The House of Fortune BY Jessie Burton

Alive with the magic of eighteenth-century Amsterdam, The House of Fortune is a bestselling historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Jessie Burton. Set in 1705, it follows Thea Brandt, a young Dutch African woman grappling with family secrets and cultural expectations as she comes of age.

Thea is drawn to the theater and an artistic life, yet her family's financial decline places immense pressure on her to secure a prosperous marriage. As her father and Aunt Nella desperately work to save their home, Thea finds solace in the arms of her secret lover, Walter, the chief set painter at her favorite theater. Their romance, however, is overshadowed by Thea's own dark secret: her birthday coincides with the death of her mother, Marin, during childbirth—a story shrouded in mystery and silence within her family.

Aunt Nella believes a suitable marriage will resolve their problems, and an invitation to Amsterdam's most exclusive ball seems like a chance for Thea to secure her future. But when a miniature figurine of Walter appears on Thea's doorstep, it becomes evident that someone has a different fate in mind for her family. As secrets unravel and hidden truths emerge, Thea realizes that her quest for a new beginning might not depend on a man after all.

The House of Fortune is a sweeping, magical tale of love and obsession, family loyalty, and the transformative power of secrets.