I just adore mixing past with present so on reading the synop I was immediately drawn.
I loved travelling all the way back to the 16th century and into the world of the desperately worried Anne Catesby. Anne was written and developed so well by the author and I honestly felt her pain as she worked out just how dangerous her only son is.

I can't say too much without adding spoilers but I must tell you, the present was just as fascinating as the past, especially when the two time lines really started to meet in the middle.

Atmospheric, Haunting and Magical. Ideal for fans of History, Fantasy and of course dual time lines. The Winter Garden really is the perfect wintery read so grab your blanket and hot drink ready to dive in head first!

An amazing dual timeline book with the challenge of a modern day romance, oh and don't forget the gun powder plot! Lucy and Anne's stories hauntingly unravel through the tale of the winter garden.
Beautifully written with wonderful characters. A book you won't be able to put down, so put aside a good chunk of time, curl up and get ready to enjoy.

The Gunpowder Plot is at the heart of this story, with Gunpowder Cottage being the family home that Lucy returns to after her career as a musician is ended by illness. Four hundred years earlier it was the home of the Catholic Catesby family at a time when religion was dangerous. Lucy finds herself aware of a woman in Tudor dress who is distressed. A fascinating mystery across the centuries ensues.

Set across a dual timeline of 1605 and the present day & told from dual points of view, The Winter Garden tells the story of Anne Catesby - mother of Robert Catesby, the instigator of the Gun Powder plot, and Lucy, who having suffered an illness which has ruined her dreams of becoming a musician has retreated to the family home, which is also the former home of Robert Catesby and his family. Lucy starts to experience strange visions of a woman in a red Tudor dress, she must uncover the secrets of Gun Powder Barn and it’s Winter Garden for the sake of her own future and for the lady in red.

Historical fiction, paranormal activity, mystery, wholesome romance, The Winter Garden has it all - it’s a genuinely interesting and intriguing story and really enjoyable read.

Nicola Cornick creates a strong sense of place with her vivid descriptions, the setting is almost a character itself which really helps you imagine the characters and story as you read along. I loved the way the history was weaved into the current timeline. I also liked that this was no retelling of the Gunpowder plot but looked at it through an entirely different perspective.

🔥 A haunting and wistful story, this is a great book to get yourself cosy with on an autumnal evening and devour 🍂☕️

In the present day, Lucy has been devastated by illness which means that she now has to change her career and, to recuperate, goes down to her aunts home in Oxfordshire. She’s meant to relax and de-stress but keeps seeing a mystery woman, who no one else can see.
In 1605 Anne Catesby is worried for her son Robert, who is secretly plotting to kill the king. When Lucy digs deeper into the history of Gunpowder Barn and Cottage, she begins to realise who the mystery woman might be, how their lives are intertwined and that the lady in red needs her help.

There are a lot of books with dual time lines out at the moment, but this is one of the better ones. Any author who uses real historical people as characters is taking a bit of a risk that the cross-over of fact and fiction might not work, but here it really works well. For me, Lucy starts out as a bit of a flat character, but as the book goes on she develops really well. It’s hard to imagine being this devastated not only by illness but also the loss of your passion in life. The author handles this premise really well. I loved that the gunpowder plot was presented from a different angle; most people think of Robert Catesby as just a supporter for Guy Fawkes, when really Fawkes was drawn to the plot a bit later. Another book that makes me wish I’d paid more attention to history lessons at school but that adds extra enjoyment to reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An intriguing dual-timeline historical fiction. In the present, Lucy is licking her wounds after a failed musician career by retreating to her family's home, which belonged to Robert Catesby of the Gunpower Plot fame. The more time she spends in the garden, the more she has visions of a woman from Tudor times. In the early 17th century, Anna Catesby, Robert's mother, grapples with whether to protect her child or whether to reveal his plans and hurt their family. Robert's plans were stoked by the discovery of a treasure in the family's garden, which he believes is a sign that he must overthrow the monarchy and restore the Catholics to the throne. I enjoyed this story and its unique spin on the Gunpowder Plot.

This is such an enthralling story! I do love a dual timeline, and this one doesn’t disappoint! Set in a particularly turbulent time in English history encompassing The Gunpowder Plot, and also in the present day, the story kept me captivated from beginning to end! Set in places that are local to me - Stoneleigh Abbey, Coughton Court, - and also Stow in the Wold, these are all places that I have visited and love, and this added to my enjoyment of the story. The characters are beautifully depicted, the description is vividly drawn, and the tension racks up and doesn’t let go. A haunting, atmospheric story that I read in one sitting. I loved it!

An enjoyable dual timeline historical novel - one of my favourite genres and I read a lot of them!
The characterisation was excellent - both Anne and Lucy were likeable and it was good to move seamlessly between the two. The story did not centre around the Gunpowder plot but more of a mystery about finding a Tudor garden and missing treasure.
I did find the plot and the events rather predictable and the ending seemed to tie up a bit too quickly and neatly, but generally a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review prior to publication.

Absolutely fantastic! I read The Last Daughter by Nicola Cornick last year and knew I'd have to read this too. I was hooked from the start and couldn't read fast enough. Nicola Cornick tells dual timeline stories superbly, really getting in depth with the characters and is able to make them equally relatable whether they are set in present day or in the past. I can find no fault, in fact I revise my initial 4 stars to 5 stars. Definitely one of my new favourite authors. If you are looking for a fascinating, emotional, page-turner of a book, this is it!

The Winter Garden by Nicola Cornick

Remember, remember, the fifth of November…

1605: Anne Catesby fears for her family. Her son, the darkly charismatic Robert, is secretly plotting to kill the King, placing his wife and child in grave danger. Anne must make a terrible choice: betray her only child, or risk her family’s future.

Present day: When her dreams of becoming a musician are shattered, Lucy takes refuge in her family’s ancestral home in Oxfordshire. Everyone knows it was originally home to Robert Catesby, the gunpowder plotter. As Lucy spends more time in the beautiful winter garden that Robert had made, she starts to
have strange visions of a woman in Tudor dress, terrified and facing a heartbreaking dilemma.

Oh my , I'm in love with this author and the way she writes her dual timeline novels , she's the best out there , and I've read them all.
This one ( like all her others ) is just pure heaven and more so. A fabulous plot wrote around a time in history we have all been taught and recited the ditty as a child .
Both Anne's and Lucy's story were equally a good read and was really interested in finding out how the story entwined together.
Loved it.

Wow! Fabulous read and duel timeline which I always enjoy, well written and very descriptive and a wonderful cast of characters, seriously could not put this book down, wanted to know what Catherine's treasure was and why she wasn't at rest centuries later
Highly recommended

Very honored and excited to be selected to read/review this book. Full review to follow on blog….sorry a bit delayed due to some unexpected health issues. Not my usual type of book, but very excited to dig into Anne and Lucy past and present day adventures. It has such a gorgeous complicated and ruch storyline ai feel this would be perfect for a book club.
——

Remember, remember, the fifth of November…

1605: Anne Catesby fears for her family. Her son, the darkly charismatic Robert, is secretly plotting to kill the King, placing his wife and child in grave danger. Anne must make a terrible choice: betray her only child, or risk her family’s future.

Present day: When her dreams of becoming a musician are shattered, Lucy takes refuge in her family’s ancestral home in Oxfordshire. Everyone knows it was originally home to Robert Catesby, the gunpowder plotter. As Lucy spends more time in the beautiful winter garden that Robert had made, she starts to
have strange visions of a woman in Tudor dress, terrified and facing a heartbreaking dilemma.

As Lucy and Anne’s stories converge, a shared secret that has echoed through the centuries separating them, will change Lucy’s life forever…

Sweeping generations from the 1600s to the present day, with the enthralling Gunpowder Plot at its heart, Nicola Cornick’s utterly enchanting new timeslip novel will sweep you off your feet. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Barbara Erskine and Kate Morton.

I have read many historical fiction novels with it being one of my favourite genres, however, I dont think I have ever read one that contains the gunpowder plot and I loved it. Well wriiten with a compelling storyline with a dual timeline and well developed characters. I couldn't put it down and I cannpt reccomend it enough