On a very rainy day, I needed no excuse to read this book in one sitting. It is so well written and researched, that I was drawn in to the tale straight away. Originally published as The Trysting Tree, I think this was an excellent title, however, thank you Amazon for letting me read it as The Memory Tree.

Ann is a 40 something divorcee who moves back to the family home to care for her ailing, artist mother, Phoebe. They have never had a good relationship. Ann’s father left them when she was very young. She is convinced that it was because of her he left, and her mother refuses to talk about it all. When an old beech tree comes down, Ann is heart broken but can’t work out why. In the hollow trunk of the tree she finds a tin that has old love letters hidden indeed packets. This find sets her off on search for answers as to who the lovers were.

Connor as recently lost his grandmother, Ivy, in a fire. They had been in the process of going through old papers and photos from Ivy's past. A historian and a gardener, he comes into Ann and Phoebes lives, when he asks their permission to reinstate the old garden back to how it used to be.

Hestor is pushed into an engagement to Walter, a man she doesn’t love, but who her parents say is suitable. The marriage is put on hold as Walter enlists and goes off to war. William and Violet live with their father in a tied cottage on Ann’s family’s estate. As the war goes on, Hestor and Violet become allies against the restrictions Ann’s family put on her,

The relationships between the characters, both in the past and the present, are beautifully and realistically written, with even the Beech wood having a voice.
I love the dual timeline of this book, it gives insights into the restricted lives of women in the early 1900s, the horror of war, and the power of love. A great read.

Two mysteries intertwine in this latest novel from the talented Linda Gillard. The first is the more recent, and the cause of Ann's emotional distress - why did her father Sylvester leave, apparently without a backward glance, and where is he now?
The second mystery involves the destruction of family papers in the fire that killed Connor's grandmother - what was Ivy trying to burn and why?
When the Trysting Tree blows down in a gale, it reveals a hidden treasure and sets Ann, her mother Phoebe and Connor off on the task of unearthing the history of The Garden Lodge.
Two tender love stories between characters who (typically for Linda Gillard) have been left battered and scarred by life's experiences. An enjoyable read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of love, expectations and hardships.
I was completely hooked and loved how the story flitted between now and World War One. I enjoyed reading how the relationship between Ann and Connor developed. as they read about Connors ancestors in the past. What exactly is Ann holding back on and what is causing her insomnia?
Back in World War One era, Hester and William cannot be together due to her position in the main house and his position as a gardener. Will they ever be together? How many loved ones can a family lose before you lose the will to carry on?
I found myself caught up in the stories from then and the ones from now. Wonderful writing by the author and magnificent characters. Humbling and graphic scenery from World War One that really makes you stop and think about the wounded from this time in history. This is a lovely tale about protecting loved ones now and in the past.

**book review**

The Memory Tree - Linda Gillard
3 out of 5 ⭐️

When 90 something year old Ivy dies trying to destroy her family’s archives her grandson Connor is heart broken and confused. Ivy had always spoken so fondly of her family so what had changed to make her do such a drastic thing?
Lost and looking for answers Connor heads back to where Ivy was born, a Victorian estate called Beechgrave. Here he meets Ann and her mother Phoebe the current residents. Together they delve into the diary of Hester Mordaunt, Ivy’s adoptive mother. Through Hester’s diary we follow not only her story but that of Ivy’s real mother Violet and her brother William as the three of them struggle through love and loss during war. While Ann is determined to help Connor find the truth, she is also struggling with her own history and secrets at Beechgrave. A giant Beech tree standing in the middle of the grounds has watched over the residents for hundreds of years and holds all the answers Connor and Ann seek.

I found this book a little slow it took a fair chunk of the book to set the story up. Once the story found its feet I thoroughly enjoyed how well the author described the realities of life during war for women left behind to run households and businesses in a time when they have been unable to hold jobs or vote. The book also explores the harsh realities of life for returned soldiers. I loved that while I thought I had the answers figured out, elements of the ending were a surprise to me. It’s a perfect blend of mystery and love story. If you are a fan of Kate Morton you will love this book!

Thanks you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read this in return for my honest opinion.

This was always going to be a good one for me, a huge fan of war based novels, especially those with dual timelines. I also loved the mystery element of it, with where the seeds came from and how everyone tied together.

I've never read any of Gillard's previous novels, but I will definitely be going to find some now! The plot is beautifully paced, the characters are so well developed, and the romance element of the novel is absolutely perfect - it felt so natural, not forced at all, and not something that was shoehorned in for the sake of it.

I read a lot of novels similar to this, but this one is truly a standout. Absolutely brilliant.

Having read several books by Linda Gillard I was very much looking forward to reading this one and it didn't disappoint.
As always fabulous characterisation, great story telling and a plot that slowly but surely draws you in, the dual timeline works perfectly.
A simple but well written story that spans the generations, a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it.

This is my first Linda Gillard (read as The Memory Tree). In a style popularised by Kate Morton and others Gillard uses a dual timeline to tell her story from differing perspectives. A good read which ties up the threads neatly (but without too much sugar and sweetness) at the end - some of the things I guessed and others I didn't. I will be looking out more of Gillard's work after reading this.

The Memory Tree is a wonderful story that was well written. The characters are well developed and the storyline is heartwarming.

Wow, it's been a long time since I read a book I simply could not put down. I loved the characters and warmed to them immediately. The story covers generations through WW1 and the repercussions of their actions in the present day. Small detailed chapters for each of the characters was a wonderful way to allow them their own voice. I really did not see the ending coming. In short, a brilliant book and I look forward to reading more by a very talented author.

The term “master storyteller” is sadly overused but when it comes to Linda Gillard it really is the most appropriate one. Each and every one of her novels is compelling and draws the reader in. Each of them is about real people facing real challenges and all are expertly paced and expertly plotted. This one is no exception. Previously issued under the title The Trysting Tree (which in my opinion is the better title, especially as the tree in question is referred to as that throughout – oh the vagaries of publishers….) this dual time narrative, set in the Great War years and 100 years later, features Ann, who, after a mid-life divorce, moves back in with her mother who is struggling with the after-effects of cancer treatment. Theirs has never been a close relationship but when gardener Connor comes into their lives his digging is both literal and metaphorical, and gradually a 100 years’ worth of lies, secrets and deceptions are uncovered. As usual, Gillard writes with insight and empathy, exploring all the things left unsaid between the characters we come to know and care about and showing how destructive this has been. A thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing novel, which I read with great pleasure.

in the early days of the twentieth century, gardener William Hatherwick is in love with Hester Mordaunt, she loves him in return, but before they can make their feelings public, William is called away to fight to the trenches of France to fight in World War I. Hester mourns the loss of her love beneath a beech tree and 100 years later, Anna is heartbroken when her beloved beech tree is destroyed in a storm. She’s shocked to find packages of seeds inside the trunk of the old tree. At the same time, historian Connor Grenville is trying to find out why his grandmother wants to destroy Hester’s notes and diaries. A fascinating and heart rending story