It's the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlour maid in England. But war is coming. When the Mr. Rivers son, Kit, returns home, he and Elise strike up an unlikely upstairs-downstairs friendship that will transform Tyneford--and Elise--forever. A fascinating and enthralling story that keeps you reading long into the night. Elise is an Austrian Jew sent to be a maid at an English manor in the late 1930's. The House at Tyneford follows Elise's journey as she adjusts to her new lifestyle, endures the hardships of World War II, and falls in love. The first half was promising. I enjoyed Elise's transition as she moved to England and acclimated to her lower status as a foreign maid. However, it became predictable and the plot slowed drastically. I started skimming the last fourth of the book and found the ending to be ... implausible and a little off-putting. I don't recommend this one. As for the cover comparing this book to Kate Morton's Forgotten Garden - not so much.
I loved this book! Poetically beautiful and pulls at your heart. This a must read!
—hellolucy
it was ok. a bit drawn out in parts.
—Eddie
Predictable but I kept on reading!!!
—Kris
Not the love story I had imagined
—yesenia
Awesome book!
—alanhe1289
