Absolutely loved it!

Erica has done it again with the stories of Elfrida, her one time maid and now dear friend and companion Bess and Bess’s great-niece Libby.

A story with two timelines, taking us back to events following the First World War, leading through the second and on into the 1980s (the 80s as a historical setting! Gosh, I feel old!).

The different stories and timelines are skilfully woven, revealing more of the stories and events of the past that led all three women to where they are today (well, the 80s).

Add some glorious, glamorous locations, romance, intrigue and some shocking and terrible incidents and you have a thoroughly enjoyable story. A definite one to set aside a few hours to indulge yourself.

I read an uncorrected proof which did have quite a few mismatched sentences in it, with paragraphs dropped into the wrong place but I’m sure this will be corrected.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an early copy.

July 1981. As the country prepares to celebrate Prince Charles’ wedding to Lady Diana, Libby wants to be as far away from royal wedding fever as possible after catching her own fiancé in bed with her best friend just weeks before they were due to marry, she’s fled London for the comfort of the Suffolk countryside. At Larkspur House, with its magical garden created by renowned garden designer and one-time socialite Elfrida Ambrose, and its comfortingly familiar kitchen presided over by Libby’s great-aunt Bess, she hopes to find a way to put her life back together. But for lifelong friends Bess and Elfrida, Libby’s arrival has stirred up the ghosts of the past. And before they can help her rebuild her shattered future, they must confront their own unspoken secrets, lost loves, and tragedies.
A dual timeline book between the 1980’s & 1920’s, a very well written book which drew me in from the start & had me devouring this engrossing read in two sittings. Dual timelines are not my favourite but the author certainly did a very good job of changing my mind. The characters have depth & were well portrayed &the pace is good. There was friendship spanning decades, tragedy & secrets as well as some twists & surprises. A delightful read which I recommend
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

An atmospheric and emotional family drama focusing on three female protagonists. The garden of the Suffolk house where they resided in 1981 is integral to their lives and the story. Libby returns to her great aunt Bess and Bess' friend and employer Elfrida when her life implodes. Set in the summer of 1981, it evokes memories of the Royal Wedding. Much of the story is rooted in the memories of Bess and Elfrida from the 1920s to the 1980s. It's a story of friendship, forgiveness, secrets and social class. The setting is vividly portrayed, and the characters are complex and relatable.

A classic family drama steeped in the social convention of the time. I like the secrets, the setting and the immersive storytelling.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is the first book I've read by Erica James but it certainly won't be the last.
This was a really emotional read, spanning back from the present day (which happens to be 1981 in this book) to the 1920's and onwards.
It's such a beautifully written book about friendship, love and loyalty.

I got A Secret Garden Affair by Erica James from NetGalley for free for a fair and honest review

A Secret Garden Affair by Erica James tells the story of Liby shortly before her wedding in 1981 she finds her fiance in bed with her best friend. However instead of going to her mum's house she escapes to her great-aunt Bess.

Bess herself lives with Elfirda the woman she became a maid to when she was a teenager, although now it is more of a friendship, than master and servant. Though Liby may be running from the present she may find a lot more about their past and how it affects her.

A Secret Garden Affair for me is the type of novel that I enjoy reading as it allows you to see Elfrida and Bess as two old ladies which Libby sees them as now, Then Allows both the reader and other characters to find out about their lives and the decisions they made during events and the repercussions that comes down the generations.


Erica James does this by having the main story take place during the Summer of 1981 at a time when the then Prince Charles was marrying his first wife Lady Diana Spencer, which gave the novel a fixed period in time.

The novel then from that point drift back to previous years through both Elfrida and Bess using their memories of events. This was not always done in a straightforward way, for example you may get a number of Bess’s memories before getting one via Elfrida.

In addition just because you got a viewpoint from say 1926 does not mean that the next one would be from a later year, as the flashbacks did jump around to allow for a better novel.

While all this jumping around in timeline and point of view could make, A Secret Garden Affair, more complicated to follow which could have made the layout better for the story arch, at the expense of the reader.

For me as one of those readers I felt that after a little difficulty at the start Erica James’s writing style did allow me to get into working out where in the story the novel was both in time frame and whose perspective it was being seen through.

As Said previously, A Secret Garden Affair, is a novel that is based around family secrets and lies which Erica James turned into a novel that is well worth reading for lovers of this type of fiction.

This was a dual time story not quite a then and now as the now was July 1981 at the time of the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Dinna. The then was pre WWII to about 1950's.

Libby was due to Marry Marcus about the same time. Sadly she came home early one day and found Marcus in bed with her best friend. She immediately dumps him and flees to Norfolk to be with her Great Aunt Bess and her companion Elfreda who live in a Grand house that was the family home of Elfreda.

Both Elfreda and Bess have sisters and over the years had drifted apart. Elfreda had come from a well to do family she also had a brother who had died when he was young. Bess had become her ladies maid.

Elfreda had met a dashing Count from Russia, him and his family had got out of Russia before the revolution.

Elfreda, Bess and Libby each reflect on the past and tell there own stories. Some of the stories are fun but a few were sad.

This is a lovely story, which I can recommend.

Libby's wedding plans come to an abrupt halt when she discovers that her fiance has been unfaithful. Her mother tells her that she should put this behind her and go ahead with the marriage. Instead Libby goes to Suffolk to her great aunt, Bess and Elfrida, the woman Bess started work for nearly six decades ago and who is now her best friend and more like a sister.
At Larkspur House, Elfrida's family home, Libby feels loved and can begin to recover from the betrayal she has suffered. She wants to help the two elderly ladies who mean so much to her and in doing so old secrets are uncovered and the events of their lives are remembered and shared with the readers.
A lovely warm story but with several prickly characters. Both Elfrida and Bess have older sisters with whom they have difficult relationships. Elfrida is a celebrated garden designer but never married. This does not mean that she never loved and we learn about Count Nickolai and all that he meant to her.
Bess too has known a living relationship but also has lots of secrets to be disclosed.
There is also a handsome doctor to add to the plot. Will be help Libby to recover?

I always look forward to the next Erica James book, and this one was no exception .Lovely book, with a dual time line which makes for a more in depth read of past times. Well researched and written.

Twists and turns, a family saga with plenty of emotions, what more could you ask for? Well this book has them all. 5 stars and well worth all of them.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

I have just spent about ten days with Bess, Elfrida and Libby. Bess and Elfrida are both in their seventies, and have known each other for decades, they have always lived together at Larkspurr cottage, Elfridas family home.Bess was Elfridas housemaid, and then her companion on raucous and racy jaunts all over the world, attending outlandish parties in the 1930's and 1940's. Elfridas motto has always been that a life without risk isn't a life worth living. Libby is in her late twenties, she has come to stay with her great Aunt to get over the fact that her wedding has had to be called off. Libbys arrival at the cottage has made them all face ghosts, tragedies, and trauma of the past, in order that they can all have a future...
A lovely tale of family, sisterhood, and love.

Mixed feelings as I was really looking forward to reading this new book from Erica James. The ideas and theory behind the premise are inviting, sadly I found the text repetitive, at times confusing and at other times a bit predictable.
The heart of the story is around Elfrida, a passionate accomplished garden designer, her life and love, her family but not enough on the gardens!! Her constant companion Bess is very interesting but I felt both Bess and her story a little overshadowed. Spanning from the post First World War years, through the glamorous 20’s through to the 50’s then their present day was 1981.
Fabulous descriptions of the flappers parties, totally and absolutely loved Elfrida as a character! Great historical references.
There were parts I loved, and this is a good read, but sadly left me a little empty.
Thank you NetGalley for the early read, most appreciated!

There is something wonderful about sitting down to a new Erica James book. You know the characters will be beautifully written, you know there will be romance and heartbreak, you know there will be tears shed and joy felt. A Secret Garden Affair lives up to all my expectations and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Set in the 1980s in the run up to the marriage of Charles and Di, Libby , who’s own wedding plans are in tatters, having found her fiancé in bed with her best friend, decides to go and visit her Aunt Bess in the Suffolk countryside. Bess lives and works for Elfrida, a well known garden designer and owner of Larkspur House. Although Bess started as a ladies made to Elfrida in the 20s, they are now long time friends living in the once beautiful Suffolk home. The novel splits between the present and the past life that Bess and Elfrida shared.
This wonderful novel is about lives shared, secrets kept and loves lost all wrapped up in a beautifully written narrative, what more could any reader ask for?

This is my first read by author Erica James and I will definitely be reading more. I am normally a fan of the thriller/domestic noir genre but the blurb sounded beautiful and I requested it on Netgalley. I am so glad that I did as this book was superb.

We meet main character Libby, who is absolutely fabulous in my opinion and the year is 1981 and the month of Charles and Diana's wedding. Libby has had the unfortunate event of finding out that her fiancé and her best friend have been having an affair behind her back. Libby distraught to have uncovered this, has fled London and goes to the countryside, she resides at Larkspur House which is amazing and has an outstanding garden.

Libbys' aunt Bess works at Larkspur House along with Elfrida. The arrival of Libby stirs something in both Bess and Elfrida and we learn of the past and how these women have become who they are today due to their past.

Such beautifully written, this novel was enchanting and I loved the genre. A story of love and true friendship this book will keep you hooked.

Thanks to Netgalley, Erica James and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this wonderful novel in exchange for my honest review.

A beautiful family saga with secrets, love, drama, friendships all intricately woven to bring a pure escapism feel good read. Erica James never disappoints.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A Secret Garden Affair by Erica James is an enchanting dual timeline novel about love and life, guilt and grief, and memories that keep us warm at night.
The story is set in the summer of 1981 when the country was gripped by Royal Wedding fever, and also in the 1920’s moving forwards. We see the action in both the first and third person from alternating points of view.
We witness the passion for creating gardens that sees a character feeling at one with nature. And there is also a grande passion that not even death can break. Life is for living. We need to make the most of each day because we never know when life will be cruelly cut short.
There is a beautiful friendship between two ladies that has lasted almost a lifetime. Over the years they have shared each other’s confidences and kept each others secrets.
Guilt rears its ugly head as characters live with the fear that their individual actions caused a tragedy many years ago. Guilt binds us. We need to throw off the shackles and live free.
Appearances were everything. In the past an unmarried mother would be frowned upon. There were some hard choices to be made.
Erica James has perfectly captured the locations with her words. 1981 has been evoked by her descriptions as I have been transported back through the years.
Memories keep us warm. Photos and diaries have been locked away for years. Now is the time to open up and share the past.
I adored A Secret Garden Affair. It was my first book by Erica James but I intend to read more.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The book begins with Libby and her heartbreak over fiance Marcus being a cheat but not only that, he's cheated with her best friend. She runs away from London to her great Auntie's house, deep in the countryside. She's always been close.to her aunty Elfrida and her best friend Bess, who has worked for Elfrida all of her life. They will be the emotional support she needs.
Libby brings a trunk.down out of the attic that is filled with Elfrida's garden projects and designs
. Whilst looking through herself, Elfrida finds things that send her back in time to remember the past, which adds her memories to the story. The story then takes shape and we understand more about each character.
It's an emotional read and I enjoyed it!.
I received this free ARC book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #HQStories, #the_ericajames.

This was a great book to curl up on a Sunday afternoon to read. The characters were likeable (the ones you were supposed to like) and it was a good love story unfolding and also going to back in time a retelling an old story.

An excellent family saga, beautifully written. I loved the way the story was woven through time and enjoyed getting to know the characters and their secrets. Well recommended.

Libby has just caught her fiancé in bed with her best friend, just weeks before their wedding. to make matters worse the country is gripped by the upcoming wedding of Charles and Diana.
Libby escaped to Suffolk to the one place she knows she will be safe and not judged. To her great aunt Bess and her friend Elfrida.
Elfrida is a well known gardener and her and Bess have been through most of their lives together and know each others secrets.
Secrets which are there to be revealed and help ease the pain of the past years.

A definite five star read. What a beautiful book about love and loyalty not only from family but from a wonderful fiend.
Erica shared the story of Elfieda and her housekeeper/companion Bess and how their relationship grows over the years when they share history and secrets spanning decades.
When Libby’s life is turned upside down by her boyfriend Marcus she turns to her great aunt Bess for advice and support. Learning about their life together leads Libby to make huge changes in her life.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this beautifully written book,