The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice: Book review

Book title/Author: The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice

Publisher/Year: July 1st 2015 Headline Review

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: No

Pages: 480

Source/Format: ARC | bookbridgr

(Thanks bookbridgr/Headline Review!)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion.

*This review may contain spoilers!*

Synopsis

Set in the 1950s, in an England still recovering from the Second World War, this is the enchanting story of Penelope Wallace and her eccentric family at the start of the rock'n'roll era.

Penelope longs to be grown-up and to fall in love, but various rather inconvenient things keep getting in her way. Like her mother, a stunning but petulant beauty widowed at a tragically early age, her younger brother Inigo, currently incapable of concentrating on anything that isn't Elvis Presley, a vast but crumbling ancestral home, a severe shortage of cash, and her best friend Charlotte's sardonic cousin Harry...

My review

I chose to read this book because I've really been wanting to read more Historical Fiction, particularly set in England, as I've been enjoying what I've read so far. The time in which this book is set sounded perfect to me, and also something that I have never read in a book. I feel as though it is a time that isn't talked or written about as much as some others, and I think that's a shame.

I was mesmerised by the description of high London society in the 1950s; the endless parties, the exquisite fashion, the romance. I didn't want this story to end. I expected to like this book but I did not expect to fall in love with it the way I did. I read this book about a month ago and I am already missing the characters: Penelope, Charlotte, Inigo, and Harry and I am feeling the urge to read this delight of a book again.

This book is all about taking chances, and learning to live again after the devastation of the war. I enjoyed this especially because that is hard for someone like Penelope (our protagonist) to adjust to, but when she did it was wonderful to read. However, this book is also about the start of the rock'n'roll era, one that I have not had the pleasure of reading about before, but I definitely don't want to stop. 

I can't find any faults with this novel. I'm sure some people can, but for me it was a joy to read. I also can't choose any character to be my favourite, because I loved them all. Each of them are so different to one another, but that is partly why I love them all.

This book may be one of my all-time favourites, which did come as a bit of a shock when I first thought it, but now I can't take it back, because it is true. I want every single person in this world to give this book a go, because I guarantee you won't help but fall in love with the characters, or the storyline, or anything about this beautiful book.

Izzy