The Last Garden in England

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly 368 pages

Author Kelly employs one of my favorite plot devices, in this, her third novel: dueling timelines. Most writers use only tow, but Kelly has stretched her writing skills by having three timelines: present day, 1944 and 1907. She does a wonderful job in keeping the characters individualized with the descriptions, but I had a hard time with their voices---all three sounded similar. This caused an occasional problem for me as I sometimes forgot whose story was being told. However, the descriptions of the times and other characters involved held ground me.

The first plotline/character we meet is Emma. Her firm has been hired to restore the garden to Scotland’s Highbury House to its original grandeur. The garden hasn’t been maintained and is grossly overgrown.

The second character is Venetia Smith in 1907. She was hired by the original owners to design the garden in the formal English style. She lays it out in a series of “rooms,” different areas for different emotions…like the Children’s Garden, The Poet’s Corner, the Winter Garden, etc. Interesting enough, Venetia is based on a real-life designer, one that Emma holds in the highest esteem.

The third plotline is 1944. Actually there are three women in this section: Highbury House’s mistress and its cook plus a “land girl,” come to work the land since all the men were off to war.

Three generations of women plan and care for the garden, each with her own story. I found Venetia’s story the most compelling. In the early 20^th century there were not many women who owned a business. Second, I found the discovery of Venetia’s original plans in the present day the highlight of the novel. It had the most tension and the most excitement.

The Last Garden in England is touted as for fans of Kate Morton’s novel, The Lake House, but I don’t feel it even comes close. The tension was sporadic, and I still don’t understand the title. Therefore, The Last Garden in England receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Sir Philip's Folly

Sir Philip's Folly by M.C. Beaton Audio book 4 hours Book 152 pages


Sir Philip's folly is actually his decision to bring in a course widow named Mary Budge whom he has taken as a lover. She is lazy, rude and has an appetite that threatens to eat the hoteliers out of house and home. And to top it off she wants to be a partner in the Poor Relation Hotel. Naturally hilarity ensues as the poor relations scheme and plot to get rid of Mrs. Budge. The solution actually comes from a young woman named Arabella Carruthers whose mother is trying to pass her daughter off as a child and herself as a young widow in order to remarry. Arabella who knows nothing of the world quickly learns a lot about life dealing with the poor relations. Will she find love or will she be forever condemned to a life of pretense with her delusional mother? The 4th book of the Poor Relation Series does not disappoint.

Lady Fortescue Steps Out

Lady Fortescue Steps Out by M.C. Beaton Audiobook 4 hours Book 152 pages 

This is the first book in the Poor Relation series by one of my favorite British authors. The story is about a group of poor relations (the poor relatives of the noble and wealthy) who decide to not only live together in Lady Fortescue's expansive home, but to run it as a hotel. Which means they will be in (gasp) trade. This leads to much gossip and chest clutching but also a funny, entertaining story in the way only Beaton could tell it. It is put in the romance category, but there is more than romance that goes on. I liked the characters and the setting and the plot, I have no complaints and I do recommend it. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Moonlight Over Paris

Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson    352 pages

           

December 1923.  Lady Helena Montagu-Douglas-Parr is near death in her London home. Doctors have told her parents to start planning for the worse. I believe that her illness was scarlet fever, but that didn’t come out until about halfway through the story. Robson would have readers believe that her broken engagement has caused her illness.

She feels the shame and shun or her relatives, friends, and strangers. Her five-year engagement to Edward is over. The Great War changed him, but it wasn’t her who broke off the relationship; it was Edward. Now Helena is 28, and her prospects are few.

A letter arrives from her bohemian, free-spirited Aunt Agnes in Paris. She invites Helena to come and visit her. Helena quickly agrees, despite her parents’ concerns.

Helena has always been drawn to art and enrolls in an art school under the tutelage of Maitre Czerny. She drops her title and simply becomes Helena Parr.

Although Robson is an excellent writer and researcher, the story becomes predictable. She does her best at art but is never noticed by Czerny. She becomes fast friends with three of her classmates and, together, they rent a studio. She meets a handsome American, Sam Howard, to whom she is attracted. They hit it off and are smitten with each other, yet…

There are a lot of wonderful details in the work. I enjoyed watching Helena become an artist and gain self-confidence that he broken engagement destroyed.

Although it’s predictable, Moonlight Over Paris has strong characters and character development. Since I didn’t expect anything different, I really enjoyed this read.

I give Moonlight Over Paris  4 out of 5 stars.