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Goswell #2
The Daughter's Garden
Marin Ellis is in search of a new start after her father and his second wife die in a car accident, and at thirty-seven she is made guardian of her fifteen-year-old half-sister Rebecca. They leave Hampshire for the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast, and settle into Bower House on the edge of the village church property. When a door to a walled garden captures Rebecca’s interest, Marin becomes determined to open it and discover what is hidden beneath the bramble inside. She enlists the help of local gardener Joss Fowler, and together the three of them begin to uncover the garden’s secrets. In 1919, nineteen-year-old Eleanor Sanderson, daughter of Goswell’s vicar, is grieving the loss of her beloved brother Walter, who was killed just days before the Armistice was signed. Eleanor retreats into herself and her father starts to notice how unhappy she is. As spring arrives, he decides to hire someone to make a garden for Eleanor, and draw her out of - or at least distract her from - her grief and sorrow. Jack Taylor is in his early twenties, a Yorkshire man who has been doing odd jobs in the village, and when Eleanor’s father hires him to work on the vicarage gardens, a surprising - and unsuitable - friendship unfolds.
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First published May 15, 2015
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About the author
Katharine Swartz
11 books88 followersAlso published under the name Kate Hewitt.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
April 21, 2019
This novel was very good. I love duel time line stories especially when history mixes in at least one of the time lines. The author did this extremely well giving me a novel that I felt portrayed grief, understanding and forgiveness with just the right touch.
I loved the characterization of a number of Katharine Swartz's characters (Marin, Katherine and Jack) and especially how she surprising led these characters away from their own comfort zone making them exceedingly human and more likeable.
Recommended 4.5 stars
I loved the characterization of a number of Katharine Swartz's characters (Marin, Katherine and Jack) and especially how she surprising led these characters away from their own comfort zone making them exceedingly human and more likeable.
Recommended 4.5 stars
January 6, 2016
I have always been drawn to dual-time narratives. I love the idea of past and present intersecting and exploring ways that the past can affect the present and the future. Although there were times in The Lost Garden that I wished for the story to go deeper, I did enjoy the interweaving of present and past portrayed. It took me a while to warm up to the story, especially the portions set in post-World War I, which is surprising because I usually prefer historical stories over contemporary. For me, there was a bit too much time spent on set-up, but at the same time, there wasn’t enough build-up to ever be fully emotionally invested in Eleanor’s story. Once the story got to the halfway point, at least in the historical story line, I did start to feel more invested as Eleanor’s character grew and developed.
In the present-day, I found Marin’s story much more compelling, if somewhat predictable at times. I really loved the setting that Katharine created in the village of Goswell and the home that Marin chooses for herself and Rebecca, a home called Bower House, which includes a mysterious garden, walled, overgrown and wild. As two estranged half-sisters, Marin and Rebecca really have no way to relate to one another. Their interactions had a very life-like quality to them that really spoke to how individuals process and move on from grief.
The historical segments create a nice parallel to this in that Eleanor and her family are still mourning the loss of brother and son Walter. While Marin and Rebecca hold in their grief in because of self-induced isolation, this family living in Post-WWI Goswell held in their grief due to social constraints of the time. Eleanor defies that convention in the sense that she dares to feel hope again, even in a nation that is mourning and still trying to come to terms with a broken generation of men. While physical wounds were addressed, the mental and emotional state of returned soldiers was often overlooked during that time. I thought Katharine portrayed this very realistically in the relationship between Eleanor’s sister, Katherine, and Katerine’s betrothed, James. These details as well as the work that Katherine and Eleanor did to help permanently injured soldiers find a new place in society served to give the story a genuine feel.
I would describe the story’s pace as gentle and a bit slower, but still engaging. There aren’t any highly tense scenes, although there are some very emotional scenes and secrets to be revealed – Katherine makes parallels of both aspects in each storyline, and I think it is intended for those comparisons to be made. I love when story’s connect the past and present on a very human level, that despite a great gap in time, some things are always going to remain the same. I definitely feel like it is one of the most compelling elements of the story.
Now that I’ve read The Lost Garden, I hope to go back and eventually read the first book in the Tales from Goswell. I think fans of Melanie Dobson’s recent books would enjoy The Lost Garden, as would many readers who enjoy dual-time narratives, with equal attention on both the historical and contemporary story lines.
In the present-day, I found Marin’s story much more compelling, if somewhat predictable at times. I really loved the setting that Katharine created in the village of Goswell and the home that Marin chooses for herself and Rebecca, a home called Bower House, which includes a mysterious garden, walled, overgrown and wild. As two estranged half-sisters, Marin and Rebecca really have no way to relate to one another. Their interactions had a very life-like quality to them that really spoke to how individuals process and move on from grief.
The historical segments create a nice parallel to this in that Eleanor and her family are still mourning the loss of brother and son Walter. While Marin and Rebecca hold in their grief in because of self-induced isolation, this family living in Post-WWI Goswell held in their grief due to social constraints of the time. Eleanor defies that convention in the sense that she dares to feel hope again, even in a nation that is mourning and still trying to come to terms with a broken generation of men. While physical wounds were addressed, the mental and emotional state of returned soldiers was often overlooked during that time. I thought Katharine portrayed this very realistically in the relationship between Eleanor’s sister, Katherine, and Katerine’s betrothed, James. These details as well as the work that Katherine and Eleanor did to help permanently injured soldiers find a new place in society served to give the story a genuine feel.
I would describe the story’s pace as gentle and a bit slower, but still engaging. There aren’t any highly tense scenes, although there are some very emotional scenes and secrets to be revealed – Katherine makes parallels of both aspects in each storyline, and I think it is intended for those comparisons to be made. I love when story’s connect the past and present on a very human level, that despite a great gap in time, some things are always going to remain the same. I definitely feel like it is one of the most compelling elements of the story.
Now that I’ve read The Lost Garden, I hope to go back and eventually read the first book in the Tales from Goswell. I think fans of Melanie Dobson’s recent books would enjoy The Lost Garden, as would many readers who enjoy dual-time narratives, with equal attention on both the historical and contemporary story lines.
November 14, 2022
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Kate Hewitt's delightful dual timeline tale THE DAUGHTER'S GARDEN.
“She wondered who would open this gate one day in the future. Another girl, another gardener? Would they fill it with flowers, even butterflies? She almost smiled to think of the garden being redeemed and loved again”.
West Cumberland, 1918: The Great War may be over but it has left many scars and many a family broken in its wake. It was meant to be over by Christmas in 1914 they said, but four long years later and nearly 900,000 lives lost, peace finally came to the world once again. But not for Eleanor Sanderson, the vicar's daughter and their family. Their son Walter, whom they were expecting home at any moment, became one of those casualties falling just days before the Armistice was signed. It hardly seemed fair.
But as soon as the telegram boy delivered the envelope with a look of sorrow on his face, Eleanor's mother had taken to her bed and she was left to break the news to her Grandmama in the adjoining Bower House, her father who was visiting parishioners and her sister Katherine who had spent the day in Carlisle sorting donations. Eleanor just wanted to fall in a crumpled heap but her grandmama said she needed to be strong for her family...because she was the strongest of them all.
The loss of her brother left Eleanor feeling bereft and without purpose...that is, until she found a new purpose. To create a garden memorial in Walter's memory. And with the help of gardener Jack Taylor, Eleanor did just that, utilising the walled garden that had once served as a herb garden. And in the midst of it...a beautiful butterfly house.
But it seems, tragedy is never far away as the Spanish flu sweeps the world in the wake of the war, and Eleanor suddenly falls ill at a garden fete. Will she be strong enough to overcome the influenza and find peace again?
Goswell, present day: After her father and his wife are killed in a car accident, Marin returns from Boston to undertake the care of her 15 year old half sister Rebecca. As a break from their the mundaneness of their normal routine, the sisters take a trip north and find themselves in sleepy Goswell and falling in love with the unusual but charming Bower House. In a flash of impulsivity, they make a decision to uproot their lives in Hampshire and move to the sleepy little village.
It is chance for a fresh start for the both of them as they set to making Bower House their own. Leaving most of their modern furnishings in their Hampshire house which they have rented out, Marin and Rebecca set to purchasing old fashioned furnishings for their new home. They meet their neighbours in the Vicarage, the Hattons, who had moved from America 18 months before and Rebecca and their daughter Natalie soon become friends.
But it is the exploration of the gardens one day that saw the sisters come across a fastened gate with a rusted latch to a walled garden, that gave them new purpose. Rebecca was eager to discover what lay beyond the gate...a secret garden of sorts...while Marin was less enthused. And it wasn't until she saw the hurt on Rebecca's face at her dismissal of it just being a garden full of brambles, that Marin realised what this idea really meant to her sister.
And soon Marin finds herself delving into the lost garden beyond the walls and rusted latch, and with the help of landscape gardener Joss, finds new meaning and purpose whilst searching its history and the woman in a photo who had once sought meaning and purpose within the very same walls.
THE DAUGHTER'S GARDEN is the second in the Goswell Quartet series and is a pure delight to read. I think I enjoyed it more than the first one as I think the characters were more likeable too. I loved the fact that those who featured in the previous book are also mentioned in part in this one too, which goes some way to linking the stories despite them being separate from each other. Such as the neighbours in the Vicarage who were front and centre in the first book and the Sandersons who are the focus this time around were merely mentioned in the first also. I love how Hewitt ties them all together and I hope she continues to do so through the remaining two books.
A gentle story with a steady pace, THE DAUGHTER'S GARDEN is about grief and loss and the overcoming of it. In both timelines, the main characters - Eleanor as well as Marin and Rebecca - have lost someone and while they feel very differently about their losses, they both need to find a purpose to give their lives meaning once again. I love how both women's stories, a hundred years apart, intersect with one another despite not being in the slightest way related. What does bind them is the lost garden of Bower House.
I love dual timelines and Kate Hewitt blends the present with the past beautifully. Both stories play out beautifully with an unexpected ending. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Goswell and I fear I will miss it once I have finished the final book.
Overall, a pure delight to read. Perfect for fans of dual timelines.
I would like to thank #KateHewitt, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDaughtersGarden in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
“She wondered who would open this gate one day in the future. Another girl, another gardener? Would they fill it with flowers, even butterflies? She almost smiled to think of the garden being redeemed and loved again”.
West Cumberland, 1918: The Great War may be over but it has left many scars and many a family broken in its wake. It was meant to be over by Christmas in 1914 they said, but four long years later and nearly 900,000 lives lost, peace finally came to the world once again. But not for Eleanor Sanderson, the vicar's daughter and their family. Their son Walter, whom they were expecting home at any moment, became one of those casualties falling just days before the Armistice was signed. It hardly seemed fair.
But as soon as the telegram boy delivered the envelope with a look of sorrow on his face, Eleanor's mother had taken to her bed and she was left to break the news to her Grandmama in the adjoining Bower House, her father who was visiting parishioners and her sister Katherine who had spent the day in Carlisle sorting donations. Eleanor just wanted to fall in a crumpled heap but her grandmama said she needed to be strong for her family...because she was the strongest of them all.
The loss of her brother left Eleanor feeling bereft and without purpose...that is, until she found a new purpose. To create a garden memorial in Walter's memory. And with the help of gardener Jack Taylor, Eleanor did just that, utilising the walled garden that had once served as a herb garden. And in the midst of it...a beautiful butterfly house.
But it seems, tragedy is never far away as the Spanish flu sweeps the world in the wake of the war, and Eleanor suddenly falls ill at a garden fete. Will she be strong enough to overcome the influenza and find peace again?
Goswell, present day: After her father and his wife are killed in a car accident, Marin returns from Boston to undertake the care of her 15 year old half sister Rebecca. As a break from their the mundaneness of their normal routine, the sisters take a trip north and find themselves in sleepy Goswell and falling in love with the unusual but charming Bower House. In a flash of impulsivity, they make a decision to uproot their lives in Hampshire and move to the sleepy little village.
It is chance for a fresh start for the both of them as they set to making Bower House their own. Leaving most of their modern furnishings in their Hampshire house which they have rented out, Marin and Rebecca set to purchasing old fashioned furnishings for their new home. They meet their neighbours in the Vicarage, the Hattons, who had moved from America 18 months before and Rebecca and their daughter Natalie soon become friends.
But it is the exploration of the gardens one day that saw the sisters come across a fastened gate with a rusted latch to a walled garden, that gave them new purpose. Rebecca was eager to discover what lay beyond the gate...a secret garden of sorts...while Marin was less enthused. And it wasn't until she saw the hurt on Rebecca's face at her dismissal of it just being a garden full of brambles, that Marin realised what this idea really meant to her sister.
And soon Marin finds herself delving into the lost garden beyond the walls and rusted latch, and with the help of landscape gardener Joss, finds new meaning and purpose whilst searching its history and the woman in a photo who had once sought meaning and purpose within the very same walls.
THE DAUGHTER'S GARDEN is the second in the Goswell Quartet series and is a pure delight to read. I think I enjoyed it more than the first one as I think the characters were more likeable too. I loved the fact that those who featured in the previous book are also mentioned in part in this one too, which goes some way to linking the stories despite them being separate from each other. Such as the neighbours in the Vicarage who were front and centre in the first book and the Sandersons who are the focus this time around were merely mentioned in the first also. I love how Hewitt ties them all together and I hope she continues to do so through the remaining two books.
A gentle story with a steady pace, THE DAUGHTER'S GARDEN is about grief and loss and the overcoming of it. In both timelines, the main characters - Eleanor as well as Marin and Rebecca - have lost someone and while they feel very differently about their losses, they both need to find a purpose to give their lives meaning once again. I love how both women's stories, a hundred years apart, intersect with one another despite not being in the slightest way related. What does bind them is the lost garden of Bower House.
I love dual timelines and Kate Hewitt blends the present with the past beautifully. Both stories play out beautifully with an unexpected ending. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Goswell and I fear I will miss it once I have finished the final book.
Overall, a pure delight to read. Perfect for fans of dual timelines.
I would like to thank #KateHewitt, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDaughtersGarden in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
July 25, 2015
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://bit.ly/1gUfEKf
The Lost Garden by Katharine Swartz is a moving story with beautiful prose, rich characterization, and an atmospheric quality - simply my kind of relationship drama. This is an emotional story involving two sets of sisters - Marin and Rebecca in contemporary times, and Eleanor and Katherine almost 100 years earlier - both occupying the same plot of land and both dealing with grief. Every chapter alternates between Marin and Eleanor's voice, in a way that was never confusing, and I was equally invested in both stories, loving the way they connected.
This is a character-driven story, and readers won't find fast-paced action or passionate chemistry between the characters, yet the emotions simmer beneath the surface. Foundations are laid during the first several chapters, with the pace picking up and building to a powerful and beautiful ending. Thanks to Katharine's quality writing, I was caught up in the vividly-conveyed Cumbria setting, which felt like a major character, and given much cause for reflection.
Beginning shortly after the signing of the Armistice in 1918, Eleanor's story was especially compelling as she faced the effects of war - from the death of a loved one to the inexplicable changes in those who returned . . . "The men who did come back were not the same as those who had left. . . . These men were gaunt, hollow-eyed strangers; some of them missing limbs, others blind or scarred. And even the ones with no visible wounds at all still seemed different - somehow less."
When it comes to drama, there's just something special about British characters and settings. It was easy for me to connect with these characters as they struggled with loss and not knowing how to just "be." The Lost Garden is real and honest, but not depressing, and spiritual themes are woven throughout. I hope to read more books by Katharine Swartz. Highly recommended to those who enjoy relational drama with rich characterization.
Thank you to Kregel Publications for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Lost Garden by Katharine Swartz is a moving story with beautiful prose, rich characterization, and an atmospheric quality - simply my kind of relationship drama. This is an emotional story involving two sets of sisters - Marin and Rebecca in contemporary times, and Eleanor and Katherine almost 100 years earlier - both occupying the same plot of land and both dealing with grief. Every chapter alternates between Marin and Eleanor's voice, in a way that was never confusing, and I was equally invested in both stories, loving the way they connected.
This is a character-driven story, and readers won't find fast-paced action or passionate chemistry between the characters, yet the emotions simmer beneath the surface. Foundations are laid during the first several chapters, with the pace picking up and building to a powerful and beautiful ending. Thanks to Katharine's quality writing, I was caught up in the vividly-conveyed Cumbria setting, which felt like a major character, and given much cause for reflection.
Beginning shortly after the signing of the Armistice in 1918, Eleanor's story was especially compelling as she faced the effects of war - from the death of a loved one to the inexplicable changes in those who returned . . . "The men who did come back were not the same as those who had left. . . . These men were gaunt, hollow-eyed strangers; some of them missing limbs, others blind or scarred. And even the ones with no visible wounds at all still seemed different - somehow less."
When it comes to drama, there's just something special about British characters and settings. It was easy for me to connect with these characters as they struggled with loss and not knowing how to just "be." The Lost Garden is real and honest, but not depressing, and spiritual themes are woven throughout. I hope to read more books by Katharine Swartz. Highly recommended to those who enjoy relational drama with rich characterization.
Thank you to Kregel Publications for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 21, 2022
This was the second book in the series and it followed on from the first one. It was just as good as the first one, quite sad at times but thoroughly enjoyable. It deals with WW1, which makes a change and it’s a dual time-line which I love. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
January 3, 2025
Love this author's work. Definitely recommend ALL of her books.
April 16, 2015
Present day, and Marin and her half-sister Rebecca move to the Cumbrian coast after the death of their father and Rebecca's mother, they settle in a unique home called the Bower House and discover a walled garden, overgrown, but holding a mystery they are determined to solve with the help of local gardener, Joss.
In 1919, Eleanor is grieving for her brother who was killed in the war. She decides to makeover the Bower House garden with the help of newly arrived handyman Jack. As they begin clearing the way for plants, they start to have feelings for each other, but Jack refuses to act on them and remains elusive about the reason.
A wonderful dual timeline story, and unusually for me, I enjoyed both parts in equal measure. Eleanor and Jack's story played out beautifully with an unexpected ending, and the involvement of Marin, Rebecca and Joss with a parallel type of storyline set in the present day was a clever addition. The author writes movingly about grief and it's effects which helped endear me to certain characters, and I adored the descriptions of the garden in both eras. A lovely read.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
In 1919, Eleanor is grieving for her brother who was killed in the war. She decides to makeover the Bower House garden with the help of newly arrived handyman Jack. As they begin clearing the way for plants, they start to have feelings for each other, but Jack refuses to act on them and remains elusive about the reason.
A wonderful dual timeline story, and unusually for me, I enjoyed both parts in equal measure. Eleanor and Jack's story played out beautifully with an unexpected ending, and the involvement of Marin, Rebecca and Joss with a parallel type of storyline set in the present day was a clever addition. The author writes movingly about grief and it's effects which helped endear me to certain characters, and I adored the descriptions of the garden in both eras. A lovely read.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
June 12, 2015
“She wondered who would open this gate one day in the future. Another girl, another gardener? Would they fill it with flowers, even butterflies? She almost smiled to think of the garden being redeemed and loved again”.
To my mind, this is historical fiction at it’s finest. And what is even better - you get two stories for the price of one! Katharine Swartz has interwoven two fabulous stories here: one set just after the war in 1919, the other in modern day with the ‘lost garden’ being the common thread.
Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
To my mind, this is historical fiction at it’s finest. And what is even better - you get two stories for the price of one! Katharine Swartz has interwoven two fabulous stories here: one set just after the war in 1919, the other in modern day with the ‘lost garden’ being the common thread.
Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
November 4, 2022
While I found "The Daughter's Garden" a likable story filled with some historical tidbits and very clean love stories, I didn't find it as nearly enjoyable as book one in the "Goswell series".
Told from dual storylines, I found the present time storyline slightly boring and a struggle to get through, but the past storyline had me fully immersed and I couldn't wait to get back to one of these chapters. This particular book also felt too much like a carbon copy of the previous novel (newcomer to town driven to learn the story of past occupants). While there were noticeable changes, the bones in the present storyline seemed too familiar to the first book. I loved the fact the scars of war, seen and unseen, were shown, without being overly graphic, while still being true to the horrors survivors live with when they come back.
Overall, I would recommend this and am excited to read the third book in this lovely series.
A huge thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the chance to review this book before it comes out on November 17, 2022.
Told from dual storylines, I found the present time storyline slightly boring and a struggle to get through, but the past storyline had me fully immersed and I couldn't wait to get back to one of these chapters. This particular book also felt too much like a carbon copy of the previous novel (newcomer to town driven to learn the story of past occupants). While there were noticeable changes, the bones in the present storyline seemed too familiar to the first book. I loved the fact the scars of war, seen and unseen, were shown, without being overly graphic, while still being true to the horrors survivors live with when they come back.
Overall, I would recommend this and am excited to read the third book in this lovely series.
A huge thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the chance to review this book before it comes out on November 17, 2022.
May 10, 2015
If you like a good dual time-line novel then this is probably for you and as a bonus both the past and the present tales are equally interesting.
Marin took her younger half-sister Rebecca on a trip to give them a break from their normal routine. Rebecca’s parents, and Marin’s father, had died in a car-crash three months previously and Marin had found herself in charge of the bewildered fifteen year old so a tip away was just what they both needed. When they came across the Bower House in Goswell an impulsive decision saw them uprooting and moving to the village.
In 1919 Eleanor Sanderson is also grieving, for her brother Walter who died just before Armistice Day. Eleanor has her family about her but as the realities of the war being over become apparent she had to stop wallowing in what she had lost and find an interest.
Both stories, unsurprisingly given the title are linked by a garden. In the past Eleanor has the Vicarage gardener to help her transform the gated garden into something beautiful and magical. In the present Marin borrows a strimmer to cut back the brambles that have overtaken the space. As she gets to know the other villagers Marin decides to explore the history of her garden and with a tantalising photograph begins to uncover the past.
Although the two women’s tales are linked by grief, they both explore how to overcome it and in turn embrace life and learn to forgive those that have wronged them. The secondary characters are equally as interesting, particularly Eleanor’s spiky elder sister Katherine who has hidden depths. Katherine is the one to suspect that Eleanor’s interest in the garden has as much to do with the gardener Jack Taylor, as the seed catalogues she pours over. Even as society is changing in the post war years a relationship between the vicar’s daughter and a common gardener is not going to be well-received but is Eleanor mature enough to proceed with caution? Of course not! Where’s the fun or story in that. Marin also begins a tentative relationship, something that is relatively new to her too.
This was a gentle story which was bound to appeal to this reader with the echo of The Secret Garden where nature lends a helping hand to soothe the emotions. The past section was well-researched with the details included natural to the storyline. An all-round enjoyable escape with a few lump-in-the-throat moments which I consider essential for this type of story.
I’d like to thank the publisher Lion Fiction for allowing me to read a copy of this book for review purposes. The Lost Garden will be published on 15 May 2015.
Marin took her younger half-sister Rebecca on a trip to give them a break from their normal routine. Rebecca’s parents, and Marin’s father, had died in a car-crash three months previously and Marin had found herself in charge of the bewildered fifteen year old so a tip away was just what they both needed. When they came across the Bower House in Goswell an impulsive decision saw them uprooting and moving to the village.
In 1919 Eleanor Sanderson is also grieving, for her brother Walter who died just before Armistice Day. Eleanor has her family about her but as the realities of the war being over become apparent she had to stop wallowing in what she had lost and find an interest.
Both stories, unsurprisingly given the title are linked by a garden. In the past Eleanor has the Vicarage gardener to help her transform the gated garden into something beautiful and magical. In the present Marin borrows a strimmer to cut back the brambles that have overtaken the space. As she gets to know the other villagers Marin decides to explore the history of her garden and with a tantalising photograph begins to uncover the past.
Although the two women’s tales are linked by grief, they both explore how to overcome it and in turn embrace life and learn to forgive those that have wronged them. The secondary characters are equally as interesting, particularly Eleanor’s spiky elder sister Katherine who has hidden depths. Katherine is the one to suspect that Eleanor’s interest in the garden has as much to do with the gardener Jack Taylor, as the seed catalogues she pours over. Even as society is changing in the post war years a relationship between the vicar’s daughter and a common gardener is not going to be well-received but is Eleanor mature enough to proceed with caution? Of course not! Where’s the fun or story in that. Marin also begins a tentative relationship, something that is relatively new to her too.
This was a gentle story which was bound to appeal to this reader with the echo of The Secret Garden where nature lends a helping hand to soothe the emotions. The past section was well-researched with the details included natural to the storyline. An all-round enjoyable escape with a few lump-in-the-throat moments which I consider essential for this type of story.
I’d like to thank the publisher Lion Fiction for allowing me to read a copy of this book for review purposes. The Lost Garden will be published on 15 May 2015.
June 3, 2015
I found Eleanor and Marin to be relatable, becoming emotionally attached to them. Both are trying to find a place to belong – Eleanor in a world that has changed as a result of the First World War and Marin in the present time coming to terms with familial rejection that is still shaping her life.
Despite the different societal expectations in the dual timelines, Jack and Joss both hide secrets that alienate them and both have to come to terms with this before a chance at moving forward.
The secondary characters in each timeline also have their own feelings that they need to come to terms with.
I loved the setting in Goswell, both the elements (used to good effect!) and in the present time, the villagers themselves.
Eleanor's sister Katherine volunteered both before the war and afterwards (although in a different capacity) and to pull Eleanor out of the gloom she can't get out of, takes her with her. These scenes are very poignant and serve to show Eleanor that life does go on - the wounded soldiers are making a life for themselves even if it isn't the one they saw for themselves before the war.
I loved the parallels between the two narratives and how discoveries impacted on each. We get to know just enough before moving smoothly between the timelines.
The Lost Garden is a gently paced read that nonetheless kept me engaged. With an emotional ending that is full of hope, the story shows us that no matter the darkness you might be feeling, letting others in will help you believe and trust in the world once again (Marin) and that even with others against your decisions (Eleanor) you can still experience hope for the future.
I would like to thank Lovereading for providing a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review via the reader review panel.
Despite the different societal expectations in the dual timelines, Jack and Joss both hide secrets that alienate them and both have to come to terms with this before a chance at moving forward.
The secondary characters in each timeline also have their own feelings that they need to come to terms with.
I loved the setting in Goswell, both the elements (used to good effect!) and in the present time, the villagers themselves.
Eleanor's sister Katherine volunteered both before the war and afterwards (although in a different capacity) and to pull Eleanor out of the gloom she can't get out of, takes her with her. These scenes are very poignant and serve to show Eleanor that life does go on - the wounded soldiers are making a life for themselves even if it isn't the one they saw for themselves before the war.
I loved the parallels between the two narratives and how discoveries impacted on each. We get to know just enough before moving smoothly between the timelines.
The Lost Garden is a gently paced read that nonetheless kept me engaged. With an emotional ending that is full of hope, the story shows us that no matter the darkness you might be feeling, letting others in will help you believe and trust in the world once again (Marin) and that even with others against your decisions (Eleanor) you can still experience hope for the future.
I would like to thank Lovereading for providing a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review via the reader review panel.
July 20, 2015
As I began the book, it struck me as being intensely depressing. I sensed desperation, death, despair. I thought to myself that this was not particularly the type of book I would typically choose, and not what I expected The Lost Garden story to hold for the reader based on the description of the book. However, I persisted.
The setting is on a plot of land that shared a history with a monastery prior to the Reformation. The church, the vicar's residence, and a cottage for another feature the enclosed garden gone to ruin are the dwellings for the families of both timelines. While the author doesn't delve back into pre-reformation days for this story, it is two stories from different decades running throughout. This seems to be a favorite technique of writers which some readers find daunting as the story switches back and forth. It adds interest, but is not a favorite style of mine.
As I continued to read on, I found myself feeling the heart of the characters and of the village in which they lived. The cutting of weeds and brambles unearthed more than a former garden. This is a warm story but has depth of meaning and characters as everyday as your neighbor might be.
The setting is England (UK) and many terms and names of items and activities may be somewhat strange to the American audience. This does not detract at all from the reading.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Kregel Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely mine. I received no compensation for this review.
The setting is on a plot of land that shared a history with a monastery prior to the Reformation. The church, the vicar's residence, and a cottage for another feature the enclosed garden gone to ruin are the dwellings for the families of both timelines. While the author doesn't delve back into pre-reformation days for this story, it is two stories from different decades running throughout. This seems to be a favorite technique of writers which some readers find daunting as the story switches back and forth. It adds interest, but is not a favorite style of mine.
As I continued to read on, I found myself feeling the heart of the characters and of the village in which they lived. The cutting of weeds and brambles unearthed more than a former garden. This is a warm story but has depth of meaning and characters as everyday as your neighbor might be.
The setting is England (UK) and many terms and names of items and activities may be somewhat strange to the American audience. This does not detract at all from the reading.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Kregel Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely mine. I received no compensation for this review.
July 24, 2015
The Lost Garden by Katharine Swartz first caught my attention because of the stunning cover (probably my favorite cover so far in 2015), and it kept my attention because of the beautiful prose and sweetly gripping story line.
The Lost Garden is not a particularly fast read—it's not one of those novels that moves at breakneck pace or is full of passionate romance. But it is a beautiful novel—one that you read slowly so as to savor the experience as the story unfolds.
Swartz weaves her dual narratives in such a way that as Marin is learning the secrets of the garden and its inhabitants, those events are unfolding in Eleanor's time. The narrative switches between past and present with each chapter, and I never found myself more interested in one timeline than another—both are equally fascinating.
In both timelines, the main characters deal with grief in wildly different ways. Yet their journeys to love and healing do mirror each other in an interesting fashion. Both story lines would be compelling on their own, but the intertwining of the two makes for a much richer and emotional reading experience. This is my first time reading a Katharine Swartz novel, but I'm sure it won't be my last.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The Lost Garden is not a particularly fast read—it's not one of those novels that moves at breakneck pace or is full of passionate romance. But it is a beautiful novel—one that you read slowly so as to savor the experience as the story unfolds.
Swartz weaves her dual narratives in such a way that as Marin is learning the secrets of the garden and its inhabitants, those events are unfolding in Eleanor's time. The narrative switches between past and present with each chapter, and I never found myself more interested in one timeline than another—both are equally fascinating.
In both timelines, the main characters deal with grief in wildly different ways. Yet their journeys to love and healing do mirror each other in an interesting fashion. Both story lines would be compelling on their own, but the intertwining of the two makes for a much richer and emotional reading experience. This is my first time reading a Katharine Swartz novel, but I'm sure it won't be my last.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
April 28, 2016
This book is beautiful is inside and out. I loved every page and really didn't want the story to end. I feel like this storyline could have kept going chapters more and I felt it ended too abruptly. The setting is wonderful as Marin and Rebecca move into a new village and start a new life. The book switches between 1919 to present day and I enjoyed both sides. The past takes you more into the "lost garden" and how it came about. Eleanor's family is still reeling from the war and losing her brother, I love the history part! There are so many issues and personalities that blend these pages together. The only thing is the name of every male in the book starts with J and made it really confusing as to who was saying what.
I loved it and highly recommend this book and the author!
Five stars!
"Thanks to Kregel for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review."
I loved it and highly recommend this book and the author!
Five stars!
"Thanks to Kregel for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review."
July 22, 2015
I really liked this novel. Swartz does a great job of combining a contemporary story with a historical one - connected by the garden (and surrounding houses) where both stories take place. Both stories deal with trauma, forgiveness, healing, and hope for a future. I liked the way the two stories develop, as the author alternates revealing them. I felt the characters were well developed and very interesting. The novel did a very good job of showing us the effect WW I had on men who returned from the war. They had to fight for their happiness.
You can see my complete review of this good novel at http://bit.ly/1MnwrSK.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
You can see my complete review of this good novel at http://bit.ly/1MnwrSK.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
Want to read
April 11, 2015An ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review Thank you, thank you so much!
September 16, 2017
This is an interesting women's fiction story, centring on the stagnation and thorniness of grief. If that sounds daunting, don't worry. The grief is expressed and made visible in the form of an old herb garden, overgrown with brambles. Marin in her mid thirties and her half sister Rebecca aged fifteen, come to live in Cumbria in a cottage in a village, as Marin is now her sister's guardian. They have a garden without realising, as it is hidden behind walls. I'd have been over the wall or up a ladder when the door didn't open, but with the aid of a gardener they eventually get to see the area and realise clearing it will provide them with a huge task.
Interspersed we get the 1918 story of the original family, and young Eleanor who dreads the telegram informing them of her brother's death. Her life seems to halt, because even after the war ends, the Spanish flu is killing people weakened by hunger, while her family doesn't know how to adjust. Halfway through the story Eleanor finally picks herself up and starts to construct a flower garden where the bramble-grown herb garden stands. As she gets more into the task, so in modern times we see the two newcomers getting more involved in village life and Marin tackling the brambles, without much help from the sulking, moody Rebecca.
The two tales mirror each other well, Marin learning past village history as the events unfold in the earlier timeline. Eleanor's I found the slowest, perhaps because women didn't have many options in those days. I liked the inclusion of blind men learning to type in Braille, a good touch. The tool Marin's gardener calls a strimmer I call a hedge-trimmer; a strimmer generally won't cut brambles. He would have needed to provide her with a can of petrol as one tank doesn't go far. And I was surprised that we see no animals but the occasional sheep. In the rural village we'd surely expect horses, dogs, cats and wild birds; with horses being part of daily life in 1918 because there was no petrol.
Enjoy.
I received an e-ARC. This is an unbiased review.
Interspersed we get the 1918 story of the original family, and young Eleanor who dreads the telegram informing them of her brother's death. Her life seems to halt, because even after the war ends, the Spanish flu is killing people weakened by hunger, while her family doesn't know how to adjust. Halfway through the story Eleanor finally picks herself up and starts to construct a flower garden where the bramble-grown herb garden stands. As she gets more into the task, so in modern times we see the two newcomers getting more involved in village life and Marin tackling the brambles, without much help from the sulking, moody Rebecca.
The two tales mirror each other well, Marin learning past village history as the events unfold in the earlier timeline. Eleanor's I found the slowest, perhaps because women didn't have many options in those days. I liked the inclusion of blind men learning to type in Braille, a good touch. The tool Marin's gardener calls a strimmer I call a hedge-trimmer; a strimmer generally won't cut brambles. He would have needed to provide her with a can of petrol as one tank doesn't go far. And I was surprised that we see no animals but the occasional sheep. In the rural village we'd surely expect horses, dogs, cats and wild birds; with horses being part of daily life in 1918 because there was no petrol.
Enjoy.
I received an e-ARC. This is an unbiased review.
November 17, 2022
In book two of the Goswell Quartet by Kate Hewitt, in the second of her duel timeline stories, the first character we meet is Eleanor in 1918 England. Eleanor is grieving after dealing with the loss of her brother killed just before World War I ended. Her source of distraction is to spend time in the gardens behind her family’s home. After her father hires a man named Jack to work on the gardens, Eleanor soon finds that Jack really understands her and they soon begin to draw very close to one another. However, class distinction may indeed keep them apart.
In present day there is Marin who suddenly becomes guardian to her 15-year-old half-sister Rebecca. Marin never got to really know their father and now Rebecca has lost both of her parents. It proves to be very difficult for the two to get along. However, moving to the village of Goswell just might be the fresh start that both of them need. One thing that makes both of them curious is that there is apparently a secret garden in the back of their new home, but that garden appears to be locked.
More than that, they find a picture of a young girl and this picture leads them to start looking into the past. Not only is the village of Goswell the connection between all of the books in the series, Marin soon meets Jane, from the first book, The Wife’s Promise. Jane proves helpful when it comes to helping Marin with her curiosity about the past, which is how Marin learns about Eleanor. Both the story of the past and the story of the present bring the opportunity for love and family while recovering from grief.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/77sgQYHANy4
In present day there is Marin who suddenly becomes guardian to her 15-year-old half-sister Rebecca. Marin never got to really know their father and now Rebecca has lost both of her parents. It proves to be very difficult for the two to get along. However, moving to the village of Goswell just might be the fresh start that both of them need. One thing that makes both of them curious is that there is apparently a secret garden in the back of their new home, but that garden appears to be locked.
More than that, they find a picture of a young girl and this picture leads them to start looking into the past. Not only is the village of Goswell the connection between all of the books in the series, Marin soon meets Jane, from the first book, The Wife’s Promise. Jane proves helpful when it comes to helping Marin with her curiosity about the past, which is how Marin learns about Eleanor. Both the story of the past and the story of the present bring the opportunity for love and family while recovering from grief.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/77sgQYHANy4
October 16, 2019
I really, really enjoyed this lovely dual-timeline story of how we can work through loss, not by drawing away from those we love, but by drawing closer to them. The little "secret garden" type of touches sweetened the book; the well-rounded characters drew me right into the story; and I admit being sorry at reaching the last page. :-)
I do wish the Christian content had been more forthright (not "preachy", just not so concealed that it was hard to identify :-) ) -- I loved an early conversation between the historical main character and her vicar-father about trusting in God during times of distress, but that theme just faded out and was dropped.
Overall, this was a cozy, curl-up-for-a-long-afternoon type of novel - a contemporary novel with a historical feel that hooked me right away. Definitely interested in reading more from this series.
I do wish the Christian content had been more forthright (not "preachy", just not so concealed that it was hard to identify :-) ) -- I loved an early conversation between the historical main character and her vicar-father about trusting in God during times of distress, but that theme just faded out and was dropped.
Overall, this was a cozy, curl-up-for-a-long-afternoon type of novel - a contemporary novel with a historical feel that hooked me right away. Definitely interested in reading more from this series.
July 22, 2015
Katharine Swartz takes her readers back to the small Cumbrian village of Goswell in her novel The Lost Garden. Contemporary and historical story lines intersect in this tale of love, grief and forgiveness. This novel is very British and will appeal to the Anglophile reader.
Marin finds herself the guardian of her 15-year old sister following the deaths of her father and step-mother. Awkward with relationships, Marin bravely faces making a home and life for Rebecca. After moving to Cumbria, Marin finds herself intrigued with a walled garden at the back of her property. She becomes determined to discover the secrets it and a photograph taken almost 100 years previous hold. Eleanor is the subject of the photograph, and her story of lost innocence and enduring love captures Marin and the reader’s imaginations.
Swartz’s characters are very realistic and relatable. Their hopes and fears, flaws and triumphs are well-written. She also does a great job making the setting an important part of the story. As Marin clears away the brambles that have overtaken the walled garden, suppressed emotions are exposed, griefs are revealed and forgiveness is offered. The grief expressed is more of what could have been rather than what has actually been lost — regrets over lost opportunities. The freedom found in taking responsibility is also expressed.
A rather quiet novel — there isn’t a lot of action — The Lost Garden will make the reader think. And in my case, want to hop on a plane and head to the windy coast of Cumbria!
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(I received this book courtesy of Lion Hudson and Kregel. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Marin finds herself the guardian of her 15-year old sister following the deaths of her father and step-mother. Awkward with relationships, Marin bravely faces making a home and life for Rebecca. After moving to Cumbria, Marin finds herself intrigued with a walled garden at the back of her property. She becomes determined to discover the secrets it and a photograph taken almost 100 years previous hold. Eleanor is the subject of the photograph, and her story of lost innocence and enduring love captures Marin and the reader’s imaginations.
Swartz’s characters are very realistic and relatable. Their hopes and fears, flaws and triumphs are well-written. She also does a great job making the setting an important part of the story. As Marin clears away the brambles that have overtaken the walled garden, suppressed emotions are exposed, griefs are revealed and forgiveness is offered. The grief expressed is more of what could have been rather than what has actually been lost — regrets over lost opportunities. The freedom found in taking responsibility is also expressed.
A rather quiet novel — there isn’t a lot of action — The Lost Garden will make the reader think. And in my case, want to hop on a plane and head to the windy coast of Cumbria!
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(I received this book courtesy of Lion Hudson and Kregel. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Read
November 15, 2022Reading the books in sequence helps and I was fortunate that Netgalley sent me the four.
Eleanor and Katherine are the daughters of a well to do family. George and Anna are conservative
parents but not hidebound, but they do expect staying within the boundaries of expected polite
behaviour of the times. WWI is ending and the family is awaiting joyously the return of their son
from the Front and his best friend James, who is Katherine's fiancee as well.
Joy turns to grief when the dreaded telegram arrives that Walter has died. Each family member
deals with it in the manner they know best. This is the catalyst of the story. The story while
outlining the life that follows for each member, focuses primarily on Eleanor. How her attempts
to come to terms with her brothers death, her animosity towards those who have survived, her
ambivalent feelings towards her sister who has thrown herself into charitable works, her
solace in turning the extensive gardens into a memorial for her brother and her falling in love
with the gardener, someone whom her parents will never come to accept.
The story is descriptive of the turbulent times England was thrown into post WWI - nothing
was the same and it took ages to get back to a semblance of normality. It highlighted distinct
class divisions which began to be eroded at that time. It also showed resilience of the
human spirit to survive, grit one's teeth and go on. most importantly that Love can conquer
all.
Eleanor and Katherine are the daughters of a well to do family. George and Anna are conservative
parents but not hidebound, but they do expect staying within the boundaries of expected polite
behaviour of the times. WWI is ending and the family is awaiting joyously the return of their son
from the Front and his best friend James, who is Katherine's fiancee as well.
Joy turns to grief when the dreaded telegram arrives that Walter has died. Each family member
deals with it in the manner they know best. This is the catalyst of the story. The story while
outlining the life that follows for each member, focuses primarily on Eleanor. How her attempts
to come to terms with her brothers death, her animosity towards those who have survived, her
ambivalent feelings towards her sister who has thrown herself into charitable works, her
solace in turning the extensive gardens into a memorial for her brother and her falling in love
with the gardener, someone whom her parents will never come to accept.
The story is descriptive of the turbulent times England was thrown into post WWI - nothing
was the same and it took ages to get back to a semblance of normality. It highlighted distinct
class divisions which began to be eroded at that time. It also showed resilience of the
human spirit to survive, grit one's teeth and go on. most importantly that Love can conquer
all.
June 16, 2015
This dual-time-period narrative started off a bit too slow for my taste, with several long passages of flashbacks, but eventually picked up quite nicely and really engaged me emotionally. Then the abrupt, wrap-it-all-up-in-a-telling-narrative ending left a sour taste in my mouth at the end. A sound, if not exactly stellar, read. Recommended for fans of Susan Meissner and Rachel Hauck's The Wedding Dress.
April 25, 2015
Provided by publisher and Netgalley. A lovely book featuring 2 women almost a century apart in the same garden wilderness. Loved the style of writing and the women's stories brought to life by Katharine Swartz. Will definitely read other books from this author.
February 15, 2018
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Marin Ellis is in search of a new start after her father and his second wife die in a car accident, and at thirty-seven she is made guardian of her fifteen-year-old half-sister Rebecca. They leave Hampshire for the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast, and settle into Bower House on the edge of the village church property. When a door to a walled garden captures Rebecca’s interest, Marin becomes determined to open it and discover what is hidden beneath the bramble inside. She enlists the help of local gardener Joss Fowler, and together the three of them begin to uncover the garden’s secrets. In 1919, nineteen-year-old Eleanor Sanderson, daughter of Goswell’s vicar, is grieving the loss of her beloved brother Walter, who was killed just days before the Armistice was signed. Eleanor retreats into herself and her father starts to notice how unhappy she is. As spring arrives, he decides to hire someone to make a garden for Eleanor, and draw her out of - or at least distract her from - her grief and sorrow. Jack Taylor is in his early twenties, a Yorkshire man who has been doing odd jobs in the village, and when Eleanor’s father hires him to work on the vicarage gardens, a surprising - and unsuitable - friendship unfolds.
Dual narratives, separated by time, can be quite difficult to get right. Tying the threads together is something that some authors just don't seem to manage perfectly. This is one of those books...
For me, the issues really began at the start - slow to get going, hard to get invested in Marin's story while the flashbacks to Eleanor's story were happening. It took far too much of my time getting used to the style that the author employed for this opening.
Then, once we got the "introductions" of the two timelines out of the way, the story really did start to pick up. I did get wrapped up in the historical aspect of the story - so much so, that I was disappointed a little every time we went back to the present day. There was something quite magical about the way those historical sections were written.
And then it all crashed down into a steaming pile of junk when we got to the end. The need to wrap up the whole 350 pages in a tell-not-show summary at the end was sudden and unexpected - and unappreciated. I had finally decided to like this book, despite the slow start, and then this ending happened. And I was disappointed.
Would I read more of this series? Quite possibly. I think there is a REALLY good book in the future. I hope to read it...
Paul
ARH
Marin Ellis is in search of a new start after her father and his second wife die in a car accident, and at thirty-seven she is made guardian of her fifteen-year-old half-sister Rebecca. They leave Hampshire for the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast, and settle into Bower House on the edge of the village church property. When a door to a walled garden captures Rebecca’s interest, Marin becomes determined to open it and discover what is hidden beneath the bramble inside. She enlists the help of local gardener Joss Fowler, and together the three of them begin to uncover the garden’s secrets. In 1919, nineteen-year-old Eleanor Sanderson, daughter of Goswell’s vicar, is grieving the loss of her beloved brother Walter, who was killed just days before the Armistice was signed. Eleanor retreats into herself and her father starts to notice how unhappy she is. As spring arrives, he decides to hire someone to make a garden for Eleanor, and draw her out of - or at least distract her from - her grief and sorrow. Jack Taylor is in his early twenties, a Yorkshire man who has been doing odd jobs in the village, and when Eleanor’s father hires him to work on the vicarage gardens, a surprising - and unsuitable - friendship unfolds.
Dual narratives, separated by time, can be quite difficult to get right. Tying the threads together is something that some authors just don't seem to manage perfectly. This is one of those books...
For me, the issues really began at the start - slow to get going, hard to get invested in Marin's story while the flashbacks to Eleanor's story were happening. It took far too much of my time getting used to the style that the author employed for this opening.
Then, once we got the "introductions" of the two timelines out of the way, the story really did start to pick up. I did get wrapped up in the historical aspect of the story - so much so, that I was disappointed a little every time we went back to the present day. There was something quite magical about the way those historical sections were written.
And then it all crashed down into a steaming pile of junk when we got to the end. The need to wrap up the whole 350 pages in a tell-not-show summary at the end was sudden and unexpected - and unappreciated. I had finally decided to like this book, despite the slow start, and then this ending happened. And I was disappointed.
Would I read more of this series? Quite possibly. I think there is a REALLY good book in the future. I hope to read it...
Paul
ARH
November 20, 2022
England, 1916: The war is coming to an end, and with so much loss and brokenness the world will never be the same. So many broken families and lives forever changed. Elenor is still feeling the pain of losing her brother and wonders how she will ever pull herself together to continue on with her life. Her father soon hires a landscaper to restore the gardens behind their house. Jack is from Yorkshire and comes from a different class of people that Elenor does. But that doesn’t deter them from spending time together in the gardens and restoring them to the beautiful place that they once were. Present day: One hundred years later Marin suddenly finds herself to be the legal guardian of her fifteen year old half sister, Rebecca. Their father and his second wife were killed in a tragic accident and Marin is the only family that Rebecca has left. The sisters are strangers to each other and they both are in need of a fresh start. Rebecca begs Marin to move to the village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast. Marin agrees to move and it could be exactly what they both need. They soon find a locked door to a secret garden located behind the house they just moved into. But when they also find a photograph of a young girl in that very garden, they unlock more than just the door to the garden, they unlock a door to their past.
This story was absolutely amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is such a wonderful storyline and the author does an amazing job of tying the first book in this series to this second installment. The lovely description of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast makes me want to visit. This story of hope, love, family, friends and reconciliation is just what I needed. This story hit all the feels and had my emotions on a roller coaster. I loved this installment to what is proving to be a fabulous series. I like the characters very much and I found this book to be unputdownable. I definitely recommend this story that can be read as part of the series or a stand-alone.
Thank you Kate Hewitt for such a wonderful continuation to this amazing series, I loved it.
This story was absolutely amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is such a wonderful storyline and the author does an amazing job of tying the first book in this series to this second installment. The lovely description of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast makes me want to visit. This story of hope, love, family, friends and reconciliation is just what I needed. This story hit all the feels and had my emotions on a roller coaster. I loved this installment to what is proving to be a fabulous series. I like the characters very much and I found this book to be unputdownable. I definitely recommend this story that can be read as part of the series or a stand-alone.
Thank you Kate Hewitt for such a wonderful continuation to this amazing series, I loved it.
January 17, 2023
A novel about tragic secrets, forgiveness, and healing.
England, 1918: As war ends, across the world, people are trying to heal and recover. But Eleanor still feels broken. The loss of her beloved brother, killed just days before the Armistice was signed, feels impossibly unjust. Spending her time in the neglected garden behind their house, she fears her heart will never recover.
Then, her father hires a man to help restore the garden to its former glory. Gruff, handsome Yorkshireman Jack comes from a totally different world to Eleanor, but he understands the nature of her grief more than anyone else seems to. And as they spend time together, even though she knows her family will never accept someone of Jack’s class, Eleanor starts to wonder if – like the butterflies around them – there is any way for her to learn to soar again...
Now: Nearly one hundred years later, Marin is not prepared for finding herself the guardian of her 15yo half-sister Rebecca after her father and his second wife are killed in a tragic accident. The sisters are practically strangers, and Rebecca’s grief makes her seem even more distant. Marin, too, is in need of a fresh start, so when Rebecca begs her to let them move to the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast, Marin impulsively agrees.
But it is only when they find a locked door to a secret garden, and a photograph of a girl with a butterfly landing on her hand, that the sisters start to realise they have a mystery to solve, one about war, about secrets, and about a love that could never be. A mystery that might just bring them together…
The Sambre-Oise Canal is located in northern France.The canal saw one of the last Allied victories of WWI before the Armistice.Famous officer and war poet,Wilfred Owen,who belonged to the 2nd Manchesters,was killed as he crossed the Sambre-Oise Canal at the head of a raiding party.
Desertion or going AWOL was considered one of the worst offences possible as a member of the British Army.The punishment was either jail or execution.The usual cause for the offences was due to PTSD and combat stress reaction.
England, 1918: As war ends, across the world, people are trying to heal and recover. But Eleanor still feels broken. The loss of her beloved brother, killed just days before the Armistice was signed, feels impossibly unjust. Spending her time in the neglected garden behind their house, she fears her heart will never recover.
Then, her father hires a man to help restore the garden to its former glory. Gruff, handsome Yorkshireman Jack comes from a totally different world to Eleanor, but he understands the nature of her grief more than anyone else seems to. And as they spend time together, even though she knows her family will never accept someone of Jack’s class, Eleanor starts to wonder if – like the butterflies around them – there is any way for her to learn to soar again...
Now: Nearly one hundred years later, Marin is not prepared for finding herself the guardian of her 15yo half-sister Rebecca after her father and his second wife are killed in a tragic accident. The sisters are practically strangers, and Rebecca’s grief makes her seem even more distant. Marin, too, is in need of a fresh start, so when Rebecca begs her to let them move to the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast, Marin impulsively agrees.
But it is only when they find a locked door to a secret garden, and a photograph of a girl with a butterfly landing on her hand, that the sisters start to realise they have a mystery to solve, one about war, about secrets, and about a love that could never be. A mystery that might just bring them together…
The Sambre-Oise Canal is located in northern France.The canal saw one of the last Allied victories of WWI before the Armistice.Famous officer and war poet,Wilfred Owen,who belonged to the 2nd Manchesters,was killed as he crossed the Sambre-Oise Canal at the head of a raiding party.
Desertion or going AWOL was considered one of the worst offences possible as a member of the British Army.The punishment was either jail or execution.The usual cause for the offences was due to PTSD and combat stress reaction.
November 16, 2022
The Daughter's Garden is the second book in the Goswell Quartet by Kate Hewitt. The book was previously released under the author's other name Katharine Swartz. This book could easily be read as a standalone one, but as some characters from the previous book are mentioned, it is nice to know their story in its entirety having read the previous book first.
This story, like the first, is set in two different times and involves two different families. In 1918 Eleanor is a young woman grieving for her brother who was killed in battle just before the war ended. She wants to turn an overgrown garden, like a secret garden, into a memorial area for her brother. A place where people can visit and enjoy the calm, and maybe reminisce.
Nearly 100 years later another woman, Marin, lives in the same house. She too has lost somebody and finds herself wanting to do something with that very same overgrown garden. In doing so she starts to question who lived there before and sets about finding out.
If I am honest, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first in the series. I think that Marin's story, although interesting and emotional, didn't captivate me as much as the modern-era family from the first book. That's not to say that I disliked the story at all, in fact, I loved Eleanor's story. If anything, hers ended far too quickly. I could have read all of the details of things that happened during the years that were instead summed up by being written similarly to an epilogue.
One thing that both books I have read in this series so far share is how descriptive they are. It is so easy to imagine yourself in these women's lives, sharing their grief and their happy moments. Of course, you will also find yourself in that secret garden loving every minute of it just as the characters of the story do. At the end of the book, there is a taster of the third book in the series. Already I am intrigued and am very much looking forward to reading it. I have discovered through this author and this series that I am a fan of dual-timeline stories.
This story, like the first, is set in two different times and involves two different families. In 1918 Eleanor is a young woman grieving for her brother who was killed in battle just before the war ended. She wants to turn an overgrown garden, like a secret garden, into a memorial area for her brother. A place where people can visit and enjoy the calm, and maybe reminisce.
Nearly 100 years later another woman, Marin, lives in the same house. She too has lost somebody and finds herself wanting to do something with that very same overgrown garden. In doing so she starts to question who lived there before and sets about finding out.
If I am honest, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first in the series. I think that Marin's story, although interesting and emotional, didn't captivate me as much as the modern-era family from the first book. That's not to say that I disliked the story at all, in fact, I loved Eleanor's story. If anything, hers ended far too quickly. I could have read all of the details of things that happened during the years that were instead summed up by being written similarly to an epilogue.
One thing that both books I have read in this series so far share is how descriptive they are. It is so easy to imagine yourself in these women's lives, sharing their grief and their happy moments. Of course, you will also find yourself in that secret garden loving every minute of it just as the characters of the story do. At the end of the book, there is a taster of the third book in the series. Already I am intrigued and am very much looking forward to reading it. I have discovered through this author and this series that I am a fan of dual-timeline stories.
December 9, 2022
The Daughter’s Garden by Kate Hewitt are two love stories written in two timelines: World War I and present day. In the present day, Marin has taken on the responsibility of her orphaned half-sister, Rebecca. On a driving trip they had seen this village and this house and Rebecca has convinced her that moving here would be a good solution to what they were both feeling. Marin could work from anywhere so she went with it. It certainly had not solved any of the problems with their relationship but it was fine. She had become intrigued with the walled garden that adjoined their house and was working on restoring it. In the second timeline, World War I had just finished, an Armistice was signed, but life was no better than it had been. Walter, Eleanor’s dear brother had been killed and nothing was the same. No matter how hard she tried. Until the new gardener arrived. She felt an immediate affinity for Jack, as did he for her, and she convinced her father to have him refurbish the walled garden.
Both good characters, both women were looking for love. Marin was 37, Eleanor, 20, but both had lived lives, not full lives, but lives. The war had destroyed so much, including, it seemed, Eleanor’s family. Katherine and her fiance, James, didn’t seem to be meshing, her mother would never be the same after Walter’s death, and her father was in his study more than ever. Both good stories, both women struggled. Both were strong and knew what the goal was. Excellent character development. We get glimpses of other characters, some we’ve met before, but this is a stand-alone novel. One for women, mostly.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Daughter’s Garden by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #KateHewitt #TheDaughtersGarden
Both good characters, both women were looking for love. Marin was 37, Eleanor, 20, but both had lived lives, not full lives, but lives. The war had destroyed so much, including, it seemed, Eleanor’s family. Katherine and her fiance, James, didn’t seem to be meshing, her mother would never be the same after Walter’s death, and her father was in his study more than ever. Both good stories, both women struggled. Both were strong and knew what the goal was. Excellent character development. We get glimpses of other characters, some we’ve met before, but this is a stand-alone novel. One for women, mostly.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Daughter’s Garden by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #KateHewitt #TheDaughtersGarden
October 1, 2022
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“The Daughter’s Garden” is the second book in the Tales from Goswell series by Kate Hewitt. This book was previously published as “The Lost Garden” in 2015.
What I liked about the book - that it can be read as a stand-alone; while reading the first book gives a titch of depth, important information is filled in by the author. The concept of the little house I found very sweet, from how it came about to the gathering of the items. I’m not into gardening, but that garden (and herb garden) sound purely like heaven! The exploration of post-WWI PTSD (not called that then) was really dealt with well.
What I was meh about: One again, I couldn’t tell if this was to be another Christian book or not - there’s mention of G-d and one of the characters is a vicar, and some Bible verses are mentioned. The ending - it felt a bit like the story had a page count and the ending was hastily concluded.
What I didn’t like: I never warmed up to the current (Marin) story. I understand that she hadn’t been around teenagers a lot but she could’ve gone to her neighbor to ask for advice. The pacing felt a bit off - between the ending quick wrap-up and the beginning pacing (it felt for a long while that not much happened at the beginning).
I think overall this book, too, was a good idea, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could’ve been. It had glimmers of potential, but I was hoping it would be better than it was.
“The Daughter’s Garden” is the second book in the Tales from Goswell series by Kate Hewitt. This book was previously published as “The Lost Garden” in 2015.
What I liked about the book - that it can be read as a stand-alone; while reading the first book gives a titch of depth, important information is filled in by the author. The concept of the little house I found very sweet, from how it came about to the gathering of the items. I’m not into gardening, but that garden (and herb garden) sound purely like heaven! The exploration of post-WWI PTSD (not called that then) was really dealt with well.
What I was meh about: One again, I couldn’t tell if this was to be another Christian book or not - there’s mention of G-d and one of the characters is a vicar, and some Bible verses are mentioned. The ending - it felt a bit like the story had a page count and the ending was hastily concluded.
What I didn’t like: I never warmed up to the current (Marin) story. I understand that she hadn’t been around teenagers a lot but she could’ve gone to her neighbor to ask for advice. The pacing felt a bit off - between the ending quick wrap-up and the beginning pacing (it felt for a long while that not much happened at the beginning).
I think overall this book, too, was a good idea, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could’ve been. It had glimmers of potential, but I was hoping it would be better than it was.
November 4, 2022
In present day, Marin Ellis and her fifteen-year-old half-sister Rebecca, leave the city after the death of Rebecca's parents. They move to the quiet country village of Goswell, West Cumberland and purchase the Bower House which sits beside the local Church. Thirty-seven year-old Marin has until recently lived in Boston and does not have a close relationship with her sister. This is a time and a chance for them to make a life together. From one of the upstairs rooms, Marin discovers a closed garden behind a high stone wall and, as she finds, behind a locked door. Once entry has been gained into the garden, they discover a mysterious building within and venture forward to find out what it may have been.
In 1919, the current Vicar Sanderson, his wife Anne and their two daughters Katherine and Eleanor, live in the Vicarage on the other side of the Church. They are grieving the loss of their son and brother Walter who was killed days before the Armistice in 1918. The younger daugher, Eleanor, persuades her father to allow her to create a garden within the closed walls near the Bower House which is the home of her Grandmother. War veteran Jack has been working on the Vicarage garden and Eleanor convinces her father to allow him to help her resurrect the closed garden.
I very much enjoyed the stories of both time periods and they are told in alternate chapters.
This is the second book in the Goswell series and I look forward to reading the next two stories.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy. I love this series and highly recommend it to other readers.
In 1919, the current Vicar Sanderson, his wife Anne and their two daughters Katherine and Eleanor, live in the Vicarage on the other side of the Church. They are grieving the loss of their son and brother Walter who was killed days before the Armistice in 1918. The younger daugher, Eleanor, persuades her father to allow her to create a garden within the closed walls near the Bower House which is the home of her Grandmother. War veteran Jack has been working on the Vicarage garden and Eleanor convinces her father to allow him to help her resurrect the closed garden.
I very much enjoyed the stories of both time periods and they are told in alternate chapters.
This is the second book in the Goswell series and I look forward to reading the next two stories.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy. I love this series and highly recommend it to other readers.
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