I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books!
The House of Hardie brings me back to the days when I used to devour Historical Fiction books and indeed, it reminds me of the things I love in the genre- a vivid setting, great cast of characters, and discussions about class and gender in society. All of these elements combine together in this book to produce a captivating read.
There are two families at the heart of this story- the Hardies, a family of wine merchants, and the Yates, an aristocratic family. The aristocrats look down on the Hardies as a merchant family and would not deign to consider a relationship with them higher than that of client and merchant. Similarly, there are two sets of siblings featured here, both with very different circumstances and family dynamics, but both are a pair of brother and sister. Their lives intertwine and things get complicated. What follows is a story about first love, disappointments, and adventure.
This book features two couples who meet very different fates. The first part is dedicated to Midge, a smart and ambitious young woman who gets into an ill-advised and perhaps ill-fated relationship with Archie Yates. I liked how strong Midge’s character is and how she grows to be more confident, self-assured, and in control. At first, she does make bad decisions in the name of love, but later on, she realizes her mistakes and corrects them. She’s a very practical young woman, logical and serious, but swayed by Archie’s charm. I found her character to be realistically portrayed and I applaud where her story goes later on.
I’m a fan of Midge’s character arc. She does find passion and begins a passionate love affair (although the way it is portrayed in the book does remain chaste) which doesn’t really go anywhere and leaves her heartbroken. However, at the end of it, she finds out what she really wants in life and decides to take control of her own life.
The second part of the book is dedicated to Gordon Hardie, the heir to the business but also a restless young man who craves adventure and travel, especially after an adventure in his youth. He falls in love with Lucy Yates and they basically struggle to be together due to her aristocratic family’s disapproval. I liked how this gives us a contrast between their relationship and that of Midge and Archie’s. Gordon and Lucy are the healthier couple, although definitely more headstrong and rash. It’s a stark contrast between Midge’s rationality regarding her own relationship and Gordon’s emotional response towards his own.
I’m not sure about what I feel regarding their relationship since it happens a bit quickly. Although, after the initial insta-love parts, their relationship does grow and strengthen through hardship as they travel through rural China together. Their relationship isn’t all roses and sunshine and does have moments where it gets a lot difficult. Through it all, they survive and endure and they grow both as people and as a couple because of it.
I enjoyed how this book tackles the class differences between the couples and gives a realistic resolution to each. The House of Hardie was first published in 1987 and it does seem to be a product of its time at certain points but I definitely enjoyed it. I’d recommend it to fans of Historical Fiction.
