LOST TIME

A woman uncovers family secrets in Ashford’s contemporary romance with hints of magical realism.

Researcher Abby Rousseau is haunted by the memory of her mother, who died young, and has many questions about the family from which her mother was estranged. Shortly after Abby’s Californian home is destroyed in a wildfire, she learns that her mother’s aunt left her the family’s house in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After she moves in, she starts receiving packages from her deceased great-aunt. They contain letters and heirlooms that begin to uncover the family history that Abby has always wanted to know about. The historic house is surrounded by an urban garden, a thriving and delicate ecosystem maintained by a handsome botanist named Matt (“she had a weakness for tall men, and this one topped her by a good six inches. He had broad shoulders, black hair long enough to curl just slightly at the ends, and a lean muscular build”). As the garden reveals its wonders, Abby and Matt make a connection, and Abby grows closer to the answers she’s been seeking. Several of her aunt’s friends, however, dispute the validity of Abby’s inheritance, and somebody is sending Abby threatening letters and defacing the property—she worries that she may lose the place she’s just started to think of as home. The people and places of Cambridge are rendered fully and fluently without excessive detail or exposition. Abby’s sublimated grief and questions about her history are conveyed authentically rather than melodramatically. The novel’s subtle ecological themes prove particularly compelling, with the verdant garden adding an almost mystical element to the narrative. Ashford’s commentary on the interdependence of species adds conceptual depth: “So much is living that people see as inert.” The climactic action and violence are somewhat incongruent with the previously established tone, but the otherwise relaxed and contemplative pacing creates an appealingly cozy atmosphere.

Environmental enchantment and authentic emotions elevate this winning tale of family, nature, and belonging.