Michelle Montebello is one of my favourite independent authors. It is my great pleasure to have not only been involved in introducing her work to the members of Beauty and Lace Book Club but also for the opportunity to have provided some input into The Lost Letters of Playfair Street.
The story is set in Sydney where Walter Greene supplies steel from his steel mill to the company building the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We first meet the Greenes at the engagement party of Walter’s daughter, Charlotte, to the banker—and financier of loans to Walter—Floyd Clark.
Floyd moves Charlotte through the group until they come to the last man, Alexander Young, Bradfield’s chief engineer. As the introductions are made, Charlotte feels a stirring she has never felt before, and certainly something she has never felt with Floyd.
In the present day, Paige Westwood has moved to Sydney from Albury, after having her heartbroken. Her job is to set up the house on Playfair Street that her boss Xavier has purchased to run his business from. While cleaning the attic Paige discovers a trunk, carved with the initials CG, and containing bundles of letters carefully tied together.
As Montebello deftly guides us between the two timelines we are privy to information about Charlotte, Walter and Alex’s lives, that Paige and Ryan must seek to discover through the letters and modern-day research. At the same time we are taken on a tour of Sydney, and The Rocks, as we explore those areas from both the perspective of the 1920’s and 30’s and present day.
This is a beautifully written book that gives us a historical glimpse into Sydney, the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the impact of the stock market crash, all within the context of a beautiful, yet illicit romance. Montebello has smoothly woven fictional and real-life characters into a tale that will leave you wanting more.
Many thanks to Michelle Montebello and Beauty and Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read and review The Lost Letters Of Playfair Street. Highly recommended for lovers of historical romantic fiction, a definite 5 star read.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading The Lost Letter of Playfair Street by Michelle Montebello. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I love to read, for many years my passion has been science fantasy but recently I’ve discovered many fabulous Australian women authors and am devouring all the new genres I am being exposed to.
In addition to reading and reviewing books I enjoy photography, spending time with my husband, daughter, grandson, 2 dogs and a cat and am an aspiring author.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace for introducing me to a new author, I really enjoyed Michelle’s writing style and will be on the look out for more by her.
I loved that the book was set in Sydney and the flipping between the past and the present, but I especially liked following along with Charlotte as her life evolved.
Defiantly a book to add to your summer reading list.
This was the first book of Michelle Montebello’s that I have read and I must say it has me wanting to find her other books to read too now!
The Lost Letters of Playfair Street is a wonderful story that really captures the progress, struggles and disparity of the era. I loved the way the story switched between Paige and Ryan and Charlotte and Alex. I felt angry on behalf of the women of that era who were forced to marry men the didn’t know or like let alone love. Reading about the construction of the Syndey Harbour Bridge was enjoyable because I’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t had the chance yet.
This story evoked a lot of emotion from me and is one that I would happily read again.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Michelle Montebello for the chance to read and review this book.
This love story successfully entwines dual story lines from the present day and 1920’s. The author fluidly switches back and forth between the timelines without missing a beat or losing momentum. I also love the history woven throughout the story.
I look forward to reading more by this author
The Lost Letters of Playfair Street by Michelle Montebello is my first by this author but won’t be my last. This was Historical Fiction written in two timelines. The present day story was about Paige Westwood who had fled from Albury to set up a business for her old friend in an old house on Playfair Street, The Rocks Sydney. The historical storyline was set in 1929 and was about Charlotte Greene who was 18 and newly engaged and living in the same house.
The letters and belongings that Paige found in the attic led her to Ryan Greene from England and a mystery to solve as to what happened to Charlotte.
This was a story of love, the excesses of the Roaring 20s and a mystery with lots of twists and turns. A very enjoyable read thanks to Michelle Montebello and Beauty & Lace for my chance to read this ebook.
I loved it. The Lost Letters of Playfield Street is set in the present day and also in the 1920s in The Rocks area of Sydney
It centres around what is nearly a lost form of communication: a bundle of letters found in a rundown house
This is a story of women from quite different backgrounds. The contrasts between the role of women in the 20s and now is striking, even though the two main characters grow to be strong women
Yes this is a love story, but it is so much more. It’s two women growing in character and finding their inner strength. It’s about following your heart
Full of twists and turns, I’m sure you will enjoy this book. Many thanks to Beauty and Lace Magazine and the author Michelle Montebello for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. I was unfamiliar with Michelle’s works but will search them out in future
What a good read!
I loved the storyline and being able to follow Charlotte’s story through her own eyes and through Paige and Ryan’s discoveries and research.
I loved the chapters changing between the two eras and between the two main characters Paige and Charlotte.
I look forward to reading more books by Michelle Montebello.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Michelle Montebello for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I loved The Lost Letters of Playfair by Michelle Michelle Montebello!
The story is set in Sydney, both in the 1920s/30s and present day and I was easily able to picture myself in the streets as Charlotte and Alex, and Paige and Ryan walked the streets. It tells the story of Paige who discovers a trunk of love letters between Charlotte and her beloved written in the 20s. The letters intrigue Paige and bring into her life the newly single Ryan.
It has romance, mystery and history so plenty of substance to entertain many types of readers.
A lovely pre Christmas read. Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Michelle Montebello.
I really enjoyed reading The Lost Letters of Playfair Street. The story is set in Sydney over two time periods-in the 1920s and in the present day.
The 1920s tells the story of Charlotte Greene who is the daughter of a steel supplier who’s company is building the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Being the obedient daughter that she is, she is engaged to Floyd who is a loan financer who she is not in love with. At her engagement party she meets Alexander Young who she feels an instant attraction to. Meanwhile in the present day we see Paige Westwood move to Sydney to escape a broken heart. Her boss has just bought a house on Playfair Street and Paige has been sent to set it up. She ends up finding a chest full of letters which sees us slowly unravelling the story of Charlotte and her life.
I really love these types of historical fiction set over multiple timelines where you see the pieces slowly fall into place. This one was written so well that I just didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to Michelle Montebello and Beauty and Lace for giving me the opportunity to read this great read.
Thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Letters of Playfair Street by Michelle Montebello. I loved the way it switched between the present day and the past to tell two different but connected stories. Very well written and the mystery element had me hooked from the start.
Thanks very much to Beauty & Lace and Michelle Montebello for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was delightful.