Yew Tree Gardens is the third and final book from the Wiltshire Girls series by Anna Jacobs. These books are set in the early 20th century when the rights of women were upon the lips of everyone though rarely supported. Men were comfortable to rule uncontested.
The Wiltshire Girls are three ambitious but oppressed and abused sisters, Mattie, Nell and Renie, who in an act of desperate hopelessness conspire to escape from an all consuming worthless existence in the service of supporting a selfish, exploitative father.
In order to effect their plan these closely knit sisters separate. Mattie goes one direction while the younger Nell and Renie follow a different path.
Mattie's book is titled Cherry Tree Lane. The first Wiltshire Girls book.
Nell and Renie's escape is captured within the cover of the second book titled Elm Tree Road. However during this book Renie goes her own way thus leaving Elm Tree Road to complete the detail of Nell's story. Renie appears lost, last reported to be somewhere in France, which primes Yew Tree Gardens to pick up on the emotionally empowering journey undertaken by Renie. What an adventure.
Anyone who has the slightest interest in suffrage, of free thinking females wishing to command their own destiny via the accumulation of personal economic security has an obligation to read Yew Tree Gardens. After reading this book those old photos of someone's great, great grandmother will never appear the same.
Yew Tree Gardens by Anna Jacobs will treat you with the warmest memories you're ever likely to acquire. I promise you'll fall in love all over again. Five stars.
All three of the Wiltshire Girls books stand alone but for an extra mile of satisfaction read them together in order; Cherry Tree Lane, Elm Tree Road and Yew Tree Gardens. The experience will do you no harm what so ever and top you up with fond memories.