Thank you so much to my partners @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for these #gifted copies. 

 

Tender, evocative, poignant.  I was completely absorbed in this epic saga that delves into themes of home and belonging.  

 

As bombs rained down on London, Beatrix was forced from her home in England to the safety of America.  It didn’t take long for her to feel at home with the Greggorys, deeply connected with each member of this new family and blossoming in a way she couldn’t have in Europe.  And yet, when the war was over, she would have to return to her mother and to London.  Belonging to families on both sides of the Atlantic, Bea felt stuck between two worlds and two versions of herself.  

 

This is a sweeping tale, spanning decades.  And I found myself engrossed in the unfolding. It’s a journey through life with all its complexities and challenges.  But mostly, it’s a story of connection and belonging. 

 

Beatrix is our focal point, but it’s the other characters that create the depth in her story. With a heart forever entwined to the Gregory family and a deep abiding obligation to her mother, the shifting POVs allow a broader examination of the juxtaposition with which Beatrix finds herself.  The characters are intricately woven, and the richly layered relationships provide an intimate examination of the variation of bonds that bind. 

 

Features I appreciated:

🌿 Beatrix’ two names- Trixie to those in England, and Bea to those in America.  The names didn’t just indicate with whom she kept company but also with which version of herself she identified at the moment.  

🌿The timeline at the bottom right corner of the pages- With the novel spanning decades, the boldfaced corner feature seamlessly allowed the passage of time without confusion.    

 

There’s some bit of magic Spence-Ash has woven throughout her prose and plot.  I closed the pages of the book nostalgic for a time and place I’d never experienced, longing for connections to people that I’d never actually met.  

 

This is a standout debut, and I’ll be eager to see what Laura Spence-Ash does next.  

 

🎧 The audiobook is beautifully narrated by Nell Potter.  With a lovely British accent and affecting tone, her depiction drew me in.  And even when I wasn’t listening to this one, it was Potter’s voice I continued to imagine for Bea.