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THE GARDEN OF SHARED STORIES
Clare Swatman
Boldwood Books
December 3, 2025
291 pages
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Here I go again…..I just read a book with a theme totally outside my wheelhouse.
This is the story of Emma and Nick, who meet in a park in a bandshell. There is an instant connection. But, there’s a problem: he is living in 1999 and she is living in 2019. And there’s another issue: the only place they can get together is at this bandshell. Magic realism, time shift, normally not my thing.
There’s quite a bit of drama. There are a couple of turns in the plot that surprised me. But, I like the characters, I can empathize with their frustration. I want it to end well for them.
If I let my black and white brain relax, I can abandon a linear thought process, and I can sit back and enjoy this magical tale. It is difficult, but I succeed. In conclusion, I did enjoy the story. And, I found it quite entertaining. The ending was satisfying.
When I was a child, I enjoyed fairy tales. I never thought to question the reality of the tales. So, why should I question it now?
Rating it 3.5 stars, rounding it up, just because.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advance readers copy.
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