Wildflower Hill

By: Kimberley Freeman

Narrated by: Caroline Lee

Length: 16 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1920s Glasgow, Beattie Blaxland falls pregnant to her married lover Henry just before her nineteenth birthday. Abandoned by her family, Beattie and Henry set sail for a new life in Australia. But life is not about to follow the plan that Beattie had hoped for and fate will play her a cruel hand...

In 2009, London, prima ballerina Lydia Blaxland-Hunter is also discovering that life can also have its ups and downs. Unable to dance again after a fall, Lydia returns home to Australia to recuperate. But on arrival she is presented with some surprising news – her recently deceased and much-loved grandmother Beattie Blaxland has left her Tasmanian property to Lydia. Told through the eyes of a young Beattie Blaxland and a contemporary Lydia Blaxland-Hunter, this is an emotionally charged, seductive tale of self-discovery, secrets and surprises.

©2010 Kimberley Freeman (P)2010 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Loved everything about this story

After a long string of dull, annoying audio books, this one was a breath of fresh air. The characters, the settings, the plot made 16 hours and 28 minutes go by way too fast; I was glued to my earbuds night and day. Wonderful story, beautifully written and narrated. I'll be looking for more from the author and narrator.

Family Secrets

What made the experience of listening to Wildflower Hill the most enjoyable?

The story is intriguing as it takes the reader from London to Australia. A young woman, Beatie, gets involved with a married man and leaves with him for Australia to escape his wife. The book starts with the difficulties Beatie faced and then moves to Emma in the the future. Emma is a 30 year old ballet dancer who as a career ending accident. As the book moves back and forth in time showing connections to the characters and telling two stories, it's really hard to put down. I also love listening to this narrator who brings so much to the story. I'll be looking for more books from this author.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked the character, Emma, as she is the one gathering the clues.

What does the narrator bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator changes her accent and tone in such a way that you feel as though you are listening to a play. I also just like listening to the Australian accent. It's beautiful.

If you could rename Wildflower Hill, what would you call it?

If I could rename the book, I would call it, Beattie's Secret.

Excellent story and narration

Well written, very engaging and thought provoking. It showcases some interesting periods in history and some interesting parts of the world.

beautiful what great listing for hours

narration excellent as always .. heart rending story full of warmth ...lives of people that touch one deeply. so sorry when it ended wish there was sequel about Lucy..Favourite character Beattie what a woman of courage and capacity to love.
thank you Audible and Kimberly and Caroline for bringing this novel to life. a must to listen to.

Absolutely Womderful!

A wonderful book about two women. One from the 1930's and one from the 2000's. It alternates between the two women and their life struggles. You will experience sadness and joy, anger and compassion.

Wonderful story read by a great narrator

If you could sum up Wildflower Hill in three words, what would they be?

More than three words, but this was an engaging, character driven story propelled by a strong plot. The book is mostly set in Australia, both in the 1930's and in what seems to be modern day time. I enjoyed hearing about Australia, plus it gave the characters wonderful accents thanks to the terrific narration. Historical fiction can be dry, but not this book! I wanted to hop on a plane and go meet these women and the people who surrounded them.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Wildflower Hill?

There are two main characters living in different times, a woman and her granddaughter. My favorite moments of the book involved the way their stories intertwined--the reader finds something out in one section of the book that relates to something in the other character's section. It made the story even that much more interesting. I found myself looking for car trips to take so I could listen to more of the book! Although a book generally read for entertainment,t it does take on racism in 1930's Australia in a way that felt very real.

What does Caroline Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I just loved the narration Caroline Lee and plan to seek out other audiobooks read by her. Her accents for the characters were all individual and really brought each of them to life.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The love of a mother for her daughter and grand-daughter shines through every chapter in this book, and gave the story enormous warmth. As a mother myself, it just gave me one more reason to enjoy it.

Any additional comments?

This one of the my favorite audiobooks, and I was sorry to say good-bye to the characters and the story when it ended.

Fantastic Book

I loved the strong female characters, the romance, the subplots and everything about this book.

The narration was wonderful.

This is reminiscent of the strong willed woman in "The Potato Factory Trilogy. A fascinating journey into that time snd region

Good Read, Excellent Narrarator

If you could sum up Wildflower Hill in three words, what would they be?

It seemed the author just got tired or distracted and left out an ending. It could have been better, more complex, more engaging.

Didn't want it to end

Amazing story and beautifully written. Well worth the time and money for this book. I listened every chance I had and stayed up later then normal because I needed to see what was going to happen next. This is my first book by Kimberley Freeman but won't be my last.