No 23 Burlington Square by Jenni Keer
Genre: Historical fiction, Contemporary fiction
Read: 19th November 2023
Published: 30th October 2023
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
London, 1927: One house. Three lives. A decision that will change everything.
A powerful, unique timeslip story, perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Miniaturist, and Lucinda Riley.
On the morning of Friday 5th August, 1927, Miss Agnes Humphries – the landlady of the attractive, if-slightly-shabby, white-fronted townhouse at Number 23 Burlington Square – has a decision to make.
The rooms of the second floor lie empty, since poor Mr Blandford’s unfortunate demise, God rest his soul. And Agnes must make up her mind as to who will be her new lodger… Will it be her spirited, young niece Clara, who drifts through the glamorous world of London’s Bright Young Things? Or Stephen, the sensible, church-going, respectable banker who seems just be too good to be true? Or the timid war widow named Mercy, who is clearly running from something – or someone…?
Agnes must choose between them. But what will her decision lead to? One of the choices could result in scandal, one in devastation, and one could even lead to happiness. If only she gets it right…
As all three lodgers enter Number 23, in alternate timelines, relationships are formed and destroyed, feathers are ruffled, and secrets are exposed. Three different choices. Three very different paths. And Agnes is to discover that nobody – including herself – is quite who they seem…
MY THOUGHTS:
One house...three lives...a decision that will change everything...
What a delightful tale this was! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and quite honestly didn't want it to end. And when it did, I suffered a sorry case of book hangover (which I do for only a handful of books) as I so wanted to climb back into the pages and relive it all over again.
The premise was intriguing and as you follow the story of the three lives therein, the story takes on a "sliding doors" narrative in which there are three different scenarios and three possible endings. And of course the era was a delightful one between the two wars of the roaring twenties when women were starting to be recognised in their own right with the handful of those shining their own respective lights in this endearing tale.
London 1927: Sixty something spinster Agnes Humphries has lived at No 23 Burlington Square all her life. She grew up as a child there, lost her mother there, raised her younger sister there and nursed her father until his demise there. The house is jam-packed full of memories of the life she knew and the one she longed for. Every crevice, every surface holds a memory for her and sentimental fool that she is, holds onto everything that highlights a memory of something she holds dear - whether the item is related to the memory or not. Such as, the newspaper headlining the Whitechapel murders bears the date that her sister Daphne took her first steps. Neither are related but it holds a memory just the same.
Then after the death of her father, Agnes was rather at a loose end and living alone in the sprawling home in Burlington Square when she decided to rent out not just the rooms but entire floors of rooms to others in the hope that she will find a family in her tenants. The attic rooms were rented out to young Gilbert Adams who does something with cameras; the first floor is home to Polish musician Alexander Gorski while the basement rooms housed the Smith family, mother Jemima, her husband Nicholas and their daughters Matilda, Ellen and Frances. Poor Jemima has virtually been pregnant since their honeymoon with baby number four on the way. The ground floor is Agnes' own residence while the second floor was Mr Blandford's until his sudden demise and thus paving the way for a new tenant.
Now Agnes has a conundrum. She has interviewed two deserving prospective tenants. Firstly, Stephen Thompson whose position a bank clerk lends a respectability to No 23. Then there is Mrs Mercy Mayweather, a young war widow who is all alone in the world and doing her best make ends meet at the glove counter at Pembertons. But her sister is expecting her to let her rooms her wayward niece Clara Goodwin whose impulsive behaviour has confounded her parents to the point she has been banished from the family home under a cloud of mystery. So who is the more deserving? Who needs the rooms the most? And who will fit in at No 23 Burlington Square the best?
So on 5th August 1927 Agnes takes up her pen, dips it in ink and writes out a letter offering the room to one of the three after which she gets young Gilbert to take it to the postbox for her. The tale is then divided into three parts in which each prospective tenant is given their own narrative becoming the protagonist and thus taking up residence in the second floor rooms of No 23 Burlington Square. Within each part, a story unfolds of possible scenarios that all meet one another at the end to make a more than satisfactory and very clever conclusion. The entire tale ends with one more scenario of that particular day when Agnes' own story becomes the highlight offering yet another happy ever after.
I really didn't know what to expect when I began this engrossing and entertaining tale but I'm so glad I ventured to pick it up. The entire tale is a riot from start to finish, particularly where young Clara is concerned, making you laugh, cry and basically just enjoy sharing the Kensington residence with these handful of colourful characters and their secrets. Peppered throughout each of the respective narratives are the odd chapter revealing just a little bit more about Miss Agnes Humphries and her own secrets. The story is so cleverly plotted that while we start with one of the three, we are left wondering throughout the mystery of the last prospective tenant. Because although each part is unique in how each one is the successful applicant, all three are carefully and cleverly interwoven throughout the other parts in some way or other. It really is incredibly genius.
So much is at stake with the promise of which of the applicants to offer the room to that the story takes us on a journey of love, kindness, trust, duty and a chance to redeem oneself. But above all, is friendship. The tale is so endearing, so heartwarming that is so immersive I simply could not - DID NOT! - want to put it down. The characters are a mixed bunch and some you aren't quite sure what to make of them however by the end you do get the measure of them, some of whom you come to love. I didn't like the flightly Clara at the beginning and loathe to have the rooms given to her but hers was the most enthralling part of the tale and by the end I really grew to love the enchanting yet self entitled young woman.
While this book is historical in nature, being set in 1927 and thus some flashback scenes to some further key points in history (such as the Whitechapel murders, Queen Victoria's passing and the Great War) it doesn't really feel like an historical tale and has more of a contemporary feel. That is no bad thing because the entire tale is so engaging and compelling from beginning to end that I enjoyed every flipping minute of it! Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't feel Clara's was too long at all (although it was the longest). In fact, I enjoyed her tale the most with Mercy's a close second. Stephen was not a character I warmed to at all but his was a story that was an imperative part of the tale.
Every so often, a book comes along that just makes you feel as its sheer blend of magic and brilliance. I completely loved this addictive and immersive read that really made you feel as if you too were one of the tenants of No 23 Burlington Square.
A well deserved 5 stars!
I would like to thank #JenniKeer, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #No23BurlingtonSquare in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
After gaining a history degree, Jenni embarked on an career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique-restorer husband and their four teenage boys. She has valiantly attempted to master the ancient art of housework, but it remains a mystery, so is more usually found at her keyboard writing fun romantic comedies with #blindcat Seymour by her side.
When not up to her elbows in family life, she can be found busy with her Edwardian marquetry business, planning her next fancy dress party or practising her formation dance moves.
Most recently published by Headline and shortlisted for the 2023 RNA Historical Romantic Novel of the Year, her first book with Boldwood No 23 Burlington Square was published in October 2023.
Social media links:
No comments:
Post a Comment