Guest Review: Coming Home to Island House by Erica James

It's the summer of 1939, and after touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, the charismatic Jack Devereux.

But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called home and given seven days to find a way to bury their resentments and come together.

With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can the habits of a lifetime be changed in one week? And can Romily, a woman who thrives on adventure, cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her?

Review: I have read a few, but by no means all, of Erica James's books now and have really enjoyed them all. I decided to listen to this latest work as an audiobook, which I found very entertaining due to its skilled narrator as well as content. The story captured my imagination right from the start and kept me wondering what would happen next right to the end. It is a wonderful tale of a family struggling to exist through times of adversity.

The story begins in 1939, with the background of the anticipation of war breaking out in Europe. Successful author Romily Temple returns to her home, Island House, to find her husband, Jack Devereux, ill. He charges Romily with the task of bringing together his estranged family: sons Kit and Arthur; daughter Hope; and niece Allegra. She has quite a job on her hands, as this truly is a dysfunctional family. As the story progresses, the threat of war becomes a reality and the family struggles with loss and heartache. 

I found this a compelling story, heart rending at times. I imagine it accurately reflects the kind of situations people found themselves in at this difficult time. I had great admiration for Romily and her determination to fulfil her husband's request, which seemed an uphill struggle at times. His children were in the main likeable, but with very different characters; they had very interesting back stories of their own. I became so engrossed in the lives of the family, and indeed that staff at Island House, that I wish there could be a sequel to let me know how they all fared during the war. In conclusion, I think that this book would appeal to a wide range of readers. 

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