The French House : The captivating and heartbreaking wartime love story and Richard & Judy Book Club pick

'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 VALPYIn Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life... Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Émile 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 Émile 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