A House Full of Windsor

by Kristin Contino

Spanning from 1980s London to a present-day reality TV show, A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR explores how one woman’s messy past shapes her family’s future and how long-buried secrets and resentment must come to the surface for them to move on. Debbie Windsor was always fascinated by royalty, but when her marriage fell apart, she turned to collecting to fill the void. Now the house is a royal mess, and Debbie’s health and safety is on the line. Even her etiquette expert daughter can’t fix this disaster, and when the entire family ends up on a hoarding show, everyone has something at stake.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Romance, Contemporary, London

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 13, 2021

About the author

Kristin Contino writes women's fiction including THE LEGACY OF US (Sparkpress, 2015) and the forthcoming A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR (Wyatt-MacKenzie, 2021).

When she's not writing fiction, Kristin serves as chief reporter at Royal Central, where she covers royal news from around the world (and tries not to buy too many of the Duchess of Cambridge's outfits).

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/kristincontinowriter
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/royallykristinc

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pop quiz. What is this book about?

a) Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (RIP)
b) A bakeshop owner in London
c) A Windsor Castle housekeeper
d) Pen pals-to-lovers romance

Haha, trick question! None of the above. A House Full of Windsor is about a hoarder. In Philadelphia. Didn’t see that coming, did you?

As someone who rarely reads the full synopsis of a book beforehand, I can be caught off guard occasionally. Here I just glanced at the first sentence of it and said SIGN ME UP: “Spanning from 1980s London and the royal wedding of a century…” Those few words check a lot of boxes for me.

In fairness, our hoarder’s last name is Windsor. She also has an obsession with the British royal family, so her hoard consists of commemorative bits and baubles (and allllllll the tea towels) cranked out anytime Prince George so much as takes his first poo in a potty.

Now Ms. Windsor’s grown children decide it’s their job to help their mom chuck her possessions. Their solution is to sign her up for a “Hoarders"-like reality TV show. But this is make believe, so we’re meant to visualize a clean (if “unsafe”) hoarder home that smells like lavender potpourri rather than decaying smashed rats and Taco Bell wrappers. We’re also meant to accept that in-depth, serious treatment of her mental illness isn’t really necessary, because reality TV can cure anything.

Personally, I never really could accept those things, and reading a hoarding romcom (oh, there’s a little romance too) was kind of like eating an asparagus-flavored cupcake.

BUT, there are flashbacks to those promised scenes of London in the ‘80s and ‘90s, where our hoarding heroine was present for the wedding of Charles and Diana as well as the princess’s funeral. I enjoyed her first-hand perspective of those events. I also found the book to be easily readable with some interesting secondary characters. That makes me curious to see what this author will come up with next. While I hope it’s not something as mundane as a vanilla cupcake, maybe it’ll be a little sweeter?

I received an advance copy to read and review from Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing via NetGalley.

Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com

[Lady James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a joy! Having the perspective of both Debbie and Sarah was brilliant. As the reader, you truly get to see the big picture. The supporting characters are equally as entertaining and unique (my personal favorite being Mrs. Percy - I would love to have tea with her at Percy Hall). It’s the perfect mix of royalty, sentimental 1980s memories and British lifestyle, with a splash of romance and dysfunctional family drama, served with a side of addicting HGTV-like renovation shows. I could not put it down.

I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren’t an avid royal-phile, you will absolutely enjoy it.

I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm happy to be done with this book. It's so bad!

If you are a huge fan of watching shows about hoarders and absolutely love the royal family, then this is the novel for you. If not, stay away.

The characters are annoying, the romance is cheesy, and the overall message is unclear. Just no..👎👎

[Lisa Roe · Rating 5 out of 5]

☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️ 5 HIGH TEAS for Kristin Contino’s A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR!! (7/13/21) I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of this thoroughly engaging novel about a woman who takes her Royal obsession too far and the lengths her family will go to save her from it crushing her—literally. With just the right amount of Royal nostalgia (yes, I got up at 4am to watch Diana and Charles’ wedding), family drama and a juicy romance, A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR was like a fun trip across the pond for me.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant novel! I am not a royal watcher, but I can appreciate the idea of an obsession. And, I have more than a few friends who can recite details about the royals only the truly obsessed would know. Contino weaves a multilayered, humorous yet heartfelt tale that spans two generations, writing in two POVs: that of Debbie, a Princess Diana fan turned hoarder, and her daughter, Sarah, a Good Morning New York host. Like many with addictions, Debbie uses shopping to fill a void created by an unsatisfactory marriage, ultimately leading to a house stuffed to the gills. But Debbie’s son, Will, has a plan, which involves her participation (as well as that of Sarah and her sister Anne) in a hoarding show called Stuff. Contino deftly moves between the past and present with her use of flashbacks in Debbie’s POV, and her choice to connect Debbie’s and Alan’s relationship demise to that of the royals worked so well. Anyone who likes touching stories with depth will enjoy this book. Well done!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are many, many books that draw on the royals for inspiration, but A House Full of Windsor is one of the most thoughtful and touching. The royals are certainly woven throughout the story- what would royal watching be without memorabilia, and Debbie certainly has more than her fair share. I loved that Contino showed a less glamorous side of the royals; as Debbie's marriage fell apart, so did the Wales'. This made it a much more poignant comparison though, and I think really speaks to how people view the royals- they are seen as part of peoples' lives, even though they've never met them. (I've read nearly every chick lit book vaguely related to the royals, but none will stay with me like AHFOW.)

I think that choosing to anchor the story around Debbie's hoarding (of said royal memorabilia) was the perfect way to go here. It is easy to mock people who hoard for simply "having too much stuff", but Contino thoughtfully explores the reasons and emotions behind Debbie's hoarding, and how it affected each member of her family. They don't all understand, but that is reality for all of us. I didn't know if I would, but very quickly on, I was incredibly invested in Deb- I don't often root for characters, but I was rooting for Debbie. It can be sad to read at a few points, but that only made me want to read more- I had to find out where it would end. From start to finish, a rich, royal read!

[Camille Maio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book without knowing anything about it, but fell in love with the cover. I was delighted to learn that it was about a woman who hoards royal collectables and the intervention her family goes through (via a television show!) to help her through it. Written with lightheartedness and wit, it offers the reader something different from everything else out there. Pick this one up for a charming and touching weekend read!

[Olivia Hayfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The delightful tale of Debbie, who can't let go of her royal memorabilia, and her embarrassed family, who attempt to convince her to take part in a TV reality show about hoarders. The characters are well drawn and likeable, and the story is full of gentle humour and nostalgia. Highly recommended.

[Amanda Swindell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an admitted Anglophile, so when I saw the cover of "A House Full of Windsor" and read the blurb, I had to read the book! Kristin Contino did not disappoint. She connected past and present through the viewpoints of Sarah and Sarah's mother Debbie (maiden name Windsor, no relation). Debbie married and spent several years raising her children in England. While there, she was obsessed with the Royals and her experiences paralleled those of Princess Diana. Fast forward twenty years to Sarah and Debbie's current day perspective, Debbie has become a hoarder and Sarah a television and media personality offering tips on etiquette and home. When a challenge arises to clean out Debbie's home, deeper emotions and concerns are raised that further endeared the Percy/Windsor family to me. I was disappointed when the book ended-all the pieces fit together, but I wasn't quite ready to leave the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wyatt-MacKenzie publishing for a chance to read an ARC of this wonderful story.

[Jennifer Klepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! A book about a repatriated ex-pat who hoards royal paraphernalia and ends up on a reality show with her worried (and somewhat traumatized) children? Yes, please. Author Kristin Contino, a Yankee herself, is a royal expert, serving as Chief Reporter for Royal Central. Contino shows off her love of England in this romp that takes the reader back and forth in time from Princess Di-era England to today in Pennsylvania. Full of humor, family, nostalgia, and a bit of romance, A House Full of Windsor is a great book to have in your bag for the beach or the park or wherever you plan to escape to this summer. Thank you NetGalley and Wyatt-Mackenzie for providing a copy of this book for review purposes.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Putting your mentally ill mom on a reality show seems cruel, but I honestly don't know how I would handle having a parent obsessed with the ridiculously problematic Royal Family of another country.

Quirky and predictable read with several eyebrow raises and eye rolls. 🙄

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Debbie and Alan Windsor’s life parallels that of the British royal family, specifically Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Debbie and Alan marry around the same time as the royal couple, Debbie is also pregnant during both of Diana’s pregnancies and unfortunately, both marriages crumble simultaneously. Thus, Debbie’s lifelong affinity for accumulating royal collectables leading to a hoarding compulsion. Present-day, Debbie lives in the US with her three grown children nearby, while Alan has stayed in London. Various professional decisions lead the children to convince their mother to participate in a hoarding reality show, which leads her on a journey to not only clean up her house, but the various “messes” in her life.
Part love story, part royal memories, I enjoyed this touching story. It was heartwarming to watch the Windsor’s come together, unearth Debbie’s secrets and ultimately choose to walk through the royal mess together while encouraging each other to embrace who they really are – individually and as a whole.

[Doreen Pacini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! In my opinion, it was very well written and was really fascinating to read about the mother’s addiction and how she overcame that with the help of her family. I liked how the book jumped back and forth from two different perspectives keeping the reader on their toes. I also liked how this book gave life advice at the beginning of some chapters. It’s not often you read a book in the present and then the book jumps back in time to tell the back story of one of the main characters and how the addiction became to be. That was really fun to read. This book also tells the back story and some history about Britain which was very fun to read because I do not know a lot of history about Britain. It talks about Princess Diana and Charles and their marriage and her death. I was not born yet when this happened, so it was nice learning about the history. I really liked how the characters were from two different places in the world; Britain and the United States. Not only was the story about how to solve the mothers addiction but also how to find your place in the world when your parents are from two different places and how to fit in you are not sure where you belong. I would definitely recommend this book!

[Jenni Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

With A House Full of Windsor featuring a compulsive shopper, it's fitting that I found myself as a compulsive reader. It's a real page-turner and I enjoyed my time spent with both Sarah and Debbie. In fact, I found nearly every character in this book endearing and charming. I was rooting for the whole lot of them. The themes of family and forgiveness (of yourself and of others) are strong and I'd definitely recommend this novel for anyone in search of a satisfying, feel-good quick read.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A House Full of Windsor by Kristin Contino follows a family of characters but is told from the alternating perspectives of Mother, Debbie Windsor (no relation to “those” Windsors), and daughter, Sarah Percy. Although the family lives in American, Debbie met her ex-husband in Britain and her kids grew up there.

Sarah is a “household advice” guru, known for her “Sarah Says” television segment and social media posts, for example, “Sarah Says, Tackle Stains the Right Way” where she instructs viewers on how to create their own cleaning spray. Sarah is a somewhat uptight, younger Martha Stewart-like character that has even re-invented her accent to be more “proper”.

Debbie, on the other hand, is a hoarder who is obsessed with the royal family. What is very unique, is that Debbie is not the kind of hoarder you would think of when you hear that term. Her collection is all royal themed, and categorized and organized in bins. Debbie is obsessed with keeping her items intact but has so little space in her house that she has to sleep on the sofa and can barely navigate her way to the front door.

The story revolves around Sarah’s brother getting a job on a television show, Stuff, about compulsive hoarding. He has Debbie accepted on to the show but promises Sarah’s participation. Ultimately, Sarah and Debbie agree and hijinks ensue. Add to this, a romantic storyline for both Debbie and Sarah, as well as glimpses into Sarah’s quirky, prosperous Father’s family in Britain, and this is an entertaining and interesting romp.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was that it is told in alternating timelines. The story flashes back in time at various points to Debbie’s life, starting in the 1980s when she is a student in the UK. What is really clever, is that the flashback will be triggered by Debbie’s memories of a specific object in her collection of Royal memorabilia and the historical storyline will show you how she came to collect it. It also shows how Debbie came to relate so strongly to the royal family.

I felt that the story was a bit slow to start, and as a result, I had trouble getting into it. I’m really glad I stuck with it though because it eventually picks up. I wish we could have learned more about some of the side-characters like Debbie’s ex-husband’s family (and her children’s Dad). The glimpses into Debbie’s and her children’s lives in Britain left me wanting more, while I was not as interested in the storyline following Sarah’s Television career in the modern storyline.

Overall, I would recommend this for anyone who loves gossip magazines, royal spotting, reality television and storylines where objects take on a life of their own, to the extent that the objects are almost characters.

Quote to leave you with: “Since I moved back to America, I’ve had the kids, my lovely things, and they all filled my house. Then the kids grew up and left, and all I’ve got here is…stuff. And memories. And when they’re gone, what will I do?“

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A House Full of Windsor, Kristin Contino (Reading Copy, to be published July 13, 2021) Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing Inc, Deadwood, Oregon
This is an Uncorrected Pre-Publication Review Copy, advanced to me by Net Galley for review.

Kristin Contino has written a delightful novel. With its clever foreshadowing in alternate chapters through ‘Sarah Says’; a first chapter in which the introduction and skilful characterisation of Debbie and her children Sarah, and twins Anne and Will is accomplished swiftly; and with a polished establishment of important plot features Contino shows that she is very much at home with smart writing. The American family’s connection with the English aristocratic name, Percy, and deft intertwining of Debbie’s story with that of Diana, Princess of Wales, to whom in part the novel is dedicated, adds an element of humour. As an Australian who longs to return to her pre-Covid twice yearly visits to the UK, and with an affection for a woman ‘whose inspiration lives on’, I could not be happier reading A House Full of Windsor. These populist aspects of the novel enhance, rather than detract, from the development of a work that revolves around the serious nature of the problem Sarah, Anne and Wills meet to try, once again, to resolve with Debbie.

‘Primp Before You Prep’ Sarah Says, introduces Debbie’s long-term problem – hoarding. Indeed, Debbie does primp. She is impeccable in appearance with tamed grey curls, a crystal poppy brooch on her turtleneck sweater and smart trousers. However, her house is a maze of boxes of china and journals, plastic storage bins, bags with new purchases and more on every surface and against the walls. A Kate Middleton Top Shop purchase (she wore the same design when she was pregnant with George, explains Debbie) lies amongst the boxes. A lolling Prince George doll strengthens the image. Debbie’s pillow and blanket on the sofa are clues to the state of her bed. The long wait between the children ringing the front doorbell and Debbie’s opening it not only infers the build up inside the house, leading to a protracted exit, but provides time to scrutinise Sarah, Anne and Will, their relationships with each other, and the impact their mother’s hoarding has had on them.
Debbie suggests that her incessant shopping, in person and online, is ‘fun’. But, as the novel proceeds, in alternative chapters Debbie recalls her past in England. As a student she completed her degree in London and rearranged her flight home to America so as to see Diana and Charles’ wedding and to invest in the romance arising from meeting an attractive man in a pub. In these chapters multiple explanations are advanced for Debbie’s hoarding. At the same time, it is apparent that Debbie has always collected, her teenage bedroom floor was a mess (whose was not?) and her fascination with the royals, from the family name to the particular affinity she feels with Prince Charles and Princess Diana, has a rationale. She feels that her married life has followed that of the doomed royals. And, with that in mind, her collection of royal memorabilia grows.
Will’s enthusiasm for Debbie’s participation in Stuff, a reality television program on hoarding; Sarah’s involvement, causing difficulties in her own television job, at Good Morning New York and a possible romance; and Anne’s concern about the impact of Debbie’s television appearance on her marriage provide a backdrop for more serious questions: will Debbie participate? And if she does, what impact will it have on her hoarding? On her burgeoning relationship with the antique shop owner? Her relationships with her children and their father, with his new wife and child in England?
My knowledge and understanding of hoarding are based on various fictional representations. Amongst those, Contino’s version stands up well. Debbie’s first-hand account of her experiences, feelings, and strong desire to please her children by changing her behaviour, conflicting with her addiction to shopping and despair over the possible loss of any of her belongs rings true. The failure of her marriage and undermining of the possibility of another romance demonstrates the intensity of Debbie’s passion for ownership of a multitude of goods, whatever its impact on her relationships. Even more sensitively exposed is Debbie’s failure to provide a home to which her friends and those of her children can be invited; their enduring fear that Debbie will be hurt by the avalanche proportions of her belongings; and concerns about the publicity accompanying what seems to be a very real possibility that something can be achieved by Debbie’s participation in Stuff.
With its humorous moments amongst the well-drawn misery of hoarding, for self and family; the realistic interactions between Sarah, Will and Anne; and Debbie’s portrayal as a woman who is trapped, but far from beaten, by her addiction A House Full of Windsor is such a good read. I shall be avidly watching for more of Kristen Contino’s work.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of “A House Full of Windsor”: a middle-aged woman is a hoarder, with a house full of British Royal Family memorabilia. Her three adult children convince her to go on a reality hoarding TV show to clean up the house. In the process, she’s forced to confront issues in her past that led to the hoarding.

You all know how I love the British Royals. I also am a big fan of hoarding TV shows. So this book was a natural draw for me. I really related to Debbie, the central character, who is just a little older than me. She was in London going to college when Charles and Diana married, and while there she met a British bloke, fell in love, and got married. She and Princess Diana were pregnant at the same time, and she developed a bond with the princess. Throughout the book, she mentions identifying with Diana as both of their marriages deteriorate. Various bits of royal mementoes spur memories for her. This part of the book was fun, because each royal vignette or photo she mentions was familiar to me. There honestly isn’t much about the Diana era that slipped past me 🙂

Less endearing to me were the parts about Debbie’s three adult children, now in their thirties. Maybe it’s a generational thing, but they mostly came across as whiny and annoying to me. I found myself skimming their parts of the story so I could get back to Debbie’s narratives. There are a couple of issues, like a woman who just found out she was pregnant mentioning multiple trips to the bathroom that morning and swollen ankles (I suspect the author hasn’t been pregnant), and a mention of the character Sarah being named after Sarah, Duchess of York — although she was born in 1982, which was several years before Sarah DoY was a thing.

Other “wins” for this book, to me, are the cover (I absolutely love its look), and its title — very cute. I also appreciated the lack of profanity. I would have loved more royal talk in the book, but it’s a fun lighter read.

[amp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers who love anything royal will probably pick up this book based on the title and cover alone. Both are super cute, but this book is actually about something much more. Debbie is an American obsessed with things, particularly memorabilia pertaining to the British royals. She is a hoarder, whose collection has destroyed her relationships. This was a good read about family, although I have to admit that Debbie at times drove me crazy, talking about people touching her things and refusing to throw anything away. As someone who only knows about hoarding from television shows, I thought this was well depicted. However, she was a frustrating character to like simply because her hoarding seems to have initially started due to the boredom of being a housewife. This was the heart of the book, but there were other things going on with her three children, in particular Sarah, her first-born. The alternating chapters between Debbie and Sarah at times sounded too similar and I would forget which narration I was actually on. Sarah wasn't relatable to me and I tend to dislike characters who find most of their gratification from social media sites. Plus, I thought her little tips were basic and silly. Why was she popular on tv? And the flirtation with Pierce came out of nowhere and was just unnecessary and contained no substance. The resolution to the issue at hand was resolved way too fast to be believable but I suppose it worked in an "end-of-the-episode" fashion. I think this book would work much better as General Fiction than Romance and I was way more interested in Debbie's story. Her flashbacks taking place at the same time as Charles and Diana's relationship was a nice touch and I liked picturing all the different objects she collected. Overall, I enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it, although readers looking for a straight up romance or a book about the royals will probably be disappointed.

[Sue Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to GetRead PR and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book. Such a unique take on so many subjects; aging parents, hoarding, how our childhood can affect us, secrets we keep and so much more. Sarah's mother is obsessed with all things royal, to the point of hoarding. When they parlay a job with clearing out her mother's items, the struggles of the past come to light, with some understanding how these issues can come about. I recommend this book.

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book! Sarah Percy seems to have her life together doling out advice to New Yorkers on anything from being prompt to how to repurpose old Christmas ornaments in a DIY project. What her followers don't know is her family's secret, which she has done a great job hiding until she no longer can. Each chapter starts with a "Sarah Says" piece of advice which is really cute. The story follows her family's journey as they work to solve the initial problem and discover underlying burdens they've all been carrying around. I could not put this book down. Thank you for the opportunity to review this.

[Clare McHugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and surprisingly poignant, this is the story of an English American career woman and her attempts to understand her family and herself.....it will remind some readers of Bridget Jones, but protagonist Sarah Percy has a unique set of problems that spring from her work as a TV star, and being the daughter of two very different parents. The travails of the British royals, in particular Charles and Diane, provide extra dimension to the story, and the pleasures and perils of royal obsession are beautifully described.

[Crystal FloridaGrams Of3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. Each character I enjoyed and really would love a follow up to this story.
This is the cutest book I've read in a long time.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

So I really enjoyed the characters in this one. Their personalities shown through. Debbie was fantastic and really endeared me the most to this plot that was told from a few povs (past and present and a mother and a daughter...with epistolary tidbits).

This was a complex storyline with a lot going on. For me, that’s why I wasn’t able to give it four full stars. However, if you’re the type of reader that likes multiple storylines over many characters, this will be right up your alley!

Oh! And I just loved everything British in this. Again, Debbie is the best!

Thank you netgalley for the advance e-copy.

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

A well-written family drama with a unique story line & touches of romance (just not as much as I was expecting from the blurb).

[What I liked:]

•The way Debbie’s life mirrors Diana’s was a cute & clever plot device. It was well executed without it feeling too contrived or gimmicky.

•The posh upper class British family that is also in on the Essex nightclub scene was another slight twist on a trope, I thought.

•The narrative structure is a bit convoluted at times, but the flashbacks to Debbie’s past did keep me engaged & wondering how the present situation got to be the way it is.

•The prose is very readable, the dialogue is smooth for the most part, most of the characters have flaws & depth & quirks, and the pacing was fine.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•I did very much enjoy the book, but since it was categorized as a romance I was expecting more on that front. There are two romance story lines that are hinted at, & are just beginning to emerge by the end of the book but that’s it. Most of the focus is on exploring a failed marriage.

•There is a lot going on in this book! Family drama for multiple characters, work place drama for multiple characters, a reality TV show filming, flash backs to the past, and budding romances for multiple characters. I won’t say definitely it was too much for one book, but it did take me awhile to get into the book to get a handle on all the storylines I had to follow. If the focus of the story was more concentrated that might’ve been smoother.

•A lot of the characters were hard to like. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like perfect, boring personas either, but I also don’t want to be nothing but annoyed or irritated by the main characters. I sympathized with Debbie, but I can’t say I actually liked her or her denial & blame shifting. I wanted to like Anne, but didn’t like her either since she was purely stress & cattiness. I would’ve liked to see a bit more character development of Will & Pierce, both of whom I did like okay, but there just wasn’t room in the story. I did like Sarah okay, but she wasn’t my favorite either. It would’ve been nice to have at least one character who I really enjoyed spending time with on the page.

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

[cindyoffermans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
As a lover of everything London and England, the cover of this book immediately appealed to me.
This is an endearing story about mom Debbie who collects all things English to the point that she cannot even sleep in her own bed anymore as the house is too full with stuff.
Her adult children, Sarah, a tv presenter, Anne, a mom of two and Will, a producer at a tv show about hoarding, make sure she gets help by being on Stuff the show Will works on.

In order to make peace with her past, Debbie has to fly back to England to talk things over with her ex husband but will she be strong enough to do this?

I really enjoyed reading this book and all the Princess Diana memories that were in there. This is the second book about hoarding I’ve read in a short time and although the topic can be quite dense, the story definitely isn’t.

[Lisa McCardle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was about the Royal family. It is in an indirect way because Debbie Windsor is obsessed with the Royal family and fills her home with Royal memorabilia. She has a seri0us hoarding problem that was the demise of her marriage and new relationship. She is like a turtle and pulls her head into her shell and refuses to admit she has a problem. Everything comes to a head when she is nominated for the show Stuff about hoarding. Her son just got a job with the show and figured what better way to start off my new job by fixing my mother's hoarding problem. Things of course did not go as planned until his two sisters came on board.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to discover this book and even more excited that I got to read it early. Absolute joy! Any royal / UK fans will love. I mean the cover alone is adorable. From the beginning to end, I was happy reading and invested in all the characters. Cant wait to see what comes next from this author. I wouldnt be against a sequel...


Thank you NetGallery!

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff)]

Sarah Percy is the stylish New Yorker doling out lifestyle tips on Good Morning New York’s “Sarah Says” segment. But Sarah has a family secret she doesn’t want her viewers to know.

When her brother Will lands a job on the popular show 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛, a show about hoarders, let’s just say the “stuff” is about to hit the fan, and their lives are about to change.

Debbie Windsor is a compulsive shopper and hoarder. She likes to think of her stuff more as collectibles. Having lived in London for twenty years, Debbie followed the royals, primarily Charles and Diana, very closely. But after her divorce, she moved back to the States with her three children, Sarah, Will, and Anne. Now her house is stacked full, and her children are concerned for her safety. But when Will suggests she go on the show he is working on, Debbie is hurt and embarrassed.

Debbie says yes to the show, which is a huge step, but it starts to bring up a lot of the past as she worries that if her things are gone, what will she have left. We stroll down memory lane with her a bit, across the pond, to when she met her husband and started a family - before it all went wrong.

This story is an up-close, honest look into the life of a hoarder and how it affects not only their life, but their family’s too. Contino adds delightful elements of romance, family drama, and fun royal-watching; giving it a warm and endearing feel.

Thank you to suzyapprovedbooktours and royallykristinc for an invitation to this tour and a gifted digital copy.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about London / The Royals and hoarding? Sign me up please!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a British-American family living in New York, who’s American mother is a shopaholic and compulsive hoarder and hides it well from friends. That is, until her son gets a job on ‘Stuff’, a show about hoarding, and volunteers his mom Debbie to be on it and promises his very famous sister will participate. As the family works through the implications of this on each of their lives and their relationships, they are forced to deal with the past so they can all hopefully move on and move forward.

I was entertained from the beginning of this one and loved the references to London, the Royals, Princess Diana, and how these commemorative items were what Debbie was hoarding. (I’m not mad at you for that Debs as a Royal lover myself!) The story was all very well done, from the show to the relationships between the siblings and their parents and how they all worked through their baggage.

Thank you to NetGalley and GetRedPR for the digital copy to review.

[Julia Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 quirky, fun plot but a little slow at times. i liked some of the characters a lot but also some things were never resolved ???