The Winter Garden

I'm a huge fan of Heidi Swain so when I saw that her latest was available on NetGalley I was, if not the first in the queue then second.
Talented, but unqualified, gardener Freya and Nell, her rescue doggy companion, seek solitude and succour following the death of Eloise - her boss and friend. She finds it when Luke and Kate employ her to work on their Winter Garden at Nightingale Square. And then she meets Thor...No. Sorry. Finn.
There's an old-fashioned flavour to Swain's writing voice. It's almost like coming home to sit in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate wrapped around your fingers. Her easy-writing style married with her delicious plots are consistently difficult to match let alone beat.

I was so so excited to get this book as absolutely adore Heidis books and this one was no exception! Pure Christmas indulgence and festive fun, so lovely to be back in nightingale square and reunited with its various residents and to see the progression of prosperous place it just felt like coming home! Gardens are the focus of this read and in particular a winter garden, this feels so relevant and topical as during lockdown those of us lucky enough to have a garden have spent more time than ever in them and the link to mental health is so very true! The characters of freya and Finn are so likeable and realistic and the progression of their relationship and happiness is sublime!A perfect read for anytime of the year but especially suited to Christmas or those dreary months of winter as a great pick me up/ escape from reality/ festive treat. I can’t recommend it enough!
Thank you net galley for this fantastic read.

Heidi has done it again with this magical beautiful story. It is the perfect book for Christmas,in the perfect place with lots of lovely friendly people around to help out where ever possible. If you have read Heidi's previous novels you will know they are all set in the same place, so there are mentions of previous characters which I liked, I loved the story and one that interests me as I am a keen gardener, it was nice to read something a little different too, I really like the way Heidi writes it makes you want more and I had to ration the last few pages as I just didn't want the story to end.

This is a gorgeous Wintery read from Heidi Swain and I absolutely loved it.. In fact, I'm rather sad to have finished it.
Heidi's style of writing is wonderful, and as you're drawn into the characters lives, they become your friends. It was lovely returning to Nightingale Square and meeting up with old friends, and the Winter Garden, with its sculptures and planting, sounds magical.
The perfect book to lose yourself in.

Wow wow wow Heidi Swain does it again.
Join Freya as she heads to the beautiful Nightingale Square to help Luke transform the gardens at prosperous place in time for winter. Catch up with old friends at nightingale square and meet new friends in Freya, Finn and furry friend Nell.

Can’t wait to see where our next adventure takes us. X
#thewintergarden #netgalley

Thank you so much Simon & Schuster UK and netgalley for this ARC.

This latest novel by Heidi is just full of sparkles.

A different type of Chrismas read for me, What a beautiful Winter garden. I would so love to visit here.

Freya ups and leaves her job when horrible Jackson inherits the Estate and ends up at the lovely Nightingale Square working for Luke and Kate. What is is store for Freya this chrismas, Can Freya have a new start? Or go running back to her past?

This is definitely one to read whilst cosy on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Being back in Nightingale square is like returning home after a long hard week, YES I officially want to live there.

We meet new resident Freya, whom recently gathered her belongings and moved on to new ventures following the death of her employer and dear friend, Eloise. Freya somewhat lacking confidence takes on the project of transforming the grounds of the towns Victorian Mansion Prosperous Place into The Winter Garden.

Can Freya rebuild her confidence and have a fresh start?

100% LOVED this book! Having read Heidi's previous books I was delighted to be selected to read The Winter Garden, I really like reading about old characters and returning to old places.

An absolutely wonderful read, gripping but an easy read, so it is very hard not to get carried away with life on the square.

Praise for Heidi.

The perfect Christmas present. So many delights wrapped up in a beautiful parcel and tied with a sparkling ribbon.

Reading the Winter Garden is like catching up with old friends in a place long since visited but just as familiar all the same. As with good friends, you pick up effortlessly where you last left off as though you’d only met yesterday. You leave the book, like any welcome reunion, with a warm glow of contentment and gratitude for such incredible friends, to be part of their lives, looking forward to the next opportunity to catch up. If only we could all live in a place like Nightingale Square with such a brilliant sense of community.

I loved the reference to books that harness the healing power of nature, I’ve ordered them already to help me cope with the shorter, darker days of Winter.

Once you’ve read this book, you need never be S.A.D. again.

Wow! I was so excited when I realised we were going back to Nightingale Square, a place I think we’d all like to live.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt I knew all the characters personally, even the animals!
Yet again Heidi has woven her magic and transported us to the fabulous world she creates in her books.
Five stars doesn’t seem enough

Freya Fuller a Horticulturalist gardens at Broad Meadow's in Suffolk for the late Eloise Thurlow Forbes nephew Jackson. taken a day out over to Norfolk to Prosperous Place with dog Nell, meets the owner Luke Lonsdale, and he gets her involved in the winter garden then the offer of a job and home in Nightingale Square. she takes up his offer.
Such a delightful read, I loved this story, so heartwarming, a perfect book to curl up with a hot drink, with romance and christmas sparkle added, the characters you get drawn into them all as you read. I loved it, The magic of the winter garden, will full fill you right to the end.

Oh my goodness, this was such a gorgeous book!
So happy to be back visiting Nightingale Square, catching up with old friends and new!
I loved Finn! Just my type 🥰 and it was interesting finding out his back story and why he acts the way he does with Freya .
I loved the challenge she had to help create the Winter garden for Luke and Kate, and how Whynthorpe was brought into the story at times too.
As always I became very attached to the characters, especially Nell, the whippet cross bedlington, whose characteristics Heidi described so well.
Such an utter joy to read, I couldn’t put it down!
I will definitely read this again at Christmas 🎄, it was such a stunning and uplifting book that filled me with the joy of the season.
I also liked how the condition of SAD was mentioned and how important mental health and self care was promoted all throughout the story. More than ever we need to take this on, and there were many excellent ideas on how to lift your spirits, and those around you in the book.
Just so so fabulous ❤️

Thank you NetGalley for an opportunity to read this great story!

With the heatwave and pandemic going on (August) it was an amazing idea to immerse myself in a perfect Winter Wonderland. The story of Freya and her best furry friend Nell is really warm and beautiful. I really enjoyed the colorful descriptions of plants, flowers and landscapes. The community of Nightingale Square made me want to move near Prosperous House and become a part of their pack.
Last but not least – Finn, the nordic god. I have to admit, I have a little crush on him. I really enjoyed how the friendship between him and Freya was developing. I admit, I was a little jealous.

Summarizing, beautiful Winter Garden,heart warming love story and pure Christmas indulgence. All the ingredients for a perfect Christmas read.

I always enjoy this author’s books and The Winter Garden takes us on a welcome return to Nightingale Square.

Freya Fuller is looking for an escape route and after the death of her friend and employer she needs a new start. When she is offered the opportunity to help recreate the garden at Prosperous Place in time for winter, she moves with all her worldly goods into Nightingale Square. As Freya is welcomed by the Square’s community, will she get the new start that she is looking for?

A lovely lighthearted read. It was good to catch up with the residents of Nightingale Square. I look forward to Heidi Swain’s next book.

Another slice of festive fabulousness from the lovely Heidi Swain! Full of charm, romance, family, friends and new beginnings, The Winter Garden ticks every box that I have! I love the characters, the setting, the story, - I just love everything! I could feel the frost in the air, smell (and taste) the mulled wine, and was totally caught up in the anticipation and atmosphere in this book! The scent of cinnamon and the twinkling of fairy lights is so real!! Freya and Finn are so relatable, and this book oozes friendship, a sense of coming together, and happiness, and has left me with a warm, cosy, happy glow after reading! The perfect antidote to dark days, this book is full of love and light.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another brilliant book from Heidi.

Another trip to Nightingale Square and it didn’t disappoint. When Luke offers Freya a job sorting out the Winter Garden of Prosperous Place she moves into Nightingale Square. She meets Finn who doesn’t make a good first impression on her. Does Freya sort out her differences with Finn and make Nightingale Square her home?

I loved this but its a Heidi Swain book so I expected to love it from page 1. Its a story of love and friendship. It explores grief and moving forward while dealing with that grief but it also explores trust and how important proper communication is especially when it comes to trusting and being trusted.
The biggest part of the book for me though? Christmas, as someone who hates christmas (or should I say hated until I read this book) it made me fall back in love with the simple pleasures of christmas and various crafts that you can do around christmas that arent your typical santa and snowmen crafts. It can make even the hardened christmas hater see the beauty of christmas and winter.
I will certainly be buying the paper back version of this to reread every winter. I think its fair to say I loved this book!

#The Winter Garden #Heidi Swain
It was wonderful to be back in Nightingale Square, back with characters who seem like old friends.
Freya has moved from Suffolk to Norwich to be head gardener at Prosperous Place in The Winter Garden. She moves into a house on Nightingale Square with her dog Nell.. Another newbie is Finn, who is renting a studio/flat from Luke and Kate in the grounds of Prosperous Place.
Another really uplifting story from Heidi, I loved it!

Have you heard about the one with a gardener, a nervous dog and a Nordic God? Well, Heidi does it again, a delightful story involving all of the above. We are back in Nightingale Square with familiar characters and another wonderful, enchanting tale of love, fun and friendships. You won’t be disappointed

Another brilliant and heart warming read by heidi swain. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the characters and read it all in one day. Will be lovely as a winter read.

When Freya loses her friend and employer, she finds herself in a difficult position. A chance visit to Nightingale Square leads to a new job offer. Along with Nell, her friend's dog, Freya sets out for a new life in Norwich to create a Winter Garden. Settling in to life in the Square, she meets Finn, who has been commissioned to create sculptures for the new garden. Can they put aside their initial fiery encounter and work alongside each other?

This was a lovely trip back to Nightingale Square. It is always lovely to catch up with well-known characters and meet new ones. Heidi has once again conjured up a cosy, romantic read with heart. I love reading about places that I know in Norwich, as well as the gardening and crafting hints and tips. The nods to Heidi's other books, with trips to Wynmouth and mentions of Wynthorpe Hall and assorted characters, makes this such a friendly and welcoming book. (You don't have to have read Heidi's other books to enjoy this but you really should as they are all fab!)

With thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for this advance copy. Pre-order your copy for 1 October - you won't regret it!

I have been really looking forward to heading back to Nightingale square and finding out how Luke and Kate. Poppy and Jacob and Ryan are getting along. I have really enjoyed seeing the story develop between Freya and Finn with all the twist and turns along the way. I would really recommend this book to everyone such a feel good story, which I hope we will revisit in the future again to see how people relationships have developed.

Wow what can I say I absolutely love Heidi Swain books so was so excited to be able to read this one before release such pure escapism and feel goodness with every turn of the page and was such a pleasure to discover the further adventures of the occupants of nightingale square and to discover some new characters too If you havent read the other books in this series that doesn't matter as this can be read as a stand alone as well.
This book was the perfect pick me up whilst shielding in the current situation and it didn't matter that it was a Christmas read as perfect to get cosy with at anytime although would be the perfect read to curl up with a got chocolate on cold dark winter nights and a definite festive treat. I couldn't put it down and indulged it in one sitting. As a sufferer of seasonal affective disorder SAD I loved how this was discussed and portrayed in the book and how strategies for coping with it such as gardening and getting outdoors were advocated a perfect feel good all round lovely read thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read it