Synopsis:

In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that she creates for her sister and her sister alone—a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own.

But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while playing near the banks of the river. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, and she carries that guilt into adulthood as a private burden she feels she deserves.

Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore to a career at Sotheby’s. With a charming boyfriend and her elegantly timeworn Bloomsbury flat, Hazel’s future seems determined. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing an illustrated book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the imaginary world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years?

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What To Expect:

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a historical fiction (light on the historical and heavy on the fiction) with a touch of mystery and magical imagination. You can expect an emotional, whimsical, and heartfelt story about sisterhood, first love, and family.

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Content Warnings:

Language: Moderate

Sexual Content: Open Door – Brief open door scene

Violence: Moderate – Some violence that is implied or lightly described. Mild to moderate amount of discussion and writing around child disappearance, death, and kidnapping.

Substance Use: Mild – Alcohol is mildly mentioned.

Prejudices: None

Religious Themes: This book mentions and talks about a few different saints that the local towns people recognize. Magic is also mentioned along with the fear surrounding magic to be tied to witches.

Other Topics: None

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