A House Full of Windsor
by Kristin Contino
Review by Marisa Stokley
About the Book
Spanning from 1980s London to a present-day reality TV show, A House Full of Windsor explores how one woman’s messy past shapes her family’s future and how long-buried secrets and resentment must come to the surface for them to move on.
Debbie Windsor was always fascinated by royalty, but when her marriage fell apart, she turned to collecting to fill the void. Now the house is a royal mess, and Debbie’s health and safety is on the line.
Even her etiquette expert daughter can’t fix this disaster, and when the entire family ends up on a hoarding show, everyone has something at stake.
My Thoughts
Given the plethora of royal fiction available across the markets, not too much as of yet has set me with as much excitement as A House Full of Windsor did in the summer of 2022. Some of this excitement generated because I am acquainted by the author, but more so I was thrilled because this book presents such a unique approach to telling a story that involves a royal plotline. I will always love the typical plots and tropes set within royal fiction; however, new ones are welcome as well, and A House Full of Windsor won full accolades from me for it.
Alternating between the 1980s and present day, A House Full of Windsor tells the story of a mother-daughter duo attempting to reconcile what it means when holding on to the past too much damages your present and future. Author Kristin Contino depicts the emotional toll taken when children are byproducts of their parents’ choices and what happens when fear and anxiety block a person from moving forward. As a new mother, I empathized with Debbie Windsor, the matriarch of the family, in such a way that never has happened before. I expected A House Full of Windsor to be a fairly lighthearted read, but this book depicted many more heartrending moments than this charming illustrated hints at. Throw in the royal backdrop and this book set me up to read from the first page to the last in only one weekend.
Notes for readers: A House Full of Windsor is a general market book. While a majority of the scenes contain no inappropriate material, please be aware that a few instances of swearing or off-page intimacy occur. My review does not indicate WhiteCrown’s endorsement of this book, so please read according to your own judgment.
I purchased copy of A House Full of Windsor. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.