A combination of domestic drama and espionage thriller, the frequent time switches and twists and turns of the plot made it difficult for me to work out what exactly was going on and who was spying on whom. I also found it rather slow. Anna seemed a rather unlikely - and unwise - choice of spy, naively walking into situations where she seemed certain to be discovered. I can't say I warmed to her or was convinced by her motivations to do what she did. And the ending properly confused me. It was if the author just stopped writing and never started back up. Perhaps reading this book was all a dream and I'll wake up knowing exactly what it was all about.

This was very confusing and didn’t make any sense.
It was a combination of domestic thriller and spy.
The book wasn’t written very well at all.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I found it quite difficult to get into initially and although it does pick up, I found myself a bit disappointed by the ending. I still wasn't entirely sure what had happened by the end. I've been expecting a sequel but it seems this hasn't materialised. I'd still read more from the author though.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

I'm so late in reading this - but honestly its a bit of a mess - especially towards the end. Very disappointing conclusion. Not likeable characters and oh so cliched. Sorry was really not for me.

Found it a little difficult to get into initially with the shifting timeline and characters. Good premise for a novel. Thanks for the opportunity to read

I am in two minds about this book...

I requested it due to the provenance of the author (related to the notorious spy, Kim Philby), and because I love a good spy novel.

Well it was a spy novel and the writing was good, but having read to the end, I was still mystified as to what exactly had gone on! At first I thought I must have missed out part of the plot somehow, but I glanced at some other reviews and found that I wasn't the only person who felt like this.

Maybe as I read an ARC a section was missed out? I'd give the author the benefit of the doubt and try another in future though.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Part of the family written by Charlotte Philby is a spy thriller with a difference. Told from the perspective of two women Anna the unbelievable spy who marries her target, David and Maria who helps to narrate David's past and secure the future. Although the plot is a spy thriller, the emphasis is on how it effects the characters as a family rather than the big corporation or at country level, this is cleverly done and pleseant to read.
The small cast of characters ensure depth and interest is created, all of them play their part in the twist rich plot.
Although Anna is the lead character, she is portrayed as weak and insubstantial which makes me favour the other characters, Maria is a doer, and more my kind of person.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read, I think it’s a good spy thriller for those that get confused with 24 Russian names and those that are interested in the issues with trust. 4.5*
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

An enigma on the horns of a dilemma. Is there anyone who actually is whom they portray? It's a lengthy novel and it does keep you hooked although after I finished it I wondered if it was worth the effort because I walked away confused. I don't believe it accurately portrayed anything in the world of intelligence and the speed in which Anna was sucked in beggars belief. The writing style was quirky in the use of some seemingly poorly related adjectives, applied more because you can rather than you should. I am afraid it's a three star review as the underlying plot was poor.

It's great to be in a position to recommend much more diverse books to our young people at school. Building the senior school library as a place where students actually come and find books that they want to read as opposed to books that teachers think they ought to read is an important responsibility and one we take really seriously.
Books like this are such a positive move as they will appeal to a broader set of readers than we are usually attracting. Dealing with modern issues in a clear and captivating way with a strong narrative voice and characters that the students can relate to is critical as we move forwards. This book is both an intelligent and compelling read that will hold even the most reluctant reader's attention and keep them turning the pages long into the night. It keeps the reader on their toes and ensures that you give it your full attention too. I found myself thinking about its characters and events even when I wasn't reading it and looking forward to snatching kore time with it and I hope that my students feel the same. An accessible, gripping and engrossing read that I can't recommend highly enough. Will absolutely be buying a copy for the library and heartily recommending it to both staff and students.

I'm not really fond of the spy genre, but this book was really a thrilling read. Nothing is as it seems, and you just don't know who to trust anymore! Recommended for anyone who loves a good read.

I found this book to be quite hard going. In the middle I began to get lost. It was a struggle to finish and it was not for me.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anna has just graduated University and lands herself a job in journalism. On a night out she meets Harry a fellow journalist and from that moment her life is changed for ever.

The writing in this is excellent. Philby is able to create tension and emotion throughout the book. The issue that I have is that I never really knew exactly what was happening even when I thought I did. The ending didn't clear anything up either!! The idea of the story is good but I disliked most of the characters and lacked the empathy for Anna that I think would have made reading this more enjoyable. I don't often give lower than 🌟🌟🌟 but I think I'm going to have to here just because of the lack of clarity.

I started reading this book and it wasn’t what I expected though I was liking what I read.
However as the story went on and I got further through the book, I realised I didn’t like any of the characters for different reasons and I think this is the first time that had even happened.
It became complicated and it was harder to read and keep track of what was happening, in all honesty this could of just been me. The ending wasn’t what I expected and it felt a bit unfinished, I had questions and queries.
I did finish the book which says something but I was disappointed, as I say this could of just been me and I will reread it again to establish if that was the case. I wanted to like it as it started so strong.

A struggled to get into this even though the book description drew me in. There is a lot of tooing and froing from past to present which left me confused and the story was difficult to follow.

The flow and delivery was a bit of a let down which meant I struggled to finish this all in one go and had to read a few other books in between to avoid a reading slump. I enjoyed the premise though!

A chilling, compulsive and cleverly crafted story told from two viewpoints – Anna’s and Maria’s, the nanny. It’s beautifully written and kept me intrigued throughout, although I did have to concentrate to keep up with all the characters and the changes in narrator. Like the characters, you find yourself questioning everything and really don’t know who to trust.

I loved the exotic locations, especially as I was reading the book during lockdown, and although it’s hard to feel sympathy for Anna I did find her life fascinating. The ending came as a complete surprise, making this a thought-provoking read that will stay with me.

I'm sorry I just can't be doing with non endings. If you're writing some sort of weird parallel trilogy (the only way this and following book makes sense) make that clear.

I kept reading this book because I wanted to find out what happened to the main character, Anna. I came to the end of the book and still don't know! What happened to all of these characters? Where was David in the end and with whom? Who exactly was Harry? Did Clive know about all of this? Where were the twins during all of this death of their father and intrigue? Too many questions and not enough answers for me. Too confusing a read.