Set in the island of Guernsey the story of two people whose lives were entwined innocently enough,
who got separated due to the war and parental pressure and then who lived miserable lives during the
course of the war under untold hardship.

Nazi occupied Guernsey was no fun. Emile returned from the war stone deaf - his hearing impaired by
an accident. Isabelle is now the housekeeper of The French House and married to a bully who watches
her every move, with the intention of hurting her either mentally or physically. Emile is married to
Letty who is bitter and angry because she knows her husband has never loved her and despite him taking
over and being a father to another man's daughter - she is not charitable enough to overlook that for
his other failing of not caring for her.

Loyalties are tested, old enmities surface and lives are at risk with the all seeing Nazi always trying
to find a spy in their midst.

The story was intense, plenty of very good history in the story and very vivid descriptions.

I am Sad to say this book Was not for me. And I cannot pinpoint why. Maybe it Was to deep for me. But i have Nothing bad to say about it. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

A beautifully written novel set during German occupied Guernsey during WWII but is not so much a story of the occupation and horrors of war (though they are there). It tells the story of love and of loss and of sacrifices, and how the different characters experience these and how they live with them. Very sensitively and thoughtfully written. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my arc.

Once I got into this I just had to find out what happened. People prevented from living their own lives while trying to please other people, not always with the best outcome.
Set in Guernsey during the war. Emile lives in a world of silence which sometimes can be a blessing for him after he has been set up by someone out of jealousy. During this time his wife and daughters examine their own hearts and decide what is more important to them, this has a telling affect on them all!
One of the German soldiers named Peter by his landlady is living a life forced on him. When he tries to find happiness he too is betrayed and punished with dire consequences.
This book tries all your emotions.

This is a very different take on a WWII novel. Set in German occupied Guernsey the story centres around Emile Quennville. Emile had been living and working in Vancouver to earn his fortune but following a life changing industrial accident is left totally deaf. He returns to Guernsey penniless to find Isabelle, the love of his life, has married another man. Emile feels isolated and lonely due to his deafness but eventually marries Letty and they have two daughters, Maud and Stella. Neither marriage is happy. To earn money to feed his family he takes a gardening job at The French House growing food for the German troops and where Isabelle is housekeeper. We’re then introduced to new character Lieutenant Peter Schreiber who is billeted with Isabelle and her husband Ron. Peter is forced to serve in the German army but is not like his counterparts being a gentle mannered person and a talented artist. He has secrets and is desperate to escape to a different life. Emile and Isabelle come together to help Peter. This story is beautifully written combining every possible emotion. Love, relationships, bravery, loyalty. I understand this is a debut novel from Jacquie Bloese and I eagerly await her next one. A totally absorbing read and I highly recommend!

The French House by Jacquie Bloese ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1911 Guernsey - boy meets girl and they fall in love, but this is not a conventional love story. Fast forward to 1940, the Nazi’s are occupying the island and Emile and Isabelle find themselves unhappily married …. just not to each other.

The characters in this book feel very real and each come with their own flaws, which made them all the more relatable. I also liked that Emile and Isabelle weren’t in the first flush of youth as you could really see how they’d been shaped by their past experiences.

The writing is honest and believable, would highly recommend to those who enjoy a gritty historical romance.

I enjoy historical fiction and occasionally read books that are set during WW2 mostly when they concern the people who aren’t on the war front. This is the second book that I have read that takes place in Guernsey and I found it fascinating.

Émile is living in Guernsey at the start of WW2 after his dreams of a happier life in Canada was destroyed by a tragic accident that left him deaf. He has a family but not with Isabelle the woman he wanted to spend his life with. Instead he is married to Letty and they have two daughters Maud and Stella. It’s not a happy life but it is a lot better than what Isabelle has. A dream ruined by her parents and she is now married to Ron who is controlling and manipulative. When they have to take in a German lodger life changes for everybody.

I loved this novel, mainly because of how real if felt. Not just the relationships and the storyline but the way life changed for all of the islanders when their were under occupation. I’ve read about the struggles for food, evacuation and fear of bombing many times but never about having to give accommodation to the enemy forces, having to provide food or not being able to sing the anthem. What is also shown is the fear shown by the German officers who had their own secrets and what they could face if they were revealed.

A fantastic storyline which showed many believable if not always likeable characters.

The French House is an unhurried and thought provoking historical fiction story set in Guernsey during the German occupation. Emile Quenneville is taking a load of tomatoes to the port, when German planes start dropping bombs and he knows life on the tranquil island will never be the same.

Isabelle Larch is married to Ronald and Emile was her first love. Years ago he returned to Guernsey, deafened by an accident and discovers she’s wed another.

Emile starts working as a gardener at The French House, growing vegetables for the Germans and where Isabelle is the housekeeper.

Lieutenant Peter Schreiber is billeted with the Larch’s, forced to serve in the German army, the former Oxford student, is a talented painter and artist. Peter has a forbidden longing, it wouldn’t be tolerated by his comrades and he has to keep it a secret.

Emile struggles due to being deaf, he’s troubled and frustrated and spends the odd night sleeping in the potting shed. Soon the locals are gossiping about Isabelle and Emile and it’s only a matter of time before their spouses find out.

The narratives about life in Guernsey during the Second World War, how hard it was for the islanders being completely cut off from the mainland, you get a real insight into the restrictions, challenges, shortages, suffering and deportations. A story about complex relationships, loss, love, secrets, courage, consequences, lessons learnt and redemption.

I received a copy of The French House by Jacquie Bloese from NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review. My favorite character is Emile, his demeanor changes over the course of the story and he becomes a hero. It was interesting to read the author’s notes at the end, the house was originally called Hauteville and belonged to French novelist Victor Hugo from 1856 to 1870 and five stars from me.

Wow! A beautifully told WWII novel set in Guernsey - I felt that Jacquie described the setting so wonderfully, that I could picture it despite never having visited! A story filled with love, sadness and hope. Go read

This is a new author to me, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it is a well written book that draws you in to the story very well. It is set in Guernsey during the occupation of World War Two. It follows the lives of Emiles family and Isabelle Larch Emiles first love. It also shows how not everyone agreed with their country’s decision during the war. Peter Schreiber was a German officer who definitely didn’t agree with the occupation of the island and what the army made him do. It shows that friendship can come at the most unexpected moment during peoples lives. I really enjoyed this book.

I'm not ready to write a full review yet (we're in the middle of a house move, so reading time is limited) but I'm dropping by to say that this is a very compelling story, full of interesting, complicated characters. When the blurb compared it to All the Light We Cannot See, I thought, well, we'll see about that - but the prose is also exquisite. I hope this does very well! It's the best kind of historical fiction!

An enjoyable book but it took a while to really get into the story in my opinion. I wasn't sure where the story was going at first. The characters became more relatable and I felt more sympathetic towards them as the book unfolded. A reasonable read and interesting to see the book set in Guernsey in the 1940's.

An fairly engaging atmospheric book set in Guernsey during the Second World War when it was under German occupation. A somewhat bleak read befitting those desperate and frightening times but with a few high spots of hope. Good well drawn characters battling with personal problems plus difficulties living under German rule.

An historical novel which really gives you a sense of time and place. A good read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

An excellent historical fiction, well researched and compelling.
intersting characters, a well plotted story, a vivid historical background, I appreciated how the author mixes the personal stories with history.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

WW2 occupation of Guernsey arrived and so the lives of those who live their changes. Emile a deaf hard working local isn’t in love with his wife who he has 2 daughters with but struggles as he is drawn to Isabelle a women from his past. The storyline follows Emile his family and locals as he deals with German occupation and then German prison. Then conclusion of war can’t come quick enough.
Thanks Jacquie and your publisher. Also thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I throughly enjoyed this book it was so interesting and I loved the fact that it was set in an era which I’m interested in. A great historical novel. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

The story of this book which I couldn’t put down is set in the 1940s when the Germans were in Guernsey.

It’s about family, love, sorrow and hope, so beautifully written and took me on a trip feeling so many emotions.

Emile having lost his hearing in an accident, and his marriage is mediocre to Letty. They have two daughters, who are unalike, but would be there for each other when needed. yet would move heaven and earth for each

Isabelle is now married, to a successful but not a nice man named Ron. She and Emile once were together, but, now meet after so many years.

I loved how Jacquie described the settings and learning about Guernsey.

I would recommend this book, which I find hard to believe it’s a debut novel. I think it’s worth more than five stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Jacquie Bloese for the chance to read and review this novel.

It is a slow burner, beautifully written amid the Nazi occupation of Guernsey and the deprivation put onto the residents by their occupiers.
It is essentially a love story centred around two different types of forbidden love - especially in the 1940s.

There is subversion, cruelty and domestic violence to add into the mix. which adds to rather than detracts from the overall story.

I knew a little about the occupation of Jersey from a factual viewpoint but had little idea of how Guernsey was impacted by the effects of WW2 which made the book all the more interesting.

If historical fiction is something you love and this book would normally have passed you by - as it would have done me - then give it a try

Set in the years of WW2 this makes for a great historical read but with a story behind it. Well written and enjoyable. 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC