What a beautiful immersive book. I got so lost in the setting of this book. I felt transported to a remote seaside Scottish cottage. This book touches on subjects like grief, forgiveness, and the lifelong friendships and the secrets that come with them. It was really hard to put this one down. I got so tangled up in Jo and Rachel's friendship. This is novel that will touch you and stay with you for a long time. I highly recommend it.


Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

It was an enjoyable read, though at times while reading it, I felt it was a little long winded. Now that I have finished it and can look back at it as a finished work, I feel like a lot of what I thought was over descriptions and droning on was actually glimpses into Jo's mind and how burdened she was.
I like the dual narrative switching back and forth between Meg and Jo. It worked really well to bring the different pieces of the sorry together. I would definitely recommend to others.

Great book!!!! Interesting characters. I was Hooked from the description to the last page. Highly recommend.

I remember telling a friend about how I loved the novel Burial Rites for its depiction of place, how alongside the novel’s human characters, Hannah Kent had created a such a vivid portrayal of Iceland, I felt it was an equal protagonist in the story. The friend suggested I was being a little wanky! He may well have been right, BUT how else to describe it when a writer does such an impeccable job of crafting setting that you can feel its worn stairs, hear its wild creatures and taste its salty air. That’s how it was to read about Clachan in The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris. I was, in every sense, there.

The story is as immersive as the location. Invited to stay at her best friend Rachel’s family cottage in Scotland, Jo is forced to confront secrets, her own and those of the woman she loves

I adored the messy and complicated intensity of the women’s friendship and don’t want to say much more for fear of spoilers, but the nuance and empathy with which Harris tells this tale of family and friendship is impeccable.

Compelling, evocative and beautiful: my heart aches!

Anemoia - the feeling of nostalgia for a place or time you’ve never known - is the only word that can describe my mood as I finish The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris. Clachan Cottage, the trees, the water: Harris’s evocative emotive prose transported me and left me with a yearning to leave for Scotland immediately.

Rootless after the failure of her marriage and the loss of her dearest friend, Joanna retreats to the remote cottage where their childhood memories still echo around the walls. Here she embarks on a journey of discovery and acceptance that is both compelling and poignant. Through Joanna’s memories, Harris paints a picture of a friendship which, though flawed, is everything a deep and long-standing relationship should be.

As Joanna peels back the layers of memories held in the fabric of Clachan, long-held secrets are revealed and she is forced to confront truths about her friend - and her own life - which could destroy her or set her free.

A beautiful and compelling read which squeezed my heart, but left it full.