I enjoyed this SO much. The Sparrow Sisters was really lovely, and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I admit I did not warm up to the characters nearly as much as in this sequel (of sorts) that centers on Sorrel.

All of the characters seemed more approachable and sympathetic to me, yet never boring or clichéd, especially maybe my favorite character, the garden itself.

Perfect cozy reading for anyone with a love for herbs, gardens, England, and family mysteries. Thank you for this magical, evocative novel.

I hope we can look forward to lots more! ( )

Good story ( )

The privileged Kirkwood family has a Shakespearean garden that has been fallow for hundreds of years. When Graham Kirkwood hears about Sorrel Sparrow and her talented sisters in America, he becomes enthusiastic about inviting her to their home in England to rescue the Shakespearean garden. The garden was cursed by a Kirkwood ancestor hundreds of years ago, and no one has been able to grow anything in it since. When Graham’s wife tried to work on the garden, she became ill. The Kirkwoods believe that Sorrel might have the answers.

Mysterious, ancient tapestries tell a family history that the Kirkwoods have tried to keep hidden for years. It seems, though, that one tapestry, one which might hold the answers to the problems with the Shakespearean garden, is missing.

This is an intriguing mystery and romance which also contains a touch of magic. It is exciting and hard to put down. This is a wonderful adventure for any reader. ( )

I so loved returning to the world of the Sparrow sisters. ( )

The second story featuring the Sparrow Sisters, this one focuses on Sorrel's story.

If you haven't read The Sparrow Sisters, you should. It's one of the best books I've read recently.

Each of the sisters is known for her possibly magical abilities in the garden.
After the rough year they faced in the first story, Sorrel accepts an offer to restore a Shakespeare Garden in England.

When she arrives, she is warmly greeted by the Kirkwood family. Graham and Stella are the married couple that hired her, Poppy is their college aged daughter.
Sorrel is less warmly greeted by Stella's brother Andrew. He's been through a rough time himself.

Stella hopes that Sorrel can pull Andrew out of his funk. Graham hopes that Sorrel can restore the garden. But what Graham doesn't tell her is that his family's garden has a dark history. He is concerned whether the garden is cursed. He wants to keep Stella away from it. He thinks Sorrel may be able to fix the problem without knowing the full story.

I enjoyed the new characters but I missed the dynamic of the three sisters always together in the first book.
This book felt darker than the first book, but it is not without its own light.

I loved the descriptions of the food so much that I feel like there should be a third book devoted to a newfound love of cooking.
If the author keeps writing them, I'm going to keep reading them :) ( )