The Golden Hours by Louisa Young is an elegant sequel to the famous story about the Cazalet family, which is packed with warmth, nostalgia, and many other emotions. Set in the turbulent times of the 1960s, the book perfectly reflects the conflict between the past and present. With its huge number of characters, each of whom has his or her dreams, regrets, and secrets, the novel is sure to please everyone who loves good literature.

I was admittedly predisposed to love this but was not disappointed. A reboot of a beloved series can be a tricky thing but I think Louisa Young really pulled it off. She captured the voices of the “classic” Cazalets and the new characters also felt like they belonged in this world.

I loved th Cazlet novels and was so excited to be approved for this new one in the series. It was lovely reading about all the old chat and some new ones too. Will there be more? I sincerely hope so. A lovely story set in the 1960's and the doings of all the families. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher's for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I was pleased to be asked by NetGalley to review this book.

I have been a fan of Elizabeth Jane Howard and read The Cazalet Chronicles a long time ago. What was surprising was that her Neice would be writing a sixth book The Golden Hours.

This is set in the 60s and focuses on the younger generation and cousins. There is so much political and social change at this time and the author tackles this well in the novel.

Personally Louisa Young has done a great job here and highly recommend this

Due for publication September 3rd 2026

I am a latecomer to the world of the Cazalets, devouring the entire series in a matter of months within the last year, then listening to the BBC Radio drama. I was therefore delighted to find out that I would be able to find out what happens next to the family in a new continuation by Elizabeth Jane Howard's niece, and even more pleased to be given an ARC by the publishers (thank you!). I was a little hesitant, I have to say. The amazing thing about this family that Howard has created is how real the people in it are, with their foibles, their strengths, their quirks, and in my imagination they are as real as any of the other characters who have been living there for much longer. Therefore I was so relieved to immediately sink into Christmas at Fakenham and to become reacquainted with Clary, Louise, Polly, and not only their parents and aunt but their children, there in the life just as they were at the end of 'All Change'.

Although no one can write with quite the elegance and flair of Howard, Young's style is not at all jarring or obtrusive, and she has caught and picked up the characters astonishingly well. Very few things felt out of kilter to me, and the narrative felt pretty seamless all in all. I've always wanted to know what happened to Jessica's daughter who married the war veteran in order to look after him in a convalescent home (can't remember her name) but I suppose the problem with this saga is that the family tree is so sprawling that it's impossible to keep up with all the characters, and in fact Howard herself didn't attempt to do so with her final book in the series either. I really appreciated Villy getting a bit of a second wind and am interested to see what happens to her next; on the other hand I found Rupert extremely boring for most of this book, though I can see why he behaves as he does.

I didn't mind the jumping around between perspectives as I felt this fit in well with the later books in the series, although I could have done without the chapters from Tonbridge's perspective, or from Juliet's some time landlady. I'm too young to have experienced the sixties and actually feel I know little about it as a decade, but it did seem to be reflected in some of the topics brought up and some of the social scenarios the characters find themselves in.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will certainly be looking forward to reading Young's continuation of the series, especially after such a cliffhanger!

There's a quote from this book that almost sums it up for me: "The little hug that holds the world together". Except, this utterly perfect continuation of the Cazalet chronicles is a big, all-enveloping, cosy bear-hug! For the first time since the final instalment by Elizabeth Jane Howard, I was completely wrapped up in this book. It is the literary equivalent of a comforting mug of hot chocolate when your hands are frozen. I read the original Cazalet chronicles at a difficult time in my life. The characters, and the history they lived through, were and remain my companions. I care deeply about Polly, Louise, Clary – and now Juliet and Harriet too.
I really appreciated reading Louisa Young's foreword, where she describes her approach to the magisterial task of picking up such a beloved series (I could never). Young has managed this feat with aplomb, and so seamlessly – I could swear she is taking dictation from EJH herself! Each family member's perspective rings true, there are Easter eggs galore, and Young carefully lifts into the light the more challenging experiences too – Edward's conduct towards Louisa, Rupert in France, Neville and Juliet's feelings – so that, just like the originals, the saga is not at all saccharine. I loved all the period detail as well - we're now in the sixties, with Liberty tana lawn fabric!
Highly, highly recommended and I hope to goodness that there will be more Cazalet chronicles to come from Young.

i literally did a yelp over this book being born into the world. genuinely my heart and soul were left with Elizabeth's books knowing we wouldn't get any more of her or her wonderful writing really got me emotional at the time. so to see her niece take up the helm was fantastic news.
and i could sit here and give you ten million page waffle over this family and both authors take on them. im trying really hard to narrow it all down to a readable and not overlapping thought splurge here.
i think Louise did this so well. i dont know why she did it to be honest. because who would put themselves in the positions taking on one of the greatest sagas that every lived!? pressure doesn't even begin to cover what that must have felt like.
but she did it and did it in her own way. you dont compare you just sit and enjoy how someone that you can feel is part of Elizabeth takes the characters in a moving forward way too. like Elizabeth tracked the era and people in their own way and then Louise seamlessly picks it up where alot does change and alot of the time and era brings about that change too. being into the 60's so much of life was becoming anew. things would change for the family too and we needed to see how all would cope with it.
i have to admit when i heard we would be back without Louise my little heart gulped. i was genuinely hurt and broken bu what she went through in her youth. i was absolutely fuming at the injustice or lack of anything served to her father! but also deeply saddened that i knew this was indeed the way things would be in that era. and even more tragic was this relationship and the evil within it was related so close to Elizabeth herself.
like some protective Aunty i wanted to see how Louise and the younger generation were coping now. because you truly have seen the ripple of their youth effect their present.
i was glad to see a bit of karma misery sent his way though.
in this new books we join them at the last part of estate that feels like the ones of the past and this is where Polly nd Gerald reside. but its not all roses keeping this old place together nor being the "role" she is assume to be taking as the housewife of such a place. shes somehow taken up the anchor ship of the old Guard and this doesn't sit too well at times.
Clary is there and still trying to find her place. the marriage offers up some real complexities that she definitely didn't feel when it all began in her shiny youth.
and oh, oh coming back to see Rachel felt like my soul needed to see how she and Sid were. i loved their story in both a heart breaking but heart mending way. how Rachel sacrificed literally everything for her family never sat well with me but again was so realistic to them times and her character.
with the swingers 60s underway we know there is going to be some new moments for the youthful ones to dive into and they did that. and will be sure to make some dark or maybe comical moments when the clan come back together.
this was a delight. and im truly honoured to get to read the next steps in this family and these books. i really do wish for Louise to know how well she has done and just how brave she has been for taking on this book and family. she should be very proud. i loved how it wasn't a case of comparison. i didn't "miss" the other books so to speak and it felt like we were warmly handing the baton over to Louise. and that maybe somewhere in readers heaven Elizabeth is sitting proudly that she is loved and her loved works are still out there shining bright.

The five books that make up the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard are absolute classics so it takes a brave person to attempt to add a sixth. Louisa Young has an advantage though – her father’s brother was married to Howard so she knew her well, knew the people and the stories that the originals were based on and could discuss her own writing with Howard over the years. Happily, her experience is used to very good effect and The Golden Hours is a wonderful addition to the series.

The same old faces return, all with their own stories, so it’s impossible to summarise a plot with so many threads. The focus, though, is mainly on Zoe and Rupert, Archie and Clary, and Juliet. The family are now heading into the 60s and the world is very much changing around them, with some adapting to the changes better than others.

It’s been a while since I had read the originals so I had forgotten a lot of the details but it all came back reading this, a very good sign that the author has absolutely captured the voice of the earlier books. She manages to capture the atmosphere of the age, the characters of the family and the feel of the storytelling and it kept me absorbed from start to finish. It ends on something of a cliffhanger which seems a good sign that there are more to come and I very much hope that’s the case. This was brilliantly done, hard to tell apart from the originals and that is the highest compliment I can give it. Superb.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.