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The Last Garden in England  By  cover art

The Last Garden in England

By: Julia Kelly
Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio, Marisa Calin, Danielle Cohen, Katherine Littrell, Siobhan Waring
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Publisher's summary

From the author of the international best sellers The Light Over London and The Whispers of War comes “a compelling read, filled with lovable characters and an alluring twist of fates” (Ellen Keith, author of The Dutch Wife) about 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 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.

“Gorgeously written and rooted in meticulous period detail, this novel is vibrant as it is stirring. Fans of historical fiction will fall in love with The Last Garden in England.” (Roxanne Veletzos, author of The Girl They Left Behind).

©2021 Julia Kelly. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

What listeners say about The Last Garden in England

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A Lovely Book about women and English Gardens

I would recommend this book to women who love to garden and read historical fiction.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Lovely story of three generations of strong women

A lovely story across generations of strong women who defied their circumstances and societal expectations. I loved how they all were connected through the lovely gardens at an English manor house. Beautiful writing and imagery. However I was a bit overwhelmed with how many main character there were with three different timelines. It was a bit hard to keep track of them all at first but I did get used to it. And the stories connect beautifully by the end. I’m glad to have experienced this story!

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Recommend

I enjoyed this story very much. I thought of The Secret Garden as I read. I wasn’t ready for the story to end. I want to know more about the lives of Emma, Venezia, and Bobby! A sequel maybe?

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  • Overall
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Loved it!

It was an interesting and beautiful story. Nicely put together. Great characters. I listened to it twice!

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Best book I’ve ever had in a long time

Thoroughly enjoyed the story on the narration. Fantastic journey with these women, Gardens, and lots of history.

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Perfect book to read right before garden season!

I read this book, and then downloaded the audio book. So glad I did! I love the different times and the beautiful accents of each character. I was drawn in to the story and felt like I too was a visitor of High-bury House Estates.

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One of my all time favorite books!

The first chapter is a little slow, but sets up the whole story. It’s essentially a love letter from the author to all women. It centers around a single focal point and tells the lives of the amazing women that it’s act with the garden through the ages. It’s wonderful and left me feeling so happy when I finished the story.

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The weaving of the 3 stories was easily followed and helped the magic of the story

I loved the description of the garden, how it progressed, and the stories of the lives it touched. Each character brought something different. Some stories are tragic, and others are sweet.

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Good Development of Plot and Charecters

Good overall character and story development. It took me awhile to figure out the movement through time and who fit with which years... but it made me reason out the processes.

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4 people found this helpful

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Best book I have read this year and for many years

I really loved each of the three stories and the way they entwined. I learned so much about plants, history, and human nature. The gentle live themes warmed my heart too!

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