In the middle of WWII sisters Hazel & Flora are sent to the countryside to escape London. They find refuge in the house of Bridie & her son, Harry. Hazel & Flora take comfort in the imaginary word of Whisperwood, a story Hazel has created. Everything seems magical until the disappearance of Flora. Years later, Hazel finds a rare first edition book by an American author containing her story. Is Flora alive? Did she write this book? A story unfolds full of twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing what happened to Flora. I could not put this book down. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy the dual storyline. The book is just magical and the characters are so easy to love. My favorite book of 2023!

During the bombing of London many families send their children to live in the country with strangers in order to keep them safe. The evacuation was called Operation Pied Piper. During this time a little five year old girl went missing and 20 years later her disappearance still haunts her mother and sister. When a fairy tale, that only the two sisters knew about is published in a new book, there is renewed hope that the girl, Flora Lea, may still be alive.
I am a big fan of WWII historical fiction and The Secret Book of Flora Lea does fit into that category. The novel seemed to be a bit drawn out for me at times but it was an interesting story and the outcome was not predictable.

Can a story Hazel created have the power to bring home her missing sister?

Hazel & her younger sister Flora were two of the millions of children evacuated from population-dense areas of England in WWII - they ended up a long train ride away from their London home, in the quaint town of Oxfordshire with a kind woman named Bridie & her son Harry. As the war wages on, the girls are safe in the idyllic countryside next to a beautiful river; Hazel “takes” Flora to their secret imaginary fairytale land, Whisperwood, whenever life becomes a little too much. But one day after months in the countryside, Flora goes missing.

Twenty years in the future, Flora’s fate is still unknown - Hazel has done her best to simultaneously watch for clues about her sister’s whereabouts while living her own life. Hazel has a pleasant job at a bookstore but has taken a more prestigious position with an auction house, & is getting more serious with her boyfriend, Barnaby. On her last day at the bookstore, she opens a first edition of Whisperwood and the River of Stars - the story is remarkably similar to the one she used to tell Flora, & has told no one else. Can Flora still be alive? Is she the mysterious author? Much to Barnaby’s dismay, Hazel’s life is upended as she does everything in her power to dredge up the past & find the truth about the book’s origins & her sister’s fate.

This book has its share of heartache, but the overall feeling at the end is magic: how nature & storytelling are healing. The fact that Whisperwood helped them get through the war is a testament to how art is such a necessary part of life. Also I loved all of the references to J. R. R. Tolkien, Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, & Virginia Woolf. This was my first book by this author & I’m going to have to catch up on her earlier novels while also looking out for any future publications.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a wonderful journey, The Secret Book took me on throughout the 300 pages. The heartbreak of the evacuation of children from London, the relationships of love between numerous characters and the the revelations at the end rendered all day reading sessions to finish with anticipation.The clear writing creates perfect visuals of the events, which add to the quality of the story. Switching from wartime to 1960 added to the suspense. Feel the pain and the love of these in these situations and enjoy it as I did .

In the back room of a British rare books shop, Hazel unwraps an American book about a magical land that she created with her little sister Flora, twenty years ago. The same magical land that she blames for the loss of her sister, who went missing one day from the countryside and has long been presumed drowned in the Thames. The strange thing is, neither Hazel nor Flora ever told anyone about Whisperwood, so how can this book be so precise in its details? Could Flora be alive?

I absolutely loved this book! It is heartwarming and rich in detail, with a steady pace and well-written characters. I enjoyed the setting as well; despite having read plenty of WWII fiction, I've not read much about Operation Pied Piper, or really much of anything detailing the separation of British children from their parents during the war. Hazel and Flora's experiences were generally positive, though contrasting them with Kelty's did bring a dose of reality to the story.

Hazel's journey to the truth made for an excellent story, and I definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction! Thank you to Patti Callahan Henry, Atria Books, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advance readers copy, in exchange for a fair review. The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a story told in dual timelines about Hazel and Flora Lea Linden. During WWII, Hazel and Flora were forced to evacuate from their home in London to the countryside and to distract her sister from reality, Hazel invents fantastical stories about a magical land. However, Flora tragically disappears one afternoon. In present day, our story opens with Hazel discovering a book about this magical land, therefore begging the question did her long lost sister write the book and is she alive?

The mystery at the heart of this book kept me so interested and I absolutely flew through this story to find out how it ends! The dual timelines of the story kept it moving at a quick pace and made it enjoyable to breeze through. I do also want to acknowledge that while this book was a quick read for me and I did enjoy it, the story was not lighthearted, as it does cover very sad topics and the horrors of living through war.

Ultimately, I did think that the final twist in the story seemed a bit too neat and coincidental to fully buy into. However, with that being said, once we learn about that twist and the fate of our characters, I did feel very satisfied with how the story ended!

I would recommend this book to historical fiction fans and think that it would make for a great book club pick!

I was so excited to get this book through @netgalley. I love Pattie Callahan Henry’s historical fiction and I was very happy to be able to get a chance to review this book early.

This is a dual timeline historical fiction novel where we follow fourteen-year old Hazel in war-torn London of 1939, where she and five-year-old sister are evacuated to a rural village to escape the bombings which everyone fears will come. And then the story picks up twenty years later after Hazel discovers a book which describes Whisperwood and the River of Stars, a story she invented for her lost sister.

I loved following Hazel in the 1960s and uncovering the mystery of what happened to her sister. The timeline set during WWII so perfectly describes the magic that can come from stories and the reasons we tell them. This novel reminded me of The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, in a good way, since both books center around forgotten and cherished fairy tales.

If you like being reminded of your childhood where fairy tales seemed real, this would be a great book to read. I was happy to inhabit this world.

I just finished the ACR for The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry. I LOVED it!

A rare book, a child-spun fairy tale, long-suffered secrets, and a missing child guide this charming story down a river of mystery, suspense, and salvation.

The story drifts between two timelines in the life of Hazel Linden, 1939 in London at war and 1960 in London at a book story. Hazel is happy with her life, a dream job at Sotheby’s is waiting and her engagement is pending. She is packing up her things to leave her long-held job at a cozy rare bookstore. One last task, unpack boxes for the latest rare book arrivals. Who would have known that the book with a red ribbon would change the direction her happy life was flowing and drag her back to her past where memories are painful, and secrets are abundant.

In 1939, millions of British children were evacuated from war-torn London for their safety. Living in a tiny hamlet, Hazel and her sister, Floral Lea were two such children. Their new lives were filled with outdoor adventures and child-spun fairy tales. They were the lucky ones. They were staying with a wonderful family. Until one day, Flora Lea disappears.

Twenty years later, Hazel charters a course to find out what happened to Flora Lea and how her child-spun story of Whisperwood landed literally in her lap. Who knows the secret story she crafted with her five-year old sister? Who wrote the book? Is Flora Lea still alive?

I love how Hazel’s character developed on her journey. She grew not only as a woman, but also into the person she was supposed TO BE before Flora Lea was lost.

I loved the final sentences of the book, ‘In the unmapped realm in your own soul, I hope all of you find the land made just and exactly for you.’ I wish this for all the readers of this enchanting story.

The Publication date for this book is May 2, 2023. Be sure to pre-order to have your copy on Day 1!

Four and half Stars

Thank you NetGallery and Altria Books, the publisher, for sharing an advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Truly, anything Patti Callahan Henry writes is going to be good. She is a wonderful storyteller who weaves the present and the past together beautifully.

I have loved everything Patti writes and this book is no exception! Amazing storyline with incredible characters! Could not put it down. Highly highly recommend

I loved this story!! I was hooked from the very beginning and never wanted put it down. Henry’s research was evident and much appreciated, it enriched the story all the more – it actually had me begin to research the period and England's WWII Pied Piper Program. I thought the author did a wonderful job taking us, the readers, on a journey along with Hazel to uncover the truth about her sister’s disappearance while also revealing the truth about what really matters in one’s life and learning to be honest with oneself. In addition to a well-thought-out storyline, Henry did a wonderful job developing the characters – I was rooting for all of them, especially Hazel! Although I was excited to unlock the mysteries Henry carefully presents to us, I was equally sad for the story to end – the characters and Whisperwood have remained with me well after completing the story. I highly recommend this book to readers that love a good historical mystery mixed in with some romance.... and set in England.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and netgalley for providing me an arc copy of The Secret Book of Flora Lea. Two sister escape the country side in operation pied piper. Hazel the older sister tells stories to Flora in order to comfort her. Flora goes missing winds up in writing the story of Whisperwoods. Twenty years later Hazel finds the book. Patti Callahan is an amazing writer with her vibrant details I could picture exactly what was happening.

Stunning and I could not stop reading. I was transported to another time and place.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a wonderful story that crosses many genres. It’s part historical fiction, part mystery and part coming-of-age with a touch of romance. I loved the two time periods of the 1940s and the 1960s. I found the WWII parts so heartbreakingly sad, especially the evacuation of small children who don’t understand what’s going on.

The idea of a story inside a story was magical and the relationship between sisters Flora and Hazel was special, to say the least. I fully understood it because like Flora I have a sister who is much older than I am. All the elements of the book were woven together seamlessly creating emotions that had me hurting for everyone involved. I could clearly picture the descriptions in my mind’s eye, the blitz in London, the safer countryside, the planes flying overhead and even the magical land of Whisperwood.

The book was well-researched and felt true to life. All the characters were relatable and their behaviour made them feel like real people. For the most part, I really enjoyed getting to know them. This was such a special book about family, first love, stories, the ravages of war on families, and the power of one’s imagination. What a great premise and it was executed beautifully.

I recieved a copy of The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Simon and Schuster last week. I started it late on Sunday and finished it in the wee morning on Friday. What a wonderful and beautiful book about never giving up on what you know in your heart is true. The book takes you from the first weeks before the war where Hazel and her little sister Flora are living in Boomsbury, London and are soon evactuated to Bainsby, on the outskirts of Oxford. The are choosen by Birdie and her son Harry to live with them during the reminder of the war. To calm her sister Flora, Hazel makes up a story about Whisperwoods and magical doors only they can see. 20 years later Hazel is still searching for her lost sister that went missing one afternoon. Never giving up on hope she comes across a rare children's book with orignal illustrations from an American writer about Whisperwood. This discovery leads Hazel trying to locate the author and track down anyone form her past who might have heard Flora talk about Whisperwood. This book was just a delight and when you think that Hazel has finally found Flora the book takes another twist and turn. A must read for anyone who loves a good mystery, historical fiction read.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is part fairytale, part mystery and part historical fiction. Book lovers will be instantly drawn into the life of bookseller Hazel Linden who discovers a mysterious book that tells the story of an imaginary land called Whisperwood.

Set in England and told in alternating timelines of 1939 and 1960, Patty Callahan Henry expertly braids together this magical historical fiction book. In 1939, Hazel is 14 and her younger sister, Flora Lea is 5. The sisters are evacuated from London at the start of World War II to a rural village in the countryside. In order to distract her little sister from homesickness and news of the war, Hazel creates a story about a fictitious world that only the two of them share. Hazel takes her role as big sister to heart until a tragedy makes her question her ability to keep her sister safe. Twenty years later, Hazel finds a book written by an American author the tells her secret story of Whisperwood.

The beautifully written characters and compelling plot kept me engrossed in this story. An emotional, heartwarming and hopeful family story about sisterhood, war, love and hope.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to review this title before its release.

This is the delightful, cozy story of Hazel, a woman who works at a rare bookstore, and how her life gets turned upside down when she crosses paths with a mysterious book that tells tales about an imaginary land that she once shared with her younger sister. Having created this magical, fictional place called Whisperwood from her own imagination, Hazel is astonished to see it all laid out on pages in front of her, and it ultimately sets her off on a quest to find answers to the heartbreaking mysteries of her adolescence. The Secret Book of Flora Lea weaves together historical fiction, mystery and magic to create a memorable story of the love of family and found-family, loss and grief, and hope.

The story unfolds through two alternating timelines, one in late 1939 at the start of WWII and one in 1960, and I thought they were equally engaging. I enjoyed all of the well-developed characters (even if Hazel did border on the verge of annoying sometimes with some of her stubbornness and immaturity), and I was completely invested in finding out how everything would come together in the end. The pacing made for a slow build up that felt maybe a little drawn out at times, with a relatively quick resolution, but the beautiful writing kept me completely immersed throughout. I was enchanted the whole way through with so many emotions felt along the way from heartbreak to hope, and I look forward to reading more of the masterful storytelling from Patti Callahan Henry!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Patti Callahan Henry and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA by Patti Callahan Henry is a beautifully-written and moving story of sisters, family and love that kept me mesmerized from beginning to end. It has the perfect blend of fairy tale, mystery, romance and historical context to keep the reader engrossed. In 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel Linden and her five-year-old sister, Flora Lea are evacuated from their home in London to a rural village in the English countryside to protect them from German bombings. The sisters move in with Bridie Aberdeen and her son, Harry, and although they miss their mother terribly, they are treated very kindly by the Aberdeens. To distract her little sister from the news of the war, Hazel invents a fairy tale about Whisperwood, a secret and magical land only the two of them share. Their contentment comes to a tragic end when Flora vanishes from the bank of the Thames, presumed to have drowned. Haunted by guilt, Hazel can never forgive herself for not keeping Flora safe. Twenty years later, Hazel is working at a rare bookstore and is stunned to discover a picture book written by an author in the US that describes the Whisperwood of her stories for Flora. Could someone else know of their secret fairytale? Could the presence of this book mean that Flora is still alive? The stories from both timelines are equally compelling. The raw emotions of the characters fill every page. I was entranced by this story of heartbreak, healing and hope and didn’t want it to end. I highly recommend this delightful book. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry was a great read. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline! The novel takes place during WWII and today in Britain. The dual setting allows for the main character to have a voice in the past and in the present. I liked how the story went back and forth. I liked how the story followed an event from the past as it was uncovered and solved in the present. I also liked how everything was a bit muddy at times which reflect real life.

Hazel and Flora were shipped to the countryside when the bombing of London was going to begin. They luckily found a wonderful second home with Bridie and Harry unlike others. Flora would get homesick and Hazel would tell her stories about a magical land. They had places to explore and they were safe with Bridie and Harry. Their mom would come up when she could.

Present Day, Hazel works at an antique book store. She is in the midst of getting a better job and is hoping for a future with a long time boyfriend, Barnaby. Due to a book with original art, Hazel is brought back to WWII and her stories with her sister Flora. That's when we find out about Flora.

I loved this story! I loved the characters and how they worked though so much to get to a conclusion. I found there were a couple of twists and enjoyed the slow discovery of what really happened. Patti Callahan Henry has written a wonderful story that help me in awe of the story! I loved this book!

Beautiful book that explores themes of found family, sisterhood, and first loves all set against the backdrop of World War Two. My favorite books are those that teach me something about history, and it was interesting to learn about the Pied Piper Operation.