This book is utterly fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. I laughed and I cried and I craved to read more and more.
So beautifully written!

this was a really well done historical romance novel, it had that element that I was wanting and enjoyed the idea of what if the Titanic never sunk. It had that feel that I was wanting and enjoyed the overall feel of this book. Jenni Keer was able to weave a strong tale and was glad I was able to read this.

I was so excited for this one, especially as the story makes reference to the Titanic which is always a big draw for me. In fact the sinking of the tragic ship is only a very brief part of the story but it’s the aftermath that forms the basis of this tale.

When her parents are tragically lost on the Titanic, 13 year old Olivia Davenport’s is sent to live with guardians, The Fairchilds at their Norfolk home, Merriford Manor.

This is really a coming of age story for Olivia against the backdrop of grief, romance and WW1. The unusual concept of an alternate reality and a crossover of worlds where the Titanic didn’t sink and Olivia is living a different life was interesting. Was the voice through the wall merely her imagination comforting her through her grief and loneliness or was there really someone the other side that she formed a connection to?

I found this a hugely engrossing and emotional story not least because the timeline includes the Great War beginning in 1914 which had devastating consequences for so many families including the Fairchilds.

Olivia was such a great character that I took to my heart. She made a positive impact on other people with her sunny and caring nature and I loved watching her grow from a young girl with dreams and ambitions to a young woman experiencing both the highs and the crushing lows of love.

I so enjoyed the historical and romantic facets to The House of Lost Whispers. Jenni’s books do not fit into a particular genre but include a bit of everything. Definitely recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for my copy in exchange for a review:

I was initially drawn to the premise of what if the titanic never sunk alongside a time slip (which I’m obsessed with) and I had a good time reading The House of Lost Whispers.

I enjoyed the main world and alternate world for the most part but I wish that the differences were played up more.

The romance in this one was not for me and while I understand the choice for Olivia being so young at the start it icked me out a little. However the character of Olivia herself was standout for me and I really liked her.

The writing was engaging and I enjoyed the overall premise of the book but I felt that it started very slow and the crammed a lot in at the end.

A creepy historical book which really gave me shivers. It reminded me a lot of Rebecca which is up there in my all time favorite books. This was brilliant and I enjoyed it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The House of Lost Whispers is so unique! I loved the depth of the writing and the character development. However, I was disappointed to reach the end only to realize it was to be co tinted in another book. I want to know what happens! I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next book!

Olivia Davenport should have been on the Titanic with her parents but got left behind due to having measles. Her parents didn't survive so Olivia goes to live with the Fairchild family. With war looming Olivia feels alone when she hears a voice behind the wall in her bedroom.

I have read a previous book by the author, The Ravenswood Witch which I did really enjoy so was looking forward to this one. However I didn't enjoy this book as much I'm sorry to say.

The story started really well. I always find I'm drawn to books about the Titanic so felt this book was for me. The story then becomes more of a historical drama with the middle section set during WW 1. Then there is a little bit of magical realism thrown in with the voice behind the wall.

I always struggle with books that verge on fantasy and I don't read fantasy it's not for me. In this case is a parallel world where some situations are the same but some are different. In this case the Titanic didn't sink.

I feel confused as to what the story is supposed to be. It is clearly a historical family drama. There is a romance and also a mystery of a missing girl. The main character Olivia is involved in all three. The romance I can take or leave but I did like the mystery.

I felt a little disappointed as the story didn't explore the Titanic angle more. So going into the book expecting a tale that mentions the Titanic and doesn't cover it much in both worlds is a little bit of a let down. The story bring what it turned out to be may aswell have had any reason for Olivia staying with her guardians. Her parents could have been involved in a car accident or whatever just so there was a scenario for Olivia.

Anyway overall I liked the book but didn't love it. I would read more by the author in the future.

This book was lovely, if you are after a somewhat slow burn, HEA, main FMC POV and also multiple worlds, set in a historical time that involves a time-space continuum that has been disrupted, this is the book for you. The House of Lost Whispers captured young love and coming of age perfectly, encapsulating Olivia’s ‘through the looking glass’ perspective amazingly well. There is briefly a dual POV, but mostly we see Olivia’s side of the story, and also her HEA, in all the variants the fissure in the time-space continuum created. I really enjoyed the build up, but would have loved to have more of Seth’s POV too.

When the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic leaves Olivia Davenport orphaned, she’s sent to live with her guardians, the Fairchilds, in their huge Jacobean mansion. But the Fairchilds have more to worry about than a grieving young girl – with war in Europe imminent and four sons to protect.

Olivia feels alone and friendless. Until she hears a voice from behind the wall in her tower bedroom. A voice from a man called Seth. Convinced he’s merely a product of her grieving imagination, it’s not until after the heartbreak of war that Olivia discovers that he exists in an overlapping world, just a shudder in time away from her own. A world where the Titanic never sank… Where everything since has been just slightly… different.

All Olivia wants is to find a way into his reality. And not just to see the faces of her beloved parents once again. But also to meet Seth. Who might just be the love of her life…

This book reminds me off the ‘sliding doors’ kind of storyline. I did find myself getting a bit confused BUT that was more on me, than the authors writing! I’m a great believer in what’s meant to be and all that … BUT surely a little ‘help’ in the right direction is ok 😉?!) what a gorgeous book this was. #followback #love #myself

It’s a beautifully written book, I found it clever and engaging. It’s told from different dimensions which I found interesting. Olivia’s story of love and loss on her side of the wall was raw, fun, and heartbreaking.
I can’t say I enjoyed it as much after the self gratification, not that I don’t enjoy spiciness. It was just a bit too dizzy for me. The other side of the wall was just weird, and I don’t mind weird, just not this kind of weird. It doesn’t take away from the authors talent and way with words. Loved the first half.

This book was beautifully written and very emotionally driven. A unique way to represent alternative timeliness. I really, really enjoyed it. The romance was good. Olivia and Seth just needed to make it, I was totally rooting for them.

#TheHouseofLostWhispers #NetGalley

The House of Lost Whispers reeled me in from the start with the compelling opening scene relating the sinking of the Titanic. The addition of the paranormal touch was all the more intriguing. The first half of the novel was very moving and poignant, but I was wondering when the otherworldly component would fully unfold. It does, in the second half but, sadly, that second part felt weaker compared to the first. I was a bit disappointed, it didn't turn out quite how I was expecting it, although the ending was an empowering one. The writing style was very polished, so despite my mixed feelings, it was a nice read.

”But you could only repair a broken vase so many times because, if you repeatedly dropped it on the hard, stone floor, eventually, all that remained would be dust.

And now, Olivia Davenport felt all that remained of her was dust.”</i>

The House of Lost Whispers by Jenni Keer is historical fiction with a dash of fantasy, opening with the sinking of the Titanic in which an alternate earth is born from a flare of radiation created by the sun. In one timeline, the Titanic hit the iceberg dead on and was able to remain afloat, killing hundreds of crew. In the other, it sank as normal. Both timelines ended up having other differences as well, with some people dead in one and perfectly alive in the other as the years progress. The book takes us through WWI and ends in 1921.

The protagonist is Olivia Davenport, who in the Titanic-sinks-as-normal timeline, has lost her parents aboard the ship and has gone to live with Sir Hugo and Lady Cynthia Fairchild—her godparents—as well as their four boys: Clarence, Louis, Howard, and Benji. She’s a child who lives in her imagination and is dazzled by romantic notions, so when she begins to hear a voice speak to her through the wall of her tower, she’s intrigued.

The explanation behind the alternate universe using the composition of the earth was a neat way of doing it. It was also very smart of the author to have Olivia grow up before continuing her discussion with the voice on the other side of the wall, given that she was 13 and he was 19.

The cast of characters, especially the Fairchild family, grew on me as I read, and it was heartwarming to see Olivia wiggle her way into their hearts and make them more affectionate and outwardly physical. I also enjoyed how her bubbly personality helped to heal Seth, and in return his cheerful outlook she cultivated in him helped to pull her out of her grief. Their desperation to find love with one another despite the impossibility pulled at my heartstrings.

It’s hard not to go into too much without spoilers, but man does this book make you FEEL. See that quote up above? That was me for the middle third of the novel. It was gut wrenching, but I’d be astonished to find a story set during WWI that isn’t. This book would be a gem for people who enjoy historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and a hearty dose of melancholy but with a shine of hope at the end.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The House of Lost Whispers was an original, well-written novel that kept me guessing throughout. Made me think about the 'what ifs' in life and how a small change can alter the course of so many lives.

In a Nutshell: A historical fiction with mild shades of romance, mystery, and magical realism. Interesting plot spanning multiple genres, good characters though a tad beyond the era in terms of thinking, a slow-but-steady pace, and disappointing romance. The blurb makes it sound like a timeslip story; it’s not. I would have liked some actual timeslip, but once I readjusted my expectations, my experience improved.

Plot Preview:
When the ill-fated Titanic sinks in 1912, the slightly-spoiled and highly-imaginative thirteen-year-old orphan Olivia Davenport is sent to love with her wealthy godparents, the Fairchilds, at Merriford Manor. Life at Merriford is very different from what Olivia is accustomed to. Though there are more people here, there is much less physical demonstration of love. Olivia feels quite lonely and relies on her imagination to get through the days. But when she hears a voice from beyond the wall of her tower bedroom, she isn't sure if her imagination has turned too wild, or if there is actually a young man called Seth on the other side of her room? Soon it becomes clear that Seth does exist, but in a world slightly different from Olivia’s, a world where the Titanic never sank and her parents are still alive.
The story comes to us mostly in Olivia’s third-person perspective.

PSA: The blurb is highly misleading. It focusses mainly on the timeslip aspect, but the actual book is more of a general historical fiction. Better to go into it with the right expectations, else you will be disappointed

Bookish Yays:
🏰 The imaginative premise. Though I am not a hundred per cent happy with the execution, I cannot deny the creativity of this concept, especially in historical fiction.
🏰 Olivia’s personality – great for a fictional lead. Her melodramatic nature and wild imagination is clear right from her childhood, so she makes for an entertaining character at times.
🏰 The way the book focusses on the transition in Olivia’s life, going from being an only child in a modest house with loving parents to one of many children in a huge mansion with reserved adults. Few novels handle the contrast in living circumstances so well. I especially love the depiction of Olivia’s reaction to her new circumstances.
🏰 The first section of the book, which comes from ‘Before the War’. Easily my favourite as it fulfilled most of the potential.
🏰 Even though there’s some magical realism, the overall vibe is very grounded and believable.
🏰 Merriford Manor, with its gardens and towers, is the perfect location for such a story.
🏰 The writing is easy yet immersive. The pacing is mostly steady.
🏰 The historical inserts make the plot more convincing. Many historical events such as the suffragette movement, labour disputes and unrest, the sinking of the Titanic, the Great War and its aftermath make an appearance in the book without making it seem cluttered.
🏰 The emotional themes, whether grief from loss of parents or partners, PTSD after war, and the anger and frustration at lost opportunities, all come across well.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🚢 The initial interaction between Olivia and Seth begins when they are thirteen and nineteen respectively. While the later chapters make it clear why Olivia had to be so young at the start, it still feels a little odd to see a teen interact with a young man that way.
🚢 The three sections of the book – Before, During, and After the war – are distinct in tone as well as genre. The first section is more of general historical fiction with a minor glimpse of the magical realism. The second section is more like war fiction, with much trauma, loss and grief. The final section has the most romance as well as a strong thread of mystery. The magical realism is the most in this section, but because of the way the content is written, it barely feels magical. While each of the three sections are interesting on their own merit, the overall effect of the novel is a bit jumpy thanks to the change in genres.
🚢 The way of explaining the duplicate earth where Seth lived was quite creative. Not scientific, but great fiction that needs to be accepted at face value. However, with so much potential there, I was disappointed not to know much more about that world.
🚢 While the blurb makes the book feel like the timeslip and the “other world” is the centre of attention, the actual plot is not that fantastical. The focus is more on Olivia’s life and the historical events affecting it, with the fantastical part being sidelined for much of the journey. If you read this mainly as a timeslip, you will be disappointed. The actual content isn't bad, but the misrepresentation in the blurb leads to incorrect expectations. Moreover, the actual reveal of the timeslip doesn’t come until a long way into the book.
🚢 The Fairchilds make for interesting characters. While we don’t get to know all of them well, we do get to see enough of their personality to understand their behaviour and their motivations. Lady Fairchild was probably the best sketched of the lot. I wish some of them had more page space.
🚢 The climax of this story was almost perfect for me, and I was going to list it in my Yays. But the final two chapters turned my delight into mere contentment. The ending was much braver without those chapters. Then again, I understand how avid fans of the women’s fiction kind of genre would be more pleased with the current ending.

Bookish Nays:
💥 The romance(s). I can't reveal anything about the romance without spoilers. So I'll just say that I rolled my eyes at many of the scenes as they just didn’t match the era. Also, does everyone have to fall in love with Olivia? It got repetitive after a point.
💥 Some part of Olivia’s behaviour doesn’t sound age-appropriate, or even era-appropriate. Her thinking often seems too modern.
💥 I never understood why Olivia didn’t want to know more about or to interact with her parents who were still alive in the other world. Her only concern seemed to be her love life and the potential partners – quite odd.

All in all, while this novel began with a bang for me, it ended up as a slightly mixed experience. The first section was amazing. The second section was quite good though a bit repetitive. However, the third section turned out to be a truly mixed experience. The romance, the mystery, the decisions of the lead characters, and the end result of the plot, each had highs and lows.
This is my third book by this author, after ‘No. 23 Burlington Square’ and ‘The Ravenswood Witch’. While I liked all three books, I think this one had the most potential in terms of imagination. However, the lack of cohesiveness across the three sections and the romance turned this one into a good one-time read instead of a memorable one.
Recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction and war dramas with a healthy sprinkling of romance. Not for those looking for a timeslip story.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to Boldwood Books for providing the DRC of “The House of Lost Whispers” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I enjoyed reading Jenni Keer’s debut novel, The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker several years ago and thought I’d like to read more of her books. This one is her eighth book, so I missed the books in between. I don’t often read romance or fantasy novels but The House of Lost Whispers has both elements and it’s also historical fiction set before, during and after the First World War. I preferred the historical element, especially the middle section about the War. But I also enjoyed reading the fantasy element about the anomaly in the magnetic field surrounding the earth causing vibrations, disrupting the fabric of space and time. This resulted in the formation of a duplicate earth, one parallel with our world, in which the Titanic did not sink on 12th April 1912.

I think this is a very interesting and possibly original idea, exploring what life would have been like for Olivia and her family if the Titanic had not been sunk. The book also explores loss and grief, family life, friendship and romantic relationships, as well as the devastating and horrific events of the First World War. As described in the blurb Olivia in the ‘real’ world and Seth in the parallel world can hear each other through the wall in her tower bedroom (the whispers), but despite their efforts they cannot break through to meet.

It’s beautifully descriptive, bringing the settings to life and there is also a murder mystery to solve. My only criticisms are that at times I did get a bit confused about Seth’s character and his parallel in the ‘real’ world, and I could have done without the love scenes (too descriptive in places). As I read on I was wondering how it would end and maybe Jenni Keer wondered too because the conclusion seemed rushed and rather neatly sown up. I was a bit disappointed, although I can’t imagine how else it could have ended. But overall it kept me reading, wanting to know what would happen next.

This book started off strong and interesting. I thought for sure after they described the anomaly that it would come back up later in the series. Sadly, more study into the way the alternate universes were created or work did not occur. In fact, I feel as if this book’s blurb was kind of misleading. Olivia did not time travel, she did not look into time travelling theory and she was not able to access the alternate reality from anywhere except the wall in her room. And even then, she could only hear Seth and not even see him. It was a unique take for sure but not one I personally liked. I also did not like how the characters evolved. They seemed bland and detached and even the romance itself, I wasn’t really feeling it. I could see that the author tried to grow the character’s personality it just never hit home.

I liked the country setting and ambiance of the early 1900’s era. I enjoyed the mystery that was sprinkled in throughout the story and solved at the end. I did not see that reveal coming. I also enjoyed the descriptive writing, I felt like I was there, and I could imagine exactly the locations the characters frequented.

I did not like how many characters were killed off, but I do appreciate that it made me emotional even though it was anger and sadness haha. Regarding the main romantic couple, the author tried to light that spark but ultimately, I did not feel the love. I was ok with them in the end, but it wasn’t any grand conclusion considering the blurb was all like Olivia will stop at nothing to get into this other reality etc. She didn’t really do much, but it was a memorable read which is why I’ll give it a solid 4 stars instead of 3.5 and rounding down. I probably won’t pick up the next book anytime soon. This author is definitely a mood read, at least for me. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this Arc.

Grade
4/5 ⭐ overall
2/5 💗 romance
0/5 🌶️ spice

Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review! #thehouseoflostwhispers #netgalley

Olivia’s parents sadly perish on the titanic and she goes to live with the Fairchild family who were her nominated guardians. When Olivia goes to stay she has to find her feet again but does she find a double life or that of a ghost not far away?

After reading “The Cornish Witch” by Elena Collins i was eager to read other historical reads with ghostly happenings and I conveniently came across this book.

This book covers some very emotional topics which are essential to be spoken about and brought into British history. It really turns traditions, old beliefs and values on their head and shows how there were many people who did not believe in the societal values of the time but felt it was their duty to conform. These topics covered were death, marginalised groups, murder, world wars, concentration camps, titanic, pregnancy out of wedlock as well as many other topics . All of these topics are delicately written to show how life has its challenges and secrets. As well as showing how everyone has the inner and outer version of themselves which has been written in a way that bridges the gap between history, romance and mystery to provide historical romantasy.

However I think the pacing of this book is off which makes it slow to begin with and then at times chaotic.
For the first 1/3 of the book you follow the daily life of Olivia and the Fairchild with nothing happening. Suddenly it starts speeding up in the 2/3 and by the last third you have a beautiful pacing that doesn’t have enough time to expand so makes you feel like your on a whistle stop tour. I feel that if the beginning had been less day to day then the suspenseful aspects would have had more time to be developed. Due to the random change in scenes, it often made me feel like certain story lines were under developed and also this meant that there were aspects in the book that lacked the mystery that I felt I was looking for. In the beginning you found yourself reading about each day, then in the middle you would jump a year or so at once and then later in the book you’d jump a few weeks instead.

Also in the last third of the book you start to get a dual timeline with Seth and Olivia. It was nice to hear Seth’s side of the story and also tied up the loose ends from his world but it felt a bit random because up until that point it had only been Olivia’s point of view being told. I think if the author had done it all dual timeline it would have added another dimension, suspense and magic to the story.

Although I would read another book by this author!

The House of Lost Whispers by Jenni Keer. First of all I just want to say I really liked this book. Olivia’s mum and dad die on the Titanic, apart from the boat ends up causing a rip in the universe and another universe starts seeping into our world. Then the book entirely forgets all of that happens and it isn’t mentioned again for probably 150 pages whilst other things happen. Once it remembers the whole universe thing, we round off by going back to that. It’s a nice story with a nice ending and it’s very easy to read. I would happily have had no other world though and just read about everyone during the war.

Olivia lost her parents when the Titanic sank in 1912 and she was sent to live with the Fairchilds who welcomed her into their lives. She felt a bit lost in a household of three boys but her guardians were kind people. The twist in the story is what if those we think are dead, live on in a alternative universe and Olivia continues to live with them as their much loved only child, growing up and having a very different life.

The alternative life is looked at closely in this story which takes you to fantasy (which could be probable) Shouldn’t be ruled out totally though!

Part mystery, a lot of history, a touch of romance, heart breaking love story in part the story held my interest throughout.