Two women, a world apart.
A secret waiting to be discovered… back at home on the other side of the Atlantic recovering from his injuries.
Travelling to a distant country to live with a man she barely knows is the bravest thing Ellie has ever had to do. But nothing can prepare her for the harsh realities of her new home…
September 11th 2001: Sophie Parry is on a plane to New York on the most tragic day in the city’s history. While the world watches the news in horror, Sophie’s flight is rerouted to a tiny town in Newfoundland and she is forced to seek refuge with her estranged aunt Ellie.
Determined to discover what it was that forced her family apart all those years ago, newfound secrets may change her life forever…
This is a timeless story of love, sacrifice and resilience perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Lorna Cook and Gill Paul.
What readers are saying about The English Wife:
‘An emotive and engaging read’ Rosanna Ley
‘Rich, evocative and utterly immersive, this beautifully written book swept me away’ Jenny Ashcroft
“An epic tale of family, tragedy & love… I highly recommend this book!!” Books, Wine, Cats 5*
“The sense of suspense makes this story a page turner! Highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for a WWII era book without all of the historical stuff” To Read is to Breathe, 5*
“I couldn’t put it down. It was not your typical historical novel & I think that’s what I loved about it. Great book!” Dabbookclub, 4*
“A book that drew me in from the first pages! The characters come alive, they’re so well written. Fans of historic fiction will love this story. An author to follow” Consumer review, 4*
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This book will transport you back in time and hold onto you until you become one with the time period. Fantastic writing style and will keep you hooked until the very last page.
It was sad but happy at the same time. I enjoyed the evolution of the characters and the back and forth in time periods.
This book was so interesting with multiple points of view and timelines. The chapters were short which I enjoyed since I don’t usually have large blocks of time to read, however that did make the story a bit choppier and I had to go back a few times to sort things out. The descriptions of Newfoundland were amazing and it’s now on my list of places to visit after Covid.
I enjoy historical fiction and especially like it with a link to the present and some kind of twist I wasn’t expecting. This novel delivered on both counts and left me satisfied with the conclusion. A delightful way to spend a few hours!
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite Quotes:
The crossing had been awful, the waves a seascape of mountains and valleys, the ship like a cork bouncing and tipping its way across the Atlantic.
She imagines him in twenty years’ time, jowls dropping from his square jawline, his eyes drooping and watery. By then he’d look like a vulture. Turning into his spirit creature.
You look fine. You could wear my grandfather’s pyjamas and you’d look amazing. If I wore my grandfather’s pyjamas I’d look like my grandfather.
Those chaps could find a diamond in a glass mountain.
My Review:
This captivating tale was quite the saga, I couldn’t seem to put it down and despite its impressive length of 450 pages, I absorbed most of it in a day and savored every well-chosen word. The storylines were skillfully nuanced, devastating, cunningly contrived, and brilliantly paced; my curiosity was well and truly tipped from beginning to end. The characters were cleverly constructed, curiously compelling, and realistically flawed. Poor Ellie, she was forever to be screwed over by her sister, as dramatic Dottie was a piece of work.
I realized I was woefully unenlightened of Newfoundland other than a vague awareness of where it resided on a map. I adored the frequent use of their Creole and argot with such colorful and imaginative phrasings, although their gut-foundered menus of scrunchions and cod and brewis, as well as their frigid weather, sounds simply ruinous. And while I was quite taken by their belief and understanding of fairies, personally, I much prefer Tinkerbell.
This book was really hard to read on an emotional level. Beginning during WW II, we first get o know and like Ellie. She considers herself engaged to George, but when she meets Thomas, a soldier from Newfoundland, she finds herself deeply in love. Her sister Dottie is a constant pest in the background, infatuated with George, doing all she could to subvert Ellie’s relationship with Thomas. The book jumps from the 1940’s to the 1960’s to September 11, 2011 and finally to 2021. The plot weaves through the stories of all the extended families, following an intricate path. The characters know joy, despair, love, grief, and heartbreak. In the conclusion, all the loose ends are tied up and the truth of each relationship is revealed.
Moving across oceans and countries is certainly easier now than right after WWII.
Kind of a formula romance – too predictable for me to rate it any higher but was well-written
It was a different time, in England in the early years of WWII. Lives on the line and lost; wondering if you sweetheart would return from battle and in what condition. And then there are those in your life that are selfish; they make life more difficult but we love them anyway. Oh what a journey in life for Ellie, Thomas, George and Dottie and those that come after. I was captivated; I hurt the characters. I learned so much more about the settling of Newfoundland and recalled some of my knowledge about flights being diverted there to land rather than New York City on September 1, 2001. A great read.
made me want to visit New Foundland
A great book to show the complications of life. Makes you think that you never know what life can bring.
This story intertwines WWII with the repercussions from 9/11/2001 in a very interesting way. The characters are believable and the settings came to life. I enjoyed reading this.
Good twist at the end!
I’ve been doing a lot of research and reading about the citizens of Gander since they took care of all the passengers from the planes that had to land there on 9/11. Also, the Broadway play “From Away” was one of the best produced shows ever. This book had lots of surprises.
I fell in love with the characters and really enjoyed the way the story incorporated the 911 plane diversions. And oh, the little unexpected surprises. Highly recommend this enjoyable story
I started to read this book, but the put it aside as I just couldn’t get into it. Later I picked it up again and decided to try again. Was very glad I did as it got better quickly! Usually I give up after 50 or so pages so was surprised that it got better after all!
I was intrigued with the setting of this book in Newfoundland, having visited there recently, and ended up with a very enjoyable read. The dual stories of the English Wife and her niece over different time periods were intriguing and ultimately surprising.
Enjoyable and engaging.
It is normally difficult to keep up with character’s stories being provided thru different time periods alternately, but this author wove the story so well it wasn’t difficukt to keep up at all.
I totally enjoyed the weaving of the past and present stories
I enjoyed this story and was sorry when it ended – I loved the characters and wanted to spend more time with them. I liked how the different timelines intertwined and ultimately tied up at the end. It was interesting to see events unfold through different characters. A very good read!