Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Eloise, mired in grief, walks away from her life and accepts a unique job offer in the south of France to live off the grid and tend a lush garden on a private estate. As with all opportunities, when it feels too good to be true, it probably is. A darkness lurks in the garden, and the "rules" for living inside the locked gates of the estate quickly begin to feel sinister. Is this truly the garden of paradise that Eloise so desperately needs, or has she made a grave error by taking this leap?
This novel is full of equal parts lush garden settings, decadent food writing (it is France, after all), and a lingering, creeping sense of dread. These things don't seem to go together on the surface, but in Resau's hands, it works beautifully. All these characters are flawed but most are extremely lovable. While some scenes frustrated me (I would not operate well among a group of people shrugging off some truly bizarre circumstances, for instance), everything comes together in due time. The nods to The Secret Garden and Eloise's incredible treehouse abode made the little girl still living in me gleeful.
Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to hide away in this garden prior to the book's publication. Now, I'm off to the farmer's market to immerse myself in the townsfolk and shop for a bounty of local wares!
This novel is full of equal parts lush garden settings, decadent food writing (it is France, after all), and a lingering, creeping sense of dread. These things don't seem to go together on the surface, but in Resau's hands, it works beautifully. All these characters are flawed but most are extremely lovable. While some scenes frustrated me (I would not operate well among a group of people shrugging off some truly bizarre circumstances, for instance), everything comes together in due time. The nods to The Secret Garden and Eloise's incredible treehouse abode made the little girl still living in me gleeful.
Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to hide away in this garden prior to the book's publication. Now, I'm off to the farmer's market to immerse myself in the townsfolk and shop for a bounty of local wares!
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Violence
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Going through the gates of Jardins du Paradis is like stepping into a portal of a fairytale. A magnificent, fantastical realm curated and gathered through eloquent utopic imagery. It is a secluded haven for a select few, sequestered away from the rest of the modern world. But there are rules. Touched by goddesses - real or imagined, ethereal or terrifying. Life and death frolic upon the whispers of flowers. The broken go there to escape the tragedy or trauma of their pasts and as long as they adhere to the rules they can stay and live in paradise.
Eloise found her way there, by fate, by happenstance, by manifestation. It was all she could have ever imagined... and much more.
Full of mystery, of doubt and hope, of loss and healing. Tentative and fragile relationships evolve and strengthen through kindred bonds. Curiousity brings about danger... and discovery. Thrill, suspense, and dark twists. If you've followed my reviews, you know I love a story that combines multiple genres and runs my tender heart through a gamut of emotions. This would be one of those!
Love the journey, the stories, these characters!
ALC Audiobook review. Thank you NetGalley/Harper Muse Audiobooks for providing me with a reviewing copy of this audiobook
Eloise found her way there, by fate, by happenstance, by manifestation. It was all she could have ever imagined... and much more.
Full of mystery, of doubt and hope, of loss and healing. Tentative and fragile relationships evolve and strengthen through kindred bonds. Curiousity brings about danger... and discovery. Thrill, suspense, and dark twists. If you've followed my reviews, you know I love a story that combines multiple genres and runs my tender heart through a gamut of emotions. This would be one of those!
Love the journey, the stories, these characters!
ALC Audiobook review. Thank you NetGalley/Harper Muse Audiobooks for providing me with a reviewing copy of this audiobook
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I had such high hopes for The Alchemy of Flowers, and while it didn’t fully do it for me, there were definitely some elements worth admiring.
Let’s start with the magic: the magical realism here is chef’s kiss. That gentle blend of wonder and reality gave the whole story a whimsical, melancholic charm I couldn’t help but get drawn into. The found family dynamic between the main characters? Heartwarming in all the right ways — the kind of bond that creeps up on you and wraps itself around your ribs. And the writing itself is stunning. Poetic, evocative, dripping with atmosphere. I could see the village, smell the blossoms, feel the lingering grief in the air. It’s a vibe.
And THAT plot twist at the end? Ohhh, I didn’t see it coming. I literally paused the audiobook and said, “Wait, WHAT?” 👀
Speaking of the audiobook — beautiful narration. The French accents were authentic and captivating, and I adored how French language and culture were seamlessly woven into the narrative without ever feeling forced. It gave the story a sense of place that was both grounded and enchanting.
But here’s where the bloom wilted a bit for me…
I really wish there had been proper trigger warnings. This story delves into some heavy topics — grief, infertility, miscarriage, and brushes up against some very distressing themes like sexual abuse and harm to children. None of this was flagged, and it took me off guard more than once. That lack of emotional prep made some parts feel unexpectedly jarring, especially given the otherwise gentle, dreamy tone.
I also struggled with the FMC’s connection to the flowers — something that felt like it should’ve been at the heart of the story but ended up being a bit vague and underdeveloped. It left a plot hole that nagged at me, especially when everything else had been painted with such careful brushstrokes.
In the end, I’m glad I read (listened to) it. The atmosphere, the prose, and the found family were enough to keep me going — but the unevenness and lack of care around sensitive topics kept it from being a favourite. A solid 3⭐️ read for me.
Let’s start with the magic: the magical realism here is chef’s kiss. That gentle blend of wonder and reality gave the whole story a whimsical, melancholic charm I couldn’t help but get drawn into. The found family dynamic between the main characters? Heartwarming in all the right ways — the kind of bond that creeps up on you and wraps itself around your ribs. And the writing itself is stunning. Poetic, evocative, dripping with atmosphere. I could see the village, smell the blossoms, feel the lingering grief in the air. It’s a vibe.
And THAT plot twist at the end? Ohhh, I didn’t see it coming. I literally paused the audiobook and said, “Wait, WHAT?” 👀
Speaking of the audiobook — beautiful narration. The French accents were authentic and captivating, and I adored how French language and culture were seamlessly woven into the narrative without ever feeling forced. It gave the story a sense of place that was both grounded and enchanting.
But here’s where the bloom wilted a bit for me…
I really wish there had been proper trigger warnings. This story delves into some heavy topics — grief, infertility, miscarriage, and brushes up against some very distressing themes like sexual abuse and harm to children. None of this was flagged, and it took me off guard more than once. That lack of emotional prep made some parts feel unexpectedly jarring, especially given the otherwise gentle, dreamy tone.
I also struggled with the FMC’s connection to the flowers — something that felt like it should’ve been at the heart of the story but ended up being a bit vague and underdeveloped. It left a plot hole that nagged at me, especially when everything else had been painted with such careful brushstrokes.
In the end, I’m glad I read (listened to) it. The atmosphere, the prose, and the found family were enough to keep me going — but the unevenness and lack of care around sensitive topics kept it from being a favourite. A solid 3⭐️ read for me.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Magic in an audiobook. I love the setting: magic garden, French cuisine, tree house, hobbit house, outdoor shower, loving friends and the power of the flowers.
It was an enchanting story, I love how the author blends each story of the inhabitants of the Jardin Du Paradis. The reason they went there how the garden heals them, the descriptions of the flowers, smells and colours. It felt like I was there with them.
The only thing is that I could predict what was going on, but that was fine.
There were heavy topics/ trigger warnings: child abuse, infertility, child loss, and cancer.
The Narration was amazing, with the French accents being so nice and natural.
Tropes: found family.
Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my opinion.
It was an enchanting story, I love how the author blends each story of the inhabitants of the Jardin Du Paradis. The reason they went there how the garden heals them, the descriptions of the flowers, smells and colours. It felt like I was there with them.
The only thing is that I could predict what was going on, but that was fine.
There were heavy topics/ trigger warnings: child abuse, infertility, child loss, and cancer.
The Narration was amazing, with the French accents being so nice and natural.
Tropes: found family.
Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse