Title: THE HOUSE WE GREW UP IN
Author: LISA JEWELL
ISBN: 9780099559559
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 425
Source: Gift from Alicia
When a tragedy breaks a family apart, what can bring it back together?
The Birds seem to be the perfect family: mother, father, four children, a picture-book cottage in the country.
But when something happens one Easter weekend, it is so unexpected, so devastating, that no one can talk about it.
The family shatters, seemingly for ever.
Until they are forced to return to the house they grew up in. And to confront what really took place all those years ago.
Official Summary
16 September 2026
This is one of Lisa Jewell’s earlier books, first published in July 2013. It is a moving story about a troubled woman who is a hoarder and the impact her illness has on her family, ultimately tearing them apart.
Lisa Jewell draws you into a maze of family secrets and emotions, telling the story from various perspectives and across different timelines. As you move between the different narrators, you gradually get to know the Bird family: Lorelei, Colin, Megan, Beth, Rory and Rhys.
This was such a moving story, and it broke my heart watching this family slowly being torn apart. I have never really given much thought to hoarding, or even considered it as an illness, let alone thought about how deeply it could affect an entire family. Jewell leaves you with a much greater understanding of the condition and an awareness of the devastating consequences it can have.
Lorelei was such a warm, affectionate and quirky character. Jewell does a wonderful job of bringing this colourful woman to life, allowing us to see her playful nature before she becomes a much darker and more troubled character. Seeing this transformation makes the story all the more realistic as you watch the changes take place and the family begin to fall apart.
This was quite different from Jewell’s newer books, but it was every bit as captivating. I particularly loved how she brought Lorelei to life through her emails to Jim. These emails revealed just how passionate she was, but also showed that she was aware of some of the problems in her life. Her desire to change ultimately became one of the most moving elements of the story.
The House We Grew Up In is a beautifully written and heartbreaking story about family, love, addiction and the things that can tear us apart. It reminded me that Lisa Jewell has been creating complex, memorable characters and compelling family stories for many years.
This one is definitely worth adding to your TBR if you haven’t read it yet!
Also by Lisa Jewell
It Could Have Been Her
Jane Trevally is walking her dogs on her country estate when a small white terrier appears, alone and with no sign of the teenaged girl he’d been staying with nearby. When the teenager is reported missing, Jane offers to return the dog to his registered owner, hours away in London. Arriving at a run-down house called Thornwood in the deepest backwaters of Hampstead, she is immediately on alert—because Jane has a dark history with this house.
The man who answers the door is not the man that Jane remembers from her past. He is cagey, and claims to know nothing about the missing teenage girl. Then, through the window of the house, Jane catches a glimpse of a haunted-looking woman.
Conjuring her memories from twenty-five years ago, Jane knows this unsettling house holds the key—to the missing teenager, to her own traumatic story, and to the dark secrets of the past.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
LISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.
Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best-selling debut novel of 1999. Since then, she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, and The Night She Disappeared.
Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.
I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already. Have read a great book recently? I would love to hear all about it. Drop me an email, or leave a comment below. I have two more reviews for you this week, see you soon. Until next time…. Happy Reading.
