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The French House

The captivating and heartbreaking wartime love story and Richard & Judy Book Club pick
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( 1,358 ratings, 129 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in Nazi-occupied Guernsey during World War II, The French House tells a poignant tale of love, loyalty, and survival. Emile, left profoundly deaf after an accident, faces profound isolation as war looms. Trapped in a fearful marriage, Isabelle longs for the life she had hoped for, while Leutnant Schreiber, a reluctant German officer, grapples with his role and forbidden desires. Their lives intertwine amidst the harsh realities of occupation, where courage and trust have deadly consequences.

This lyrical and compelling novel explores the drive to hear and the courage to listen to the truths within our hearts, perfect for fans of The Nightingale and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$8900

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in World War Two narratives and heartfelt love stories. Fans of The Nightingale, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and All the Light We Cannot See will find this novel deeply engaging.

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A stunning, sweeping love story set against the backdrop of the German Occupation of Guernsey during World War Two.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

FREEDOM WORTH FIGHTING FOR. LOVE WORTH WAITING FOR.

Escape this summer with the unforgettable wartime love story and Richard & Judy Bookclub pick.

The French House is a beautifully wrought exploration of love of all kinds. It's utterly gorgeous, convincingly written and completely captivating. Make sure you read it. MY WEEKLY

A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail. The French House is a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of war. FIONA VALPY

Deeply involving... A fantastic debut by a gifted storyteller. JILL MANSELL

*

In Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life...

Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Emile is no stranger to isolation - or heartbreak. Now, as Nazi planes loom over Guernsey, he senses life is about to change forever.

Trapped in a tense, fearful marriage, Isabelle doesn't know what has become of Emile and the future she hoped for. But when she glimpses him from the window of the French House, their lives collide once more.

Leutnant Schreiber is more comfortable wielding a paintbrush than a pistol. But he has little choice in the role he is forced to play in the occupying forces - or in his own forbidden desires.

As their paths entwine, loyalties are blurred and dangerous secrets forged. But on an island under occupation, courage can have deadly consequences...

Lyrical, moving and compelling, this is a novel about wanting to hear and learning to listen - to the truths of our own hearts. Perfect for lovers of The Nightingale, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and All the Light We Cannot See.

A story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties... I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down. ANITA FRANK

Heart-wrenching... A truly special novel. LOUISE FEIN

Accomplished and atmospheric... I really enjoyed this uncliched yet deeply moving love story. TRACY REES

A vividly written, refreshingly different World War Two love story, with a central character I adored. Just brilliant! GILL PAUL

Such an emotionally gripping novel portraying how love can be betrayed yet still endure. SUZANNE GOLDRING

I have been swept away by Jacquie Bloese's gorgeous writing, completely transported into the rich, atmospheric, and incredibly moving pages of The French House... this is an absolutely stunning, beautifully original novel. JENNY ASHCROFT

A wonderful story, powerful and moving.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A brilliantly moving historical novel praised for its raw and honest depiction of wartime relationships and island loyalties. Fiona Valpy calls it "a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of war." Jill Mansell describes it as "deeply involving" and a "fantastic debut." The story has been noted for its beautifully told narrative, with Anita Frank finding it "hard to put down," while Louise Fein terms it "heart-wrenching" and "truly special." Gill Paul and James Kent commend its powerful writing and vivid characters, making it a refreshingly different World War Two love story.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529377354

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 December 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hodder Paperback

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Jacquie Bloese is a writer of historical book group fiction, originally from the Channel Island of Guernsey. She draws her inspiration from atmospheric locations with intriguing histories, and people - both real and imaginary - whose stories are calling out to be told.

Her first novel The French House, set during the German Occupation of Guernsey in the second World War, was a Richard and Judy Winter 2022 book club pick, and a finalist in the Mslexia Novel Award. Her second novel The Golden Hour is inspired by the seaside town of Brighton, where Jacquie currently lives, and tells the stories of three women from different classes who become caught up in the underground world of erotic photography in 1890s Victorian England.

Jacquie began her professional life teaching English, in Turkey and Spain, before returning to the UK to work in ELT publishing for a number of publishers, including Scholastic, Oxford University Press and Penguin Random House. She now works freelance as an educational consultant, writer and editor.

In her spare time, Jacquie loves reading, walking, socialising, travel, theatre, cinema and daydreaming!

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