#BlogTour The Garden Of Shared Stories by Clare Swatman

 

I'm delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Clare Swatman's latest novel.

Synopsis

Emma is at an all-time low the day she meets Nick. She sits down in a quiet rose garden in her local park, and from nowhere a handsome man sits next to her and turns her world upside down.

Over the weeks, she and Nick meet regularly, always in the same place, always at the same time. They discover they have a lot in common – shared heartbreak, and shared dreams. They tell each other stories about the people they’ve lost – things they’ve never told anyone else. Bit by bit, they get to know each other, and fall in love.

But there’s a catch, because however much they have in common, they have one big thing keeping them apart… twenty years apart. Because when Nick is sitting in the garden it’s 1999 – two decades before Emma is there.

Emma never expected to fall in love again, but now she has, she’s not going to give up on it without a fight. But how do you turn something impossible into a happy ever after?

My Review

I've only read one other book by Clare Swatman, A Chance Worth Taking (which was originally published as Five Things I Love About You, you can read my review here), and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the tale of a middle-aged woman uprooting her life in the search for her dream lover. As a result, I leapt at the chance to read The Garden Of Shared Stories, particularly as it also has a slight mystical element.

Emma and Nick are engaging characters, and as the story progresses, you desperately want the universe to fix things so they can be together. Both are still coming to terms with the loss of a partner. Friends and family have offered support, but don't really understand what they are going through. Being able to share with someone who is dealing with the same feelings gives them a common bond; maybe this is why fate has thrown them together.

I found it easy to relate to Emma as she tried to deal with her churning emotions, particularly as she struggled to convince her best friend that Nick exists. Emma is also faced with a moral dilemma, since she lives twenty years in the future, would it be right to give Nick important information? Information that could change the future.

The whole issue of time slips/time travel is a fascinating one, but it also raises numerous questions. Clare Swatman does try to explain some of the problems with a light touch, so the story isn't bogged down by unnecessary jargon or becomes too much of a science fiction story. However, it is this element of the storyline that will probably raise the most discussion points.

As problems began to arise for the couple, I found that my reading started to slow down. I was so emotionally invested that I didn't want to see either character suffer heartbreak. If I didn't turn the page, then they'd remain in a state of limbo, and neither would be hurt. The conclusion is bittersweet, one that leaves the reader feeling satisfied after investing so many emotions.

The Garden Of Shared Stories by Clare Swatman is available in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for a review copy.

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/GardenOfSharedStories

Author Details

Clare Swatman is the author of bestselling women’s fiction novels, which have been translated into over 20 languages. She has been a journalist for over twenty years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home amongst many other magazines. She lives in Hertfordshire.