This is one of my favourite authors, Victoria Scott, writing as Victoria Darke. I have loved every single one of Ms. Scott’s books; they all have a 4.26 or higher rating. I recommend you go to her page and check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

The author goes in a completely different direction with this story and it worked for me. We have two timelines and two female main characters. Ellen is a nurse in 1943 in an old house and Meredith (Merry) is working on the same house in 2013. We also have Merry reading Ellen’s diary and I liked that it was somewhat of an epistolary novel. As is usual for me I loved the older timeline, getting a peek at what it was like to live during that era was amazing. The story has a gothic vibe, a creepy house and a natural disaster and it all comes together perfectly in the end.

Lots of tough topics, miscarriage, grief, PTSD, sexual harassment and lots of secrets revealed. There were some very barbaric practices back then for those suffering from mental health issues and the author has done some impressive research on it. There is such a wonderful backstory to the plot, not just for the older timeline but for a lot of the characters in the present. I really thought the author was going to go one way with the story and it very much surprised me (and made me very happy) that she didn’t, I loved the way it ended, Darke weaved everything together seamlessly. As I said, the research is impeccable, the writing is absorbing and the story engrossing.

I recommend you read the author’s notes at the end of the book, you’ll be glad you did. I also want to mention the cover, it is absolutely gorgeous and I love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy. And a special thank you to Victoria Darke for asking the publisher to give me a copy.

Firstly loved the cover it certainly drew my attention and I would certainly pick it up in any bookstore! The house in the water was a wonderful read. It is a well written novel, with punchy dialogue that rings true, and the descriptive writing brings the scenes to life. A book that stands out from the crowd. The characters and the setting are written exceptionally well. Overall four starts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everyone has a past they want to leave behind -- so secrets can be dangerous for all involved.
We have plenty of things going on in this story —Historical fiction, PTSD, gaslighting , sexual assault, paranormal , two times lines 1942 and 2013.— we will see how the past comes to play in the future — we can never escape the past— the shadows of which may threaten the happiness of all the characters futures. I was definitely more invested in Meredith’s situation in 2013 — but was enjoying the past story of the house and how it would all connect in the future. This was a difficult book for some topics but it was also difficult to put down and go back to real life.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. This is my Honest review.

For readers of the late Lucinda Riley, this book is a great read. Starting out in a hospital set on the Thames, a young traumatized Irish nurse begins a new position helping soldiers recover from shell shocked conditions during WWII. Jump to the present, the reader meets a young couple recovering from their own traumatic experiences. Buying the abandoned house , the couple hopes to renovate the house and begin anew. With her husband frequently away, the main character in the book begins to see unusual things ( Ghosts?) and hears voices that no one else hears. Finding a notebook belonging to the nurse that had worked at the house during the war connects the two storylines. I loved this ! I will recommend this to people who read historical fiction.