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…
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Jenni Keer is the well-reviewed author of historical romances, often with a mystery at their heart. Most recently published by Headline and shortlisted for the 2023 RNA Historical Romantic Novel of the Year, her first book with Boldwood The House on Burlington Square will be released in October 2023.
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My thoughts: as landlady Agnes weighs up which of her new prospective tenants to accept, we get to see what happens depending on who she chooses. Will it be her niece Clara, full of secrets and choosing to drown them in partying and drinking every night? Or Mr Thompson, who says he’s a bank clerk and churchgoer, but has his own darkness, that might threaten another resident. The final applicant is Mrs Mercy Mayweather, a widow from Suffolk, currently working as a shop girl in a department store. She also has secrets of her own, but they’re only dangerous to her.
Agnes has her own story too, how she ended up running her home as a boarding house, why she never married, and there’s also the current tenants – both with their own stories to tell.
A fascinating read and interesting premise, with enjoyable stories and likeable characters (although not all of them).
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
