Review by Booklist Review
Emma Jansen grew up living above the garage of a grand estate on Long Island. She was raised alongside two young men, the owners' grandson, Henry, and the chauffeur's son, Leo. As an adult living in Manhattan, Emma wants desperately to prevent Leo, now a successful developer, from tearing down the abandoned house where she spent her early years. In the process of trying to stop the demolition, she is reunited not only with Leo but also with Henry. Both men still hold special places in her heart, and she in theirs. She must also face some harsher realities about her past and the truths kept from her by those she loved most. Inspired by the film Sabrina and Audrey Hepburn's past as a part of the Dutch Resistance, Janowitz's latest is a tale of love, betrayal, and secrets. Emma will have to decide whether home is a place or a feeling. Romantic, sweeping, and emotional.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Emma Jansen is returning to Rolling Hill, the estate where she grew up as the daughter of the live-in maid Mila,and butler Hans. Leo, the son of another Rolling Hill employee, is now a property developer and has bought the falling-down estate, intending to turn it into an upscale development. Emma is distressed to learn that Rolling Hill's mansion is set to be demolished, as she loved growing up there with Leo and Henry, the grandson of the estate's original owners, the renowned art-dealing the Van Der Wraaks. She connects with a local historical society that is looking to save the estate. This forces Emma to reconnect with her past, including Fleur, the estate's cook, who might have been killed by Felix Van der Wraak, Henry's grandfather. She also realizes that Van Der Wraak may have been a former Nazi trying to cover his tracks, Leo and Emma having discovered Nazi relics in the house as teenagers. Yet the novel's actual Nazis, and Nazi hunters, might not be who Emma thought. VERDICT Janowitz's (The Grace Kelly Dress) crisply written novel, inspired by the Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina, provides swift twists and turns. The author also ties in neat historical details about Hepburn's life, making this a fun read for those who like historical fiction.--Jennie Mills
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A chef tries to save her childhood home and juggles the affections of two men from her past in this updated take on the Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina. Emma Jansen owns a successful catering business that serves some of the most exclusive parties in New York, but she can't escape the pull of her childhood home in Glen Cove. It wasn't exactly her home--her parents were the hired help, and Emma lived with them in an apartment above the garage. The Audrey Hepburn Estate (so named because it shares an address with the house in the film Sabrina) was the site of some of her most cherished memories--and some of her most painful ones. She was desperately in love with Henry van der Wraak, the grandson of the estate's owners. She also formed a deep friendship with Leo L'Unico, the son of the van der Wraaks' driver. Now, years later, Leo is a developer intent on demolishing the estate so he can build a luxury apartment complex. Emma reconnects with Henry in her attempt to save the house from destruction, but excavating her past brings buried secrets to the surface. She still has complicated feelings for both Henry and Leo, but managing the affections of two men is far from her only problem. Emma also discovers some secrets about the estate that call into question everything she's ever believed about her own family. Janowitz weaves in details about Audrey Hepburn's films and also the actor's real life, including her childhood in Holland during World War II. Although the chemistry between Emma and her two love interests never quite ignites, Emma's journey to let go of her past and solve the mystery of the estate is full of interesting historical details. Janowitz includes a fascinating author's note that explains Hepburn's struggle during the war as well as the many easter eggs that appear in the text. A nostalgic and intriguing story that blends a modern-day love triangle with details from Audrey Hepburn's life. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
