the employees and customers? And who buys a house in the middle of a divorce? Wouldn't the husband get half of it?
The story was extremely slow. I thought the author was trying too hard on throwing in some surprises. The ending was anticlimatic.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Ann Bennett for a copy of "The Orphan House" in exchange of an honest review.
The story was extremely slow. I thought the author was trying too hard on throwing in some surprises. The ending was anticlimatic.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Ann Bennett for a copy of "The Orphan House" in exchange of an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2020
I gave this book 5 stars based on the story line and twists throughout the book. It is definitely a must read book. I found myself not wanting to put it down.
July 23, 2022
4.5 stars! A dig into a family’s dark history, trying to solve “who they really are”.
March 29, 2019
The Foundling’s Daughter is by Ann Bennett. This novel takes place in a small English village and in Bombay and Kandaipur, India around 1934 and then the present. It touches on some topics which are generally not talked about, homosexuality, baby selling, money laundering, adultery, blackmail, and even vaguely abuse. Once you read the book, you begin to see how all of these topics are entwined within the story. It is well-written and definitely keeps the reader engaged. It is told in alternating chapters by Connie, Sarah, and Anna’s Diary.
Constance Burroughs had to finally leave her home, Cedar Lodge. She had lived there with her parents and sister while her Father ran the orphanage next door. After her parents died, she and her sister continued living there until Evie’s death and Connie’s fall. Now the house was up for sale and her lawyer was going to clear the house out. Connie was upset that she hadn’t cleared out some things before her fall. Now, she wouldn’t be able to protect her Father’s belongings and papers. She could hear his yelling even now. She knew she was going to have to remember the past and finally read Anna’s Diary.
Sarah Jennings had come to the neighboring town to stay with her Dad for a while. She was leaving her husband and their business and was going to divorce him. The police questioning her about an account where Jemma, a former waitress in their café, had been paid a monthly check was the last straw. She had no idea what Alex was doing; but she was finished with him. While on her way to her Father’s, she stopped in front of Cedar Lodge to go across the street for cigarettes. When she came back to the car, the house called to her and she stepped in to look at the abandoned house. The real estate agent was there and took her on a tour of the house. The house intrigued her; but buying a house was not in her plans.
Her Father had decided to try to find his birth mother. Sarah had not known he was adopted; but he had found out when he was young. Now, was the time to try to find her. He knew he had been adopted from the orphanage that had been next to Cedar Lodge. Maybe Constance knew something that could put him on the right path. That is, if she will talk to them.
From England to India and back, the novel takes us for a world tour. The twists just keep coming up in the plot. You can’t put the book down.
Constance Burroughs had to finally leave her home, Cedar Lodge. She had lived there with her parents and sister while her Father ran the orphanage next door. After her parents died, she and her sister continued living there until Evie’s death and Connie’s fall. Now the house was up for sale and her lawyer was going to clear the house out. Connie was upset that she hadn’t cleared out some things before her fall. Now, she wouldn’t be able to protect her Father’s belongings and papers. She could hear his yelling even now. She knew she was going to have to remember the past and finally read Anna’s Diary.
Sarah Jennings had come to the neighboring town to stay with her Dad for a while. She was leaving her husband and their business and was going to divorce him. The police questioning her about an account where Jemma, a former waitress in their café, had been paid a monthly check was the last straw. She had no idea what Alex was doing; but she was finished with him. While on her way to her Father’s, she stopped in front of Cedar Lodge to go across the street for cigarettes. When she came back to the car, the house called to her and she stepped in to look at the abandoned house. The real estate agent was there and took her on a tour of the house. The house intrigued her; but buying a house was not in her plans.
Her Father had decided to try to find his birth mother. Sarah had not known he was adopted; but he had found out when he was young. Now, was the time to try to find her. He knew he had been adopted from the orphanage that had been next to Cedar Lodge. Maybe Constance knew something that could put him on the right path. That is, if she will talk to them.
From England to India and back, the novel takes us for a world tour. The twists just keep coming up in the plot. You can’t put the book down.
January 31, 2020
What an amazing read!!! I didn't expect this to be a roller coaster of Emotions, Suspense, and Mystery but it was everything!!
I really enjoy The Orphan House, it was a very emotional book, with a lot of secrets and back agendas that slowly we will get to discover as the story moves forward. whatever you think will happen it won't. This story will keep surprising you and taking you to new scenarios that will make the story and the secrets more complicated, some rodes will close but the light will show at the end, bringing peace and happiness to Sarah and all the Characters that were involved seeking the truth.
Sarah is helping her father to find out a secret that has been bugging him for a long time, she didn't know she was going to embark in a journey that will open not just the secrets of Her father's roots but also will bring out secrets that are very hard to hear.
Connie was very misunderstood, she was very fragile and live with a lot of fear, her past kept holding her back to move forward and finally release all that fear, She was only trying to protect her family but with time we will understand her better.
Two different lives, Two different stories connected by a terrible past that have been hidden for a long time.
The Orphan House It's about faith, about seeking the truth. It's about family and getting to know your story, about secrets that are eager to be spoken and come out of their hidden place. It's about
keep going until you finally get the peace you've been seeking and needing in your mind.
Overall it was a great read, The characters were amazing, the story will keep you wanting more and more until the end.. I'm looking forward to reading more book By Ann Bennet this was my first book by her and I love her writing so much.
I Recommend this book so much!!!
I really enjoy The Orphan House, it was a very emotional book, with a lot of secrets and back agendas that slowly we will get to discover as the story moves forward. whatever you think will happen it won't. This story will keep surprising you and taking you to new scenarios that will make the story and the secrets more complicated, some rodes will close but the light will show at the end, bringing peace and happiness to Sarah and all the Characters that were involved seeking the truth.
Sarah is helping her father to find out a secret that has been bugging him for a long time, she didn't know she was going to embark in a journey that will open not just the secrets of Her father's roots but also will bring out secrets that are very hard to hear.
Connie was very misunderstood, she was very fragile and live with a lot of fear, her past kept holding her back to move forward and finally release all that fear, She was only trying to protect her family but with time we will understand her better.
Two different lives, Two different stories connected by a terrible past that have been hidden for a long time.
The Orphan House It's about faith, about seeking the truth. It's about family and getting to know your story, about secrets that are eager to be spoken and come out of their hidden place. It's about
keep going until you finally get the peace you've been seeking and needing in your mind.
Overall it was a great read, The characters were amazing, the story will keep you wanting more and more until the end.. I'm looking forward to reading more book By Ann Bennet this was my first book by her and I love her writing so much.
I Recommend this book so much!!!
January 26, 2020
"One day, everything changed."
Home. Everybody has a reason for going home.
Secrets. Everybody has secrets. Sometimes the secrets are not our secrets we are keeping.
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us into the lives of Connie and Sarah. The Orphan House, is dual perspective. Well, it is actually triple, if you consider the mysterious diary that was given to Connie by Anna.
We start off in 1934, with Connie walking to the door of Cedar Hall Orphanage, and seeing the housekeeper holding a tiny baby...another abandoned baby. Connie's dad is in charge of the orphanage, and as always, he will take care of the paperwork.
Then, we jump to present day and Sarah Jennings has left her husband and is headed back home to tell her dad. She's not sure she will ever be able to go back to Alex. After what he has done, how can she?
These two women have a lot of questions they need to find the answers to. How will the lives of these two women intersect?
What lengths will Connie go to in order to protect her dad's secrets?
What lengths will Sarah go to in order to find the answers to her dad's past?
Daughters usually put their dads on a pedestal, but what happens when that pedestal gets shattered by the truth?
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us down a path that ultimately leads to healing. The twists and turns of how we get there, will sometimes find you breathless.
Reasons to read The Orphan House:
If you like drama.
If you like father/daughter relationships.
If you like secrets.
If you like full circle moments.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Orphan House.
https://shannonblogsaboutbooks.blogsp...
Home. Everybody has a reason for going home.
Secrets. Everybody has secrets. Sometimes the secrets are not our secrets we are keeping.
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us into the lives of Connie and Sarah. The Orphan House, is dual perspective. Well, it is actually triple, if you consider the mysterious diary that was given to Connie by Anna.
We start off in 1934, with Connie walking to the door of Cedar Hall Orphanage, and seeing the housekeeper holding a tiny baby...another abandoned baby. Connie's dad is in charge of the orphanage, and as always, he will take care of the paperwork.
Then, we jump to present day and Sarah Jennings has left her husband and is headed back home to tell her dad. She's not sure she will ever be able to go back to Alex. After what he has done, how can she?
These two women have a lot of questions they need to find the answers to. How will the lives of these two women intersect?
What lengths will Connie go to in order to protect her dad's secrets?
What lengths will Sarah go to in order to find the answers to her dad's past?
Daughters usually put their dads on a pedestal, but what happens when that pedestal gets shattered by the truth?
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us down a path that ultimately leads to healing. The twists and turns of how we get there, will sometimes find you breathless.
Reasons to read The Orphan House:
If you like drama.
If you like father/daughter relationships.
If you like secrets.
If you like full circle moments.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Orphan House.
https://shannonblogsaboutbooks.blogsp...
January 27, 2020
When I started reading The Orphan House by Ann Bennett I thought I was going to be reading about orphans during WWll because it takes place in 1934 in a village on the River Thames in England. I did not read anything about it before I started. I was not at all correct. Instead this is a gripping story about a Baptist Reverend that runs an orphanage and three women who are haunted by him. The Orphan House will keep you saying one more chapter, one more chapter until you realize it’s 3:00 a.m. and you need to get to sleep because you have to be up at 7:00 a.m.
The story is told by three different women. Connie Burroughs is in her 90’s and the daughter of Baptist Reverend Ezra Burroughs the man who ran the orphanage. She has kept her fathers secrets for her entire life and realizes it is time to break her silence. Sarah Jennings is the daughter of William King. William was a foundling at the orphanage; he was adopted at six months and wants to find out who his real mother is before he dies. Anna Foster lived in India and her story is told through a diary.
There are so many secrets, there are loving relationships between fathers and daughters and hateful relationships between fathers and daughters. There are twists and turns and every chapter leaves you hanging, wanting to read more. I loved many of the little side relationships and stories that were unexpected. Great story telling by Ann Bennett, a new author for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of The Orphan House by Ann Bennett in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author.
The story is told by three different women. Connie Burroughs is in her 90’s and the daughter of Baptist Reverend Ezra Burroughs the man who ran the orphanage. She has kept her fathers secrets for her entire life and realizes it is time to break her silence. Sarah Jennings is the daughter of William King. William was a foundling at the orphanage; he was adopted at six months and wants to find out who his real mother is before he dies. Anna Foster lived in India and her story is told through a diary.
There are so many secrets, there are loving relationships between fathers and daughters and hateful relationships between fathers and daughters. There are twists and turns and every chapter leaves you hanging, wanting to read more. I loved many of the little side relationships and stories that were unexpected. Great story telling by Ann Bennett, a new author for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of The Orphan House by Ann Bennett in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author.
March 14, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I chose this one because of the cover, honestly. Something about these little girls drew me in and I requested it without even reading about it at all. The Orphan house follows the story of Connie, now in a home for seniors, Sarah, a young woman who comes to live with her father as she tries to sort out her life, and in a round about way, Anna, a woman who we meet through a diary in Connie's possession. Sarah's father is getting up in age and is having health problems so he moved near the orphanage that he grew up in because he wants to find out who is birth mother was before he dies. Sarah ends up buying the house next to the orphanage, which actually once belonged to Connie's family. It is essentially a story about a Baptist Reverend who runs the orphanage and the people that are affected by how he ran it. Connie is his daughter, Sarah is the daughter of a boy who lived in the orphanage and Anna is a girl who came to the orphanage with a problem. I loved the diary of Anna and seeing India through her eyes and I loved how it all came together in the end. The characters were very easy to get to know and the way the author described the surroundings made me want to visit both places myself. All in all, a very good book.
I chose this one because of the cover, honestly. Something about these little girls drew me in and I requested it without even reading about it at all. The Orphan house follows the story of Connie, now in a home for seniors, Sarah, a young woman who comes to live with her father as she tries to sort out her life, and in a round about way, Anna, a woman who we meet through a diary in Connie's possession. Sarah's father is getting up in age and is having health problems so he moved near the orphanage that he grew up in because he wants to find out who is birth mother was before he dies. Sarah ends up buying the house next to the orphanage, which actually once belonged to Connie's family. It is essentially a story about a Baptist Reverend who runs the orphanage and the people that are affected by how he ran it. Connie is his daughter, Sarah is the daughter of a boy who lived in the orphanage and Anna is a girl who came to the orphanage with a problem. I loved the diary of Anna and seeing India through her eyes and I loved how it all came together in the end. The characters were very easy to get to know and the way the author described the surroundings made me want to visit both places myself. All in all, a very good book.
November 10, 2018
Wonderful storytelling!
I have just finished reading this book and I’m bereft! I was able, for a few days, to lose myself completely in the story. I absolutely loved the way the author has plotted this book, the characters were well-rounded and endearing, and as I was reading, I felt I knew them personally. I’ve said it before about engaging stories, I like to feel as if I’m watching the drama unfold, and it’s certainly true of this book. It flowed beautifully, which is down to the skill of the writer who is completely new to me. The story ticked all the boxes – a good storyline, appealing characters, engaging dialogue, mystery, various perspectives, and finally a satisfactory conclusion. A definite 5 star read for me, and I highly recommend this book to anyone that appreciates a saga . . . but maybe don’t start it on a work night as you’ll not be able to put it down!
I have just finished reading this book and I’m bereft! I was able, for a few days, to lose myself completely in the story. I absolutely loved the way the author has plotted this book, the characters were well-rounded and endearing, and as I was reading, I felt I knew them personally. I’ve said it before about engaging stories, I like to feel as if I’m watching the drama unfold, and it’s certainly true of this book. It flowed beautifully, which is down to the skill of the writer who is completely new to me. The story ticked all the boxes – a good storyline, appealing characters, engaging dialogue, mystery, various perspectives, and finally a satisfactory conclusion. A definite 5 star read for me, and I highly recommend this book to anyone that appreciates a saga . . . but maybe don’t start it on a work night as you’ll not be able to put it down!
January 1, 2022
This story goes between 1934 when Connie was a girl living on the premise of an orphanage that her father ran and present day with Sarah who just bought the old house in hopes of learning of her grandmother who left her son at the orphanage when he was an infant. Connie is now an old lady, appearing to be conveniently forgetful when asked about the past. Sarah’s sweet dad is ill with cancer so she is on a mission to uncover his past, feeling as though Connie holds the key. While this story was decent, it didn’t seem to have the emotional connection for me.
February 4, 2022
3.5🌟
I enjoyed the story, although the ending felt a little predictable. There were also some mild scenes and a bit of language.
I enjoyed the story, although the ending felt a little predictable. There were also some mild scenes and a bit of language.
September 3, 2025
She’s not sure whose wrath she fears most: that of God, or that of Father. Nobody in the home seems to bother much about God.
Off-putting title. Almost skipped this otherwise enjoyable story of family connections. It’s not “absolutely” anything, but it is moderately good suspense and historical fiction. Disparate threads gradually intertwine as various characters seek or avoid their past. Modern and distant past draw inexorably together.
‘A bit of fresh, cold air won’t kill you. Come on, we need to get up. God’s work beckons in the orphanage.’
The end is obvious a quarter way into the novel, but getting there is a pleasure. Bennett develops her female characters with distinct enough inner voices to dramatize their uniqueness. Not at all gripping and, while several hearts get kicked around, not ultimately heartbreaking.
‘Could you pass this on when the time is right. It might help explain why I’ve done what I’ve done.’
Off-putting title. Almost skipped this otherwise enjoyable story of family connections. It’s not “absolutely” anything, but it is moderately good suspense and historical fiction. Disparate threads gradually intertwine as various characters seek or avoid their past. Modern and distant past draw inexorably together.
‘A bit of fresh, cold air won’t kill you. Come on, we need to get up. God’s work beckons in the orphanage.’
The end is obvious a quarter way into the novel, but getting there is a pleasure. Bennett develops her female characters with distinct enough inner voices to dramatize their uniqueness. Not at all gripping and, while several hearts get kicked around, not ultimately heartbreaking.
‘Could you pass this on when the time is right. It might help explain why I’ve done what I’ve done.’
November 10, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a story! The author writes the varying timelines in an easy to follow way. The storylines wove together to make a great book. Although, parts dragged a bit in the middle and the ending was somewhat rushed and abrupt. But overall, I did enjoy this book.
What a story! The author writes the varying timelines in an easy to follow way. The storylines wove together to make a great book. Although, parts dragged a bit in the middle and the ending was somewhat rushed and abrupt. But overall, I did enjoy this book.
May 17, 2022
Loved it! A wonderful read right from the start, I’m just disappointed that I got to the end and I haven’t got it to read tonight!
January 25, 2024
This was a great read!
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