BLOG TOUR: The House in Quill Court by Charlotte Betts (Review)

1813. Venetia Lovell lives by the sea in Kent with her pretty, frivolous mother and idle younger brother. Venetia's father, Theo, is an interior decorator to the rich and frequently travels away from home, leaving his sensible and artistic daughter to look after the family. Venetia designs paper hangings and she and her father often daydream about having an imaginary shop where they would display the highest quality furniture, fabrics and art to his clients.

When a handsome but antagonistic stranger, Jack Chamberlaine, arrives at the Lovell's cottage just before Christmas bringing terrible news, Venetia's world is turned upside-down and the family have no option but to move to London, to the House in Quill Court and begin a new life. Here, Venetia's courage and creativity are tested to breaking point, and she discovers a love far greater than she could have ever imagined...

Fans of historical romance may already be familiar with Charlotte Betts, author of The Chateau on the Lake, The Spice Merchant's Wife and The Apothecary's Daughter. Her latest novel, The House in Quill Court, is officially released tomorrow. Having enjoyed The Chateau on the Lake, I was delighted to receive a copy of Charlotte's latest offering.

Creative, young Venetia lives with her family in Kent, with her father Theo, an interior decorator for the wealthy who often travels out of town. Life is good for the family - until they are brought some news by a handsome stranger known as Jack Chamberlain. It's revealed that Theo had been leading two lives, with a secret family in London. The family are forced to move out of their seaside home and relocate to London to live in Quill Court, along with Theo's other family.

I don't want to delve too far into the plot as I don't wish to reveal any spoilers, but I will say this - The House in Quill Court is a beautiful novel, wonderfully written and full of intrigue in every chapter. The book doesn't simply focus on Venetia's family and their lives, but also that of Kitty the maid. At first I had envisioned this novel to have more of a romantic tone going by its cover (which I love, in fact), but it is much more; an incredibly written historical tale with a plot that makes it very hard to put down.

Rating: 5/5