I quickly forgot how big The Treasures had seemed on my shelf because it was such an immersive story and I felt so wrapped up in it. Truly escapist and just what I needed from a book at that time. I had such love for Alice and Tom as their stories unfolded and intertwined in The Treasures. Both families have dark secrets and it brought the perfect element of mystery within a beautiful character-driven historical narrative. I loved the 1950s and 1960s settings and the way the social elements of the time were woven through the story, particularly for Alice. Like Kate Morton’s novels, The Treasures immersed me in beautiful historical fiction. I’ve also seen comps for The Cazalet Chronicles and Lucinda Reilly’s Seven Sisters series – both of which are on my TBR! Truly a novel to escape with!

Alice and Tom live on different continents, thousands of miles apart. Neither are happy with their lives. What is the link between them and the house, Sevenstones? A n enthralling read, I can't wait for the sequel.

This is a wonderfully rich, slow-burn family saga spanning the 1940s to the 1960s. I particularly enjoyed the nostalgic details, especially the prominent feature of China animals – a sweet blast from my own past! Don't let the gentle pace fool you; Evans doesn't shy away from depicting life's harsher realities. The book explores hard-hitting themes such as racism, attempted rape, extortion, lesbianism (in the 1940s), drug use, all rendered with a brutal honesty that is somehow still beautifully written. Harriet Evans' prose is as captivating as ever, and I'm eagerly anticipating the continuation of this compelling series.

Oh how I do love a new Harriet Evans book. This was a hefty book and I was worried it would feel that as well reading it, but it flew by. I was immediately absorbed and I absolutely loved it and read it way into the night. In fact I read it in less than 24 hours because I was just so engrossed. It does have long chapters though which is my big bug bear, but I managed to by pass that, the story being so good. For someone who is allergic to apples, I did appreciate in a morbid way that they kept cropping up throughout this book. It is a slow burn and yet doesn't feel slow. It gives you everything you need and everything you want, but gives you time and doesn't overwhelm you. You've sort of got two stories going on: one in America with Alice, and the other in the UK with Tom. But they do overlap. Harriet's done it very cleverly. She's given us Alice's story, we get to know her, what she wants, what she's been through. And then we get to know Tom in the same way, so that when the stories start to mix, you know enough about them to get really invested. I don't know what she's planning on putting in books two and three, as this is an epic in itself. And I'm quite said that I have to wait for the next installment. Having said that, if you just read this as a standalone, it would be just as fabulous I'm sure. It's a mixture of historical, family drama, with a bit of romance, thrills and spills, fear, and the hangover of WW2. It's got everything you want. I think this is my fourth book of hers and it is by far the best. It's unbelievable storytelling, fantastically flawed but beautiful characters, such deep love and hope and joy amongst the sadness. It is so thorough, with such depth, as individual stories and the book as a whole, it's such an impressive feat and I applaud her. I read a lot of books - we're talking 350+ a year - and so most books have to leave my head pretty quickly, otherwise I can't focus on the next one, but this is one that I'll definitely carry around for me for a long time. Harriet's story creation, the language she uses, it's just so - and I feel there should be a more impressive word than this but sometimes the simplest is the best - it's just so very, very good. This is the work of an author who is so sure of herself, of her talent, is experienced. Someone who is at the peak of their creativeness and storytelling abilities. (Gifted in return for an honest review)

The Treasures by Harriet Evans An English house, Sevenstones, is up for sale after being owned by the same family for many years. The first instalment of the trilogy is the story of Alice, a teenager living just outside New York in a house tied to a wealthy employer with a dark side, and Tom who was raised by his father in Scotland and then an aunt and uncle in London. The book covers their lives in suburban New York and post-war London, then the 1960s in New York where their lives become inextricably linked. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the next instalment! The author is fantastic at depicting characters, locations and the era that the book is set in. I didn't want it to end and can't wait for the next one. Very VERY highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.