Izzy Broom: I Write to Connect
In this interview, author Izzy Broom discusses how a life-long love of Greece helped inspire her new novel, The House of Hidden Letters.
Izzy Broom is the author of 12 romances and has been published in 14 markets. In 2015, she won The Great British Write Off with her short story, The Wedding Speech, which was later adapted into a prize-winning short film. Her fifth novel, One Thousand Stars and You, was awarded Contemporary Romance Novel of the Year at the 2019 RNAs. Formerly a Book Reviews Editor at Heat magazine and Woman & Home, Isabelle still works regularly for Heat, Closer, Bella, Grazia, and Crime Monthly. She lives in Suffolk. Follow her on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, Izzy discusses how a life-long love of Greece helped inspire her new novel, The House of Hidden Letters, the experience of having this book published in the U.S., and more.
Name: Izzy Broom
Literary agent: Alice Lutyens at Curtis Brown
Book title: The House of Hidden Letters
Publisher: Berkley / Penguin Random House
Release date: March 17, 2026
Genre/category: Book club; women’s fiction; historical
Previous titles: My Map of You, A Year and a Day, Then. Now. Always., The Place We Met, One Thousand Stars and You, One Winter Morning, Hello, Again, The Getaway, The Summer Trip, The Beach Holiday, The Orange House, The French Guesthouse (all escapist fiction published under the name Isabelle Broom)
Elevator pitch: When Skye MacKinnon wins a crumbling Greek cottage for one euro, she sees a chance to escape her old life. But as she restores the house and discovers a bundle of forgotten wartime letters, she uncovers secrets that could change everything she thought she knew about love, loss, and having the courage to face your enemies.
What prompted you to write this book?
I had always been fascinated by the one-euro lottery scheme. It’s been running for some time now, most notably in France and Italy, as well as in a more remote area of Greece. I wondered what kind of person would take on such a project. You’d have to be willing to give up a lot, and to be someone who thrives in a small community. It occurred to me that for someone looking to run away from their existing life, it could be the perfect solution. And what about the houses being offered up? Why were they empty, and what secrets could they be hiding? This became the beginning of my hook, and then I had to find a location.
My love story with Greece began in my late teens, when I visited the Ionian island of Zakynthos for a vacation. That first trip turned into an annual pilgrimage, and years later, after finishing my degree, I returned to the island to work in a cocktail bar. What a summer that was! I made friends for life, worked (and partied) harder than I ever had, and fell even more deeply in love with the country and its people. When it came to The House of Hidden Letters, I wanted to choose an island a little more off the beaten track, one that had been occupied by both the Italian and German forces and that possessed something elusive and magical, a quality that only reveals itself once you step foot on its shores. My research led me to Folegandros, which seemed to tick every box. All that remained was to visit, and the moment I arrived, I knew I’d chosen the right place. I felt it immediately, that unmistakable tingle of connection.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It was late September 2024 that I completed a synopsis and pitch document, late November when I signed my initial U.K. deal with Penguin Century, and I handed in my first draft at the end of March 2025. I had a real passion for this story right from its conception, and it was that fire that drove me on throughout the process of writing. The fundamentals of the story didn’t change all that much, but it certainly became richer, especially when I introduced the historical thread.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
This is the first novel of mine to be published in America—a dream that has long been on my career bucket list—and it’s been an exhilarating ride. My team at Berkley are so talented and have such positive energy. To have them take this book into their hearts has meant the world to me, not least because it means so many more readers will now have the chance to experience it.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Without giving away any spoilers, I will admit that some of the more hard-hitting scenes were challenging to write. I became tearful on more than several occasions while drafting and the novel still makes me cry today. Of course, there’s also a pleasure in knowing that those scenes are tugging on emotional strings. If I’m not moved by what’s happening, I can’t very well expect my readers to be.
I found the research process fascinating, if confronting at times, and writing the past chapters required a particular set of skills that I hadn’t fully explored prior to beginning this novel. As an author, my confidence has undoubtedly grown. Tackling sensitive topics can be daunting, but it’s ultimately rewarding—especially when you hear positive feedback from readers. I write to connect, to understand the world and everyone in it better, and with this book, I feel I’ve managed to do both.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Hope. Simple as that. Even in the darkest of times, there is always light—a chance to change things, to repair, to learn, to forgive. The world can feel scary and certainly does at the time of me writing this, yet I believe in the power of positivity and kindness. People are not inherently bad for the most part, and I know it’s a cliché to say we have more in common than that which divides us, but it’s true. Connection and community will always be a better path forward than isolation and divisiveness, and I hope this story teaches that.
On a lighter note, I also hope readers of The House of Hidden Letters will fall in love with Greece and its people, as I have. Perhaps one day I’ll host a writing or reading retreat in Folegandros, where we can gather on the island, bask in the sunshine, wander its cobbled streets, and live out a little of our own Greek love story.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Be in love with your story. Passionately. That passion is what will get you through the early starts, the long days, the isolation, the sticky plot points, the self-doubt – right the way through to the day you tap in those beautiful words: The End.
