The Victory Garden

By: Rhys Bowen

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the best-selling author of The Tuscan Child and the Her Royal Spyness series comes a beautiful, heart-rending novel of a woman’s love and sacrifice set during the First World War. The tender tale is exquisitely performed by Saskia Maarleveld, a narrator with over 325 audiobooks—including multiple AudioFile Earphones Award-winners—to her name.

As the Great War continues to take a devastating toll on the globe, Emily Bryce meets Robbie, a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot who is set to be deployed to the frontlines. After a whirlwind romance, the two fall in love and marry. After Robbie ships out, Emily volunteers as a land girl, tending to the neglected grounds of a large Devonshire estate. Not long after, however, Emily receives devastating news; Robbie has been killed in the line of duty. Grief-stricken, Emily—who has just discovered that she is pregnant—turns to an unexpected source of hope. In the pages of a long-forgotten journal from a medicine woman who devoted her life to the gardens she now tends, she finds not only comfort and solace—but perhaps a path to her destiny. 

©2019 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

Ridiculously bad

I have so much enjoyed Rhys Bowen’s other novels, and this was a terrible disappointment. First, the Audible summary gave away about the first half of the novel. So, I just kept waiting for the plot I assumed was to come, to come. It was a waste of my time. Then about three different novels were packed into the second half. Everything tidied up absurdly at the end. Is this a novel about the war? Is this a novel about being an unwed mother? Is this a novel about the supernatural? About gardening? If the author had carefully crafted the book, she could have pulled it off. It can’t decide what it is and it was absolutely irritating to listen to. I kept rolling my eyes as the novel came to an end at the clichéd, hackneyed plot points. The most ridiculous was the cure for the flu—really?? Just awful. This is the first time I have listened to an audible-only novel, and will probably be the last. It felt like the author wrote a outline and then just filled in the blanks in order to satisfy a set of reader desires as quickly as possible. This was written only so that people would download it. The author didn’t care whether she crafted a good listening experience, and neither did Audible as publisher. A cynical publication. I’m very disappointed

Story was all over the place

This tale went from one story line to another and did not make sense. I kept hoping it would improve, but was disappointed. Definitely not the author’s best.

Not literary genius, but very sweet!

Just a sweet story with lovable characters. Bowen does a great job of researching the time period and offered interesting information on herbs and healing, as perceived by earlier generations. I loved the descriptions of the cottage and the grounds - painted a beautiful picture of a lovely place. Don't expect more than a pleasant time-passing experience and you won't be disappointed.

Love Bowen but not this story

Disappointed in the story line, it was all over the place. There were a lot of good plots that could have gone places but instead she followed them all and it was all over the place. I’m a Rhys Bowen fan but not this book.

Not one of her best.

Far too romantic for me without the humour of her Royal Highness. just not enough of a story to make it interesting

Looking for a good historical mystery? Read this

This is a good story. I felt a little angst all the way through but I expect that from a well written mystery. That edge of your seat feeling.
The characters are well drawn. The life of women left home in England during WWI is painfully accurate but all issues are satisfactorily resolved.

I wish it was a series

I am a huge Rhys Bowen fan that was let down with “The Tuscan Child” so I was not sure what to expect from “The Victory Garden”.

I felt like the plot changed directions a hundred times, as if the author had too many ideas and was trying to cram a whole series worth of plots into just one book. It proves my point that to enjoy a book, especially when you are not able to suspend your disbelief and just go along with the story, you have to like the characters and in this case, I really did.

I totally would have gone along with this story as a series!

Rhys does it again!

I always enjoy Ms Bowen’s books, and this is no exception. Quite lively. I really liked the peek into the life of land girls. Life was very hard for all women during WW I and people from all classes were touched by the devastation. This book gently leads us through some tough experiences that many women faced at this time.

Wealthy heiress runs away and incurs curse. Or does she?

This is a novel about WWII and nurses and Land Girls and wounded soldiers. It’s a romance and a mystery. It’s a story of good hearts and loyal friends, mostly. It’s about upstairs mixing with downstairs. And, against all odds, it has a happy ending! A box of tissues may be required for the last few pages.
Characters and their relationships are well-developed. Every one of them is intriguing and their back stories are revealed to a greater or lesser extent as the plot requires. Probably, such a large group of amenable persons has never been gathered in the same place at the same time. But then, that’s why we like novels like this. So we can be immersed in perhaps a better world than reality can provide! Highly recommended for light but engaging reading.

Harmless and predictable

Certainly an easy listen; however, every bit of the plot was predictable. No surprises. And, really, no reason to care about any of the characters beyond a casual acquaintance. the narration saved it.

Brilliant

Brilliant book, did not see the twist in the ending coming. Interesting tale of the plight of the main characters and how they overcame it in their own right in a soft way rather than an angry one in an era where girls were viewed as chattels by men! High praise for the gentle, soft way in which Rhys Bowen handled this storyline. Will definitely buy more of her books. The narrator Saskia Maarleveld on the audible version was excellent and will look out for more of her narrations on Audible books. Recommended.

Topical Title.

I felt that the narrator’s voice was a bit too well clipped. I liked the idea. I did find that things fell into place a little too easily.

During The Great War, Emily Bryce meets Robbie, who when he is healed, is off to the front line. He is a pilot from Australia & the two are drawn together.

Unlike the books description, have they read it, they do not marry although they plan to. He dies & she is pregnant.

Emily has volunteered as a land girl - has the person writing this resume, read the book!

The lady of the big house, agrees that they should pretend that Emily is married.

There is a section where she suddenly decides that she can make potions, of course they go wrong.

All in all, Emily has a good life despite her baby.

It could have been stronger & the person writing the brief description of the book, could have read it!

Brilliant

Brilliant story, would definitely listen to it again. Full of suspense and love. 10 out of 10

Lovely easy listen

I have enjoyed all Rhys Bowen's stories and this one was no different. Very light and easy to listen to with a decent knowledge of history. Samaria Maarleveld is a wonderful narrator for this story with a very good ear for accents and even a fairly convincing Irish accent that is usually the Waterloo of so many narrators. Her reading was very convincing and made the story flow well.

lovely story

Interestingly set in WW1. Neat ending twist.
However I didn't enjoy the narrator's voice.
overall a well constructed & engaging story almost detailed by the narrator.

Thank you!

A really lovely story, read beautifully. Thank you! I will look for more books by the same author.

Fabulous Book!

I have just listened to this wonderful story. I feel so sad to have finished it! What a talented author Rhys Bowen is. I am so delighted to have discovered her work. I have also listened to The Tuscan Child and the Venice Sketchbook. Both equally superb !

Not as good as the Tuscan Girl

I may be getting saturated with Rhys' novels, having listened to at least 18 of them, back to back, some of them twice (to get the Royal Spyness series in order.) I found that with this book I was able to predict almost every twist and turn up to the final twist in the tale, which surprised me! I love Rhys' writing so much, though, that I may have to keep listening. So I'd recommend this book, but maybe it should be read before Tuscan Girl, which was so good, and Venice Sketchbook, which was even better! Keep writing please, Rhys. Your adorning public are hungry for more!!

superb

another superbly written and narrated book from Rhys Bowen. I'm hooked and look forward to many more of her books

Historic & Beautiful

Herbalism, wartime, heartbreak, love, pulling together, kinship and faith. This one truly does have it all. I’ve loved the story as it unfolds, brilliant twist reveal towards the end. Definitely looking at more from Rhys Bowen now.