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The Heart of the Garden
Morton Hall, with its beautiful, ruined grounds and its reclusive mistress, Emilia Morton, is full of mysteries. For freelance editor Anne Marie, the wild garden has become a serene and secret refuge from her loveless marriage. The only other regular visitor is Cape, the hall’s part-time gardener, who is forbidden to tend to anything except the magnificent maze or to meet his enigmatic employer.
When Emilia dies, Cape and Anne Marie are astonished to find themselves among an unlikely group of villagers named in her strange will. Morton Hall, including its dazzling art collection and once glorious grounds, can belong to the community forever, but only if they work together to bring the garden back to life within a single year.
As they try to put their differences aside to restore the tangled grounds, long-buried secrets are unearthed. Can the past be forgiven as hope and new love begin to bloom?
When Emilia dies, Cape and Anne Marie are astonished to find themselves among an unlikely group of villagers named in her strange will. Morton Hall, including its dazzling art collection and once glorious grounds, can belong to the community forever, but only if they work together to bring the garden back to life within a single year.
As they try to put their differences aside to restore the tangled grounds, long-buried secrets are unearthed. Can the past be forgiven as hope and new love begin to bloom?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2018
1107 people are currently reading
1179 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Connelly
67 books509 followersVictoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk before attending Worcester College where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she worked her way through a number of jobs before becoming a teacher in North Yorkshire.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
January 18, 2020
This is a simple story chosen to read in between chapters of the longer book I was reading describing all of England's charms by Bill Bryson, The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain. That book is so full of information delivered with great humour, but it is dense with detail.
This book helped rest my mind and eyes between shoveling snow and reading Bryson's book, and is actually sited in one of the towns covered by him. It features a large manor house with neglected garden that attracts a dedicated gardener and then a young unhappily married woman who serves as a slave to her husband and his two spoiled daughters. The reclusive owner of the manor house does not come out to meet these two, but she is aware of their presence....and then she dies. No spoilers.
Kindle Unlimited
This book helped rest my mind and eyes between shoveling snow and reading Bryson's book, and is actually sited in one of the towns covered by him. It features a large manor house with neglected garden that attracts a dedicated gardener and then a young unhappily married woman who serves as a slave to her husband and his two spoiled daughters. The reclusive owner of the manor house does not come out to meet these two, but she is aware of their presence....and then she dies. No spoilers.
Kindle Unlimited
February 8, 2018
Another fabulous book from Victoria Connelly. I really felt as though I got to know Morton Hall and its gardens in great detail.
I loved finding out about the gardens, and seeing what Anne Maries and the others would discover in there next as an unlikely group of strangers inherit the Hall and their first task is to sort out the garden as it was rather overgrown.
Learning about the different members of the group, and seeing how alliances were formed and even new friendships was inspiring and comforting. A complete mix of personalities but they do have things in common and it was lovely to see.
There are three main storylines and characters. We have Emilia whose story in the 80s we are told, of young love and its through that you start to understand a lot more about Morton Hall and its history and the Morton family.
There is Anne-Marie who is in a tricky marriage and I don't think much of her mother either. She was going to the gardens of Morton Hall even before this rather strange group inheritance and no one ever really noticed she had gone.
Then there is Cape who is the hall's gardener, and his daughter Poppy who also had a really enjoyable storyline.
The Heart of the Garden really does show how gardens can heal people, bring them together and give even the least green fingered amongst us a good sense of belonging. Really enjoyable book that I had a good time reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I loved finding out about the gardens, and seeing what Anne Maries and the others would discover in there next as an unlikely group of strangers inherit the Hall and their first task is to sort out the garden as it was rather overgrown.
Learning about the different members of the group, and seeing how alliances were formed and even new friendships was inspiring and comforting. A complete mix of personalities but they do have things in common and it was lovely to see.
There are three main storylines and characters. We have Emilia whose story in the 80s we are told, of young love and its through that you start to understand a lot more about Morton Hall and its history and the Morton family.
There is Anne-Marie who is in a tricky marriage and I don't think much of her mother either. She was going to the gardens of Morton Hall even before this rather strange group inheritance and no one ever really noticed she had gone.
Then there is Cape who is the hall's gardener, and his daughter Poppy who also had a really enjoyable storyline.
The Heart of the Garden really does show how gardens can heal people, bring them together and give even the least green fingered amongst us a good sense of belonging. Really enjoyable book that I had a good time reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
January 16, 2018
Who could resist a mysterious maze in the garden, which the owner of the estate insists on cultivating. And when she dies, the town is shocked by her will which creates a hailstorm of controversy. There are delicious twists and tuns in The heart of the Garden, that I won't spoil for readers, but I love how Victoria Connelly weaves a tale of love lost and found with the survivers.
April 1, 2018
My Thoughts
‘I think a lot of people live with the decisions of others,’
This is an interesting little weekend read, especially so if you love your gardens and community projects. Here you will find three main storylines - two present and one past - for you to follow. So it has a little bit of everything and Victoria is always reliable in presenting heartwarming novels.
‘I can’t explain it, but I was drawn to this place. It made me feel calm. I love how a garden can do that – even one that’s neglected and unloved.’
‘Heart of the Garden’ has history and mystery, friendships and romance. Although the main characters are on individual journey’s of self discovery, the stronger theme is one of community and people coming together to recreate a beautiful garden and find solace and friendship in each other. The question is of course, why would this reclusive woman leave her wealthy home, gardens and valuable collections to a motley crew from the local village who have no prior acquaintance with either each other or the owner?
‘...this garden had the power to heal and it was her wish to pass that on to others.’
One thing that struck me as interesting, and did not sit comfortably with me if I am honest, is the romantic leads were already in relationships. I understand it happens, but for both to be already involved and the whole ‘falling into each other’s arms’ seemed a bit trite. I also struggled with Anne Marie’s sudden change from her subservient nature, seemingly overnight - it just would not happen. Indeed for both main leads, the explanation of their perspective change was not adequately elaborated upon.
‘I can’t believe your husband hasn’t noticed you’re unhappy.’
Even though a short read, it was at times, a bit slow and I was not completely happy with the ending finding some loose threads hanging. Waiting until the last ten percent of the novel for the action to begin is just too late. So overall, an easy escape tale of love lost and found all in an English maze.
‘Maybe she thought we all needed the release that gardening brings.’ Cape looked thoughtful. ‘I like it. I’ve always thought of gardening as a release too. A kind of therapy.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
‘I think a lot of people live with the decisions of others,’
This is an interesting little weekend read, especially so if you love your gardens and community projects. Here you will find three main storylines - two present and one past - for you to follow. So it has a little bit of everything and Victoria is always reliable in presenting heartwarming novels.
‘I can’t explain it, but I was drawn to this place. It made me feel calm. I love how a garden can do that – even one that’s neglected and unloved.’
‘Heart of the Garden’ has history and mystery, friendships and romance. Although the main characters are on individual journey’s of self discovery, the stronger theme is one of community and people coming together to recreate a beautiful garden and find solace and friendship in each other. The question is of course, why would this reclusive woman leave her wealthy home, gardens and valuable collections to a motley crew from the local village who have no prior acquaintance with either each other or the owner?
‘...this garden had the power to heal and it was her wish to pass that on to others.’
One thing that struck me as interesting, and did not sit comfortably with me if I am honest, is the romantic leads were already in relationships. I understand it happens, but for both to be already involved and the whole ‘falling into each other’s arms’ seemed a bit trite. I also struggled with Anne Marie’s sudden change from her subservient nature, seemingly overnight - it just would not happen. Indeed for both main leads, the explanation of their perspective change was not adequately elaborated upon.
‘I can’t believe your husband hasn’t noticed you’re unhappy.’
Even though a short read, it was at times, a bit slow and I was not completely happy with the ending finding some loose threads hanging. Waiting until the last ten percent of the novel for the action to begin is just too late. So overall, an easy escape tale of love lost and found all in an English maze.
‘Maybe she thought we all needed the release that gardening brings.’ Cape looked thoughtful. ‘I like it. I’ve always thought of gardening as a release too. A kind of therapy.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
February 23, 2018
Emilia Morton is a mystery. She never leaves her house and lets her garden grow wild, except for the maze, which gardener Cape perfectly maintains. Even though Morton Hall is a private property Anne Marie often walks around the gardens. She's unhappily married and her husband and stepdaughters treat her with coldness and contempt. The garden is her sanctuary. When Emilia dies she leaves her home and the gardens to the community and she's selected a small group of people who are supposed to look after the house and its beautiful gardens. Anne Marie and Cape are part of this strange will and their shared love for the gardens of Morton Hall brings them closer together.
Cape's girlfriend isn't happy with her life. They have a beautiful girl together and Cape loves Poppy more than anything. His work is his passion and he's happy where he is, but his girlfriend would love to move to the other side of the world. This causes friction. Working on Emilia's legacy gives him a perfect chance to escape the oppressive atmosphere at home. Anne Marie feels the exact same way and they have more in common than just that. Will Emilia's plans bring the group of people she's chosen to take care of her house and gardens closer together? Will they find out more about both themselves and the enigmatic woman who never showed herself?
The Heart of the Garden is a beautiful romantic story. I was immediately captivated by Morton Hall and its history. It's an intriguing place filled with secrets, hidden gems and weird family history. Victoria Connelly alternates between the past, describing Emilia's younger years, and the present and I was equally fascinated by both parts of the story. Emilia is an interesting character and I was curious to find out why her life was so secluded. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out what happened to her.
Anne Marie is a kindhearted woman. She's taking care of people who will never do anything for her and reading about her life was heartbreaking. She deserves to be loved instead of being treated as a convenience. She loves Morton Hall and its gardens and there she truly feels at peace. It was interesting to see how forming friendship with the other people Emilia named in her will enriches her life and makes her come out of her shell. The same goes for Cape, even though Poppy is adorable and he's a great father, he's missing something at home and he finds happiness in the gardens. I really liked how each member of the group contributes something and enjoyed reading about all of them a lot.
Victoria Connelly has written a wonderful story. Her writing has a lovely easy flow that makes it hard to put The Heart of the Garden down. I read the book in one sitting and loved every single page. I'm a big fan of stories about old houses and the secrets behind them and gardens with mazes always fascinate me, so the setting instantly put a smile on my face. The Heart of the Garden is an amazing story filled with surprising twists and turns. I especially loved the sense of community, the heartwarming friendships and the healing powers of working together. Victoria Connelly has written a fantastic spellbinding book.
Cape's girlfriend isn't happy with her life. They have a beautiful girl together and Cape loves Poppy more than anything. His work is his passion and he's happy where he is, but his girlfriend would love to move to the other side of the world. This causes friction. Working on Emilia's legacy gives him a perfect chance to escape the oppressive atmosphere at home. Anne Marie feels the exact same way and they have more in common than just that. Will Emilia's plans bring the group of people she's chosen to take care of her house and gardens closer together? Will they find out more about both themselves and the enigmatic woman who never showed herself?
The Heart of the Garden is a beautiful romantic story. I was immediately captivated by Morton Hall and its history. It's an intriguing place filled with secrets, hidden gems and weird family history. Victoria Connelly alternates between the past, describing Emilia's younger years, and the present and I was equally fascinated by both parts of the story. Emilia is an interesting character and I was curious to find out why her life was so secluded. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out what happened to her.
Anne Marie is a kindhearted woman. She's taking care of people who will never do anything for her and reading about her life was heartbreaking. She deserves to be loved instead of being treated as a convenience. She loves Morton Hall and its gardens and there she truly feels at peace. It was interesting to see how forming friendship with the other people Emilia named in her will enriches her life and makes her come out of her shell. The same goes for Cape, even though Poppy is adorable and he's a great father, he's missing something at home and he finds happiness in the gardens. I really liked how each member of the group contributes something and enjoyed reading about all of them a lot.
Victoria Connelly has written a wonderful story. Her writing has a lovely easy flow that makes it hard to put The Heart of the Garden down. I read the book in one sitting and loved every single page. I'm a big fan of stories about old houses and the secrets behind them and gardens with mazes always fascinate me, so the setting instantly put a smile on my face. The Heart of the Garden is an amazing story filled with surprising twists and turns. I especially loved the sense of community, the heartwarming friendships and the healing powers of working together. Victoria Connelly has written a fantastic spellbinding book.
March 15, 2018
4.5 stars
I felt like I stepped out of a time machine when I finished this book. It's impossible for me to conceive that the main storyline takes place in the 21st century and the parallel story about Emilia Morton only dates back to 1980s. This is a wondeful old-timey book. I don't remember the last time I picked up a book written in the last decade that had zero references of pop-culture, television or social media. This book barely even had a radio - this feeling of having read something that felt like it belonged to another age and time was a very big part of the appeal for this book.
The second come the distinctive characterizations - there were a myriad of people in this book. We read three main PoVs. That of Anne-Marie struggling in a loveless, thankless family; Cape who is almost too good of a man with his vocation for gardening and love for his daughter Poppy (a delightful girl) and the enigmatic Emilia Morton in 1980s. Credit to the author for giving them unique voices, Cape although was a very kind man was the least convincing out of these three POVs in terms of how he sounded in the pages and Emilia's was at the other end of the spectrum. Her story genuinely made me feel uneasy and it was like a cold dread spread over me whenever her story took over. I felt for the life she lived and the life she lost making her a strong protagonist and her gesture to the community of Morton Hall makes you empathize with her and understand how well she knew people of her village despite having been trapped away in that big, old house for all these years. The less said about Tobias, the better.
I enjoyed the growing attraction and hesitation of Cape and Anne-Marie both coming from a difficult relationship. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for any of the private conversations between Patrick and Kathleen, they made me very happy - the curmudgeon meets his match :) Dorothy, Mac and Erin completed this strange circle of people who come together to renovate the gardens and home of Morton Hall for the community. The other characters were one-dimensional but served their purpose. This book gave me a good dose of garden-lust. I have never really had green fingers, this book emphasized the therapeutic joy of doing a hard day's work by getting your hands dirty. The twist was wonderful and it is about three quarters of the book before you are given a solid hints for the big reveal. Despite figuring it out a few chapters ahead, the moment still felt emotional.
Emilia and her melancholic spirit carries the depth of this book, you keep wishing you could re-read her story and hope things will turn out for the better, but alas..
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily. This was my first book of the author
I felt like I stepped out of a time machine when I finished this book. It's impossible for me to conceive that the main storyline takes place in the 21st century and the parallel story about Emilia Morton only dates back to 1980s. This is a wondeful old-timey book. I don't remember the last time I picked up a book written in the last decade that had zero references of pop-culture, television or social media. This book barely even had a radio - this feeling of having read something that felt like it belonged to another age and time was a very big part of the appeal for this book.
The second come the distinctive characterizations - there were a myriad of people in this book. We read three main PoVs. That of Anne-Marie struggling in a loveless, thankless family; Cape who is almost too good of a man with his vocation for gardening and love for his daughter Poppy (a delightful girl) and the enigmatic Emilia Morton in 1980s. Credit to the author for giving them unique voices, Cape although was a very kind man was the least convincing out of these three POVs in terms of how he sounded in the pages and Emilia's was at the other end of the spectrum. Her story genuinely made me feel uneasy and it was like a cold dread spread over me whenever her story took over. I felt for the life she lived and the life she lost making her a strong protagonist and her gesture to the community of Morton Hall makes you empathize with her and understand how well she knew people of her village despite having been trapped away in that big, old house for all these years. The less said about Tobias, the better.
I enjoyed the growing attraction and hesitation of Cape and Anne-Marie both coming from a difficult relationship. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for any of the private conversations between Patrick and Kathleen, they made me very happy - the curmudgeon meets his match :) Dorothy, Mac and Erin completed this strange circle of people who come together to renovate the gardens and home of Morton Hall for the community. The other characters were one-dimensional but served their purpose. This book gave me a good dose of garden-lust. I have never really had green fingers, this book emphasized the therapeutic joy of doing a hard day's work by getting your hands dirty. The twist was wonderful and it is about three quarters of the book before you are given a solid hints for the big reveal. Despite figuring it out a few chapters ahead, the moment still felt emotional.
Emilia and her melancholic spirit carries the depth of this book, you keep wishing you could re-read her story and hope things will turn out for the better, but alas..
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily. This was my first book of the author
February 21, 2018
It's hard to categorize this dual time line novel- except to say that it's a charming tale of love lost and found in a maze. Emilia's tale is in the 1980s. The story of Anne Marie, Cape, and Poppy is told in the present after they discover that they, among others, have inherited Morton Hall if they can work together for a year to restore the gardens. There's a maze! Love mazes, We don't have a lot of these in the US, nor do we have many great houses with large gardens. This was a very good read, with good characters who are all more than you think originally, a little mystery, and a positive vibe. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Two thumbs up.
February 19, 2018
3.5-4 stars
Heart of the Garden is a heartwarming read that’s got a little bit of everything in it: history, romance, mystery, self-discovery, friendship, and I could go on... One of the main focuses is a sense of community. I really loved how a hodgepodge group of people came together to create something beautiful to share. Several interesting characters and different time periods kept my interest and made for a fast read.
**Many thanks to Victoria Connelly, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishers for an arc to read and honestly review.**
Heart of the Garden is a heartwarming read that’s got a little bit of everything in it: history, romance, mystery, self-discovery, friendship, and I could go on... One of the main focuses is a sense of community. I really loved how a hodgepodge group of people came together to create something beautiful to share. Several interesting characters and different time periods kept my interest and made for a fast read.
**Many thanks to Victoria Connelly, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishers for an arc to read and honestly review.**
March 29, 2019
3.5 STARS
I found this book on a random deal email. I've never heard/read the author. It is a sweet story, and I adored all the characters. It is somewhat predictable, but it didn't deter from my enjoyment. I'd definitely read this author again.
I found this book on a random deal email. I've never heard/read the author. It is a sweet story, and I adored all the characters. It is somewhat predictable, but it didn't deter from my enjoyment. I'd definitely read this author again.
March 24, 2018
I am a member of the National Trust and have visited many wonderful gardens and Stately homes over the years. This book had me thinking of all the hard work that has been put into preserving those wonderful gardens and their Stately homes.
I really enjoyed this story and loved the Characters. Even Tobias, the bully of a brother. It's the first time that i have read any books by this author and would love to read more. I do highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review.
The review can been seen on Goodreads and Amazon.
I really enjoyed this story and loved the Characters. Even Tobias, the bully of a brother. It's the first time that i have read any books by this author and would love to read more. I do highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review.
The review can been seen on Goodreads and Amazon.
March 16, 2018
While I didn't fall in love with this story, the premise kept my interest the entire time. Why would a reclusive woman leave her opulent family home and it's immense collection of valuables and art to several people in the village, with whom she seemingly had no interest in? These character have no idea why, and it appears to be nearly impossible that the group will work together. However, under the watchful eye of the housekeeper, and with the current gardener's guidance, they begin to clear away the debris and overgrowth from both the grounds and their own lives.
One thing that bugged me while reading was the the leads were both already involved with other people. The romantic in me doesn't want any current entanglements to get in the way of a happily ever after, plus, the characters sort of skirted the line with what was appropriate in my opinion, since one of them was married. One of them even acknowledged that they were in dangerous territory, yet that didn't keep him from kissing her later. It didn't matter that she had left her husband, they were technically still married, so that just bugged me. I don't really care for anything that hints at infidelity, and it was more than a hint of it, in my opinion. The characters were otherwise lovely and compelling to read about, so that was a bit of a bummer for me.
The writing itself is has a great flow, and the secondary characters are so endearing! I loved the friendships that developed as they worked on the garden. My favorite aspect was watching things change between a father and his two sons, as well as watching the progression of a friendship between a widow and a young woman fresh out of college. I enjoyed the details of gardening and how their work in the garden paralleled what was taking place in their lives. The mystery surrounding the house itself and the family kept me intrigued as well. I'm still iffy about the big reveal at the end; it felt a bit convenient. Other than that, the plot flows smoothly.
I'm definitely going to look into more of this author's work. I think I would enjoy another book that has a different romantic thread because other than that, I really did enjoy this story.
I won a Kindle copy of this novel from Goodreads. This review is my honest opinion.
One thing that bugged me while reading was the the leads were both already involved with other people. The romantic in me doesn't want any current entanglements to get in the way of a happily ever after, plus, the characters sort of skirted the line with what was appropriate in my opinion, since one of them was married. One of them even acknowledged that they were in dangerous territory, yet that didn't keep him from kissing her later. It didn't matter that she had left her husband, they were technically still married, so that just bugged me. I don't really care for anything that hints at infidelity, and it was more than a hint of it, in my opinion. The characters were otherwise lovely and compelling to read about, so that was a bit of a bummer for me.
The writing itself is has a great flow, and the secondary characters are so endearing! I loved the friendships that developed as they worked on the garden. My favorite aspect was watching things change between a father and his two sons, as well as watching the progression of a friendship between a widow and a young woman fresh out of college. I enjoyed the details of gardening and how their work in the garden paralleled what was taking place in their lives. The mystery surrounding the house itself and the family kept me intrigued as well. I'm still iffy about the big reveal at the end; it felt a bit convenient. Other than that, the plot flows smoothly.
I'm definitely going to look into more of this author's work. I think I would enjoy another book that has a different romantic thread because other than that, I really did enjoy this story.
I won a Kindle copy of this novel from Goodreads. This review is my honest opinion.
November 13, 2018
The Heart of the Garden was written by Victoria Connelly. This book is about a house and garden in England whose owner has died and she was the last in line of the owners of the house. She has to decide what to do with the old house and the many valuable furnishings in the house. Her solution is quite unique. She chooses seven people from the village to work on bringing the gardens back to their previous splendor. These seven people have no connection with each other nor it seems with the owner; however, they bring their own unique qualities to the gardens to bring them back. They have a year to do this and then the house and gardens belong to the village. There are, however, several twists.
This is a very good book and one that needs to be read by everyone who loves a good book. There is nothing graphic about the book nor anything objectionable. It is simply a wonderful reading experience.
This is a very good book and one that needs to be read by everyone who loves a good book. There is nothing graphic about the book nor anything objectionable. It is simply a wonderful reading experience.
March 29, 2019
I listened to this book because it was a free listen with my kindle unlimited subscription. I do love stories about old houses with gardens and that part of the story was somewhat satisfying. I liked how the house and garden were given to the community and enjoyed seeing how the people came together to restore it. But there were too many other things that were just too weird for me to love the story. I struggled with the main character and several of the relationships in the book were just plain creepy. The last third of the book and the resolution was awkward and rubbed me a little wrong. I did enjoy the narration of the audio book which helped me round up my 2.5 rating.
November 10, 2018
This is not my usual genre of book to read but it was in my RNA list of books to be judged. So glad it was as this was a real gem of a book. Loved the setting and the main characters and how the relationships developed through the story. Bit of history thrown in with the old old house and its previous residents. Liked how both storylines met up at the end of the book. Will definately be reading more by this author.
February 18, 2018
Mazes have always fascinated me. When the owner of the remarkable garden dies her will sets everything in motion and the town on it's heels. I also love a multi-generation novel This was a great book, that I would highly recommend to others.
#arcNetGalley
#arcNetGalley
April 14, 2018
Just loved this book.what a brilliant story not the usual style of this author a little more dark and gritty...which I enjoyed....The characters were very believable and it did not take long to engage with them.Totally recommend this intriguing story.
October 13, 2018
What a creative, intriguing story combining a disturbing mystery of the past with the dysfunctional lives of the present in the middle of a beautiful English garden.
July 20, 2022
Odd, but enjoyable. More women's fiction than romance as I'd hoped.
September 29, 2018
A quick and easy read in a genre that I don’t usually read. Overall the plot was fine but a bit frustrating, with too many loose ends left.
June 18, 2018
I enjoyed reading the book, but... it did have some unfinished parts,though. Whatever happened to Jay? What exactly was Tobias' part in his disappearance? Was Jay buried in the garden, and that's why Emilia left it to ruin and refused to let any gardeners back there? Why didn't Emilia ever contact the police when she discovered her baby was missing? The year was 1984, not exactly the middle ages! Why did she just blindly and meekly accept that her baby was "gone" and not try to pursue her own child? If she was so unhappy in the house, why not sell it and leave? Why did she keep newspaper clippings of the villagers' lives? (a little creepy!) Why was Grant suddenly at Anne Marie's mother's house at the end of the story, when previously he did not seem to care much that she had left him? So many unanswered questions! It did keep my interest though, just felt like some loose ends should have been tied up or explained better.
March 26, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.
Take a bit of mystery, a bit of romance and a bit of old Gothic story telling. Swirl them all together and you get “The Heart of the Garden’. In some ways the story reminds me of the old book, ‘The Secret Garden’.
When the last member of the Morton family dies, the old family estate, along with a magnificent art collection and a once beautiful garden, are left to the town. According to the will, Emelia Morton has selected seven people to bring her house back to the grand estate it once was. The seven have no idea how they were selected. They do not know each other, but it is assumed that each one will have a skillset that will help the project move forward. First, however, they have to learn to ‘play nice’ with each other.
Two members of the group, Cape and Anne Marie have a tie to the gardens. Cape was the gardener hired to maintain parts of the gardens while Anne Marie often found herself sneaking into the garden to find solace as she escaped her unhappy marriage.
Slowly the beauty of the garden is revealed as weeds are pulled and old paths uncovered. And the seven members of the team form friendships as they toil side by side. As the garden begins to flourish, so do the lives of those tasked with bringing the gardens back to life. As the magic of the garden takes hold, so does the mystery of the previous owners of Morton Hall. What secrets did the walls of the old Hall hide? And why were they selected? Answers will be revealed and lives will be healed as the garden works its magic on those within its walls.
Take a bit of mystery, a bit of romance and a bit of old Gothic story telling. Swirl them all together and you get “The Heart of the Garden’. In some ways the story reminds me of the old book, ‘The Secret Garden’.
When the last member of the Morton family dies, the old family estate, along with a magnificent art collection and a once beautiful garden, are left to the town. According to the will, Emelia Morton has selected seven people to bring her house back to the grand estate it once was. The seven have no idea how they were selected. They do not know each other, but it is assumed that each one will have a skillset that will help the project move forward. First, however, they have to learn to ‘play nice’ with each other.
Two members of the group, Cape and Anne Marie have a tie to the gardens. Cape was the gardener hired to maintain parts of the gardens while Anne Marie often found herself sneaking into the garden to find solace as she escaped her unhappy marriage.
Slowly the beauty of the garden is revealed as weeds are pulled and old paths uncovered. And the seven members of the team form friendships as they toil side by side. As the garden begins to flourish, so do the lives of those tasked with bringing the gardens back to life. As the magic of the garden takes hold, so does the mystery of the previous owners of Morton Hall. What secrets did the walls of the old Hall hide? And why were they selected? Answers will be revealed and lives will be healed as the garden works its magic on those within its walls.
March 27, 2021
I guess I am once again the one who didn't like this book...
Honestly I was quite disappointed..I expected so much more..
The story itself wasn't gripping at all - and there was no real drama/ excitement/ magic in there.
So this group inherits the garden and brings it back to life. We learn a lot about tending or digging or restoring flower beds... how exciting.
When they found the Violin I thought "ahh now it's starting".. but no.. this was it...
The characters were all flat, bloodless. I couldn't understand the stoic acceptance of Anne Marie, I even found Cape quite egoistic, too. Yes, I can understand that he wants to stay in his valley but he never even tries to understand or talk with Renee... and then he is miffed that she did "it"...
And honestly - the relation between Tobias and Emily just gave me the creeps!!
This was more than weird and again - I couldn't understand Emily's devotedness/loyalty ...
What annoyed me as well was the habit of ending a chapter with a revelation and then the next chapter goes on "a few weeks" or even months later? No details how the person coped with it at THE moment... like the author wasn't sure how they would do it and chose to skip it...
And the end.. so many questions.. what happened to J.A.???? Why didn't Anne Marie ever found out why her mother behaved like this? we just know she doesn't want to talk about it. Easy way out!
This was so strange that I even read the end again because I thought I might have missed something when I finished the book later in the evening...
So sorry, this wasn't good.
Honestly I was quite disappointed..I expected so much more..
The story itself wasn't gripping at all - and there was no real drama/ excitement/ magic in there.
So this group inherits the garden and brings it back to life. We learn a lot about tending or digging or restoring flower beds... how exciting.
When they found the Violin I thought "ahh now it's starting".. but no.. this was it...
The characters were all flat, bloodless. I couldn't understand the stoic acceptance of Anne Marie, I even found Cape quite egoistic, too. Yes, I can understand that he wants to stay in his valley but he never even tries to understand or talk with Renee... and then he is miffed that she did "it"...
And honestly - the relation between Tobias and Emily just gave me the creeps!!
This was more than weird and again - I couldn't understand Emily's devotedness/loyalty ...
What annoyed me as well was the habit of ending a chapter with a revelation and then the next chapter goes on "a few weeks" or even months later? No details how the person coped with it at THE moment... like the author wasn't sure how they would do it and chose to skip it...
And the end.. so many questions.. what happened to J.A.???? Why didn't Anne Marie ever found out why her mother behaved like this? we just know she doesn't want to talk about it. Easy way out!
This was so strange that I even read the end again because I thought I might have missed something when I finished the book later in the evening...
So sorry, this wasn't good.
February 17, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley which in no way affects my review.
This book is nowhere close to what I typically read and yet I really enjoyed it. By the last few chapters I was already hoping for the author to write a sequel. There are several mysteries and romances and a grand British garden. The book takes place in two times: the 1980's and the present day. In the 1980's Emilia and her brother Tobias are the last remaining Mortons living in an English manor house. Tobias is strange and brooding and wants no friends but Emilia. Emilia loves her brother but yearns for a life of her own.
In the present day a group of very different people inherit the old Morton place on the condition they work together to restore the gardens. From the beginning it's obvious why some people were chosen but the others question not only the inheritance but the very project itself. They are all a bit flawed and from different walks of life, however, the author manages to draw them together to form a sweet sort of family.
This book is nowhere close to what I typically read and yet I really enjoyed it. By the last few chapters I was already hoping for the author to write a sequel. There are several mysteries and romances and a grand British garden. The book takes place in two times: the 1980's and the present day. In the 1980's Emilia and her brother Tobias are the last remaining Mortons living in an English manor house. Tobias is strange and brooding and wants no friends but Emilia. Emilia loves her brother but yearns for a life of her own.
In the present day a group of very different people inherit the old Morton place on the condition they work together to restore the gardens. From the beginning it's obvious why some people were chosen but the others question not only the inheritance but the very project itself. They are all a bit flawed and from different walks of life, however, the author manages to draw them together to form a sweet sort of family.
July 20, 2018
What a fascinating read. Told in two threads, one from the mid nineteen eighties, one from the present time, both centred around the house and, of course, the garden in the title. Emilia's thread, the earlier one, made me want to weep in places.
So good, though, to see how her decision about what to do with the house and garden worked out for the current day thread.
I saw someone comment that this book was strangely without modern references in the current day thread - I would just point out that this is not true; one thread concerns a father finding it difficult to get two young boys away from their electronic devices, someone jokes about uploading lots of photos to Instagram, and another character desperately searches every social media platform he can think of, and leaves messages on them all alongside e-mails, whilst trying to find someone who has more or less disappeared.
Towards the very end, I find myself wondering if someone might not want to utilise the internet to track down someone from the nineteen eighties thread after the book finishes.
So good, though, to see how her decision about what to do with the house and garden worked out for the current day thread.
I saw someone comment that this book was strangely without modern references in the current day thread - I would just point out that this is not true; one thread concerns a father finding it difficult to get two young boys away from their electronic devices, someone jokes about uploading lots of photos to Instagram, and another character desperately searches every social media platform he can think of, and leaves messages on them all alongside e-mails, whilst trying to find someone who has more or less disappeared.
Towards the very end, I find myself wondering if someone might not want to utilise the internet to track down someone from the nineteen eighties thread after the book finishes.
August 14, 2018
Although the mystery in this book didn’t show only at the beginning and the far end, I found this a heartwarming story. It might be a bit dull reading about a bunch of people getting together doing gardening but the overall feeling it gives you is delightful. The book did give me a few Whoa moments, which made it all the more worth it.
It talks about a lonely woman whose the sole heir of a huge estate and the money that comes with it. She doesn’t know what to do with it so she hand picks a few people to leave it to to enhance it and then leave it to community. Why she chose these people specifically, pages turn and you find out why. The book spots a light on loneliness and how it affects a person mentally and physically! The sick relationship Tobias, the woman’s brother had with her, how he was possessive and all that makes one wonder how the human mind might be twisted when not being socially active.
3.5 stars for this one. Greatly narrated.
It talks about a lonely woman whose the sole heir of a huge estate and the money that comes with it. She doesn’t know what to do with it so she hand picks a few people to leave it to to enhance it and then leave it to community. Why she chose these people specifically, pages turn and you find out why. The book spots a light on loneliness and how it affects a person mentally and physically! The sick relationship Tobias, the woman’s brother had with her, how he was possessive and all that makes one wonder how the human mind might be twisted when not being socially active.
3.5 stars for this one. Greatly narrated.
February 26, 2018
I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I wanted to give this book 4 stars. The plot is intriguing, moves quickly, and you're never quite sure where it's going next. I enjoyed the flashback chapters with Emilia and would have happily read more of them. I was more invested in that part of the story than the "lost souls" chapters. Overall, I enjoyed the book but felt there were too many elements introduced then dropped completely for a happy ending. Some of the threads that were dropped that bothered me:
I wanted to give this book 4 stars. The plot is intriguing, moves quickly, and you're never quite sure where it's going next. I enjoyed the flashback chapters with Emilia and would have happily read more of them. I was more invested in that part of the story than the "lost souls" chapters. Overall, I enjoyed the book but felt there were too many elements introduced then dropped completely for a happy ending. Some of the threads that were dropped that bothered me:
February 25, 2018
A Garden Holiday
What a treat to find a brand new book from Victoria Connelly! As usual I enjoyed every moment in her soothing and oh, so English world. Her books satisfy my lifelong love of garden journals and of novels based on English village life.
This book brings a group of people together to reclaim an overgrown garden. As the garden comes back to life the workers become friends and grapple with their problems. By the end of the book the garden is bursting with life, the problems have been faced and conquered, and the mystery behind the project has been revealed. I hope there are villages that resonate at this frequency, and I'm glad there are books like this that let me reside in them for a little while.
What a treat to find a brand new book from Victoria Connelly! As usual I enjoyed every moment in her soothing and oh, so English world. Her books satisfy my lifelong love of garden journals and of novels based on English village life.
This book brings a group of people together to reclaim an overgrown garden. As the garden comes back to life the workers become friends and grapple with their problems. By the end of the book the garden is bursting with life, the problems have been faced and conquered, and the mystery behind the project has been revealed. I hope there are villages that resonate at this frequency, and I'm glad there are books like this that let me reside in them for a little while.
May 18, 2019
I enjoyed this book but at the beginning I did not expect to. As I was reading about Emilia and her brother Tobias and his possessive behaviour towards her I had a fear that this was going to turn into an incestuous relationship but thankfully that did not happen. However Tobias certainly managed to ruin Emilia's life and it is not until you get well into the book that you find out Ann-Marie's relevance to the story although there is a big hint earlier on.
I quite liked Ann-Marie and was certainly pleased she dumped that useless husband earlier rather than later and I wanted those selfish stepdaughters to get their comeuppance, nasty little madams.
At the end of the book I did feel that there was more of the story to be told.
I quite liked Ann-Marie and was certainly pleased she dumped that useless husband earlier rather than later and I wanted those selfish stepdaughters to get their comeuppance, nasty little madams.
At the end of the book I did feel that there was more of the story to be told.
February 10, 2025
This was an okay book that had everything there for a great book but faltered a bit. I loved how the flashback to the past was only the 1980s; it was so refreshing for this type of book. However, it had way too much of Cape and not enough of Anne Marie. It wrapped up the ending, which was so important way too fast. It really should have given more first hand narrative of Emilia after the "twist" part, it gave her so much time before it, but nothing after which was a shame to her character. It really should have said what happened to Jay. Also, it was unrealistic that Emilia would have just accepted what happened to her. I know she was being heavily emotionally abused, but I don't see how Mrs Beatty didn't help her at the end.
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