Title:The Forbidden Garden
Author:Ellen Herrick
Series:The Sparrow Sisters, #2
Published:April 2017, William Morrow Paperbacks
Format:ARC Paperback, 400 pages
Source:Publisher
Perfect for fans of
Kate Morton and Sarah Jio, comes a lush imaginative novel that takes
readers into the heart of a mysterious English country garden, waiting
to spring to life.
Every garden is a story, waiting to be told…
At the nursery she runs with her sisters on the New
England coast, Sorrel Sparrow has honed her rare gift for nurturing
plants and flowers. Now that reputation, and a stroke of good timing,
lands Sorrel an unexpected opportunity: reviving a long-dormant
Shakespearean garden on an English country estate.Arriving at
Kirkwood Hall, ancestral home of Sir Graham Kirkwood and his wife
Stella, Sorrel is shocked by the desolate state of the walled garden.
Generations have tried—and failed—to bring it back to glory. Sorrel
senses heartbreak and betrayal here, perhaps even enchantment. Intrigued
by the house’s history—especially the haunting tapestries that grace
its walls—and increasingly drawn to Stella’s enigmatic brother, Sorrel
sets to work. And though she knows her true home is across the sea with
her sisters, instinct tells her that the English garden’s destiny is
entwined with her own, if she can only unravel its secrets…
My thoughts:This is Ellen Herrick’s second book in her Sparrow Sisters’ series and I really enjoyed it. In the first book, The Sparrow Sisters, we are introduced to the three Sisters and their unique gifts.
This book is primarily Sorrel’s story. She is the gardener of the sisters, having a rare gift to nurture and care for all types of plants and flowers. When she is asked to help restore a Shakespearean garden in England, it comes at just the right time in her life – she’s still getting over the sorrow’s of her past but this distraction might be just what she needs.
The family that she ends up working for is not without their own secrets. This keeps the story moving – there are rumors of a family curse that could be what is causing the garden to go into ruins. Could this really be the case?
Between the engaging characters and the lush descriptions with just the hint of magic, this story will entertain and even tug at your heartstrings. There is even a bit of history woven in that adds a layer of dimension to the story. The romance is just right between Sorrel and Andrew and the little bit that we see of the other sisters is great, though I wish they had more of a presence in this book.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series and what I can only assume will be Nettie’s story. Ellen Herrick is a wonderful writer and has given us an enchanting series that is reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen and Kate Morton. I am a big fan and will be patiently waiting for that next book!
Books in this series:
- The Sparrow Sisters
- The Forbidden Garden
I love the sound of the book. I can't wait to read it and have added it to my list of books to buy.