Read this book 5 years ago and left a 5 star rating on good reads , great book and kept ,me entertained for many hours
Would definitely recommend to friends and family thank you for sharing net galley

"'Those that lived there were like the dead, my mum said. All gloomy for one reason of another. All wanting things they shouldn't or couldn't have.'"

An epic tale of three women (Eliza, Nell and Cassandra) across time (1913, 1975 and 2005) as the latter two go on journeys of discovery about their pasts. From poverty in Edwardian London, to an I'll-fated and gloomy Cornish Blackhurst Manor house with the titular forgotten garden to a hot and free Brisbane and back again. Eliza's difficult life and the mystery of Nell's arrival in Australia is picked up by granddaughter Cassandra, interwoven with Eliza's Illuminating fairy stories.

The author writes evocative and spellbinding historical mysteries full of secrets so well. Glorious, all-encompassing and heart-wrenching.

This was amazing, Nell and Cassandra, Australia and England, family secrets, an inheritance. Who was Nell, how did she get to Australia, why was she left alone. Strong women being resilient, sadness and heartache. This is a story that keeps you turning the pages.

I read this book many years ago and it was interesting to re-read it in the present and I was surprised at how much of the story had stuck in my memory. It concerns as this authors books usually do, an aristocratic family, a book of fairy tales, a garden and a love affair which goes wrong. It is a lovely comfortable read and i was surprised about the similarities with The Distant Hours which i had just listened to.

I didn't realise that this is an early work of Kate Mortons that I read many years ago.
She is one of my favourite authors. I would definitely recommend all her books to new and old fans.

This book is an epic family saga full of intrigue and mystery with twists and turns along the way. I read this book when it was originally published and reading it again for the second was a real treat.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

One family 3 generations. Secrets hidden for decades. A four year old girl found on the dockside in Australia. No one claims her and she is taken in by the harbour master and his wife.
Decades later the truth is told and starts a search.
Family secrets and relationships are eventually discovered.
A surprising book with lots of historical context.
Enjoy I did.

This is a republication of one of Kate Morton’s older novels; there’s a beautiful new cover, but no change to the wonderful story, which resonates with me just as deeply as it did back in 2008 when it was first released. I credit this as being g the book that really hit me into historical fiction.

On the eve of World War 1, a little girl is found abandoned on a ship to Australia. A mysterious woman called the Authoress had promised to look after her – but the Authoress has disappeared without a trace. There are several timelines and stories, all successfully woven together. Excellent stuff.

I was excited to see that Kate Moreton had a new title out but once I started reading it I realised it was in fact one of her early books but re published/branded. I could remember a good deal of it. It’s one of my favourite of hers- such wonderful locations- Australia and Cornwall - and spans a timeline of over a century. An epic read and a special one too.

This book follows the lives of Rose, Eliza and Nel and had me invested in the characters right from the start of the book, which was set from 1900 to 2005. It reminded me at times of my childhood favourite, The Secret Garden. Really well written and highly recommended. I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy and leave this review willingly.

I first read this book when it was originally published and one scene had stayed with me all that time. I finally read it for the second time at 57%. Such a great story, full of intrigue, mystery and family. Several timelines, stories repeated from different viewpoints but all leading to a satisfying conclusion. A worthy book to be republished 25 years after its first appearance.

This was a 5 star read for me.

Cassandra has just lost her grandma who brought her up. She has suffered following a tragic accident 10 years previously and is struggling to move forward.

A mysterious bequest from her Nan, Nell, sends her to a cottage in Cornwall to find out about her grandma’s family. Interwoven in her family story is the Authoress - Eliza Makepeace - and her book of dark Victorian fairy tales.

Finding out about her past may also allow Cassandra to move forward.

A hopeful heartwarming tale.

I was asked to review this book by NetGalley

Kate Morton - I am such a fan and have just read Distant hours also on my Easter break in the sunshine.

Kate takes the reader on a journey and the reader feels as though they are there in the story which is such a gift. Kate takes the reader to different times.

In this story the protagonist is Nell a lost child where the mysteries are connected. The story beginning in England and to Australia and back to England with over a century of secrets. There are twists and turns and when the reader thinks they know what has happened the author drip feeds more mystery and twists.

A great holiday read and as always this author is so recommended boy can she weave a tale with great writing skills.

As I started reading this arc I felt I’d read something very similar before. On doing a bit of research I discovered I had read it about 10 years ago, this is a re release. It’s an interesting story interwoven with fairies, a little odd bit good nonetheless- and obviously memorable!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Actual rating 4.5.

Only my second novel by this author, but it firmly cements her as an auto-buy author for me - this was an epic family drama set across a hundred years and between Australia and England!

I loved the strong female characters in this story, and how well the author built the mystery around Nell’s passage to Australia - I truly didn’t work it all out until the reveal, which kept me absolutely hooked. I thought the Cornwall setting was so well described and atmospheric, although I do wish we’d had more time in Australia! Overall a fantastic read that would’ve been five stars if just a little shorter, as some parts did drag a bit.

Kate Morton's The Secret Keepers is one of my very favourite books. I recommend it to everyone regularly. I am always happy to read a Kate Morton novel and was I interested that I hadn't come across The Forgotten Garden before. It being republished was the perfect chance to rectify this.
Set in three timeframes, it is about family secrets and discovery. We first meet them just before the first world war, then in the 1970s, and then in 2005. We are taken backwards and forwards as the secrets are revealed. There are fairly tales and mazes. I was intrigued.
I sometimes find it takes me a while to get into a book - but with The Forgotten Garden I was hooked on the very first page. What an opening! I was there, with the small child being left alone on a ship to Australia...
Clever, engaging and moving. I’d recommend this novel. Book clubs will love it – so much to talk about.

"The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton is a truly enchanting read. It follows several generations of women, trying to find out their identity or getting to the bottom of a family mystery. Peppered with fairy tale stories, that are interwoven with chapters from the lives of the women, this is not an easy, quick read but one that is very much enjoyable. Loved the cameo of Frances Hodgson Burnett, who very soon after appearing in this story wrote "The Secret Garden". Coincidence? I think not!

This is a sprawling novel that travels through time, space and generations. It explores the nature of family, of love and lack of it, of selfishness and altruism, of privilege and hardship, of profound connections and their impacts through history. It’s lengthy, and it took me a while to become immersed in it, but once I did it was compelling. The author has a knack of giving you just enough information with the promise of more to keep everything moving in a way that is engaging. There are numerous threads and people who are all woven together, but almost invariably in such a way that you can keep track and see the complete yet complex picture gradually emerging. I would imagine that some of the clues given intentionally lead the reader to realise they probably know more than the characters at the time. There was one fundamental point which I believed I knew long before it was revealed, and was proved correct. This gives a sense of connection and ownership which is satisfying. The creativity, both the fairy tales and the art (though we don’t get to see that it’s described well) add another dimension, and this is woven throughout and has weight and import that I really enjoyed. It’s emotional without descending into sentimentality. Love and suffering are woven together in a convincing and meaningful way that reflects some of the realities of life. Part mystery, part thriller, part historical novel (with some well researched facts included), part romance. I would highly recommend it.

A lovely book from Kate Morton. Part historical novel, part family saga, it really has something for everyone. I had the nagging feeling about a third of the way through that I'd read it or something similar before and a brief search revealed it is a re-release. A little annoying if you've unwittingly purchased it but definitely worth a second read as it's so good. Wonderful storytelling, great characterisation all wrapped up in a mystery of many years.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

A spell binding tale once again. A rediscovery of a family background and secrets hidden for eons annd interwoven with weird fairy tales.. expertly written to keep you guessing