What a fab book, held my interest from the first page right until the last. The idea has been very well thought out and it does include the garden as well as the characters. The idea of the winterfest was a great and I enjoyed it very much. I am giving this novel 5 stars and it deserves every one of them. Well written and I recommend it to all .

I have loved every book set in Nightingale square and now we meet Freya who has come to join the characters.

This was just pure loveliness with a cosy setting and it was so nice to see what some of the past characters were up to as well. I have also pre ordered the audiobook as i love listening to the Heidi Swain books every morning whilst out for my walk. The perfect cosy wintery story!

Can’t wait to see what we get next from Heidi Swain!

There is something reassuring about Heidi Swain's novels. They take you to places that you just don't want to visit, but also live and the beauty is you get to go back again and again. 

This her latest novel is no exception and I am back in Nightingale Square which you can read more about in Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square and Poppy's Recipe for Life. 

Freya does not have a good relationship with her parents, they cannot understand her desire to be a hands on gardener rather than one that can plan and plot but let someone else get their hand's dirty. Freya realises the connection that a hands on approach gives her to nature and the world around her. 

When that world suddenly changes and her job that she has embraced for the last few years looks like it is going to change beyond her control and she seeks an opportunity elsewhere. 

Which is how Freya find's herself in Nightingale Square, to help the Winter Garden project that Luke the well known resident and owner of Prosperous Place. With accommodation to go with the job and also she can bring rescue dog Nell, Freya thinks she may have found a more settled place. 

That is until she meets Finn. Feisty and fiery there first meeting is not perhaps what you would expect and they start their friendship on rather a wrong footing. As misunderstandings and events seem to be against Finn and Freya can they ever be anything other than tolerating work colleagues. 

As the garden progresses, Freya becomes involved with lots of community events and she starts to see the benefit that the garden will give and it's creation is giving to lots of people. Heidi Swain somehow has taken me out into the garden as I read this book. I could get my hands dirty and see something grow, the research into what would work in such a garden is clear even if gardening is not your thing. 

For all those who have no or little access to outdoor spaces, this book will resonate with you so strongly, it gives you that peace, that tranquillity, that connection with nature that may have been missing from during the strange times we currently live in. 

One of my most favourite books of the year and is an example of escapism reading at it's best as are all of this author's novels. Be transported to the wonderful people of Nightingale Square and all that it offers and if you spot a place for sale- let me know, I have my bags packed and I am moving in. 

Thank you Heidi Swain - you bring such joy to your readers with all of your books. 

Everyone needs to read a Heidi Swain book - they are like a mysterious remedy that works as a balm to the soul.

Heidi you have absolutely done it again! A winter garden is like being wrapped in a cosy warm blanket. I loved loved loved it and I hope the series continues with maybe a Finn and Freya wedding! Thankyou so much for my early copy. Good luck on publication date...... not that’ll you’ll need it!

Oh so lovely to be back in Nightingale Square and for Christmas this time. When I picked up the book I really didn't know there was such a thing as a Winter Garden, I assumed that the Grow-Well sites and the gardens of the house would just be getting turned over during the colder weather but NOW I want to get out there and plant some bulbs using Freya's trick. You don't have to be into gardening to enjoy this book, I'm not and I loved learning all Freya's methods!



Heidi Swain always does a great job of taking a character or characters who have had a tough time, they're a little down trodden and just trying to make the most of a bad situation and building them up over the course of a novel. This time we have Freya and her canine friend Nell and I loved meeting them both. What I really loved though was getting to watch Freya grow and change over the course of this book, I loved getting to see her blossom and also we get to see Nell getting a better life and loving her new surroundings too.



Of course we are back in Nightingale square for this book and so we get to revisit some of our old friends and catch up with them. It was fab to see how Luke and Kate are expanding their family and if you haven't read the other books with this setting, don't worry, Heidi explains how they all fit together and who is who so you can get to meet them all at the same time that Freya does. The character I really loved seeing was Chloe and I loved all that we get to learn from her. It was wonderful to see her blossom too and I enjoyed reading her side storyline.



It wouldn't be a Heidi Swain book without the kind of relationship will they won't they that gives you those new romance butterflies. Heidi makes use of my favourite romance trope in this book and I was rooting for it all the way. I also really loved that we got to see even more non-straight romance, I love when I can see diversity in a book that is organic and not just thrown in there to tick a box and so I love what this writer included for a certain resident of the square this time.



This book is very much a winter book rather than a Christmas book which feels a little bit different for this author however it has been ages since I have read a seasonal book that is just celebrating the season and not tied to a specific holiday and so if you are looking to kick off your Christmas reading with just a little taster, this one would be the perfect first winter book of the season. I am sure you will be cheering on Freya and Nell throughout just like I was!

So nice to return to Nightingale Square and catch up with old characters and new ones but you can easily read this a stand alone book.

This book tells the story of Freya who arrives to help out to turn the garden at Prosperous Place into a Winter Garden. She has a run in with another new resident and story tells us the ups and downs in their friendship/relationship.

Will the garden get finished in time and will everyone get a happy ending?

My favourite time of the year and my first Christmas novel read this year. Heidi Swain has not disappointed me either. The Winter Garden is full of magic. Freya needed a new job. Driving from Suffolk to Norfolk one day the radio station jumped to a Norfolk station. As she listens, she hears about Nightingale Square. She decides to investigate this wonderful sounding place. As she looks around the gardens, she can see that on the surface they look alright however on closer inspection they really need a lot of tender loving care. As she discusses her ideas with the owner, he is very impressed. Luke, the owner, realises that this young girl knows her onions. He asked her if she wanted a job. After a while she bites the bullet and moves to Nightingale Square. She is welcomed by group of loving people living there, all except one, Finn. He was absolutely grumpy albeit handsome. As Christmas draws near, what does Freya’s first Christmas in her new home going to look like? As Freya sets up the Winter Garden, Heidi takes us on a trip around the garden and we can smell the plants as they are being discussed. Luke and Kates large kitchen is always full of cooking smells. As Christmas draws nearer the aroma of cinnamon, mixed spices and fruit all mixed together for Christmas puddings and cake can be smelt in my imagination. This is the magic of Heidi. She makes you believe you are there taking part. The characters are so loveable. Luke is the kind of boss a lot of people only dream of; he is kind and thoughtful Finn is a hunk who has been hurt in love however he has a soft side to him. The camaraderie of all living in the square is phenomenal. There was just one character who was a beast and that was Jackson. Overbearing and thinks he is a gift to women. So, get your hot chocolate and curl up for this truly magical Christmas novel.

Again Heidi Swain does not dissapoint. This is the first in the nightingale square series I have read and loved it. I love that she incorporates characters and places from previous books. I spent lockdown reading through all the cherry tree cafe series and now I need to getvtge previous 2 from this series. The only one thing that I found quite annoying was that Zac was referred to as both Finns step brother and half brother. This kept changing throughout the book so I wasn't sure if they had the same Dad or different Dads.

This is a story where you settle on the sofa on an autumnal afternoon, the rain lashing outside, a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows by your side and you sit down and lose yourself in this Christmas tale.

Although a nice story, I didn’t gel with the characters, but perhaps that because I hadn’t read the other books in the series, and although this can be read as a stand alone story, I felt I hadn’t built up a rapport with them. It also seemed a bit predictable, there wasn’t a single twist to the tale, but saying that it still gave me a warm and pleasant feeling and really got me into the festive mood (in late September!)

The acknowledgement at the end was quite emotional, given everything we are all going through.

A gorgeous Christmas novel about Freya and her move to nightingale square and starting the winter garden. A great read

The winter garden is a story about a young lady named Freya, who works as a gardener on a Suffolk estate. After the death of the owner of the estate Freya finds herself moving to Nightingale Square, a close knit community of all different types of people. However, things don’t get off to the best of starts with temperamental artist, Finn, who lives and works in her new work place. Freya and Finn must work together to get the winter gardens up and running in time for Christmas without coming to blows.

I was so excited to read this book as it sounded fantastic and who doesn’t love a Christmas book right? However, I really struggled getting through at least the first half of this book. I couldn’t seem to relate or empathise with the main character whatsoever and the dialogue between characters came across as forced and in no way natural.
There is no real back story to Freya and I couldn’t get a mental image of what she would look like nor could I with any of the characters in all honesty.

I know it’s says it in the title, but, at times I felt like I was reading a gardening book! There was more information about the various plants being put in to the winter garden than there was about the characters.

However, towards the end of the book I started to enjoy it more. I felt you could feel the emotions of the characters more but for me it was a little too late.

If you are a keen gardener then you might enjoy this book but this book was a let down to me unfortunately.

Once again, we visit Nightingale Square to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones, along with Nell.... Freya's dog. Another well written book by Heidi which is sure to be a lovely festive read by many of her fans

Heidi swain is my
Favourite
Author so I was nervous about reading this as I’ve adored all
Her other books! I was not disappointed - Freya is an amazing character you love her immediately and your sucked back in to nightengale square with all the lovable
Characters from the previous books. This is going to be a hit I’m sure of it! Loved it

Absolutely fantastic read and quite possibly my new favourite by Heidi Swain. There is nothing negative I can say about this one. It is absolute perfection from start to finish

I have been waiting, impatiently, to get my hands on a Heidi Swain ARC as I follow her on Twitter and think she’s rather lovely. I believe that you can tell a lot about an author by how they interact with their followers.
I digress! The wait was worth it. The Winter Garden is a charming tale of love and second chances. Even rescue dog Nell is enjoying a second chance as she learns to live with Freya. Technically, as an inherited rescue it’s a third chance but there’s no need to be pedantic.
The book opens as Freya is discovering that the passing of her friend and employer Eloise means that her life will change dramatically. Unwilling to live and work with Eloise’s nephew, Freya accepts a job working at Prosperous Place on a Winter Garden. The job comes with a wonderful salary and a delightful cottage on Nightingale Square. Everyone welcomes her except for moody artist, Finn. Freya is determined that she will make a success of her new position; she wants to prove her estranged parents wrong and discover why Finn is so rude.
As a lover of romantic fiction, it doesn’t take a spoiler to work out who the love interest will prove to be but, what a wonderful adventure leading up to that point. Sparks will fly and not just because Finn sculpts with salvaged metal.
I loved the way we learned about Finn’s lack of self-confidence through the teasing from his brother, Zak. The change in Zak’s demeanour was a gorgeous twist and one that made me smile.
Freya makes friends easily but her friendship with Chloe is a joy; they have several missteps along the way but manage to patch things up and discover more about each other as they go. In particular, Chloe’s friendship with Hannah was both refreshing and beautifully handled.
I hope that you’ll read and enjoy this book as much as I did, it sets the tone perfectly as we move into these colder months.

An enchanting read! Even if you only have half an interest in other people's gardens you'll love this. Throw in Christmas as well and it makes it even better.
Freya has to find a new job and a new place to live, and gets the chance to renovate part of an old garden to make it a Winter Garden, partly to help people who have Seasonal Affecrive Disorder (SAD syndrome). There is a suitably brooding but sensitive hero in artist Finn and a very cute dog - a Bedlington terrier/whippet.
The descriptions of the garden and how it is created are fascinating - I love the Winter Garden at the National Trust's Dunham Massey and reading this book brought back some happy memories.
As a major Christmas fan, I loved the build up to the big day and the sense of community in Nighingale Square.This is the third book in the Nighingale Square series, but stands alone perfectly well. You'll want to read the others though!
If you are looking for a lovely, happy Chrsitmas book, with a modern feel, this is for you!

I really enjoyed the next installment in the Nightingale Square books.

Visiting the square is always a delight - I love getting to know each new person and how they fit in with everyone else.

Freya and Finn were both great characters, as were most of the new people we met, and it was great to follow their journeys and watch The Winter Garden develop.

It was also lovely having a catch up with the old residents and seeing what they were up to.

As always, I finished the book wishing I could move there myself and be a part of their fantastic community.

Another absolutely delightful visit to Nightinggale Square and its wonderful community. I loved returning here. For those of you that havent read the previous books(a must i feel) this can be read as a stand alone. A beautiful wintery, Chrismassy,warm hug in a book. An absolute joy and pleasure to read, the only downside was having to finish the book. Really hoping Heidi has another trip back to the Square planned.

A really nice easy reading book with a lovely festive feel. When Freya's employer and friend passes away she finds herself a new job and home where she has the the task of making the gardens into a special place for a Christmas winter festival. She immediately makes lots of new friends as they work together getting everything ready for the open day. There are great characters and one in particular Finn who immediately makes an impact when they start off on the wrong foot, but are instantly attracted to each other. A charming family feel to the story with the magic of the season shining through

After losing her beloved friend and boss Eloise, Freya is struggling with the new owner of Broad-Meadows and is devastated he is selling.
A chance meeting sees her and Eloise's frightened rescue dog Nell take on a new challenge at Prosperous Place with a home in Nightingale Square.
An enchanting story following Freya and Nell's new adventures making the Winter Garden come to life, making new friends, getting to know her lovely bosses and of course the mysterious Finn.