The Glittering Hour

A Novel

By: Iona Grey

Narrated by: Imogen Church

Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

"The Glittering Hour is an exceptional novel about choosing how to live amid powerful grief and true love." (Bookpage)

Award-winning author Iona Grey's next unforgettable historical about true love found and lost and the secrets we keep from one another

Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying on just the right side of scandal, all while running from the life her parents would choose for her.

Lawrence Weston is a penniless painter who stumbles into Selina's orbit one night and can never let her go even while knowing someone of her stature could never end up with someone of his. Except Selina falls hard for Lawrence, envisioning a life of true happiness. But when tragedy strikes, Selina finds herself choosing what's safe over what's right.

Spanning two decades and a seismic shift in British history as World War II approaches, Iona Grey's The Glittering Hour is an epic novel of passion, heartache and loss.

"An absorbing tale of love, loss, and the ties that bind... A sweeping historical saga that captures the desires and dilemmas of the heart." (Booklist)

©2019 Iona Grey (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

Wonderfully Heart Wrenching

Beautiful, agonizing, wonderfully heart breaking. I loved this story, even though it was a bit difficult to get into in the beginning. I'm glad I pushed through, because I felt everything in this book.

Grab your handkerchief

While it was a slow start, it lifted me, angered me, and broke my heart all at the same time. Don’t wear mascara while listening. Im sure the actual read is excellent, but not sure that it would have been the same experience as listening, as Imogen Church pulls you into the story with her incredible voice. I need a minute to get myself together, because I am a blubbering mess.

Heartbreakingly Lovely

I loved this story, its main characters and the great narration! I was drawn in quickly and had a hard time putting it down.

Superb

Beautiful story excellently told. The narrator 's voice is mesmerizing and the writing is wonderful.

A fabulous read or listen!

I truly enjoyed listening to this book. The narration was excellent and the voicing lended themselves to the story. Based on alternating timelines between 1925 and 1936, it’s the tale of the aftermath of WWI and the impact on the rules of society in England including the aimless nature of the Bright Young People and the struggle of families to come to grips with lost loved ones, both in death and through the scars of war. As times changes and the big houses of England begin to falter the focus is on one woman’s struggle to find herself and gain independence then falling in love with “the wrong sort” of man not of her social class. What results is a beautiful story that unfolds through the notes left for a nine year old girl who is sent on a hunt for clues about her mother’s past and how she “came to be.” It’s a long reveal but so totally worth it. Beautiful and emotional in just the right amount!

Beautiful with a slight twist

This was a beautiful story where I found myself really caring for the characters. I loved the format with the plot twist caused by the perspectives of the different narrators, I think that often reflects life, where different people can have different experiences of the same thing.

Beautiful

This was one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever heard. It will make you cry, and completely tear your heart out...but in a good way, if that makes any sense. The writing, the characters, and the narration were perfect. 5/5 stars.

Lingering...

As others have said, what must give this book some time to slowly reveal. What a lovely story. It will linger with you long after it has ended....

Gorgeous and True

This. All the feels for this book, with its deep emotion. Something like The Thirteenth Hour meets Atonement in the moment between the great wars. This should be the next “it” fiction that everyone reads, it’s that good.

What happens when a girl is born in the jazz age as a part of the set, but she sees beyond it? Life, life happens and turns everything on its head.

Beautiful!

Beautiful story, full of incredible detail, which allows you to picture every scene of the book. Throughout the early part of the story you don’t know which direction the story is going to take and then a twist toward the end wraps the whole story together with the perfect blend of sadness and joy.