1940, England: A totally heart-rending, unforgettable and powerful story about love, wartime secrets, and betrayal.
When a beautiful young woman named
Anya
decides to become a spy, it is entirely so she can escape a terrifying situation at home in war-torn Russia, where she fears for her life more with every day that passes. But then she finds herself sent to work as a land girl in a beautiful corner of England and she begins to make friends - ones she knows she cannot possibly betray. And she knows she's made a terrible mistake.
The only person she can turn to is her fellow informer,
Nikolai
, and she finds herself impossibly drawn to his soulful blue eyes, his quiet intensity and his innate goodness. They both desperately want to join the fight against the Nazis and when they are told they can switch their allegiance, they start to believe their love might stand a chance.
But no one can ever know their secret history, and being together is still dangerous. So they devise a plan.
If circumstances mean they're ever separated, they will find their way back to each other.
They just have to follow a series of secret coded messages they've left. Clues no one else could possibly understand.
Starting with a small key, left in the place that has become most precious to them: the secret garden.
Now, England:
When
Laura
agrees to restore a beautiful garden in the grounds of an English stately home she sees the opportunity for a new start, away from heartbreak. But when she finds a box buried under the weeping willow tree, she is spellbound by its contents - a key and a cryptic note. As she begins to piece together the fragments of a love story that stretches across wartime Europe, Laura doesn't realise it, but she is embarking on an unforgettable journey. One which will change her own life forever.
Absolutely unmissable historical fiction, perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen's
The Victory Garden
and Kristin Hannah's
The Nightingale
.
Readers love Suzanne Kelman:
'
OMG! I felt the fear and the terror within the pages as if I was there living it
... It is
heartbreaking
...
By the end of the story I was so moved and in tears
.'
Confessions of a Bookaholic
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Absolutely heartbreaking... Filled with sadness, love, courage and sacrifice
- I couldn't put this book down.'
Stardust Book Reviews
Oh my goodness!
Evocatively unsettling yet hauntingly beautiful... the story is incredibly powerful...
I read this book with bated breath.
I cried, I grieved and I hoped... I was
left heartbroken
Robin Loves Reading
'Oh my word
This book had me in tears
Fantastic
Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Three words: Have. Tissues. Ready
... The emotion that pours from the pages is
absolutely heart-wrenching
I loved every minute
of this book, even though it left me a sniffling mess by the end
Fireflies and Free Kicks
Wow! Just wow! This book kept me on the edge of my seat right from the get-go!...
Amazing.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐