The Secrets of Ivy Garden

by Catherine Ferguson

The ebook bestseller is back with her next hilarious read – a fun, fresh tale of love, friendship and family secrets…

When Holly breaks up with her boyfriend Dean, she’s at a loss as to what to do next. But things go from bad to worse when her beloved grandmother Ivy dies – and Holly is left in charge of sorting out Ivy’s house and garden. As she sorts through her grandmother’s belongings and makes her way through the wilderness outside, Holly soon finds that there is more to Ivy than meets the eye, and uncovers a surprising family secret that changes everything…

This is a heart-warming and hilarious story from Catherine Ferguson about starting over, learning to garden and most of all learning to love.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, British Literature, Ebooks, Family

352 pages, Paperback

Published June 29, 2017

Reviews

[Liina · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Holly's grandmother dies, she has to go to Appleton to sort the cottage out and then she wants to put it up on sale. When she is going through her grandmother Ivy's things, she finds her diary, which tells her things she didn't know about, but can really affect her life. Holly is trying to solve the mystery that surrounds the diary and also take care of Ivy's garden that was very important to her grandmother. Holly didn't intend to stay in Appleton for a long time,but unexpected events kept her there longer. While taking care of everything, Holly gets closer with locals and also meets two guys, who'll have very different yet important part in her life. Will Holly solve the mystery and find the right guy for her?

It was my first book by the author and I really enjoyed it. I found all the characters likeable and realistic and the mystery was very well written, I didn't have a clue until the very end. It's a great book to read during spring/summer time.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely heart warming and sweet story The Secrets of Ivy Garden is, Set in a charming location of Appleton, in the Cotswolds, it tells the story of Holly who is determined to put her beloved grandmother's cottage up for sale, and then discovers Ivy's diary.

Within the diary it gives a secret and mystery that Holly is determined to solve, added to her new day to day existence of trying to renovate part of the cottage, and put Ivy's "secret" garden back into order.

While doing all of this, you need to bare in mind that Holly has a fear of the countryside, which does get explained, and I think she surprises herself by how many friends she makes in the village. From the Rushbrooke family - Prue, the mother who never goes into the village and wants to hire Holly as a gardener, Jack the older son, who is trying to be a rock for his family and Layla the teenager who seems misunderstood by her family but makes a firm friend in Holly.

Then there is Connie in the deli shop and the man who tries to teach Holly not only about meditation but also about a whole different way of life, all of which help enrich Holly's time in Appleton.

While Holly is in Appleton she learns a lot about herself and also proves what a lovely friendly person she really is. There are a couple of potential love interests, and I was kept guessing until the final pages as to whether the pairing I wanted, would ever be made!

I found The Secrets of Ivy Garden to be a very pleasant read, nice and easy to get into and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters . It was a story I finished with a smile and a whole host of good feelings.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book it has got to be one of my favourites.

The characters are all lovable, so friendly and so easy to get to know.

Holly is the main character, she embarks on a journey to sort and tidy her grannys house and garden. Whilst doing this Holly comes across Ivys diary which reveals a lot of secrets Holly wasnt aware of.

The mystery of whats in the diary kept me gripped to the end, I couldn't wait to find out the truth.

This book is really light and easy to read.

[Fabulous Book Fiend · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is my first foray into the world of Catherine Ferguson's books and this novel was sweet and an enjoyable read so I am glad that I picked it up! We get to meet Holly who seems to be a little overwhelmed with the world. She is still mourning he loss of her grandmother and doesn't really want to leave the life she has built for herself in Manchester but she is duty bound to return to the Cotswolds and finish what her grandmother started. I could totally sympathise with Holly, we all know what it is like to be forced out of our won little bubble.

There are a host of supporting characters who literally support Holly on her journey, she meets some interesting people in the little village that she lived in with her grandmother when she was younger. I loved the relationship she built up with Jack and his sister Layla. I loved seeing Layla develop, alongside Holly, as the book progressed. Holly also meets Connie who is a great ally to her and means more to her than Holly actually realises.

Of course there is the mystery that is alluded to in the title of this novel. Holly finds a diary that belonged to her grandmother and the mystery unravels from thee. I found that I wasn't as interested in this aspect of the storyline, not being as interested in mystery novels as other genres, but what I did enjoy about the storyline was the amount I learned about gardening the the restoration of houses. I saw one reviewer describe this book as a relaxing read and I really did find a sense of calm whilst joining Holly in the countryside and watching her grow and learn.

[Claire mcmanus · Rating 5 out of 5]

stayed up till half two as couldnt put it down wow brillant want to read it again

[Charmaine Saliba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Secret of Ivy Garden, it is a fast-paced and heart-warming novel, I genuinely cared for all the main characters and when they were going through a hard time, I wanted to hug them tied and telling them that everything will be alright. I also enjoyed the author’s writing and the way she described the garden made me feel like I was there. I don’t have a green finger ( I don’t know why I always kill every plant I had) but it made me think to start gardening which might be a really bad idea based on my record (poor plants), Seriously, I really enjoyed every moment of it and I couldn’t put it down,
Holly is devasted by her grandmother’s death. She is living on autopilot trying hard not to let the grieve overcome her. But she must tackle her responsibilities and go back to Moonbeam cottage and settle her grandmother’s affair, but she is dreading going back in the country. She is terrified that going back there will trigger her already fragile security. Would she be able to face her fears and find some sort of peace of mind?

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid read. A bit disappointing, because I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Catherine's debut novel, but it kept me reading nonetheless.

The characters were cute, the plot was fine, if a tad repetitive - have you noticed how Chick Lit books seem to release the same plot again and again? About gardening, cooking, baking, they all come at the same time! So you're reading a glut of books all about fixing a broken garden, or someone trying to open a bakery etc.

[Sally Daffarn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable book. She meanders one way then another through town and country picking up friends and answers along the way.

[Justkeepreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are no words to describe how much I simply loved this book. If you are a chicklit/ romance fan then you really do need to read this book as you will simply love it.

It is so lovely to read a book that you connect with from the very first page and you spend read it. A happy smile and a few tears as you read the book. For me this is what makes a great book. I have been struggling since reading this book to find the next book to simply sink my teeth into. As others simply aren't living up to the high standards set by this book.

When Holly breaks up with her boyfriend she is at a loss as to what to do. But then things get worse because her grandmother Ivy dies. Ivy was the only family Holly had as her parents died when she was younger, so Ivy was more like holly's mum then her grandmother. Holly is left with sorting out Ivy's house and garden. Which is more of a communal garden as it is opposite Ivy's house. Everyone loved Ivy and her garden and have named the garden after her. But te garden has been left to go to disarray and Holly is determined to sort it all out and make a wildflower garden their in honour of Ivy something Ivy had always wanted to do but never got round too. With the help of a local troubled teen and two local heartthrobs Holly sets about perfecting the perfect garden in memory of Ivy.

While clearing out Ivy's house Holly also stumbles across some letters and a diary which opens the door way to secrets being revealed and Holly gets to know Ivy better then she did when she was alive.

This is a heartwarming and romantic book and I absolutely adored it. I simply loved getting to know Ivy more and it is testament to Catherine's writing skills that she brought Ivy to life through memories and letters/diary in a wonderful way. I felt like I knew Ivy without her needing to be a prominent character.

This really is a wonderful book. I hope you all enjoy it as much as me. As always happy reading and let me know what you thought of the book.

[Denise Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the mood for something light and this story fit the bill.

Holly has inherited "Moonbeam Cottage" from her grandmother, Ivy who raised her after her parents were killed in an auto accident when Holly was four. Holly isn't eager to return to the Cotswolds to settle her grandmother's estate, but knows she must. She plans to sell the cottage as she is a "city girl" and Moonbeam Cottage is in a small village.

Her trip there is a disaster. First she runs into a drunk dressed as a nun, staining her coat with mud and missing the last bus to the village. She decides to take a cab and, once there, realizes she does not enough cash to pay the driver. They find an ATM, but it's not working. A handsome stranger comes to Holly's rescue.

Finally reaching the Cottage, Holly finds the roof has leaked and the damage extends from the upstairs bathroom to the living room. Worse, the garden her grandmother had tended across the road--known as "Ivy Garden"--has been neglected and recent storms have done significant damage. Holly realizes her stay will be longer than she anticipated.

And we get to meet the characters of the village. Henrietta, who is part of the "Neighborhood Watch" committee; Jack, who spends four hours a day commuting to London to earn enough money to repair his manor, Rushbrooke House; Layla, the goth girl who works at the plant center; Connie, who minds the bakery/deli her grandfather built; Sylvian, the "poet-in-residence" and yoga instructor. All the villagers knew Ivy and loved her. They are also excited that Holly is restoring "Ivy's Garden."

While going through Ivy's personal items, Holly discovers a secret about Ivy. (The way she discovers it is a little bit hokey, but never mind...) With the help of Layla, Holly begins to search for answers. Along the way, Holly begins to appreciate the villagers she is coming to know as well as facing to the issues affecting her life.

I read this in one day--it was a great brain break!

[Mel Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice story. Although a little sad at times with reference to the death of Holly’s parent followed by the death of her grand mother Ivy.

Holly, totally alone in the world and deciding to fix up and sell up her grandmothers cottage doesn’t have it easy when she finds that the cottage had flooded and garden which was much loved by her grandmother has been destroyed by recent storms doesn’t let these set backs phase her and gets stuck in wholeheartedly. Following the discovery of her grandmothers diary and the revelation that the man she had always thought was her grandfather discovers that Ivy actually had a secret lover who was in fact her mothers biological father. This sets Holly on a path to discover who the mysterious B is.

Assisted by a friend she begins her search one person at a time. She makes friends with local shop owners daughter who soon discovers Holly grave fear of the wide open countryside which is a natural reaction to the circumstances surrounding her parents death.

Following the first unconventional meeting between Holly and Ben there are feelings that they both share but as with all great love stories this takes time for it to become apparent to each other.

This story has a lovely happy ending where Holly finds that she is no longer alone in the world but she in fact has a whole family that she didn’t know anything about before going to Appleton and with her new relationship with Ben just getting started she has found that the countryside is no longer something to be feared but I may well be a place to call home.

To sum up I would rate this book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly interesting read - a little more anguished romance than I have patience for, but the protagonist Holly was a caring person under all her angst and embarrassment. She's inherited a cottage from her grandmother Ivy, who was pretty much her mother after her parents were killed. Now she is trying to bring Ivy's garden back to life, as well as working on the house. She meets a handsome local farmer with an obnoxious mother and a teenage daughter Layla, as well as other folk who live in the village. She gets involved somewhat with a couple other men that don't work out. All the while she is telling herself she will go back to her previous life and friends in Manchester, after she gets the house ready to sell; plus the fact that she has anxiety attacks when out in the open country. When she finds Ivy's diary, it is an eye-opener - apparently her real grandfather was not Ivy's husband. So she and Layla set out to try to discover who the mysterious "Bee" from the diary is, although Layla is a little more proactive than Holly would sometimes wish. The book takes a little getting into, but eventually it takes off, and gets harder and harder to put down.

Once again, this is not the Kindle Edition, as GR keeps stating - it is a Nook book! The ownership section doesn't give a place to put the ISBN on so many of these.

[Nicole Hughes-Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really nice read.

The book follows a lady called Holly who had a special relationship with her Grandma. When her Grandma passes away, Holly's life completely changes and the book follows this transition in Holly's life. There is mystery, romance, some gardening, and blossoming friendships. There is even a couple of laughs. So an all round enjoyable read.

I think that Holly is instantly likable and the book is very easy to get into. I liked the village in which the story is set and thought it was really well described, and all the characters were distinctive and memorable. I was not able to guess the person (I won't say any more to avoid any spoilers!!).

Unfortunately there are a few minor errors which were rather disappointing in an otherwise fabulously written novel. I thought the general prose was good, the pace was enjoyable, the length was perfect...all in all a difficult book to fault. I would recommend to anyone looking for a warm story, to all the ladies, mothers, grandmothers and young ladies out there.

A very solid 4 out of 5.

[Karen Mace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version.

I was looking forward to this book with the blurb, but it somehow fell a little flat for me and I can't put my finger on why! There wasn't much horticulture as I would have loved to have heard how Holly might have brought the garden of Ivy back to life but it seemed to focus more on the mystery of the diary she found and helping the local girl, Layla, come to terms with the angst of growing up and mending bridges with her own family - which was a sweet storyline.

The character of Holly was well written and you really felt her pain at losing her beloved grandmother. As she spends time back in the old village she is faced with heartache from the past which she struggles to deal with, as well as coming to rely on a few characters who seem to be genuine people with her best interests at heart.

An enjoyable listen but just went on a little too long for me!

[Debra Hofland · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely story, a good book, one that I wanted to keep going. I LOVED the multiple layers of meaning . . . the title: The SECRETS of Ivy Garden, having to do with the SECRETS that were shared in that spot. The Secrets of IVY Garden, having to do with the grandmother's secrets. And then the secrets that were shared by the garden itself (all the comings and goings), that the garden itself witnessed over the years. Here's a quote I jotted in my book club journal: "If you long for a mind at rest and a heart that cannot harden, go find a gate that opens wide into a secret garden." Parts of this book reminded me of the community created by Jan Karon in the Mitford series, sweet characters, charming personalities, witty nonsense, and a sense of community and caring. Not a book I'd've checked out on my own, so that's the good thing about book clubs, you read a book you'd've ordinarily passed by!

[Christine Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the only reason it lost a star was poor copy editing in a few places. A lovely story about a young woman who was orphaned as a child and cared for by her grandmother. When her grandmother dies she goes back to the Cotswolds to sell her childhood home, Moonbeam Cottage. She has a morbid fear of open countryside so she wants to get back to her life in Manchester as soon as she can.

Of course nothing goes according to plan so Holly stays for longer, makes some good friends, has some interesting times and finds the love of her life...

There's a little surprise for Holly, which is part of the reason she remains for longer than she intended. I don't want to spoil the story for you so that's all I'll say about that. The characters and locations are well drawn and easy to picture. I'd definitely read more by this author.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ebook has been in my Nook library since 2018 when I downloaded it for free. I could store it on the SD card in my Nook so that I may read it while on vacation without access to WIFI.
This book is entertaining, and it is full of interesting characters .
I recommend it to any reader who is looking for a mystery a character might uncover as she prepares her Grandmother's house to sell and her grandmother is no longer alive to answer questions.

[Judy Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light reading about a woman trying to figure out who she is while cleaning out her grandmother's home and while tending a garden her grandmother created. She discovers that her grandmother has a secret and sets about figuring it out. She befriends a 17-year old who is undergoing teenaged discoveries herself.

A fast escapist read. Kind of fun. A bit unrealistic in how relationships are established, but fun anyhow.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure delight!

This lovely story with all its ups and downs and amazing characters is just a delight to read.Catherine Ferguson paints a scene of ultra savey city girl put into the country where she just does not want to be!
Through twists and turns and country charm it all works out in the end. I loved it and I am sure YOU will too.........just read it!

[Tricia Brinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t even remember how I came across the book - Boob Bub special, probably. It was just a very sweet story of Holly, who has come to clear out her beloved grandmother’s cottage after she has passed. In the process, she deals with her grief, overcomes fears, learns new things, finds love and finds a family.

[Sarah Baines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god this is an absolutely fantastic read. Beautifully touching. This is the first book by Catherine Ferguson I've read, but if the rest are anything like this, it most certainly won't be the last. I bought this book on a whim and I'm so glad I did.

[Toast · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy read which was asked to do too much for its form really. Keep it lighter I suggest otherwise it was a bit like waddling through mud sadly. All the right intentions but to heavy for this genre, shame.
Toast

[Steve Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery, intrigue and romance what could be better

From modern London to memories in the country, new experiences and opportunities abound. A look at many layers of coming to grips with past and moving on to a better future with comedy smoothing the passage.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read. I really thought that the unexpected happenings were well done! Holly's story was moving; as was Layla's. The characters were real and carried the plot off very well.
Thank-you!

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming book about Holly, or Polly as Prue likes to call her, who travels to the countryside to tend to her sweet grandmother Ivy's cottage after Ivy's death. Holly discovers Ivy's diary and works to decipher what secrets her grandmother had kept all these years.

[Chaz Thompson-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming

I loved this easy reading, heartwarming, escape from reality and really didn't want it to come to an end. All of the characters were relatable and above all else, likeable whilst Catherine's style of writing grabs you from the first page.

[Sahvanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the ending of this book, it's a super simple and easy book to read.
It even gave me a couple of tears at the end. What's really nice about this book is that they're real locations in England, felt quite personal and surreal :)

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book, well written with a sweet story...

Holly is brought up by her Grandmother, Ivy, when she dies Holly goes home to clear the house to sell it. There's also the matter of the garden, the piece of ground across the road which no one seems to own, which Ivy has cultivated into a haven of colour every season.

While Holly is there she makes friends with the owner of the local deli/cafe and also with the teenager who helps her keep the garden going.

The story sees characters grow and develop, love interests appear abd there's humour too.

A lovely little read.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the writing. I couldn’t give it more stars because Holly was so annoying. She started out seeming very independent but went too wimpy in the country. Why is it so hard for people to realize that sharing a burden makes it lighter.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read with characters that all had different issues from struggling to cope with bereavement to dyslexia. The individual stories kept it interesting and were interweaved well with a satisfactory ending for all.