The story was bot motherhood: Lyddie’s refusal to allow and operation that might save her child’s life, Stella cutting Juliet off when she married Matt, Juliet’s idealisation of what a mother should be and how her children should behave and the house was another child to be looked after too. The painting the Garden of Lost and Found not only depicted a lost pre-war wold but also the depiction of motherhood. A major theme throughout the novel is that of the ideal family and the ideal home, as depicted in the painting. Do such things actually exist? Do we only appreciate them when they might be, or are, lost? How have the challenges and attitudes to family life changed over the past 100 years? All these prompted rich discussion at our meeting. As I've said on here before I a. have loved Harriet Evans books since her very first b. Adore books centred around big houses and c. love family secrets so The Garden of Lost and Found was pretty much reading catnip. Expectations were high and more than met - The Garden of Lost and Found is an emotional, compelling and absorbing read and (to me) a thoughtful examination of marriage, motherhood, and the search for self set in a world of Victorian art and modern day art history, a world of which I know very little but enjoyed discovering.

Nightingale hHuse, it was felt was meant to be another character in the story like Mandelery in Rebecca and the women’s obsession with it: Lyddie, Stella and Juliet was meant to convey that. The Garden of Lost and Found shines light on the different issues different generations face, intertwined with historical fiction and art, handled in such a beautifully delicate way. Lose yourself in this unputdownable tale of the enduring power of family love, told by three generations of extraordinary women. . .This sweeping tale is by turns painfully sad and heart-lifting, with characters that stay with you' Good Housekeeping James Ramsay is twenty-one years old and he has just inherited a building in New York City. After the death of his estranged mother, he finds that he is now the owner of No. 1 Dutch Street—a five-story brownstone near the World Trade Center. Harriet Evans is an accomplished romance writer, but she also writes chilling characters terrifyingly well from the evil childhood nurse, to the weak father and the selfish, manipulative husband. Humour also shines through with the recognisable tribes of primary school mothers and the sheer insanity of coping with small and strong minded children and troubled teens. I loved both timelines, rooting for both Liddy and Juliet as they dared to reach out for happiness despite the many obstacles in their way.

We can see how much work and dedication that must have gone in to this book. This book has alot of sadness and the author expresses emotion well. We felt anger at how certain characters were treated and empathy for the sadness experienced by the characters. Overall a good and engrossing read. We found the descriptions of the house and its gardens vivid, and enjoyed the themes and issues the story raised.The characters were confusing, who was related to whom. I didn't particularly like any of them, none of them stood out. All this, my love, darling etc became rather nauseous after a while. Overall the majority of the group thought it was a good holiday read and would like to read more of her books. In addition, other members of the group thought it was a lovely read but would not seek other books by this author. Whether Ned’s masterpiece – or, in Juliet’s case, her own children’s happiness. Something shattered this corner of paradise. But what?Harriet Evans brings her readers home:‘Heart-stopping and wonderful’ Sophie Kinsella’Harriet Evans is my favourite author’ Goodreads’Secrets and lies in a gorgeous idyllic setting’ Prima’Reminiscent of Santa Montefiore with the emotional heart of Jojo Moyes. Don’t miss the STUNNING new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author, Harriet Evans –THE BELOVED GIRLS is available to buy now!