The Tea Planter's Wife cover art

The Tea Planter's Wife

The mesmerising escapist historical romance that became a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller

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The Tea Planter's Wife

By: Dinah Jefferies
Narrated by: Avita Jay
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About this listen

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies, read by Avita Jay.

Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper is newly married to a rich and charming widower, eager to join him on his tea plantation, determined to be the perfect wife and mother.

But life in Ceylon is not what Gwen expected. The plantation workers are resentful, the neighbours treacherous. And there are clues to the past - a dusty trunk of dresses, an overgrown gravestone in the grounds - that her husband refuses to discuss.

Just as Gwen finds her feet, disaster strikes. She faces a terrible choice, hiding the truth from almost everyone, but a secret this big can't stay buried forever . . .

 20th Century Historical Historical Fiction Romance Marriage Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Tear-jerking

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Critic reviews

Beautifully written and heart rending, this has a magical setting with a real sense of period. (Katie Fforde)
A gloriously atmospheric and tension-filled novel that centres on the separation of a mother anher child. Immensely enjoyable, poignant and compelling' (Isabel Wolff)
Vibrant and compelling - Dinah Jefferies perfectly captures the flavour of colonial Ceylon (Rosanna Ley)
A wonderful book... intensely moving and beautifully observed. Dinah Jefferies brings to the story a power and intensity that drew me in and wouldn't let me go in this intimate and emotional tale that explores where the boundaries of love lie (Kate Furnivall)
Captivating, powerful and passionate (Deborah Rodriguez on 'The Separation')
A richly detailed story... as intimate as a kiss and as sharp as the blade of a knife (David Gilham on The Separation)
I simply didn't want to put it down. Vivid and atmospheric - you can smell the tropics, feel the drenching heat... (Isabel Wolff on The Separation)
Dark secrets lie at every turn, hidden beneath layers of 1920s racism and the fearfulness of a crumbling colonial power, making for a thoroughly gripping tale. But what I loved most of all. . . is the moving way in which Dinah writes about the loss of children and the redemptive power of love.
A terrific and atmospheric read
I was spellbound from beginning to end
All stars
Most relevant
I saw Dinah Jefferies on television the other day and decided to see what this book was like. I am so glad I did
Not my normal sort of novel but I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey. Touching and at times terrifying. Will be waiting for the next one now

A Change for Me

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It was hard to put down and I didn’t want it to finish. Highly recommended

Excellent read

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I found the story dated and almost patronising at times. I didn't like any of the characters and therfore didn't really care about them.

couldn't get on with this

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Nearly gave up on this after the first half dozen or so chapters as I found it very prescriptive, obvious and black/white characters, but glad I continued. It's much better than that and I had no idea of what would unfold. A nice, gental, engaging listen.

Stick with it, it's a good and unusual tale

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Would you listen to The Tea Planter's Wife again? Why?

Yes because nuances missed in the first reading make greater sense of the story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Probably Fran who had the most integrity as a character

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator could sound less like she was about to burst into tears most of the time. Very morose delivery.

Any additional comments?

All characters slightly on the weak side

good story spoiled by narration

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