Susanna's Garden

At 50, Susannah Nelson finds herself regretting the paths not taken. Returning home to care for her mother, she discovers things aren't always what they once seemed, but, some gardens remain beautiful.

Read slightly out of sequence - it's not a "true" Blossom Street story, but introduces characters who turn up in other, later Blossom Street stories.

Susannah (this is known as "Susannah's Garden" in the US) is a 50 year old woman, married with two kids, who has just finished another year teaching and is feeling restless and depressed. Her ageing mother is a source of concern, and she travels back to her home town to make some difficult decisions, including searching for her Old Boyfriend Jake

here's a couple of situations that seem to be show more purely plot devices - the girl's night out anyone? - and it was a little predictable, but on the whole this is an enjoyable story story that adds to the Blossom Street canon show less

3.75 stars

Susannah’s mother, Vivian seems to be losing her memory about 6 months after Susannah’s father died. Susannah hadn’t been home much as she wasn’t close to her father. But, she needs to go home to try to convince her mother to move to assisted living. Susannah’s 20-year old daughter is finished her first year of college, but hasn’t found a job, so Chrissie decides to come help her mom with packing Vivian’s house. At the same time, Chrissie has other other ideas, as she wants to have fun this summer, so when she meets bad boy Troy...

It wasn’t fast moving, and I would have rated it good, anyway, but I upped the rating by a 1/4 star for a couple of the twists at the end of the book. I did like this. I preferred show more the storyline between Susannah and her mother over Susannah and Chrissie; Chrissie seemed more like a drama-queen teenager than an adult. Susannah met up with other friends from high school, as well, and I wasn’t a fan of her friend Carolyn’s romance, as it seemed out of place, but it did end up tying in at the end, as well. show less

I really enjoyed this book. First of all, I'm a definite Debbie Macomber fan. I initially 'found' Debbie Macomber through her 1st title in the Cedar Cove Series. While needing to read another title by Debbie Macomber and w-a-i-t-i-n-g for another title in the series to be published, I discovered the Blossom Street Series. I have read these books "out of order" not on purpose - it just happened this way. In discovering that I had not read Book #3, I had it on my wish list and my husband purchased it for my birthday. Finding your favorite title in any series by Debbie Macomber is like trying to eat one chocolate chip cookie. But this is my definite favorite. I couldn't put it down - I'm not used to a Debbie Macomber title having suspense show more - this one's a page turner but I'm not going to spoil it. It's a must read! I fell asleep trying to finish it last night so this morning I finished it before starting the long list of things yet to be done before Christmas. I had to know the ending. I'm glad I was awake! Enjoy!! :) show less

Acquired via BookCrossing 21 Oct 2009 - from Gill

This was one of the comforting books Gill waved under my nose at the Cafe one Sunday when I was in the middle of a big worrying time. I was allowed to read these out of order of acquisition, when the mood took me...

It took a little while to get into this one (oh - it's called Susannah's Garden in the US in case anyone thinks it's a different book!) but I enjoyed the usual multi-generational family relationships, the strong women characters and the celebration of marriage.

Susannah feels trapped in her job, her marriage, and now between the demands of her 19 year old daughter and elderly, ailing mother. The need to go across State to care for her mother gives her an opportunity to look up show more an old boyfriend... who looms large and romantic in her imagination. Meanwhile, her mum keeps "seeing" her dead husband George, and her daughter starts to make the same mistake choosing between a man and her family that Susannah once made herself.

I *did* read this out of order, as when I came to choose a book the other day, I only had mysteries and other books I didn't really want to read over dinner. Finished this in the company of a hot bath and Mr Radox (was careful with it) after a day that started with a 9 mile run.

This is loosely part of the Blossom Street series, so I will see if the "usual suspects" want a read of it... show less

When Susannah Nelson turned eighteen, she said goodbye to her boyfriend, Jake--and never saw him again. She never saw her brother, Doug, again, either. He died unexpectedly that same year. Now, at fifty, Susannah finds herself regretting the paths not taken. Long married, a mother and a teacher, she should be happy. But she feels there's something missing in her life. Not only that, she's balancing the demands of an aging mother and a temperamental twenty-year-old daughter. Her mother, Vivian, a recent widow, is having difficulty coping and living alone, so Susannah goes home to Colville, Washington. In returning to her parents' house, her girlhood friends and the garden she's always loved, she also returns to the past--and the choices show more she made back then. What she discovers is that things are not always as they once seemed. Some paths are dead ends. But some gardens remain beautiful.... show less

Debbie Macomber knows how to tell a good, entertaining story that doesn’t disappoint her readers. In this novel, Susannah is plagued by things that have happened in her past and of what might have been. Couple this with caring for her increasingly forgetful mother and head-strong daughter, it becomes evident that Susannah is headed for some rough times. With a masterful hand, the author pulls us into the story. These likable characters soon seem like old friends and we are eager to discover more about them. With a bit of a mystery thrown in, this tale will keep you turning pages until the very end.

Susannah Nelson is returning to her hometown of Colville, Washington to help her mother Vivian, who is recently widowed and not coping well. While Susannah's main reason for the visit is to help her mother, she has another reason - to reconnect with old friends, especially her high school boyfriend Jake. Even though Susanna is happily married with two children, she can't help wonder how Jake is doing. What she discovers will not only change her marriage but her relationship with her parents (including her deceased father) and her daughter and change the life of her close friend Carolyn forever.

"Susannah's Garden" is a nicely done novel. Author Debbie Macomber focuses mostly on Susannah with some chapters focusing on Vivian and Carolyn. show more Vivian's story is the most heartbreaking as she mourns her husband and is also becoming very forgetful. Anyone who has had to deal with elderly parents or grandparents will emphasize with Susannah as she struggles to do what is right for her mother. I had less sympathy for Susannah as she risked her marriage looking for Jake, even to the point of hiring a private investigator to find him. Her relationship with her daughter Chrissie is very well done even if Macomber basically repeats the Susannah-Jake plot line with the Chrissie-Troy romance. Carolyn is a nicely developed character and is involved in a nicely done twist at the end of the book. Unfortunately, while the women are well written the men aren't - Susannah's husband Joe has the patience of a saint while Susannah looks for Jake, I wish he had shown some backbone.

"Susannah's Garden" is a light, pleasant read - a perfect beach book. show less