An atmospheric, high 4-star historical fiction, meet She Came to Stay by Eleni Kyriacou.

The plot:

London, 1952. Dina Demetriou has travelled from Cyprus for a better life. She’s certain that excitement, adventure and opportunity are out there, waiting – if only she knew where to look.

Her passion for clothes and flair for sewing land her a job repairing the glittering costumes at the notorious Pelican Revue. It’s here that she befriends the mysterious and beautiful Bebba.

With her bleached-blonde hair and an appetite for mischief, Bebba is like no Greek Dina has ever met before. She guides Dina around the fashionable shops, bars and clubs of Soho, and Dina finally feels life has begun.

But Bebba has a secret. And as thick smog brings the city to a standstill, the truth emerges with devastating results. Dina’s new life now hangs by a thread. What will be left when the fog finally clears? And will Dina be willing to risk everything to protect her future?

Within a few pages, you know that you’re on to a fantastic read

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but when you find a book like She Came to Stay, you’ll have yourself wondering why.

Kyriacou’s writing – could not get enough! Incredibly stunning and top of the game for the genre. Everything comes to life in front of you – within a few pages, you know that you’re on to a fantastic read.

The topic of family and relationships were beautifully done – whether we’re looking at the key characters or the smaller ones who really make a difference. With this, you have lies and deceit, which really meant I held a grudge against some characters.

I loved the location – 1950s London/Soho. It mentioned the great smog, and really brought to life how times must have been, especially to do with poverty/hardships.

It has good twists and turns, which were entirely unexpected and changed the whole dynamic of the book. This really made it seem like a page-turner – I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.

With rich character backgrounds and the alluring Cypriot link, it’s a definite must-read for historical fiction fans, especially if you’re looking for more than a romance-driven plot.

I loved how this all concluded – it was just perfect and gave me sooo many goosebumps! A memorable, gorgeous read. I really can’t pinpoint why this isn’t a 5-star read, as there’s nothing I didn’t like.

She Came to Stay, Eleni Kyriacou, RRP £18.99 (hardback); Book Depository 

Pages: 420

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Genre: Historical Fiction