Speachless 😍

I love Mary's books and always get excited when I see a new title from her, but she totally blew me away with this one!
The world building was exquisite, I could clearly see Jo's garden in my head, vivid greens and blues and golds of summer, if I closed my eyes I was sitting on the porch with them feeling the sun on my skin. This is an epic love story, of overcoming overwhelming childhood hurt but written in such a way that you feel little in the way of angst and connect positively with the characters. I loved it, loved it loved.
Greg B was fabulous 😍 he conveys such a range of emotion in the voice for each of the characters without losing the 'feel' of that character. He acts the story, bringing it to life - this is not just about words on a page, I was so sad that this fabulous performance brought to me by these two amazing talented people came to an end. More please! 😘🤗

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2 people found this helpful

Wonderful Audiobook

I really loved this book when I first read it and even more here as an audiobook. Kaenon is a wonderful man with a lot of unresolved feelings. I loved how this book, both heals him (and us as we go through this with him), show the strength of love, through family and roots, as well as beautiful relationships. I always enjoy Greg Boudreaux's narrations, but this one took the crown. He was perfect, especially in the very emotional parts, that wouldn't have had as much impact if it wasn't for the way he is able to bring the characters to life. Really loved it and will listen to this on repeat

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Narrator

Greg Boudreaux is a fabulous narrator. I choose most of my audio books based on Greg reading them. His voice is amazing and lovely to listen to. Greg puts emotion into all the stories and I just love him.

This was a lovely story and I didn't want it to end

Loved it, Loved it

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4 people found this helpful

Great writer

This book was very interesting and engaging, another good book from Mary calmes.cant wait to listen to more of her books.

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Good Story

I enjoyed this book, the characters and storyline were interesting. Though there could have been a lot more depth but its quite a quick book. Thenarrator was excellent.

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Stand in place

I loved the ebook of this story but it was absolutely brought to life through this narration! I really struggle to enjoy audio books but this was an absolute pleasure to listen to

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Enjoyable, gentle listen

Surprisingly mellow story of a man coming home to nurse his dying grandmother and at the same time, reunite with family. Some heavy issues dealt with among the gardening mellowness. Found the romance a bit instalove but not enough to spoil the story.

Fab narrator - he really added to my listening experience.

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Cumbersome start

I couldn't seem to get past the cumbersome start to reach the actual story despite the excellent narrator and the interesting blurb. I've been spoilt by having some excellent Josh Lanyon books lately after which it's hard for other writers to compare.

Gave up after 40 mins.

DISAPPOINTING

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Draining and overly sentimental

This was a difficult listen. It starts slowly, with the author packing in as much family drama as she can from the get go. With the specific heavy themes of coming loss, and reconciliation It became emotionally overwhelming for me and so I had to take a break and listen in fits and starts. The story finally picked up 2 hrs in when we meet Brodie and got some romantic respite. But then the concentration of chaotic family melodrama, the flashbacks, the tears and sacharine sentimentality ramped up and felt draining.

The author tries to pack a series worth of angst, backstory and reconciliation into one book and it didn't work. A good edit would have made this a more plausible, enjoyable story.

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Uhhh.... the ending???

Firstly - loved the narration, it was great.

The first half of this book was wonderful, if a bit too introspective. Kae often finds himself reminiscing in vivid detail about his awful childhood whilst being in his home town looking after his sick grandmother. Mary Calmes does a wonderful job of world-building and the town seems so real, and the bullying and homophobia that Kae faced as a child is completely devastating. Then in the second half of the book, the garden stuff and the magic seemed a bit haphazard but okay I was into it. Brody was a bit of a non-character and they didn't have great chemistry but okay they love each other I guess. I can be on board with all that...But the ending?????

****SPOILERS****

****SPOILERS****

****SPOILERS****





I cannot believe how quickly Kae forgave everyone (including his awful father and his terrible brother) and gave up his life to move back to the town that completely ostracised him because they were like 'Oh our bad haha guess being gay is fine now.' By the end of the book, I disliked Jo for pushing and pushing Kae to come back. How could she ever want him to come back to a place that nearly destroyed him when he was a child? And Kae forgiving his father?? And laying all the blame on his mother?? Kae had been a fourteen-year-old CHILD when they all abused him and yet it was he who had to go back and make the effort and forgive them??????? What?????

Yeah, I was kinda angry by the end of the book (which ended rather abruptly to be honest.) I couldn't find it within myself to forgive any of the reformed homophobes and I was hoping Kae could just find closure and then go back home to his cat and his friends. Connecticut has gardens too, I'm sure.

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