The gorgeous, evocative cover promises much, the rich narrative within delivers more. Tracy Rees writes from the heart and with an obvious passion for her characters. With this, her third novel, her reputation as a writer who never disappoints, is sealed

Tracy Rees is the most outstanding new voice in historical fiction

Atmospheric and elegantly written, The Hourglass is an evocative story of 1950’s Wales, filled with the in-depth historical detail that has become Tracy Rees’s trademark

Florence is such a strong, intriguing character and the plot is so clever, real and truthful. The whole book feels so very wise, as if it contains half the answers to life

A lovely, tender, enjoyable mystery. It made me want to visit Tenby.

The Hourglass is a beautifully-crafted tale of the ebb and flow of love and friendship. Rees has skilfully interwoven all the joy and pain that comes with families, friends and lovers into a multi-layered story that won’t let you go. Bittersweet, compelling and utterly engrossing, I couldn’t put it down

An enjoyable and intriguing read

A sparkling and compelling mystery . . . captured our hearts from the very first page

Emotionally resonating. I loved this book’s strong sense of time and place

Tracy’s writing is so fresh, original and authentic

Tracy Rees describes brilliantly the feeling of being on the cusp between childhood and adulthood, with all its confusions and curiosity. I loved the strong sense of place, as well as the description of the way emotional damage can be passed down through the generations. It’s an engrossing read that makes you want to rush to the nearest beach, drink hot chocolate and eat a lot of cake!

I can honestly say The Hourglass is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I’ve been thinking about it ever since! Tracy writes so very beautifully and lyrically, conjuring up such a strong atmosphere and sense of place. Her characters have wonderful depth and richness, and the whole story felt so wise, poignant and uplifting. I loved it! A beautiful story, so atmospheric and vivid, elegantly told

I absolutely loved The Hourglass. With its wonderful characters, moving storyline, and gorgeous, evocative setting in coastal Wales, it bursts with warmth on every page. It’s the perfect, lose-yourself and curl up for hours read. I felt bereft when I finished!

This moving tale has warmth and wisdom galore, and shows it’s never too late for new beginnings

The characters are so evocative and the descriptions of Tenby give it the starring role

[Tracy Rees] has a wonderful way of making you feel that you’re ‘there’ in her writing, whether ‘there’ is a desolate moor in the 1700s or a sunny beach in 1950s

Descriptive, mysterious and romantic

Once again I found myself drawn in to Tracy Rees’s wonderful story telling so that I set aside daily life until I’d devoured every word

[Tracy Rees] has a gift for creating powerful and distinct character voices…Well plotted and well written, The Hourglass will make a wonderful summer read for fans of Lucinda Riley, Rosanna Ley, Rachel Hore or Jojo Moyes

Rees is an elegant and intelligent writer with the gift to imbue her enchanting novels with vivid, well-drawn characters, rich historical detail, emotional wisdom and a wonderfully authentic sense of time and place

Be prepared to lose yourself in this evocative tale