She stops at the edge of the stone path, sorrow clawing at her like a feral beast desperate to break free. She wipes away a half-frozen tear. She should not be here, yet she could not leave without once again seeing this place of love and loss. Julia Kelly's captivating novel, The Last Garden in England, is as immersive as it is enchanting...Historical fiction at its very best." - Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis I have been a huge fan of Ms. Kelly for quite a while now. I loved her previous two books: The Light Over London and The Whispers of War. When I saw that she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it. And it most certainly did not disappoint. Present day: Emma Lovell, 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, 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 buried. Strange balance - other than the garden designs I felt total surface views and hardly any soul. With all of that short attention span switching I felt like it was suffering from A.D.D throughout and hardly hung together as one story.

A talented artist with a growing reputation for her ambitious 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. I loved the full character cast. Ms. Kelly has outdone herself with a full array of fascinating characters. I loved Venetia, Emma, Diana, and even Stella (as hard as it was at some points to do so). There were so many more characters within each story to even mention, however each one was vital, complex, realistic, and fit perfectly. I loved how each woman was different in personality and place, yet all had similarities that the reader discovered throughout the book. Excellent. The one thing that marred my enjoyment somewhat was the myriad characters. It was difficult at times to follow when the narrative jumped from storyline to storyline just who was being discussed. Some chapter headings helpfully stated the year, but all of them did not. The writing was such that I was immersed in the book, and it was a tad jarring when I was lifted from one story to another. I found the stories interesting, especially related to the gardens. I'd never thought much about the large gardens on a country estate beside them being beautiful, so it was interesting to read of the first architect during the 1900s, the gardens being requisitioned during the war, and then current day, trying to reconstruct the original gardens.I had been reading quite a few books that take place during WWII and had even decided to take a break from this subgroup of historical fiction. I am quite glad that I was offered this book. This book actually covers 3 different time periods 1907, 1941. and present day. It is the tale of five strong women over 3 time periods whose lives are connected by one garden in England.

Diana suffers a great deal of loss during the war, losing both her husband and her son. Her grief is acute, and it becomes clear that she also felt she lost a part of herself when she married and became a mother. What do you think of Bobby’s adoption? Of her choice to call him Robert, the given name he shared with Robin? Of the choice to bury the adoption papers and keep his true ancestry a secret? Do you think she ultimately finds peace? If so, do you agree with how she found it? Venetia Smith is commissioned to design a garden at Highbury House. She finds the owners - her employers challenging. Brother of the owners breeds roses. Her designing a garden and him breeding some roses lead to a romantic relationship. Lastly, we have present day Emma who’s hired to restore the gardens and is intent on discovering the secrets of the Winter Garden. She’s long been a fan of Venetia Smith and is overjoyed to be on the project.Like the petals of Highbury House's enchanting roses, Julia Kelly's latest novel unfurls to reveal layered stories of long-lost secrets. The Last Garden in Englandis a compelling read, filled with loveable characters and an alluring twist of fates." —Ellen Keith, author of The Dutch Wife Inspired by true events in Syria, this touching story will open up conversations around the impact of war and migration. Mirroring themes in the book, the story opens up a safe space to explore how people deal with conflict and what happens when people are forced to leave. This is ultimately a story of hope and healing which could pair well with aspects of the science and art curriculums as children explore the cyclical nature of life and the appreciation of beauty, even in times of hardship. Links and themes:

I also enjoyed the Author’s note at the end to give a bit more context as to what was fact vs fiction vs inspiration. I enjoyed that as well. This was a lighter, wholesome kind of read with a beautiful setting and an interesting blend of story lines that has a bit of everything - romance, heartache, friendship, loss and a dose of botany - but a green thumb is not required! (phew!). This was an enjoyable, if a bit predictable read that focuses on an array of strong female characters who show the importance of friendship and resiliency during tumultuous times. Class plays a significant role in each of the time periods. How is Venetia’s relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Melcourt different from the relationship Beth and Stella have with Diana? How is it different from the relationship between Emma and Sydney and Andrew? How are the relationships the same? Are you surprised by how much or how little changed over the course of 114 years?It was interesting to read about the requisition of properties and land during the war. And about the so called land girls.

In this beautiful tale of love, heartbreak and re-invention, Julia Kelly draws us deeply into the heart of the English countryside and a mysterious garden where the destinies of women living decades apart collide in unexpected, transformative ways. 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, bestselling author of The Girl They Left Behind After searching visuals of English gardens, I discovered several beautiful photos which added ambiance to reading this wonderful book! Bestselling author Julia Kelly plants the seed of an idea, nurtures it into a vivid, intriguing seedling, then fertilizes, prunes, and shapes its various twisting branches into a stunning garden. Connected across the decades by a garden in desperate need of their care, three fascinating women grow alongside one another, shedding secrets and insecurities, eventually blooming with self-realization, hope, and love." —Genevieve Graham, bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child A talented artist with a growing reputation for her ambitious 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. This reading group guide for The Last Garden in England includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.

Julia Kelly

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. 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, while cook Stella Adderton could not be more desperate to leave Highbury House pursue her own dreams. Diana Symonds, a widow and the mistress of the grand house, is desperately trying to cling to her pre-war life now that Highbury House has been requisitioned to become a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens the gardens at Highbury House, these three women are drawn together by a secret that will last decades.