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

'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

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

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

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

Muriel Barbery is the author of four previous novels, including the IMPAC-shortlisted multimillion-copy bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog. She has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam and Paris and now lives in the French countryside.