This book felt very slow, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters. It felt a bit disconnected, the two people are living completely separate lives and we are drip fed information as we go with a lot of descriptions of scenery. Also there is the stories of the witch living in the wood next door. It just didn’t hook me and I had to DNF.

This was a spectacular listen. Still one of my top audiobooks of 2021. The narration was so well done and I felt I was literally immersed into the story along with the characters. Beautiful storyline and quite touching as well, I would definitely urge anyone who loves nature themed novels to listen or read this book. Thank you so much to the publisher that allowed me to have early access on the audiobook.

Brilliant, Good narration, didn't detract from the story and was easy to listen to. A nice feel-good tale with a moral spine. Thanks.

Growing Season’ is the latest book by Seni Glaister.

Danny is riddled with anxiety. But he wants to be strong for his wife Sam. She’s been through so much already. If only he had someone to talk to. Sam is facing a very different future to the one she expected. She’s ready to move on, yet other people won’t let her. If only she had someone to talk to. Their new neighbour Diana is hiding from her past. She wanted a new life. Now she’s got it she feels angry and alone. If only she had someone to talk to. Each of them is hiding their pain. Each of them needs to heal. But only when they learn to let each other in will they finally be able to grow.

I’ve spent the last few days listening to ‘Growing Season’ and it’s a wonderful story to get absorbed in.

The story is seen through the narrative of Sam and Danny who have left the bright lights of London for the countryside. Whilst Sam has adapted naturally to the slower pace of life, Danny has found it a bit more difficult returning to the city each day for work as a reminder of their old lives. Whilst Danny works, Sam has become friends with Diana, the so called witch of the woods that she’s warned to stay away from but instead she’s drawn to her reclusive behaviour and passion for nature.

I loved this story and the characters that were in it. The story is written as though the couple have left London for a new life, but it’s a more like a escape for Sam. Away from the prying eyes of society and why they haven’t settled down with children but the pressure and accusations follow her as the neighbours want to know her story. Although the neighbours are kind with good intentions and curiosity, it’s sad reading as Sam has to explain her situation, whilst try to justify her frustration and upset at being unable to be a mother. Danny wants more than anything to make Sam happy but has let his past hold him back and needs the courage to get over fears and put old ghosts to rest.

Sam finds solace in Diana, a fellow outsider who hasn’t conformed to the expected status of a woman and they embark on a friendship, both bonding over their passion of nature. As the story progresses, we see Sam blossom, not only literally with her new home and garden but metaphorically in her mindset and lifestyle.

I loved this book, the characters are relatable, from the outspoken and gruff Diana who resides in the woods away from prying eyes to Danny and Sam who are working hard to make thief relationship work in a new town.

A story of new beginnings and friendships, this book highlights the stigma associated with childless women and their silent struggle and pressures of society. Wittily written and packed with plenty of gardening tips and information, ‘Growing Season’ is a poignant story about hope and grief.

You can buy ‘Growing Season’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

I first met author Seni Glaister at a publishing event for HQ Stories. She was lovely to chat to, warm and interesting and I was intrigued to read what was then her latest novel, Mr Doubler Begins Again. It was such an enjoyable novel and I immediately fell in love with Seni’s writing and the characters she brings so gloriously to life. How thrilled was I then to have the opportunity to read her latest offering, Growing Season. But surely I couldn’t love it as much as Mr Doubler? Oh, but I do. It’s wonderful and merely confirms what I felt back then, that Seni knows how to capture the very essence of what it means to be human. I read the book last year when the hardback was published and I have just returned to the story by listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time, I always discover something more on the 2nd reading (or in this case listening) of the story. Audiobooks are wonderful and a brilliant way to escape into a good story whilst otherwise busy with my hands.

Sam and Danny have been through a tough time but they still have each other. Yet, as quite often happens, communication seems to have broken down between them and they both appear to be walking on eggshells around each. Sam is recovering after a serious illness, one that left her wombless but alive. The toughest part is the reaction of family, friends and colleagues who don’t quite know how to cope with the fact that she can no longer have children. Society does, after all, expect married couples to have children (and at least two!). Sam is angry at peoples expectations and the fact they are unable to see past her loss. She does not share her anger or her pain with Danny but through a blog under a pseudonym. Here she lets rip but is left feeling guilty and ashamed of the controversial opinons she share with her followers.

When they move to the country she plans to leave her blog behind her, trying desperately to repair what is broken inside without the need to write her anger for all to see. For the first time she has a garden of her own and she plans to attempt to soothe her battered soul by nuturing her garden. Yet soon after she arrives she discovers that the stigma associated with being unable to have children is never far away and she begins to turn back to her blog for a form of release.

Away from the city she begins to lose herself in country life but in a small village it seems even easier to stand out from the crowd. Sam finds solace walking in the woods and there meets Diane (reported to be a witch by small minded villagers). As she gets to know her she realises the two women have a great deal in common and they begin an unlikely friendship. But as Sam gets closer to finding her path to healing, her relationship with Danny seems to be drifting further away. Will they be able to find their way back to each other and the unknown future now ahead of them?

This was such an uplifting story. Seni has this wonderful ability to capture a character and bring them and their many complexities to life. She touches on everyday situations and highlights the ‘ordinary’, finding the magic that is there bubbling beneath the surface. During a time when many of us have had the time to pause and question how we spend our time, Seni has hit the nail right on the head. In a world that now feels strange and unprecedented, it is good to be reminded to stop and look around us, at our lives and the world we live in. There are metaphors aplenty within this tale. Seni is full of wisdom and through her characters I feel that she is encouraging us to live our very best of lives, right here and now.

Five stars from me and thoroughly recommeded.

Thank you so much to the lovely team at HQ Stories for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and providing me with a copy of the audiobook to listen to. Seni is a wonderful author and I look forward to seeing what comes next. PS. Loving the paperback edition cover! Absolutely gorgeous.

This character-driven story features a multi-generational friendship. Told from three viewpoints Diana, Sam and Danny, it is a detailed emotional story that explores finding your true self, fitting in, honesty and loss.

It's introspective and works well as an audiobook. The narrator is clear and engaging, voicing the characters believably and distinctly. The gentle pace enables the listener to know each character well, and the humour, insight and poignancy, make it an emotional read.

The parallels with nature that affects the characters' lives are well crafted and make this an engaging, thought-provoking story.

I received an audiobook from HQ (Harper Collins Audio UK) via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A beautifully written book about grief, connections and the importance of nature. The audio version is narrated by Kristin Atherton who I felt gave a rather stilted reading and as a result I found it difficult to engage with the slow moving plot or the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital audiobook.

The growing season is a beautiful story that explores the themes of self-discovery, self-growth, nature, relationships, illness, hope, new beginnings, a fresh start, and existence after life-altering.
It is a story of a young couple Danny and Sam who have escaped the life of a big city and now moved to the countryside where they are close to nature.
Sam's life has changed after she has had life-saving surgery and whereas Danny is dealing with the loss of his father and the trauma his wife had to go through. The couple never tells teach others what they are feeling from inside and keep their fears to themselves.
Things change when Sam meets Diana who lives in the woods behind her house. They both become friends and they start having discussions related to different topics of life. Diana became kind of a life coach to Sam. I love Diana’s character and the lessons given by her. In short, I can say Diana was not only a coach to Sam but to me too.
I will definitely recommend it to the people who have been through loss or any major disease. This will change your view of life.

A beautifully narrated. emotionally charged storyline that is both poignant and uplifting. Utterly magical.