This is very mild historical fiction, told in multiple threads throughout time, all centering around a garden. There are the characters surrounding the creation of the garden early in the 20th century, then there are characters when the house was requisitioned as a field hospital during WWII, and then there are modern day characters, solving the mysteries of the past as they renovate the same garden. I listened to this book on audio, and the multiple characters each had a different voice-over artist, which augmented my enjoyment of the story.

In this book, five very different, but strong women are highlighted, all jockeying for what they want out of life in imperfect conditions. Like the gardens, which slowly come to fruition and bloom, each one comes into their own gradually. Jumping between them as the story unfolds saves you from being too restless in the process.

If you are in the mood for a satisfactory ending, and slightly innocuous, untroubling prose, this novel might be for you. I read it when I wasn’t up for demanding reading and it fit the bill perfectly. I’m always happy to read about women learning to get what they uniquely need.

You might like The Last Garden in England; it is a bit bland and undemanding, but I still liked it, so I give it four stars.