The Best of Intentions: charming and loveable, 'Perfect for fans of Dear Mrs Bird'
Caroline Scott
Jul 2025 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Chris Harper
headphones
Audiobook
11 hr 18 min
Unabridged
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
Want a 11 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.
Add
About this audiobook
Charming, nostalgic and brimming with optimism – a sparkling story of friendship, community and staying true to yourself for fans of Lissa Evans and AJ Pearce.
'Turbulence and tribulation in paradise... A fond and funny novel about the power of patience, love and kindness' Fiona Valpy
1932: When gardener Robert Bardsley arrives at Anderby Hall, an Elizabethan manor house in the Gloucestershire countryside, it is home to ‘Greenfields’, a community of artists and idealists.
Robert has been employed to revive Anderby’s famous roses and restore the topiary garden, but he also soon befriends the other residents: from colourful neighbour Trudie, who makes a formidable cocktail and keeps her late-fiancé’s ashes on the mantelpiece, to composer Daniel, recovering from the horrors of the Great War. The only person he can’t win over is Anderby’s schoolteacher, Faye, who finds him . . . perfectly vexing.
But just as Robert starts to feel at home, the residents discover that the old orchard has been sold to a property developer who has plans for an estate of Tudorbethan bungalows. Can they find a way to keep their creative community alive or will the new housing development put an end to the spirit of Greenfields?
'An ode to kindness, authenticity and optimism - just what we need at the moment!' Caroline Bishop
'[A] warm and engaging story of community, friendship and resilience' Anita Frank
'How to live your best life is a topic of perennial fascination. Caroline Scott explores the challenges facing a utopian community of the interwar period in a beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric story. It's hard to put down’ Rachel Hore
'As clouds gather on the distant European horizon in the 1930s, the residents of Anderby Hall remind us of the importance of community, kindness and optimism' Flora Johnston
'[A] wonderful, atmospheric read that I really couldn't tear myself away from. It's so beautifully written, with gorgeous, evocative descriptions of orchards, gardens, the seasons and an English country house. I was transported!’ Tracy Rees
'A wonderful novel about the power of a creative community to heal and educate' Suzanne Goldring
'Turbulence and tribulation in paradise... A fond and funny novel about the power of patience, love and kindness' Fiona Valpy
1932: When gardener Robert Bardsley arrives at Anderby Hall, an Elizabethan manor house in the Gloucestershire countryside, it is home to ‘Greenfields’, a community of artists and idealists.
Robert has been employed to revive Anderby’s famous roses and restore the topiary garden, but he also soon befriends the other residents: from colourful neighbour Trudie, who makes a formidable cocktail and keeps her late-fiancé’s ashes on the mantelpiece, to composer Daniel, recovering from the horrors of the Great War. The only person he can’t win over is Anderby’s schoolteacher, Faye, who finds him . . . perfectly vexing.
But just as Robert starts to feel at home, the residents discover that the old orchard has been sold to a property developer who has plans for an estate of Tudorbethan bungalows. Can they find a way to keep their creative community alive or will the new housing development put an end to the spirit of Greenfields?
'An ode to kindness, authenticity and optimism - just what we need at the moment!' Caroline Bishop
'[A] warm and engaging story of community, friendship and resilience' Anita Frank
'How to live your best life is a topic of perennial fascination. Caroline Scott explores the challenges facing a utopian community of the interwar period in a beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric story. It's hard to put down’ Rachel Hore
'As clouds gather on the distant European horizon in the 1930s, the residents of Anderby Hall remind us of the importance of community, kindness and optimism' Flora Johnston
'[A] wonderful, atmospheric read that I really couldn't tear myself away from. It's so beautifully written, with gorgeous, evocative descriptions of orchards, gardens, the seasons and an English country house. I was transported!’ Tracy Rees
'A wonderful novel about the power of a creative community to heal and educate' Suzanne Goldring
About the author
Caroline Scott completed a PhD in History at the University of Durham. She has a particular interest in the experience of women during the First World War, in the challenges faced by the returning soldier. Caroline is originally from Lancashire, but now lives in south-west France.
Rate this audiobook
Tell us what you think.
Listening information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
