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kamin8882's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book was great !! I am always looking for historical fiction with love stories as the core and this was that!
I loved that there were three timelines: 1907, 1944 and 2021.
This story follows 5 women- Venetia, Beth, Stella, Diana, and Emma.
All of them are tied to this one beautiful garden. The garden has special meaning to all them and the love that they find there.
Although the story started off a little slow, I loved the stories of all the characters and how they each valued the garden in different ways. I loved how they fell in love and there was a happy ending that tied together so nicely. It was a beautiful story and I would highly recommend 🥰
I loved that there were three timelines: 1907, 1944 and 2021.
This story follows 5 women- Venetia, Beth, Stella, Diana, and Emma.
All of them are tied to this one beautiful garden. The garden has special meaning to all them and the love that they find there.
Although the story started off a little slow, I loved the stories of all the characters and how they each valued the garden in different ways. I loved how they fell in love and there was a happy ending that tied together so nicely. It was a beautiful story and I would highly recommend 🥰
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
cajun_reader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley. I had no idea what it was about, but I love historical fiction so I decided to give a try. I am very glad that I did. This is a beautifully written story about a garden and the women that are linked by its history.
The novel begins from the perspective of Emma, a woman who is hired to restore a garden at an estate in England. The garden was created by a famous garden designer from the early 1900's, Venetia Smith. As Emma restores the garden, the book flashes back to 1907 and 1944 and tells the story of three other women with connections to the garden, including Venetia. Through their perspectives we learn about not only the garden but the time period and social climate of the past.
All of the women from the past in this book have hopes and dreams that are limited by their gender, but they persevere to make a life that will bring them joy. There are instances of love, family obligations, motherhood, marriage, war, and more. Each woman has strength in her own way. I enjoyed their stories. It was interesting too to see how their different stories all came to be connected in the end.
The details of the garden itself and all the different kinds of plants and flowers was a bit boring to me. I am not really into gardens, so I just wasn't interested in that aspect of the story. However, for a reader that is fascinated by gardens, this will prove to be a positive quality of this book.
Overall, I would say that this book delivers what is usually desired in a historical fiction. It has multiple points of view across different time periods. The characters are strong and survive through difficult times. The historical context offers the reader a learning experience about the time and culture. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.
The novel begins from the perspective of Emma, a woman who is hired to restore a garden at an estate in England. The garden was created by a famous garden designer from the early 1900's, Venetia Smith. As Emma restores the garden, the book flashes back to 1907 and 1944 and tells the story of three other women with connections to the garden, including Venetia. Through their perspectives we learn about not only the garden but the time period and social climate of the past.
All of the women from the past in this book have hopes and dreams that are limited by their gender, but they persevere to make a life that will bring them joy. There are instances of love, family obligations, motherhood, marriage, war, and more. Each woman has strength in her own way. I enjoyed their stories. It was interesting too to see how their different stories all came to be connected in the end.
The details of the garden itself and all the different kinds of plants and flowers was a bit boring to me. I am not really into gardens, so I just wasn't interested in that aspect of the story. However, for a reader that is fascinated by gardens, this will prove to be a positive quality of this book.
Overall, I would say that this book delivers what is usually desired in a historical fiction. It has multiple points of view across different time periods. The characters are strong and survive through difficult times. The historical context offers the reader a learning experience about the time and culture. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
catherine_au1d's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Minor: Child death
bringmybooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
Well, it's official. I'll read anything that Julia Kelly writes. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book that I've read of hers (Whispers of War & The Light Over London) and The Last Garden in England was no exception.
Her writing is compulsively readable - I did not want to set the book down and felt myself almost being carried from chapter to chapter. It's difficult to explain, but her writing is just so dang soothing.
I am a fan of dual timelines, and when done well the introduction of a third timeline is a welcome addition for me (I know this isn't the case for everyone!). I would say that Kelly wrote the timelines well, and the chapters work well with one another. I generally prefer one timeline over the other(s), but in this novel I found myself genuinely enjoying certain aspects of all three timelines to the point that I don't know if I could choose.
The garden design in the 1907 timeline was so interesting - and the descriptions! I couldn't get enough. The relationships in the WWII stood out more than anything else, and the romance in the present day timeline (plus the solving of the mystery!) was so well done.
Overall, I highly recommend this novel to readers of Historical Fiction!
Well, it's official. I'll read anything that Julia Kelly writes. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book that I've read of hers (Whispers of War & The Light Over London) and The Last Garden in England was no exception.
Her writing is compulsively readable - I did not want to set the book down and felt myself almost being carried from chapter to chapter. It's difficult to explain, but her writing is just so dang soothing.
I am a fan of dual timelines, and when done well the introduction of a third timeline is a welcome addition for me (I know this isn't the case for everyone!). I would say that Kelly wrote the timelines well, and the chapters work well with one another. I generally prefer one timeline over the other(s), but in this novel I found myself genuinely enjoying certain aspects of all three timelines to the point that I don't know if I could choose.
The garden design in the 1907 timeline was so interesting - and the descriptions! I couldn't get enough. The relationships in the WWII stood out more than anything else, and the romance in the present day timeline (plus the solving of the mystery!) was so well done.
Overall, I highly recommend this novel to readers of Historical Fiction!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
readingwithcats's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Child death
hannahbradleyreads's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Child death
emileereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for a free digital copy for my review.
If you love gardening and historical fiction, this is the book for you. Set in 3 time periods, 1907, 1944, and present day. This story revolves around a beautifully designed garden established in 1907 and restored in the present day. In 1944 the house was requisitioned as a war hospital. Full of love and loss, this story explores sacrifice and how to gauge what is worth your personal risk. I really enjoyed that although this is a WWII story, the 1907 element was largely at play as well. Plus the WWII timeline has a lot of Downton Abbey vibes. Overall the women in each of the timelines are empowering themselves to make their own choices and forge their own paths. They each are very different, but the theme of choosing your own adventure is strong.
If you love gardening and historical fiction, this is the book for you. Set in 3 time periods, 1907, 1944, and present day. This story revolves around a beautifully designed garden established in 1907 and restored in the present day. In 1944 the house was requisitioned as a war hospital. Full of love and loss, this story explores sacrifice and how to gauge what is worth your personal risk. I really enjoyed that although this is a WWII story, the 1907 element was largely at play as well. Plus the WWII timeline has a lot of Downton Abbey vibes. Overall the women in each of the timelines are empowering themselves to make their own choices and forge their own paths. They each are very different, but the theme of choosing your own adventure is strong.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
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