An enchanting book about 1900s gardener Venetia Smith, designer of the gardens at Highbury Estate, seen through the eyes of Emma who is restoring the garden in 2021. Such a delight to read, full of descriptive poetic pictures of gardens and their plants.

I've always been an admirer of gardens, so this novel appealed to me right away. The stunning cover also attracted my attention. Unlike many historical novels that feature a 'dual timeline', this one has a 'triple timeline' which the author skillfully weaves together.

Personally, I loved the World War II time line the most. My favourite characters were Beth Pedley and Diana Symonds. Along with the three story lines, there were also three love stories which were integral to the novel.

There were many things about this novel that I loved. Not least the two little boys in the WWII story. The descriptions of the gardens and the grueling farm work was vividly portrayed.

The book highlights the way that the socioeconomic status of women has changed over the years by giving the reader a first hand look at some strong female protagonists.

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 believe that this book will be loved by many. Those who appreciate historical fiction, those who admire gardens, and those who enjoy timeless love stories, will all come under its spell. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

Fabulous 3-timeline story. At first I was a little put off that the middle timeline had multiple narrators. Once I got into the story though, the multiple narrators for the middle timeline added to the depth of the story and explained much of what people where thinking and feeling as well as the reasons behind some of the actions. I enjoyed that there were secrets in the gardens as it added a bit of intrigue to the story. Definittely worth the read.
I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the opinions are all my own.

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly is a compelling read. This historical fiction novel is set in three time periods revolving around Highbury House Gardens in 1907, 1944 and 2021. I felt like I was in the gardens with her colourful descriptions.

In 1907, we meet Venetia who designed the gardens. It was rare in those days for women to be in that profession. She was earning a wonderful reputation for her designs for the Elite in Britain. She leaves England suddenly, before she can complete the final Winter garden.

In 1944, we meet three more strong women going through different issues. The widow Diana, owner of Highbury House, the cook Stella and the Land girl Beth. During the war, the house was taken over as a convelescent hospital. I was rooting for all of them to find their strengths.

Finally, in present day 2021, we meet Emma. She is excited to be restoring the last garden that her hero Venetia designed in England. The author does a great job of interweaving the timelines and characters as Emma unearths the hidden secrets.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and the author for a Digital ARC for an honest review.

#NetGalley #TheLastGardeninEngland

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly is captivating historical fiction, which takes place in a country well-known for its beautiful gardens. The plot unwinds over three different time periods. In 1907, Venetia is hired by the owners of Highbury House, to design a series of gardens on the estate. It was unusual for a woman to work in this profession in those days. In 1944, Beth leaves the city to become a land girl, helping farmers produce food during WWII. While there, she befriends a cook at Highbury House, which by then is owned by Diana Symonds, a young widow. In 2021, Emma is hired to breathe new life into the neglected gardens of Highbury House. While researching the history of the gardens, Emma will discover old plans from 1907 and photos and documents from 1944. Secrets will slowly begin to unravel and a century of events will lead her to understand the history of the old gardens and find kinship with the lives of the women who were associated with the estate gardens. The Last Garden in England is a flower that slowly opens to reveal its beauty. This is a book that can be re-read with pleasure. Highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, Net Galley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Utterly delightful book that transported me to another time. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I could imagine the garden in my mind as it was so well described.

Julia Kelly's The Whispers of War was a favourite of 2020 so I was very much looking forward her 2021 release, The Last Garden of England. It did not let me down!

Here's the synopsis:
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 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.
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.
As the description indicates, this novel stretches over three time periods. I really liked that we got a sweeping story with a magnificent garden at the centre of it. The world of gardens and how they were designed for those grand houses in England hadn't ever been something I had thought about and I found it really interesting. I liked reading as the garden was planned, seen in all it's glory, and then in decay as it was being brought back to life. That was how Kelly intended the story to be connected but it got a bit lost in the 1944 timeline. That's not to say I wasn't interested, as I absolutely was. I just think, at some points, it read like two different books that just happened to have the same garden. The 1907 and present day storylines, on the other hand, were woven together really well as it was the beginning and the end (plus a rebirth) of the garden. Emma was determined to figure out Venetia's original plan and I loved reading as she dug into the history of Highbury House's garden.

All the characters - and there were a lot of them - were engaging and I was intrigued at how they were all connected through the years. I cared about each woman and wanted only the best for them. I was worried when they found themselves in impossible situations and rooted for them to find their Happily Ever After, whatever that may have been.

Kelly spent the most time on the 1944 timeline, which is not surprising as there were three characters featured in that section and given her history of writing WWII era novels. I've read novels about land girls and the big houses that were turned into hospitals (possibly even in the same novel before) but Kelly still managed to make it a fresh and interesting story that kept me turning the pages until the end.

The Last Garden in England isn't perfect but it is perfectly entertaining. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading Julia Kelly's latest novel and thought of it often when I wasn't reading it. This one is for the historical fiction fans who want to get lost in a whole other world - a world full of flowers and secrets.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Told in three alternating timelines spanning from 1907 to the present day, we follow five women whose stories all intertwine around the setting of the beautiful Highbury House.

This is an absolute treat of a historical fiction novel, in a beautiful setting which was just what I needed. The stories are each expertly woven and although it took me a few chapters to get all of the characters straight in my head, once I did I loved each of the character’s stories.

Normally in a story from multiple perspectives and/or timelines I will have a favourite but that wasn’t the case here, as I adored each of their stories equally.

I will most definitely be looking for more books written by this author.

I never knew what my dream job was until I started reading this book. An antique garden restoration specialist?? Sign me up! I loved the concept of the main character, Emma's, job - hired by people looking to restore their century home gardens to their past magnificence.

2021: Emma has started her business restoring century gardens into their past glory. It takes a lot of time, research and luck to find what she needs to ensure historical accuracy. Hired on to restore the Highbury House estate gardens to their formal glory, Emma not only finds a challenge, but a future as well.

1944: Beth has been taken on as a land girl, working the fields of the home front during the war. Assigned to Highbury House farms, Beth quickly falls in love with the gardens. Cook Stella has been working at Highbury House since she was only enough to wield spatula, but has always yearned for something more. When her sister dies and leaves her with her 5 year old son, Stella's life as she always dreamed is put at risk. Home owner Diana has been left a widow with her 5 year old son Robin, and seen her once-beloved home turned into a field hospital for soldiers. While this was not what she envisioned, the wars change on her home brought her the will to find herself amidst the personalities around her.

1907: Venetia Smith has been given the job of her dreams - a garden at an estate where the owners are giving her creative whims the space they need. She builds the gardens of Highbury House into several rooms, each representing something close to her heart. While she only expected to be building a garden, she finds much more than she bargained for at the grand estate.

While I loved the premise of this story, and the multiple timelines, there were so many characters to try to keep track of. Once I was further along in the story, it did become easier, but with the mixed timeline, the story set up became a bit much. I found myself referencing the synopsis often to determine which character was part of which story. Besides that, I really enjoyed the premise of rebuilding a garden to its original designs, really loved the character development and the relationships that sprung up, and each characters story concluded in a very pleasing way.

3.75 stars

This was the perfect book to read in 2021. I chose The last garden in England by Julia Kelly because the premise sounded a little different than my usual books, one of my New Years resolutions and the cover was beautiful! This story was told in three timelines and did not disappoint.
Present day - 2021 - Emma 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: Venetia Smith 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: Highbury House’s treasured gardens, three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades.
I loved all three storylines, and each one made me cry. I found the middle storyline a bit difficult to follow as it had quite a few characters to follow but once I managed to figure out who they were the story flowed. The beauty of the story for me was the gardens themselves in each timeline. You got to see their story as well. This was my first book by Julia Kelly but will definitely not be my last!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the chance to read the advanced copy!

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
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Description from NetGalley...
“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 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.

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.
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Thank you to @netgalley @simonschusterca @gallerybooks for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
I appreciated the three women’s POVs in three different timelines around one focal point which was the garden. However, the book was actually about the lives of five women and as much as I enjoy reading about other characters within the story, this got confusing at times and the details sometimes felt disconnected. In turn, it was hard to connect to the three main women. It started quite slow but the stories did come satisfyingly enough together. It was a book about resiliency, friendship and string women during tough times.

This book has a slow start for me and had trouble getting into it. Was looking for my book box and decided this would not work for me.

Kelly was born in the USA but has settled in London, England. She is the best-selling author of many romance novels and more recently two historical fiction books ("The Light Over London" and "The Whispers of War") This new release is another historical fiction and is set in rural England in three different time periods. The stories revolve around a large garden at an estate. In 1907 we enter the world of the woman who designed the garden, in 1944 the estate is turned into a convalescent hospital and we meet the various residents and neighbours and in present day Emma is hired to reconstruct the garden by the new estate owners. The book includes elements of romance and mystery and is a good recommendation for fans of the genre. It reminded me a little of books by Kate Morton, although it is a little less darkly atmospheric. I really enjoyed it.

The Last Garden in England is a historical fiction read about three women set in different time periods and the secrets that connect them. However, this novel did not keep my attention or interest as historical fiction normally does. I found the telling of the story using the three women’s viewpoints to be a bit confusing and disjointed at times and it was hard to keep the details straight between the two women in the 1940 time period. Focussing on the three women took away from really learning about and getting properly engaged with each character. While I have enjoyed this author’s works in the past, The Last Garden in England did not captivate me.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Garden in England was my first book by Julia Kelly, and it won't be my last. In this latest book, her story is set around the lives of five women who are connected by the stunning gardens of Highbury, a remote country estate in England. I enjoyed Kelly's writing style, vivid descriptions and how she incorporates a variety of female lead characters, illustrating how their circumstances, professions, and social standing impact their lives.

The story is told in three eras - modern day, 1944 and 1907 by five women whose POVs are woven well together. I'll admit that it took me a bit to distinguish Venetia and Emma whose lives overlap a bit with their similar careers and romantic connections, but it didn't take long for each character - Venetia, Emma, Stella, Beth and Diana - to show their unique personalities as they find their voices, strength and resiliency despite the limitations put upon them by society and their differing social status.

WWII is a super popular subgenre of Historical Fiction and sometimes it feels like I've 'read it all' but I always enjoy it when authors include new-to-me aspects of the war. In this book, I learned about how the British government expropriated country estates for the British army to use as convalescent homes for wounded soldiers. I also enjoyed seeing the different roles women had during the war - land girl, cook, nurse, business owner, wealthy estate owner - and appreciated the depth and complexity Kelly gives her protagonists as they face daunting issues of war and self-discovery.

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.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Gallery Books for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Garden in England is historical fiction at its absolute best.

Julia Kelly tells the story from three different perspectives: Venetia 1907, Beth 1944 and Emma present day.

I loved all three of these independent women who had the same garden in common as you learn their stories.

I hated this book to end.

I seldom reread books but The Last Garden in England , I could easily do so .

Please take time to read the authors notes at the end of the book, they add even more depth to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada, Gallery Books, for the privilege of reading and reviewing this awesome book.

Let me start off by saying that this was my first read by Julia Kelly and it most definitely will not be my last. The Last Garden in England was such a gem. I didn’t want it to end!

I really enjoy a book that has alternating viewpoints and was blown away by the fluidity between all three timelines.

Kelly showed a great amount of care building each character profile. While each individual had their differences, the finite details spotlighted their similarities.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My hopes were high for this book but they were exceeded! It's full of heart melting beauty from the sweet stories themselves to the magical gardens (just look at the cover!) to the relationships to dreams. All of it. The fabulous ending came far too quickly!

Five women, all very different, over three time periods, are all connected by Highbury House. So many puzzle pieces fit together beautifully whilst not skipping a beat. History, secrets, romance and crushing heartache are intertwined intricately. This is a gentle book of metaphors and life lessons as we follow these women and their lives and interactions between classes.

In 1907 we meet Venetia, a garden designer, very unusual at the time as she is female. Her clients are wealthy and have lofty goals.

In 1944, we are introduced to three women...Beth loves working the land, is hired as a land girl. Stella is a cook but has higher ambitions. Diana is the mistress of the manor and is smitten with her cherished gardens.

We meet present day Emma who was chosen to restore the original gardens but pieces are missing. Pieces are missing for each of these women.

As a Master Gardener who has been to many gardens across Europe (including Hidcote mentioned in the book) I was drawn in and could envision the breathtaking prettiness.

It would be so easy to go on and on about the book but you need to just relax and enjoy it. Absorb its charm. Immerse yourself in the characters. I recommend this book for Historical Fiction and General Fiction readers. It's an absolute must read. Just lovely! Be sure to read the author's personal notes at the end, including her writing inspiration.

My sincere thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this splendid book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.