A love story set in Cornwall about lost loves, retirement, family, friendships and memories. When Rose Lanyon retires after working as a nurse for 40 years, she struggles to work out who she is and how to fill her days.

Rose is a widow and does not see her daughter and two grandchildren very much because they live too far away.

Rose decides to plant some plants in her garden that help her remember who she once was. Her neighbour Flora is 77 and lives alone. Flora gives some gardening tips to Rose and loves spending time with Rose.

Rose and Flora encourage other lonely people they meet to also plant memories in the garden.

I loved the way lonely people wanted to spend time in the garden at Rose’s house where they were able to share their memories and grief. I especially loved the description of Flora who loves to dress in brightly coloured clothes.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher One More Chapter for the chance to read and review this E-Book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A lovely light read. Retirement can be so much more than giving up as the story shows. The story brings communities together and gathers individual into a warm environment who might otherwise continue to live lonely lives.

Gardening is the essence of the lives of everyone and gives the reason to get together.

The Garden of Memories by Amanda James is a delightful and yet melancholy book. The books characters are all a ‘certain’ age where they are in their retirement years. The premise is a recently retired woman rejuvenates her deceased husbands garden. In it she plants a plant that reminds her of him. As new and old friends show up throughout the story they are offered a space to plant a ‘memory’. The garden becomes a healing place for all involved. The group slowly bands together to support each other through the journey we call life. My only complaint was that a times it moved too slowly for me.

Ms. James does a beautiful describing the sounds, smells and tranquility of this garden. I could easily picture it in my minds eye. The lessons that are learned are timeless and are full of hope and healing. A lovely book.

I would like to thank Ms. James, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a highly enjoyable read. Great characters and an easy-flowing plot with a lot of heart. I was sad it was over.

This was a sweet book about a retiree who lets people plant, plants in the garden her deceased husband started. Those plants hold memories for each person. As the garden grows new and old friends are drawn to it. The garden is a healing place for everyone. All these people end up becoming a wonderful community happy to support one another along life’s journey. At times it moved very slowly, but it was a good, clean and thoughtful book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I am on a roll this month! This book is a joyful, emotional, and comforting read that I really didn't want to end. I feel fortunate to share my thoughts just in time for its publication day 🌞

CW: please be aware this book could contain mentions of death, grief, overdose, suicide attempt, dementia, addiction, toxic relationship, emotional abuse.

My Bookish Thoughts 💬
Where to start!
A group of people from all walks of life come together through newly retired nurse Rose's late husband’s garden.

I adored this book; the Cornish coast, the garden, the places, the scents and sounds and the characters' personalities and emotions are vividly written. My heart leapt and plummeted countless times. Without giving anything away, all the characters have endured tough times, and like a spring garden, they find hope and joy through nurturing friendships and contributing to Rose's memory garden. It’s a beautiful story of healing and remembrance. I highly recommend it!

Huge thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for the gifted ebook and having me on the readalong it's been so much fun!! And Amanda James for writing this beautiful novel.

Inspirational book dealing with grief in a positive way. Promoting resilience and growth in the healing garden of life. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

The Garden of Memories by Amanda James is an uplifting story that revolves around themes of friendship and community, self-discovery and personal growth, new beginnings and the therapeutic power of nature.

Widowed after her husband Glen passed two years ago and with her daughter Bella busy with her own family, sixty-two-year-old Rose Lanyon is trying to figure out how to fill her days after retiring from her nursing career of forty years. Rose finds herself drawn to her garden, which used to be Glen’s pride and joy. As she begins to tend to her garden, she is comforted by happy memories and soon her garden begins to attract the attention of friends, neighbors and new acquaintances – among whom are her childhood friend Daisy, her former colleague Sally and her neighbor Flora, a retired schoolteacher - who share their own memories and/or knowledge of gardening with her. With Rose’s encouragement, they begin to participate in the care of the garden, planting flowers/decorating the garden in ways that they associate with their own significant memories. Soon, her “memory garden” becomes a sanctuary for those looking for friendship, solace, or a safe place to ponder over their own life difficulties.

As the narrative progresses, we follow the characters as they build a supportive community around their memory garden and how the same inspires them to effect positive changes in their lives.

The narrative, shared from multiple perspectives, is slower-paced yet immersive with characters you would want to root for - relatable and well thought out with backstories as distinctive as their personalities. The author addresses several important issues such as loneliness, addiction, dysfunctional family dynamics, infidelity, emotional abuse and mental health, among others, realistically and with compassion. I loved the vivid descriptions of the garden and the stories behind the personal connections between the characters and their favorite flowers. Full of heart, with splashes of humor and romance, this is a beautifully penned, evocative story that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. I also must mention that I loved the cover art!

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK /One More Chapter for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Another Amanda James corker!
Set in Cornwall, we follow the story of Rose, a retired nurse and widow. She's not sure what she will do with her life; now, she has no work to go to, and some unexpected friendships bubble up, along with her best friend Daisy, bringing meaning back into her life.
This was a truly beautiful read. We see Rose's development as well as Daisy's and Flora's. Flora is a woman in her late 70s who has always been held back in certain areas of life by an overbearing mother who, even in death, won't leave her alone. But she still manages to stir it up with her hippie-dippy wardrobe and crazy hair colour!
We meet Louise, or Weez, as she is christened by Rose's grandson. She lived only for her husband and turned into somewhat of a hermit after his death.
There are so many other characters, young and old, including Josh, Lily, Sally, James, and Tristan, who are all affected by a magic that captivates them in Rose's garden.
The garden in question was tended by Rose's late husband, Glen. She begins by giving it some of her new free time as a retired woman, and slowly, the tranquillity of the space, along with her calming nature, brings her friends, new and old, to her garden, urging them to plant flowers and shrubs as memories that will live on.
I loved the premise of stepping out of those boxes we seem to put ourselves into and learning to live again without the constant worry of what others may think, no matter your age.
Beautifully told and immersive. It makes me want to become greenfingered... but I'm terrible with plants!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this eCopy to review

The Garden of Memories is a beautiful book that explores the nature of grief, how you can come to terms with it, and the healing power of nature. The setting in Cornwell is beautifully described and a real sense of place is created. Rose's garden helps bring the community together and is very inspirational

A wonderful feel good book

I really loved this book with the inspirational Rose dealing with her impending retirement, the loss of her partner and remaining positive. I loved the found family aspect and the way all of the characters related to the garden.

Amanda James’ The Garden of Memories is a charming feast for the senses set in picturesque Cornwall, England, known for its gardens. As two-year widow Rose still feels the loss of her husband Glen, she faces retirement from a 40-year nursing career dedicated to healing the sick. Needing something to occupy herself, she turns to the garden Glen had so loved and decides to plant flowers their grown daughter Bella had loved as a child.

With the idea of a memory garden, Rose invites others to join her, each able to contribute personal memories to the garden. Before long, community members with their own problems and memories have joined Rose’s once solitary project, bringing healing, growth, friendship, and community spirit.

This is a sweet book, sometimes too sweet for my personal tastes, but perhaps I have been lucky in life. While the story is sweet, happy, and uplifting, Amanda James does address several important issues—grief, drug use, dementia, and more--as she fills in her characters’ back stories. The Garden of Memories will find its place in many readers’ hearts and minds.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter/HarperCollins UK for an advance reader egalley.

Thank you to Chloe at @onemorechapterhc and the author for the gifted e-book to join the read along. #thegardenofmemoriesreadalong

This book is a heartwarming tale of friendship, family, and the power of gardens and nature in our lives. Rose, a recent retiree feels aimless. her husband has passed and her daughter is living away. She decides to dedicate herself to her garden. With the support of her friends, Rose's garden becomes a sanctuary and transforms the lives of those who visit. The act of planting a flower from a happy memory allows her friends to leave a lasting mark in the garden.

I absolutely adored this charming book. The resilience and growth displayed by the characters as they come together to help Rose with her garden is inspiring. The bonds of friendship that these women form ignite a sense of confidence and inner strength within them. These women, in the later stages of their lives, find purpose and joy at a time when they are expected to simply stay at home.

I wholeheartedly endorse this lovely book. "The Garden of Memories" is out now, and I highly encourage you to read it.

Rose is facing retirement alone after the loss of her beloved husband. She feels ‘out of sorts’ and is struggling to find her way until she discovers her beautiful garden and the memories it provokes. Finding that she’s not the only one lost in life she is very soon surrounded by friends old and new. This is a delightful book which brings tranquility to not only the mixed bag of characters but also to the reader with its lovely flowers and the memories planted together within the garden. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for letting me read and review this book.

This is a lovely read ! A feast for the senses of a beauitful healing garden. The vivid descriptions by the author of the garden are sublime to the reader. You experience the tranquality, the peace and healing of this lovely garden that is the center of this story. Each flower is described with loving vibrant details. We meet three women who have their lives changed by the garden.. Rose is the main character with Flora and Sally,. Their lives are on the cusp of changes and Rose and her garden are lovingly guiding her friends. Each woman is finding peace and joy among the flowers and experiencing for themselves courgae and independance to take their next steps in life. A wonderful peaceful read that truly transports the reader to this amazing place.

Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author. My review opinions are my own.

“𝒫𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝒻𝓁𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇𝓈. ℐ𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝑒𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓇𝑜𝓃𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝒾𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝒸𝒽 𝓉𝑜 𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓌, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂.”

The book ended up so abruptly I was shocked. I hope there will be a sequel to it as this one ended very much open, I would love to read more about these wonderful characters and continue their stories.

I absolutely loved 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 it was such a heartfelt journey of friendships, family, love, memories and flowers of course. I have no words to express how special and unique this story was, I love the idea of a memory garden.

I highly recommend this heartwarming book to everyone!

While I will read any genre, this style isn't something I would normally fully gravitate towards, so I was excited to see where Mandy's book would take me!

First of all, the book looks absolutely gorgeous. I adore that blue (you should see my living room!) and the pretty flower frame... absolutely stunning!

The story initially kicks off with Rose... a soon to be retired nurse who decides to create a memory garden.

Every flower within the garden holds a precious memory...

We then meet the lovely Daisy, the eccentric Flora, and recently reparated Sally. These 4 amazing ladies provide the foundation of the friendship group and memory garden. Consequently, they also pick up other individuals along the way... each with their own moving story and each needing the use of the beautiful memory garden.

It is an incredibly beautiful story. Each person is like a thread that is being expertly woven together by Mandy until their stories all overlap.

There is community, friendship, love, trauma, loss... so many emotions and experiences that as a group, they support each other through it.

The very final scene left a small romantic 'will they/won't they' cliffhanger, so I'm hoping Mandy will put us out of our misery with a second book!

This is such a beautiful, rich story and one that I absolutely recommend to all.

Get snacks and tissues, though, as you're going to need it!

Rose the main character is a widow who retires from her role as a Practice Nurse for her local GP. Having lost her husband two years earlier their retirement plans were no longer possible. Initially, Rose has no idea how her retirement will pan out and feels all at sea. She then meets a neighbour Flora a single lady in her late 70s who has recently moved from Truro. Rose’s husband Glen was the gardener in their marriage and she hasn’t had the heart to keep on top of the garden., however that changes and that is the start of the creation of the Garden of Memories.
All the characters in this book are facing different challenges but when they meet Rose and are introduced ti the garden it is cathartic.
Garden of Memories is a truly lovely book full of wonderful characters. , a perfect holiday read for me. Utterly joyous.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the advanced copy.

Amanda James writes lovely whimsical stories set in Cornwall and this is another winner.

Rose is a widowed nurse who has just retired and is looking for something to fill her days. Her husband created a beautiful, but regimented garden that Rose decides to start to care for. As she picks different plants that have meanings and memories of her life, she comes to share her garden with septuagenarian Flora, her best friend Daisy, ex co-worker Sally and widowed loner Louise. All the women are at a different crossroads in their lives and the garden helps them all come to terms with their personal issues and to look forward to a brighter tomorrow. The descriptions of the garden is lovely and makes me yearn to have one of my own.

This was a gentle lovely read, a nice escape for an afternoon.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

Rose Lanyon retires from her nursing position and, at odds with what to do with her life next, decides to build a memory garden. Neighbors & friends join in, each bringing a plant that has a special meaning to them. Along the way, as Rose, and her new friend & neighbor Flora are not only able to heal from the loss of Rose's husband, and the trauma Flora's mother inflicted upon her, but they are also able to help others heal as well. Although the storyline had a very slow pace and the book was quite melancholy at times, it had a good message to it.