Book Review – Marriages Are Made In Bond Street

Penrose Halson’s role in this book is far greater than just its author. It contains the stories of thousands of men and women who sought professional assistance in finding a spouse in London between 1939 and 1949.

Halson recounts the true stories of the men and women that Marriage Bureau founders, Heather Jenner and Mary Oliver, matched successfully over 10 years. I enjoyed the rich archives of the bureau and the detailed research conducted by Halson in order to collate and corroborate these personal, romantic and heart-warming stories most about the book. I was however disappointed in the change in viewpoint which left the story of the initial storyteller unresolved.

This book reminded me why books are important. Without the written word woven into a consumable but enticing tale, there is just no true and detailed way to document and share the human experience. To me a book is more of a legacy than any progeny could hope to be.

Justine Cullinan
4/5

Buy the book here