I really loved this book. I picked it for a Christmas read and was well pleased. Typically the story was always going to have a happy ending, and while it did, it wasn't the sugar-wrapped one I was expecting. Ok, maybe a little, but the twist at the end was good, satisfying.The characters were as one would expect stereotypes, but that's life isn't it. I mean who hasn't got a Cate in their life, somebody who puts them down under the guise of "helping". Then there's Etta, unsure of herself, yet beneath her layers a wonderfully kind person. Miranda and Ava were easy to relate to, and I enjoyed how their lives were interwoven, if not repeated to a certain extent. The "love" connection is obvious from the start, and I have to admit I was expecting Miranda to follow Ava's life to the T. When it didn't I was pleased. As to the infidelity link, it's not something to be condoned in real-life, yet it seemed to work well with the story.As I say, enjoyed this one very much, a great, easy read that I have no regrets purchasing. What do you do when what you want most in the world can't be had no matter how or why? This story takes on the what ifs and magically transforms it to tangibility defined as the spectacular gardens described throughout the story. When unavailable love is manifested, it becomes spectacular.Ava and Philip Lightly left their lovely home after illness and age made it impossible to care for. Miranda and David Claybourne have purchased and retrofit/ redesigned and brought Harington House back up-to-date as a showpiece, but its soul is missing.Then Miranda hires the gardener, and the missing pieces begin to slide into place as not only the gardens come back to life, but the people are energized to fully become themselves.Jean-Paul was a young man at odds with his destiny as the sole heir of his family's winery, and his father sends him to live with and work with his friends for a year in hopes that being with the Lightlys might make him grow up. With the help of Ava, he does that, falling in love with her in the process.Many years later, Jean Paul, true to his promise returns to find Ava, and instead, rekindles the garden's magic and in doing so, rebuilds himself and the Claybourne's relationship as everyone allows the work of the garden/ers to bring their lives back to life.This was a marvelous romance in the genre of Rosemond Pilcher and Bridges if Madison County. Montefiore writes with a passion raraley seen, infusing her characters with a life rarely seen on the page. I am definatly finding more by this author.
What do You think about De Franse Tuinman (2008)?
Love this book! Romance, gardening and intrigue . Doesn't get better than that.
—Melodia27
An enjoyable read, interesting characters.Dual storyline set 20+ years apart
—crystal
