The French House

'Utterly gorgeous, convincingly written and completely captivating. Make sure you read it' MY WEEKLY

'A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail' FIONA VALPY

In Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life...

Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Emile is no stranger to isolation - or heartbreak. Now, as Nazi planes loom over Guernsey, he senses life is about to change forever.

Trapped in a tense, fearful marriage, Isabelle doesn't know what has become of Emile and the future she hoped for. But when she glimpses him from the window of the French House, their lives collide once more.

Leutnant Schreiber is more comfortable wielding a paintbrush than a pistol. But he has little choice in the role he is forced to play in the occupying forces - or in his own forbidden desires.

As their paths entwine, loyalties are blurred and dangerous secrets forged. But on an island under occupation, courage can have deadly consequences...

Lyrical, moving and compelling, this is a novel about wanting to hear and learning to listen - to the truths of our own hearts. Perfect for lovers of The Nightingale, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and All the Light We Cannot See.

Praise for The French House:

'I was gripped from the start by the characters and the setting. A wonderful read'

RUTH DRUART

'Deeply involving . . . A fantastic debut by a gifted storyteller'

JILL MANSELL

'A story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties . . . I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down'

ANITA FRANK

'Heart-wrenching . . . A truly special novel'

LOUISE FEIN

'Accomplished and atmospheric . . . I really enjoyed this uncliched yet deeply moving love story'

TRACY REES

'A vividly written, refreshingly different World War Two love story, with a central character I adored. Just brilliant!'

GILL PAUL

'Such an emotionally gripping novel portraying how love can be betrayed yet still endure'

SUZANNE GOLDRING

“A brilliantly moving historical novel - 2020 Caledonian Novel AwardA story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties, of family and friendship, and of a love that once reignited, refuses to die. I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down.A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail. The French House is a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of warA wonderful story, powerfully written with beautiful characters”

A brilliantly moving historical novel 2020 Caledonian Novel Award
A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail. The French House is a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of war -- FIONA VALPY, bestselling author of THE DRESSMAKER'S SECRET
Deeply involving . . . A fantastic debut by a gifted storyteller -- JILL MANSELL, Sunday Times bestselling author
A story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties . . . I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down -- ANITA FRANK, author of The Return
Heart-wrenching . . . A truly special novel -- LOUISE FEIN, author of People Like Us
A vividly written, refreshingly different World War Two love story, with a central character I adored. Just brilliant! -- GILL PAUL, author of The Collector's Daughter
A wonderful story, powerfully written with beautiful characters -- JAMES KENT, director of Testament of Youth
In the way that the astonishing All the Light we Cannot See takes you into the world of a young blind girl during the occupation of France, so we are transported into the experiences of profoundly deaf Emile, during the occupation of Guernsey. The writing is lyrical, melancholy and breathtaking. Life under the Nazi jackboot is subtly explored, but the blistering love story between Emile and Isabelle leaves a longer lasting impression. Beautiful, utterly absorbing and memorable. -- Kate Thompson, author of THE LITTLE WARTIME LIBRARY
I was gripped from the start by the characters and the setting. A wonderful read -- Ruth Druart, author of WHILE PARIS SLEPT

Jacquie Bloese is a writer of historical book group fiction, originally from the Channel Island of Guernsey. She draws her inspiration from atmospheric locations with intriguing histories, and people - both real and imaginary - whose stories are calling out to be told.

Her first novel The French House, set during the German Occupation of Guernsey in the second World War, was a Richard and Judy Winter 2022 book club pick, and a finalist in the Mslexia Novel Award. Her second novel The Golden Hour is inspired by the seaside town of Brighton, where Jacquie currently lives, and tells the stories of three women from different classes who become caught up in the underground world of erotic photography in 1890s Victorian England.

Jacquie began her professional life teaching English, in Turkey and Spain, before returning to the UK to work in ELT publishing for a number of publishers, including Scholastic, Oxford University Press and Penguin Random House. She now works freelance as an educational consultant, writer and editor.

In her spare time, Jacquie loves reading, walking, socialising, travel, theatre, cinema and daydreaming!

Freedom worth fighting for. Love worth waiting for. 'The French House is a beautifully wrought exploration of love of all kinds. It's utterly gorgeous, convincingly written and completely captivating. Make sure you read it' MY WEEKLY 'I was gripped from the start by the characters and the setting. A wonderful read' RUTH DRUART 'A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail. The French House is a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of war' FIONA VALPY 'Deeply involving . . . A fantastic debut by a gifted storyteller' JILL MANSELL 'A story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties . . . I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down' ANITA FRANK 'Heart-wrenching . . . A truly special novel' LOUISE FEIN 'Accomplished and atmospheric . . . I really enjoyed this uncliched yet deeply moving love story' TRACY REES 'A vividly written, refreshingly different World War Two love story, with a central character I adored. Just brilliant!' GILL PAUL 'Such an emotionally gripping novel portraying how love can be betrayed yet still endure' SUZANNE GOLDRING 'I have been swept away by Jacquie Bloese's gorgeous writing, completely transported into the rich, atmospheric, and incredibly moving pages of The French House . . . this is an absolutely stunning, beautifully original novel' JENNY ASHCROFT 'The writing is incredibly strong . . . a compelling read with a highly satisfactory ending' GUERNSEY PRESS *** In Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life... Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Emile is no stranger to isolation - or heartbreak. Now, as Nazi planes loom over Guernsey, he senses life is about to change forever.Trapped in a tense, fearful marriage, Isabelle doesn't know what has become of Emile and the future she hoped for. But when she glimpses him from the window of the French House, their lives collide once more. Leutnant Schreiber is more comfortable wielding a paintbrush than a pistol. But he has little choice in the role he is forced to play in the occupying forces - or in his own forbidden desires. As their paths entwine, loyalties are blurred and dangerous secrets forged. But on an island under occupation, courage can have deadly consequences... Lyrical, moving and compelling, this is a novel about wanting to hear and learning to listen - to the truths of our own hearts. Perfect for lovers of The Nig

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