Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this book. It was an emotional read.

Emily has learnt that she’s inherited the cottage if her great aunt Violet.

When her relationship breaks down, she realises that she needs to move in order to get over what’s happened. She comes back to the cottage. Returning brings back memories of years gone by and she meets Will, the person she was in love with during her childhood.

Emily wants to make some changes to the cottage, to freshen it up and Will offers to help with nothing she wants doing.

When she finds the diary her aunt has written, she learns of the times when her aunt lived in the cottage during WWII as well as her love story which was a secret no one else knew about.

Emily discovers so much about her family and also what the secrets were that were kept throughout the generations.

This is dual timeline story which was beautifully written about love and loss.

I highly recommend this book.

My Great Aunt’s Diary by Laura Sweeney was such a charming yet emotional read. Emily has just inherited her great aunt Violet’s cottage. Needing a change of pace and a place to heal her broken heart, Emily decides to return to the cottage. When she runs into Will, her childhood flame, so many memories come flooding back.

Emily decides to breathe some new life into the cottage and Will offers to help. When she comes across her great aunt’s diary, she is transported back to WWII and a secret love story. As the story unfolds, Emily learns so much that she never knew about her family and the secrets they carried with them over the generations.

The second book in the Dovecote Cottages Series, this dual timeline novel weaves together the stories of Emily and her great aunt Violet. This was a beautifully written story of love and loss that will take the reader on a journey of emotions. The author has done a wonderful job creating rich yet flawed and relatable characters that all types of readers can connect with.

Thank you to Bookouture for the ARC of this gripping, heart wrenching and heartwarming book!

My thoughts:
This story has us following Emily. She returns to her great-aunt’s seaside cottage to recover from heartbreak.
When she discovers her aunt’s hidden WWII-era diary, she discovers family secrets. Did her aunt have a past that Emily did not know about?
As Emily bumps into her childhood love, Will, she has to wonder if she can trust him again.
Will Emily be able to go forward in her life?
My Great-Aunt’s Diary is a beautiful story about healing, second chances and discovering what home really means.
Thank you to all for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are y own.

Having read the first in the series, I couldn't wait to read this one. A dual storyline introduces two different women and how they both found out who they were and how to move forward. Perfect for someone who has been ill in bed for a week! The descriptions and storyline had me captivated from page 1.

I wasn't sure about this to start with but It did improve on me but I didn't find it as good as the previous Dove cottage book.
The characters annoyed me.
But I again noticed that Violet story seemed to mirror Emily's story but they were both happy in the end.

Absolutely loved it. A new author for me . Brought the first one to read. What a story so emotional at times . So hard to review without spoiling the plot. You have family secrets . You move back and forward in time War can be so cruel. .We are lucky to live in the century we do. A perfect ending . Read it

My Great-Aunt's Diary- Laura Sweeney

I was dubious about reading this book because it's number 2 in a series and I wasn't sure whether not having read book 1 would be a disadvantage.
From the get go I was invested in the 2 mysteries, 1 in the Wartime plot with Violet and 1 in the modern day plot line with Emily and I was keen to find out how the 2 stories would intertwine.
I love the strong representation of LGBTQIA+ relationships in this book. Violet and Zeylas story was so beautiful. I really love historical fiction books especially those set in the World War 2 era. I flew through this book, keen to see how both story lines played out. The characters were well developed. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking in parts, yet hopeful story of enduring live and friendship too. I think the hardships of living in Britain while World War 2 raged on are well illustrated in this book. There's so much loss within these pages but it still has a distinctly hopeful tone. The resilient spirit of the British people during war times is well captured. I might just have to go and seek out book number 1 in the series now.
Thanks as always to @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC and thank you to @bookouture who are always supplying me with top quality reads. 📚❤️

My Great Aunt’s Diary by Laura Sweeney is a marvellous dual timeline novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the second book in the Dovecote Cottages series but can be read as a stand-alone.
The action is set in 1943 and 2016. We ‘hear’ about the action in real time and also via an old diary. The diary is about forbidden love. It ends abruptly, causing the Great Aunt’s niece to search for the end of the story. The search takes her across the sea to Ireland and then back again to Dovecote.
The novel opens in Brighton in 1943 and London in 2016. Both time periods see the characters ending up in Dovecote, unexpectedly. 1943 sees a family bombed out of their Brighton house. In 2016 a cottage is left to a character in a will.
There is loss within the novel. “Grief never really leaves you; you just get better at living with it.” The journey of grief is not linear. There are both good and bad days, one just has to cope the best one can.
In 1943 we see characters having to hide their true selves as social norms of the day mean that certain relationships cannot come to light. “I wanted her [Mum] not to pity me or see me as something broken, or deviant. But I didn’t know how she’d react if I told her.” It is heartbreaking to read, especially as the reader learns, along with the character, that her Mum loves her unconditionally.
A rogue bomb sees a home destroyed for the second time. A character fears it is her fault. “This [bombing] was my fault. I’d committed a sin… and this was my punishment.” The character carries the guilt around with her. It is a burden she was never meant to pick up.
In 2016 a young woman also struggles with feelings of unworthiness. She is told “you don’t trust kindness because you don’t think you deserve it.” She needs to learn to love herself.
We see the role that class plays in both time periods. In 1943 a character chooses wealth and status over true love – and misses out on the love that lasts a lifetime.
In contrast, her female friend in 1943 found and chose love. There are still heartaches and loss along the way but she found a faithful love.
This is a powerful novel about love. It is horrifying for the modern reader to see characters unable to be themselves in 1943 because society dictates to them.
All the characters were well drawn, likable and believable.
I thoroughly enjoyed My Great Aunt’s Diary. I will leave the final words from Violet’s mother:
“You can be whatever you want to be and no matter what you do, no matter who you are, who you become, I will always love you and be proud of you.”
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I read this book straight after finishing the first book in the series. I loved the first book but this one didn't quite have the same strong storyline. It was still enjoyable but for me it lacked the "can't stop reading" feeling I got with the first book. They are both very well written and easy to read. I somehow didn't warm to the characters as much in this title. I do feel I have got to know Dovecot as a place and hope there will be more books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to read and review an Arc copy.

I was really interested in this novel take on LGBTQIA+ experiences during WWII and found myself especially drawn to Violet’s character. While some of the Pride references felt a little forced and lacked a sense of lived experience, the story as a whole was compelling and well told. It’s a strong read that I’d definitely recommend. This is the second book I’ve read by Laura, and I’m already looking forward to exploring more of her work!

this book had me wanting to read more but also not wanting to end. i kept having to read it. and i didn't want to leave reading it. and i also then was getting towards the end and tried to slow down!i actually didn't want to leave the gorgeous cocoon this book enveloped me in. from start to finish it was perfection.
i was completely taken in to the Dovecote seaside village. can someone invite me please? Laura writes almost like shes being kind to us, like shes trying to make her feel warm but it comes across so effortless that this must just be the brilliance of her writing style.
you felt this book, the story, the characters with your whole heart.
Emily is our main character. shes such a wonderfully told woman who is struggling with life. and sees a glimmer of light and fresh start in a new place, a new cottage. when Emily arrives she needs this, and slowly we get to see her moving through her pain and healing her grief. and then there is a new mystery for her, but one that might provide questions and or answers in her own life too. because Violet left her this cottage, but within it Violet has left clues of her own mystery and Emily feels she needs to find out more.
then we meet Will. they new each other once and you can tell. its there, we all feel it and you know they do too. but again Laura took her time and was gentle with them. it felt real and natural how their interactions happened. there was a gentle finding, opening and rewarding nature to each time we see them. you root for them instantly and are almost anxious with the tension of whether they will be ok!
Laura writes their connection with such precise feeling. they bubble off the pages, their connection there for all to see. but like all else in this story nothing over shadows or takes over anything else of importance.
the added mystery in Violets diary was just an added bonus! we get a dual timeline telling which always bring such fantastic scope over someone story. and again Violets story fit just like a puzzle within the rest of the book. it was just as important and i was just as compelled to reading it.
this book is one i want to own, keep and cherish. its one that you hold a special place for.
its one i want to say so much about but i simply cant do it justice and i fear when i like something this much my words sounds gobble-dee-gook anyway. but ive tried.
so all i will say is this goes to my top list. and i think it shall stay there, right up there.
read it.
you'll love every moment with this book in your hands.

Emily inherits her great aunt violets cottage. she starts investigating her aunt's life. good book. I read in two afternoons.

Book review of My Great-Aunt’s Diary by Laura Sweeney. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

This book felt like a warm, quiet weekend in a place you didn’t know you missed until you returned. From the first page, My Great-Aunt’s Diary swept me into the world of Dovecote—a charming seaside village that feels both timeless and familiar. Laura Sweeney has such a comforting, inviting style of writing. It’s not just about painting a picture—it’s about building a feeling. I could hear the sea through the open windows, feel the creak of the floorboards in the old cottage, and smell the roses in the overgrown garden. The setting isn’t just background—it breathes with every page, becoming a kind of character in its own right.

Emily is someone I connected with instantly. She’s not dramatic or flashy. She’s quietly heartbroken, uncertain, and so deeply human. Her journey home to Violet’s cottage felt like the kind of personal reset we all dream about when life overwhelms us. There’s a softness to the way she moves through her grief that made her feel real. I appreciated that she didn’t arrive with everything figured out—she was searching, not just for answers about Violet’s past, but for a way forward in her own life. It made every small choice, every rediscovered memory, feel important and earned.

The emotional core of the story really deepens when Will reappears. Their shared history hums beneath every interaction. I loved how Sweeney didn’t rush them—there’s space for hesitation, for awkwardness, for old wounds to surface naturally. Their chemistry is low-key but undeniable, like two puzzle pieces finally fitting back together after years apart. Will is patient, kind, but not perfect. Their second chance at love feels more like a slow rekindling than a grand gesture, and that made it so much more believable—and honestly, more satisfying.

And then there’s Violet’s diary, which completely stole my heart. The moment Emily discovers it, the story begins to open in a new direction. The dual timeline added so much richness, and Violet’s voice was so distinct—strong, romantic, and quietly brave. Her wartime love story had all the emotional depth I could’ve hoped for. It made me think about how many stories—especially women’s stories—go untold or forgotten, and how powerful it can be when someone finally listens. “Sometimes love waits in the quiet places, until someone is brave enough to remember.” That line nearly brought me to tears. It’s simple but profound, and it lingers long after the last page.

This book isn’t flashy, and that’s its strength. It’s thoughtful and comforting, like long conversations over tea, or digging through old letters in a forgotten attic. The themes—grief, healing, love, memory, and home—are explored with care and honesty. It reminded me that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is return to the place that broke you and try again. Emily isn’t just rebuilding a house—she’s reclaiming her story, and her family’s, too.

My Great-Aunt’s Diary is the kind of book I’ll reach for again when I want to feel wrapped up in something gentle and true. It’s a beautiful second installment in the Dovecote Cottages series, and I already can’t wait to return to this little village by the sea. Laura Sweeney writes with such warmth and understanding—like she’s been where her characters are and is gently guiding them, and us, toward hope.