The Garden of Promises and Lies: A Novel (Found Things, Book 3)

This is the third in the Found Things series, and while I actually haven’t read the first book (yet) I loved the second one The Chocolate House.Xanthe lives in a little town in the UK, runs an antique shop with her mum, sings in a band, and can time travel. More accurately, she’s one of a handful of Spinners who can spin backward and forward through time. Xanthe just started discovering her gift fairly recently and is still working out how to use it, control it, and who else might be like her.She is often ‘called to’ by antique objects that have a story to tell, and pulled back through time to right a wrong, or save someone. In this book, a vintage wedding dress starts singing to her and she has to investigate, finding herself in Bradford-on-Avon in 1815, as if she has stepped into a Jane Austen story.Of course it’s not all smooth sailing. It’s difficult enough to step into an unfamiliar time, but there are also people out to get her and harness her abilities for themselves!Take some historical fiction, throw in some mystery, a dash of adventure, and a hint of romance and you’ve got The Garden of Promises and Lies. I find the author’s writing is compelling, and I don’t want to put it down, but it somehow also feels like home. The characters and places feel familiar and comforting, despite the fact that they’re fictional and often in a time and place that is obviously not my own.I am already dying to find out what happens in the next installment (and there better be one) because Xanthe has some serious unfinished business to sort out! The only reason it didn’t get a full five stars from me is that I wanted a little more from Xanthe’s current-day relationships this time around. It felt like the people in her life were introduced in the last book, and while they did evolve through this one, I wanted just a little more depth and connection between them. Having said that, I loved this book so much, and if The Chocolate House is anything to go by I’ll still be thinking about this one a year from now. This author just has a way of crafting characters and stories that stay with you, and revisit your thoughts long after you’ve turned the last page.I will say that I was able to pick up the second book and follow the story despite not having read the first, but this latest installment builds so much on previous events I do think you should read the other two first. And that’s definitely no hardship, so enjoy!

I bought the four book series. Very well written. Kept me intrigued from beginning to end. It is one of those series that keeps you wishing for more to be written.

Xanthe finally confesses to her mother and to Liam, whose relationship seems to be growing beyond simple friendship. This time the time traveling revolves around a wedding dress and unfortunately the brude-to-be happens to be marrying Can't he's nemesis, Fairfax who is also a "Spinner" who uses his gift to change history in order to gain wealth and power but he also wants The Book of Spinner's which has chosen Xanthe to be its owner and who is using the book to fine tune her Spinning gift. This time she takes Liam into the past with her in order to stop Fairfax (hopefully permanently) and as added strength against Fairfax who has now made two attempts against her life!!

The story grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. The characters of Xanthe, her mother Flora, and her boyfriend Liam are well developed and I rooted for them.

I found the first half of book three to be somewhat boring and similar to the beginnings of the first two books as it describes Xanthes life in her own time and running the shop. I suppose her own life back home just isn’t super interesting or significant to me as I anticipated getting back into the fantasy time travel aspect of the series. However, the second half of the book completely made up for it and was definitely worth the read! Her journey once again through time was super interesting as things keep unfolding about Spinners. I particularly enjoyed this one because she did not play a role as peasant this time around so her acquaintances and interactions were much better. Overall, book 3 was a nice touch and I’m still a huge fan of the series.

First it was the chatelaine, then it was the chocolate pot. Now we find Xanthe chasing another found thing’s song; an Edwardian wedding dress! I swear this was the best series! The fact that Xanthe really is coming into her abilities and is able to spin and move with such knowledge and understanding, and how the story plays out in your head like a movie. That nasty little bigger Benjamin Fairfax is still lurking around like the greedy little snake he is, but Xanthe will simply amaze you in this book. I just love this so much. Bravo Paula! Bravo!

Love this series….but, this book has a cliffhanger ending (the reason for the 3 stars). Time travel, cutest little dog, romance, evil doers doing evil deeds, mystery….the series has it all. Haven’t bought the next book yet….but, will soon. Enjoy the series. But, read in order or you will miss the back story.

Paula Brackston is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This is the 5th book of hers I have read and so far I have had a fab time in every one. If you are a fan of fantasy with a mix of time travel you are sure to have a great time with this book though it makes sense to read the first two in the series first.

Excellent series author and story

The joy`s of reading a series , is that with the growth of the central characters they become your friends and this is what has happen with Xanthe the central character in Paula Brackston The Garden of Promises and Lies, the 3rd book in the series of Found Things. Xanthe is coming to terms that Fairfax has manage to travel to her time and is putting her family and friends at risk and is demanding that she turns over the book spinners to him . The object in this adventure that is singing to her is a beautiful antique wedding dress . Realising the dress and her adversary are connected in the some way , she answers the call and finds herself in Bradford-on-Avon in 1815. We have the romance of the seventeen century with a heroine that is every bit twenty-first who is willing to put her life on the line. Once again Paula Brackston has produced a page turner of the highest quality and has a twist in the tale that sets up the next book, City of Time and Magic due later this year.

Loving all 3 books in this series Half way thru book 3 Easy to read & enjoyable

Just like the first two, I enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately I can just give it 5 stars, it deserves much more. Am looking forward to the 4th book which which has just come out. I hope there will be many more to come.

Great follow up can't wait for the next one