The Unfinished Garden
A love story about grief, OCD, and dirt
Tilly Silverberg is rebuilding her life with her young son, Isaac, one potted-up plant at a time. Since her husband’s death, gardening has become her livelihood and her salvation. Hiding out in the North Carolina forest, she wants only to be left alone with Isaac and her greenhouse.
New to the area, successful software developer James Nealy needs a garden. On a solitary mission to reclaim his life from irrational obsessions and relentless compulsions, he has a plan: to conquer his greatest fear. Dirt. One glimpse—or two—of Tilly’s garden, and he knows she holds the key. But when he asks her to take him on as a client, she refuses.
After a family emergency pulls Tilly and Isaac back to her native England, she’s quietly happy, because nothing has changed in her childhood village. Or has it? Her first love is unexpectedly single, her mother is scheming, and her best friend is keeping secrets. Then James appears on her doorstep.
Tenuous at first, but gradually taking root, James and Tilly forge an unlikely bond. As they work together to rescue a garden choked by neglect, they unearth each other’s secrets, each other’s fears, each other’s hopes—and maybe, a shared second chance.
“Claypole White does not merely write about people with mental illness—she inhabits them.” Lee Smith, New York Times bestseller author
“Claypole White’s gift is her ability to put us into the troubled minds of her characters in a way that helps us not only understand them but fall in love with them as well. We discover that while their minds may be different from ours, their hearts are the same.” Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author
“A fabulous debut novel, The Unfinished Garden easily earns Romance Junkies’ highest rating of five blue ribbons and a recommended read status for its unpredictable originality! So good!” Romance Junkies
“The Unfinished Garden is a powerful story of friendship and courage in the midst of frightening circumstances … I highly recommend this wonderful love story.” Bergers’ Book Reviews ?
“Claypole White … conveys the condition of OCD, and how it creates havoc in one’s life and the lives of loved ones, with style and grace, never underplaying the seriousness of the disorder.” Romantic Times
My review
This is a delightful, moving story that is beautifully narrated. It touches on difficult issues but handles them in a very approachable way so that once can appreciate how serious they are but is not overwhelmed.
Our two main characters are flawed but genuine, and are both courageous in attempting to tackling the things that trip them up. They both discover that gardening is therapeutic for them, but will it be enough to help them deal with their demons enough to move forwards together.
If you enjoy gardening you’ll love all the references to it in the novel, and even if you’re not. It’s lovely to see nature play a part in the story.
This is quietly powerful novel that you’ll thoroughly enjoy from start to finish.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Unfinished-Garden-Audiobook/1094056715
US – https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Unfinished-Garden-Audiobook/1094056715?
Author Bio – Bestselling author Barbara Claypole White writes hopeful family drama with a healthy dose of mental illness. Born in England, she works and gardens in the forests of North Carolina, where she lives with her family. Her novels include: The Unfinished Garden, which won the Golden Quill for Best First Book; The In-Between Hour, a SIBA Okra Pick; The Perfect Son, a Goodreads Choice Awards Semi-finalist; Echoes of Family, a WFWA Star Award Finalist; and The Promise Between Us, a 2018 Nautilus Award Winner.
Barbara is an OCD advocate for the nonprofit A2A Alliance, which promotes advocacy over adversity. To connect with her, please visit www.barbaraclaypolewhite.com
Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraClaypoleWhite
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/barbara-claypole-white
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778132.Barbara_Claypole_White
https://twitter.com/bclaypolewhite
https://www.instagram.com/bclaypolewhite/?hl=en
Thank you, so much, for taking the time to listen and review. <3