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The Garnett Girls
10 hours, 15 minutes
In this brilliant debut novel full of heart and warmth, three very different sisters—and their free-spirited mother—must grapple with life, responsibilities, and family secrets.
Love makes you do things you never thought you were capable of…
Forbidden, passionate and all-encompassing, Margo and Richard’s love affair was the stuff of legend—but, ultimately, doomed.
When Richard walked out, Margo locked herself away, leaving her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha, to run wild.
Years later, charismatic Margo entertains lovers and friends in her cottage on the Isle of Wight, refusing to ever speak of Richard and her painful past. But her silence is keeping each of the Garnett girls from finding true happiness.
Rachel is desperate to return to London but is held hostage by responsibility for Sandcove, their beloved but crumbling family home.
Dreamy Imogen feels the pressure to marry her kind, considerate fiancé, even when life is taking an unexpected turn.
And wild, passionate Sasha, trapped between her fractured family and controlling husband, is weighed down by a secret that could shake the family to its core…
The Garnett Girls, the captivating debut novel from Georgina Moore, asks whether children can ever be free of the mistakes of their parents.
In this brilliant debut novel full of heart and warmth, three very different sisters—and their free-spirited mother—must grapple with life, responsibilities, and family secrets.
Love makes you do things you never thought you were capable of…
Forbidden, passionate and all-encompassing, Margo and Richard’s love affair was the stuff of legend—but, ultimately, doomed.
When Richard walked out, Margo locked herself away, leaving her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha, to run wild.
Years later, charismatic Margo entertains lovers and friends in her cottage on the Isle of Wight, refusing to ever speak of Richard and her painful past. But her silence is keeping each of the Garnett girls from finding true happiness.
Rachel is desperate to return to London but is held hostage by responsibility for Sandcove, their beloved but crumbling family home.
Dreamy Imogen feels the pressure to marry her kind, considerate fiancé, even when life is taking an unexpected turn.
And wild, passionate Sasha, trapped between her fractured family and controlling husband, is weighed down by a secret that could shake the family to its core…
The Garnett Girls, the captivating debut novel from Georgina Moore, asks whether children can ever be free of the mistakes of their parents.
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First published January 2, 2023
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About the author
Georgina Moore
5 books83 followersGeorgina Moore grew up in London and lives on a houseboat on the River Thames with her partner, two children and Bomber, the Border Terrier. The Garnett Girls is her first novel and is set on the Isle of Wight, where Georgina and her family have a holiday houseboat called Sturdy. Georgina's second novel River of Stars is out on 3rd July and is inspired by Georgina's life on the river but also by the musical heritage and artistic community of an island upstream from her called Eel Pie Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 751 reviews
October 21, 2022
The Garnett siblings are Rachel, Imogen and Sasha. Rachel is married to Gabriel, she’s a lawyer and definitely the solution finder and a decision maker in this family unit. Sensitive Imogen is a playwright, she’s engaged to steady William whose marriage proposal in Venice is not especially romantic! Sasha in the past is known to be the fun one but marriage to Phil firmly put a stop to that. Their father, Richard, an alcoholic, abruptly leaves the family when Sasha is four years old. Their mother is Margot, a journalist, whose impending 60th birthday forces a reflection on the indignities of aging and the looming bus pass but for now she is an enthusiastic partner of a much younger lover. All four Garnett girls are lookers and with brains too! They all hold onto the past which most certainly informs the present especially in their behaviour. This is their story as the past and present collide.
This is a well written character driven novel. All the characters are well portrayed, they’re flawed but likeable even if they’re a bit maddening you’d still crave an invitation to one of Margot‘s famous parties! The dynamics are really interesting between them and this ebbs and flows. Their loves and relationships with partners are very much affected by the loss of their father and by Margot herself which makes for interesting reading. The portraits of the various marriages is done well and you get a really peaky ringside seat inside them!
The setting, principally on the Isle of Wight is fantastic and very enticing. It’s used most effectively in the storytelling and I especially like how Imogen uses the history of the small island in the Solent in her writing.
My only negative is there’s a sudden backtracking to an earlier timeline before and after Richard left and I don’t think you need this as the situation is well covered in the present day and so I’m not too keen on this.
This is a book that sort of sneaks up on you and you find yourself fully invested in the Garnett Girls lives. This is an enjoyable read and a promising debut novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This is a well written character driven novel. All the characters are well portrayed, they’re flawed but likeable even if they’re a bit maddening you’d still crave an invitation to one of Margot‘s famous parties! The dynamics are really interesting between them and this ebbs and flows. Their loves and relationships with partners are very much affected by the loss of their father and by Margot herself which makes for interesting reading. The portraits of the various marriages is done well and you get a really peaky ringside seat inside them!
The setting, principally on the Isle of Wight is fantastic and very enticing. It’s used most effectively in the storytelling and I especially like how Imogen uses the history of the small island in the Solent in her writing.
My only negative is there’s a sudden backtracking to an earlier timeline before and after Richard left and I don’t think you need this as the situation is well covered in the present day and so I’m not too keen on this.
This is a book that sort of sneaks up on you and you find yourself fully invested in the Garnett Girls lives. This is an enjoyable read and a promising debut novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
April 24, 2023
3.5 stars
The Garnett Girls had a hold on me even though I wouldn't say the the cast of characters are extremely likeable people. It's like I didn't want to look away from this family. At the end of the day we all have flaws and make mistakes. It's what makes us human and I'm glad the author didn't shy away from featuring imperfect characters.
After Margo's husband, Richard, left, she refused to speak of him, not even to their three young daughters. Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha are adults now and having a father who abandoned them obviously had a lasting impact on their lives. The story follows Margo and her daughters with most of the action taking place in London and the Isle of Wight.
The characters were not equally fleshed out in my opinion as Sasha at times seemed like an afterthought. I did like Rachel's storyline arc as it's a good example of how leaving the interpretation up to the reader can sometimes work well.
Notice I said sometimes in that previous sentence. My main criticism of this book is there were more than a few instances in which key moments essentially happened off screen. You just learn about them a little later on in the story. I thought that was the easy way out for the writer and felt cheated out of some important conversations between characters. (I'm going to tiptoe around spoilers here and mention I'm actually fine with how the book wrapped up in the final chapters. I'm more referring to things in the middle of the story.)
The family drama genre is a crowded field but this book manages to feel somewhat unique. Made for a decent weekend read.
Thank you Avon Books for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
The Garnett Girls had a hold on me even though I wouldn't say the the cast of characters are extremely likeable people. It's like I didn't want to look away from this family. At the end of the day we all have flaws and make mistakes. It's what makes us human and I'm glad the author didn't shy away from featuring imperfect characters.
After Margo's husband, Richard, left, she refused to speak of him, not even to their three young daughters. Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha are adults now and having a father who abandoned them obviously had a lasting impact on their lives. The story follows Margo and her daughters with most of the action taking place in London and the Isle of Wight.
The characters were not equally fleshed out in my opinion as Sasha at times seemed like an afterthought. I did like Rachel's storyline arc as it's a good example of how leaving the interpretation up to the reader can sometimes work well.
Notice I said sometimes in that previous sentence. My main criticism of this book is there were more than a few instances in which key moments essentially happened off screen. You just learn about them a little later on in the story. I thought that was the easy way out for the writer and felt cheated out of some important conversations between characters. (I'm going to tiptoe around spoilers here and mention I'm actually fine with how the book wrapped up in the final chapters. I'm more referring to things in the middle of the story.)
The family drama genre is a crowded field but this book manages to feel somewhat unique. Made for a decent weekend read.
Thank you Avon Books for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
December 2, 2022
Margo Garnett was a teenager when she married Richard O’Leary and her parents were very disappointed with her. When Richard left her, Margo struggled to cope, her sister Alice helped out when she could and her eldest daughter Rachel took care of her younger sisters Imogen and Sasha.
It was a lot of responsibility for a ten year old girl, Rachel hates her father and has never tried to find him. Rachel is a lawyer, she and her husband Gabriel and two daughters live at Sandcove on the Isle of Wight and it's the family home by the seaside. The three Garnett girls are close, they love their mother Margo and at times they have found her behavior embarrassing. Margo likes chase younger men, throw wild parties at Sandcove, she’s rather lively and exuberant person.
All three of the Garnett sisters are struggling with personal issues, Rachel want’s to live in London, the responsibly of Sandcove an old crumbling house with it's dodgy heating is a big financial burden and one she doesn’t need. Imogen is engaged to William, everyone is pressuring them to set a wedding date, and she’s not sure if William is the one? Sasha is the youngest sister, she’s married to Phil, he’s controlling, he hates visiting Sandgrove and dislikes her family.
I received a copy of The Garnett Girls from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. It’s the author Georgina Moore’s debut novel, the narrative explores the dynamics of a mother's relationship with her three daughters and how it evolved over the years. In what ways their past and dysfunctional childhood has affected them, the choices they have made and their futures. A big secrets is revealed and this certainly throws a cat amongst the pigeons, the story highlights the damage caused by consuming too much alcohol and how hard it is to live with an alcoholic. Four stars from me, it was difficult to be a wife, mother and work in the 1990’s, not a lot of support, many women struggled, and they couldn’t complain and simply had to soldier on.
It was a lot of responsibility for a ten year old girl, Rachel hates her father and has never tried to find him. Rachel is a lawyer, she and her husband Gabriel and two daughters live at Sandcove on the Isle of Wight and it's the family home by the seaside. The three Garnett girls are close, they love their mother Margo and at times they have found her behavior embarrassing. Margo likes chase younger men, throw wild parties at Sandcove, she’s rather lively and exuberant person.
All three of the Garnett sisters are struggling with personal issues, Rachel want’s to live in London, the responsibly of Sandcove an old crumbling house with it's dodgy heating is a big financial burden and one she doesn’t need. Imogen is engaged to William, everyone is pressuring them to set a wedding date, and she’s not sure if William is the one? Sasha is the youngest sister, she’s married to Phil, he’s controlling, he hates visiting Sandgrove and dislikes her family.
I received a copy of The Garnett Girls from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. It’s the author Georgina Moore’s debut novel, the narrative explores the dynamics of a mother's relationship with her three daughters and how it evolved over the years. In what ways their past and dysfunctional childhood has affected them, the choices they have made and their futures. A big secrets is revealed and this certainly throws a cat amongst the pigeons, the story highlights the damage caused by consuming too much alcohol and how hard it is to live with an alcoholic. Four stars from me, it was difficult to be a wife, mother and work in the 1990’s, not a lot of support, many women struggled, and they couldn’t complain and simply had to soldier on.
June 11, 2023
*Love & Secrets*
From a very young age at 16 Margo fell head over heels in love with Richard a young man a few years older and nothing was going to stop her from being with him despite what her parents said. It was a passion she felt like no other in her very young life. Love with naivety but a love that meant they could conquer the world.
Sadly after 3 children Richard took to drinking and fell into alcoholism. When he left Margo fell apart leaving her 3 daughters Rachel, Imogen and Sasha to fend for themselves. The main duties fell to Rachel still a child herself with their aunt stepping in to help out.
When Margo raises after months of locking herself away she had one rule, never discuss their father and she reverted to her maiden name Garnett along with the girls.
Fast forward years later we see The girls all grown and but each of them are almost crippled by the many questions never answered with Margo remaining tight lipped is not helping any of them.
All this is centred around the family home in need of work Sandcove based in the Isle of Wight. Margo is over involved with the girls life but each daughter is carrying a secret with one secret that threatens to catapult them back to the past
From a very young age at 16 Margo fell head over heels in love with Richard a young man a few years older and nothing was going to stop her from being with him despite what her parents said. It was a passion she felt like no other in her very young life. Love with naivety but a love that meant they could conquer the world.
Sadly after 3 children Richard took to drinking and fell into alcoholism. When he left Margo fell apart leaving her 3 daughters Rachel, Imogen and Sasha to fend for themselves. The main duties fell to Rachel still a child herself with their aunt stepping in to help out.
When Margo raises after months of locking herself away she had one rule, never discuss their father and she reverted to her maiden name Garnett along with the girls.
Fast forward years later we see The girls all grown and but each of them are almost crippled by the many questions never answered with Margo remaining tight lipped is not helping any of them.
All this is centred around the family home in need of work Sandcove based in the Isle of Wight. Margo is over involved with the girls life but each daughter is carrying a secret with one secret that threatens to catapult them back to the past
March 13, 2023
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore. (2023).
**Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a free advance readers copy of this novel; published 1 February 2023**
Margo and Richard's love affair was the stuff legends are made of - forbidden, passionate, all-encompassing. But ultimately doomed. When Richard walked out, Margo broke down, leaving their daughters Rachel, Imogen and Sasha, to run wild and refuses to speak of Richard. But her silence keeps the Garnett girls from finding true happiness. Rachel wants to return to London but feels stuck caring for the crumbling family home on the Isle of Wight. Imogen feels pressure to marry her kind fiancee even though life is taking an unexpected turn. And Sasha is trapped between her increasingly alienated family and her controlling husband. She knows the secret behind Richard's departure and it'll be devastating when she reveals it...
I'm not sure if I can pin it down to anything specific but I just couldn't really get into this one and didn't enjoy it much. However in general it has pretty high reviews with a lot of people really enjoying it so it seems clear I'm in the minority with my opinion. I think for me I found all of the main characters slightly irritating. They were all clearly unhappy with something in their lives but then not really doing anything about it to improve their happiness. Alcohol plays a big part in the storyline, and the long-term effects of alcoholism on everybody in a family. The Garnett women are apparently incapable of all getting together without disintegrating into a family disagreement - in one way it felt realistic as they were clearly dysfunctional but then other times it felt exaggerated like they were just looking for a reason to argue.
Overall: this one just wasn't my cup of tea for whatever reason. With lots of other readers really enjoying it, it's worth a go if the synopsis interests you.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore. (2023).
**Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a free advance readers copy of this novel; published 1 February 2023**
Margo and Richard's love affair was the stuff legends are made of - forbidden, passionate, all-encompassing. But ultimately doomed. When Richard walked out, Margo broke down, leaving their daughters Rachel, Imogen and Sasha, to run wild and refuses to speak of Richard. But her silence keeps the Garnett girls from finding true happiness. Rachel wants to return to London but feels stuck caring for the crumbling family home on the Isle of Wight. Imogen feels pressure to marry her kind fiancee even though life is taking an unexpected turn. And Sasha is trapped between her increasingly alienated family and her controlling husband. She knows the secret behind Richard's departure and it'll be devastating when she reveals it...
I'm not sure if I can pin it down to anything specific but I just couldn't really get into this one and didn't enjoy it much. However in general it has pretty high reviews with a lot of people really enjoying it so it seems clear I'm in the minority with my opinion. I think for me I found all of the main characters slightly irritating. They were all clearly unhappy with something in their lives but then not really doing anything about it to improve their happiness. Alcohol plays a big part in the storyline, and the long-term effects of alcoholism on everybody in a family. The Garnett women are apparently incapable of all getting together without disintegrating into a family disagreement - in one way it felt realistic as they were clearly dysfunctional but then other times it felt exaggerated like they were just looking for a reason to argue.
Overall: this one just wasn't my cup of tea for whatever reason. With lots of other readers really enjoying it, it's worth a go if the synopsis interests you.
July 21, 2023
4.5★s
The Garnett Girls is the first novel by British author, Georgina Moore. On vacation in Venice, where she (and her mother and sisters) expect William Bradbury will propose, Imogen Garnett finds their stay is not the idyllic one that she’s sure her parents had on their honeymoon. And when he asks her, she wavers, doesn’t actually say yes, even as her answer is assumed.
It’s no wonder that the Garnett girls, Margo and her three daughters, have always been close: after Richard O’Leary left, it was just the four of them, although Margo checked out for a year just then, and twelve-year-old Rachel did a lot of the mothering. Imogen has never had any secrets from Margo, but she hasn’t shared an encounter with an apparently sixteen-year-old Venetian boy, or her lack of enthusiasm over her engagement; both pale into insignificance next to her involvement with a self-absorbed member of the cast staging her play.
Meanwhile, Rachel, lawyer, wife of the wonderful Gabe and mother to Hannah and Lizzie, isn’t thrilled to have inherited the care of the rundown Isle of Wight family pile, Sandcove, admittedly a great place to raise children but in desperate need of repair and the default venue for the parties Margo loves to throw. Rachel misses living in London and the high-profile legal career she had to give up to have children. But telling that to Gabe, who’s been a little distant lately (he’s surely not straying?!) on top of what she already has to say won’t go down well.
Things between Margo and her youngest daughter, Sasha have been a little fraught: argument, offence or upset seems to be the order of the day when they’re together. Margo can’t understand why she’s so angry all the time. When the family gathers for the engagement party that Imi didn’t particularly want, her sisters try to contain Sasha’s outbursts, and notice that Sasha’s husband, Phil is more than usually out of sorts with his in-laws.
Sasha tries not to upset him, but Phil’s need to be in control has grown insidiously, and the only one she can really talk to is the Garnett girls’ childhood friend, Jonny. But she has another huge secret that her sisters (probably) and Margo (definitely) aren’t going to like.
Margo’s affair with Richard, the love of her life, started when she was sixteen and broke her completely when it ended seventeen years later, bringing her into a close unit with her girls, so close there were no secrets. Except, of course, Margo did have secrets, and always flatly refused to talk about Richard. But now, it seems like she’ll have no choice.
Will the revelations each of them makes break the family apart, or mend the rifts that have formed and bring them closer?
Moore gives the reader the story of a family that seems to almost be a force of nature; the matriarch larger than life. Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws and they face challenges that will resonate with many; some make poor choices and the resolution is hopeful but realistic. Moore conveys her setting and era with consummate ease. This is an outstanding debut novel.
The Garnett Girls is the first novel by British author, Georgina Moore. On vacation in Venice, where she (and her mother and sisters) expect William Bradbury will propose, Imogen Garnett finds their stay is not the idyllic one that she’s sure her parents had on their honeymoon. And when he asks her, she wavers, doesn’t actually say yes, even as her answer is assumed.
It’s no wonder that the Garnett girls, Margo and her three daughters, have always been close: after Richard O’Leary left, it was just the four of them, although Margo checked out for a year just then, and twelve-year-old Rachel did a lot of the mothering. Imogen has never had any secrets from Margo, but she hasn’t shared an encounter with an apparently sixteen-year-old Venetian boy, or her lack of enthusiasm over her engagement; both pale into insignificance next to her involvement with a self-absorbed member of the cast staging her play.
Meanwhile, Rachel, lawyer, wife of the wonderful Gabe and mother to Hannah and Lizzie, isn’t thrilled to have inherited the care of the rundown Isle of Wight family pile, Sandcove, admittedly a great place to raise children but in desperate need of repair and the default venue for the parties Margo loves to throw. Rachel misses living in London and the high-profile legal career she had to give up to have children. But telling that to Gabe, who’s been a little distant lately (he’s surely not straying?!) on top of what she already has to say won’t go down well.
Things between Margo and her youngest daughter, Sasha have been a little fraught: argument, offence or upset seems to be the order of the day when they’re together. Margo can’t understand why she’s so angry all the time. When the family gathers for the engagement party that Imi didn’t particularly want, her sisters try to contain Sasha’s outbursts, and notice that Sasha’s husband, Phil is more than usually out of sorts with his in-laws.
Sasha tries not to upset him, but Phil’s need to be in control has grown insidiously, and the only one she can really talk to is the Garnett girls’ childhood friend, Jonny. But she has another huge secret that her sisters (probably) and Margo (definitely) aren’t going to like.
Margo’s affair with Richard, the love of her life, started when she was sixteen and broke her completely when it ended seventeen years later, bringing her into a close unit with her girls, so close there were no secrets. Except, of course, Margo did have secrets, and always flatly refused to talk about Richard. But now, it seems like she’ll have no choice.
Will the revelations each of them makes break the family apart, or mend the rifts that have formed and bring them closer?
Moore gives the reader the story of a family that seems to almost be a force of nature; the matriarch larger than life. Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws and they face challenges that will resonate with many; some make poor choices and the resolution is hopeful but realistic. Moore conveys her setting and era with consummate ease. This is an outstanding debut novel.
May 5, 2023
For me there was too many characters, sisters, mothers, aunties, husbands, uncles, friends of the family, Margots flings… so I couldn’t warm to any particular characters. I was also confused about what the “family secret” was, in the end I assumed it was everyone’s separate secrets. Although, I do think the secrets were exposed and quickly moved on from and then weren’t built on.
As a story goes it was OK (if I could give a half star rating I’d have left 2.5) and it would be a good holiday read but I wouldn’t pick it up again.
* With thanks to the The Reading Agency and Harper Collins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. *
As a story goes it was OK (if I could give a half star rating I’d have left 2.5) and it would be a good holiday read but I wouldn’t pick it up again.
* With thanks to the The Reading Agency and Harper Collins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. *
May 5, 2024
It is a great debut novel about Margo and her 3 daughters Rachel, Imogen (Imi), and Sasha. Margos love of her life, Richard, left her when the girls were little. She took to her bed, and young Rachel, who was 12 at the time, learnt to look after her sisters. When Margot eventually resurfaces, she refuses to speak about Richard. She is a hippy and loves to party, especially at Christmas with parties in the house and on the beach. All of them have secrets about their relationships. The setting on the isle of Wight, in the family home, Sandcroft is character in its own right, with gorgeous descriptions that bring to mind many of my own family holidays on the island. It is an emotional, evocative, absorbing, packed family drama. Gorgeously written with loveable, well developed characters, richly textured brilliant read.a real gem.
August 8, 2023
3.5★s, down from 5★s for the very disappointing narration by Tabi Craig.
The Garnett Girls is the first novel by British author, Georgina Moore. On vacation in Venice, where she (and her mother and sisters) expect William Bradbury will propose, Imogen Garnett finds their stay is not the idyllic one that she’s sure her parents had on their honeymoon. And when he asks her, she wavers, doesn’t actually say yes, even as her answer is assumed.
It’s no wonder that the Garnett girls, Margo and her three daughters, have always been close: after Richard O’Leary left, it was just the four of them, although Margo checked out for a year just then, and twelve-year-old Rachel did a lot of the mothering. Imogen has never had any secrets from Margo, but she hasn’t shared an encounter with an apparently sixteen-year-old Venetian boy, or her lack of enthusiasm over her engagement; both pale into insignificance next to her involvement with a self-absorbed member of the cast staging her play.
Meanwhile, Rachel, lawyer, wife of the wonderful Gabe and mother to Hannah and Lizzie, isn’t thrilled to have inherited the care of the rundown Isle of Wight family pile, Sandcove, admittedly a great place to raise children but in desperate need of repair and the default venue for the parties Margo loves to throw. Rachel misses living in London and the high-profile legal career she had to give up to have children. But telling that to Gabe, who’s been a little distant lately (he’s surely not straying?!) on top of what she already has to say won’t go down well.
Things between Margo and her youngest daughter, Sasha have been a little fraught: argument, offence or upset seems to be the order of the day when they’re together. Margo can’t understand why she’s so angry all the time. When the family gathers for the engagement party that Imi didn’t particularly want, her sisters try to contain Sasha’s outbursts, and notice that Sasha’s husband, Phil is more than usually out of sorts with his in-laws.
Sasha tries not to upset him, but Phil’s need to be in control has grown insidiously, and the only one she can really talk to is the Garnett girls’ childhood friend, Jonny. But she has another huge secret that her sisters (probably) and Margo (definitely) aren’t going to like.
Margo’s affair with Richard, the love of her life, started when she was sixteen and broke her completely when it ended seventeen years later, bringing her into a close unit with her girls, so close there were no secrets. Except, of course, Margo did have secrets, and always flatly refused to talk about Richard. But now, it seems like she’ll have no choice.
Will the revelations each of them makes break the family apart, or mend the rifts that have formed and bring them closer?
Moore gives the reader the story of a family that seems to almost be a force of nature; the matriarch larger than life. Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws and they face challenges that will resonate with many; some make poor choices and the resolution is hopeful but realistic. Moore conveys her setting and era with consummate ease. This is an outstanding debut novel.
The Garnett Girls is the first novel by British author, Georgina Moore. On vacation in Venice, where she (and her mother and sisters) expect William Bradbury will propose, Imogen Garnett finds their stay is not the idyllic one that she’s sure her parents had on their honeymoon. And when he asks her, she wavers, doesn’t actually say yes, even as her answer is assumed.
It’s no wonder that the Garnett girls, Margo and her three daughters, have always been close: after Richard O’Leary left, it was just the four of them, although Margo checked out for a year just then, and twelve-year-old Rachel did a lot of the mothering. Imogen has never had any secrets from Margo, but she hasn’t shared an encounter with an apparently sixteen-year-old Venetian boy, or her lack of enthusiasm over her engagement; both pale into insignificance next to her involvement with a self-absorbed member of the cast staging her play.
Meanwhile, Rachel, lawyer, wife of the wonderful Gabe and mother to Hannah and Lizzie, isn’t thrilled to have inherited the care of the rundown Isle of Wight family pile, Sandcove, admittedly a great place to raise children but in desperate need of repair and the default venue for the parties Margo loves to throw. Rachel misses living in London and the high-profile legal career she had to give up to have children. But telling that to Gabe, who’s been a little distant lately (he’s surely not straying?!) on top of what she already has to say won’t go down well.
Things between Margo and her youngest daughter, Sasha have been a little fraught: argument, offence or upset seems to be the order of the day when they’re together. Margo can’t understand why she’s so angry all the time. When the family gathers for the engagement party that Imi didn’t particularly want, her sisters try to contain Sasha’s outbursts, and notice that Sasha’s husband, Phil is more than usually out of sorts with his in-laws.
Sasha tries not to upset him, but Phil’s need to be in control has grown insidiously, and the only one she can really talk to is the Garnett girls’ childhood friend, Jonny. But she has another huge secret that her sisters (probably) and Margo (definitely) aren’t going to like.
Margo’s affair with Richard, the love of her life, started when she was sixteen and broke her completely when it ended seventeen years later, bringing her into a close unit with her girls, so close there were no secrets. Except, of course, Margo did have secrets, and always flatly refused to talk about Richard. But now, it seems like she’ll have no choice.
Will the revelations each of them makes break the family apart, or mend the rifts that have formed and bring them closer?
Moore gives the reader the story of a family that seems to almost be a force of nature; the matriarch larger than life. Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws and they face challenges that will resonate with many; some make poor choices and the resolution is hopeful but realistic. Moore conveys her setting and era with consummate ease. This is an outstanding debut novel.
October 17, 2022
The opening parts of this book that have a family on a beach made me feel quite nostalgic for my own childhood, then when it all turns to chaos, it felt so familiar.
Luckily, I didn't have the same childhood the Garnett girls did, but I'd happily take the sibling love that's buried deep.
A whole host of female characters, each one of them memorable from the start (this rarely happens with me) and something to like in all of them.
They've got messy complicated relationships within the family and with others.
I very much enjoyed reading about them all.
A cracking debut.
Luckily, I didn't have the same childhood the Garnett girls did, but I'd happily take the sibling love that's buried deep.
A whole host of female characters, each one of them memorable from the start (this rarely happens with me) and something to like in all of them.
They've got messy complicated relationships within the family and with others.
I very much enjoyed reading about them all.
A cracking debut.
February 22, 2023
I was really excited about this debut from Georgina Moore and I am delighted to say that it definitely lived up to my expectations.
Set mainly on the Isle of Wight, which I have a strong personal connection to, there was so much of this story to love. There are complex family relationships, not only between a mother and her daughters, but of that between siblings and also husbands and wives. Margo, the matriarch of the family, was in the main a forceful character, with her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen and Sasha all very different in temperament and circumstance. They all have different ambitions and desires and the story explores how the actions from their past have impacted on their lives.
At the centre of the story is Sandcove, the family home which Margo has since given to Rachel and her family. Not that it stops Margo from still treating the house like her own and holding court with a seemingly hedonistic lifestyle, despite having her own cottage ‘The Other Place’ nearby. Sandcove is almost a character in itself, a big rambling house, now needing repair, but it has always been home and its where Margo and the love of her life, Richard, began their family.
Margo’s refusal to discuss Richard or even mention his name, over the years has had an effect on the girls and leads to secrets and resentments which threatens the family dynamics. Rachel, the eldest, has had to shoulder the most responsibility from a young age, and feels trapped in her current life at Sandcove, whereas Sasha, the youngest, feels the absence of her father the most. Addiction, extra marital affairs, sexuality and controlling behaviour are all part of this character driven novel which gives rather more depth to the story than the pretty cover might suggest.
The Garnett Girls is a wonderfully immersive read. It’s beautifully written – a family drama with a hint of intrigue as to what secrets may be revealed. The vividly described setting of the Island which I loved and which is so familiar to me, the complex and at times oh so frustrating characters – both main and supporting made so authentic by their flaws and mistakes. For purely personal reasons, there was one aspect of the book that made me cry although its not a sad or downhearted read by any means but rather one that ultimately celebrates family and love. Highly recommended for your reading piles.
Set mainly on the Isle of Wight, which I have a strong personal connection to, there was so much of this story to love. There are complex family relationships, not only between a mother and her daughters, but of that between siblings and also husbands and wives. Margo, the matriarch of the family, was in the main a forceful character, with her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen and Sasha all very different in temperament and circumstance. They all have different ambitions and desires and the story explores how the actions from their past have impacted on their lives.
At the centre of the story is Sandcove, the family home which Margo has since given to Rachel and her family. Not that it stops Margo from still treating the house like her own and holding court with a seemingly hedonistic lifestyle, despite having her own cottage ‘The Other Place’ nearby. Sandcove is almost a character in itself, a big rambling house, now needing repair, but it has always been home and its where Margo and the love of her life, Richard, began their family.
Margo’s refusal to discuss Richard or even mention his name, over the years has had an effect on the girls and leads to secrets and resentments which threatens the family dynamics. Rachel, the eldest, has had to shoulder the most responsibility from a young age, and feels trapped in her current life at Sandcove, whereas Sasha, the youngest, feels the absence of her father the most. Addiction, extra marital affairs, sexuality and controlling behaviour are all part of this character driven novel which gives rather more depth to the story than the pretty cover might suggest.
The Garnett Girls is a wonderfully immersive read. It’s beautifully written – a family drama with a hint of intrigue as to what secrets may be revealed. The vividly described setting of the Island which I loved and which is so familiar to me, the complex and at times oh so frustrating characters – both main and supporting made so authentic by their flaws and mistakes. For purely personal reasons, there was one aspect of the book that made me cry although its not a sad or downhearted read by any means but rather one that ultimately celebrates family and love. Highly recommended for your reading piles.
August 20, 2023
interesting novel based around family relationships and secrets
February 17, 2024
To quote Joanne Harris, “Some books you read, some books you enjoy. But some books just swallow you up heart and soul.”
This was one such book for me. A really wonderful read, the like of which I haven’t had the pleasure of reading for a long time. A traditional family ‘aga saga’ reminiscent of the writing of Rosamunde Pilcher & Joanna Trollope, but brought bang up to date by the skilled story telling of Georgina Moore.
With the beautiful setting of the Isle of Wight as it’s backdrop too it is pure delight to immerse yourself in the lives of the irrepressible Garnett sisters. The perfect read for a summer holiday…5*
This was one such book for me. A really wonderful read, the like of which I haven’t had the pleasure of reading for a long time. A traditional family ‘aga saga’ reminiscent of the writing of Rosamunde Pilcher & Joanna Trollope, but brought bang up to date by the skilled story telling of Georgina Moore.
With the beautiful setting of the Isle of Wight as it’s backdrop too it is pure delight to immerse yourself in the lives of the irrepressible Garnett sisters. The perfect read for a summer holiday…5*
January 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this family drama about a mother and her three daughters, who have a fraught relationship after their father walked out on them all when the youngest was only 4 years old. The daughters were forbidden to talk about their father ever again. Is it because of this that all 3 daughters struggle to find happiness?
I found The Garnett Girls very engaging, and loved the intertwining of relationships, and also the settings between London and the Isle of Wight. I raced through the last 100 pages as we discover whether mother & daughters can resolve their differences. Atmospheric, well written & with some brilliant (but completely flawed) characters, I highly recommend The Garnett Girls for anyone who loves an epic family drama!
I found The Garnett Girls very engaging, and loved the intertwining of relationships, and also the settings between London and the Isle of Wight. I raced through the last 100 pages as we discover whether mother & daughters can resolve their differences. Atmospheric, well written & with some brilliant (but completely flawed) characters, I highly recommend The Garnett Girls for anyone who loves an epic family drama!
February 13, 2023
Sadly not the book for me. I really struggled to get into the storyline and wasn't particularly keen on the characters either as I just couldn't get into them.
October 31, 2024
An enjoyable read. I suppose I enjoyed it being one of 3 girls and noting the differences among those who grow up the same. One of my favorite characters = the Mom, Margo. A story that includes addictions. I was touched by the theme of not finding fulfillment in a love story, and the feelings of Imogen.
April 17, 2023
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
2.5 stars
In February 2023, Georgina Moore released her first novel after working in the publishing industry for over twenty years. A family saga that breaks apart the intricacies of sisterly relationships, The Garnett Girls is a drama filled family chronicle.
In The Garnett Girls, we learn that the matriarch of the Garnett family circle Margo entered an ill-fated love affair with Richard. It was such a potent love story that after Richard walked away from Margo she has never been the same again. This love tryst made a mark on Margo and her three daughters, who were left to fend for themselves following the demise of this relationship. But years later, Margo has decided to retreat from the world at her picturesque Isle of Wight based abode. Margo’s actions frustrate her daughters, who are unable to find their own happiness. Margo’s eldest daughter Rachel longs to return to London, but is held by the vice-like grip of her family’s ancestral home. Margo’s middle child Imogen is torn between her hearts desire and her loyalty to her gentle fiancé. Lastly, the baby of the family is Sasha, a free spirit who feels frustrated by her family who all what to control her. But Sasha has cottoned on to a deep secret that will rupture the Garnett girls. Will the Garnett family ever be set free?
It’s really nice to see an author who has devoted herself to supporting other writers release her own book. The Garnett Girls is the debut novel from UK based writer Georgina Moore, who spent over two decades working in the publishing industry. I admired the initial premise and set up of Moore’s first novel. I am a big fan of family sagas, sisterly relationships and I love the Isle of Wight, which is the main setting of the novel. Unfortunately I am really sorry to say I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I wanted to. I did lose interest and skim read this one, but I can’t work out why The Garnett Girls didn’t work for me.
It’s probably best begin this review with what worked for me. The setting was a big drawcard. I have fond memories of the Isle of Wight from my time living in the UK, so this aspect of the story was quite nostalgic for me. I think Moore did a good job of showcasing the beauty of this stunning location and the idea of a crumbling beach home sounded very appealing. The landscape is presented well in this book and I did like the British seaside feel, something a little different to the usual Australian or US based novels I tend to read.
There are a lot of cast members in The Garnett Girls. From the integral Garnett girls, through to other relatives and partners, I found it very hard to keep track of who was who. I also found it rather tricky to feel comfortable with the main characters. I think some further character development may have been needed, or it was my inability to fully connect to, or like the main players in this story. I did feel some of the emotions and interactions were quite authentic. But there were other times where I became incredibly frustrated with some actions or responses, especially Margo’s behaviour. The line of exaggeration was also stretched which did steer me off course a little. There are some interesting themes explored from love affairs, jealousy, secrets, disagreements, toxic relationships, abonnement, rivalries and alcoholism. The tone is quite holiday mode, so it is easy to settle down with this one if you are on a break aboard or indulging in a lazy weekend of reading.
With a current 3.86 rating score on the Goodreads platform and a number of very positive reviews from bloggers I highly respect, I am pretty sure I am in the minority with The Garnett Girls. Be sure to check out some of the glowing reviews for this one if you are tempted to pick up this family based story.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
2.5 stars
In February 2023, Georgina Moore released her first novel after working in the publishing industry for over twenty years. A family saga that breaks apart the intricacies of sisterly relationships, The Garnett Girls is a drama filled family chronicle.
In The Garnett Girls, we learn that the matriarch of the Garnett family circle Margo entered an ill-fated love affair with Richard. It was such a potent love story that after Richard walked away from Margo she has never been the same again. This love tryst made a mark on Margo and her three daughters, who were left to fend for themselves following the demise of this relationship. But years later, Margo has decided to retreat from the world at her picturesque Isle of Wight based abode. Margo’s actions frustrate her daughters, who are unable to find their own happiness. Margo’s eldest daughter Rachel longs to return to London, but is held by the vice-like grip of her family’s ancestral home. Margo’s middle child Imogen is torn between her hearts desire and her loyalty to her gentle fiancé. Lastly, the baby of the family is Sasha, a free spirit who feels frustrated by her family who all what to control her. But Sasha has cottoned on to a deep secret that will rupture the Garnett girls. Will the Garnett family ever be set free?
It’s really nice to see an author who has devoted herself to supporting other writers release her own book. The Garnett Girls is the debut novel from UK based writer Georgina Moore, who spent over two decades working in the publishing industry. I admired the initial premise and set up of Moore’s first novel. I am a big fan of family sagas, sisterly relationships and I love the Isle of Wight, which is the main setting of the novel. Unfortunately I am really sorry to say I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I wanted to. I did lose interest and skim read this one, but I can’t work out why The Garnett Girls didn’t work for me.
It’s probably best begin this review with what worked for me. The setting was a big drawcard. I have fond memories of the Isle of Wight from my time living in the UK, so this aspect of the story was quite nostalgic for me. I think Moore did a good job of showcasing the beauty of this stunning location and the idea of a crumbling beach home sounded very appealing. The landscape is presented well in this book and I did like the British seaside feel, something a little different to the usual Australian or US based novels I tend to read.
There are a lot of cast members in The Garnett Girls. From the integral Garnett girls, through to other relatives and partners, I found it very hard to keep track of who was who. I also found it rather tricky to feel comfortable with the main characters. I think some further character development may have been needed, or it was my inability to fully connect to, or like the main players in this story. I did feel some of the emotions and interactions were quite authentic. But there were other times where I became incredibly frustrated with some actions or responses, especially Margo’s behaviour. The line of exaggeration was also stretched which did steer me off course a little. There are some interesting themes explored from love affairs, jealousy, secrets, disagreements, toxic relationships, abonnement, rivalries and alcoholism. The tone is quite holiday mode, so it is easy to settle down with this one if you are on a break aboard or indulging in a lazy weekend of reading.
With a current 3.86 rating score on the Goodreads platform and a number of very positive reviews from bloggers I highly respect, I am pretty sure I am in the minority with The Garnett Girls. Be sure to check out some of the glowing reviews for this one if you are tempted to pick up this family based story.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
January 1, 2023
This one was a most surprising debut. I am always partial to a good family story that focuses on sibling/parent relationships and this one was rich in both. Three sisters, their relationships with each other and their mother complex and heavy with so much love, so much history, and so much unsaid. I really loved this story and was immediately swept up into their lives.
It was hard to not dislike Margo. After being left by her alcoholic husband, she fell into a deeply depressed state and became an alcoholic herself, self-medicating and neglecting her three daughters, the eldest eleven and the youngest four, for the months on end. The girls relied on their aunt, the goodwill of neighbours, and their own devices to get through. The impact this neglectful period had on them was profound and followed them into adulthood. Even taking Margo’s mental health into account, I still found her a hard character to feel any empathy for. In the present day, she was an overbearing, overly critical, and generally dishonest mother. It’s like I could understand her, but not like her, not fully accept her behaviour. There was a streak of selfishness that ran through her, I even saw it in her relationship with her own sister – who, incidentally, was a splendid character!
The dynamics between Margo and each of her daughters was incredibly interesting. Each had their own relationship with her, and each had their own opinions on the stain their childhood had left upon them. None of them had a relationship with their father, and in fact, Margo insisted that he be wiped out of their lives, never to even be spoken of again.
Out of all the relationships woven throughout this novel, it is that of the sisters with each other that I really enjoyed reading. Three very different women, all with their own trauma wounds from their shared childhood. The way in which the dynamics between them were portrayed was wholly realistic. I really loved this story for that.
The Garnett Girls is a fine debut, and I will be keen to read more from this author in the future. Highly recommended – a five star read!
Thanks to the publisher for the early review copy.
It was hard to not dislike Margo. After being left by her alcoholic husband, she fell into a deeply depressed state and became an alcoholic herself, self-medicating and neglecting her three daughters, the eldest eleven and the youngest four, for the months on end. The girls relied on their aunt, the goodwill of neighbours, and their own devices to get through. The impact this neglectful period had on them was profound and followed them into adulthood. Even taking Margo’s mental health into account, I still found her a hard character to feel any empathy for. In the present day, she was an overbearing, overly critical, and generally dishonest mother. It’s like I could understand her, but not like her, not fully accept her behaviour. There was a streak of selfishness that ran through her, I even saw it in her relationship with her own sister – who, incidentally, was a splendid character!
The dynamics between Margo and each of her daughters was incredibly interesting. Each had their own relationship with her, and each had their own opinions on the stain their childhood had left upon them. None of them had a relationship with their father, and in fact, Margo insisted that he be wiped out of their lives, never to even be spoken of again.
Out of all the relationships woven throughout this novel, it is that of the sisters with each other that I really enjoyed reading. Three very different women, all with their own trauma wounds from their shared childhood. The way in which the dynamics between them were portrayed was wholly realistic. I really loved this story for that.
The Garnett Girls is a fine debut, and I will be keen to read more from this author in the future. Highly recommended – a five star read!
Thanks to the publisher for the early review copy.
January 23, 2023
The Garnett Girls was a glorious debut from Georgina Moore, at no point would you ever guess this was Moore’s first outing on the publishing stage, so assured was the writing. She had a clear idea of who these characters were and where they were going in her plot and she never wavered.
I read this book over the gloomiest, greyest of January days and it fully transported me to the beautiful setting of the Isle of Wight and Sandcove, so much so I could almost smell the salt water and feel the wind on my face.
The story centres around Margo and her three daughters, whose lives all seem enviable from the outside, but all characters are working through their own issues and grappling with the past and their relationships with each other.
For me it also had a personal sense of nostalgia, when I was 15 I picked up A Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy and I was lost to her as a writer, I quickly read everything else she’d written but always coming back to A Circle of Friends. In recent years I’d almost forgotten those books, but I was drawn to this one as soon as I heard about it, and reading this book felt like coming home for me. It has all the ingredients of the best of Binchy, the intimate looks into a character, the deep and meaningful relationships. To sum it up, I felt in safe hands. I cannot wait to see what Georgina does next, I know I’ll be reading it.
I felt as if I knew Margo and the girls and wanted to be friends with them and sip Negronis, I wanted to be at the parties in Sandcove and on the beach on Boxing day. I want to be a Garnett Girl!
Read it on a beach, sipping cocktails. Read it when it’s dark and gloomy out and you need some escapism. Just read it!
Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an advance copy, I knew I would love it.
I read this book over the gloomiest, greyest of January days and it fully transported me to the beautiful setting of the Isle of Wight and Sandcove, so much so I could almost smell the salt water and feel the wind on my face.
The story centres around Margo and her three daughters, whose lives all seem enviable from the outside, but all characters are working through their own issues and grappling with the past and their relationships with each other.
For me it also had a personal sense of nostalgia, when I was 15 I picked up A Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy and I was lost to her as a writer, I quickly read everything else she’d written but always coming back to A Circle of Friends. In recent years I’d almost forgotten those books, but I was drawn to this one as soon as I heard about it, and reading this book felt like coming home for me. It has all the ingredients of the best of Binchy, the intimate looks into a character, the deep and meaningful relationships. To sum it up, I felt in safe hands. I cannot wait to see what Georgina does next, I know I’ll be reading it.
I felt as if I knew Margo and the girls and wanted to be friends with them and sip Negronis, I wanted to be at the parties in Sandcove and on the beach on Boxing day. I want to be a Garnett Girl!
Read it on a beach, sipping cocktails. Read it when it’s dark and gloomy out and you need some escapism. Just read it!
Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an advance copy, I knew I would love it.
February 16, 2023
This is a perfectly pleasant, if slightly dull, family drama, probably rendered a little less enjoyable by my having read This Family (another family drama about three sisters in a dysfunctional English family) by Kate Sawyer very recently. Both books had similarities and I felt This Family was the stronger read.
The Garnett Girls is set on the Isle of Wight, and features Margo Garnett, and her three daughters Rachel, Imogen and Sasha. Margo, an incorrigible flirt and indomitable matriarch, had a torrid marriage to Richard, a hopeless alcoholic who left Margo to raise their children alone.
The daughters all have their relationship travails and we get their perspective on how their abandonment by their father has affected them in different ways and how they are inexorably drawn back to their home place, Sandcove (a rambling, crumbling beachfront property which sounds totally idyllic by the way).
The book is set in the present day, with the occasional flashback to the past, which I didn’t feel added a huge amount. There were also a few plot lines that could have been chopped without making a substantive difference to the story.
It’s an easy holiday read, not at all taxing and overall quite pleasant, if not ground-breaking or thrilling. Sometimes that’s enough - there’s very much a place in the world for books like this. 3/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the author, publisher @hqbooks and @netgalley for an advance copy of the book. The Garnett Girls is published today, 16 February 2023. As always, this is an honest review.*
The Garnett Girls is set on the Isle of Wight, and features Margo Garnett, and her three daughters Rachel, Imogen and Sasha. Margo, an incorrigible flirt and indomitable matriarch, had a torrid marriage to Richard, a hopeless alcoholic who left Margo to raise their children alone.
The daughters all have their relationship travails and we get their perspective on how their abandonment by their father has affected them in different ways and how they are inexorably drawn back to their home place, Sandcove (a rambling, crumbling beachfront property which sounds totally idyllic by the way).
The book is set in the present day, with the occasional flashback to the past, which I didn’t feel added a huge amount. There were also a few plot lines that could have been chopped without making a substantive difference to the story.
It’s an easy holiday read, not at all taxing and overall quite pleasant, if not ground-breaking or thrilling. Sometimes that’s enough - there’s very much a place in the world for books like this. 3/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the author, publisher @hqbooks and @netgalley for an advance copy of the book. The Garnett Girls is published today, 16 February 2023. As always, this is an honest review.*
March 29, 2023
Story was clunky, there were too many characters with little character development so often it was easy to lose track of who was who and ‘big family secrets’ were revealed but then very quickly moved on from with no reference to them again. I kept having to read the back of the book to check where the story was heading and what the purpose of it was. That said, it wasn’t dreadful (although the spelling mistake and poor grammar in a couple of places were a bit irritating).
*with thanks to The Reading Agency and Harper Collins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.*
*with thanks to The Reading Agency and Harper Collins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.*
March 19, 2023
4.5
** This was a giveaway win from William Morrow / Harper Collins (Through Book Club Girl). So exciting!!
Abandon, inadequate?, persevere…
Free-spirited Margo is the mother of three adult daughters - Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha. Previously married to Richard, most about Richard has been ripped from their lives. He is not mentioned or discussed in this household.
Eldest daughter Rachel is like a “tide clock,” knowing the comings and goings of others. She was like a replacement mom in the sister’s lives when Richard left.
She is currently a lawyer, mother of two, and married to Gabriel.
Playwright Imogen is supposedly “ engaged by accident” to William, since she never really answered his proposal. The rest of the family is pressing her to get married.
Youngest daughter Sasha is like a coiled spring, dazzling, who likes to be the center of attention. She is in an increasingly unhappy marriage with Phil. She butts heads with Margo and blames her for most things. Still, she is curious about where Richard is and what he is doing.
The tale of family and relationships and the twists and turns in life. We will see the resulting lives after a father /husband leaves. Will any of the four women ever find closure? Will any of them find personal happiness?
* A winning debut! Publish date May 16, 2023.
* I would read future books by this author.
* The daughters were relatable characters. Story of their legacy they are trying to live with.
* Is it better to stay silent or discuss issues?
* Lots of secrets slowly revealed.
* Great ending - tearjerker ending!
* Loved the chapter titles!!
* Thanks again to William Morrow for allowing me to read this enjoyable book!
** This was a giveaway win from William Morrow / Harper Collins (Through Book Club Girl). So exciting!!
Abandon, inadequate?, persevere…
Free-spirited Margo is the mother of three adult daughters - Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha. Previously married to Richard, most about Richard has been ripped from their lives. He is not mentioned or discussed in this household.
Eldest daughter Rachel is like a “tide clock,” knowing the comings and goings of others. She was like a replacement mom in the sister’s lives when Richard left.
She is currently a lawyer, mother of two, and married to Gabriel.
Playwright Imogen is supposedly “ engaged by accident” to William, since she never really answered his proposal. The rest of the family is pressing her to get married.
Youngest daughter Sasha is like a coiled spring, dazzling, who likes to be the center of attention. She is in an increasingly unhappy marriage with Phil. She butts heads with Margo and blames her for most things. Still, she is curious about where Richard is and what he is doing.
The tale of family and relationships and the twists and turns in life. We will see the resulting lives after a father /husband leaves. Will any of the four women ever find closure? Will any of them find personal happiness?
* A winning debut! Publish date May 16, 2023.
* I would read future books by this author.
* The daughters were relatable characters. Story of their legacy they are trying to live with.
* Is it better to stay silent or discuss issues?
* Lots of secrets slowly revealed.
* Great ending - tearjerker ending!
* Loved the chapter titles!!
* Thanks again to William Morrow for allowing me to read this enjoyable book!
January 11, 2023
The Garnett family have secrets bubbling beneath the surface.
The Garnett Girls is an astonishing debut. The prose is achingly beautiful and enormously affecting, so that I found myself weeping on more than one occasion. It’s not just the stunning descriptions that capture the reader, but the thrum of life, of longing, and of emotion vibrating under the surface of every syllable. The Garnett Girls is not so much a book you read as one you feel. Georgina Moore has created a kind of emotional tuning fork in her narrative that the reader experiences viscerally.
I loved the Isle of Wight setting because it created a claustrophobic atmosphere that suited the intensity of the narrative. It is as if The Garnett Girls could not have been set anywhere else. Similarly, I found the London settings added a sense of relief in me as a reader that echoed the increased freedom the characters felt when they were there, so skilled is the writing.
The plot has its moments of high drama, but that isn’t the point of The Garnett Girls. Rather, it is a story of how and why Margo, Imogen, Rachel and Sasha are as they are. Their characters are so acutely observed that it feels as if Georgina Moore has peeled back their physical attributes to expose their very souls. She writes about family dynamics, marriage and relationships, shining a mature, incisive and totally understanding spotlight that shows the reader exactly who these people are and what makes them behave as they do, even whilst the characters themselves don’t have self-knowledge, or, when they do, they prefer to deceive themselves. Indeed, deception and lies form the bedrock of this story and hold the reader captivated.
I loved the way Imogen’s play echoes Margo’s life so that there are layers and depths to uncover as you read. Similarly, the powerful emotional pull between characters, particularly between Margo and her daughters, is akin to the relentless implacable pull of the tides around the Isle of Wight conveyed by Georgina Moore so effectively. She creates an atmosphere of brittle hedonism overlaying a murkier realism and vulnerability that I found incredibly affecting.
The Garnett Girls is an intense, beautifully wrought portrait of family and the lies we tell, especially to ourselves. It’s fierce, passionate and affecting and I absolutely loved it.
The Garnett Girls is an astonishing debut. The prose is achingly beautiful and enormously affecting, so that I found myself weeping on more than one occasion. It’s not just the stunning descriptions that capture the reader, but the thrum of life, of longing, and of emotion vibrating under the surface of every syllable. The Garnett Girls is not so much a book you read as one you feel. Georgina Moore has created a kind of emotional tuning fork in her narrative that the reader experiences viscerally.
I loved the Isle of Wight setting because it created a claustrophobic atmosphere that suited the intensity of the narrative. It is as if The Garnett Girls could not have been set anywhere else. Similarly, I found the London settings added a sense of relief in me as a reader that echoed the increased freedom the characters felt when they were there, so skilled is the writing.
The plot has its moments of high drama, but that isn’t the point of The Garnett Girls. Rather, it is a story of how and why Margo, Imogen, Rachel and Sasha are as they are. Their characters are so acutely observed that it feels as if Georgina Moore has peeled back their physical attributes to expose their very souls. She writes about family dynamics, marriage and relationships, shining a mature, incisive and totally understanding spotlight that shows the reader exactly who these people are and what makes them behave as they do, even whilst the characters themselves don’t have self-knowledge, or, when they do, they prefer to deceive themselves. Indeed, deception and lies form the bedrock of this story and hold the reader captivated.
I loved the way Imogen’s play echoes Margo’s life so that there are layers and depths to uncover as you read. Similarly, the powerful emotional pull between characters, particularly between Margo and her daughters, is akin to the relentless implacable pull of the tides around the Isle of Wight conveyed by Georgina Moore so effectively. She creates an atmosphere of brittle hedonism overlaying a murkier realism and vulnerability that I found incredibly affecting.
The Garnett Girls is an intense, beautifully wrought portrait of family and the lies we tell, especially to ourselves. It’s fierce, passionate and affecting and I absolutely loved it.
March 27, 2023
(2.5) This contemporary UK family saga in miniature, set mostly on the Isle of Wight with some forays to London, is about the family connections that ground us. Ever since the girls' father and the love of her life, Richard, left, Margo has pretended he never existed. She went back to her maiden name and gave it to all three of her daughters, too, making them into a fierce little tribe who survived the worst days of their parents' alcoholism and depression.
In the present day, Margo the matriarch is still a force to be reckoned with, insisting on all her traditions being kept up at Sandcove, the family home. She's also quite the party girl and loves to stay up drinking and bring young, handsome men home with her. Despite the cougar stereotype, she is the most interesting character in the book. Her daughters, Rachel, Imogen and Sasha, by contrast, seem custom designed to stand for particular types and/or issues:
While there is some warmth to the Sandcove atmosphere, especially surrounding the Christmas rituals, I mostly found the characters catty and superficial, with the majority of the secondary males depicted as scoundrels or boytoys. There were also specific examples of poor writing: two extended flashbacks shoehorned in and distinguished by their large sans serif font; a jump ahead of one year, rather than facing direct aftermath and showing difficult scenes playing out in real time; and generally lazy prose (e.g. "She watched Carol sling her huge puffa coat over the back of the chair, and watched as her sturdy brown handbag instantly slid off the same chair onto the floor" and "He had died leaving her widowed ten years ago").
I also noted a lack of fact checking ("crab ramekin starter" is mentioned several times - a ramekin is not something you order off a restaurant menu but the dish it comes in; on p. 98 and 100 particular birds are mentioned as part of the coastal scenery, but a belted kingfisher is a North American species that would be an extreme rarity and redwings are not waterbirds - did the author mean redshanks or red-breasted mergansers?). These might seem like small things but are evidence of insufficient editing. All told, this feels like an early draft of a novel that needed more polishing (and commas) but was released anyway and will get the beach readers it's seeking.
It's a bit of a shame as I was expecting more from Georgina Moore, who is a long-time and very successful book publicist - strange that this is not mentioned in her bio, though those who peruse the Acknowledgements may be able to read between the lines. In the quiet scenes between the four female protagonists (such as when they sit down to hear Richard's letter), there's the hint of what could have been: a richly insightful character-led drama that's not about the glitz of privileged people behaving badly but about damaged yet open-hearted people trying to love each other better.
Some lines I liked:
Margo to Sasha: "You don't need to pretend you're fine all the time. Not with your family. That's the point of family."
Rachel: "There have always been two Margos, one who is Ma, just ours, and the other who is Margo who belongs to everyone else or who is in her own world."
In the present day, Margo the matriarch is still a force to be reckoned with, insisting on all her traditions being kept up at Sandcove, the family home. She's also quite the party girl and loves to stay up drinking and bring young, handsome men home with her. Despite the cougar stereotype, she is the most interesting character in the book. Her daughters, Rachel, Imogen and Sasha, by contrast, seem custom designed to stand for particular types and/or issues:
While there is some warmth to the Sandcove atmosphere, especially surrounding the Christmas rituals, I mostly found the characters catty and superficial, with the majority of the secondary males depicted as scoundrels or boytoys. There were also specific examples of poor writing: two extended flashbacks shoehorned in and distinguished by their large sans serif font; a jump ahead of one year, rather than facing direct aftermath and showing difficult scenes playing out in real time; and generally lazy prose (e.g. "She watched Carol sling her huge puffa coat over the back of the chair, and watched as her sturdy brown handbag instantly slid off the same chair onto the floor" and "He had died leaving her widowed ten years ago").
I also noted a lack of fact checking ("crab ramekin starter" is mentioned several times - a ramekin is not something you order off a restaurant menu but the dish it comes in; on p. 98 and 100 particular birds are mentioned as part of the coastal scenery, but a belted kingfisher is a North American species that would be an extreme rarity and redwings are not waterbirds - did the author mean redshanks or red-breasted mergansers?). These might seem like small things but are evidence of insufficient editing. All told, this feels like an early draft of a novel that needed more polishing (and commas) but was released anyway and will get the beach readers it's seeking.
It's a bit of a shame as I was expecting more from Georgina Moore, who is a long-time and very successful book publicist - strange that this is not mentioned in her bio, though those who peruse the Acknowledgements may be able to read between the lines. In the quiet scenes between the four female protagonists (such as when they sit down to hear Richard's letter), there's the hint of what could have been: a richly insightful character-led drama that's not about the glitz of privileged people behaving badly but about damaged yet open-hearted people trying to love each other better.
Some lines I liked:
Margo to Sasha: "You don't need to pretend you're fine all the time. Not with your family. That's the point of family."
Rachel: "There have always been two Margos, one who is Ma, just ours, and the other who is Margo who belongs to everyone else or who is in her own world."
December 3, 2022
Thank you Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Who doesn’t love a book with a sib squad of sisters, a betrayed mother and secrets that will rock the status quo?
Get ready to meet the Garnett girls and their mother.
Where raw, intricate and emotional cracks create chasms and the bonds of family are tested.
Three sisters, sharing the same gene pool are all different and live lives that reflect their wants and needs.
They have selected partners and live their own truths.
Complications and speculations with in laws part of any family dynamic.
An absent or banished father is the thread that is a constant in all their lives.
The girls mother certainly having grounds to be angry and hurt by his actions, cut him from their lives.
Repercussions of this decision bound to have a fallout.
Too many festive drinks and loose lips will challenge relationships.
Firstly this a great contemporary family saga set around an ancestral home with a cast of extended family characters and partners.
Sisterly relationships are always fascinating but I was drawn to the toxic relationship one of the girls had.
The narcissist behaviours and the observations made by the rest of family made for a compelling read.
I also really enjoyed the role the Aunt played, she anchored the family in a way that was so authentic.
A great book out early next year that should find itself on your piles.
Who doesn’t love a book with a sib squad of sisters, a betrayed mother and secrets that will rock the status quo?
Get ready to meet the Garnett girls and their mother.
Where raw, intricate and emotional cracks create chasms and the bonds of family are tested.
Three sisters, sharing the same gene pool are all different and live lives that reflect their wants and needs.
They have selected partners and live their own truths.
Complications and speculations with in laws part of any family dynamic.
An absent or banished father is the thread that is a constant in all their lives.
The girls mother certainly having grounds to be angry and hurt by his actions, cut him from their lives.
Repercussions of this decision bound to have a fallout.
Too many festive drinks and loose lips will challenge relationships.
Firstly this a great contemporary family saga set around an ancestral home with a cast of extended family characters and partners.
Sisterly relationships are always fascinating but I was drawn to the toxic relationship one of the girls had.
The narcissist behaviours and the observations made by the rest of family made for a compelling read.
I also really enjoyed the role the Aunt played, she anchored the family in a way that was so authentic.
A great book out early next year that should find itself on your piles.
April 17, 2023
When Richard left, Margo went to pieces. Her daughters grew up variously affected by the split. Now as adults we see how their parents' separation have impacted on their characters and their lives. I enjoyed this; it's well-written and thoroughly engaging.
November 27, 2025
I want to start off by telling that I loved this book! Everytime I had a chance I fled into the world of The Garnett Girls on the Isle of Wight and London.
I loved the premise, the flawed characters, the evocative writing style, the complexity of personalities that are all encompassed in a riveting narrative.
A former columnist, Margo Garnett wrote about people, her role as a mother with small children, and how she managed to juggle work and literature in London. She is a good swimmer. Margo believes that the women of this world can be divided into two categories: Those who look good with a messy bun and those who don’t. At sweet 16 she falls for the poet Richard, who is older than her, but he is an alcoholic. They have three girls, Rachel, Imogen and Sacha, the Garnett Girls. They look good and are smart, strongly independent. Margo raised them as financially independent women as Richard left them. As the story progresses in digestible chapters, we unearth some secrets that will influence the paths of the Garnett girls, their fears and hopes.
Ultimately, this story is about love, family and friendships that shape the past and the future.
🇩🇪
Ich möchte gleich zu Beginn sagen, dass ich dieses Buch geliebt habe! Wann immer ich konnte, tauchte ich in die Welt der Garnett-Mädchen auf der Isle of Wight und in London ein.
Ich war begeistert von der Grundidee, den fehlerhaften Charakteren, dem eindringlichen Schreibstil und der Komplexität der Persönlichkeiten, die alle in einer fesselnden Geschichte verwoben sind.
Margo Garnett, eine ehemalige Kolumnistin, schrieb über Menschen, ihre Rolle als Mutter kleiner Kinder und wie sie es schaffte, Beruf und Literatur in London unter einen Hut zu bringen. Sie ist eine gute Schwimmerin. Margo glaubt, dass man Frauen in zwei Kategorien einteilen kann: Diejenigen, denen ein lässiger Dutt steht, und diejenigen, denen er nicht steht. Mit 16 Jahren verliebt sie sich in den Dichter Richard, der älter ist als sie, aber Alkoholiker. Sie bekommen drei Töchter: Rachel, Imogen und Sacha, die Garnett-Mädchen. Sie sind hübsch, klug und sehr selbstständig. Margo erzog sie zu finanziell unabhängigen Frauen, nachdem Richard sie verlassen hatte. Im Verlauf der Geschichte, die sich in leicht verständlichen Kapiteln entfaltet, werden Geheimnisse enthüllt, die den Lebensweg der Garnett-Schwestern, ihre Ängste und Hoffnungen prägen werden.
Letztendlich erzählt diese Geschichte von Liebe, Familie und Freundschaften, die Vergangenheit und Zukunft formen.
I loved the premise, the flawed characters, the evocative writing style, the complexity of personalities that are all encompassed in a riveting narrative.
A former columnist, Margo Garnett wrote about people, her role as a mother with small children, and how she managed to juggle work and literature in London. She is a good swimmer. Margo believes that the women of this world can be divided into two categories: Those who look good with a messy bun and those who don’t. At sweet 16 she falls for the poet Richard, who is older than her, but he is an alcoholic. They have three girls, Rachel, Imogen and Sacha, the Garnett Girls. They look good and are smart, strongly independent. Margo raised them as financially independent women as Richard left them. As the story progresses in digestible chapters, we unearth some secrets that will influence the paths of the Garnett girls, their fears and hopes.
Ultimately, this story is about love, family and friendships that shape the past and the future.
🇩🇪
Ich möchte gleich zu Beginn sagen, dass ich dieses Buch geliebt habe! Wann immer ich konnte, tauchte ich in die Welt der Garnett-Mädchen auf der Isle of Wight und in London ein.
Ich war begeistert von der Grundidee, den fehlerhaften Charakteren, dem eindringlichen Schreibstil und der Komplexität der Persönlichkeiten, die alle in einer fesselnden Geschichte verwoben sind.
Margo Garnett, eine ehemalige Kolumnistin, schrieb über Menschen, ihre Rolle als Mutter kleiner Kinder und wie sie es schaffte, Beruf und Literatur in London unter einen Hut zu bringen. Sie ist eine gute Schwimmerin. Margo glaubt, dass man Frauen in zwei Kategorien einteilen kann: Diejenigen, denen ein lässiger Dutt steht, und diejenigen, denen er nicht steht. Mit 16 Jahren verliebt sie sich in den Dichter Richard, der älter ist als sie, aber Alkoholiker. Sie bekommen drei Töchter: Rachel, Imogen und Sacha, die Garnett-Mädchen. Sie sind hübsch, klug und sehr selbstständig. Margo erzog sie zu finanziell unabhängigen Frauen, nachdem Richard sie verlassen hatte. Im Verlauf der Geschichte, die sich in leicht verständlichen Kapiteln entfaltet, werden Geheimnisse enthüllt, die den Lebensweg der Garnett-Schwestern, ihre Ängste und Hoffnungen prägen werden.
Letztendlich erzählt diese Geschichte von Liebe, Familie und Freundschaften, die Vergangenheit und Zukunft formen.
May 26, 2023
3.5 stars
The Garnett Girls isn’t a book you’re going to get into and feel any particular connection with one specific character. You are getting the point of view or Margo (the mother) and her daughters Sasha, Rachel and Imogen. This book feels like summer-it glitters with the feel of summer break island life while also tackling some deep issues; alcoholism, the depression Margo went though after Richard (the girls’s Father) left, the girls’s PTSD of basically fending for themselves while their mother was in the deep throes of depression. Each woman as grown women are now going through their own relationship issues. It’s a lot, a lot of moving pieces. You’ll find yourself becoming connected and then the moment is over, next chapter next character but Georgina gives you enough meat to keep you reading. I couldn’t really put the book down; there’s just enough there each time that kept me immersed and needing to know how things tied up. There were a couple plot lines that I would’ve liked to seen more time in to see how they wrapped up rather than us just being told, Sasha told Phil they wouldn’t be spending Christmas together. No-I needed to be in that moment as she lets that jerk know because he has my blood boiling.
This book is also about how we can disappear, how we can allow ourselves to disappear. I appreciated the length of this book but what kept it from being a five star for me was that there were storylines that I became invested in…& would’ve liked to have seen developed and wrapped up differently.
The Garnett Girls isn’t a book you’re going to get into and feel any particular connection with one specific character. You are getting the point of view or Margo (the mother) and her daughters Sasha, Rachel and Imogen. This book feels like summer-it glitters with the feel of summer break island life while also tackling some deep issues; alcoholism, the depression Margo went though after Richard (the girls’s Father) left, the girls’s PTSD of basically fending for themselves while their mother was in the deep throes of depression. Each woman as grown women are now going through their own relationship issues. It’s a lot, a lot of moving pieces. You’ll find yourself becoming connected and then the moment is over, next chapter next character but Georgina gives you enough meat to keep you reading. I couldn’t really put the book down; there’s just enough there each time that kept me immersed and needing to know how things tied up. There were a couple plot lines that I would’ve liked to seen more time in to see how they wrapped up rather than us just being told, Sasha told Phil they wouldn’t be spending Christmas together. No-I needed to be in that moment as she lets that jerk know because he has my blood boiling.
This book is also about how we can disappear, how we can allow ourselves to disappear. I appreciated the length of this book but what kept it from being a five star for me was that there were storylines that I became invested in…& would’ve liked to have seen developed and wrapped up differently.
January 22, 2023
5*. Wow. The Garnett Girls is an absolute sensation - an Observer top debut for 2023 (joining previous Observer debut picks such as Shuggie Bain and Lessons in Chemistry).
Sandcove, a rambling house on the Isle of Wight is home to Rachel, the oldest of the Garnett girls. Lawyer, mother and married to Gabe. Within a stones throw is her lioness of a mother, Margo and flitting in and out are Imogen and Sasha her younger sisters. Each has their own version of happiness bit not everyone has the life that the others perceive.
This multi-generational tale told over several timelines is spellbinding. The prose is beautifully written in a way that is effortless to read but hard not to admire. The characters are all memorable and well crafted and the plot zips along as secrets, bad behaviour but ultimately a togetherness hold everyone together.
A must read. Thanks to HQ Stories, Harper Collins and Netgalley for an ARC.
Sandcove, a rambling house on the Isle of Wight is home to Rachel, the oldest of the Garnett girls. Lawyer, mother and married to Gabe. Within a stones throw is her lioness of a mother, Margo and flitting in and out are Imogen and Sasha her younger sisters. Each has their own version of happiness bit not everyone has the life that the others perceive.
This multi-generational tale told over several timelines is spellbinding. The prose is beautifully written in a way that is effortless to read but hard not to admire. The characters are all memorable and well crafted and the plot zips along as secrets, bad behaviour but ultimately a togetherness hold everyone together.
A must read. Thanks to HQ Stories, Harper Collins and Netgalley for an ARC.
April 29, 2023
4.5 stars
A beautiful read full of family secrets and heartache. I loved the stories of the girls - each so different but tied so strongly to the sense of family. The back stories of Margo and Richard were beautifully written and served to show the impact of relationships and decisions on both the past, present and future. The location of the Isle of Wight was a lovely reminder of my childhood too and certain scenes and places conjured my own family knowledge.
A beautiful read full of family secrets and heartache. I loved the stories of the girls - each so different but tied so strongly to the sense of family. The back stories of Margo and Richard were beautifully written and served to show the impact of relationships and decisions on both the past, present and future. The location of the Isle of Wight was a lovely reminder of my childhood too and certain scenes and places conjured my own family knowledge.
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