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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Gardeners who love historical fiction will not want to miss this newest novel from Julia Kelly. Set during three different timelines, each story revolves around Highbury House and its beautiful gardens.
In 1907, readers meet Venetia Smith, a talented garden designer who laid out the plans for the garden rooms and stayed on for months to see that they came to fruition.
In 1944, readers meet Diana and Beth. Diana is the current owner of Highbury House and a recent war widow. The house is currently being used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Beth, a land girl from a farm nearby meets Diana and they form a friendship, with Diana allowing Beth access to the gardens in order to draw.
Moving forward to the present day, readers meet Emma, who has been hired to restore the gardens to their former glory. Through her research, Emma learns the past of the gardens and the people who were involved in creating them.
I loved all three timelines. I also liked that the story focused so much on the land girls and how they helped out during WWII.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
In 1907, readers meet Venetia Smith, a talented garden designer who laid out the plans for the garden rooms and stayed on for months to see that they came to fruition.
In 1944, readers meet Diana and Beth. Diana is the current owner of Highbury House and a recent war widow. The house is currently being used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Beth, a land girl from a farm nearby meets Diana and they form a friendship, with Diana allowing Beth access to the gardens in order to draw.
Moving forward to the present day, readers meet Emma, who has been hired to restore the gardens to their former glory. Through her research, Emma learns the past of the gardens and the people who were involved in creating them.
I loved all three timelines. I also liked that the story focused so much on the land girls and how they helped out during WWII.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Everything gardeners do is intentional. We create order out of nature. If she called this Celeste's garden, there was a reason,' she said.”
I LOVED this book! I loved the women in all the times, found myself rooting for them all. Beautiful on the gardening, all that fascinating history just oozing through the pages.
Thanks to the great folks at NetGalley for a chance to read an early copy of this magnificent book!
I LOVED this book! I loved the women in all the times, found myself rooting for them all. Beautiful on the gardening, all that fascinating history just oozing through the pages.
Thanks to the great folks at NetGalley for a chance to read an early copy of this magnificent book!
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
content warnings: classism, pregnancy, war/bombing, death of a parent, miscarriage, death of a child
This is a well-written historical fiction novel with a lovely gardening emphasis. The chapter POV’s switch between five characters across three different time periods. I enjoyed spending time with these five women – each flawed yet likeable in her own way – and the friends they make along their respective journeys. Some of these characters experience new romantic relationships (which were sweet but not spectacular), but not every character is paired up at the end, which was nice to see.I loved that there was no mention of Stella ever having a male partner, or even wanting one for that matter. In one scene, Stella attends a friend’s wedding and thinks “…that she was witnessing something she would never experience. May never want to experience.” I love how we’re free to interpret her romantic life/lack thereof however we wish (my headcanon is that she’s on the ace/aro spectrum).
While I liked this book, I didn’t love it. It wasn’t until around the 50% mark that I started to see how the storylines could merge aside from the Highbury garden setting. Up until then, I felt that something was lacking: probably that the characters’ stories could have been more engaging (or written in a more engaging way). Two characters experience climactic moments during the second half of the book, but only one of them touched me the way I think it was meant to. And when we find out how all five storylines are connected, I found it a bit underwhelming (even though the events themselves were not underwhelming, just…kinda sudden for a story of this length?). My final impression was that the book was nice – full of friendship and love – but not exactly memorable.
If you enjoy historical fiction and you’re interested in gardening, this could be the perfect book for you!
I received an advanced reading copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a well-written historical fiction novel with a lovely gardening emphasis. The chapter POV’s switch between five characters across three different time periods. I enjoyed spending time with these five women – each flawed yet likeable in her own way – and the friends they make along their respective journeys. Some of these characters experience new romantic relationships (which were sweet but not spectacular), but not every character is paired up at the end, which was nice to see.
While I liked this book, I didn’t love it. It wasn’t until around the 50% mark that I started to see how the storylines could merge aside from the Highbury garden setting. Up until then, I felt that something was lacking: probably that the characters’ stories could have been more engaging (or written in a more engaging way). Two characters experience climactic moments during the second half of the book, but only one of them touched me the way I think it was meant to. And when we find out how all five storylines are connected, I found it a bit underwhelming (even though the events themselves were not underwhelming, just…kinda sudden for a story of this length?). My final impression was that the book was nice – full of friendship and love – but not exactly memorable.
If you enjoy historical fiction and you’re interested in gardening, this could be the perfect book for you!
I received an advanced reading copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
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:
Yes
The setting of this book is so beautiful and I loved jumping through time periods to visit the three different women the book focuses on and their various struggles depending on their time in history. The writing was so descriptive I could picture myself in the gardens. I’ll remember this one for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
This book has THREE timelines, and many, MANY characters. Once I "settled in" and found the groove of the story, it was easy to get invested in the characters' lives. I'm not a gardener, at all, but I loved all the descriptions of nature and plants and how a very special garden -- and a unique rose! -- linked three women together across history. This book made me want to learn even more about the "land girls" of WWII. Lovers and readers of historical fiction (think Kate Quinn and Kate Morton) will really enjoy this one.
Thank you, Netgalley, for my arc.
Thank you, Netgalley, for my arc.