After hearing about and being recommended Kate Morton’s books for a while, I was happy to have the opportunity to read The Forgotten Garden. This was my first experience with Morton’s writing, and it turned out to be surprisingly good.
At first, I found the time leaps and shifting perspectives a bit disorienting, as I normally avoid books with multiple points of view as they can feel messy. But in this case, the format was completely justified and worked really well. The story started off slowly, but as the layers of mystery began to unfold, I found myself completely hooked.
What initially seemed like a simple family story quickly grew into something much more intricate. The way the different stories and time periods eventually wove together was clever and interesting. I especially appreciated how all the narrative threads were tied up by the end: nothing was left unresolved.
All in all, The Forgotten Garden is a perfect summer read. After reading it, I immediately searched for some more novels by the same author (it seems there are 6 or 7 others!) and read a few reviews to decide which ones to add to my to-be-read list!
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC. This is my honest review of the book. This review is now available on Goodreads.

Spellbinding is an accurate description for this book- starting with a small child, secreted on a boat and arriving alone in Australia the story follows Nell and cassandra as they try seperately to understand their family and its ties to Blackhurst Manor.
Told from multiple perspectives the story really pulls you in, from the fantastic characters to the moody cliff top settings and the peril and traumas discovered along the way.
Loved every page!

On the brink of the First World War, a young girl is discovered following an arduous sea journey from England to Australia. The only memory she retains of voyage is of a woman she refers to as the Authoress, who had vowed to care for her. Yet, the Authoress has disappeared without a trace. Fast forward to 1975 and the now elderly, Nell embarks on a journey to England to uncover the truth about her origins. Her search takes her to Cornwall and to a stunning estate called Black Manor, once owned by the Mountrachet family. What could have inspired Nell to undertake this quest after so many years? Some 30 years later upon Nell's death, her granddaughter, Cassandra, unexpectedly inherits Cliff cottage, located on the grounds of Blackhurst Manor. Among the locals, the cottage is infamous for the secrets it harbours—secrets tied to the ill-fated Mountrachet family. It is at Cliff Cottage long abandoned and nestled within its forgotten garden, that Cassandra unravels the truth about the family and the reasons behind young's abandonment so many decades ago.

A compelling and evocative tale unfolds across different eras as the enigma of Nell's life is gradually revealed. Morton masterfully unveils this narrative through the perspectives of various characters. This is an outstanding read, featuring well-developed characters and a mesmerizing setting. Gratitude is extended to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This re-released book from Kate Morton ticks all the historical fiction boxes, a family saga sweeping from London to Australia to Cornwall and back in a multi-layered, multi-generation narrative.
When her beloved grandmother Nell dies, Cassie goes off in search of a side of the family she never really knew existed, though trauma from her own past confronts her along the way. The book deals with issues of abandonment and isolation as well as grief and is very well written, capturing emotional bonds and themes.
A little long in places but overall worth the effort! Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Kate Morton, Pan Macmillan | Pan, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderfully written multi-generational historical fiction set in Cornwall and Australia, The Forgotten Garden deserves its accolade of international bestseller. Stories were interwoven well and the setting was rich and immersive. Understandably, with such a huge cast of characters, it can take a while to differentiate between them all. The book is quite long at 640+ pages and probably could’ve been edited down slightly but the payoff is worth the long read. Highly recommend!

This mesmerising and entrancing tale is a must-read. The story is skillfully and gracefully woven, drawing you in so you can’t help but want to know what happens next. The build-up to the climatic ending is beautifully written, making it a truly enjoyable experience. I read this book many years ago and revisiting it is just as joyous as the first time. It’s a fascinating story that truly captures the reader’s attention, holding them fast until the very end.

Thank you Netgalley

I have read and enjoyed all of Kate Morton’s books and this one did not disappoint. It was perhaps a little too long but the way it moved between periods of time kept the pace moving. In all I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

I loved the way the story crossed generations and continents to tell the tale of a young child put on a ship to Australia who finds out on her 21st birthday she was then adopted. A gripping tale and wonderful writing.

A sweet book of wonder. Reminiscent of The Secret Garden (in fact Frances Hodgson Burnett makes a brief appearance), stories of Nell and her granddaughter Cassandra are told in this book spanning two eras. The narrative switches between the 1900s and the present day to tell the stories of Nell and Cassandra in a way which is engaging.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton was a beautiful read and what a beautiful book cover this is - a great eye catcher. I just loved reading this book whilst I was sitting in the shade in my garden - which was just perfect setting.
Kate Morton wrote from the heart and with so much love it was a romantic, mysterious and magical read from start to end. It was a delight to read, just what I need.

I highly recommend this book.

This is a re-release and a re-read for me as I had read it when it was first published. This like other Kate Morton books is a beautifully written, gentle, saga set over several generations of well drawn characters that link a mysterious story, giving clues, answering questions and giving the background and consequences of a 5-year-old abandoned on board a ship bound for Australia. The final reveal I thought was emotionally and gut wrenchingly sad. This epic 667 page tome will keep you enthralled and wanting to read the book of fairy tales yourself.

I’m a big fan of Kate Morton, and her latest does not disappoint!

A grieving granddaughter inherits an illustrated book of fairy tales and a decades old mystery which will take her on a journey both literally and metaphorically.

Three time lines weave together beautifully, the fairy tales and setting are brilliantly atmospheric. This book ticks all my boxes for a great read.

Thoroughly recommend and thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review.

A spellbinding tale woven across three generations of the same family, with a sprinkling of fairy stories to further enhance the story. As soon as I started this book I could not put it down and I can’t wait to read others by the same author. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys high quality storytelling.

Kate Morton is the queen of a layered story! A family mystery, 3 timelines and 3 women, Nell, Eliza and Cassandra whose stories are all woven together.

I highly recommend this book which I originally read over a decade ago!

I haven't read such a family saga for a long while and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Set in 4 different times from 1897 to 2005 we find ourselves in the company of 4 women. Eliza Makepeace is at the heart of the story, but what is the mysterious "Authoress"'s story? We meet Nell, Cassandra's elderly grandmother on her death bed in 2005. We first meet Eliza as a 10 year old orphan struggling to survive in London; then her cousin Rose, a sickly child to whom Eliza brings much joy. Nell we meet as a 4 year old, abandoned on a ship to Australia in 1913; and Cassandra's story takes place in 2005 as she works hard to pull the various lives together. What a story. It befits the Authoress, Eliza. All are remarkable women and as we find out their backgrounds, life stories, and what unites them we read a great yarn. What a lot of lost opportunity and what a despicable couple Rose's parents are. #netgalley #theforgottengarden

Happy pub day to The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.

In this book we follow three generations of women across three timelines: Eliza in the early 1900s, Nell in the 1970s, and Cassandra in present day. As the story unfolds, their connection is slowly revealed.

This lyrical novel takes its time to build up the characters and the story. The beautiful writing really brings the locations alive and draws the reader into the heart of the book. The references to fairy tales and the walled garden gave it a Gothic feel. I did figure out one of the main twists quite early on, but it was still a engaging read.

A recommended read for fans of Kate Morton and The Secret Garden.

This book was initially released in 2008 but has been republished today in a new edition.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nell finds herself abandoned on a cruise ship going to Australia., luckily she's taken in and adopted by a local family. Having made a life in Brisbane she discovers the truth when she is 21. Years later she is determined to travel to Cornwall to find out her true identity and family but only has a fairy tale book by the Authoress to guide her.
Eliza and her brother find themselves at the mercy of a family when their mother dies, unfortunately Sammy dies too. Eliza then finds herself being kidnapped and being taken to Cornwall to become a companion to her cousin Rose. They soon become best of friends and Eliza finds herself encouraging Rose to go out as her mother is determined to make her a permanent invalid. Life progresses fairly happily until Rose marries and Eliza is banned, eventually to go missing.
Cassandra, Nell's goddaughter inherits a cottage in Cornwall which Nell had bought and determined to find out the truth of their heritage and who the 'Autheress' is she too heads to Cornwall.
All families have secrets but some more than others. Just when you think you may have solved the puzzle another twist comes.........a lovely story that combines past and present and really shows what people are capable of to hide the truth.

This is a classic in its genre so if you like historical fiction that is well written and spans several time periods, you should definitely go for it. I have recommended it to several of my high school students and they all loved it and instantly wanted to read more of Kate Morton's books. This seems to be a reprint, but it doesn't make a difference, the book holds its own at any time.

The Forgotten Garden is a rich family saga, spanning five generations, full of intrigue and secrets. At its heart is four year old Nell, abandoned on a ship sailing to Australia with nothing more than a small battered suitcase containing a few clothes and an old book of illustrated fairy tales written by Victorian authoress, Eliza Makepeace. When Nell dies her granddaughter Cassandra is surprised to inherit a cottage on the other side of the world and sets off on a quest to uncover the secrets her family's history contains.

The story is told from multiple points of view, covering several periods between the late 1800s and the current day. Kate Morton"s inspired writing keeps a certain chronology whilst moving from one period to another and back again, which avoids confusion. The inspired writing, clever characterisations, well-researched class hierarchies of the late 19th and early 20th century, and atmospheric fairy tales make for a delightful read. I was torn between curling up for hours with a cuppa, not wanting to put the book down, and spreading out my reading because I didn't want it to end.

A separate mention for the fairy tales, a book within a book - clever, well-crafted, magical, dark with cunning tricks, traps and hidden meanings. I would love for Kate Morton to publish them as a separate volume.

A solid five stars for this engrossing and immensely enjoyable saga.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

This is the story of three generations of women over three timelines, Eliza Makepeace (and Rose Mountrachet) in 1913, Nell Andrews in the 1975, and Nell’s granddaughter Cassandra in 2005. As the story unfolds, their connection is slowly revealed. It starts with a small girl being found on the wharf in Maryborough, Australia and being taken in by a childless couple, they name her Nell. This is a long book at over well over 600 pages, for me I think the book was a bit too long, and split into three parts, which was good as I did need to take a break! As well as the three women’s stories we are treated to a number of fairytales written by Eliza and later printed as a book.

Briefly, years later Nell’s adoptive father revealed her past and gave her a small white suitcase she had with her when he found her. After his death Nell decided to return to England to try and discover who her biological parents were. Returning to Melbourne she takes granddaughter Cassandra into her home and after Nell’s death Cassandra finds that she has been left a cottage in Cornwall. Determined to complete her grandmothers search Cassandra travels to England.

The three timelines work well but there are quite a lot of characters to get your head around. I liked how the fairytales linked to what happened in Eliza’s real life and the walled garden was almost a character in itself. There are some wonderful female characters in the book but Eliza stood out for me. Strong female characters, family drama (with a gothic feel in part) and a dark mystery made for an enjoyable read.

3.5⭐️