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:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5⭐️ This was a really good read. The beginning was like “IT’S A CULT!”, and I couldn’t help but want to see where the story went. I was very engaged as one thing kept leading to another. The flow of the story was so well done. 5⭐️narration from Cassandra Campbell. It always thrills me to have diversity in the characters and to hear it through the narration.
Eloise is a broken woman. She tried to be the perfect wife and become a mother. But with every attempt, a child never happened for her. Slowly, everything was falling apart. Her marriage and even being at her own job was growing too difficult. Haunted by the dream of a child she always wanted.
One day, Eloise finds an ad in a gardening magazine with an opportunity. It was a chance to start over with no children allowed. All she will have to do is tend the garden of Paradise and follow the rules. Eloise will join three others in a very isolated garden as they are discouraged from all forms of the local community and their family/friends of their old lives. This is an opportunity for healing. But there’s something dark lurking that Eloise can’t seem to shake. Will she be able to handle the secrets of Paradise.
Thank you @netgalley @harpermusebooks and @lauraresau for the advanced listener copy.
Eloise is a broken woman. She tried to be the perfect wife and become a mother. But with every attempt, a child never happened for her. Slowly, everything was falling apart. Her marriage and even being at her own job was growing too difficult. Haunted by the dream of a child she always wanted.
One day, Eloise finds an ad in a gardening magazine with an opportunity. It was a chance to start over with no children allowed. All she will have to do is tend the garden of Paradise and follow the rules. Eloise will join three others in a very isolated garden as they are discouraged from all forms of the local community and their family/friends of their old lives. This is an opportunity for healing. But there’s something dark lurking that Eloise can’t seem to shake. Will she be able to handle the secrets of Paradise.
Thank you @netgalley @harpermusebooks and @lauraresau for the advanced listener copy.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If a mysterious garden surrounding an even more mysterious castle/chateau/manor that you can't leave in the south of France with a bit of magic and an overseer that you can never meet sounds interesting to you, this may be your book! Eloise decides to apply for a job in France to be the gardener at the Jardins du Paradis as a change to get away from the disaster of her life at home. After moving and meeting the aloof assistant Antoinette, Eloise isn't sure about her choice, but she resonates with her three direct coworkers (most especially Raphael). Each person has their own secrets that you discover throughout the story with major implications by the end of the book.
I have to say, my favorite thing about this book was the author's description of the food and the gardens. While the characters were well developed and their stories were good, they honestly weren't my favorite part. Please just write a long description of a series of garden tours and associated meals and I'd be happy! Either way, I enjoyed this book and would recommend for the imagery alone. Trigger warnings though for death, miscarriage, and underage marriage. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced readers copy!
I have to say, my favorite thing about this book was the author's description of the food and the gardens. While the characters were well developed and their stories were good, they honestly weren't my favorite part. Please just write a long description of a series of garden tours and associated meals and I'd be happy! Either way, I enjoyed this book and would recommend for the imagery alone. Trigger warnings though for death, miscarriage, and underage marriage. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced readers copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood
Moderate: Death
Minor: Trafficking
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Rape, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
Minor: Cancer
ARC from NetGalley
Thank you to the author and publisher.
Publish Date: Jul 29 2025
Rating: 2.5/5
Initial thoughts:
Initially, I thought this was going to be a fantasy novel. I don't see it as such. Are the flowers magical, or is it just Eloise's internal dialogue?
Plot:
Eloise is an American gardener who is looking for a fresh start. Her struggles with building a family with her ex and health issues have left her a broken woman. So when a job ad catches her eye, with the promise of paradise in France, she jumps on it. Although there are odd rules to follow at the estate, she fits in instantly with her co-workers and the gardens, especially connecting with Raphaël.
Soon Eloise experiences sightings of mystical creatures and they notice her as well.
Praise:
- Deals with difficult subjects well
- “Wood sprite” character is cute
Critiques:
- One dimensional characters
- Superficial relationships
- Mostly predictable
- Knowledge on wounds and how they effect the body was needed
Fav Quote:
There was nothing I found that struck me.
Thank you to the author and publisher.
Publish Date: Jul 29 2025
Rating: 2.5/5
Initial thoughts:
Initially, I thought this was going to be a fantasy novel. I don't see it as such. Are the flowers magical, or is it just Eloise's internal dialogue?
Plot:
Eloise is an American gardener who is looking for a fresh start. Her struggles with building a family with her ex and health issues have left her a broken woman. So when a job ad catches her eye, with the promise of paradise in France, she jumps on it. Although there are odd rules to follow at the estate, she fits in instantly with her co-workers and the gardens, especially connecting with Raphaël.
Soon Eloise experiences sightings of mystical creatures and they notice her as well.
Praise:
- Deals with difficult subjects well
- “Wood sprite” character is cute
Critiques:
- One dimensional characters
- Superficial relationships
- Mostly predictable
- Knowledge on wounds and how they effect the body was needed
Fav Quote:
There was nothing I found that struck me.
slow-paced
Audiobook
The Alchemy of Flowers follows Eloise Bourne, who abruptly leaves her life in Colorado behind to move to an enigmatic, walled estate in France. Tasked with tending to its lush, otherworldly gardens, Eloise must navigate not only the château's strict rules and eccentric residents, but also the lingering shadows of her past.
As Eloise learns to live within the estate’s surreal rhythm, she begins to confront the deep trauma of infertility and child loss. Surrounded by others who are also carrying quiet griefs, she discovers a path toward healing, renewal, and the fragile hope of a second chance.
Resau navigates difficult emotional terrain with tenderness and courage, shedding light on subjects rarely explored in such depth. While the poetic style and symbolism will resonate deeply with some readers, I found the pacing slow and the narrative too abstract to fully hold my attention.
Advanced reader copy provided by Harper Muse and Harper Muse Audio. All opinions are my own.
The Alchemy of Flowers follows Eloise Bourne, who abruptly leaves her life in Colorado behind to move to an enigmatic, walled estate in France. Tasked with tending to its lush, otherworldly gardens, Eloise must navigate not only the château's strict rules and eccentric residents, but also the lingering shadows of her past.
As Eloise learns to live within the estate’s surreal rhythm, she begins to confront the deep trauma of infertility and child loss. Surrounded by others who are also carrying quiet griefs, she discovers a path toward healing, renewal, and the fragile hope of a second chance.
Resau navigates difficult emotional terrain with tenderness and courage, shedding light on subjects rarely explored in such depth. While the poetic style and symbolism will resonate deeply with some readers, I found the pacing slow and the narrative too abstract to fully hold my attention.
Advanced reader copy provided by Harper Muse and Harper Muse Audio. All opinions are my own.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to Uplitreads, Harper Muse Books & Netgalley for the #gifted 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑳𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑴𝒀 𝑶𝑭 𝑭𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑬𝑹𝑺 𝒃𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒂 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒂𝒖 published this week!
This is a story of loss, healing, community, and the choices we make in the midst of darkness all told with a sprinkling of magic and balm of nature.
Eloise has endured the worst kind of loss. When an "help wanted" ad appears for a gardener in a walled estate in the south of France, one with a clear message of NO CHILDREN ALLOWED, Eloise makes the leap, hoping for a reprieve from the unending pain she is feeling. The elusive owner is never to be seen, but she begins to make real connections to her fellow companions at this isolated and beautiful estate. She relishes the quiet moments where she can hear the flowers speaking to her again as they guide her to open up to some, and give warning to others. This tiny spot of paradise has secrets, however, in a little woodsprite girl, but also more sinister ones that threaten if the rules are not obeyed.
I was quite enveloped by the magical garden abilities, the atmospheric estate, the quiet and knowing friends, and even the underlying danger. As one who has chosen to be child-free, there was much here I did not personally understand as such, but this is why reading is so wonderful. This is a book that explores the emotions of losing a child (or children) before they've taken a breath, and it was done with such a raw tenderness. This is one of those stories that helps those of us who do not know, to hear and learn from a vulnerable source, hopefully to be more sensitive and caring to those who do know. It is a hope-filled story, despite its heavy themes.
I recommend this book to those who need a feel good story filled with a bit of whimsy and love.
I paired the physical copy, which has a map (I absolutely love a good map!), with the audio and it made for a lovely reading experience. Cassandra Campbell narrates and does a fine job with the cast of diverse characters, but really shines with the emotion of Eloise.
This is a story of loss, healing, community, and the choices we make in the midst of darkness all told with a sprinkling of magic and balm of nature.
Eloise has endured the worst kind of loss. When an "help wanted" ad appears for a gardener in a walled estate in the south of France, one with a clear message of NO CHILDREN ALLOWED, Eloise makes the leap, hoping for a reprieve from the unending pain she is feeling. The elusive owner is never to be seen, but she begins to make real connections to her fellow companions at this isolated and beautiful estate. She relishes the quiet moments where she can hear the flowers speaking to her again as they guide her to open up to some, and give warning to others. This tiny spot of paradise has secrets, however, in a little woodsprite girl, but also more sinister ones that threaten if the rules are not obeyed.
I was quite enveloped by the magical garden abilities, the atmospheric estate, the quiet and knowing friends, and even the underlying danger. As one who has chosen to be child-free, there was much here I did not personally understand as such, but this is why reading is so wonderful. This is a book that explores the emotions of losing a child (or children) before they've taken a breath, and it was done with such a raw tenderness. This is one of those stories that helps those of us who do not know, to hear and learn from a vulnerable source, hopefully to be more sensitive and caring to those who do know. It is a hope-filled story, despite its heavy themes.
I recommend this book to those who need a feel good story filled with a bit of whimsy and love.
I paired the physical copy, which has a map (I absolutely love a good map!), with the audio and it made for a lovely reading experience. Cassandra Campbell narrates and does a fine job with the cast of diverse characters, but really shines with the emotion of Eloise.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
This book was trying to be everything. It was a love story, a mystery, a gothic setting, whimsical and lighthearted, tense, it was about trauma and healing, it was about forgiveness and found family. I just felt very all over the place and wanted to zero in on a few topics, instead I just got a glance on everything.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-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
This magical realism debut novel is a bit odd, a bit sweet and a lot complex while also being very simple...confused yet? Yeah, me too...but in a good way.
The star of the show is an ancient walled garden (Jardins du Paradis) in the South of France...a mysterious castle and grounds which is where our middle-aged American heroine Eloise finds herself in a new gardening position. The job comes with three rules: no gossiping, stay indoors during the dusk hour and absolutely no children allowed on the premises.
Eloise is struggling with a past filled with pain, loss and hopelessness and applies for the position of a gardener who must "grow flowers from one's merde"...merde being the French swear word for sh*t. She finds herself literally locked up in a garden paradise, living in a dreamy multi-level treehouse (complete with a lovely outhouse built by the handyman Raphael) and doing what she loves most...talking with and caring for flowers. She lives and works with three other caretakers all of which are also seeking to heal and recover from various life traumas. The healing power of the garden begins to be challenged by an overwhelming sense of unease following certain discoveries and unexplained secrets on the grounds and the abrupt, abrasive behavior of the owner. The question then becomes, is this a paradise or just a seductive illusion?
The writing in this book is simply beautiful...the vivid imagery, the sense of place and time...all so very well done...Resau captured the ambiance and feel of an ancient walled garden so irresistibly. The characters are all complex and compelling, warm and accepting. But I think as the denouement nears it just went off the track a little for me, and in full disclosure that could be because I haven't read much magical realism as a genre. I felt like the pace was off in places, slow and meandering sometimes, full speed and sharp sometimes (especially during the denouement). As an aside, I also wanted to mention that there are some painful and dark issues covered here so reader be aware.
However, the pacing and a bit of "off tracking" can be overlooked by me in the face of the beauty of the words and the heartbreaking but ultimately triumphant cast of characters.
Maybe I do need to read more magical realism...hmmm.
My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus / Harper Muse for providing the free early arc of The Alchemy of Flowers for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
The star of the show is an ancient walled garden (Jardins du Paradis) in the South of France...a mysterious castle and grounds which is where our middle-aged American heroine Eloise finds herself in a new gardening position. The job comes with three rules: no gossiping, stay indoors during the dusk hour and absolutely no children allowed on the premises.
Eloise is struggling with a past filled with pain, loss and hopelessness and applies for the position of a gardener who must "grow flowers from one's merde"...merde being the French swear word for sh*t. She finds herself literally locked up in a garden paradise, living in a dreamy multi-level treehouse (complete with a lovely outhouse built by the handyman Raphael) and doing what she loves most...talking with and caring for flowers. She lives and works with three other caretakers all of which are also seeking to heal and recover from various life traumas. The healing power of the garden begins to be challenged by an overwhelming sense of unease following certain discoveries and unexplained secrets on the grounds and the abrupt, abrasive behavior of the owner. The question then becomes, is this a paradise or just a seductive illusion?
The writing in this book is simply beautiful...the vivid imagery, the sense of place and time...all so very well done...Resau captured the ambiance and feel of an ancient walled garden so irresistibly. The characters are all complex and compelling, warm and accepting. But I think as the denouement nears it just went off the track a little for me, and in full disclosure that could be because I haven't read much magical realism as a genre. I felt like the pace was off in places, slow and meandering sometimes, full speed and sharp sometimes (especially during the denouement). As an aside, I also wanted to mention that there are some painful and dark issues covered here so reader be aware.
However, the pacing and a bit of "off tracking" can be overlooked by me in the face of the beauty of the words and the heartbreaking but ultimately triumphant cast of characters.
Maybe I do need to read more magical realism...hmmm.
My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus / Harper Muse for providing the free early arc of The Alchemy of Flowers for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
I both listened and read this novel and I really enjoyed Cassandra Campbell's narration, especially because I don't speak French and don't always know how to pronounce French words. :) At times the story felt a little sappy or melodramatic, but I did like it overall and the characters were fun to get to know. The setting was vivid and incredibly detailed. I could easily picture myself in a medieval garden estate in Provence, and would love to smell such a place! I also enjoyed the sumptuous descriptions of food, tea blends, and aromatic lotions. The Gardens of Paradise were as important a character as Eloise and her friends. There was plenty of emotion, healing, drama, and a hint of magic in this book, and it was an overall enjoyable read.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse/Harper Collins, and Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse/Harper Collins, and Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advanced copy of this book.