Synopses & Reviews
From international bestselling author Harriet Evans, an engrossing new novel about a woman who, on the eve of her eightieth birthday, decides to reveal a secret that may destroy her perfect family.
The day Martha Winter decided to tear apart her family began like any other day.
When Martha, a wife and mother of three, sits down one late summer’s morning to write out the invitations to her eightieth birthday celebration, she knows that what she is planning to reveal at the party could ruin the idyllic life she and her husband David have spent over fifty years building…
But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more.
The invitation goes out far and wide, calling her three children and their families back home to Winterfold, their rambling house in the heart of the English countryside. They are Bill, the doctor; Florence, the eccentric academic; and Daisy, the child who never fit in. As the story unfolds, each character reveals the secrets, joys, and tragedies they are wrestling with through the confines of the family. What will happen when Martha finally tells the truth?
Review
Praise for A PLACE FOR US
"A brilliantly written story that will stay with you long after the last page."
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"Lovely and heart-warming, A Place for Us is a thoroughly readable novel filled with tragedy, love and redemption."
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"A really superior modern saga, with utterly true to life characters."
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"This brilliantly written portrait of a fascinating family in crisis is an emotionally intelligent, thoughtful and engaging read."
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"I was blissfully carried away by this intelligent...classy and superbly executed family saga."
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Praise for NOT WITHOUT YOU
“Oh, I loved Not Without You! I just couldn't stop reading. Anyone who loves the old-fashioned romance of black and white movies, or wishes they could step into the film or behind the Hollywood sound stages, will love Eve's 1950s story; anyone who wonders what it's really like to be modern-day box office royalty will be gripped by Sophie's. Harriet Evans conjures up the glamour, pressures, and euphoria of life as a star, yet she creates two very real heroines treading the precarious tightrope of fame. It's a novel that your ace through hungrily, yet don't want to end, thanks to characters who feel like friends from the first page.”
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"The shallow LA of today is wittily satirized, and the more glamorous age of the 50s brilliantly recalled."
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"This cleverly constructed tale about the interwoven lives of two Hollywood actresses will have you gripped from the very first page. Dripping with dark humour, gritty realism, with a little bit of romance thrown in, too, it's an absorbing read."
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"A multifacted tale of fading fame and shifting fortunes."
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"This is more than your average chic lit. The stories of Sophie and Eve take center stage here, providing a refreshing and absorbing depth and complexity. A fascinating look at the Hollywood machine of past and present and those who have struggled within it."
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Praise for LOVE OF HER LIFE
“Both entertaining and emotional; tissues at hand highly recommended.”
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“Evans captures the essence of the young 21st–century career woman. . . . Delightful.”
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“An unputdownable, gripping story of life, loss, and one girl’s search for happiness.”
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Praise for LOVE ALWAYS
"Written in the author’s usual warm, witty style, this is perfect for a cozy night in."
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"Well written… you’ll love it."
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"(A) story of heartbreak and rivalry… An effortless and deeply satisfying romantic tale."
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"A broken heart and a forbidden affair are the compelling components of this poignant tale of self-discovery…Wonderful."
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Praise for I REMEMBER YOU
“A fabulous feel-good love story of friendship lost and love regained."
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"This best-friends-fall-in-love novel will make a satisfying sumer read."
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"Evans’ latest will wrap you in a quaint tale of first loves, self-discovery and second chances . . . the locales are stunning, leading the reader on a romantic journey across Great Britain, from small towns full of Jane Austen historical sites to bustling London . . . a compelling story complete with mystery, unearthed secrets and longing for new adventures and old comforts."
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"Atmospheric and descriptive, Evans creates a tangible world full of tragedy and hardship, love and redemption, with a satisfying conclusion. Hugely enjoyable."
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"Harriet Evans is a master at creating characters you feel like you know inside out, and wish you could meet in real life--we almost couldn't bear to leave them when we finished. An unputdownable thrill of a novel--you'll be racing to the end to find out the Winter family's deep, dark secret. If you are looking for a modern-day Daphne du Maurier thriller with plenty of tear-jerking romance along the way, here's the perfect addition to your bookshelf."
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"Fabulously gripping story."
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"A scattered family comes together for a mysterious announcement in Evans' (Not Without You, 2014) latest novel. From an English estate called Winterfold, Martha Winter sends out invitations for her 80th birthday party with a puzzling statement: 'There will be an important announcement. We ask that you please be there.' Only her husband, David, a well-known cartoonist, knows what this announcement might be. The Winters have been fixtures in their Somerset village for 45 years, raising their three children, Florence, Bill, and Daisy, there, though both Martha and David come from humble backgrounds in London's East End. Now only their son Bill lives nearby. Daisy hasn't been seen in years after having gone off to do charity work in India, and Florence is an art history professor in Italy. All three children, though successful in their careers, seem to fail when it comes to personal relationships. Bill is on his second marriage, Daisy abandoned her daughter, Cat, and seems to want little to do with the family, and Florence is an awkward spinster in love with a man who treats her with disdain. Told from the perspectives of various family members as they receive Martha's invitations, it's clear this family's story is full of unanswered questions. How did Martha and David come to Winterfold, and what were they running from? Why did Daisy disappear, and will she make an appearance at the party? Why did Florence always feel like an outsider in her own family? And of course, what is Martha's big announcement? These questions create a quiet suspense, and their surprising answers come at a satisfying pace. Each of the characters is distinct and sympathetic, and the tensions in the family are often treated with a comic touch even in the midst of tragedy. While a story with this many characters could have felt disjointed, here they are interwoven tightly to create a single, absorbing tapestry."
About the Author
Harriet Evans is the internationally bestselling author of Going Home, A Hopeless Romantic, The Love of Her Life, I Remember You, Love Always, Happily Ever After, Not Without You, and A Place for Us. She lives in London. Visit her website at Harriet-Evans.com.