---
product_id: 627398069
title: "The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel"
price: "9 zł"
currency: PLN
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reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.pl/products/627398069-the-secret-book-of-flora-lea-a-novel
store_origin: PL
region: Poland
---

# The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel

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desertcart.com: The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel (Audible Audio Edition): Cynthia Erivo, Patti Callahan Henry, Patti Callahan Henry, Simon & Schuster Audio: Books

Review: Guided by a fairy tale - The stories of Whispernwood, a place springing from the imagination of a young Hazel Aberdeen bring comfort to her younger sister Flora when the reality of WW Ii overwhelms them both. This land also has a profound effect on their livess and guides them to a devastating truth that lay buried for twenty years. Written with believable emotional reaction to tragedy as well as the joys of childhood.
Review: Full of Enchanting, Confusing, Yet Memorable Secrets - The Secret Book of Flora Lea's premise intrigued me, as did the description of the Whisperwood story and novel. Not having read Patti Callahan's work since the illustrious Once Upon a Wardrobe, I was eager to give this one a try. For the most part, Patti didn't disappoint. And even the one fairly big flaw in the book pushes the story more into 3.6-3.7 territory. First off, I want to give Patti major kudos for making yet another World War II story unique and dare I say special in a saturated market. The story of London's child evacuees is somewhat familiar depending on whose books you read, but Hazel and Flora definitely stand out among their counterparts. Their determination to stay together, how they come to billet at Bridie Aberdeen's, their use of Whisperwood as a coping mechanism, and their overall experience all feel tailored to them. These elements contain twists and turns, emotional arcs, and "pops of color," as it were, not seen in stories like theirs (e.g., The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Once Upon a Wardrobe, split time WWII novels from authors like Pam Jenoff or Melanie Dobson). Patti's characters are both three-dimensional and uncomfortably relatable. Sometimes the discomfort comes from the unwise choices they make, since these are reminders of how vulnerable we all are to such choices. But for me, the discomfort, the rawness, the aching vulnerability, came in less obvious moments. For instance, I ached for Hazel as she explored, grappled with, and denied her growing love for Harry. I ached for Bridie as she struggled with the disappearance of her husband, her spiritual beliefs, and her place in Binsey--because she never truly seemed as wanted and loved as she deserved. Yet never were any of these characters victims, even little Flora when she went missing. No, these characters are strong, and not just strong in the face of war. They are strong in their autonomy, their compassion, and their interdependence. They are strong in both their goodness and their sins, their wisdom and their foolish moments. I truly enjoyed spending time with each of them. While most characters leave me wanting "more," I closed their story knowing I had enough and they had completed a journey with me. I also loved the settings of The Secret Book, and as I've said before, settings don't often win brownie points from me. This one though, really popped off the page. Binsey is as enchanting as Narnia or the Kilns, but it's a place all its own. I had no trouble believing this was the place Whisperwood was meant to exist, the one and only place you could find shimmering doors. I loved the small elements of ancient Catholic and Celtic culture within Binsey too, such as the treacle well and the chapel and the festival of St. Margaret. I wanted a bit more of these, especially how they interwove with Christian culture and a true love of Jesus (I'll get to that more in a minute). Finally, I appreciated Patti's interwoven mystery behind Whisperwood, its origins and its travels. Throughout the novel, I enjoyed guessing how Whisperwood came to be a bestselling series and who found or stole the tale from the Linden sisters. Those guesses didn't lead anywhere, which again, I'll get to. But the mystery itself was a lot of fun, and as someone who doesn't read a ton of mysteries, I don't get to say that very much. Plus, the mystery involved a book and a story, and as you might know, if there's a book inside a book, I'm usually sold. Now, unfortunately, on to The Secret Book's weak elements, the ones that push it into 3.6-3.7 territory. The first and most egregious is the solution to the Whisperwood issue. That solution, at least for me, comes completely out of left field. That is, I buy the idea behind Dorothy Bellamy's role in the story, at least to a point. And I buy the idea of Frances having a part in it, to a point. But the surrounding details were so convoluted, I was unable to keep up my suspension of disbelief. Without spoiling anything, trauma or not, I don't for one second believe Frances could've gotten away with what she did, in the absence of something like total, decades-long, retrograde amnesia. (Which, by the way, is extremely rare and would've been way too soap opera-like for this story). A bit more on this: I'm still unsure I understand where Peggy, Maria, and Linda Andrews fit into all this. I mean, intellectually, I "get it." But considering Hazel, Flora, Dot, and Frances' roles, the Andrews family feels extraneous and unneeded. And unfortunately, because of that, the idea of Whisperwood being a bestselling series no longer works. It's a real shame, because that idea provides a great reason for Hazel to revisit the story and find closure for the loss of her sister. But the Andrews family "somehow" finding the story through a traumatized sister and aunt, Linda angsting and crying over "stealing" it while claiming she didn't...I mean, for me, the entire thread fell apart. Finally--and this is something I've noticed with some of Patti Callahan's other work. I don't think Patti can decide whether she wants to write Christian or secular fiction, so she ends up with this strange hybrid. Now, sometimes this works, like when Bridie acts as a Christ-follower but also respects Celtic culture and explains the origins of the word "pagan." But other times, when a book billed as Christian has F bombs and several scenes of premarital sex, it doesn't work. I wish Patti and her publishing team would make up their minds about which market she's aiming for, and tailor any hybrid elements accordingly. Because no, spirituality need not be in readers' faces, but if it's there, it should be a bit clearer, I think. And yes, there should be lines that Christian books don't cross. Anyway, with all that said, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is still a strong one. It isn't perfect, and as I said, the ending was kind of a turn-off for me. I'm unsure if I'd read this one again. But I will recommend it for discerning and mature readers, especially if you're like me and enjoy stories within stories, or those with a fantastical connection.

## Images

![The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Up6ilADVL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Guided by a fairy tale
*by E***D on January 16, 2026*

The stories of Whispernwood, a place springing from the imagination of a young Hazel Aberdeen bring comfort to her younger sister Flora when the reality of WW Ii overwhelms them both. This land also has a profound effect on their livess and guides them to a devastating truth that lay buried for twenty years. Written with believable emotional reaction to tragedy as well as the joys of childhood.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Full of Enchanting, Confusing, Yet Memorable Secrets
*by S***L on May 6, 2023*

The Secret Book of Flora Lea's premise intrigued me, as did the description of the Whisperwood story and novel. Not having read Patti Callahan's work since the illustrious Once Upon a Wardrobe, I was eager to give this one a try. For the most part, Patti didn't disappoint. And even the one fairly big flaw in the book pushes the story more into 3.6-3.7 territory. First off, I want to give Patti major kudos for making yet another World War II story unique and dare I say special in a saturated market. The story of London's child evacuees is somewhat familiar depending on whose books you read, but Hazel and Flora definitely stand out among their counterparts. Their determination to stay together, how they come to billet at Bridie Aberdeen's, their use of Whisperwood as a coping mechanism, and their overall experience all feel tailored to them. These elements contain twists and turns, emotional arcs, and "pops of color," as it were, not seen in stories like theirs (e.g., The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Once Upon a Wardrobe, split time WWII novels from authors like Pam Jenoff or Melanie Dobson). Patti's characters are both three-dimensional and uncomfortably relatable. Sometimes the discomfort comes from the unwise choices they make, since these are reminders of how vulnerable we all are to such choices. But for me, the discomfort, the rawness, the aching vulnerability, came in less obvious moments. For instance, I ached for Hazel as she explored, grappled with, and denied her growing love for Harry. I ached for Bridie as she struggled with the disappearance of her husband, her spiritual beliefs, and her place in Binsey--because she never truly seemed as wanted and loved as she deserved. Yet never were any of these characters victims, even little Flora when she went missing. No, these characters are strong, and not just strong in the face of war. They are strong in their autonomy, their compassion, and their interdependence. They are strong in both their goodness and their sins, their wisdom and their foolish moments. I truly enjoyed spending time with each of them. While most characters leave me wanting "more," I closed their story knowing I had enough and they had completed a journey with me. I also loved the settings of The Secret Book, and as I've said before, settings don't often win brownie points from me. This one though, really popped off the page. Binsey is as enchanting as Narnia or the Kilns, but it's a place all its own. I had no trouble believing this was the place Whisperwood was meant to exist, the one and only place you could find shimmering doors. I loved the small elements of ancient Catholic and Celtic culture within Binsey too, such as the treacle well and the chapel and the festival of St. Margaret. I wanted a bit more of these, especially how they interwove with Christian culture and a true love of Jesus (I'll get to that more in a minute). Finally, I appreciated Patti's interwoven mystery behind Whisperwood, its origins and its travels. Throughout the novel, I enjoyed guessing how Whisperwood came to be a bestselling series and who found or stole the tale from the Linden sisters. Those guesses didn't lead anywhere, which again, I'll get to. But the mystery itself was a lot of fun, and as someone who doesn't read a ton of mysteries, I don't get to say that very much. Plus, the mystery involved a book and a story, and as you might know, if there's a book inside a book, I'm usually sold. Now, unfortunately, on to The Secret Book's weak elements, the ones that push it into 3.6-3.7 territory. The first and most egregious is the solution to the Whisperwood issue. That solution, at least for me, comes completely out of left field. That is, I buy the idea behind Dorothy Bellamy's role in the story, at least to a point. And I buy the idea of Frances having a part in it, to a point. But the surrounding details were so convoluted, I was unable to keep up my suspension of disbelief. Without spoiling anything, trauma or not, I don't for one second believe Frances could've gotten away with what she did, in the absence of something like total, decades-long, retrograde amnesia. (Which, by the way, is extremely rare and would've been way too soap opera-like for this story). A bit more on this: I'm still unsure I understand where Peggy, Maria, and Linda Andrews fit into all this. I mean, intellectually, I "get it." But considering Hazel, Flora, Dot, and Frances' roles, the Andrews family feels extraneous and unneeded. And unfortunately, because of that, the idea of Whisperwood being a bestselling series no longer works. It's a real shame, because that idea provides a great reason for Hazel to revisit the story and find closure for the loss of her sister. But the Andrews family "somehow" finding the story through a traumatized sister and aunt, Linda angsting and crying over "stealing" it while claiming she didn't...I mean, for me, the entire thread fell apart. Finally--and this is something I've noticed with some of Patti Callahan's other work. I don't think Patti can decide whether she wants to write Christian or secular fiction, so she ends up with this strange hybrid. Now, sometimes this works, like when Bridie acts as a Christ-follower but also respects Celtic culture and explains the origins of the word "pagan." But other times, when a book billed as Christian has F bombs and several scenes of premarital sex, it doesn't work. I wish Patti and her publishing team would make up their minds about which market she's aiming for, and tailor any hybrid elements accordingly. Because no, spirituality need not be in readers' faces, but if it's there, it should be a bit clearer, I think. And yes, there should be lines that Christian books don't cross. Anyway, with all that said, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is still a strong one. It isn't perfect, and as I said, the ending was kind of a turn-off for me. I'm unsure if I'd read this one again. But I will recommend it for discerning and mature readers, especially if you're like me and enjoy stories within stories, or those with a fantastical connection.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful + heartwarming, a must read! 💕
*by T***Y on May 14, 2023*

Excellent — a must read! I adored this wonderful, multiple-layered tale of family, first-love, loss, remorse and forgiveness that all ties into a heart-wrenching, unsolved mystery. Set in two time periods; -in the current time a mysterious book shows up at a rare book store linking our main character Hazel to her sister who for 20-years has been missing, presumed drowned at the tender age of five. Going back in time to 1940 during WWll, Britain required all children to leave the city of London naming this endeavor Operation Pied Piper. Sisters Hazel 14, and Flora 5, were evacuated to the countryside where they were chosen to live in the caring home of Mrs. Aberdeen and her son, Harry. This is when and where Hazel created the magical world of “Whisperwood” to calm her frightened little sister. This is also the year Flora disappeared on the banks of the River Thames. Patti Callahan Henry has created a very SPECIAL story that gives her readers a phenomenal, MAGICAL escape into another era.. it’s then and now, where you will find inside these pages that the power of love IS an incredible thing. Hazel never gave up on finding Flora.. and there’s several surprising twists that bring something truly HEARTWARMING 💫 into the storyline.. even perhaps a second chance at the impossible. I’m still thinking about this book and want to read it again. I can’t recommend it enough or this author! ♥️🤩 5 stars — Pub. 5/2/23

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*Product available on Desertcart Poland*
*Store origin: PL*
*Last updated: 2026-02-05*