Overall I liked this book. It had some good twists and turns. The premise was really good but occasionally I wondered if the protagonist had a brain. A good example of this is when she is trapped and (trying not to have a spoiler here) she pulls out her cell phone and threatens to call someone for help. She was WAY past that idea. She could have possibly had a way to reach out for help had she not given her only secret away.
The main character is Gilly who is a landscape designer. The story of her falling in love with the homeowner she is working for (Marc) who also happens to be a rich and handsome widower with a young child is a little rote, but the story is still well-written and has a lot of other good characters added that make the story a good read.
As I said earlier, there are also some good twists in the book. I think that most of the characters are well developed and likable. There are naturally a few villains thrown in also, but they serve their purposes and the story is rather clever in the end. .
I would recommend this book as a good solid read.

The cover is beautiful and the description made me want to read this book. I love stories set in Ireland. The countryside and the characters are always so charming. This book, however, started out very slow, and I really didn't like Gilly at first. She seemed very young and immature and not very well fleshed out and I struggle with stories where I can't connect to the main character/s.
Once the romance and the mystery started, I began to enjoy the book. The mystery and the adventure were fun and the story ended nicely.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Interesting and unusual tale set mostly in rural Ireland. A neglected garden and a mysterious owner with secrets. A big twist and a few red herrings.

I was the wrong reader for this book. The cover is beautiful, the premise so promising: a neglected garden brought back to lush glorious life by a woman with her own broken and neglected career, finances, and love life--in the countryside with fascinating characters. Here's why I was wrong: I was seduced by what could have been and was shattered when it did not come together. Was it the writing? Yes. Was it the characters? Yes -- even the protagonist is as trope, as trite and cardboard as all the others. It felt at times like cardboard figures set up so you could knock them down once you'd shoved them into the appropriate box. Was it the situation? Yes. All of these could have been pushed down so I could read the story to the end, but I couldn't do it because the protagonist was such a whiny, self-indulgent, inept....well, I couldn't stand her. That's why I was the wrong reader. I wish I wasn't, but I was and I'm sorry for that and wasting my time on the book I started twice and could not read.

Gilly and her sister Vanessa could not be more different. Vanessa is organized, methodical and has a plan for everything. Gilly is haphazard, unwilling to think things through and right now finds herself in a predicament. She has given up on her present job, walked out on it actually, is overdrawn at the bank, has no place of her own and knows she is on sufferance at her sister's flat.

A chance offer of turning a neglected garden into an oasis of tranquility serving five apartments with an employer who is not a control freak is a wonderful chance for Gilly to assert her independence and get her life back on track.

The employer himself a wealthy businessman seems to have a lot going on in his life, lots of secrets and is an enigma. It does not help that both Gilly and Marc are attracted to each other but both are wary of the future.

Involving past secrets overshadowing the present, a complicated case of revenge, abduction and over riding it all beautiful garden talk makes this book very readable! Romance with shades of suspense and mystery all evolve very nicely together.

Gilly is anxious and impatient to prove her worth to her family so much so that she ignored all their advice and decided to do things her way which seems to be a big mistake on her part.
Now faced with such a gloomy and dismal outlook she places her hopes on a long shot.

Ireland, 2010. Gilly Townsend’s beloved landscaping business has trouble surviving the financial crash and a break up with a boyfriend and her sister about to get married (and wishing she would move out) does not make life more rosy.

Then she is offered a project to restore a neglected walled garden on an country estate near Dublin. The owner is Marc, an English property developer, who lives there with his 4-year old son and his housekeeper. The house is used as a conference centre and the buildings on the estate are rented to tenants.

At first glance it looks all very idyllic but there are dark clouds on the horizon. Marc experienced two traumatic events in his life and is now blackmailed by persons unknown and Gilly and the small boy see a strange white lady.

The novel has some romance elements in it but I was not so impressed. It feels like that comes up from thin air and you see no gradual warming. But that might be just me.

Another aspect of the novel is the mystery part and I did like that. Also thought it well thought through.

What I found really interesting was Marc's time doing business in Japan.

There is a lot of gardening in the book. For people with green thumbs a must I think. In my case sometimes quite lost in translation. As Gilly explains to someone flowers and plants have Latin names because the local names can be very confusing when you cross a border. I can vouch for that :).

Pub Date: 08 Feb 2019

4 stars out of 5

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a mystery but it is not your typical mystery novel. It was a very refreshing read.

I enjoyed the depth and complexity of the characters, as well as their relationships and actions.

Gilly starts off a pretty unlikable character, but I liked how she developed to be kind and loveable.

The adventure of the book was a surprise, but it was a welcomed surprise.

I'd recommend this if you like mystery, but also for fans of adventure of well!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Neglected Garden.

Very good novel! This one is refreshing all around--not a typical mystery. I enjoyed the depth of characters, their relationships and actions, but most of all, the twists in the plot! Though Gilly talks too much and has lost some gardening design jobs, she was lovable and kind. On the other hand Marc, more serious and dependable, was burdened with terrible secrets. The adventures of these two individuals made for a very pleasant read--while a couple of the surprises nearly caused anxiety because the book was so well written! I will gladly read from this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Suzanne Winterly for the ARC!

An interesting story set in 2010 Ireland, with some really fun characters and interesting plot devices.

This book was very slow to start for me, and at first I had a hard time liking the main character, Gilly. She seemed at the beginning of the novel like a pretty hollow character, and very young, throwing a bit of a tantrum at her sister's house and earlier that day while at work.
But once the novel got going the character balanced out a bit and seemed a bit more likable. The story got it's footing a bit later too, after a shaky start, once the romance started between the two leads and the mystery was able to really get going.

Overall I enjoyed this story and think that it is a worthwhile read, if you can work your way through the slow start for around the first third. While there isn't anything groundbreaking in the mystery itself, it is told in an interesting way and has a satisfying ending.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This is a good story full of mystery and romance. Would not set the world alight in the literacy sense but a good read.

The novel is set in Ireland in 2010. Gilly Townsend is an unemployed garden designer. The economic downturn has been disastrous for her business, and If it weren’t for her soon to be married older sister she would be homeless. Providentially a dream job is offered. Gilly is to restore a derelict walled garden on a grand estate. The estate, Glanesfort, is owned by Marc Fletcher, a property developer based in London. Marc is a young widower with a four year old son, Samuel. Gilly is intrigued by Marc, but she is equally interested in Fergus Browne, the charming estate manager. As Gilly spends time at Glanesfort, she becomes very attached to the grounds, to Samuel, and to Marc. As they get to know one another Gilly learns Marc has a secret in his past that he is not willing to share. Someone has been blackmailing him for more than six months and then Samuel is kidnapped. A clever crime and I was surprised by the perpetrator.
The characters are well developed and the setting plays an important role. If you’re a fan of Mary Stewart and Phylis Whitney you will enjoy this book. A good mix of romance and suspense with likable characters.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free electronic arc. Would recommend.

A nice refreshing story that I really enjoyed! Loved the mystery and romance! Perfect book for the beach

A romance with some mystery thrown in. Who is threatening Marc? This story is well written with believable characters and set in wonderful Ireland. It is more than a love story.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A little bit of romance, a bit of mystery and a whole lot of gardening. The imagery is quite marvelous. The plot is somewhat tenuous. The blackmail and kidnapping provided some suspense, the kidnapping especially seemed quite contrived, and a bit out of place. Lovely writing, good descriptions, and the restoration of an abandoned garden do make this a fun and worthwhile read.

When Gilly takes a job as gardener/landscape designer at a mansion nearby she becomes interested in the homeowner and his young son. I liked the descriptions of the gardens/plants and learned about some new flowers by reading this book. There was just the right amount of romance and suspense in this novel also. As Mark the homeowner tries to figure out how best to deal with a black mailer without involving his employees or his toddler son, Gilly and Mark begin to fall for each other. Mark hires a detective to try and solve the mystery of who and why Mark is being blackmailed. There are also secrets in Mark's past that he is trying to forget. What will become of their relationship when said secrets are revealed. A interesting, fun book to read.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
At first I didn't like Gilly, she had a small hissy fit at her sister's after walking out on a client whose garden she was working on. But when she gets a new one at Glanesford, outside of Dublin, to restore a walled garden, she got her act together and became much more sympathetic. It's a big job and she's thrilled to have the chance at restoring the space and earning some much needed money.
Her boss, Marc, is good to her, even though he's at first not easy to get close too. He has a little 4-year old son, who is alone a lot with his caretaker as his father travels back and forth to meetings. As time progresses they are drawn to each other, but Marc's past is mysterious and full of trouble.
As things come to a frightening head and the past catches up with Marc, there are some tense and dangerous times.I
On the whole I enjoyed this book. I had to suspend my belief a bit and sighed at the choices Ginny made, but it was a good read with a satisfying conclusion.

Gilly’s landscaping business doesn’t survive the financial crash of 2008. Then she gets a commission to restore a walled garden. Marc the owner of the garden wants an escape for himself and his young son. Gilly’s work in the garden restores him leading to a deepening of their relationship. This novel has been described as standalone romantic suspense I would agree.
Felt this was a well written captivating novel with a dash of gothic. Enjoyed the varied locations Ireland Japan. Felt the characters were well drawn and had depth. I enjoyed the descriptive elements of the gardens without feeling it overwhelmed the story.
The story is not overly intricate and I felt it tied up nicely in the end. Interesting to see what this author does next. Would recommend this