The Manhattan Secret

Just what I needed on a quiet Sunday morning! The Manhattan Secret reads well and has an absolutly enthralling plot. I particularly enjoyed the wintry and enchanting Manhattan at the turn of the century backdrop, as well as the charming French countryside sourrounding the Laroche chateau. The cast of characters is also very well-fashioned.

The Manhattan Secret is the first book in a series and I've not seen the next volume announced yet; hopefully that will soon change!

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley!

What a book! I finished in less than 24 hours, and now I can't wait to get my hands on the next volume in the series. I wouldn't want to spoil the plot for anyone, but can say as much: you'll come across many a twist and turn and ultimately get to the bottom of the secrets you longed to discover, which is why the reading experience so satisfying. At the same time, you realize there's so much more to come, and you must get your hands on the next instalment to find out…

Great read. I tend to read very different historical fiction but really enjoyed this one. The plot is action-packed and the author took care to create multifaceted characters. The ending came as a bit if a shock!

The Manhattan Secret is an extremely well crafted and multi layered novel with characters that are very relatable and a story that you will love but will break your heart in two.

Wonderful read. I enjoyed the story very much. The main character’s journey into womanhood.
Would recommend, very well written, I felt I was right there beside her. .
Definitely worth reading.

What a story! Sagas are not really my thing but I was recommended it by a friend and truly enjoyed it. This book is not for the faint hearted. It tells the story of how a young French girl is orphaned in New York at the turn of the 20th C and all the dramas and tragedy that befall her and her family. The story in itself is quite sad, but very realistic for the era. It veers between two worlds: poverty and riches and two places: New York and Charente (France). There was so much suspense in each chapter that I was riveted throughout. I read it pretty quickly as it was one of those you can't put down, despite it being a long story. It had an abrupt ending, leaving you intrigued as to what happens to the main characters. I would love to read the next book in the series, just to find out whether Lisbeth and Richard stay together. The plot is original and meaningful, giving you a good insight into how tough life was for Europeans emigrating to the New World circa 1890. It's not sugar coated which adds to its realism and is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. Yes, I would recommend it.

Beautifully written and gripping story. I couldn't put it down. It's the fastest I've ever read a novel of over 400 pages. I loved it and I highly recommend it. The romance and tragedy mixed with the physical and social settings of New York & France in the late 19th Century makes this novel exciting and refreshing. The plot twists are innovative.
Elizabeth's defiant character at first can be quite irritating because she comes across as naive, selfish and ungrateful however, you see her grow in to a strong, resilient woman. Elizabeth's world comes crashing down in her late teens when she finds out something that has been hidden from her - in her head, she had been living a lie from a young age. Her subsequent actions following the revelation gets her in to trouble numerous times but it's her strength and defiance that gets her out of it. Towards the end of the book, you begin to sense her actions may avenge her mother's death. She did what her mother, Catherine, could not do; you almost end up feeling a slight sense of justice. I'm excited to find out what happens next!

As this story begins I was transported to the Laroche family in Guerville Castle, Montignac, France in 1886.
Meeting the initial characters was certainly intriguing,
Catherine and her father Hugues Laroche.
Adela: Catherine’s mother, and our protagonist Elizabeth aged 6.
It’s a stormy night in every way, as Catherine’s husband Guilliame Duquesne refuses seemingly magnificent offers from father-in-law Hugues.
Grandfather Hugues wishes to persuade Guilliame not to take his young family onto the ocean liner ‘La Champagne’, and to abandon his plan to start a new life in New York leaving the next day.
Young Elizabeth is whisked away to an icy bed by the frosty young housekeeper Madeleine after being shown images of some ocean creatures in preparation for the sea voyage by her mother.
Hence, we meet the mysterious Justin aged 8.
This is all just in the first few chapters, and I am already well engaged, wanting to read on to get some answers.
Especially as to why humble Guilliame the carpenter is so hell bent on taking the pregnant Catherine and Elizabeth to this new life in the colonial ‘New World’ of New York City.
Catherine has booked third class passage hoping to save her money for their new life ahead.
I have some serious doubts about Guilliame at this stage as he seems lose everything too quickly.
The ensuing events are an emotional rollercoaster of tragic misfortunes and serendipity for Elizabeth.
I loved that we eventually get to find out a whole lot more about Elizabeth’s paternal French family, and mother Catherine’s story.
Through Elizabeth’s premonitions we are guided to the missing puzzle pieces.
If there is a sequel to this story I would certainly love to read it.
There were so many things that I liked about this book, including that it led me to spend an hour or so looking at images and histories of castles in the Dordogne area.
As other reviewers have mentioned it has some forceful sexual imagery, but these are slightly balanced out by Elizabeth’s more positive sexual experiences as she grows in confidence, direction and self-belief.
The translation of Dupuy’s words seemed a little awkward at first, but the storyline soon ascends this.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheManhattanSecret

1886 France - Elizabeth is a happy child with parents who dote on her. The family history however is troubled and her parents decide to immigrate. Expecting her second baby, the voyage is harsh and her mother dies in childbirth on the voyage itself. Her father is distraught but determined to set course for New York and to set up in the carpentry field which is his speciality. Fate however has other plans and he loses his life within a few weeks of arriving in America.

Getting lost and being found by a wealthy New Yorker who loved her very much and who provided everything he possibly could for her should have been a boon but Elizabeth even at such a young age, and throughout her growingup years had flashbacks of life with her parents and her grand parents and a young boy who befriended her years ago.

The story of how Elizabeth and the changes that happen so drastically very negative and then very positive makes for an interesting change, especially told over a few decades.