I absolutely loved this book. Fourth in the series, it might as well have been standalone for me as it's such a while since I've read any of the Tea series (and I think the Tea Planter's Daughter was the first book that I read on kindle!)

This is the saga of a family in India (with roots in Newcastle) - book #4 is set at the time of partition (1947). It provided me with good insights into the struggles and challenges faced by India and West and East Pakistan (now Pakistan and Bangladesh)

A strong cast of characters is lead by Libby and Adela who both have their reasons for leaving (Newcastle to return to India and vice versa). Their stories intertwine and overlap with those of their parents and friends and family. We are (re)introduced to other characters whose stories are explored in the other books in the series. But no matter, as the author is able to link the stories together (and referring to past events without labouring the stories).

An unreserved 5* from me... I was thrilled to discover this book with its insights into India, tea plantations, partitions, struggles at home and abroad and many layers of family complexity.

I look forward to reading many more by this author.

This is the first time I have read this author. The story is set against the events leading up to partition in India. The characters are well developed and the reader gets a real sense of the issues some of the English are having to deal with. Many of them have spent a large part of their life working and living in India with their families. Some of them are empathic to the needs of the Indian situation. Others not so. The book also tells a parallel story of a couple who have returned from India to settle in Newcastle and the problems and difficulties they have to face. The story has substance and you feel the author is writing from the heart. I enjoyed the story very much so will probably look out for other books by Janet Macleod Trotter!

I truly enjoyed the ARC of The Secrets of the Tea Garden by Janet MacLeod Trotter provided by NetGalley. I felt immersed in the time period and had difficulty leaving the story behind to return to my own reality! Though this is the 4th book in the series, it is written so that you don't need to have read the previous ones in order to understand what is happening. In fact, I didn't even realize I had missed the other books! I really enjoyed the "forbidden" love storyline and the modern thinking exhibited by the characters. They challenged the norms of being the colonizing Nation and I identified with Libby by being in a mixed race relationship myself. Looking forward to bringing this series into the store!

Received a vopy of this book through netgalley.
Wonderful read, have read the previous books in the series,so it eas goof to catch up eith the lives of the other characters.You do not need to read the previous books to understand the story as it clearly explains the role of the characters from the previous books.
A must read.

It’s not until after the end of World War II that Libby is able to leave chilly England to return to her real home – India. It’s as beautiful ss she remembers, but now a current of discord is humming. The time of Colonial rule is coming to a close. Libby’s father owns a tea plantation and even though she loves it and has fond memories of her childhood there, she begins to realize that, while her world may be perfect, the life of those around her, her employees and the local population live very different lives. I love Trotter’s tea series, they embody the beauty and cruelty of India and the lives of those who love her