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The House on Bellevue Gardens
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Rosa has arrived in London from Poland to look for her younger brother Mikhail. He is supposed to be staying with their English father, but when she visits the house she finds it's locked up and there's no sign of either of them. She urgently needs work and somewhere to live while she continues her search, but what can she do and where can she go?
Stef is running away from ...more
Stef is running away from ...more
Hardcover, 452 pages
Published
February 25th 2016
by Simon & Schuster
(first published February 11th 2016)
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Start your review of The House on Bellevue Gardens
“The whole value of solitude depends upon oneself; it may be a sanctuary or a prison, a haven of repose or a place of punishment, a heaven or a hell, as we ourselves make it.”
----John Lubbock
Rachel Hore, an English best-selling author, pens her latest contemporary story in her new book, The House on Bellevue Gardens, that narrates the story of four central characters among whom three are trying to find their way in life as they are lost and heart-broken, and the fourth person is a god-send ...more
----John Lubbock
Rachel Hore, an English best-selling author, pens her latest contemporary story in her new book, The House on Bellevue Gardens, that narrates the story of four central characters among whom three are trying to find their way in life as they are lost and heart-broken, and the fourth person is a god-send ...more
Enjoyed this easy reading. Not as good as previous books by her.
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
I really enjoyed the other novels I've read by Rachel Hore, and eagerly anticipated reading this one. It moves a bit away from the style of many of the other novels that I've read - often moving between time frames with an element of mystery linking characters in the past and present together, etc. This novel still had two time frames - current day, where the majority was set, and small parts from the 1960's, showing Leonie's life as a model in London.
The ...more
I really enjoyed the other novels I've read by Rachel Hore, and eagerly anticipated reading this one. It moves a bit away from the style of many of the other novels that I've read - often moving between time frames with an element of mystery linking characters in the past and present together, etc. This novel still had two time frames - current day, where the majority was set, and small parts from the 1960's, showing Leonie's life as a model in London.
The ...more
I was rather disappointed by this novel. It had quite an interesting story especially the part surrounding the fashion scene in the 60's but I did not find it well written.
The basic style of telling the story using different people's perspectives and particularly changing the point of view in the middle of a scene made for a very disjointed narrative.
Most of all though I found the 'showing not telling' aspect almost non existent. Good writing is supposed to be show not tell but this story was ...more
The basic style of telling the story using different people's perspectives and particularly changing the point of view in the middle of a scene made for a very disjointed narrative.
Most of all though I found the 'showing not telling' aspect almost non existent. Good writing is supposed to be show not tell but this story was ...more
A sweet story but a little unsatisfying and lacking in any of the atmosphere and mystery of the author's previous novels. If you haven't already read it I'd highly recommend The Glass Painter's Daughter as an alternative to this one.
I enjoyed the plot. It was an interesting point of view choice of how the chapters were spread out. However I felt the book moved a bit slow for my complete liking
Quite disappointed. Not nearly as good as the author's previous books. The style of the story telling didn't help - short bursts of story from the viewpoint of too many different characters. It ended well though.
not my favourite of Rachel Hore's books , I felt that this was a rather disjointed read. so many characters with different stories that didn't thread well.
Number 11 Bellevue Gardens, is in an Edwardian Terrace in a quiet square in London. It may look like the other houses, if a little more shabby and in need of paint, but to its residents it is a safe haven, a place to call home. Leonie came to the house nearly forty years ago when she needed a place to stay after the breakdown of her marriage, and now lets out rooms to others who need a place to stay and sort out their lives. Rick, works in a supermarket but really wants to write his Graphic ...more
A nice read.
A nice way to idle away the hours with some interesting twists. But very similar to other books , although this does not diminish it's storytelling skill. A very likeable read.
A nice way to idle away the hours with some interesting twists. But very similar to other books , although this does not diminish it's storytelling skill. A very likeable read.
An okay read, I liked the plot and the characters but I found the vocabulary clunky at times, as thought the author was trying hard to put in "interesting words" where they didn't quite fit. Other reviews suggest it's not her best so I may try others
2.5 bumped up to 3 stars. I quite enjoyed this audiobook, but it is certainly not as good as others I have read by the same author. It rambles on rather too much for my taste.
I've read 5 or 6 of Rachel Hore's books and unfortunately this book is just not up to the standard of some of her others - my favourites so far being A Gathering Storm and A Place of Secrets, both of which had me really absorbed, in contrast to this rather slow dull novel.
Hore has done away with her usual dual-timeline approach as this is entirely set in the present. But this novel didn’t seem to have a proper plot for most of the time so there was nothing driving it forwards and keeping my ...more
Hore has done away with her usual dual-timeline approach as this is entirely set in the present. But this novel didn’t seem to have a proper plot for most of the time so there was nothing driving it forwards and keeping my ...more
I didn't feel this was quite as good as some of the author's previous books however, the characters were an interesting and eclectic bunch and the description of the house and the lifestyles within it were very convincing. Great atmosphere and an ending that you presume is a happy one for all concerned!
Felt quite tough getting through this book, and slightly disappointed by the ending as I felt some things were rushed, and questions left unanswered. However, I did like many of the characters and wanted to know how things worked out.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Review will be added later.
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Recommended by a friendly librarian at my local library, this isn't the sort of book I'd normally pick up. I took it up, feeling it would be impolite to refuse after the librarian had gone out of her way to find it on the shelves and tell me why she liked the author.
I assumed, based on the appearance of the book, that it'd be overly sentimental and possibly slushy romantic. I'm pleased to say although sentimental it wasn't overly done and wasn't saccharine sweet.
I enjoyed the characters in the ...more
I assumed, based on the appearance of the book, that it'd be overly sentimental and possibly slushy romantic. I'm pleased to say although sentimental it wasn't overly done and wasn't saccharine sweet.
I enjoyed the characters in the ...more
This was the first book I have read by this author and I was not disappointed. I found it an easy read, and the characters sympathetically drawn with each person seeking a place of safety after a troubled past. There was symbolic theme of freedom throughout the book, suggested by paintings and a trapped bird. My only quibble is with the ending. The book finishes on a positive and hopeful note but leaves the threads of certain storylines hanging. I’m not a fan of this style of endings to novels
...more
I enjoyed this book. It tells the story of several people via or because of their connection with the house. The characters have almost all experienced some trauma in their lives, whether domestic abuse, loss of loved ones, mental health difficulties etc... which makes it sound dreadfully serious and dull, and it isn't. Far from it, it's a fascinating series of stories about the characters, with whom I laughed, sympathised, empathised, and at times cried. It's a people book, looking at humanity:
...more
Leonie has inherited a house in London from a close friend and has been living in it for 40 years. She offers rooms to 'lost causes' at a peppercorn rent. As we find out about the residents of the house Leonie's own story is revealed. She was once a top model but split up from her photographer husband as he was too controlling. Leonie tries to listen to and help others who are struggling with health or emotional issues, but discovers that the house she thought she owned was actually owned by a
...more
What a find read this in a country house hotel spa last week.
Beautiful book about some amazing people who come to live in the sprawling Edwardian house in London. All with their stories to tell and sadness in their past lives but this house and the owner with her memories of the swinging sixties and no so nice parts of this time.
The house comes under threat as the lease is running out will the house be saved for the owner and those under her roof?
Well written and such an enjoyable read I just ...more
Beautiful book about some amazing people who come to live in the sprawling Edwardian house in London. All with their stories to tell and sadness in their past lives but this house and the owner with her memories of the swinging sixties and no so nice parts of this time.
The house comes under threat as the lease is running out will the house be saved for the owner and those under her roof?
Well written and such an enjoyable read I just ...more
I have read a few of Rachel Hore's books and find them relaxing and gentle although a little predictable. As others have said this is a slight departure from the 'time slip' style. I felt this story was rather like some 'Rosamunde Pilcher' novels. I would give it 3.5. It is an enjoyable holiday/garden/easy read; the sort of book I enjoy reading in a busy working week.
Finally got round to reading this due to my husband's prolonged illness. The book really took me out of myself and explored the lives of several central characters whose stories are intertwined. Very well written and actually has a happy ending.
I liked this novel both for the different range of characters it has and for the fact that it didn't tie up everything neatly in a bow at the end (most things but not everything). However it was still quite light for some very weighty subjects which detracted from the impact a little.
A lovely holiday read about the inhabitants of 11 Bellevue gardens - its owned by Leonie who opens her doors to people in need - the book follows the story of its inhabitants and also how Leonie came to inherit the house.
The character Leonie is so generous and welcoming yet doesn't speak to own daughter.
The open ending left me feeling disappointed I'd plodded through the book.
I enjoyed the story between Stef and Rick...
The open ending left me feeling disappointed I'd plodded through the book.
I enjoyed the story between Stef and Rick...
This book opened well and overall I enjoyed it. However there were one or two places where I had to make myself read on but to be fair it might have been that I had interruptions in time to read. I like this author and have a lot of her books.
A book about a mismash of people coming together in Leonie's house. Interesting to see how their lives intertwine.
A good cosy story about a house and the lives of its occupants
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| Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish | 1 | 2 | Apr 28, 2016 07:22AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk and turning to writing fiction.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a ...more
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a ...more
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