Hannah Mori

Haunted by the loss of her fiancé, botanist Hana Ishikawa seeks solace in the tranquil beauty of Kyoto. Tasked with restoring the forgotten gardens of the Nakamura Estate, she finds herself drawn into a world where flowers bloom in vibrant hues, mirroring the deepest emotions of the human heart. But the garden is more than just a reflection; it whispers secrets of generations past, carried on the breeze and woven into the rustling leaves.

Hana's scientific curiosity intertwines with a burgeoning sense of wonder as she uncovers fragments of the estate's last owner, the reclusive artist Yoshiko Nakamura. Yoshiko’s tale of forbidden love and profound heartbreak echoes Hana’s own grief, drawing her deeper into the garden's mystical embrace. Guided by Kenji Tanaka, a local historian bearing his own quiet sorrow, Hana navigates the labyrinthine paths and uncovers a hidden truth: the garden not only reflects emotions but absorbs them, holding the imprints of hearts long silenced.

As Hana pieces together Yoshiko’s tragic past, she discovers the Seed of Emotions, a pulsating seed promising the blissful oblivion of forgotten sorrow. The temptation is almost overwhelming, but the garden, through its subtle shifts in color and increasingly insistent whispers, warns her against this dangerous path. Kenji, too, cautions Hana, his own experience a testament to the importance of embracing the full spectrum of human experience.

A torrential autumn storm brings a climactic vision, revealing Yoshiko's desperate attempt to erase her grief by merging with the garden’s emotional core – a choice that trapped her within its verdant embrace. Faced with a similar crossroads, Hana must choose her own destiny. Will she succumb to the allure of forgetting, or will she embrace the chaotic beauty of her own heart, finding solace not in oblivion but in remembrance? In the gardens of forgotten smiles, Hana discovers that true healing lies not in erasing pain but in accepting the vibrant tapestry of human emotion, the intertwined nature of joy and sorrow, and the enduring power of love that blossoms even in the face of loss.

PublishDrive

The Gardens of Whispering Hearts

The Gardens of Forgotten Smiles: A Novel of Lost Love and Hidden Magic