From the author of the international bestseller The Elegance of The Hedgehog comes a life-affirming novel about unexpected second chances set against the temples and teahouses of Tokyo.

'A moving tale of emotional awakening and blossoming love' Woman's Own

'An enjoyable, immersive read' The Lady

Rose has just turned forty when she is unexpectedly summoned to Japan for the reading of her father Haru's will, who seemingly abandoned her when she was a baby.

Leaving behind her life as a botanist in Paris, Rose travels to Kyoto and is led around its enchanting tea houses, temples and zen gardens by Paul, Haru's former assistant. Initially a reluctant tourist, Rose comes to discover her father's legacy through the itinerary he set for her, finding gifts greater than she had ever imagined and connecting with gentle widower Paul.

This is a mesmerising story of second chances, of beauty born out of grief and roses grown from ashes.

"Muriel Barbery crafts a moving tale of emotional awakening and blossoming love, set among the vivid colours and mesmerising scenery of Kyoto" - Woman's Own

"[A] multi-layered novel of self-discovery, grounded in richly evoked landscapes and experiences . . . An enjoyable, immersive read" - The Lady

"Barbery sows beauty on every page" - Elle

"Rich with atmosphere and character and drawing on themes of grief and second chances, this is a delicate delight" - Living Magazine

"Delightful, engaging . . . this novel offers the pleasures of a poetic travelogue and an homage to a place and a culture" - New York Journal of Books

"'A lyrical and opaque story" - Publishers Weekly

"An immensely calming novel, so superbly written it deserves to be savoured slowly" - Le Parisien

"A fascinating maze of emotional release" - Foreword Reviews

"A moving, accomplished novel ... thoughtful, ethereal and inspired" - L’Obs

"An ode to Japan . . . a magnificent, resonant, finely crafted novel" - Le Monde

"An incredible hymn to the power of changing direction" - La Grande Librairie, France 5

"A small miracle" - Lire