I am very excited to share a new debut this week, perfect for any royal watchers! A House Full of Windsor is Kristin Contino’s second novel, and it is a must-read novel for any royal fan. If you have gotten up early to watch a royal wedding, sent The Queen a holiday card, or bought a repli-Kate, this book is for you. Without further adieu, let’s get into A House Full of Windsor! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.
A House Full of Windsor, Kristin Contino
Sarah Percy’s career depends on New Yorkers taking her household advice as gospel. “Sarah Says” used to be the most popular segment on the city’s top morning show, but ratings are down and it looks like Sarah might not have a tip for everything, after all… especially when her mother gets involved.
Debbie Windsor, Sarah’s mother, is a shopaholic and compulsive hoarder, a secret Sarah has worked tirelessly to hide her entire life. Debbie was always fascinated by royalty, but when her real-life love story started to parallel Princess Diana’s, she turned to collecting royal souvenirs to fill the void. Leaving her husband’s native England and relocating the family to her hometown in Pennsylvania doesn’t help the situation, and two decades later the house is a royal mess. Debbie’s safety is on the line, but she brushes off any attempts her family makes to help.
When Sarah’s brother gets a job on Stuff, a TV show about compulsive hoarding, he nominates their mother for an episode and promises his famous sister’s participation. Backed into a corner, Sarah and Debbie agree, but everyone has something at stake whether the episode does or doesn’t go off without a hitch. With both family and romantic relationships on the line–including the connection between Sarah and the show’s sexy host, and Debbie’s budding romance with a local shopkeeper –long-buried secrets and resentment must come to the surface for the family to move on.
Why You Should Read This…
There are many, many books that draw on the royals for inspiration, but A House Full of Windsor is one of the most thoughtful and touching. The royals are certainly woven throughout the story- what would royal watching be without memorabilia, and Debbie certainly has more than her fair share. I loved that Contino showed a less glamorous side of the royals; as Debbie’s marriage fell apart, so did the Wales’. This made it a much more poignant comparison though, and I think really speaks to how people view the royals- they are seen as part of peoples’ lives, even though they’ve never met them. If you are a royal watcher, you’ve probably had someone ask, “But why?” at some point, and this book perfectly encapsulates the why.
I think that choosing to anchor the story around Debbie’s hoarding (of said royal memorabilia) was the perfect way to go here. It is easy to mock people who hoard for simply “having too much stuff”, but Contino thoughtfully explores the reasons and emotions behind Debbie’s hoarding, and how it affected each member of her family. They don’t all understand, but that is reality for all of us. I didn’t know if I would, but very quickly on, I was incredibly invested in Deb- I don’t often root for characters, but I was rooting for Debbie. It can be sad to read at a few points, but that only made me want to read more- I had to find out where it would end. From start to finish, a rich, royal read! I’ve read nearly every chick lit book vaguely related to the royals, but none will stay with me like AHFOW.
And if you want more royal chick lit, head to my post here!
Is A House Full of Windsor on your summer reading list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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