Hazel has spent the last 20 years of her life searching for her sister Flora who disappeared one afternoon during their stay as evacuees in the English countryside. Now it's 1960 and Hazel comes across a book that tells the very story she used to make up for Flora, which sets her on a path to discover who has written it and re-ignites her hope that somewhere out there she will finally find her missing sister.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 2, 2023
Hazel and her younger sister, Flora, are sent to the English countryside as child evacuees of World War Two, ripped from their mother, their home and everything they know. To calm Flora, Hazel tells her a story of an imaginary land called Whisperwood, where nothing bad ever happens and a river of stars flows. A year later, young Flora disappears and is presumed dead, and Hazel gives up on storytelling, leaving her imaginary Whisperwood behind. Now, as an adult, Hazel comes across a story while working in a bookstore, a story of an imaginary land called Whisperwood, with a river of stars and green valleys, almost identical to the made up story she told Flora as children. But Hazel did not tell anyone except Flora about her imaginary land and this makes her wonder- is it possible that her sister Flora is alive after all these years?
Stories have the ability to transport us to magical lands, and there is no land more magical than Whisperwood. Similar to Lewis’ Narnia, “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” is fueled by a young girls’ imagination, and brings to life a beautiful land of fairy tale creatures. A powerful escapist tale of heartbreak, loss and a love of books, Patti Callahan Henry delivers a historical fantasy unlike any other.
“Flora Lea” is told in two time periods, 1940 and twenty years later in 1960, when Hazel loses her sister and when she sets out to find her again. The complete story of Flora’s disappearance is told slowly, and we don’t get the complete truth until almost the end of the novel, making “Flora Lea” almost told in reverse order. A side-by-side comparison of young Hazel and adult Hazel, however, provides for a deeper understanding of Hazel’s emotional journey over twenty years.
The ending was not entirely unexpected and felt a bit rushed. Two third of “Flora Lea” focused on Hazel’s missing sister and the quest to find her, where the final third, and especially the ending, happened in the blink of an eye. I would’ve liked the story to have better flow, and I wanted time to process the ending. Henry did ensure all of the loose ends were tied up, and I was satisfied with the turn of events overall.
Henry has sixteen novels to her name, “Flora Lea” is her seventeenth, but she is a new author to me. I enjoyed her creativity, her imagination, and her ability to create an utter escape through her storytelling. Hazel’s love of stories and books, and the magic they bring to the world, was relatable, and will find a kindred spirit in true booklovers.

A special bonding of sisters, and the evacuation of children from London during the bombing of WWII. The author gives us two sisters one 14 and the other 5, what a hard time, and love the author's notes about this time at the end of this read!
Hazel makes up special stories to help her sister during this difficult period, and these stories become the catalyst to finding each other.
As the years go by and her lost sister isn't found, she goes about her life, and even has a new job on the line, when there is a ray of hope or how has someone found out about the stories?
What a journey the author has us on, reuniting with dear old friends, and all the while hope! Yes, hope for answers and closure! Answers do come, and there are definite surprises, and you will also be page turning for all those questions you have!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Atria Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea takes place in England during World War II. The book goes back and forth between the war and the 1960’s. Hazel used to tell her little sister Flora fairy tale stories that she made up to make Flora forget what was going on. Flora one day goes missing. Years later Hazel finds a book with these stories she used to tell her little sister. She goes in a journey to find out who wrote these stories and to possibly find out if Flora might be alive. The book is a little bit long in some places but does pick up. This story is about hope, perseverance and a mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the E-ARC. This is my is own opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry has all the makings of a good book: a compelling premise, an interesting setting, and an engaging dual-timeline narrative. With that being said, I'm regretful to admit I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I was hoping I would. I found the story dragged a bit and I had trouble connecting with the characters. However, I found new appreciation for it every time I told someone about what I was reading. It's the kind of book you want to talk about. It's also the kind of book I can see being adapted into film, television, or theatre.

While I can't say I'll return to this story or think of it often, I recommend you try it if historical fiction and tales of sisterhood are up your alley. 3 Stars.

I really loved this book! An admitted WW2 British Homefront aficionado/junkie this one obviously drew me in, and I stayed! There's such beautiful descriptive writing reminiscent of Rosemunde Pilcher mixed with magic and once upon time fairytales. Wisperwood- an enchanting world created by a big sister for her much young sibling to escape the ravages of war raging around them. When the younger sister goes missing, the mystery begins and transports us to the 60s of swinging London. I could not put it down and it remains with me even after finishing. A keeper to re-read again at leisure now that I know the ending!

I really enjoyed this historical fiction by Patti Callahan Henry. I knew very little about the evacuation of children in England during the beginning of World War II (Operation Pied Piper) so this story intrigued me. The story has a dual timeline and goes back and forth between a grown older sister, Hazel, and the children Hazel and Flora Lea whose mother sent them from London to the country to protect them from Germany's attacks. They were taken in by a woman and her young son. The grown Hazel now works for a book store which deals in special books and she received a manuscript that told the secret story that Hazel and Flora Lea made up while they were exiled. Flora Lea had disappeared during that time and Hazel was convinced that someone knowing this secret story might lead to information about her sister. There are several twists and unexpected turns and Hazel finds more than she ever expected. This is a well-written and enjoyable story with everything from suspense to romance and I highly recommend it.

I love Patti Callahan Henry's writing style and her imagination in this novel is wonderful! She has taken the subject of Operation Pied Piper and turned it into a magical tale of loss, hope, and lives forever changed. This piece of historical fiction is written as a story within a story and is so well done. The dual timelines are clear, the content is clever, this is truly a treasure to read. Perfect for fans of historical fiction, fans of the author, and all who love books about books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Patti Callahan Henry, and Atria Books for granting me an e-galley to read and review. I will be purchasing a copy for myself and copies for family and friends to read.

I was looking forward to reading The Secret Book of Flora Lea because it dealt with children evacuated from London during Operation Pied Piper in World War II. Hazel and her younger sister Flora are torn away from their mother and end up with Bridie and her son Harry in the Oxford countryside. The sisters get to stay together, but Flora is worried and anxious, so Hazel tells her an ongoing story about a magical land called Whisperwood that she invented. Flora vanishes and no trace of her is ever found. Fast forward to 1960, and Hazel still looks for her lost sister. Hazel comes upon a story and illustrations about Whisperwood in her work with rare books, so the mystery deepens further.

This story was interesting enough, but the fairy tales, dual timelines, multiple romances, and a preposterous ending interfered with my enjoyment. I did find Operation Pied Piper fascinating and appreciated the suggested non-fiction readings the author added in her afterword. Two and a half stars rounded up.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. It will be published on May 2, 2023.

Magical and fantastical! A story within a story that speaks of beauty, heartache and the magic of love and hope.

In 1939 London, two sisters are placed with Operation Pied Piper and sent away form their home to the countryside as a way to protect them from the bombing and danger of the city during war. Fourteen year old Hazel and her five year old sister Flora, leave the love of their distraught mother and join the Aberdeen family of mother Bridie and her son Harry. To comfort Flora, Hazel creates a secret, magical story of Whisperland, a place of adventure among the woodlands that provides the girls with comfort and safety while they’re away from home. But tragedy strikes when Flora goes missing and cannot be found. Twenty years have passed when Hazel, who works in a rare bookshop, comes across the original manuscript and illustrations for a book titled “Whisperwood and the River of Stars.” How can her secret fairytale place be detailed in this book? Where did this book come from and is it possible that Flora is still alive?

This enchanting story combines historical facts with fiction to create a beautifully written tale that will capture your heart. The characters come to life as they struggle through the themes of children in wartime, the love of family and the process of grief turned to hope. Patti Callahan Henry is a master storyteller and this book is pure magic!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy which provided me with this beautiful reading experience.
Publication date: May 2, 2023

Ms. Henry's power of storytelling is top-notch, weaving a magical, mystical story that will enchant her readers with this heart-warming story. I thoroughly believe that by escaping into a good book a reader can learn more about themselves, their world and their God through the power of story. Book-lovers will be delighted by this story about the power of story, its power to comfort during times of loss and grief, and its power to unite.

As an avid reader of historical fiction, I was intrigued by the premise of a storyline about the child evacuees from London during the Blitz of WWII. Throw in an older sister's gift of storytelling, and I immediately thought of C.S. Lewis' famous stories of Narnia. Yet, Ms. Henry's story of Whisperwood is very different.

This story is told from two different time-lines, both heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time. The storyline 1940 centers around two sisters' evacuation from London and the mysterious disappearance of the youngest, Flora. The 1960 storyline follows her sister, Hazel, as the shadow of the tragedy continue to haunt her. Through her job at a rare bookshop, she uncovers a book that tells a story of the same magical world she had created for her younger sister. This prompts a wonderful journey, not only of finding answers to the past, but also one of self-discovery as she explores what the future holds.

Content warning: Although not graphic, there are references to cussing and pre-marital sex.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This story, told in dual timelines, is as unpredictable as they come. As I started it and read the set up and early clues, I was confident I knew the path it would take. It was interesting, and I was invested. But by the end, I had given up any sense of confidence I had felt, and instead silently clapped for the author's expertise in braiding things together. In other words, she surprised me. When I'm reading a book, I like to be surprised. And when there are multiple surprises, that's even better. The earlier part of the story takes place just before and during the Blitz of 1940 when children living in larger metropolitan cities in Great Britain were sent to smaller villages and homes in the surrounding countryside to temporarily live with host families in order to keep them safe from bombing by German forces. Hazel, 14, and her sister, Flora, 5, were lucky as they were chosen by a nice family who befriended and nurtured them. Before they left London and everything they knew, Hazel had helped dispel the fears of impending war by inventing an alternative world called Whisperwood that was a secret created by and just for the sisters. Their stories acquired addendums during every telling and were shaped with time so that when Flora disappeared suddently one day, Whisperwood had grown quite large. But it's development stopped with her disappearance. Which is why Hazel is puzzled twenty years later when the stories just she and her sister knew are published by someone she doesn't know. How does that happen? I loved the unusual premise, I loved the gently winding paths I took, and I love that it all blended together perfectly into a fresh perspective about a pivotal part of WWII history. Thank you to Atria Publishing and Netgalley for my early copy. Pick this one up. Pub date is May 2, 2023.

Children evacuated from London to the countryside to avoid the Blitz during WWII, an older sister tells her younger sister of a secret, fantasy world where they will always be safe, the loss of a child, lost years of self-guilt and a life put on hold….these are some of the plot points in The Secret Book of Flora Lea. While this is a poignant and, ultimately, redemptive story, some of the coincidences that move the story and characters along seemed a little far fetch and contrived. Suspend some reality, like the story of the mythical world at it’s heart and the book is charming and a happy ever after.

For libraries with strong World War 2 Interest, this is a solid addition to most mid to large size collections.

I received a digital ARC of this novel from Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is breathtaking, and magical. I loved how the dual timelines kept the story of Whisperwood, and as Hazel as an adult going. Everything wrapped up very nicely, in an uplifting, positive way.

"You and I who still enjoy fairy tales have less reason to wish actual childhood back. We have kept its pleasures and added some grown-up ones as well." (C.S. Lewis)

Patti Callaghan Henry presents her novel lined with the magical theme of fairy tales. Familiar stories from the pen of the famous and renowned and those magnificently invented on the spot and told softly from the lips of the beloved.

Henry opens with the tragedies and the soon to be felt aftermath of the world at war. It's October of 1940 and the Linden sisters, Flora at 5 Years and Hazel at 14 years, are nestled together alongside one another. They gaze out at the winding River Thames making its way through the countryside.

It's comfort that they seek. Flora and Hazel are part of the Operation Pied Piper where children of London have been brought away from the nightly bombings and terrors inflicted upon them. The girls left their mother behind in London and are now residing with Bridgette Aberdeen and her son Harry in the country. That comfort comes in imaginary stories made up by Hazel of a treasured place called Whisperwood. And each night brings with it another spoke in the wheel.

But a new tragedy finds its way into this peaceful place. It is believed that Flora fell into the Thames and drowned one afternoon. Her body was never recovered. Years and years have gone by and Hazel still believes that Flora is alive.......a fairy tale that she tells herself.

Fast forward to 1960 and Hazel is found still living in the family flat in London. Her mother, Camellia, has remarried and moved on. Hazel has a new love interest by the name of Barney who has moved in with her. Hazel works in a shop that specializes in rare literary collections. Recently Hazel has been offered a prized position at Sotheby's.

And fate will step in after an original transcript and artwork are delivered to the rare book shop. Hazel is dumbfounded. The title Whisperwood is emblazed at the top. An American author appears to have stolen Hazel's personal stories and published them as her own. How could this be? Hazel is set to track down who may have overheard these tales. And so it begins......

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is an enchanting story in itself. It was a 3.5 kicked up to 4 Stars for the inventive writing. The storyline does become quite involved and lengthy much like the vastness of Christopher Robin and the Hundred Acre Wood. An enchanted place of wonderment known to most of us. The conclusion does implement a bit of the imagination as well. But Patti Callaghan Henry is a skilled writer and that is reality......bold and clear.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster (Atria Books) and to Patti Callaghan Henry for the opportunity.

Whisperwood and the River of Stars is a magical place where Hazel takes her sister Flora Lea when the real world of WWII London is too much to bear. Their made up land that Hazel narrates helps lessen the pain from leaving their mother for the Oxford countryside with their host family—Bridie and Harry Aberdeen. It is their secret fairytale and the Aberdeens that makes this tough time tolerable, that is until little Flora goes missing by the river. Devastated by the sudden disappearance of her sister, Hazel flees the countryside with her mother leaving Whisperwood in the past, but never her beloved Flora.

Twenty years later, Hazel works in rare books, looking to move to her dream job at Sotheby’s, not knowing that her boyfriend Barnaby’s father helped her get it. On her last day at Hogan’s Bookstore she comes across the impossible—a book with original illustrations depicting the land of Whisperwood. Hazel cannot fathom how this American author could possibly know her and Flora’s story, but she is determined to figure it out.

Toggling back and forth between Hazel’s childhood fleeing from war-torn London with her sister, and her adult life attempting to track down the author, we see how Hazel will stop at nothing to find her sister. The blame she has carried for a long time as strained many of her relationships both past and present, and now in an effort to get some answers she will have to face many issues she has side stepped rather than confronted.

Hazel’s journey through blame and loss is painful, and how it affects her relationships is heartbreaking. Despite all that she has been through, her stubborn hope is awe inspiring, much like her dormant fairytale.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and of course Patti Callahan Henry for the advanced copy of the book. The Secret Book of Flora Lea comes out on May 2nd and should be added to your summer reading pile. All opinions are my own.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea continues Patty Callahan Henry’s talent for creating well done fictions. As you would expect from an author who has written about C. S. Lewis and has a keen interest in Carroll and Tolkien, there is a fairy tale quality to the story.
The story encompasses two sisters who are evacuated from London during the Blitz. The younger sister goes missing during that time and is never found. In 1960, while working at a rare books shop, the older sister discovers a children’s book that mirrored a story she used to tell her sister. A story no one else knew.
So often, dual storylines suffer an unevenness of interest. But not here. I loved these characters, so I was totally invested in how everything would come together. The story tackles never giving up while still trying to get on with life. It speaks of grief and the promises we make to God in feeble attempts to control fate.
And that ending! I won’t say anything because of spoilers but it is just amazing. It would make for a great book club selection because of that ending.
The Author’s Note explains her inspiration. I will say, the book doesn’t really include much in the way of facts about Operation Pied Piper. It’s more fiction that takes place in an historic time than what I consider historical fiction,which I expect to teach me something.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is part historical fiction, part mystery. I enjoyed the pace, and the ongoing mystery about Flora kept me interested throughout the whole book.

(There was some language that I don’t remember being in the author’s other books.)

I am thinking that Patti Callahan Henry is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are written so atmospherically that you are transported to the times of the story.

I loved the story of Hazel and Flora and the way that the mystery was woven in to the story captivated me. Hazel was authentic and her struggles were believable. This was such a sad story of a time period where children were sent from their families to try and avoid bombings.

If you have not read anything by this author yet, I emplore you to pick something up.