The Secret Book Of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
Thank you to the publisher, Simon And Schuster Canada, for sending me the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Book Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis comes a tale about a woman who stumbles across a mysterious children’s book that holds secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II.
1939: Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora evacuate their London home for a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the Aberdeen family in a charming stone cottage, Hazel distracts her younger sister with a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own: Whisperwood.
But the unthinkable happens when Flora suddenly vanishes after playing near the banks of the River Thames. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, carrying the guilt into adulthood.
Twenty years later, Hazel is back in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore for a career at Sotheby’s. With a cherished boyfriend and an upcoming Paris getaway, her future seems set. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing a picture book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the storybook world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to her beloved sister’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that Flora is still alive after all these years? Or is something sinister at play?
Inspired by the history of the Pied Piper Children, this novel is a poignant reminder of the magical power of stories to draw us together—and ultimately bring us home.
My Review
The Secret Book of Flora Lea is told in alternating time periods and the switch back and forth in time with each chapter is smooth and doesn't remove the reader from being immersed in the story at all through the reading.
This book is about the bond of sisterhood and is about the power of stories to bring us together and keep us connected with each other and with our home. This book is also about books and stories and the power they have to transport us. This book is perfect for anyone who loves books and loves to read. There is also an element of mystery in this novel.
There is also an element of romance in this book which I enjoyed and this is very much a novel about first love. I really enjoyed the addition of the epilogue at the end of this novel which provides the reader with a glimpse in to the future for the characters in this novel.
My Rating
5/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Details
Author: Patti Callahan Henry.
Publisher: Simon And Schuster Canada.
Publication Date: May 2, 2023.
Genre: Historical Fiction. Romance. World War II. War. Historical. Mystery. Fantasy. Books About Books. Fiction.
Edition: Paperback.
Pages: 368.
Comments