Welcome to The Homebrewed Novelist

Homebrewed (adj.): made at home rather than commercially produced

What do a good book and a good cup of tea have in common? They must be savored. But in this world of quick content and generated creativity, finding a good book can feel as daunting as picking a vitamin at a health food store.

This is a space for people who want to savor their reading, who desire to be moved by beautiful craftsmanship and quality execution. And those who like tea. If that sounds inviting, sit down, get comfortable, and stay a while. Let’s enjoy something beautiful together.

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Recipe Notes

• Title: The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes
• Genre: Historical fiction (WWII/present day)
• Theme: Forgiveness for past wrongs
• Character development: lacking—both main characters felt bland
• Pacing: quick read, but some plot points were off
• Surprise elements: floriography
• Similar blends: Kate Morton meets The Scarlet Pimpernel
• How I’d brew it: more development of emotional subplots
• Pairs with: English Breakfast Tea. Did you know—during WWII tea was such an important part of boosting morale and keeping troops hydrated that Britain bought all the tea imports across the world except from Germany and Japan?
• Overall flavor + number of teacups: ☕☕☕☕/5 for a light read that I wouldn’t keep on my shelf.

Julia, a historical garden restorationist, journeys to Havenworth Manor for a job opportunity and a fresh start. What she finds is more than once grand gardens in disrepair—she meets an employer with deep-rooted hurts and an estate with plenty of secrets buried beneath the soil.

Told from dual 1st person perspectives, The Restoration Garden follows the lives of Julia—a modern restorationist—and Irene—a young woman living during World War II—which intertwine in a tale of secrets, betrayal, and ultimate forgiveness for past wrongs.

While I enjoyed this quick read, I found both main characters to be somewhat lacking in depth. Both felt similar to each other (down to the color of their hair), including their narrative voices. I did appreciate the gesture of creating parallel heroines, but the execution could have been a little more fine-tuned. The supporting characters of Margaret (both her child and adult self) and Sam were compelling, lively, and played a huge role in why I continued reading.

Some minor points of contention I had involved the placement of major plot points. The beginning of the book went pretty quickly, but the middle dragged a bit thanks to an early First Plot Point. When the book’s climax drew near, I found myself wondering where and what the novel’s Midpoint was. Other amusing things made me wonder if the editing was rushed—in one scene, a character snubbed his cigarette twice and placed his forearms on different parts of his legs three times. Another time a character was mentioned who hadn’t appeared before, and I can only assume he was intended to be a different character with a similar name.

But my biggest structural complaint was in how the mystery unraveled for the reader. The present/past framework left readers with very little guessing as to how certain events unfolded. As soon as one section raised a question, the next was sure to answer it. Related to this woe is the curse of telling—the narrators often told us how they were feeling or what was happening instead of showing us through descriptive language. After a while, I began to feel emotionally detached from their problems. I also wish the author had developed a couple of the many subplots better (such as the ones involving Sam or Andrew and Helen). Unfortunate, because these subplots could have amplified the theme and made the book’s message even more poignant had they been handled differently.

If I had to describe The Restoration Garden in other works, I’d say it combines the structure of a Kate Morton book with a nod to the plot of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

For all my critique, I did quite enjoy reading this book. Overall, the concept was compelling enough to draw me in and keep me turning pages. The addition of floriography—the Victorian language of flowers—gave me a pleasant surprise. This element paired perfectly with the gardens and covert communication systems used during the war. And though the story left some depth to be desired, I would still recommend it to fans of historical fiction seeking a quick and easy read.

☕ Sound like your cup of tea? Buy the book here: https://amzn.to/3KNqeWz [affiliate link]