The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams: Book Review

The Twilight Garden is the sophomore release by Sara Nisha Adams. Released in June 2023, this dual-timeline story takes readers to a small neighborhood in London. Winston has lived at 77 Stoke Newington Green for years and knows a few people in the neighborhood. Bernice recently moved into 79 with her son. They share a garden, and little else. Will receiving anonymous packages of newspaper clippings and photos bring them together? Or will they move further apart?

CW/TW: divorce, death, grief

Synopsis from Goodreads

Between the houses of Number 77 and Number 79 on Stoke Newington Green in London, there is a shared garden. It was a beautiful thing once, a little oasis in a bustling city. Now it’s overgrown and neglected, an empty patch of greenery lost to time. But that suits neighbors Winston and Bernice just fine—their houses may share the garden, but they’re not exactly neighborly.

But one day, a mysterious parcel drops through Winston’s door at 77. It contains no note, only a bundle of photographs of the shared garden many years ago—vibrant with flowers and wildlife, filled with people from every corner of the community. Is someone trying to tell them something?

As a seed is planted. Winston and Bernice lay down their arms and pick up their gardening gloves. As they dig and plant, scrub and water, the garden begins to come out of hibernation—and the frostiness between them slowly begins to thaw. In finding their green fingers, the unlikely pair also start to hatch a bigger plan—could the shared garden help to revive the community spirit that’s been languishing for so long? With a little help from the secret gardener sending the parcels, they’re determined to find out.

My Opinions

I added The Twilight Garden to my TBR back in January 2022, after I finished reading Adams’ first book, The Reading List. So why did it take me four years to read it? Basically, because I forgot about it. And for that, I wholeheartedly apologize. There are so many books in the world, and so little time. I am grateful that I finally read it. The Twilight Garden is a cozy story full of hope and found family.

The characters are believable and truly realistic. Winston is a young man who is unsure of his path in life. Bernice is struggling to find her footing and strength to ask for help after a divorce. Maya is a woman trying to find a community to help replace the one she left behind when she moved to England as a newlywed.

My biggest issue with the book, and it may have been because I listened to the audiobook, was the multiple POV (three total) told over two different timelines. One timeline is the current one, mostly told through Winston and Bernice. The other timeline starts in the 1970s and is told through Maya. While each chapter is marked with a date and time, it can still be a tad confusing.

Overall, I found The Twilight Garden to be a cozy found family story. I feel that if you enjoy reading Jenny Colgan’s books, you’ll enjoy reading Adams as well.

Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.