The Garden of Shared Stories: A BRAND NEW uplifting novel of love and friendship from Clare Swatman for 2025

The BRAND NEW gorgeously heartfelt novel from the BESTSELLING author of The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright, Clare Swatman ✨📖 Perfect for fans of of Lucy Diamond, Marian Keyes and Jill Mansell. 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?

Praise for Clare Swatman:

'Irresistible... A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' Sunday Mirror

'Utterly believable, charming and immersive, full of acute emotional insights and truths, this is a novel every women will identify with. Highly recommended.' F.L. Everett

'An absolutely gorgeous festive read which will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I related to Bea from the very first page of this beautifully written story.' Freya Kennedy

'It was so easy to get absorbed into the world Clare Swatman has created for Beth. I felt her losses and disappointments acutely, which only made the ending more satisfying. It really kept me guessing, too.' Laura Pearson

'Warm, immersive and hugely relatable, The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright really tugged at my heartstrings. I galloped through this story of friendship, motherhood and love in all its forms.' Lisa Timoney

'Swatman does it again! An engaging read about heartbreak, navigating new normals and finding your feet in a new life you never expected to have. One to curl up with on a rainy day.' Rachel Dove

© 2025 Boldwood Books (Ebook): 9781785130915

Release date

Ebook: 3 December 2025