piperkitty's review
4.0
This story includes tackling a WW2 secret whereas depicting the mystery plant as an substance unto itself. As the cultivate gets reestablished, lives get recuperated and the secret unwinds. ReaI was inspired to discover that indeed the two included in spying drew my sensitivity. All the characters are truly well drawn and the story is fulfilling and energizing. I examined it exceptionally rapidly since it fair pulled me in so quick. A must examined.
darladark's review
1.0
This book is a dual storyline which builds a picture around a secret box found in a garden. The characters are quite flat and the writing is circular, stilted and repetitive. I was given an arc for an honest review.
robinlovesreading's review
5.0
Anya is devastated by the death of her mother, and her cruel stepfather demands she marry someone who will pull their family out of financial straits. She is determined to make her own way. Fleeing her home, Anya ends up being sent to England as she is an English-speaking Russian who becomes a Russian spy working with the Nazis. Anya is not clear on the mistake she made joining this endeavor. She soon meets Nikolai, hired as a footman. Anya makes another friend named Millie, and she begins to understand the depth of the decision she made taking the job she now has.
Her friendship with Nikolai is indeed her saving grace. The two become friends and so much more, thus giving light to Anya as she faces impossible circumstances.
In present day, as this book is delivered in a dual-timeline fashion, we meet Laura. Laura has own own devastation to deal with and that is when she finds out that her other half has been cheating on her. She leaves him and returns home to Norfolk. One day while wandering around a gorgeous garden - when ends up being a significant player in this remarkable story - she finds a cigarette box that contained a ration card and a key. What are these items?
This secret garden contains a huge secret. Anya's curiosity gets the best of her and she embarks on an journey to find out its origin and significance. She is very much drawn to the story behind the items she found. In her search for answers, she soon meets Jamie, and the pair share a strong emotional connection.
What a wonderful story! Full of heartbreak, but then balanced out with a heartwarming ending, Garden of Secrets is another fabulous story written in a compelling manner. I love how the garden itself is the backdrop that ties these women together, even decades apart. Suzanne Kelman is a very dramatic writer, crafting stories and characters that truly pull the reader in. Each book that I have read by her has given me all the feels, and this book does exactly that.
Please also enjoy my YouTube video review -
Her friendship with Nikolai is indeed her saving grace. The two become friends and so much more, thus giving light to Anya as she faces impossible circumstances.
In present day, as this book is delivered in a dual-timeline fashion, we meet Laura. Laura has own own devastation to deal with and that is when she finds out that her other half has been cheating on her. She leaves him and returns home to Norfolk. One day while wandering around a gorgeous garden - when ends up being a significant player in this remarkable story - she finds a cigarette box that contained a ration card and a key. What are these items?
This secret garden contains a huge secret. Anya's curiosity gets the best of her and she embarks on an journey to find out its origin and significance. She is very much drawn to the story behind the items she found. In her search for answers, she soon meets Jamie, and the pair share a strong emotional connection.
What a wonderful story! Full of heartbreak, but then balanced out with a heartwarming ending, Garden of Secrets is another fabulous story written in a compelling manner. I love how the garden itself is the backdrop that ties these women together, even decades apart. Suzanne Kelman is a very dramatic writer, crafting stories and characters that truly pull the reader in. Each book that I have read by her has given me all the feels, and this book does exactly that.
Please also enjoy my YouTube video review -
srivalli's review
4.0
4.3 Stars
One Liner: A few misses but a satisfying read.
1940, Russia: Anya is an English-speaking Russian sent to England as a spy. She has to work as a Land Girl in Norfolk and pass on information to the Russian authorities. Nikolai is her partner in crime (or spying). He is an intelligent young man with soulful eyes and secrets of his own. When the war gets complicated, Anya and Nikolai know they have to depend on each other to survive in the enemy country. They devise a plan to find each other if things go terribly wrong. But did they find each other or perish in the war?
Present Day, Norfolk: Laura takes up the job of restoring the old garden in the Norfolk Manor. She is struggling with personal issues and trying to make the right decision. When she comes across a box buried under a willow tree in the secret garden, Laura is determined to get to the root of the mystery. Maybe unraveling the mystery will also help make sense of her life.
What I Liked:
• Both timelines get almost equal importance in the book. In many dual timelines, I find the contemporary track diluted or ineffective. Here, Laura’s track is well-sketched to create a likable heroine.
• The elements of nature weave in and out of the story to create a mystical effect. The garden is also a character in the book.
• The book deals with Russian spies in England during WW II. It felt refreshing to read another perspective.
• Despite dedicating alternate chapters to the past and present, there are no bumps or jerks in the narration. It only adds intrigue to the story.
• The emotions come out strong, especially towards the end of the book. Even though some of it seems a little too neatly tied up, it was satisfying to read the ending.
• The second half gains pace (or maybe I just slow fast-read to finish the book). Though a lot happens, none of it is overwhelming or confusing.
• I wondered why a particular secret was dragged through the first half. It made sense after reading it. The revelation happened just when it should. That’s a very good execution.
•
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The story starts with long, winded sentences (probably to set the mood) that slowed my reading pace. It didn’t help that I tend to zone out when every alternate sentence is three to four lines long.
• A little more about Jamie’s past/ life would have made things even better. There’s hardly anything we know about him compared to Laura. That dimmed the impact the relationship should have on the reader.
To sum up, Garden of Secrets is a heartwarming and satisfying read, despite the slow start.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #GardenofSecrets
One Liner: A few misses but a satisfying read.
1940, Russia: Anya is an English-speaking Russian sent to England as a spy. She has to work as a Land Girl in Norfolk and pass on information to the Russian authorities. Nikolai is her partner in crime (or spying). He is an intelligent young man with soulful eyes and secrets of his own. When the war gets complicated, Anya and Nikolai know they have to depend on each other to survive in the enemy country. They devise a plan to find each other if things go terribly wrong. But did they find each other or perish in the war?
Present Day, Norfolk: Laura takes up the job of restoring the old garden in the Norfolk Manor. She is struggling with personal issues and trying to make the right decision. When she comes across a box buried under a willow tree in the secret garden, Laura is determined to get to the root of the mystery. Maybe unraveling the mystery will also help make sense of her life.
What I Liked:
• Both timelines get almost equal importance in the book. In many dual timelines, I find the contemporary track diluted or ineffective. Here, Laura’s track is well-sketched to create a likable heroine.
• The elements of nature weave in and out of the story to create a mystical effect. The garden is also a character in the book.
• The book deals with Russian spies in England during WW II. It felt refreshing to read another perspective.
• Despite dedicating alternate chapters to the past and present, there are no bumps or jerks in the narration. It only adds intrigue to the story.
• The emotions come out strong, especially towards the end of the book. Even though some of it seems a little too neatly tied up, it was satisfying to read the ending.
• The second half gains pace (or maybe I just slow fast-read to finish the book). Though a lot happens, none of it is overwhelming or confusing.
• I wondered why a particular secret was dragged through the first half. It made sense after reading it. The revelation happened just when it should. That’s a very good execution.
•
Spoiler
There’s something highly satisfying when reading about older couples finding their lost love.What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The story starts with long, winded sentences (probably to set the mood) that slowed my reading pace. It didn’t help that I tend to zone out when every alternate sentence is three to four lines long.
• A little more about Jamie’s past/ life would have made things even better. There’s hardly anything we know about him compared to Laura. That dimmed the impact the relationship should have on the reader.
To sum up, Garden of Secrets is a heartwarming and satisfying read, despite the slow start.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #GardenofSecrets
rbharath's review
5.0
I was taking a break from WWII historical fiction, but well - with Suzanne Kelman’s books I would always make an exception! While all her novels I have read so far had a WWII setting, each has been very different – exploring different places, characters and situations. This is a heart-warming read, though there is not much which you cannot anticipate.
In the present time, Laura is trying to move on from a fractured relationship after she comes to know of her partner’s infidelity. She also has painful memories of a family tragedy. She has taken up the task of restoring a garden in Norfolk for friends. She accidentally discovers a small box with a message and a key under a willow tree. As she pursues this mystery, it leads her to references to Annie - a land girl who worked there and disappeared suddenly. Laura also meets with Jamie and it looks like a new relationship may be blossoming.
The story switches between another timeline during WWII in 1940 starting from the time when Russia & Germany had reached a pact, which was to break-down very soon later. Anya and Nikolai are spies sent to England to pass back information to Russia. They both have personal circumstances which force the choices they make, at least initially, on taking up this assignment.
As with her other books, the character development and writing are excellent. I loved the imagery the writing conjures, and the understated emotional play between the characters. The brief love-at-first-sight sequences between Laura and Jamie come across as contrived and silly though. A set of lovely characters and a story which moves very smoothly.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
In the present time, Laura is trying to move on from a fractured relationship after she comes to know of her partner’s infidelity. She also has painful memories of a family tragedy. She has taken up the task of restoring a garden in Norfolk for friends. She accidentally discovers a small box with a message and a key under a willow tree. As she pursues this mystery, it leads her to references to Annie - a land girl who worked there and disappeared suddenly. Laura also meets with Jamie and it looks like a new relationship may be blossoming.
The story switches between another timeline during WWII in 1940 starting from the time when Russia & Germany had reached a pact, which was to break-down very soon later. Anya and Nikolai are spies sent to England to pass back information to Russia. They both have personal circumstances which force the choices they make, at least initially, on taking up this assignment.
As with her other books, the character development and writing are excellent. I loved the imagery the writing conjures, and the understated emotional play between the characters. The brief love-at-first-sight sequences between Laura and Jamie come across as contrived and silly though. A set of lovely characters and a story which moves very smoothly.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
jennmcburney's review
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this advanced copy of Garden of Secrets!
I enjoyed this story very much! It is told in3 perspectives, Laura in the "now" timeframe and Anya and Nikolai, Russian spies during WW2. Anya and Nikolai, at first strangers to each other, have their own reasons for joining the Russian secret service and reasons for wanting to leave Russia. They are sent to England to be spies for their own country which bonds them together for life.
Laura has her own modern day troubles with her relationship falling apart forcing her to get out of London and take a job restoring a country house's garden. Laura stumbles upon a buried secret which takes her on an investigative trip to find answers of what happened at this country home during WW2.
The story takes you back through time to figure out just what happened to Anya and Nikolai.
This book gave me Kate Morton vibes with the garden restoration project. I really liked Laura and thought her story could be a book of its own. It was interesting to view the war from a different perspective, not many books star Russian spies living in England! 4 star read!
I enjoyed this story very much! It is told in3 perspectives, Laura in the "now" timeframe and Anya and Nikolai, Russian spies during WW2. Anya and Nikolai, at first strangers to each other, have their own reasons for joining the Russian secret service and reasons for wanting to leave Russia. They are sent to England to be spies for their own country which bonds them together for life.
Laura has her own modern day troubles with her relationship falling apart forcing her to get out of London and take a job restoring a country house's garden. Laura stumbles upon a buried secret which takes her on an investigative trip to find answers of what happened at this country home during WW2.
The story takes you back through time to figure out just what happened to Anya and Nikolai.
This book gave me Kate Morton vibes with the garden restoration project. I really liked Laura and thought her story could be a book of its own. It was interesting to view the war from a different perspective, not many books star Russian spies living in England! 4 star read!
hmurff's review against another edition
4.5
This book was fantastic. It was a little slow paced at first, but a lot happens in the last 100 or so pages.
This book is written from 3 different POVs and a couple of different time periods (1940s, 1950s, and present day). It is so much fun seeing the story play out from when it was originally happening and when it is being discovered in present day. Watching the stories intertwine is so fascinating and wonderfully written.
All of the characters are written extremely well, even the ones you only see for a chapter or two. Each character has so much personality and depth to them it feels like you’ve known each of them for years.
There are so many good twists and turns throughout this book. You will also feel every emotion throughout it- anger, sadness, happiness, and love are just a few of them.
This is definitely a story that will stick with you and make you think about life, guilt, friendships, and love in a way you probably haven’t before. Definitely a book everyone should read at some point in time
This book is written from 3 different POVs and a couple of different time periods (1940s, 1950s, and present day). It is so much fun seeing the story play out from when it was originally happening and when it is being discovered in present day. Watching the stories intertwine is so fascinating and wonderfully written.
All of the characters are written extremely well, even the ones you only see for a chapter or two. Each character has so much personality and depth to them it feels like you’ve known each of them for years.
There are so many good twists and turns throughout this book. You will also feel every emotion throughout it- anger, sadness, happiness, and love are just a few of them.
This is definitely a story that will stick with you and make you think about life, guilt, friendships, and love in a way you probably haven’t before. Definitely a book everyone should read at some point in time
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