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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
The gorgeous cover is what first drew me to this book. When I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version, I jumped at the chance. Based on the compelling true story of her great, great grandmother, Joy Callaway delivers a beautiful story of sacrifice, romance, community, and gardening all during the Gilded Age in upstate New York.
Sadie Fremd is the only daughter of a middle class German immigrant whose well known flower and plant nursery has earned him a place in high society. With older brothers uninterested in carrying on the family business, Sadie tries to convince her father she’s the best person to take over. However, in 1893, New York, women don’t run businesses. Despite her knowledge and love of plants, her father’s only wish is for her to marry well to keep the family legacy alive especially with the recent economic downturn.
When a former love comes back into her life, Sadie’s forced to confront her own circumstances. She sees the need for sharing flowers and plants not only with the wealthy, but the downtrodden in most need of a little beauty. As Sadie attempts to spread her love of plants and create new opportunities for the nursery, she risks not only her father’s anger, but her heart as well. When the nursery is threatened, will she be willing to sacrifice true love for her family and the people she’s come to care about?
I could hardly put the audiobook version down. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life all with various accents. I enjoyed the emotion she interjected into the story. Her pleasant voice made for easy listening as well.
I enjoyed Sadie’s story. At times, I was frustrated with the confines of the Gilded Age. It’s clear Sadie’s vision and talent are what the nursery needed, however her father’s insistence that she marry for money made this a nail-biter as to who she’d end up marrying. It came down to the last few chapters, and even then I wasn’t sure if she would choose convention or find a way out of her circumstances. Loved the descriptions of the plants and flowers. Each time an unfamiliar plant was mentioned, I wanted to google it to see what it looked like.
It’s a vividly written romantic story I recommend to garden and historical fiction lovers. I received an advanced listener copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
Sadie Fremd is the only daughter of a middle class German immigrant whose well known flower and plant nursery has earned him a place in high society. With older brothers uninterested in carrying on the family business, Sadie tries to convince her father she’s the best person to take over. However, in 1893, New York, women don’t run businesses. Despite her knowledge and love of plants, her father’s only wish is for her to marry well to keep the family legacy alive especially with the recent economic downturn.
When a former love comes back into her life, Sadie’s forced to confront her own circumstances. She sees the need for sharing flowers and plants not only with the wealthy, but the downtrodden in most need of a little beauty. As Sadie attempts to spread her love of plants and create new opportunities for the nursery, she risks not only her father’s anger, but her heart as well. When the nursery is threatened, will she be willing to sacrifice true love for her family and the people she’s come to care about?
I could hardly put the audiobook version down. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life all with various accents. I enjoyed the emotion she interjected into the story. Her pleasant voice made for easy listening as well.
I enjoyed Sadie’s story. At times, I was frustrated with the confines of the Gilded Age. It’s clear Sadie’s vision and talent are what the nursery needed, however her father’s insistence that she marry for money made this a nail-biter as to who she’d end up marrying. It came down to the last few chapters, and even then I wasn’t sure if she would choose convention or find a way out of her circumstances. Loved the descriptions of the plants and flowers. Each time an unfamiliar plant was mentioned, I wanted to google it to see what it looked like.
It’s a vividly written romantic story I recommend to garden and historical fiction lovers. I received an advanced listener copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
*Thanks to NetGalley for this copy to review. All opinions are my own.
Audiobook
Historical fiction (although this is based on a true story, and filled with truth) is not my usual wheelhouse so I was not sure how I’d enjoy this, but I LOVED it. Every time I had to put it down was misery. Sadie and Sam, and the whole crew of characters, were easy to fall in love with. The plot was captivating and based on the author’s inspiring great great grandmother.
Audiobook
Historical fiction (although this is based on a true story, and filled with truth) is not my usual wheelhouse so I was not sure how I’d enjoy this, but I LOVED it. Every time I had to put it down was misery. Sadie and Sam, and the whole crew of characters, were easy to fall in love with. The plot was captivating and based on the author’s inspiring great great grandmother.
This is my first from this author and I am interested to read more. I love that all of her books are inspired by her ancestors.
This was interesting to learn more about the beautiful gardens of the gilded age. As well as learning about the increasing support for community parks especially for those in poverty who hardly ever saw any greenery by living in the slums.
I have it a three because the dialogue at times fell flat for me.
This was interesting to learn more about the beautiful gardens of the gilded age. As well as learning about the increasing support for community parks especially for those in poverty who hardly ever saw any greenery by living in the slums.
I have it a three because the dialogue at times fell flat for me.
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to #netgalley and #harpermuse for this audio arc in exchange for my honest review.
All the Pretty Places is homemade lemon juice on a warm, summer's day. A gentle breeze on a sunny beach day. A cabin in the hills with a babbling brook. That is to say, this story is a beautiful respite from the trials of life, a wonderful escape you have waited for. No, I wouldn't say you've been eagerly anticipating this trip, it's quiet and sweet.
This gilded age historical fiction is a beautiful look at life outside of the city, of love on the outskirts of wealth. A quiet decision on which direction to follow your heart. If you enjoy historical fiction and romance and are looking for a read with a little less pressure, I would suggest this book.
All the Pretty Places is homemade lemon juice on a warm, summer's day. A gentle breeze on a sunny beach day. A cabin in the hills with a babbling brook. That is to say, this story is a beautiful respite from the trials of life, a wonderful escape you have waited for. No, I wouldn't say you've been eagerly anticipating this trip, it's quiet and sweet.
This gilded age historical fiction is a beautiful look at life outside of the city, of love on the outskirts of wealth. A quiet decision on which direction to follow your heart. If you enjoy historical fiction and romance and are looking for a read with a little less pressure, I would suggest this book.
Sadie has grown up loving plants and helping her father’s nursery. With the grim economy Sadie’s father is determined she marry and have a fortune and man she can rely on. What her father doesn’t know is Sadie has fallen in love with Sam, one of her father’s workers. With businesses closing and families leaving Sadie is feeling more and more pressure to marry, even if none of the men can stand up to Sam. Will Sadie end up giving into her father’s wishes and marry, even if it it isn’t a love match? Or will she make her way on her own terms?
With a beautiful blend of horticulture, this was such a wonderful read! I highly recommend this for any historical fiction fan!
With a beautiful blend of horticulture, this was such a wonderful read! I highly recommend this for any historical fiction fan!
The concept of bringing beauty to people who don’t have access to it, is such a fantastic subject. There’s something so insightful and incredible that God loved creativity for creativity’s sake, and gives us things like flowers and nature, sometimes for no other reason than for the sake of beauty in our lives. The mental reprieve it gives those in stressful or unthinkable circumstances I think is so inspiring and thought provoking. There is so much more to us than material need and practical things. Sometimes the impractical has as much impact as the practical. Art, beauty, nature. It’s easily overlooked and yet he spent so much time orchestrating it for us.
The concepts of generosity for no intended return was also beautiful and emotional. So important and inspiring.
I loved the pieces of history in Rye, NY, as I’ve been thru there on the way to NYC. And I loved that this is based on the authors real family story.
Some of Sadie’s naïveté felt a little overdone and redundant at times. How she was constantly deluded enough that her father would defy all societal notion and give the nursery to her willingly despite his constant voicing to the contrary. The flip flop of her father after the storm when she did what he asked her and he felt terrible, felt disingenuous and didn’t make sense also. Those were my only real objections for the storyline but enough that it diminished the concept a little for me as a story. Otherwise I absolutely loved the concept of nature, beauty and generosity.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
The concepts of generosity for no intended return was also beautiful and emotional. So important and inspiring.
I loved the pieces of history in Rye, NY, as I’ve been thru there on the way to NYC. And I loved that this is based on the authors real family story.
Some of Sadie’s naïveté felt a little overdone and redundant at times. How she was constantly deluded enough that her father would defy all societal notion and give the nursery to her willingly despite his constant voicing to the contrary. The flip flop of her father after the storm when she did what he asked her and he felt terrible, felt disingenuous and didn’t make sense also. Those were my only real objections for the storyline but enough that it diminished the concept a little for me as a story. Otherwise I absolutely loved the concept of nature, beauty and generosity.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
This book as a wonderful ride beginning to the end. Sadie is a wonderful main protagonist and watching the shift in her relationships with all the other characters in this story is fascinating and heartwarming. It made me cry, hah!