The Last Garden in England, Julia Kelly
The Last Garden in England, Julia Kelly
4 Rating(s)
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
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The Last Garden in England

Author: Julia Kelly

Narrator: Shiromi Arserio, Marisa Calin, Danielle Cohen, Katherine Littrell, Siobhan Waring

Unabridged: 10 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/12/2021


Synopsis

From the author of the international bestsellers The Light Over London and The Whispers of War comes “a compelling read, filled with lovable characters and an alluring twist of fates” (Ellen Keith, author of The Dutch Wife) about five women living across three different times whose lives are all connected by one very special garden.

Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden.

1907: A talented artist with a growing reputation for her work, Venetia Smith has carved out a niche for herself as a garden designer to industrialists, solicitors, and bankers looking to show off their wealth with sumptuous country houses. When she is hired to design the gardens of Highbury House, she is determined to make them a triumph, but the gardens—and the people she meets—promise to change her life forever.

1944: When land girl Beth Pedley arrives at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Highbury, all she wants is to find a place she can call home. Cook Stella Adderton, on the other hand, is desperate to leave Highbury House to pursue her own dreams. And widow Diana Symonds, the mistress of the grand house, is anxiously trying to cling to her pre-war life now that her home has been requisitioned and transformed into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens Highbury House’s treasured gardens, these three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades.

“Gorgeously written and rooted in meticulous period detail, this novel is vibrant as it is stirring. Fans of historical fiction will fall in love with The Last Garden in England” (Roxanne Veletzos, author of The Girl They Left Behind).

About Julia Kelly

Julia Kelly is the award-winning author of emotional historical novels about ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances and thrilling historical whodunnit mysteries. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London with her husband. Readers can visit JuliaKellyWrites.com to learn more about all her books and sign up for her newsletter so they never miss a new release.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on January 15, 2021

Quick thoughts: The Last Garden in England has three timelines: the present day, the early 1900s, and the 1940s, and I loved them all, and these strong female characters. Set in Scotland at a historic garden at Highbury House over these three timelines, first it must be designed, and later on, it mus......more

Goodreads review by Annette on September 02, 2021

3.5 stars England, 2021. Emma is commissioned to restore a historic garden at Highbury House. She strives for historical accuracy in re-creating a garden. And that’s the part I enjoyed the most in this story. The process of finding any kind of trace, a drawing or a picture, that would lead her in the......more

Goodreads review by Darla on December 30, 2020

It happened again. I am on my elliptical multi-tasking cardio with reading. At about 83% I was weeping. Julia Kelly, you have a winner. Why have I waited so long to pick up one of your books? There are two others on my TBR list. I have been missing out. This is such a wonderful tapestry with threads......more

Goodreads review by Marilyn (not getting notifications) on February 18, 2021

I listened to the audiobook of The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly on Overdrive. It was brilliantly narrated by Shiromi Arserio, Marisa Calin, Danielle Cohen, Katherine Littrell and Siobhan Waring. This book captured the lives, hopes and desires of five different but very strong women. These w......more


Quotes

"The inviting performances of Marisa Calin, Shiromi Arserio, Katherine Littrell, Danielle Cohen, and Siobhan Waring add to the immersive pleasure of this engaging historical novel by bestselling author Julia Kelly. Set alternately in 1907, 1944, and the present day, the plot centers on the women of England's Highbury House. Venetia, the estate's 1907 garden designer, struggles to balance social expectations with her career desires. When WWII turns the estate into a convalescent hospital, estate owner Diana, cook Stella, and land girl Beth fight to preserve the gardens while building fulfilling lives. Modern-day garden restorer Emma uncovers the past's hidden secrets while navigating challenges that echo Venetia's. They are all compellingly written characters with affecting lives and interesting personal challenges, making this a listening experience to savor."