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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
A beautifully interwoven story about women finding their voices and their places, making difficult choices and overcoming sorrow.
reflective
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:
No
This book is fine. I like that it reflects on how a space can be seen by different people at different times. I like that we are all connected on this planet. I like that it is female-centric.
Somehow I also felt like I had already read this book. It was a very easy read, but didn't challenge me in any ways.
Somehow I also felt like I had already read this book. It was a very easy read, but didn't challenge me in any ways.
This story happens on 3 alternating timelines with a garden connecting three women over time. In the first timeline, we meet Venetia Smith in 1907/1908 as she's planning and planting a garden for the Melcourt family at Highbury. In 1944, Diane Symonds is now the lady of the house and finds solace in her garden as her home is requisitioned for the war effort. In present day, Emma is hired on by the new owners of Highbury to restore the gardens to their original glory, which is a huge honor due to Venetia's rise to fame in the gardening world.
It's an interesting take, connecting women across such a vast time period with a garden. I found it enjoyable because it's a different take on WWII historical fiction, but I do think 3 different time periods was a bit much. There were a lot of characters in each whose names I couldn't be bothered to remember, and that's the only reason why this isn't a 5 star read. I think with a little more editing and focus, this book would easily be that for me!
Overall, this book was really great. As an unexpected bonus, I learned a lot about gardens!
It's an interesting take, connecting women across such a vast time period with a garden. I found it enjoyable because it's a different take on WWII historical fiction, but I do think 3 different time periods was a bit much. There were a lot of characters in each whose names I couldn't be bothered to remember, and that's the only reason why this isn't a 5 star read. I think with a little more editing and focus, this book would easily be that for me!
Overall, this book was really great. As an unexpected bonus, I learned a lot about gardens!
The way the author weaves the three timelines together is seamless. I was intrigued to find out how they all were intertwined and the ending does not disappoint.
I have thoroughly enjoyed Julia Kelly's previous two books so I was excited to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books.
This is a story based on a fictional garden with a three timelines and three POV. I will admit at first I found this confusing. There are so many characters in each timeline that I had trouble keeping everyone straight especially the supporting characters. But I finally was able to make sense of everyone.
Kelly did a fantastic job in her description of the garden and the setting. I felt like I could see the various parts and would have loved a walk through to see it for myself.
I will say that I did get a bit teary towards the end about Dianna and Bobby. Be still my heart. I did struggle some with Stella's decision just for the fact that it felt like she was trading Bobby for a new life.
This was a completely slow burn book for me. I am glad that I stuck with it. I really did enjoy it and the last 1/3 of the book tied everything together well. Once again, Julia Kelly wrote a solid story that I found fascinating and informational.
This is a story based on a fictional garden with a three timelines and three POV. I will admit at first I found this confusing. There are so many characters in each timeline that I had trouble keeping everyone straight especially the supporting characters. But I finally was able to make sense of everyone.
Kelly did a fantastic job in her description of the garden and the setting. I felt like I could see the various parts and would have loved a walk through to see it for myself.
I will say that I did get a bit teary towards the end about Dianna and Bobby. Be still my heart. I did struggle some with Stella's decision just for the fact that it felt like she was trading Bobby for a new life.
This was a completely slow burn book for me. I am glad that I stuck with it. I really did enjoy it and the last 1/3 of the book tied everything together well. Once again, Julia Kelly wrote a solid story that I found fascinating and informational.
Although some of the plot lines were predictable, that was totally overshadowed by how gripping this book was. I just couldn’t wait to get through it.
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I really did enjoy this book. Sweet story lines, traumatic events (possible trigger warnings). It's written in 3 time periods with 4-5 character perspectives. The busyness from the POVs and time period changes is why I gave it 3 stars, it took 1/3-1/2 the book to get the storylines straight, especially since they all happen around this one garden.
Overall loved the story, sweet love stories, I love a little historical fiction.
Overall loved the story, sweet love stories, I love a little historical fiction.
So I took nearly a 2 year sabbatical from this book, but really it bears no reflection on the story. Plot itself is really novel and lovely. Characters are also great — the three (4?) main women have distinct personalities and are likable. The book is dialogue heavy, which again is fine. Overall enjoyable, if not overly brilliant.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
All opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
I love historical fiction stories, and I especially love when stories have multiple timelines and/or POVs, so this was right up my alley.
The requisitioning of country houses during World War II is utterly fascinating to me and I am glad that period of history was included in the narrative.
I am very much a city mouse and had trouble picturing the garden in my head - was it outdoors or indoors? The author kept mentioning rooms, and I couldn't decide. Was it rooms divided like at the garden center, or different gardens divided like the botanical gardens?
There are a lot of heavy topics discussed throughout the book, but the tone is overall very cheerful and uplifting, and I liked that aspect.
If anything, I thought that too many POVs were represented. I wish the author had stuck to one for each time period, instead of including 3 in the WWII chapters. I definitely could have done without Stella and Beth - their stories could easily have been told from Diana's perspective with not much difference.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to others.
All opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
I love historical fiction stories, and I especially love when stories have multiple timelines and/or POVs, so this was right up my alley.
The requisitioning of country houses during World War II is utterly fascinating to me and I am glad that period of history was included in the narrative.
I am very much a city mouse and had trouble picturing the garden in my head - was it outdoors or indoors? The author kept mentioning rooms, and I couldn't decide. Was it rooms divided like at the garden center, or different gardens divided like the botanical gardens?
There are a lot of heavy topics discussed throughout the book, but the tone is overall very cheerful and uplifting, and I liked that aspect.
If anything, I thought that too many POVs were represented. I wish the author had stuck to one for each time period, instead of including 3 in the WWII chapters. I definitely could have done without Stella and Beth - their stories could easily have been told from Diana's perspective with not much difference.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to others.