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The Heirloom Garden
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Summer Cottage
In her inimitable style, Viola Shipman explores the unlikely relationship between two very different women brought together by the pain of war, but bonded by hope, purpose…and flowers.
Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to illness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind the towering fence surrounding her home, Iris has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to a garden filled with the heirloom starts that keep the memories of her loved ones alive.
When Abby Peterson moves next door with her family—a husband traumatized by his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability—Iris is reluctantly yet inevitably drawn into her boisterous neighbor’s life, where, united by loss and a love of flowers, she and Abby tentatively unearth their secrets, and help each other discover how much life they have yet to live.
With delightful illustrations and fascinating detail, Viola Shipman’s heartwarming story will charm readers while resonating with issues that are so relevant today.
Don't miss bestselling author Viola Shipman's charming new novel, THE WISHING BRIDGE — where an ambitious executive rediscovers the magic of family, friendship, home...and Christmas!
Other books by Viola
In her inimitable style, Viola Shipman explores the unlikely relationship between two very different women brought together by the pain of war, but bonded by hope, purpose…and flowers.
Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to illness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind the towering fence surrounding her home, Iris has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to a garden filled with the heirloom starts that keep the memories of her loved ones alive.
When Abby Peterson moves next door with her family—a husband traumatized by his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability—Iris is reluctantly yet inevitably drawn into her boisterous neighbor’s life, where, united by loss and a love of flowers, she and Abby tentatively unearth their secrets, and help each other discover how much life they have yet to live.
With delightful illustrations and fascinating detail, Viola Shipman’s heartwarming story will charm readers while resonating with issues that are so relevant today.
Don't miss bestselling author Viola Shipman's charming new novel, THE WISHING BRIDGE — where an ambitious executive rediscovers the magic of family, friendship, home...and Christmas!
Other books by Viola
407 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2020
928 people are currently reading
10857 people want to read
About the author
Viola Shipman
21 books3,457 followersDear Reader:
My latest novel, The Page Turner, is a story about why we too often judge one another – and the books we read – by a glance at the collective cover without knowing what is inside. It is also a story about how reading and books not only change us but also save our lives. They did mine.
Growing up “different” in rural America in the 1970s – with no one like me and no one to talk to about what I was going through – I felt alone in this world. Books allowed me to escape, understand, heal, hope and realize there was a place for me in the world just as I was. My grandma – my pen name, Viola Shipman – sensed I was “different,” and she loved me unconditionally and made sure I cherished my uniqueness. Even though my grandma never finished high school, she was a voracious reader who pushed books into my hands from the earliest of ages and made it clear that reading and education would not only change my life but quite possibly save it.
Books allowed me to see a vast world beyond the small town in which I lived. They allowed me to not only escape from the cruelty I often experienced but also understand the reasons behind the hatred. They allowed me to see – as my grandma instilled in me – that being unique was a gift. Books aren’t just books. Books are family. Authors are friends. The stories we read are timestamps in our memories. They bookmark important chapters in our lives and growth. Books are a chance to right the wrong in the world, an opportunity to rewrite ourselves. We can reimagine and reinvent, see the world in an entirely new way simply by turning a page. Or, sometimes, we can just escape from our own lives.
As Carl Sagan wrote: “What an astonishing thing a book is. It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic."
That’s exactly how I feel when I read and write: Magical. Like a literary unicorn.
Authors tend to write about the same topics – love, death, hope, loss – and we use the same words, the same linguistic tool belt, but it’s how we bring those stories to life that sets us apart.
That is why The Page Turner is also about voice. Not only the voice Emma Page uses to bring her novel to life, but the voice she owns that makes her special and that she is unwilling to silence. We all have a voice. In fact, I bet yours is talking to you in your head right now. However, there’s a good chance that you’ve forgotten the power of your own voice, the beauty of your own uniqueness. As I address in this book, we tend to bury that out of fear: Fear of being different, as I was; fear of being unpopular; fear that our family or friends will disapprove; fear of, well, everything. And slowly that voice becomes so quiet, so distant, we don’t even hear it anymore, and we are no longer the unique souls we once were. We are far from being the people we once dreamed. This novel is about overcoming fear and rediscovering your voice. As I write: Every voice is important. Every story needs to be heard.
I was once consumed by fear. And then I found my voice again. In fact, when I first started writing and dreaming of being an author, I truly believed that there was a golden key that was passed around New York City. It was handed out — late at night, in a fancy restaurant under gilded lights and over expensive drinks — to “certain” authors. And I would never be one of them. I now know — and you certainly already do — that such a key does not exist. The only key you need you already own: The one that unlocks the door to o
My latest novel, The Page Turner, is a story about why we too often judge one another – and the books we read – by a glance at the collective cover without knowing what is inside. It is also a story about how reading and books not only change us but also save our lives. They did mine.
Growing up “different” in rural America in the 1970s – with no one like me and no one to talk to about what I was going through – I felt alone in this world. Books allowed me to escape, understand, heal, hope and realize there was a place for me in the world just as I was. My grandma – my pen name, Viola Shipman – sensed I was “different,” and she loved me unconditionally and made sure I cherished my uniqueness. Even though my grandma never finished high school, she was a voracious reader who pushed books into my hands from the earliest of ages and made it clear that reading and education would not only change my life but quite possibly save it.
Books allowed me to see a vast world beyond the small town in which I lived. They allowed me to not only escape from the cruelty I often experienced but also understand the reasons behind the hatred. They allowed me to see – as my grandma instilled in me – that being unique was a gift. Books aren’t just books. Books are family. Authors are friends. The stories we read are timestamps in our memories. They bookmark important chapters in our lives and growth. Books are a chance to right the wrong in the world, an opportunity to rewrite ourselves. We can reimagine and reinvent, see the world in an entirely new way simply by turning a page. Or, sometimes, we can just escape from our own lives.
As Carl Sagan wrote: “What an astonishing thing a book is. It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic."
That’s exactly how I feel when I read and write: Magical. Like a literary unicorn.
Authors tend to write about the same topics – love, death, hope, loss – and we use the same words, the same linguistic tool belt, but it’s how we bring those stories to life that sets us apart.
That is why The Page Turner is also about voice. Not only the voice Emma Page uses to bring her novel to life, but the voice she owns that makes her special and that she is unwilling to silence. We all have a voice. In fact, I bet yours is talking to you in your head right now. However, there’s a good chance that you’ve forgotten the power of your own voice, the beauty of your own uniqueness. As I address in this book, we tend to bury that out of fear: Fear of being different, as I was; fear of being unpopular; fear that our family or friends will disapprove; fear of, well, everything. And slowly that voice becomes so quiet, so distant, we don’t even hear it anymore, and we are no longer the unique souls we once were. We are far from being the people we once dreamed. This novel is about overcoming fear and rediscovering your voice. As I write: Every voice is important. Every story needs to be heard.
I was once consumed by fear. And then I found my voice again. In fact, when I first started writing and dreaming of being an author, I truly believed that there was a golden key that was passed around New York City. It was handed out — late at night, in a fancy restaurant under gilded lights and over expensive drinks — to “certain” authors. And I would never be one of them. I now know — and you certainly already do — that such a key does not exist. The only key you need you already own: The one that unlocks the door to o
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,037 reviews
June 18, 2020
I love flowers, love color and enjoy anything and everything that is a heirloom. Filled with a lovely garden, descriptions of beautiful flowers, this was a lighter toned read. The subjects though were anything but light. An older woman, who shuts herself in her garden after some tragic losses. A young man who has returned with PTSD after serving in the Iraq war. His wife who is trying so hard to keep their family together and their five year old daughter Lily, who is delightful.
It also takes place in Grand Haven, Michigan a place I know well. Was a little taken aback by what the residents call us out of towners from Illinois, which I don't repeat here. Did provide a little chuckle.
A good, warm-hearted, tender story, but it did get a little treacly for my reading taste. Those flowers though made it easy for me to overlook some of my usual preferences.
The narrators were Nan Macnamara and Lauren Enzo. They did pretty well so three stars for the narration.
It also takes place in Grand Haven, Michigan a place I know well. Was a little taken aback by what the residents call us out of towners from Illinois, which I don't repeat here. Did provide a little chuckle.
A good, warm-hearted, tender story, but it did get a little treacly for my reading taste. Those flowers though made it easy for me to overlook some of my usual preferences.
The narrators were Nan Macnamara and Lauren Enzo. They did pretty well so three stars for the narration.
May 29, 2020
Hopeful and heartwarming. Viola Shipman has once again stolen my heart with her/his beautiful writing. It will never fail to amaze me that Viola Shipman is a pseudonym for a male author, he is quite brilliant at telling a story from the female perspective. The story is told from the alternating points of view of two strong women whose lives have been touched by grief and flowers. Iris lost her husband toWWII and her daughter to polio. After a few unfortunate events she decided to build walls both literally and figuratively to protect herself from the rest of the world. Abby has just moved next door to Iris in this small Michigan town. Her husband has recently returned from Iraq and is no longer the man he used to be. Abby is struggling to balance her new job, her young daughter, and trying to understand her husband. Iris and Abby, though decades apart in age, form a lovely Bond over their love of flowers and hate of war.
I loved both Iris and Abby as characters, but even more than that I loved the bond that Iris formed with Abby and her entire family. It was so so sweet watching Lily (Abby‘s daughter) precocious personality really force Iris to confront some of her issues. This really was a sweet story about connections and family being the one you choose. This really would have been a five-star read for me, but it got a little preachy in parts. Iris was very vocal when it came to her thoughts on government and war as well as her thoughts on women’s treatment in the workplace. And even though I’m in complete agreement with Iris, I didn’t feel as though it flowed naturally into her dialogue, it occasionally felt as though we were being lectured to. In spite of this I thought it was a delightful story and I loved learning all the interesting facts about flowers. The audiobook was narrated by NaN McNamara and Lauren Ezzo who both did a marvelous job of bringing voices to these amazing characters.
This book in emojis 🌷 🌹 🌺 🌸 🌼 🌻
*** Big thank you to Harlequin & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
I loved both Iris and Abby as characters, but even more than that I loved the bond that Iris formed with Abby and her entire family. It was so so sweet watching Lily (Abby‘s daughter) precocious personality really force Iris to confront some of her issues. This really was a sweet story about connections and family being the one you choose. This really would have been a five-star read for me, but it got a little preachy in parts. Iris was very vocal when it came to her thoughts on government and war as well as her thoughts on women’s treatment in the workplace. And even though I’m in complete agreement with Iris, I didn’t feel as though it flowed naturally into her dialogue, it occasionally felt as though we were being lectured to. In spite of this I thought it was a delightful story and I loved learning all the interesting facts about flowers. The audiobook was narrated by NaN McNamara and Lauren Ezzo who both did a marvelous job of bringing voices to these amazing characters.
This book in emojis 🌷 🌹 🌺 🌸 🌼 🌻
*** Big thank you to Harlequin & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
April 28, 2020
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com.
THE HEIRLOOM GARDEN: A NOVEL by Viola Shipman is a Women’s fiction novel that is one of the most beautifully written and emotional books that I have had the pleasure to read. This book and characters will be in my mind for a long time to come and it will definitely be one of my favorites this year!
Iris Maynard lives for her beautiful heirloom garden hidden behind a towering fence that keeps everyone out. Having lost her husband in WWII and her daughter to illness, Iris continues on with her heirloom flowers who have always been there for her. She is a talented botanist who shared her gift with the world, until that world turned on her.
Abby Peterson finds the perfect home to rent to be close to her new job. She is hoping this fresh start will be the change her struggling family needs. Traumatized by his service in Iraq, Abby’s husband, Cory is not the man she married and her small daughter is paying the price. She is curious about the high fence separating her property from the house next door and her reclusive landlady.
Iris is drawn to the family next door. Lily, Abby’s daughter is intrigued by the beautiful flowers next door behind the fence and begins to pull Iris into their lives. Iris and Abby realize how much they have in common and slowly each reveals their secrets as they work together in the garden. Iris and Abby have a lot of life yet to live.
This book follows the growing season in Iris’ garden as the timeline of the story. I have to admit that I have a black thumb and could kill a silk plant in my home and yet this book with all its flower and garden facts and allegories pulled me in and I could not put it down. I had watery eyes more times than I care to admit and the tissue box was by my side and yet it is more about the power of family, love and resilience even through the sadness and tragedy than just being a sad book. The author brings not only the characters to vivid life, but also all the beautiful heirloom flowers.
I HIGHLY recommend this beautiful book! I have already downloaded more books by this author and will be looking for every single one in the future.
THE HEIRLOOM GARDEN: A NOVEL by Viola Shipman is a Women’s fiction novel that is one of the most beautifully written and emotional books that I have had the pleasure to read. This book and characters will be in my mind for a long time to come and it will definitely be one of my favorites this year!
Iris Maynard lives for her beautiful heirloom garden hidden behind a towering fence that keeps everyone out. Having lost her husband in WWII and her daughter to illness, Iris continues on with her heirloom flowers who have always been there for her. She is a talented botanist who shared her gift with the world, until that world turned on her.
Abby Peterson finds the perfect home to rent to be close to her new job. She is hoping this fresh start will be the change her struggling family needs. Traumatized by his service in Iraq, Abby’s husband, Cory is not the man she married and her small daughter is paying the price. She is curious about the high fence separating her property from the house next door and her reclusive landlady.
Iris is drawn to the family next door. Lily, Abby’s daughter is intrigued by the beautiful flowers next door behind the fence and begins to pull Iris into their lives. Iris and Abby realize how much they have in common and slowly each reveals their secrets as they work together in the garden. Iris and Abby have a lot of life yet to live.
This book follows the growing season in Iris’ garden as the timeline of the story. I have to admit that I have a black thumb and could kill a silk plant in my home and yet this book with all its flower and garden facts and allegories pulled me in and I could not put it down. I had watery eyes more times than I care to admit and the tissue box was by my side and yet it is more about the power of family, love and resilience even through the sadness and tragedy than just being a sad book. The author brings not only the characters to vivid life, but also all the beautiful heirloom flowers.
I HIGHLY recommend this beautiful book! I have already downloaded more books by this author and will be looking for every single one in the future.
May 4, 2020
We meet two women generations apart who have lost their husbands.
One has a husband who never came home from WWII, and one has a husband who came home but is lost to PTSD.
Iris loves her flowers and her family, but they are now gone including her daughter.
Abby moves into the house next to Iris, has her husband and her daughter, and a job as an engineer since her husband can no longer work or function.
We follow the lives of both characters present day and past.
Gardeners will absolutely LOVE this book.
The flower and gardening information is outstanding and described in such detail you can visualize it.
I also enjoyed how flowers were compared to feelings and life events.
Viola Shipman has given us another heartwarming book filled with positive thoughts and virtual hugs.
The writing is beautiful just like the uplifting story line.
THE HEIRLOOM GARDEN has characters that will warm your heart once you get to know them.
The book was a bit difficult to follow for the first ten percent, but once you got going, it was as marvelous as always. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One has a husband who never came home from WWII, and one has a husband who came home but is lost to PTSD.
Iris loves her flowers and her family, but they are now gone including her daughter.
Abby moves into the house next to Iris, has her husband and her daughter, and a job as an engineer since her husband can no longer work or function.
We follow the lives of both characters present day and past.
Gardeners will absolutely LOVE this book.
The flower and gardening information is outstanding and described in such detail you can visualize it.
I also enjoyed how flowers were compared to feelings and life events.
Viola Shipman has given us another heartwarming book filled with positive thoughts and virtual hugs.
The writing is beautiful just like the uplifting story line.
THE HEIRLOOM GARDEN has characters that will warm your heart once you get to know them.
The book was a bit difficult to follow for the first ten percent, but once you got going, it was as marvelous as always. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2020
I have several authors who I run, don’t walk, to get the book when it first comes out. Viola Shipman is one of those authors. When I got approved for this book from NetGalley and the publisher, I immediately had to start the book. This book takes me back to my mother-in-law’s house. Another great book by Viola Shipman! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.
May 6, 2020
Viola Shipman has once again shown us all how to overcome diversity, to accept and to understand that kindness and love can heal all types of wounds.
Iris Maynard lost her husband during WWII and her only child, a young daughter a little while later. Unable to bear the heartbreak she felt, she poured herself into her gardens, as an homage to both her husband and daughter, and years later to all those who were dear to her and had died.
As the years progressed, Iris, who became a botanist later in life due to her love of flowers, began to recede from life. Her gardens were her only friends and families. She decided to shut herself off from people by building an enormous fence around her property which consisted of her house, as well as her mother's house which also had a fence so her renters would be unable to see her. She was slowly able, due to technology, basically become a hermit, happily tending her gardens and buying all she needed from her computer and having it delivered. She would never have to let another person into her life again.
Enter Abby, her husband Cory and their daughter Lily who rent Iris' mother's old house on the other side of the fence. Cory, who has just returned from the Iraq War has had an extremely difficult time adjusting to life again after seeing so much death. Refusing to seek help or medication his days revolve around drinking, sleeping and trying to remember to tend to his young daughter Lily. Abby, feeling the walls close in around her family and trying extremely hard to keep them together moved her family so they could hopefully have a fresh start. And Lily, just about the same age as Iris' daughter Mary, is a bundle of curious love.
What they all soon discover is sometimes everyone needs a bit of a push and encouragement, remembering that everybody grieves in different ways. That sometimes a little help can go a very long way. And we all have something to teach each other. As Iris teaches about flowers and love and coping with loss, Cory teaches Iris to take baby steps into entering a world she abandoned many years ago.
The story, with glorious floral prose describing the different flowers from each season tells not only their own story, but the stories of each character. And as the healing begins and continues, fences start to come down and are replaced by friendship and love.
What a heartwarming story on the lessons of the sadness of death, the struggle to become whole again and the illumination of a new life if you'll only take the chance.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley #Harlequin(JustineSha) #The HeirloomGarden #ViolaShipman for the advanced copy.
Iris Maynard lost her husband during WWII and her only child, a young daughter a little while later. Unable to bear the heartbreak she felt, she poured herself into her gardens, as an homage to both her husband and daughter, and years later to all those who were dear to her and had died.
As the years progressed, Iris, who became a botanist later in life due to her love of flowers, began to recede from life. Her gardens were her only friends and families. She decided to shut herself off from people by building an enormous fence around her property which consisted of her house, as well as her mother's house which also had a fence so her renters would be unable to see her. She was slowly able, due to technology, basically become a hermit, happily tending her gardens and buying all she needed from her computer and having it delivered. She would never have to let another person into her life again.
Enter Abby, her husband Cory and their daughter Lily who rent Iris' mother's old house on the other side of the fence. Cory, who has just returned from the Iraq War has had an extremely difficult time adjusting to life again after seeing so much death. Refusing to seek help or medication his days revolve around drinking, sleeping and trying to remember to tend to his young daughter Lily. Abby, feeling the walls close in around her family and trying extremely hard to keep them together moved her family so they could hopefully have a fresh start. And Lily, just about the same age as Iris' daughter Mary, is a bundle of curious love.
What they all soon discover is sometimes everyone needs a bit of a push and encouragement, remembering that everybody grieves in different ways. That sometimes a little help can go a very long way. And we all have something to teach each other. As Iris teaches about flowers and love and coping with loss, Cory teaches Iris to take baby steps into entering a world she abandoned many years ago.
The story, with glorious floral prose describing the different flowers from each season tells not only their own story, but the stories of each character. And as the healing begins and continues, fences start to come down and are replaced by friendship and love.
What a heartwarming story on the lessons of the sadness of death, the struggle to become whole again and the illumination of a new life if you'll only take the chance.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley #Harlequin(JustineSha) #The HeirloomGarden #ViolaShipman for the advanced copy.
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October 14, 2024DNF @ 20%
Not connecting to the cutesy storyline. The young girl main character doesn’t ring true for me. Flower reference is overdone. Not for me.
Not connecting to the cutesy storyline. The young girl main character doesn’t ring true for me. Flower reference is overdone. Not for me.
February 8, 2020
There is no doubt that this will be one of my favorite books of the year!
Viola Shipman has written a fantastic, heartfelt and loving novel of family, hope fear, sadness and joy.
. The descriptions of the seasons, flowers,and surroundings are just astounding! It makes you believe you are living on Lake Michigan!
We meet Iris, and her new neighbors Lily, Abby and Cory in Michigan.
Iris, now elderly, has no intentions of knowing her new neighbors. The wall has been built both around her home and her heart and she needs to keep people away and out of her life. Too many tragedies!
Her garden blossoms are her family and friends. The love for each and every floret is extreme, but it keeps her "going".
However, the little girl named Lily, is curious and soon not only finds a way in to Iris's garden, but in to her heart.
I love the relationship between these two beautiful souls. Lily learns from Iris and Iris learns from Lily.
"All any of us- whether people or flowers-desire is to feel a part of something bigger, to know our stories won't die."
This is THAT story of true love! Excellent!
Viola Shipman has written a fantastic, heartfelt and loving novel of family, hope fear, sadness and joy.
. The descriptions of the seasons, flowers,and surroundings are just astounding! It makes you believe you are living on Lake Michigan!
We meet Iris, and her new neighbors Lily, Abby and Cory in Michigan.
Iris, now elderly, has no intentions of knowing her new neighbors. The wall has been built both around her home and her heart and she needs to keep people away and out of her life. Too many tragedies!
Her garden blossoms are her family and friends. The love for each and every floret is extreme, but it keeps her "going".
However, the little girl named Lily, is curious and soon not only finds a way in to Iris's garden, but in to her heart.
I love the relationship between these two beautiful souls. Lily learns from Iris and Iris learns from Lily.
"All any of us- whether people or flowers-desire is to feel a part of something bigger, to know our stories won't die."
This is THAT story of true love! Excellent!
June 15, 2020
I really loved this book. It will definitely be in my top ten for 2020. This is the first book I have read or listened to by Viola Shipman and if all her books are like this, then I have sure missed out.
Iris is an older woman who lives in her home, behind her tall fence. She wants nothing to do with her neighbours. Like the fence around her property, there is a fence around her heart. She has bee hurt terribly and wants nothing to do with others. Her only friends are her heirloom flowers. She loves them like family and they are the only things that keep her going. Then the new neighbours move in, Lily, Abby and Cory. Both Iris and Abby had husbands that went to war. One never came home, one came home damaged. As we learn more about both Iris and this family, young Lily finds a way into Iris's garden and eventually, they all find a way into her heart.
The story is told by both Iris and Abby. There is a dual-timeline as we learn both of their stories. I enjoyed both stories and my heart broke for both of these families. These women are both strong, independent women, but Iris was beaten down by life and the beliefs in the 1940s. The writing was absolutely beautiful. It was descriptive and flowed well. I felt like I could see the beautiful gardens and beach in Michigan. This was a book that will linger with me. It is a heartfelt and loving novel of family, hope, fear, sadness and joy. I definitely recommend this one.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nan McNamara and Lauren Ezzo. Both narrators did an amazing job with this story. Their expression, pacing and inflection were wonderful and made this an enjoyable story to listen to. Their voices were easily recognized so I knew who was speaking and I came to know the characters and care about what happened to them. I will definitely listen to more books narrated by these talented ladies. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
Iris is an older woman who lives in her home, behind her tall fence. She wants nothing to do with her neighbours. Like the fence around her property, there is a fence around her heart. She has bee hurt terribly and wants nothing to do with others. Her only friends are her heirloom flowers. She loves them like family and they are the only things that keep her going. Then the new neighbours move in, Lily, Abby and Cory. Both Iris and Abby had husbands that went to war. One never came home, one came home damaged. As we learn more about both Iris and this family, young Lily finds a way into Iris's garden and eventually, they all find a way into her heart.
The story is told by both Iris and Abby. There is a dual-timeline as we learn both of their stories. I enjoyed both stories and my heart broke for both of these families. These women are both strong, independent women, but Iris was beaten down by life and the beliefs in the 1940s. The writing was absolutely beautiful. It was descriptive and flowed well. I felt like I could see the beautiful gardens and beach in Michigan. This was a book that will linger with me. It is a heartfelt and loving novel of family, hope, fear, sadness and joy. I definitely recommend this one.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nan McNamara and Lauren Ezzo. Both narrators did an amazing job with this story. Their expression, pacing and inflection were wonderful and made this an enjoyable story to listen to. Their voices were easily recognized so I knew who was speaking and I came to know the characters and care about what happened to them. I will definitely listen to more books narrated by these talented ladies. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
April 19, 2020
I have enjoyed all of Viola Shipman's novels so far, but this one takes the cake. Each of Viola's novels is set up so that the sections of the story talk about particular items related to the title of the book. (Ex. in The Charm Bracelet, each part of the story was about a particular charm and how it fit in to what was taking place throughout.) In The Heirloom Garden: A Novel, each section is about a flower and how it connects to Iris's past, as well as how it relates to what is currently happening. I'm not much of a gardener, but I enjoyed the descriptions of the various flowers and was able to visualize and appreciate them that much more.
This was a sweet story overall. I liked the bond that formed between Iris and the Petersons. While there were some sappy moments, it was a nice escape from everything else going on in the world. I even got teary-eyed at times. Lily was adorable and reminded me of my daughter. However, it was hard to get a grasp of her age. There was a comment made about it late in the story, but sometimes she was watching shows that were too mature for that age. I also couldn't figure out main character's ages. If they were mentioned, it was in passing but the ages didn't seem to fit their descriptions. I guessed Abby and Cory to be in their early thirties after a while.
The story gave me a lot to think about in terms of what war veterans go through. Even though Iris was a war widow, she still had her own experiences that were along the lines of post-traumatic stress disorder. I couldn't even imagine what she must have been going through and how she stayed strong for as long as she did.
I liked the feel of the seasons and holidays, from a sunny and hot Fourth of July all the way through a snow-filled Christmas. Viola evoked the spirit of each holiday and brought the experiences to life so that I could see them taking place, even though I was reading this in March.
Overall, another touching and heartfelt story that will stick with me whenever I see a beautiful flower.
Movie casting suggestions:
Iris (2003): Jane Alexander
Iris (past): Betty Gilpin
Abby: Alia Shawkat
Cory: Jai Courtney
This was a sweet story overall. I liked the bond that formed between Iris and the Petersons. While there were some sappy moments, it was a nice escape from everything else going on in the world. I even got teary-eyed at times. Lily was adorable and reminded me of my daughter. However, it was hard to get a grasp of her age. There was a comment made about it late in the story, but sometimes she was watching shows that were too mature for that age. I also couldn't figure out main character's ages. If they were mentioned, it was in passing but the ages didn't seem to fit their descriptions. I guessed Abby and Cory to be in their early thirties after a while.
The story gave me a lot to think about in terms of what war veterans go through. Even though Iris was a war widow, she still had her own experiences that were along the lines of post-traumatic stress disorder. I couldn't even imagine what she must have been going through and how she stayed strong for as long as she did.
I liked the feel of the seasons and holidays, from a sunny and hot Fourth of July all the way through a snow-filled Christmas. Viola evoked the spirit of each holiday and brought the experiences to life so that I could see them taking place, even though I was reading this in March.
Overall, another touching and heartfelt story that will stick with me whenever I see a beautiful flower.
Movie casting suggestions:
Iris (2003): Jane Alexander
Iris (past): Betty Gilpin
Abby: Alia Shawkat
Cory: Jai Courtney
June 5, 2020
4.5 rounding up because I was stunned to find out this is written by a man. Normally I don't like this genre, chiclit drives me crazy, but I am an avid life long gardener and loved this. So many touching moments, loved all the garden chatter, and face it, we need something sweet in our world these days... Think he is very gifted writer, never would have dreamed a man penned this, filled with heart and soul, but not sappy, but I came for the garden!
May 2, 2020
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Viola Shipman, and Harlequin Books S.A. - GraydonHouseBooks. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Viola Shipman to friends and family. Her nostalgic peek into the past may bring you to tears, but it's a good cry.
The Heirloom Garden is centered in the small town of Grand Haven, Michigan. Iris's grandparents and parents had built side-by-side Sears and Roebuck's Craftsman homes many many years ago. All three generations of women were avid gardeners, maintaining large yards filled with blooms of every season. Late in the summer of 1944, we visit this small town through the eyes of Iris Maynard, recent widow of First Lieutenant Jonathan Maynard, mother of Jane, a college-degreed botanist, and natural gardener.
We visit Grand Haven, Michigan, and Iris again during the 9/11 Iraqi action in the spring of 2003. In the 1950s Iris lost her daughter to Polio and has since lost her grandparents and parents. Iris is in her 90's and has been for years a complete shut-in. She has her groceries delivered to the gate of her 10-foot fence, pays her bills by computer, and shops online. Most folks in town think she has passed on, as it has been many years since she was seen out and about. Iris still resides in the home built by her father, and occasionally rents out her grandmother's home next door and outside the walls of her personal haven. Over the years she has moved her grandmother's plants into her own garden behind the wall, leaving only what doesn't require labor to maintain at her Grandmother's place.
In the spring of 2003 Iris contacted her realtor and ask that her Grandmother's house be leased out, and as usual, she will let the realtor know whether she approves of the potential renter after the showing. Abby Peterson and her daughter Lily are both enthusiastic about the house. Cory did not come with them, as he had appointments in Detroit concerning his medical needs. The Peterson family need to be in Grand Haven, Michigan for some time, as Abby, a chemical engineer, will be producing a marine paint for a local concern who handles equipment and supplies for boaters on Lake Michigan. Abby's husband - Lily's dad - is a returning Veteran very different from the man who went over to Iraq, that spontaneous, funny, impulsive man they once knew. PTSD has stolen the man they understood, and both Abby and Lily hope the summer out of the city will give him a quiet time to unwind and find peace. Fortunately, Iris approves of them as renters, and the family gets moved in just in time for Lily's summer camps and Abby's job. Cory Peterson has several appointments with the VA which he misses, and he remains isolated in the house, for the most part, drinking beer, watching TV, and sleeping on the sofa. Cory is about as agoraphobic as Iris. Something has to change - but what? What can they do to help him back into the world? And Iris, as well. What can two busy females do to open the eyes and hearts of these shut-ins? Perhaps Iris and Cory just need to understand each other, to help each other to see the world again as it is...
Netgalley
pub date April 28, 2020
Harlequin - Graydon House
Reviewed on April 22, 2020, at Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed on April 28, 2020, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
The Heirloom Garden is centered in the small town of Grand Haven, Michigan. Iris's grandparents and parents had built side-by-side Sears and Roebuck's Craftsman homes many many years ago. All three generations of women were avid gardeners, maintaining large yards filled with blooms of every season. Late in the summer of 1944, we visit this small town through the eyes of Iris Maynard, recent widow of First Lieutenant Jonathan Maynard, mother of Jane, a college-degreed botanist, and natural gardener.
We visit Grand Haven, Michigan, and Iris again during the 9/11 Iraqi action in the spring of 2003. In the 1950s Iris lost her daughter to Polio and has since lost her grandparents and parents. Iris is in her 90's and has been for years a complete shut-in. She has her groceries delivered to the gate of her 10-foot fence, pays her bills by computer, and shops online. Most folks in town think she has passed on, as it has been many years since she was seen out and about. Iris still resides in the home built by her father, and occasionally rents out her grandmother's home next door and outside the walls of her personal haven. Over the years she has moved her grandmother's plants into her own garden behind the wall, leaving only what doesn't require labor to maintain at her Grandmother's place.
In the spring of 2003 Iris contacted her realtor and ask that her Grandmother's house be leased out, and as usual, she will let the realtor know whether she approves of the potential renter after the showing. Abby Peterson and her daughter Lily are both enthusiastic about the house. Cory did not come with them, as he had appointments in Detroit concerning his medical needs. The Peterson family need to be in Grand Haven, Michigan for some time, as Abby, a chemical engineer, will be producing a marine paint for a local concern who handles equipment and supplies for boaters on Lake Michigan. Abby's husband - Lily's dad - is a returning Veteran very different from the man who went over to Iraq, that spontaneous, funny, impulsive man they once knew. PTSD has stolen the man they understood, and both Abby and Lily hope the summer out of the city will give him a quiet time to unwind and find peace. Fortunately, Iris approves of them as renters, and the family gets moved in just in time for Lily's summer camps and Abby's job. Cory Peterson has several appointments with the VA which he misses, and he remains isolated in the house, for the most part, drinking beer, watching TV, and sleeping on the sofa. Cory is about as agoraphobic as Iris. Something has to change - but what? What can they do to help him back into the world? And Iris, as well. What can two busy females do to open the eyes and hearts of these shut-ins? Perhaps Iris and Cory just need to understand each other, to help each other to see the world again as it is...
Netgalley
pub date April 28, 2020
Harlequin - Graydon House
Reviewed on April 22, 2020, at Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed on April 28, 2020, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
July 12, 2021
For the PopSugar reading challenge I needed a book about a passion of mine. As you know, gardening is a huge passion for me, this year more so than in the past. When I saw the title of this book I thought it would be a perfect read for me. Sadly, I should have read the synopsis more closely. What I read was a younger woman and an older one bond both of whom are suffering bond over their love of the flower garden. What the book is about is a woman who endured the suffering a loss of WWII and a family suffering the effects of the Iraq war. The fact is that I’ve grown a bit weary of reading books about WWII written from the romanticized viewpoint of the US and UK and I simply do not read books about the unjustified Iraqi invasion. Period. I’m very sure that readers of Viola Shipman will love and adore this book. It’s very predictable, a bit on the saccharine sweet side but it definitely wasn’t a book for me
April 20, 2020
This lovely story has two settings - during World War II and modern day. There are two principal characters, Iris Maynard and Abby Peterson. This is delicate story of how two women are affected by war though decades apart. There was no doubt while reading this book that in some way Abby and Iris would connect. It was a delightful journey to see this unfold.
As the title and cover depicts a garden - well, more than one - is involved. Starting with Iris, she used her horticultural skills to create a garden that was hidden behind a very tall fence. When Abby and her family move next door, the solitude Iris experienced for decades would be taken away.
This was a very sad story at times, especially when one woman lost her husband in a war, and another whose husband survived the war, but was traumatized and plagued with PTSD. It is Abby's husband who survived the most recent war, and she is greatly saddened by her husband's emotional state. They have a young daughter who is caught in the middle of uncertain times for the family.
When the little girl begins to spend time with Iris, it does not go smooth at first. This is where the book became compelling. I loved the four people who were significant in this book and watching layers being peeled back was so very touching.
The gardens in this book were also part of the story. The descriptions of the flowers were so real I felt like I could smell or touch them. For a story that is bound to touch many hearts, with a mix of sad and joyful moments, I highly recommend The Heirloom Garden.
Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
As the title and cover depicts a garden - well, more than one - is involved. Starting with Iris, she used her horticultural skills to create a garden that was hidden behind a very tall fence. When Abby and her family move next door, the solitude Iris experienced for decades would be taken away.
This was a very sad story at times, especially when one woman lost her husband in a war, and another whose husband survived the war, but was traumatized and plagued with PTSD. It is Abby's husband who survived the most recent war, and she is greatly saddened by her husband's emotional state. They have a young daughter who is caught in the middle of uncertain times for the family.
When the little girl begins to spend time with Iris, it does not go smooth at first. This is where the book became compelling. I loved the four people who were significant in this book and watching layers being peeled back was so very touching.
The gardens in this book were also part of the story. The descriptions of the flowers were so real I felt like I could smell or touch them. For a story that is bound to touch many hearts, with a mix of sad and joyful moments, I highly recommend The Heirloom Garden.
Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 15, 2020
This is another fantastic book by Viola Shipman. I started it as soon as it showed up in my mailbox, even though I have a stack of books that should have been read first but this is one of my 'go to' authors and I had to read it right away. I am a huge fan of books about Michigan and books that take place on Lake Michigan always tug at my heart because of all the summers that I spent at the Lake growing up. This author describes the area around Lake Michigan so well and so beautifully that it is an integral part of the story - as important as the characters. I loved this book and think it will be one of the "must read" books of Spring, 2020.
The story is told in dual time lines and in different eras.
1944 - Iris lost her husband in WWII and her daughter not too long after that. Her grief caused her to put walls up around her house and around her heart. She doesn't have anything to do with the people in town, has her groceries and garden supplies delivered and is only really alive when she is spending time in her beloved gardens. In her gardens, she re-lives her memories of her grandmother, her mother, her husband and her daughter -- the garden becomes her only family.
2003 - Abby, her husband and their daughter, Lily, move from the Detroit area to Grand Haven for Abby to take a new job. They rent the house next door to Iris (which Iris still owns) but the high fences let them know that Iris has no desire for company or friendly neighbors. Abby is trying to handle everything - her husband has PTSD and is unable to contribute to the family either emotionally or monetarily. Instead he mostly sleeps, drinks and re-lives his memories of war. Lily tries to make the best of things but she is lonely and nervous about starting at a new school with no friends. The two families are slowly drawn together at first through their love for flowers and then through the friendship that they can both bring to each other.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
The story is told in dual time lines and in different eras.
1944 - Iris lost her husband in WWII and her daughter not too long after that. Her grief caused her to put walls up around her house and around her heart. She doesn't have anything to do with the people in town, has her groceries and garden supplies delivered and is only really alive when she is spending time in her beloved gardens. In her gardens, she re-lives her memories of her grandmother, her mother, her husband and her daughter -- the garden becomes her only family.
2003 - Abby, her husband and their daughter, Lily, move from the Detroit area to Grand Haven for Abby to take a new job. They rent the house next door to Iris (which Iris still owns) but the high fences let them know that Iris has no desire for company or friendly neighbors. Abby is trying to handle everything - her husband has PTSD and is unable to contribute to the family either emotionally or monetarily. Instead he mostly sleeps, drinks and re-lives his memories of war. Lily tries to make the best of things but she is lonely and nervous about starting at a new school with no friends. The two families are slowly drawn together at first through their love for flowers and then through the friendship that they can both bring to each other.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
February 27, 2020
The Heirloom Garden is a very heartwarming story with so much going on. There is hope, love, sadness, loss, survival, PTSD and empowerment of woman. The characters are real, likable and ones you want to have in your own life.
There is two time lines within the story....1944 with Iris, her husband and young daughter and 2003 with Abby, her husband and young daughter. Iris rents a house to Abby which begins a heartfelt friendship no one expected. They are drawn together through their love for flowers and love of family.
I shed more then a few tears reading this story. So many relatable moments.
The Heirloom Garden will be a wonderful summer, beach read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, Viola Shipman, for the opportunity to read and give my honest review about this book.
There is two time lines within the story....1944 with Iris, her husband and young daughter and 2003 with Abby, her husband and young daughter. Iris rents a house to Abby which begins a heartfelt friendship no one expected. They are drawn together through their love for flowers and love of family.
I shed more then a few tears reading this story. So many relatable moments.
The Heirloom Garden will be a wonderful summer, beach read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, Viola Shipman, for the opportunity to read and give my honest review about this book.
August 2, 2020
What an exquisite story! I listened to the audible version with two narrators -- one for Iris and one for Abby -- which made it feel kind of like listening to a radio drama which was fun. The story is so moving -- I cried buckets at the end. Huge heaving sobs. Love the multi-generational aspect -- we get to live in Iris's past as well as her present and the way the author merges her life with Abby's is sheer brilliance. It really speaks to how we blossom in community. Speaking of which, the gardening details are exquisite. Every fiction loving gardener needs to read this book! So many life lessons developed among seeds and soils. Profoundly moving and uplifting.
May 26, 2020
I normally really enjoy Shipman’s books. This was just fair for me. It lacked character development and the plot was next to non-existent.
October 13, 2020
Iris Maynard hat ihre ganze Familie verloren. Ihr Mann starb im Krieg und ihre Tochter an Kinderlähmung. Seitdem lebt sie total abgeschottet von der Umwelt hinter einem riesigen Zaun. Allerdings ist sie eine begnadete Gärtnerin und das lebt sie aus. Sie pflanzt viele Blumen als Erinnerung an ihre Lieben und ihr wunderschöner Garten gibt ihr Trost und Kraft, um ihr Schicksal zu erdulden.
Das Cottage ihrer Großmutter nebenan vermietet sie an eine Familie, die durch die Schönheit ihres Gartens magisch angezogen wird. Abby hat es auch nicht leicht, denn ihr Mann kehrt mit posttraumatischen Störungen aus dem Krieg zurück und ist nicht mehr der selbe, der er war. Tochter Lily schafft es allerdings, Vertrauen zu Iris zu gewinnen und die beiden freunden sich an.
Die Geschichte hat mich bis tief in die Seele berührt. Jeder neue Abschnitt beginnt mit einer Blume und einem Zitat. Passend zur Blume erzählt Iris Geschichten aus ihrem Leben. Viola Shipman hat einen ganz besonderen poetischen Schreibstil, der einem Geborgenheit vermittelt. Sie beschreibt sehr bildhaft die Blumen, ihre Farben und Gerüche, man hat das Gefühl, neben Iris zu stehen und ich habe die Farbenpracht sehr genossen.
Die Handlung an sich ist sehr ruhig und unaufgeregt, aber gerade das hat mir hier sehr gut gefallen. Obwohl die Grundthematik sehr traurig ist, ist die Geschichte richtig schön zu lesen und man kann richtig gut abschalten.
Eine Ahnung davon, vermittelt auch schon das wunderschöne Cover.
Dies war mein erster Roman der Autorin, ich möchte aber unbedingt ihre anderen Werke auch lesen.
Ich vergebe 5 Sterne und werde die Geschichte mit Sicherheit nach einer Weile nochmal lesen, denn ich habe das Gefühl immer wieder neues entdecken zu können.
Das Cottage ihrer Großmutter nebenan vermietet sie an eine Familie, die durch die Schönheit ihres Gartens magisch angezogen wird. Abby hat es auch nicht leicht, denn ihr Mann kehrt mit posttraumatischen Störungen aus dem Krieg zurück und ist nicht mehr der selbe, der er war. Tochter Lily schafft es allerdings, Vertrauen zu Iris zu gewinnen und die beiden freunden sich an.
Die Geschichte hat mich bis tief in die Seele berührt. Jeder neue Abschnitt beginnt mit einer Blume und einem Zitat. Passend zur Blume erzählt Iris Geschichten aus ihrem Leben. Viola Shipman hat einen ganz besonderen poetischen Schreibstil, der einem Geborgenheit vermittelt. Sie beschreibt sehr bildhaft die Blumen, ihre Farben und Gerüche, man hat das Gefühl, neben Iris zu stehen und ich habe die Farbenpracht sehr genossen.
Die Handlung an sich ist sehr ruhig und unaufgeregt, aber gerade das hat mir hier sehr gut gefallen. Obwohl die Grundthematik sehr traurig ist, ist die Geschichte richtig schön zu lesen und man kann richtig gut abschalten.
Eine Ahnung davon, vermittelt auch schon das wunderschöne Cover.
Dies war mein erster Roman der Autorin, ich möchte aber unbedingt ihre anderen Werke auch lesen.
Ich vergebe 5 Sterne und werde die Geschichte mit Sicherheit nach einer Weile nochmal lesen, denn ich habe das Gefühl immer wieder neues entdecken zu können.
April 22, 2020
The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman has Iris Maynard living alone in her home alone after the loss of her husband and daughter for the last six decades. She spends her time taking care of her beautiful heirloom garden. Iris then rents the cottage next door to a woman with a husband recently returned from Iraq and an inquisitive little girl. The Peterson’s remind Iris of how her family used to be before her husband died during World War II and her little girl from illness. Abby and Iris become friends. They find they have much in common especially a love of flowers. Can they help each other heal and discover that not one minute of a life should be wasted? The Heirloom Garden is well-written with relatable characters and incidents. Iris Maynard lost the two most precious people in her life. She erected a tall fence around her property and stays behind those walls. Iris has her heirloom garden to keep her company. Each flower holds a special memory. Gardeners will enjoy the beautiful descriptions of the flowers. They are heirloom varieties that include roses, irises, lilies, daylilies, bleeding hearts and so much more. We learn the meaning of each flower (the language of flowers) as well as how they were propagated and how to care for them. Iris’s garden sounded magical (it would also send my allergies into overdrive). I like how each chapter was titled after a different flower which was then featured. The story alternates point-of-view between Iris and Abby. It also goes between past (begins in 1944) and present (2003) to tell each woman’s story. The Heirloom Garden is confusing in the beginning, but, once you get into it, it becomes easier. The pacing is gentle (not slow or fast) which suits the story. Abby Peterson is a chemical engineer who is developing a special marine paint and was hired by a local company. Her husband, Cory came home a different man from Iraq. He spends his days drinking and sleeping. Lily is a curious little girl who is quick to make Iris’s acquaintance. Lily was a delightful addition to the story. She added lightness and humor. The two homes are Sears kit homes (I would love to live in one). The author provided good information on the homes and I enjoyed the vivid word imagery. I like how the two story lines were blended and came together for a special ending. The Heirloom Garden is a heartening story with a cheeky child, a gorgeous garden, paint problems, a gripping grief, special seeds, a worried wife, a dispirited soldier, and marvelous memories.
September 18, 2020
I realize I am really an outlier - I can't believe all the 5 star reviews. I might have enjoyed the print copy much more, as I understand that there are lovely illustrations, and it would have been easy to skim through some of the parts I found really tedious. I listened to the audio version, and the voice of one of the narrators was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Not only was her tone really annoying, but her voicing was way too dramatic and overwrought, and truly obnoxious when voicing the little girl.. To me, the dialogue was totally unrealistic, and was so saccharine that I felt like I needed to brush my teeth after awhile. I'm a gardener, and liked some of the descriptions of the plants themselves, but everything else was like listening to a 1940s radio drama. The overnight recovery from PTSD was ridiculous. I'm not generally averse to some sentimentality, and tender emotions of good human connections, but everything about this book made me practically nauseous. I made it about 2/3 of the way through, and simply had to stop.
April 7, 2020
Thanks to #netgalley and #Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book #TheHeirloomGarden by Violet Shipman
Pub date 4/28/2020
I love gardening and I love flowers. This story spoke to my heart with the descriptions of the flowers and the stories of the flowers. This book tells the story of Iris, a botanist in the 1940s, and Abby, an engineer in the early 2000s. Abby and her family rent a sound on Lake Michigan's shore from Iris, a woman who hasn't left her property in 40 plus years.
Both women's husbands served in combat, Iris's husband never came home; Abby's husband came home with PTSD.
Their stories, their lives begin to intertwine as Lily, Abby's daughter breaks a little of Iris's shell.
I loved the descriptions the author wrote about the meanings of flowers, and about propagation and care of them
If you love gardens, you will enjoy this lovely story. I definitely recommend
Pub date 4/28/2020
I love gardening and I love flowers. This story spoke to my heart with the descriptions of the flowers and the stories of the flowers. This book tells the story of Iris, a botanist in the 1940s, and Abby, an engineer in the early 2000s. Abby and her family rent a sound on Lake Michigan's shore from Iris, a woman who hasn't left her property in 40 plus years.
Both women's husbands served in combat, Iris's husband never came home; Abby's husband came home with PTSD.
Their stories, their lives begin to intertwine as Lily, Abby's daughter breaks a little of Iris's shell.
I loved the descriptions the author wrote about the meanings of flowers, and about propagation and care of them
If you love gardens, you will enjoy this lovely story. I definitely recommend
October 18, 2020
OMG...at first I was thinking this was going to be a boring book. My book club picked it (not something I'd normally read)...but what a surprise that was in-store for me! It was a beautiful story and the further along I got the harder it was to put it down. Coming from a military family I thought it was a great read! I've never just sat and cried after reading a book but here I am full on bawling. #viloashipman wrote an amazing book and I loved the style and detail in the writing! Highly recommend!
April 28, 2020
A moving story about two neighbors that are drawn together. Iris lost her husband in World War ll. Her daughter to illness. She hides away in her garden. The one thing she has left and holds dear. Abby moves in next door to Iris. Abby's husband suffers from the damaging effects of Irag. What these two woman share is understanding, friendship, and of course flowers. Another beautiful and deeply moving story from one of my favorite authors.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
July 8, 2020
This is a wonderful story of a woman who lived through losing her family and survives by fencing herself in and tending her garden. Then she meets a family that changes her life again.
It will make you cry but it also will show you ways you can survive losses you never think you will recover from.
If you are a gardener you will love it even more!
It will make you cry but it also will show you ways you can survive losses you never think you will recover from.
If you are a gardener you will love it even more!
May 4, 2020
This book was just what I needed right now - a book that provides hope and this book definitely provides that and so much more.
Full review up on blog: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/2...
Full review up on blog: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/2...
May 23, 2022
A book set in Grand Haven, Michigan!?!?! Would could go wrong? Delightful
January 12, 2025
Audiobook
I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook while working on needlework. I’m finding that books I enjoy on audiobook may be ones I wouldn’t enjoy in print and vice versa—which is very interesting! In print, I prefer literary fiction, which I don’t enjoy as much on audio.
I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook while working on needlework. I’m finding that books I enjoy on audiobook may be ones I wouldn’t enjoy in print and vice versa—which is very interesting! In print, I prefer literary fiction, which I don’t enjoy as much on audio.
April 7, 2020
Thanks to #netgalley and #Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book #TheHeirloomGarden by Violet Shipman
Pub date 4/28/2020
I love gardening and I love flowers. This story spoke to my heart with the descriptions of the flowers and the stories of the flowers. This book tells the story of Iris, a botanist in the 1940s, and Abby, an engineer in the early 2000s. Abby and her family rent a sound on Lake Michigan's shore from Iris, a woman who hasn't left her property in 40 plus years.
Both women's husbands served in combat, Iris's husband never came home; Abby's husband came home with PTSD.
Their stories, their lives begin to intertwine as Lily, Abby's daughter breaks a little of Iris's shell.
I loved the descriptions the author wrote about the meanings of flowers, and about propagation and care of them
If you love gardens, you will enjoy this lovely story. I definitely recommend.
Pub date 4/28/2020
I love gardening and I love flowers. This story spoke to my heart with the descriptions of the flowers and the stories of the flowers. This book tells the story of Iris, a botanist in the 1940s, and Abby, an engineer in the early 2000s. Abby and her family rent a sound on Lake Michigan's shore from Iris, a woman who hasn't left her property in 40 plus years.
Both women's husbands served in combat, Iris's husband never came home; Abby's husband came home with PTSD.
Their stories, their lives begin to intertwine as Lily, Abby's daughter breaks a little of Iris's shell.
I loved the descriptions the author wrote about the meanings of flowers, and about propagation and care of them
If you love gardens, you will enjoy this lovely story. I definitely recommend.
June 5, 2020
The Heirloom Garden
Viola Shipman
Personal Note: Like many editorial reviewers I usually only review in the third person, expressing my feelings in only adverbs and adjectives but once in a while an author speaks to my soul and that is exactly what Wade/Viola does for me and I just had to take a minute to express this.
Viola Shipman’s latest, The Heirloom Garden is an exceptional read about loss, hope, of friendship and the healing power gardening. It’s also a fantastic example that a family of the heart sometimes is dearer than blood. Set in the real Michigan town of Grand Haven aka Coast Guard City the author uses real places like the long time Pronto Pup hotdog stand and events like the Grand Haven Musical Fountain alongside his fiction that gives the read a real genuine feel as the reader follows the family on outings and while in their Sears Kit house. The characters are likeable and realistic and each star has their own strengths like Iris’s childlike excitement in her garden, Lily’s old soul personality, Cory’s anguish resulting from his time at war and Abby trying to keep it all together. And it’s all perfectly expressed in a flowing easy to comprehend narrative. Each of the main protagonists are equally exceptional and the real standout in the novel the tribute to our past and present military men and women and a reminder to always thank them for their service. Fans of this master storyteller, women’s fiction, military fiction or just an unforgettable novel will find this unputdownable.
In the spring of 2003 a young family moves next door to their reclusive elderly landlady. The family consists of Cory, a vet just returned from war, his wife Abby an engineer whose new job has brought them to Grand Haven, Michigan and their small daughter Lily. This family needs a new start and Abby hopes this new place will be what they need. What they don’t need is a cantankerous old woman living behind a giant fence next door.
Iris hasn’t left the sanctuary or prison (however you look at it) of her home in decades. She’s experienced the tragic loss of her husband in WWII whose remains are still somewhere in Europe and of her daughter not so many years later stricken with a rare fatal type of polio. She spends her days months and years caring for her heirloom garden the only thing that has kept her sane for all these years. The last thing she needs is the family living in her grandmother’s cottage next door snooping into her life.
What these people don’t realize yet is that they are exactly what the other needs.
Viola Shipman
Personal Note: Like many editorial reviewers I usually only review in the third person, expressing my feelings in only adverbs and adjectives but once in a while an author speaks to my soul and that is exactly what Wade/Viola does for me and I just had to take a minute to express this.
Viola Shipman’s latest, The Heirloom Garden is an exceptional read about loss, hope, of friendship and the healing power gardening. It’s also a fantastic example that a family of the heart sometimes is dearer than blood. Set in the real Michigan town of Grand Haven aka Coast Guard City the author uses real places like the long time Pronto Pup hotdog stand and events like the Grand Haven Musical Fountain alongside his fiction that gives the read a real genuine feel as the reader follows the family on outings and while in their Sears Kit house. The characters are likeable and realistic and each star has their own strengths like Iris’s childlike excitement in her garden, Lily’s old soul personality, Cory’s anguish resulting from his time at war and Abby trying to keep it all together. And it’s all perfectly expressed in a flowing easy to comprehend narrative. Each of the main protagonists are equally exceptional and the real standout in the novel the tribute to our past and present military men and women and a reminder to always thank them for their service. Fans of this master storyteller, women’s fiction, military fiction or just an unforgettable novel will find this unputdownable.
In the spring of 2003 a young family moves next door to their reclusive elderly landlady. The family consists of Cory, a vet just returned from war, his wife Abby an engineer whose new job has brought them to Grand Haven, Michigan and their small daughter Lily. This family needs a new start and Abby hopes this new place will be what they need. What they don’t need is a cantankerous old woman living behind a giant fence next door.
Iris hasn’t left the sanctuary or prison (however you look at it) of her home in decades. She’s experienced the tragic loss of her husband in WWII whose remains are still somewhere in Europe and of her daughter not so many years later stricken with a rare fatal type of polio. She spends her days months and years caring for her heirloom garden the only thing that has kept her sane for all these years. The last thing she needs is the family living in her grandmother’s cottage next door snooping into her life.
What these people don’t realize yet is that they are exactly what the other needs.
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