I make no secret of how much I adore all of Heidi Swain’s books and her new one definitely did not disappoint. I was so pleased to find out that the setting had returned to the beautiful Nightingale Square….although I have loved immersing myself in all of her books and their various settings! It is so clever the way she weaves all the characters together, and it feels like the tiniest detail is never forgotten.
The Winter Garden focuses on the story of Freya, a brilliant gardener who suddenly finds herself in need of a new job after the death of her former boss and close friend. A chance meeting with Luke, who has featured in the other Nightingale Square books, takes Freya to the square and her new life begins with plenty of twists and turns along the way. I found myself wanting to give some characters some choice words at certain points when they tried to interfere! I love that as a reader of Heidi’s books we get to be reacquainted with characters that feel like old friends and it is great to find out what they have all been up to. This time we get to meet the mysterious Finn, a character that I really liked for not looking like the archetypal hero in a story – he has long flowing hair for a start!
I have always described Heidi Swain’s books as a lovely cosy read – somewhere to escape to with a blanket, a cuppa and biscuits on a cold or rainy day, and The Winter Garden definitely does not disappoint. The perfect antidote to everything that we are all going through right now.
The Book Believer 