I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook

We 1st meet Mia, at home in Australia, she has received a mysterious package from England. Mia, experiences a strange feeling as soon as the letter arrives, she can’t explain it, but feels things are about to change. I seems her mum has similar feelings as she sends Mia text messages that seem to resonate with what she’s feeling.
When Mia, finally opens the letter, she discovers she’s been left an inheritance from her Grandmother, who she believed had died many years ago. Why has her mum lied to her for her whole life?

Mia, eventually decides to head to England and while there delves into her family history

This was a good read, with twists. A bit of supernatural as Mia discovered she may come from a long line of witches. Just what happened all those years ago to make the village believe her ancestors to be witches.


This was my 1st book from this author and I am keen to explore more, thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to listen to this

4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️
Such a wonderful story. Set across 2 timelines 200 years apart this is the story of Mia, who finds out she has inherited a cottage from a grandmother she never knew and the legacy of a long line of wise women who knew a spell or two.

Travelling all the way from her home in Australia Mia arrives at the cottage in Sussex England and begins to unravel the story behind the witch who “beguiled her nephew into killing her husband” or so the story goes. The witch being her ancestor Philadelphia.

I was thoroughly engrossed in both timelines of Philadelphia and Mia and loved the way things wove together beautifully with a few twists thrown in there too.

The narration was good and that is so important. A narrator can make or break an audiobook. As usual I had to listen on x1.25 - x1.5 speed but that might be me!

With thanks to NetGalley and Headline Audio for the Arc audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to The Heirloom by Julie Brooks, and it was a very enjoyable way to read the book. The narration was really good. The subtle Australian accent did not grate and Vivien Carter managed all of the characters and genders proficently and with confidence. I'd definitely listen to a book read by her again.
I'd also recommend the book, however you consume it. Set over two time frames, in a small town in Sussex England in the 19th Century and in modern day Brisbane, Australia, it explores a family history and hidden secrets. This type of book is right up my street, and I particularly liked the historic storyline. I wish I had such interesting ancestors. The 2024 section introduces us to Mia, who is a relatable and likeable main character..
If you enjoyed Weyward, (as I did, along with my book club,) you will probably enjoy this. It is a good combination of historic fiction and a contemporary love story;.

Mia is Australian, with some English heritage. She has been told her mother has no surviving family, so imagine her surprise when she receives a letter from England saying she has inherited her grandmother’s estate.
Mia has to inherit in person, so she makes her way to Sussex and finds her grandmother’s cottage and starts to uncover some secrets about her ancestors. She finds out why her mother ran away.
Easy listening, engaging, enjoyable and thought provoking as it shows the changes in attitudes to the use of herbs over the centuries as well as court rooms!
The book needs to be listened to in chapters, as each one states the place and year - going back to the 1800’s and 2024.

Lovely listen thanks to NetGalley for letting me read and review. I loved hearing about the historic story mixed with the future family. The “witchy ways” were entrancing and seeing how women were treated as witches and lesser than men when it came to crime was sad but true. An easy listen overalls

The Heirloom is a fun and interesting multigenerational read, a wonderful mix of romance, drama, and mystery.

Mia’s experience is the fantasy of every family historian as she unravels the mysteries of a her family tree, uncovering murder, witchcraft, secrets, vendettas and intrigue. There were a few threads I would have loved to see tied off at the end, but overall this was an interesting and absorbing read.

I loved the exploration of the cultural elements of witchcraft, and the various experiences of Mia’s maternal ancestors. The story is a slow burn, but feels fast paced due to the richness of detail, in past, present, and across continents.

The audio narration was engaging and lively, lifting the broad cast of characters off the page and creating an immersive experience.

Thank you Headline Audio for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Now this is what I wanted to happen with ancestry DNA 🧬 😆

What a lovely novel.

Modern day Australia, Mia is shocked to receive notice of an inheritance from England, particularly as she’s been told by her mother that they have no family. In a bid to claim the inheritance Mia travels to the U.K. With the assistance of a genealogist and heir hunter, we are swept back in time to 1821 to meet Philadelphia Boadle.

As always the historical chapters are where I really was able to disappear into the story, we discover that Philadelphia finds herself on trial for witchcraft following the death of her husband. Known to be from a family of apothecaries and herbalists - witches, it seems Philadelphia doesn’t stand a chance of surviving trial.

The modern day chapters were equally lovely, especially when Mia feels the pull of her heritage.

So hard not to spoiler this, but it was right up my street! Perfect for the 2025 reading list if you have the slightest interest in ancestry and history, and of course alternatives to modern medicine, and a little potion here and there.

The audio narration by Vivien Carter was fantastic, however there was a little issue with some accents, and I had to play around a bit with speed to find the correct fit (1.25 if you’re interested) it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the story, but accents are my bug bare.

Easy 4 🌟

My thanks to Headline Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧