THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE

A chef tries to save her childhood home and juggles the affections of two men from her past in this updated take on the Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina.

Emma Jansen owns a successful catering business that serves some of the most exclusive parties in New York, but she can’t escape the pull of her childhood home in Glen Cove. It wasn’t exactly her home—her parents were the hired help, and Emma lived with them in an apartment above the garage. The Audrey Hepburn Estate (so named because it shares an address with the house in the film Sabrina) was the site of some of her most cherished memories—and some of her most painful ones. She was desperately in love with Henry van der Wraak, the grandson of the estate’s owners. She also formed a deep friendship with Leo L’Unico, the son of the van der Wraaks’ driver. Now, years later, Leo is a developer intent on demolishing the estate so he can build a luxury apartment complex. Emma reconnects with Henry in her attempt to save the house from destruction, but excavating her past brings buried secrets to the surface. She still has complicated feelings for both Henry and Leo, but managing the affections of two men is far from her only problem. Emma also discovers some secrets about the estate that call into question everything she’s ever believed about her own family. Janowitz weaves in details about Audrey Hepburn’s films and also the actor's real life, including her childhood in Holland during World War II. Although the chemistry between Emma and her two love interests never quite ignites, Emma’s journey to let go of her past and solve the mystery of the estate is full of interesting historical details. Janowitz includes a fascinating author’s note that explains Hepburn’s struggle during the war as well as the many easter eggs that appear in the text.

A nostalgic and intriguing story that blends a modern-day love triangle with details from Audrey Hepburn’s life.