I really enjoyed the novelty of the location and the area as I am not overly familiar with it. I struggled a bit with the plot throughout though, It really seemed like this book could not figure out what it wanted to be. There is all of this extraneous stuff going on with main character that add nothing to the story at all and come across a bit as filler instead of being part of the story. It was also like this woman had never met the man he married. I really needed to see some form of connection there for me to care about the relationship. This seems to be part of a series and I may just stop now. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Book Review: The Officer's Wife by Merryn Allingham

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I just finished The Officer's Wife by Merryn Allingham, and it was quite the journey! Set against the vibrant backdrop of Bombay in 1938, the story follows Daisy Driscoll, a girl who has endured the hardships of an orphanage and life in service before finding herself on what should be the happiest day of her life—her wedding day. But instead of feeling like a bride, Daisy is left grappling with confusion and disappointment as she stands in the sweltering heat, suitcase in tow.

Upon reaching the altar, the handsome cavalry officer Gerald, who had once stolen her heart in London, greets her with coldness that makes her question everything. The lingering scent of alcohol on his breath hints at a deeper issue, leaving Daisy to wonder if she’s made a terrible mistake. Once married, she finds herself isolated in a grand yet lonely house, surrounded by unwelcoming officers' wives. Thankfully, she soon meets Mr. Grayson Harte, a civil servant who seems to understand her plight. However, danger and deceit lurk around every corner, and Daisy must navigate this treacherous new world while uncovering the secrets that Gerald is hiding.

First off, can we talk about the cover? It’s absolutely stunning and perfectly sets the tone for the book! I found this read to be exceptionally satisfying and engaging; the storyline kept me hooked from start to finish. I really felt for Daisy—her struggles were palpable and relatable. Allingham did a fantastic job of painting a vivid picture of life in India during that time; I could almost smell the jasmine wafting through the streets!

The mystery element of the plot was beautifully woven into Daisy's narrative. As pieces of her past trickled in, I found myself eager to learn more about her journey. The way Allingham crafted these snippets truly whetted my appetite for what’s to come next. I can’t wait to dive into books two and three to see where Daisy’s adventures lead her!

Overall, The Officer's Wife is a delightful read that transports you back in time while offering a compelling mix of romance and mystery. If you’re looking for a book that captures both the beauty and intricacies of life during this era, I highly recommend giving it a shot!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

A different and interesting book. Not the most uplifting or beautifully written but interesting none the less.

Bombay, 1938.

Growing up in the misery of the orphanage, then as a girl in service in the East End, Daisy Driscoll never dreamed that her wedding day would be like this. She stands in the heat of the April sun, her best dress clinging to her skin and the suitcase by her side her only possession. Daisy doesn’t feel like a bride, but allows herself to be led through the busy, jasmine-scented streets to the church.

At the altar, she barely recognizes the handsome cavalry officer who stole her heart in London. Gerald won’t look at her, and speaks so coldly. She smells the liquor on his breath. That’s why he sent a servant to meet her off the boat in his stead. Now she won’t have the chance to tell him . . .But Daisy is not the only one with secrets. Gerald is keeping something from her — he is not the man he says he is . . . Has she made a terrible mistake?

Afterwards, Daisy is left alone in the beautiful villa that is supposed to be her marital home. With only the haughty officers’ wives for company, Daisy must find true friends in this new country, because the path she treads is paved with danger and deceit . . .
This was an amazing story.

I enjoyed reading The Officer's Wife, and it reminded me of books I read long ago, in the vein of Victoria Holt. I lived in India for a few years, so anything set there immediately has my attention. Although it was a little slow start for me, I ultimately really enjoyed the story and hope to see how Daisy's life develops in the future.

When we first meet Daisy, she has just come from England to Bombay to marry Gerald, a British officer in the army in India. They had a very brief courtship, so Daisy really doesn't know her intended all that well. She is disappointed when he is not at the dock to greet her when the ship comes in, then appears drunk at the wedding. Married life doesn't get any better, so Daisy looks for friendship elsewhere. Then a serious of accidents began to beset her, and she wonders, are they accidents, or is someone trying to harm her, or worse?

The setting in Bombay is just a few years before Indian independence, and the storyline goes into the unrest present because of that. It was interesting to learn how the British soldiers had to finance a lot of their own place in the British infantry in India. I enjoyed the setting of the book and I hope that Daisy finds her way back to India in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Merryn Allingham, and the publisher for allowing me to ready this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story set in pre-WWII India was fast-paced and full of action. It is an unusual location and point of view for most historical novels today so it was enjoyable to learn more about the English Army there during that time. I didn’t realize this was a continuation of previous novels about Daisy, so that may have helped me appreciate more of her background even though they can be stand-alone stories. Many of the characters were not as likable to me and I felt like the events were spiraling to a negative end, but there was a hopeful glimmer at the end where I look forward to seeing a new story begin.
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC.

A lovely story which made me feel very sorry for Daisy, a husband who on the face of it really didn't care for her. The heat and the unrest described in this book was very vivid. I really enjoyed this book and found I couldn't wait to develve back into it. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is definitely not your average historical romance, in fact it’s not a romance at all. The romance has already happened before the book begins with Daisy arriving in India in 1938 to marry the English Cavalry Officer, Gerald Mortimer, who wooed her. Once she arrives he seems like a stranger compared to the man she knew in London and everything starts badly right from the moment she docks.

Left alone in their bungalow with an unwelcoming servant, Daisy’s life starts to unravel whilst Gerald is seemingly avoiding her. There’s a lot of mystery, a friendly Indian Officer, and a friend she made on the ship during the journey, and whilst it was fairly predictable I had quite a good time reading about the area and politics of the time period. This is set during the lead up to WW2, and India is starting to fight back against the chokehold that the British Empire has them in. The author is more sympathetic towards the native Indians which I was glad for, colonisation is not good.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another book to follow this one as there’s a few things left unresolved on purpose. If you enjoy a mystery thriller, and a historical setting overseas then this could be your next favourite read. For me I found that Daisy was far too naive and trusting for her background, where she would have been exposed to plenty of duplicitous behaviour, especially as things were changing so rapidly in the UK after the Great War. It was annoying and I think it just didn’t do anything for the character. I’d probably pick up another book by the author though as I did enjoy how she wrote the world.

Digital copy provided by NetGalley, these are all my own opinions of course.

The best part of The Officer’s Wife are the vivid descriptions of India in the late 1930’s and life for the officer’s wives in the colony. We meet Daisy Driscoll, an orphan and former shopgirl, as she travels to India to marry a man she met while he was on leave. It turns out, she really does not know him. There are secret plots and inexplainable accidents that occur, making the reader fear for Daisy’s new life.

This was an interesting read, but I had trouble understanding some of Daisy’s motivation and how some points connected to each other. For example, Daisy is elevating her status with her marriage to an officer and associating with upper class Brits in the colony would be outside her comfort zone. Yet, she rebels constantly and does not do what is expected of her. I would have thought a character in her circumstances would try harder to fit in. Also, she makes huge assumptions about her husband without much to go on. For example, she immediately comes to the conclusion her husband reinvented himself after stumbling upon a letter when she first arrives in India. Her inference is true, but I had difficulty in believing she would grasp this fact so quickly.

Still, this was an evocative historical novel.

The Officer’s Wife by Merryn Allingham I a novel based in India in late 1930 right before England went to war with Germany. India was a part of the British Empire at that time. There were rumblings of an independent India before that time At this point in the story, Ghandi had just risen to his station.
Daisy Driscoll was en route to marry an Indian Army Lieutenant whom she had met while he was on leave in London. She had contacted him to let him know that she was pregnant with his baby. On the ship, The Viceroy, she fell and lost the baby. There was no time to tell her fiancé about the miscarriage because as soon as the ship landed, she was whisked off to the church to marry her drunken groom-to-be. Her arrival in India was not all that she expected. Her new husband did not want to be married and was unaware that she was no longer with child. When he found out, he was angry. Daisy began experiencing strange and violent on her.
The cast of characters in this novel left the reader at loose ends trying to find out who was targeting Daisy and why. Daisy was left mostly alone in a new country and a hostile environment. She did not know whom to trust and this fact alone made me, the reader, enthralled with the story and the descriptions of the country of India.
I found this book to be interesting and thrilling. The undertones of racial and caste nonequity were quite evident.

Really enjoyed this book. Felt i was there at points !defo worth a read Thank you net galley for the early read!