The Last Garden in England
Ratings6
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings6
Average rating3.8
From the author of the international bestseller The Light Over London and The Whispers of War comes a poignant and unforgettable tale of five women living across three different times whose lives are all connected by one very special garden. Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden. 1907: A talented artist with a growing reputation for her ambitious work, Venetia Smith has carved out a niche for herself as a garden designer to industrialists, solicitors, and bankers looking to show off their wealth with sumptuous country houses. When she is hired to design the gardens of Highbury House, she is determined to make them a triumph, but the gardens—and the people she meets—promise to change her life forever. 1944: When land girl Beth Pedley arrives at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Highbury, all she wants is to find a place she can call home. Cook Stella Adderton, on the other hand, is desperate to leave Highbury House to pursue her own dreams. And widow Diana Symonds, the mistress of the grand house, is anxiously trying to cling to her pre-war life now that her home has been requisitioned and transformed into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens Highbury House’s treasured gardens, these three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades. In this sweeping novel reminiscent of Kate Morton’s The Lake House and Kristin Harmel’s The Room on Rue Amélie, Julia Kelly explores the unexpected connections that cross time and the special places that bring people together forever.
Reviews with the most likes.
This was a great book with historical significance, and I love the “small world” vibes Kelly writes. I learned a lot too about subjects and areas I previously had little to no knowledge of - something I appreciate very much.
This book is beautiful, captivating, and exquisite. I was awes by the lovely descriptions of gardens and nature. The characters are all interesting and written so well. This whole book is written excellently! As a writer myself, I will use this book to better my own craft. Wow. I'm just so full of joy after reading this book!
Amazing to read through different women's' stories of grief and hardship and how they came out on the other side. Highly recommend!
I loved everything about this book. Every word and sentence was meaningful. Loved it!!!
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.
