5 Star
It’s Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew’s elder daughter—who is usually off saving the world—will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she’s been told she must stay in quarantine for a week…and so too should her family.
For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity—and even decent Wi-Fi—and forced into each other’s orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems.
As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down.
In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who’s about to arrive…
Sabrina-Kate- 5 Star
I absolutely LOVED this book. I have never read the author before but British literature is on the top of my list so I was thrilled to be offered this book to read. The Birch family was highly entertaining to me and the story had so many endearing qualities to it that I felt like I was catching up with an old friend.
Certain aspects of the book made me wonder and want to research topics more and others just felt like a wonderfully heartfelt story was coming together in exactly the perfect way.
I loved how the family had their issues and how the circumstances of this Christmas season made them have to confront them in order to just be together. Which, admittedly, was not initially pleasing to them. The book had a lot of different elements and I felt it was fairly unique, especially the circumstances that Emma found herself dealing with so unexpectedly.
Getting to know each character, their flaws and dreams, was just so enjoyable that I could not help but read this book in almost one sitting. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a compulsive read and has the time as it was almost impossible to put this book down!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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