Book Review: The Garden House by Marcia Willett

Posted August 16, 2021 by WendyW in Blogging, Book Review, bookblogger / 8 Comments

The Garden House
The Garden House
One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

by Marcia Willett
Publication Date August 17, 2021
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group
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Goodreads
Genres: Contemporary, Family & Relationships, Family Life
Pages: 256
Format: ARC

'A warm and engaging read.' Trisha Ashley
A sweeping story about family and buried secrets set in Devon, perfect for fans of Erica James and Veronica Henry.
After the death of her father, El moves into his home just outside Tavistock in Devon. Fresh out of university and dangling on the precipice of adulthood she questions what it is she really wants from life. Although her childhood friend, Will, is there to help her through her grief she soon realises there were things her father was hiding from her...
Jules is also mourning Martin, but they thought best to keep their relationship secret, she must now grieve entirely alone. All she has to remember her love are the memories of their time spent at a beautiful community garden and teashop nearby. The Garden House is where they met, fell in love and where their secret affair will inevitably be uncovered.
As El and Will begin to piece together her father's secrets they are brought closer and closer to both Jules and a truth that is difficult to face.
*****
Praise for Marcia Willett: 'A beautifully woven tale of families and their secrets...' Liz Fenwick 'Riveting, moving and utterly feel-good.' Daily Mail 'Sweeping powers of description transport her readers to another time and place.' Rosanna Ley
*****
Readers are loving The Garden House 'Oh Marcia, yet another wonderful book!''I have read all the books Marcia has written. She never disappoints.''Like putting on a favourite old sweater or comfy pair of slippers . . . I try to ration when I read so I don't finish it all in one go.'


My Review:

A charming, emotional book with a group of supporting characters that combine to make a very satisfying journey to an idyllic village.  

After a slow start with a lot of backstory and details, this story became a charming look at families, grief, love, and secrets.  The author, Marcia Willett, is masterful at description, and I felt at home in the charming village of Tavisiston.  I love a small town/village story full of interesting characters all with their own quirks, challenges, and drama.  The story is told from various points of view, including the main characters and many of the other characters.  I liked the way the author took us into the thoughts of the various story characters.  

The story mainly deals with grief and love, and the different ways the characters deal with these emotions.  I enjoyed the way El and Will followed and solved the puzzles left by her father that opened a piece of his life that they never knew existed.  

I always love a book that transports me to a new place, and I liked that Taviston is a real town, in a real country.  The author knows the area very well and I liked all the details about the various areas in the story.  

I highly recommend this book as a feel-good emotional read.  This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

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