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The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2023)🎧Run Time = 12 hours and 25 minutes
When a woman stumbles across a mysterious children’s book, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed in this “transporting, heartfelt, and atmospheric” (Christina Baker Klein, #1 New York Times bestselling author) novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis.
1939: Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora evacuate their London home for a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the Aberdeen family in a charming stone cottage, Hazel distracts her young sister with a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own: Whisperwood.
But the unthinkable happens when Flora suddenly vanishes after playing near the banks of the River Thames. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, carrying the guilt into adulthood.
Twenty years later, Hazel is back in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore for a career at Sotheby’s. With a cherished boyfriend and an upcoming Paris getaway, Hazel’s future seems set. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing a picture book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the storybook world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years? Or is something sinister at play?
For fans of Kate Morton, Janet Skeslien Charles, and Kristin Hannah, this is a “fantastical” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) celebration of sisterhood and the magic of storytelling wrapped up in a “heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author).
A New York Times bestseller hailed as “transporting, heartfelt, and atmospheric” (Christina Baker Kline): In 1939, Hazel and her little sister Flora are evacuated to the English countryside — but Flora soon vanishes. Twenty years later, Hazel receives a mysterious book that details the imaginary world she invented just for Flora… An enchanting Goodreads Choice Award nominee read by a Tony Award–winning actor!
When a woman stumbles across a mysterious children’s book, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed in this “transporting, heartfelt, and atmospheric” (Christina Baker Klein, #1 New York Times bestselling author) novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis.
1939: Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora evacuate their London home for a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the Aberdeen family in a charming stone cottage, Hazel distracts her young sister with a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own: Whisperwood.
But the unthinkable happens when Flora suddenly vanishes after playing near the banks of the River Thames. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, carrying the guilt into adulthood.
Twenty years later, Hazel is back in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore for a career at Sotheby’s. With a cherished boyfriend and an upcoming Paris getaway, Hazel’s future seems set. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing a picture book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the storybook world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years? Or is something sinister at play?
For fans of Kate Morton, Janet Skeslien Charles, and Kristin Hannah, this is a “fantastical” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) celebration of sisterhood and the magic of storytelling wrapped up in a “heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author).
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First published May 2, 2023
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About the author
Patti Callahan Henry
38 books6,616 followersPatti Callahan Henry is a New York Times, Globe and Mail, and USA Today bestselling author of sixteen novels, including her newest, The Secret Book of Flora Lea. She’s also a podcast host of original content for her novels, Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis.
She is the recipient of The Christy Award “Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly online Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti also was a contributor to the monthly life lesson essay column for Parade Magazine. She’s published in numerous anthologies, articles, and short story collections, including an Audible Original about Florence Nightingale, titled Wild Swan narrated by the Tony Award winner, Cynthia Erivo.
A full-time author, mother of three, and grandmother of two, she lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama with her husband, Pat Henry.
She is the recipient of The Christy Award “Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly online Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti also was a contributor to the monthly life lesson essay column for Parade Magazine. She’s published in numerous anthologies, articles, and short story collections, including an Audible Original about Florence Nightingale, titled Wild Swan narrated by the Tony Award winner, Cynthia Erivo.
A full-time author, mother of three, and grandmother of two, she lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama with her husband, Pat Henry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,993 reviews
January 10, 2025
Sometimes you can like a book very much, but then the length and repetition start to wear on you as into the "wish I had like it better" category it goes.
I have always liked this author's books, but this one just didn't hit the spot in my heart that her others have. First of all, to me, it was just too long and seemed to belabor a story that while needed to be told, also needed a briefer format.
I knew about the children being evacuated from London during the war for I had as a parent and teacher, read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, for many years plus quite a few others related to this topic. I just felt there was a distance established between the main character, Hazel, and my reading.
While it certainly was a nice story, it did incorporate too many scenes that seemed repetitive to me, as well as an overflow of characters. However, that being said, this was an important story about the ravages of war and it dangerous outcome that is never forgotten.
Thank you to Patti Callahan Henry, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story which published this May.
Many others liked it, so please don't go by my reaction to judge whether it's for you!
I have always liked this author's books, but this one just didn't hit the spot in my heart that her others have. First of all, to me, it was just too long and seemed to belabor a story that while needed to be told, also needed a briefer format.
I knew about the children being evacuated from London during the war for I had as a parent and teacher, read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, for many years plus quite a few others related to this topic. I just felt there was a distance established between the main character, Hazel, and my reading.
While it certainly was a nice story, it did incorporate too many scenes that seemed repetitive to me, as well as an overflow of characters. However, that being said, this was an important story about the ravages of war and it dangerous outcome that is never forgotten.
Thank you to Patti Callahan Henry, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story which published this May.
Many others liked it, so please don't go by my reaction to judge whether it's for you!
May 2, 2023
*Happy Publication Day!*
May 2, 2023
4.5⭐️
In 1939, as WWII rages on, sisters fourteen-year-old Hazel Mersey Linden and five-year-old Flora Lea Linden are evacuated from London as a part of Operation Pied Piper along with other children to protect them from German aerial bombings. They end up in Binsey, Oxfordshire in the home of the Aberdeens - Bridie and her son Harry, who welcome them and treat them with kindness and compassion. But their time in the safe idyllic countryside comes to a tragic end in 1940 when six-year-old Flora disappears from the banks of the River Thames, where she had been napping on a blanket. The pain and guilt for having not been able to protect Flora from harm haunt Hazel for years to come and resulting in her cutting all ties with the Aberdeens.
Fast forward to 1960 and we find Hazel in the middle of her last day at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe in Bloomsbury where she has been employed for the last fifteen years and is now moving on to her dream job in Sotheby’s. When she opens a parcel from America with the first edition and a set of original illustrations from a children’s book named "Whisperwood and the River of Stars" written by American author Peggy Andrews, shocks her to her core. After all these years, the secret world she created for her sister was in the pages of a book, written by a stranger. How did Peggy Andrews know about Whisperwood- the imaginary haven created by Hazel for Flora? Could Peggy be Flora? How else could she know about Whisperwood? What really happened to Flora all those years ago?
“We’re always safe in Whisperwood.”
Hazel's attempts to contact Peggy result in a hostile telephone call, following which Hazel embarks on her search for answers. In the course of her quest, she tries to contact people from her past who knew Hazel and Flora when they were in Binsey revisiting the painful memories she had left behind twenty years ago all the while studiously avoiding a journalist who wants to write about Flora's story as a part of her series on children who were lost during The Blitz. Hazel resents anyone sensationalizing her family’s tragedy. While she has support from her best friend Kelty (a fellow evacuee during Operation Pied Piper who became her lifelong friend) and others including her ex-employer, her actions are met with concern and skepticism from her boyfriend Barnaby, causing a rift in their relationship. But Hazel is not deterred and nothing will diminish her resolve to find out what happened to Flora twenty years ago.
On the other side of the world in Cape Cod, Massachusetts Peggy Andrews is astonished when a stranger from London calls her claiming that the concept of Whisperwood and its magical elements was conceptualized by her for her sister. How did Peggy find out about Whisperwood? How is her story tied to Hazel’s and Flora’s?
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry is an exquisitely written novel that combines elements of historical fact and fiction with an element of mystery and fairy tales and touches upon themes of war, grief, love and family, the indestructible bond between siblings, hope and healing. The author creates an immersive world around the magic of storytelling and the role books and stories can play in our lives, especially in difficult moments. I enjoyed the literary references interspersed throughout the narrative.
The characterizations are superb and I found the narrative in both timelines equally absorbing. The “Whisperwood” sections were enchanting and I felt myself being transported to that magical place along with the sisters. The Author’s Note is informative and provides perspective into the historical context of the story and details the true events that inspired (and in a few instances are mentioned) parts of this novel. She also highlights the significance of fairy tales in the lives of children, quoting Tolkien that fairy tales offer children “the consolation of a happy ending.” Overall, I could not put this book down and was immersed in the world of WWII London /post-WWII London and the fantastical world of Whisperwood.
Heartbreaking in parts, enchanting and hopeful in others, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a beautiful story – one that should be read with your heart! Patti Callahan Henry is a masterful storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 2, 2023
4.5⭐️
In 1939, as WWII rages on, sisters fourteen-year-old Hazel Mersey Linden and five-year-old Flora Lea Linden are evacuated from London as a part of Operation Pied Piper along with other children to protect them from German aerial bombings. They end up in Binsey, Oxfordshire in the home of the Aberdeens - Bridie and her son Harry, who welcome them and treat them with kindness and compassion. But their time in the safe idyllic countryside comes to a tragic end in 1940 when six-year-old Flora disappears from the banks of the River Thames, where she had been napping on a blanket. The pain and guilt for having not been able to protect Flora from harm haunt Hazel for years to come and resulting in her cutting all ties with the Aberdeens.
Fast forward to 1960 and we find Hazel in the middle of her last day at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe in Bloomsbury where she has been employed for the last fifteen years and is now moving on to her dream job in Sotheby’s. When she opens a parcel from America with the first edition and a set of original illustrations from a children’s book named "Whisperwood and the River of Stars" written by American author Peggy Andrews, shocks her to her core. After all these years, the secret world she created for her sister was in the pages of a book, written by a stranger. How did Peggy Andrews know about Whisperwood- the imaginary haven created by Hazel for Flora? Could Peggy be Flora? How else could she know about Whisperwood? What really happened to Flora all those years ago?
“We’re always safe in Whisperwood.”
Hazel's attempts to contact Peggy result in a hostile telephone call, following which Hazel embarks on her search for answers. In the course of her quest, she tries to contact people from her past who knew Hazel and Flora when they were in Binsey revisiting the painful memories she had left behind twenty years ago all the while studiously avoiding a journalist who wants to write about Flora's story as a part of her series on children who were lost during The Blitz. Hazel resents anyone sensationalizing her family’s tragedy. While she has support from her best friend Kelty (a fellow evacuee during Operation Pied Piper who became her lifelong friend) and others including her ex-employer, her actions are met with concern and skepticism from her boyfriend Barnaby, causing a rift in their relationship. But Hazel is not deterred and nothing will diminish her resolve to find out what happened to Flora twenty years ago.
On the other side of the world in Cape Cod, Massachusetts Peggy Andrews is astonished when a stranger from London calls her claiming that the concept of Whisperwood and its magical elements was conceptualized by her for her sister. How did Peggy find out about Whisperwood? How is her story tied to Hazel’s and Flora’s?
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry is an exquisitely written novel that combines elements of historical fact and fiction with an element of mystery and fairy tales and touches upon themes of war, grief, love and family, the indestructible bond between siblings, hope and healing. The author creates an immersive world around the magic of storytelling and the role books and stories can play in our lives, especially in difficult moments. I enjoyed the literary references interspersed throughout the narrative.
The characterizations are superb and I found the narrative in both timelines equally absorbing. The “Whisperwood” sections were enchanting and I felt myself being transported to that magical place along with the sisters. The Author’s Note is informative and provides perspective into the historical context of the story and details the true events that inspired (and in a few instances are mentioned) parts of this novel. She also highlights the significance of fairy tales in the lives of children, quoting Tolkien that fairy tales offer children “the consolation of a happy ending.” Overall, I could not put this book down and was immersed in the world of WWII London /post-WWII London and the fantastical world of Whisperwood.
Heartbreaking in parts, enchanting and hopeful in others, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a beautiful story – one that should be read with your heart! Patti Callahan Henry is a masterful storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 3, 2023
Emotionally Charged Historical Fiction
4.5 stars
The Secret Book of Flora is an unputdownable historical fiction novel about the disappearance of a six-year-old girl and her older sister who never gave up finding her.
During WWII, six-year-old Flora and 14-year-old Hazel travel as evacuees from the home they share with their mother in London to the countryside. Selected to live with single mother Bridie and her 15-year-old son Harry, Hazel and Flora cope with wartime horrors by escaping to the story of Whisperwood, an enchanted land created by Hazel. All is well until the day Flora mysteriously disappears without a trace.
Twenty years later, Hazel, working in a rare bookshop, comes across a book titled Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Jolted by the fact that she and Flora were the only ones who knew the story of Whisperwood, Hazel takes the book as a sign that Flora might be alive, sending her on a journey that unravels a web of secrets and lies.
Told from primarily Hazel’s perspective in alternating timelines from the past in 1939 and 1940 to the current time of the book 1960, I enjoyed both, but I was invested more in the 1960s timelines.
Hazel is the primary narrator, and I found adult Hazel’s voice to be more interesting than young Hazel's. The chapters covering Hazel and Flora's childhood were less alluring as the chapters in the 1960s. Hazel's character develops as the narrative progresses.
Other POVs are mixed in, including that of author Peggy Andrews. I thought her story had great potential, but it wraps up a little too neatly, and the balance of her narrative fizzles out towards the end.
I found the ending a little too neat. There is a big reveal that alters the entire narrative. This was an emotional moment, but I couldn’t connect or feel the emotions from the pages as I was expecting to. However, this is a minor gripe--- overall, this is an excellent read.
I loved this novel. I was riveted from the start, as the mystery of what happened to Flora had me glued to the pages. I was immersed in Flora's story and in Hazel's journey to uncover what happened to her sister.
I was lucky to win a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway!
4.5 stars
The Secret Book of Flora is an unputdownable historical fiction novel about the disappearance of a six-year-old girl and her older sister who never gave up finding her.
During WWII, six-year-old Flora and 14-year-old Hazel travel as evacuees from the home they share with their mother in London to the countryside. Selected to live with single mother Bridie and her 15-year-old son Harry, Hazel and Flora cope with wartime horrors by escaping to the story of Whisperwood, an enchanted land created by Hazel. All is well until the day Flora mysteriously disappears without a trace.
Twenty years later, Hazel, working in a rare bookshop, comes across a book titled Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Jolted by the fact that she and Flora were the only ones who knew the story of Whisperwood, Hazel takes the book as a sign that Flora might be alive, sending her on a journey that unravels a web of secrets and lies.
Told from primarily Hazel’s perspective in alternating timelines from the past in 1939 and 1940 to the current time of the book 1960, I enjoyed both, but I was invested more in the 1960s timelines.
Hazel is the primary narrator, and I found adult Hazel’s voice to be more interesting than young Hazel's. The chapters covering Hazel and Flora's childhood were less alluring as the chapters in the 1960s. Hazel's character develops as the narrative progresses.
Other POVs are mixed in, including that of author Peggy Andrews. I thought her story had great potential, but it wraps up a little too neatly, and the balance of her narrative fizzles out towards the end.
I found the ending a little too neat. There is a big reveal that alters the entire narrative. This was an emotional moment, but I couldn’t connect or feel the emotions from the pages as I was expecting to. However, this is a minor gripe--- overall, this is an excellent read.
I loved this novel. I was riveted from the start, as the mystery of what happened to Flora had me glued to the pages. I was immersed in Flora's story and in Hazel's journey to uncover what happened to her sister.
I was lucky to win a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway!
May 9, 2023
This is a saccharine Hallmark movie disguised as literary fiction. The characters do not speak remotely like Brits. Clearly not a single Actual English Person evaluated the manuscript before it went to publication, because if they had, they never would have approved the many glaring, anachronistic Americanisms. For one, English children do not talk about being bad at "math." It's maths! Not a single character, save for perhaps Bridie, is well-drawn, least of all Hazel. It's not sufficient to (repeatedly) tell the reader someone is "magic" via dialogue spoken by one of her admirers; you have to do the work of endowing her with a personality. And then there are the Men: the men in this book talk as if handed a script. Even at their angriest, their dialogue is bloodless and tepid. Harry is an absolutely perfect love interest, even at 15? No flaws?! And I couldn't have cared less about tertiary characters like Peggy and her domineering mom. If I wanted platitudes about reading and the magic of books, I could have skipped this and checked out the posters adorning my public library's children's section.
March 23, 2025
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On: The Book Review Crew Blog
This was such a wonderful story that crosses many genres. It's part historical fiction, part mystery and part coming-of-age with a touch of romance. I loved the two time periods of the 1940s and the 1960s. I found the WWII parts so heartbreakingly sad, especially the evacuation of small children who don't understand what's going on.
The idea of a story inside a story was magical and the relationship between sisters Flora and Hazel was special, to say the least. I fully understood it because like Flora I have a sister who is much older than I am. All the elements of the book were woven together seamlessly creating emotions that had me hurting for everyone involved. I could clearly picture the descriptions in my mind's eye, the blitz in London, the safer countryside, the planes flying overhead and even the magical land of Whisperwood.
The book was well-researched and felt true to life. All the characters were relatable and their behaviour made them feel like real people. For the most part, I really enjoyed getting to know them. This was such a special book about family, first love, stories, the ravages of war on families, and the power of one's imagination. What a great premise and it was executed beautifully.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
This was such a wonderful story that crosses many genres. It's part historical fiction, part mystery and part coming-of-age with a touch of romance. I loved the two time periods of the 1940s and the 1960s. I found the WWII parts so heartbreakingly sad, especially the evacuation of small children who don't understand what's going on.
The idea of a story inside a story was magical and the relationship between sisters Flora and Hazel was special, to say the least. I fully understood it because like Flora I have a sister who is much older than I am. All the elements of the book were woven together seamlessly creating emotions that had me hurting for everyone involved. I could clearly picture the descriptions in my mind's eye, the blitz in London, the safer countryside, the planes flying overhead and even the magical land of Whisperwood.
The book was well-researched and felt true to life. All the characters were relatable and their behaviour made them feel like real people. For the most part, I really enjoyed getting to know them. This was such a special book about family, first love, stories, the ravages of war on families, and the power of one's imagination. What a great premise and it was executed beautifully.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
May 27, 2023
I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but this book could have been 1/2 the length. The story would have been fine, but the way it was drawn out, and then the ridiculous coincidence just ruined it for me. I thought I would’ve loved this based on reviews, but it really fell flat.
March 17, 2023
The Secret Book of Flora Lea continues Patty Callahan Henry’s talent for creating well done fictions. As you would expect from an author who has written about C. S. Lewis and has a keen interest in Carroll and Tolkien, there is a fairy tale quality to the story.
The story encompasses two sisters who are evacuated from London during the Blitz. The younger sister goes missing during that time and is never found. In 1960, while working at a rare books shop, the older sister discovers a children’s book that mirrored a story she used to tell her sister. A story no one else knew.
So often, dual storylines suffer an unevenness of interest. But not here. I loved these characters, so I was totally invested in how everything would come together. The story tackles never giving up while still trying to get on with life. It speaks of grief and the promises we make to God in feeble attempts to control fate.
And that ending! I won’t say anything because of spoilers but it is just amazing. It would make for a great book club selection because of that ending.
The Author’s Note explains her inspiration. I will say, the book doesn’t really include much in the way of facts about Operation Pied Piper. It’s more fiction that takes place in an historic time than what I consider historical fiction,which I expect to teach me something.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.
The story encompasses two sisters who are evacuated from London during the Blitz. The younger sister goes missing during that time and is never found. In 1960, while working at a rare books shop, the older sister discovers a children’s book that mirrored a story she used to tell her sister. A story no one else knew.
So often, dual storylines suffer an unevenness of interest. But not here. I loved these characters, so I was totally invested in how everything would come together. The story tackles never giving up while still trying to get on with life. It speaks of grief and the promises we make to God in feeble attempts to control fate.
And that ending! I won’t say anything because of spoilers but it is just amazing. It would make for a great book club selection because of that ending.
The Author’s Note explains her inspiration. I will say, the book doesn’t really include much in the way of facts about Operation Pied Piper. It’s more fiction that takes place in an historic time than what I consider historical fiction,which I expect to teach me something.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.
January 29, 2023
A book about books, a book about family, a story of loss and war, the families created by war as young children were relocated in an effort to keep them safe. A story about stories, and the power they have to bond us, to share another time, another place, and expand our understanding of the world. An ode to stories, and those who share theirs.
Set in alternative times, as this story begins, it is 1939 when fourteen-year-old Hazel and her five-year-old sister Flora must leave their home in London, along with countless other children who are being evacuated during Operation Pied Piper. It hasn’t been that long since their father was killed in the war, and now they must leave their mother, their only parent. They are taken, along with a host of other children, to a village far enough away from London to, hopefully, be kept safe from this war. Once they arrive, they go to live with a mother and her son, and eventually settle in happily, with Hazel sharing her story of a magical, secret place, one that belongs only to them. Whisperwood.
One day, when Hazel takes her eye off her sister for a few moments, Flora goes missing in this spot near the River Thames. It is a moment that will continue to haunt her as the years pass.
In the spring of March 1960, Hazel is at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe’, her last day working at this shop with these books that are both rare and collectible. It is a job she loves, but she is also looking forward to the job that awaits her at Sotheby’s, and the life and future she imagines with her boyfriend, as well. She is happily unwrapping a book for the book shop when she sees the title - ’Whisperwood and the River of Stars’. She is pulled back into the past, remembering this story she had shared with her sister, and sees it as a sign of hope that her sister might still be alive, and if that is even a remote possibility, she needs to find the answer, despite what it may cost her.
Pub Date: 02 May 2023
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books
February 20, 2023
A magical, magisterial literary delight. You will love this...
June 21, 2023
I love Sister Stories and This is One of the Best I have Read in a Long Time.
I went in blind and really had no idea what to expect from this book. The sisters had a secret fairy tale life they played out in the country during World War II, when children were encouraged to leave London and their families for safety. This was called Operation Pied Piper. So, older sister, Hazel and her younger sister, Flora, just 6 are sent to live with a family in Binsey. Hazel knows how scary life is for Flora and makes up a Fairy Tale World called Whisperwood. This is a place where they use their imagination and use nature to make up wonderful tales.
Then the younger sister, Flora goes missing. Suddenly, 20 Years later, her sister sees a book published called Whisperwood, but she had never told anyone about this fantasy life. The book is set in the US and the author changes the book somewhat, but it’s basically the story of Hazel and Flora. How could this possibly be? Is it possible that Flora is still alive? This becomes a mystery and I was so intrigued to find out what happened.
This book just is magical. It offers so much about opening up to love and hope. This has altered Hazel’s life ever since as she feels so guilty her sister disappeared. She was there that day. It stops her from fully opening her heart to life and love. She is trapped in the past. This is an homage to the beauty of telling stories, and fairy tales since those are the way we escape the unbearable. These are essential. This book shows why in such a beautiful way. I was so moved and needed a touching story. This most certainly is the one. Highly Recommend this Book. Just Lovely. 💕
Thank you NetGalley, Patti Callahan Henry, and Atria for granting me a copy of this book. I always leave a review of each book I finish.
I went in blind and really had no idea what to expect from this book. The sisters had a secret fairy tale life they played out in the country during World War II, when children were encouraged to leave London and their families for safety. This was called Operation Pied Piper. So, older sister, Hazel and her younger sister, Flora, just 6 are sent to live with a family in Binsey. Hazel knows how scary life is for Flora and makes up a Fairy Tale World called Whisperwood. This is a place where they use their imagination and use nature to make up wonderful tales.
Then the younger sister, Flora goes missing. Suddenly, 20 Years later, her sister sees a book published called Whisperwood, but she had never told anyone about this fantasy life. The book is set in the US and the author changes the book somewhat, but it’s basically the story of Hazel and Flora. How could this possibly be? Is it possible that Flora is still alive? This becomes a mystery and I was so intrigued to find out what happened.
This book just is magical. It offers so much about opening up to love and hope. This has altered Hazel’s life ever since as she feels so guilty her sister disappeared. She was there that day. It stops her from fully opening her heart to life and love. She is trapped in the past. This is an homage to the beauty of telling stories, and fairy tales since those are the way we escape the unbearable. These are essential. This book shows why in such a beautiful way. I was so moved and needed a touching story. This most certainly is the one. Highly Recommend this Book. Just Lovely. 💕
Thank you NetGalley, Patti Callahan Henry, and Atria for granting me a copy of this book. I always leave a review of each book I finish.
May 14, 2023
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry was a moving, captivating and magical historical mystery. Patti Callahan Henry has proven once again what a masterful storyteller she is. This was by far my favorite book of hers. The characters were so endearing and the dual time periods were well distinguished and easy to follow. It was the story about two sisters who had grown up in Bloomsbury, located in central London, at the onset of World War II. The Secret Book of Flora Lea alternated between a storyline that occurred in 1939-1940 and one that took place twenty years later in the 1960’s.
Despite their age differences, Hazel Mersey Linden, fourteen years old, and Flora Lea Linden, five years old, were extremely close. Hazel was very protective of her younger sister and Flora Lea looked up to her older sister and admired her immensely. They had recently learned of their dear father’s death in the war when their mother was forced to send both her precious daughters to the English countryside as part of Operation Pied Piper. To help calm her little sister’s fears, Hazel invented a magical place where both of them could escape to together. Hazel named the magical place Whisperwood. In Whisperwood there was a river with glinting lights that were really stars. It was a magical land full of adventures that was known only to Hazel and Flora. Right from the beginning, as Hazel first invented Whisperwood, she warned Flora never to tell anyone else about Whisperwood, not even their mother. It was their special place where no harm could ever come to them.
In September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland and Britain declared war on Germany, Hazel’s and Flora’s mother received the order from the English government that required her to send her daughters away from London. It was official. All children were ordered to be evacuated from London. Hazel and Flora were evacuated to Binsey, Oxfordshire. They were chosen to go home and be billeted with Bridgette (Bridie) Aberdeen and her son Harry.
Hazel and Flora adjusted well to their new surroundings. They enjoyed living with Bridie and Harry. Hazel and Harry formed a special friendship. Bridie treated and cared for both Hazel and Flora as if they were her own daughters. Hazel’s and Flora’s mom visited them in Binsey as often as she could. Then on October 19, 1940, on St. Frideswide Day, almost a year after Hazel and Flora had arrived in Binsey, Hazel, Flora and Harry went down the River Thames for a picnic. Bridie had driven in to Oxford to purchase a phone for her cottage. Before she left, she warned all three to watch out for one another.
Flora, now six years old, laid down on the red blanket spread out near the river and began to doze off for her afternoon nap when she begged Hazel for one more story. Harry started to question Hazel about her stories. Hazel, angered at Harry for thinking he had spied on her and Flora and had overheard her story and also confused about her feelings for him, ran off to be by herself. Harry followed Hazel and found her shortly thereafter. When Hazel and Harry returned to the blanket where they had left Flora napping, Flora was missing. She was nowhere to be seen. Her favorite stuffed animal, Berry, was at the water’s edge. After an extensive search and questioning, Flora was believed to have slipped into the river and drowned. Hazel never gave up hope of finding her sister. She never once believed that Flora had drowned. Hazel carried the guilt she felt for leaving her sister alone that fateful day. She felt it was her her fault that Flora had disappeared. If she had stayed by her sister’s side while she napped nothing would have happened. It was all her fault and no one could tell her differently.
In March, 1960, Hazel had been working at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe located in Bloomsbury for the last fifteen years. She had just landed her all time dream position at Sotherby’s. It was her last day at Hogan’s. Hazel had gotten rather close to the owner of the book shop, Edwin, now ninety-two years old and as close to a father figure for her as possible, his son, Tom and the youngest employee, Poppy. Before Hazel was ready to leave, Edwin reminded her that there were some new arrivals that still needed to be processed. There were four new arrivals. One of them was a signed first edition of a fairytale by an American author named Peggy Andrews. In addition to the fairytale book, there were original hand painted illustrations for the book by artist, Pauline Baynes. When Hazel finally got around to unpacking the book and its illustrations, she could not believe her eyes. The book was entitled, “Whisperwood and the River of Stars”. Could the author, Peggy Andrews, be her sister, Flora? No one but Hazel and Flora had known about Whisperwood. Had a door opened for Hazel to finally find Flora?
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry for me was about never giving up hope. I so appreciated the strong bond both sisters, Hazel and Flora, shared and the devastation and guilt Hazel felt for letting her little sister down. The Secret Book of Flora Lea was about sisterly love, loss, grief, family, war, the effects of first love, friendship, trust and heartbreak. It was one of my favorite books that I have read this year. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Atria Books for the physical book of The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry that I won in a goodreads giveaway and the digital edition that I was allowed to read through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Despite their age differences, Hazel Mersey Linden, fourteen years old, and Flora Lea Linden, five years old, were extremely close. Hazel was very protective of her younger sister and Flora Lea looked up to her older sister and admired her immensely. They had recently learned of their dear father’s death in the war when their mother was forced to send both her precious daughters to the English countryside as part of Operation Pied Piper. To help calm her little sister’s fears, Hazel invented a magical place where both of them could escape to together. Hazel named the magical place Whisperwood. In Whisperwood there was a river with glinting lights that were really stars. It was a magical land full of adventures that was known only to Hazel and Flora. Right from the beginning, as Hazel first invented Whisperwood, she warned Flora never to tell anyone else about Whisperwood, not even their mother. It was their special place where no harm could ever come to them.
In September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland and Britain declared war on Germany, Hazel’s and Flora’s mother received the order from the English government that required her to send her daughters away from London. It was official. All children were ordered to be evacuated from London. Hazel and Flora were evacuated to Binsey, Oxfordshire. They were chosen to go home and be billeted with Bridgette (Bridie) Aberdeen and her son Harry.
Hazel and Flora adjusted well to their new surroundings. They enjoyed living with Bridie and Harry. Hazel and Harry formed a special friendship. Bridie treated and cared for both Hazel and Flora as if they were her own daughters. Hazel’s and Flora’s mom visited them in Binsey as often as she could. Then on October 19, 1940, on St. Frideswide Day, almost a year after Hazel and Flora had arrived in Binsey, Hazel, Flora and Harry went down the River Thames for a picnic. Bridie had driven in to Oxford to purchase a phone for her cottage. Before she left, she warned all three to watch out for one another.
Flora, now six years old, laid down on the red blanket spread out near the river and began to doze off for her afternoon nap when she begged Hazel for one more story. Harry started to question Hazel about her stories. Hazel, angered at Harry for thinking he had spied on her and Flora and had overheard her story and also confused about her feelings for him, ran off to be by herself. Harry followed Hazel and found her shortly thereafter. When Hazel and Harry returned to the blanket where they had left Flora napping, Flora was missing. She was nowhere to be seen. Her favorite stuffed animal, Berry, was at the water’s edge. After an extensive search and questioning, Flora was believed to have slipped into the river and drowned. Hazel never gave up hope of finding her sister. She never once believed that Flora had drowned. Hazel carried the guilt she felt for leaving her sister alone that fateful day. She felt it was her her fault that Flora had disappeared. If she had stayed by her sister’s side while she napped nothing would have happened. It was all her fault and no one could tell her differently.
In March, 1960, Hazel had been working at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe located in Bloomsbury for the last fifteen years. She had just landed her all time dream position at Sotherby’s. It was her last day at Hogan’s. Hazel had gotten rather close to the owner of the book shop, Edwin, now ninety-two years old and as close to a father figure for her as possible, his son, Tom and the youngest employee, Poppy. Before Hazel was ready to leave, Edwin reminded her that there were some new arrivals that still needed to be processed. There were four new arrivals. One of them was a signed first edition of a fairytale by an American author named Peggy Andrews. In addition to the fairytale book, there were original hand painted illustrations for the book by artist, Pauline Baynes. When Hazel finally got around to unpacking the book and its illustrations, she could not believe her eyes. The book was entitled, “Whisperwood and the River of Stars”. Could the author, Peggy Andrews, be her sister, Flora? No one but Hazel and Flora had known about Whisperwood. Had a door opened for Hazel to finally find Flora?
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry for me was about never giving up hope. I so appreciated the strong bond both sisters, Hazel and Flora, shared and the devastation and guilt Hazel felt for letting her little sister down. The Secret Book of Flora Lea was about sisterly love, loss, grief, family, war, the effects of first love, friendship, trust and heartbreak. It was one of my favorite books that I have read this year. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Atria Books for the physical book of The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry that I won in a goodreads giveaway and the digital edition that I was allowed to read through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 19, 2023
'Not so long ago and not so far away, there was once, and still is, an invisible place that is right here beside us.'
England had just recently declared war in 1939 and as anxiety mounted over the possible pummeling the Germans might unleash from the night skies, operation Pied Piper rolled out in London; safeguarding the city's children. Hazel is fourteen and her sister is just five when they board the train loaded with other bewildered children. During this manic departure, Hazel keeps Flora entertained with her tales of Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Their imagination is further stoked as they disembark in the idyllic Oxfordshire surroundings to be billeted. However, soon their fantastical world turns into a nightmare when Flora vanishes. Twenty years on from that awful day, Hazel comes across a book titled, 'Whisperwood and the River of Stars'. How can that be? Is Flora still alive somewhere? Hazel is forced to retrace her past life and dormant stories in order to find answers.
Patti Callahan Henry's love for C. S Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien resonates throughout this story. Magic, fantasy, and fairytales abound, layering 'The Secret Book of Flora Lea' with many themes and lessons to mull over. 'The best stories are soul-making. But stories we tell about ourselves, and even the harrowing ones told by others about us, can also be soul-destroying. We have to choose what is good and true, not what will destroy.'
After a slow start to the story, I was soon transfixed, as I turned the pages to find out what, indeed, happened to Flora. Further, I enjoyed the journey of self-discovery, and the banishment of guilt and self-doubt; learning that patience and love will always triumph, 'Don't let others take away good stories so they can feel better about themselves.' I really enjoyed this book, not only learning about Hazel and Flora's journey but another aspect of how WWII impacted lives forever in a multitude of ways. Patti Callahan Henry ends her notes with a quote from Mary Oliver which is so apt for so many facets of life, 'Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going'. And so just as Hazel never gave up hope, and her love for Flora never waivered, trust, faith, and love were rewarded in the end.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book.
England had just recently declared war in 1939 and as anxiety mounted over the possible pummeling the Germans might unleash from the night skies, operation Pied Piper rolled out in London; safeguarding the city's children. Hazel is fourteen and her sister is just five when they board the train loaded with other bewildered children. During this manic departure, Hazel keeps Flora entertained with her tales of Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Their imagination is further stoked as they disembark in the idyllic Oxfordshire surroundings to be billeted. However, soon their fantastical world turns into a nightmare when Flora vanishes. Twenty years on from that awful day, Hazel comes across a book titled, 'Whisperwood and the River of Stars'. How can that be? Is Flora still alive somewhere? Hazel is forced to retrace her past life and dormant stories in order to find answers.
Patti Callahan Henry's love for C. S Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien resonates throughout this story. Magic, fantasy, and fairytales abound, layering 'The Secret Book of Flora Lea' with many themes and lessons to mull over. 'The best stories are soul-making. But stories we tell about ourselves, and even the harrowing ones told by others about us, can also be soul-destroying. We have to choose what is good and true, not what will destroy.'
After a slow start to the story, I was soon transfixed, as I turned the pages to find out what, indeed, happened to Flora. Further, I enjoyed the journey of self-discovery, and the banishment of guilt and self-doubt; learning that patience and love will always triumph, 'Don't let others take away good stories so they can feel better about themselves.' I really enjoyed this book, not only learning about Hazel and Flora's journey but another aspect of how WWII impacted lives forever in a multitude of ways. Patti Callahan Henry ends her notes with a quote from Mary Oliver which is so apt for so many facets of life, 'Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going'. And so just as Hazel never gave up hope, and her love for Flora never waivered, trust, faith, and love were rewarded in the end.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 22, 2023
In 1939, Hazel Linden is fourteen and her little sister Flora is five, they leave London and are part of Operation Piped Piper. The girl’s father was killed at the start of the war, their mum is working for the war department and the safest place for them is in the country.
The two evacuees find a new home with Binsey Aberdeen and her son Harry and in a small village in Oxfordshire. The sisters are close despite the age gap, Flora has her toy bunny Berry for comfort and Hazel tells her stories and together they create a magical place called Whisperwood. Here there is no war and worries and it’s their own private world and fairy tale. When, Hazel is distracted for a few minutes, Flora disappears, immediately everyone starts looking for her and the police believe she drowned in the Thames River. Hazel blames herself, she promised her mother she would look after Flora and she failed.
Twenty years later, Hazel works at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe, on her last day, she unwraps a new book and is shocked when she reads the title. It’s a newly published children’s picture book and it’s called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel has been offered a job working at Sotheby’s and she’s going on a holiday with her boyfriend to Paris in a couple of weeks and she doesn’t know what to do? All sorts of things are going through her mind, could the author be linked to Flora’s disappearance, the only two people who knew about the story was Hazel and her little sister and could Flora still be alive?
I received a copy of The Secret Book Of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry from NetGalley and HaperCollins Publishers Australia in exchange for an honest review. The dual timeline story is set in 1939 and later in 1960 and it’s very easy to follow. A tale about war, sisters, secrets, magic, consequences, guilt and never ending grief. Ms. Henry’s book sweeps you away to another time and place, the story is told in a spellbinding way and where anything is possible. A narrative that grabbed my attention from the start, full of interesting characters, possibilities, about the power of fairy tales, make believe and books. Five stars from me, a delightful book and one that would be a suitable choice for a wide range of readers and ages.
The two evacuees find a new home with Binsey Aberdeen and her son Harry and in a small village in Oxfordshire. The sisters are close despite the age gap, Flora has her toy bunny Berry for comfort and Hazel tells her stories and together they create a magical place called Whisperwood. Here there is no war and worries and it’s their own private world and fairy tale. When, Hazel is distracted for a few minutes, Flora disappears, immediately everyone starts looking for her and the police believe she drowned in the Thames River. Hazel blames herself, she promised her mother she would look after Flora and she failed.
Twenty years later, Hazel works at Hogan’s Rare Book Shoppe, on her last day, she unwraps a new book and is shocked when she reads the title. It’s a newly published children’s picture book and it’s called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel has been offered a job working at Sotheby’s and she’s going on a holiday with her boyfriend to Paris in a couple of weeks and she doesn’t know what to do? All sorts of things are going through her mind, could the author be linked to Flora’s disappearance, the only two people who knew about the story was Hazel and her little sister and could Flora still be alive?
I received a copy of The Secret Book Of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry from NetGalley and HaperCollins Publishers Australia in exchange for an honest review. The dual timeline story is set in 1939 and later in 1960 and it’s very easy to follow. A tale about war, sisters, secrets, magic, consequences, guilt and never ending grief. Ms. Henry’s book sweeps you away to another time and place, the story is told in a spellbinding way and where anything is possible. A narrative that grabbed my attention from the start, full of interesting characters, possibilities, about the power of fairy tales, make believe and books. Five stars from me, a delightful book and one that would be a suitable choice for a wide range of readers and ages.
October 14, 2022
A world war and a fairy tale collide in the British countryside in 1940 -- and Patti Callahan Henry is the perfect novelist to explore how the living are forever changed. The Secret Book of Flora Lea is moving, surprising, and deeply evocative of an England forever changed.
April 19, 2023
Patti Callahan Henry's The Secret Book of Flora Lea is built around a promising premise. It's the story of two sisters, Hazel and Flora, who were sent out of London to live in the countryside during the blitz. They find themselves in Oxfordshire. Hazel, the older sister, comforts Flora by spinning tales of Whisperwood—a magic land all their own. Then Flora disappears. The book follows Hazel as an adult, haunted by the loss of her sister. Hazel works in a rare books store and, in her final day there, a book and original illustrations arrive from the U.S. It's the story of Whisperwood. This Whisperwood is somewhat different from the one the sisters shared, but there are enough similarities that Hazel commits herself to learning more about the author and, possibly, about the fate of her sister.
The plot has some useful surprises. In one sense, one goes into the book with a pretty good sense of how the story will end, but the specifics of that ending and the path that gets Hazel there have unpredictable elements.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea falls into that interesting genre of searches based on unknown or lost books, which I (and, I assume, most bibliophiles) enjoy immensely. It does though, teeter on the brink of falling into the sort of romance/women's fiction that I find much less satisfying. I think this is more a result of the writing style than the plot. For example, the first entrance of Hazel's boyfriend is described thus: "Thank goodness it was Barnaby, with his wind-whipped black hair under his green felt cap, his kind blue-gray eyes, his cheery voice and sharp cheekbones, and the silver scar that ran along his left cheek that told a story of a bomb on his childhood street in Hampstead Heath." Some people love that kind of writing. It leaves me with that uneasy feeling one has after eating a few too many cookies in a single sitting.
If you aren't averse to rather rhapsodic prose, you will most likely enjoy this book. It's gotten solid reviews here on GoodReads. I just experienced it as a mixed success. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
The plot has some useful surprises. In one sense, one goes into the book with a pretty good sense of how the story will end, but the specifics of that ending and the path that gets Hazel there have unpredictable elements.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea falls into that interesting genre of searches based on unknown or lost books, which I (and, I assume, most bibliophiles) enjoy immensely. It does though, teeter on the brink of falling into the sort of romance/women's fiction that I find much less satisfying. I think this is more a result of the writing style than the plot. For example, the first entrance of Hazel's boyfriend is described thus: "Thank goodness it was Barnaby, with his wind-whipped black hair under his green felt cap, his kind blue-gray eyes, his cheery voice and sharp cheekbones, and the silver scar that ran along his left cheek that told a story of a bomb on his childhood street in Hampstead Heath." Some people love that kind of writing. It leaves me with that uneasy feeling one has after eating a few too many cookies in a single sitting.
If you aren't averse to rather rhapsodic prose, you will most likely enjoy this book. It's gotten solid reviews here on GoodReads. I just experienced it as a mixed success. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
March 25, 2025
Falling Under Patti Callahan Henry’s Spell Again
The Witches Words decided to pick up The Secret Book of Flora Lea after falling under Word Witch Patti Callahan Henry’s spell with The Story She Left Behind—and let me tell you, her storytelling is nothing short of pure magic. She has wielded her words like a magic wand and has crafted another bewitching and captivating story.
A Tale of Mystery and Fairy Tale Wonder
The Secret Book of Flora Lea is another irresistible literary potion, blending mystery and fairy tale wonder into an unforgettable experience.
The story follows Hazel, who stumbles upon a book about a magical place only she and her missing sister, Flora, could know. What follows is a journey through time to when Hazel and Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Their days are filled with walks and storytelling. Now Hazel searches for answers as to the book's author. It’s filled with childhood magic, the bonds of sisterhood, and the aching suspense of long-lost answers waiting to be found.
An Emotional and Haunting Narrative
Henry writes with such emotional depth that her stories don’t just touch your heart—they haunt it, in the best possible way. Themes of resilience, love, and the transformative power of stories pulse through every chapter, making this novel a deeply immersive read.
A Book to Be Savored
This is a book to be savored, like a cup of enchanted tea. Every page resonates with an understated beauty that lingers long after the final word
Step into this one, feel the magic, and let every word cast its spell on you!
A Witches Words buddy read with Mary Beth, Carolyn, and Debra!
The Witches Words decided to pick up The Secret Book of Flora Lea after falling under Word Witch Patti Callahan Henry’s spell with The Story She Left Behind—and let me tell you, her storytelling is nothing short of pure magic. She has wielded her words like a magic wand and has crafted another bewitching and captivating story.
A Tale of Mystery and Fairy Tale Wonder
The Secret Book of Flora Lea is another irresistible literary potion, blending mystery and fairy tale wonder into an unforgettable experience.
The story follows Hazel, who stumbles upon a book about a magical place only she and her missing sister, Flora, could know. What follows is a journey through time to when Hazel and Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Their days are filled with walks and storytelling. Now Hazel searches for answers as to the book's author. It’s filled with childhood magic, the bonds of sisterhood, and the aching suspense of long-lost answers waiting to be found.
An Emotional and Haunting Narrative
Henry writes with such emotional depth that her stories don’t just touch your heart—they haunt it, in the best possible way. Themes of resilience, love, and the transformative power of stories pulse through every chapter, making this novel a deeply immersive read.
A Book to Be Savored
This is a book to be savored, like a cup of enchanted tea. Every page resonates with an understated beauty that lingers long after the final word
Step into this one, feel the magic, and let every word cast its spell on you!
A Witches Words buddy read with Mary Beth, Carolyn, and Debra!
July 19, 2023
the setup…
It’s 1939 London and the children in the city are evacuated to the countryside to avoid the bombing of World War II. Hazel Linden, fourteen years old, is sent with her five-year old sister Flora Lea, forced to leave their beloved mother and Bloomsbury home behind. They are fortunate to be placed with Bridgette (Bridie)Aberdeen and her son Harry at Binsey in the Oxfordshire countryside. It was a lovely cottage but still frightening to be suddenly separated from their old life. To settle her sister, Hazel created a make-believe world for her sister to escape to, a place called Whisperwood. It was magical and wonderful. But one day, Flora disappeared in a moment when she was out of Hazel’s sights, feared drowned in the Thames. Deep down, Hazel never gave up hope that she’d find her little sister. Now it’s 1960 London and Hazel is working at Hogan’s, a rare bookshop, when she unwraps the package of a new picture book called…Whisperwood and the River of Stars! It has all of the elements of the fairy tale she created, told only to Flora Lea. Hazel sets forth on a path to find the truth behind the book’s origins, hoping against hope that it will lead to her sister, alive.
the heart of the story…
Flora Lea’s disappearance defined Hazel’s life in every way possible as she felt responsible. While at Binsey, she’d fallen in love with Harry but made a vow during the search for Flora that she’d give him up if her sister could survive and she held true to that promise. Though they’d separated, she never forgot the wonderful, talented boy who’d captured her heart. But it was the pursuit of Whisperwood that is the heart of the story and Hazel’s dogged determination to find out how the author learned of the fairy tale world only she and Flora knew about…it was their secret that was never shared with anyone.
the narration…
Erivo was a perfect choice for this story with her lovely tone and “quiet” approach to the storytelling. It added to the ethereal aspect and highly atmospheric quality of the story. She made me feel everything.
the bottom line…
I hadn’t heard of Operation Pied Piper, the name given to the evacuation of British children from London to the countryside in World War II. While this wasn’t the focus of the story, it provided enough about Hazel and Flora’s experience from the moment they left until they were placed with the Aberdeens that frightened me as an adult. I could only imagine the impact on the thousands of children during that time. I admired Hazel who as a young girl made it her mission to protect her sister and created her own penitence for failing to do so. The journey she set upon after finding that picture book was not only one to find Flora Lea but the her own self discovery in the process. It is a highly atmospheric, whimsical and haunting story that grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go until the end. I loved everything about it. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
It’s 1939 London and the children in the city are evacuated to the countryside to avoid the bombing of World War II. Hazel Linden, fourteen years old, is sent with her five-year old sister Flora Lea, forced to leave their beloved mother and Bloomsbury home behind. They are fortunate to be placed with Bridgette (Bridie)Aberdeen and her son Harry at Binsey in the Oxfordshire countryside. It was a lovely cottage but still frightening to be suddenly separated from their old life. To settle her sister, Hazel created a make-believe world for her sister to escape to, a place called Whisperwood. It was magical and wonderful. But one day, Flora disappeared in a moment when she was out of Hazel’s sights, feared drowned in the Thames. Deep down, Hazel never gave up hope that she’d find her little sister. Now it’s 1960 London and Hazel is working at Hogan’s, a rare bookshop, when she unwraps the package of a new picture book called…Whisperwood and the River of Stars! It has all of the elements of the fairy tale she created, told only to Flora Lea. Hazel sets forth on a path to find the truth behind the book’s origins, hoping against hope that it will lead to her sister, alive.
the heart of the story…
Flora Lea’s disappearance defined Hazel’s life in every way possible as she felt responsible. While at Binsey, she’d fallen in love with Harry but made a vow during the search for Flora that she’d give him up if her sister could survive and she held true to that promise. Though they’d separated, she never forgot the wonderful, talented boy who’d captured her heart. But it was the pursuit of Whisperwood that is the heart of the story and Hazel’s dogged determination to find out how the author learned of the fairy tale world only she and Flora knew about…it was their secret that was never shared with anyone.
the narration…
Erivo was a perfect choice for this story with her lovely tone and “quiet” approach to the storytelling. It added to the ethereal aspect and highly atmospheric quality of the story. She made me feel everything.
the bottom line…
I hadn’t heard of Operation Pied Piper, the name given to the evacuation of British children from London to the countryside in World War II. While this wasn’t the focus of the story, it provided enough about Hazel and Flora’s experience from the moment they left until they were placed with the Aberdeens that frightened me as an adult. I could only imagine the impact on the thousands of children during that time. I admired Hazel who as a young girl made it her mission to protect her sister and created her own penitence for failing to do so. The journey she set upon after finding that picture book was not only one to find Flora Lea but the her own self discovery in the process. It is a highly atmospheric, whimsical and haunting story that grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go until the end. I loved everything about it. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
June 9, 2023
This was fine, but dragged a bit in the middle for me and I never felt really enthralled.
May 29, 2023
DNF @ p. 84. I had a feeling that this would fall into the category of historical fiction that I hate and I was right. There’s a whole section of historical fiction that is just sentimental women’s fiction with flat characters, writing that tells not shows and full of coincidences that explain any mysteries. I skipped ahead to discover the resolution to the mystery and just rolled my eyes at the unbelievability and sappy emotionalism of it. I can’t say it felt particularly original to me either; I’ve read other dual timeline stories about missing people that were much more satisfying and pageturning than this one.
April 3, 2023
3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon &Schuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review
A young English woman, Hazel in 1960 London stumbles across a book that is identical to the one she used to tell her little sister,Flora Lea. A story Hazel swears she never told anyone else. So how can this be? Is her sister alive?
This book has a little of everything- mystery, romance, dual timeline, action and fantasy. Hazel and Flora are two British evacuee children from London and we witness the way different children were treated by their billets and by the local townspeople. I am quite used to my historical fiction novels having dual timelines and I didn't find it confusing as the date was always identified in the chapters. The author's note provides historical information and further reading references for any readers who want to pursue more information about Operation Pied Piper.
I did find the book a little slow in building towards the final reveal of what exactly happened to Flora Lea. There's a lot of scenes that I found were mere distractions from the main objective-find the sister. I have to admit that sometimes Hazel got under my skin with her stomping her foot and her absolute obsession that the Whisperwood tale only belonged to her and Flora. 🙄 It was just really annoying.
I try never to make comparisons between my authors or my books when reviewing but this one felt very reminiscent of Kate Morton's writing. I like KM so that similarity worked for me.
Expected Publication Date. 02/05/23
Goodreads Review Published 02/04/23
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon &Schuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review
A young English woman, Hazel in 1960 London stumbles across a book that is identical to the one she used to tell her little sister,Flora Lea. A story Hazel swears she never told anyone else. So how can this be? Is her sister alive?
This book has a little of everything- mystery, romance, dual timeline, action and fantasy. Hazel and Flora are two British evacuee children from London and we witness the way different children were treated by their billets and by the local townspeople. I am quite used to my historical fiction novels having dual timelines and I didn't find it confusing as the date was always identified in the chapters. The author's note provides historical information and further reading references for any readers who want to pursue more information about Operation Pied Piper.
I did find the book a little slow in building towards the final reveal of what exactly happened to Flora Lea. There's a lot of scenes that I found were mere distractions from the main objective-find the sister. I have to admit that sometimes Hazel got under my skin with her stomping her foot and her absolute obsession that the Whisperwood tale only belonged to her and Flora. 🙄 It was just really annoying.
I try never to make comparisons between my authors or my books when reviewing but this one felt very reminiscent of Kate Morton's writing. I like KM so that similarity worked for me.
Expected Publication Date. 02/05/23
Goodreads Review Published 02/04/23
July 1, 2023
Oh my. This book has possibly the worst ending I have ever read in all my years of reading. The revelation of who the lost sister was is just so out of left field and unrealistic. So the reader is supposed to believe the lost sister has zero memory of her life before all the way up until the very moment she is found by Hazel, then remembers instantly? And within minutes accepts it all as truth? What?? And why on Earth the Americans were written into this story is honestly beyond me! It’s almost like one writer wrote the set up and another came up with that bad ending. The set up and the majority of the book, which while not great literature, was interesting enough to keep my interest. A couple of slow parts but I powered through thinking the twist revelation will make it worthwhile. Wished I had skipped ahead! Shocked at all the 4 and 5 star reviews and everyone else seems to be ok with the ending? Different strokes. My copy is already in the pile for library donation. Just bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2023
“Stories and books always find their rightful owners.”
When 14-year-old Hazel and her 5-year-old sister, Flora, are evacuated to London as part of Operation Pied Piper, their idyllic life ends. Flora Lea Linden goes missing one day as she’s playing on the banks of the Thames River and her body is never found.
Twenty years later, Hazel, who works at the Rare Book Shoppe, receives a copy of a children’s book that can only be penned by her missing sister…or someone who knows her. This leads her on a journey to find out what happened to her little sister.
Henry knows how to write a compelling story that pulls on readers’ heartstrings. This survival against all odds story captivated me and reminded me about the power of literature to unite us in desperate times. I’d read about Operation Pied Piper before, but appreciated Henry’s exploration and application of the fairy-tale history. My heart ached for the Linden girls and I needed to keep reading to find out what became of Flora and if Hazel could finally put the past to rest.
I can always count on Henry’s stories to grab my heart and make me fall in love with her characters and story. This one is no different. Historical fiction lovers need this story on their TBR pile.
I was gifted this copy by Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
When 14-year-old Hazel and her 5-year-old sister, Flora, are evacuated to London as part of Operation Pied Piper, their idyllic life ends. Flora Lea Linden goes missing one day as she’s playing on the banks of the Thames River and her body is never found.
Twenty years later, Hazel, who works at the Rare Book Shoppe, receives a copy of a children’s book that can only be penned by her missing sister…or someone who knows her. This leads her on a journey to find out what happened to her little sister.
Henry knows how to write a compelling story that pulls on readers’ heartstrings. This survival against all odds story captivated me and reminded me about the power of literature to unite us in desperate times. I’d read about Operation Pied Piper before, but appreciated Henry’s exploration and application of the fairy-tale history. My heart ached for the Linden girls and I needed to keep reading to find out what became of Flora and if Hazel could finally put the past to rest.
I can always count on Henry’s stories to grab my heart and make me fall in love with her characters and story. This one is no different. Historical fiction lovers need this story on their TBR pile.
I was gifted this copy by Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
May 2, 2023
THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA is an enchanting fairy tale of sisterhood, loss, the real meaning of love, and, maybe most of all, the power of story to shape our lives. Laced with a heaping helping of Patti Callahan Henry magic, this is a five-star, can't-put-down, must read!
March 13, 2023
Hazel and her younger sister Flora are evacuated from London in 1940 as part of Operation Pied Piper–children were sent to the countryside to get away from the bombings.They wind up in a lovely home in the Oxford countryside with Bridie and her son Harry–a much better place than her friend Kelty, who is placed with a very nasty woman. Then Flora vanishes, and many believe she drowned in a nearby river looking for the magical place of Whisperwood from Hazel’s stories. The narrative alternates between childhood events in 1940, and Hazel’s adult life in 1960. Reading other people’s reviews, I am very much an outlier, as I never really accepted Hazel’s character and the decisions she made, and the surprise ending struck me as unbelievable and unlikely–a deus ex machina. I was looking forward to reading about children evacuated from London during the Blitz, and was surprised that I found the book so disappointing. (A side note on the history: no passports were required to travel to Canada in 1960–not until 2008– yet Peggy, an American who enters the story later, claims that she had one for her senior trip.) I received a copy from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2025
I was looking forward to reading this one, mostly because I have grown to like this author’s way with storytelling.
I have enjoyed her past books, Becoming Mrs. Lewis and The Bookshop at Water’s End, and I was ready to try her again.
I have read mixed reviews of this one, and I almost gave up on reading it, but decided I wanted to read this anyway. I am glad I did.
The story is of 25-year-old Hazel who receives a copy of a published book titled Whisperwood that brings up a time in her past when she was 14 and her sister Flora was 6.
It was 1940’s London WWII when children were being relocated out of harms way. She has been looking for her sister for twenty years. Hazel’s desire to finding her sister drives the story.
The two time frames allow readers insights into family dynamics and Hazel’s motivations for the truth.
There is mystery, suspense, history, romance, sadness, grief, disbelief – a gamut of emotions that will prevail as readers find the truth along with Hazel. 3.5 stars.
I have enjoyed her past books, Becoming Mrs. Lewis and The Bookshop at Water’s End, and I was ready to try her again.
I have read mixed reviews of this one, and I almost gave up on reading it, but decided I wanted to read this anyway. I am glad I did.
The story is of 25-year-old Hazel who receives a copy of a published book titled Whisperwood that brings up a time in her past when she was 14 and her sister Flora was 6.
It was 1940’s London WWII when children were being relocated out of harms way. She has been looking for her sister for twenty years. Hazel’s desire to finding her sister drives the story.
The two time frames allow readers insights into family dynamics and Hazel’s motivations for the truth.
There is mystery, suspense, history, romance, sadness, grief, disbelief – a gamut of emotions that will prevail as readers find the truth along with Hazel. 3.5 stars.
May 26, 2023
This book has an excellent premise. But it tried to do way too much with the different time periods and perspectives.
At times, it dragged, and I skimmed entire pages. Then, certain chapters felt too rushed. And the dialogue was horrible.
I didn't get attached to any of the characters. The chemistry was off. I found the end result disappointing. (Part of predictability means you hint at the right answer throughout the book. This book didn't include those hints to provide a satisfactory ending.)
This is the second book I have read by this author, and I believe she may just not be my cuppa tea.
At times, it dragged, and I skimmed entire pages. Then, certain chapters felt too rushed. And the dialogue was horrible.
I didn't get attached to any of the characters. The chemistry was off. I found the end result disappointing. (Part of predictability means you hint at the right answer throughout the book. This book didn't include those hints to provide a satisfactory ending.)
This is the second book I have read by this author, and I believe she may just not be my cuppa tea.
May 21, 2023
Audiobook: very well done and enjoyable narrator
This was such a unique reading experience! Flora Lea is part historical fiction, part mystery, and part fantasy (a childhood magical land like Terabithia is told throughout). I loved the historical fiction and mystery, but thought the childhood magical land was a bit much and repetitive. I think this will be a great book for the majority of readers though!
This was such a unique reading experience! Flora Lea is part historical fiction, part mystery, and part fantasy (a childhood magical land like Terabithia is told throughout). I loved the historical fiction and mystery, but thought the childhood magical land was a bit much and repetitive. I think this will be a great book for the majority of readers though!
June 25, 2023
One star because I’m actually mad about this book. It’s highly recommended, has a great premise (a little girl who loves fairy tales goes missing after being evacuated from London during WWII) and the dust jacket is beautiful. But… it’s so bad I’m dying inside. The writing, the characters, the dialogue, the tone, the dual timelines, the names of the characters, the boring chapters, the late plot-twist… just another death-knell for my relationship with modern “literary fiction”. Sad face :(
May 25, 2023
DNF, stopped at chapter 18 but I did read the end to know how the mystery was solved. Boring plot, flat characters, unrealistic story/ending. I know I'm in the minority on this one.
May 28, 2024
Such an interesting premise, such amateurish writing.
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