Although this is the third book in a series one can read this without knowing the previous stories. While based on real people I found the story very long and struggled to finish. As a Civil War buff I didn’t learn anything new but those who aren’t familiar with it will find it interesting.

In a spin-off prequel of her bestseller, Lilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly tells the tale of Caroline's ancestor, a story inspired by true accounts. During the Civil War, Georgeann Woolsey feels trapped in a life of luxury and boldly enlists to become a Union nurse. There she meets an enslaved girl who joined the Union Army to flee her cruel mistress. Together they must face the cruelties of war and the inhumanity of their day.

Although I was excited to read Martha Hall Kelly's foray into the Civil War, I've been putting Sunflower Sisters off for months because reading a 500-page novel is a big time commitment, even for me. Unfortunately, during the first few chapters, I found myself bored to tears. Maybe the story gets more interesting later, but every character was so flat that I decided it wasn't worth wading through 400+ pages to find out. DNF at 15%.

5 stars! I was thrilled to be able to read an advance copy of Martha Hall Kelly’s newest novel. Her previous books were unputdownable and I thoroughly enjoyed them. This novel was no exception.

She has a penchant for writing beautiful thought-provoking books with believable characters. I love how her novels center around women, their friendship and their kinsmanship.

Though this novel is set during the civil war era, much of it is very timely.

There are those who sought to maintain slavery and those who vehemently despise it, both are represented in this novel.

I received an advance digital review copy of this book all opinions are my own.

Sunflower Sisters gives us the story of the Civil War as seen by three distinct narrators: Georgeanna (Georgy) Woolsey, one of seven sisters in a wealthy New York family of abolitionists; Jemma, a slave on a tobacco plantation in Maryland; and Anne-May, the plantation owner. The author introduces a lot of characters quickly, which was pretty confusing (there are, after all, seven Woolsey sisters!), but eventually I figured out who was who. To be honest, I didn’t learn much new about the Civil War era, as I’ve read several books, watched the PBS series, “Mercy Street”, and toured a number of Civil War battlefields including Gettysburg, but for someone who doesn’t have that background, this book will be eye-opening. At over 500 pages, this book is long and could easily have been edited to be a more manageable length.

Although technically part of a series, this is a standalone novel, only connected by genealogy to the other two books;

I really enjoyed the interesting historical notes at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I have read and loved Lilac Girls and Lost Roses and eagerly awaited this newest release in the series. This was an interesting story taking place during the Civil War and involving slavery, nursing, and remarkable female characters. It was clear that this book was well-researched and I enjoyed learning about this bit of history through an interesting story line. I look forward to reading many more from Martha Hall Kelly and highly recommend this book to those with an interest in historical fiction, empowering women and nursing.

Thank you, Random House and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was eagerly anticipating reading about the women in this series, but it seemed like each book (including this one) dragged on longer than the last. I was happy to get another glimpse into this family and this era, but I was glad when it was over.

Sunflower Sisters continues to tell the story of the Woolsey sisters and their part in the fight against slavery during the Civil War. Kelly does a great job of letting us hear about this time from multiple perspectives; Georgy a Woolsey sister trying to further the cause for women to serve as nurses as well as working to abolish slavery. Then there’s Jemma a black slave girl who along with her parents and siblings is trying to survive the harsh life of the southern tobacco plantation. Finally there’s Anne-May the cruel Louisiana southern plantation owner who selfishly does everything to be with a man who is not her husband. This story weaves together these women’s lives in a believable way, and the reader comes to love Jemma and her family along with the Woolsey family and all associated with them. This is not a fast read, but it’s definitely one that’s hard to put down. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I highly suggest Sunflower Sisters!

After reading Lost Roses and Lilac Girls, I was anxious to read Sunflower Sisters, the prequel to the series. Ms. Kelly did not disappoint. This was by far the best book of the three. The historical research was amazing. You fall in love with the Georgi Woolsey and Jemma, the main characters in the book and root for them til the final page. I hated to see this book end. The author’s notes at the end of the book were very informative, and are not to be skipped. Don’t miss out by not reading this novel.

This is my first book by this author. Although part of a series, it is a standalone historical fiction novel set in the Civil War time period. Y'all, it is looong. Maybe it could have been edited down a little, but despite the length, it was engaging and well-written. It was also bah-rut-al. Because slavery was brutal. And a war that pitted loved ones against each other, also brutal. The author's note at the end is worth checking out. I would definitely read more from this author.

This is a beautiful historical fiction book about the Civil War Era in which you get involved into several stories narrated by three different strong women; a young black slave girl, an abolitionist young woman, and a slave-owner heir to a tobacco plantation.

This is my first book of the author and the way she weaves the three perspectives into the novel is wonderfully executed. While there are some characters it is difficult to empathize with, all of them are well developed and we get to know their backstory which allow us to see some things from different perspectives and eyes.

The novel will take you through the whole five years of US Civil War and even if you are familiar with the events, you will be delighted to know more about it, specially about the role of women during war, as devoted mothers waiting for their children, as army nurses, women spies, war sponsors or women serving undercover in the army.

I loved the third book from Martha Hall Kelly following the Woolsey lineage. Sunflower Sisters follows Georgeanna Woolsey during the civil war. If you liked Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, you’ll love Sunflower Sisters!

While Sunflower Sisters is marketed as part of a series, I had not read the previous books in the series and had no trouble whatsoever following the story. I'm sure there were connections between characters across history sprinkled throughout that I missed, but it in no way impacted my understanding or enjoyment of the book.

Sunflower Sisters follows 3 perspectives:
Jemma, a slave from Peeler Plantation, who finds herself sold, conscripted into the military, and leading a life very different from her beginnings;
Ann-May, the mistress of Peeler Plantation, known for her cruel treatment of Jemma and her lack of preparation for being left in charge;
Georgey, a northern woman from an abolitionist family who decides to become a nurse after the Civil War breaks out

One of the things I most enjoyed about Sunflower Sisters is that the author focuses on lesser-known aspects of the Civil War era. The events of Jemma's life after being sold from Peeler were fascinating and I've never read about some of them prior to this book. The perspective on Ann-May was also interesting--yes, she's the plantation mistress that I loved to hate, but I enjoyed learning about her personal struggles as well. Georgey's role as a Civil War nurse was especially unique in comparison to other Civil War era novels I've read. I had no idea that nurses at the time were typically men, so I loved learning about the struggles that women faced in order to serve in this capacity.

I also enjoyed seeing how the stories of the 3 women intertwined, sometimes in unexpected ways.

The only thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me was the use of first person narrative in all 3 points of view. At times, especially during the parts of the book where I chose to listen to audio, it became a little confusing to place which character's story I was in. Other than that minor flaw, this is a tremendous book that provides a look at some interesting aspects of the Civil War era not typically explored in historical fiction of the period.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a huge fan of Martha Hall Kelly and her two previous works have stayed with me long after I finished them. Therefore, I was so excited to receive a copy of her latest and final book of the Lilac Girls series. I have dreaded seeing this series come to an end, so I tried to take my time and savor this story, but of course that means I just flew through it in no time.

Sunflower Sisters is based on real life events, and I immediately fell in love with this story full of rich details. With Sunflower Sisters, the story of this family continues backward to the Civil War, with Georgeanna Wolsey, a Union nurse who meets Jemma, a girl who is enslaved and later conscripted into the army.

The time in which the story takes place is brutal in every way. A civil war and slavery are just that, brutal and horrifying. Time is spent on the battlefield, in hospitals, and on plantations. Martha Hall Kelly’s novels are detailed and immersive, perfect for historical fiction fans. I absolutely love how she’s explored the strong women in this family, and the strong women around them as well.

This book was fantastic. I absolutely LOVED everything about it. As much as I love historical fiction, I think this is actually the first book I’ve ever read in the Civil War Era! The characters were so vivid and the fact that the book is based on real people is just even more amazing. I can’t imagine the amount of work that went into researching this book. It’s truly a masterpiece!

I don't know if there is another trilogy I have enjoyed as much as Lilac Girls, but I'm not about to do the research to figure it out considering how many books I have read. It is also notable that I see I have gotten all three of the books as ARC's, this time thanks to Net Galley. I have so enjoyed my time with generations of this family, and I cried through the final portions of this one just as I did the previous two. I'd like to think the tears helped with my sunbathing! It is interesting that this trilogy unfolds backwards, with this, the third and final book, taking place during the Civil War. Gettysburg is featured, and it is a favorite of ours to visit.

I love these characters and their stories, but the most important thing to know is that these were truly real people, and these works are based are based on the incredible historical record of this family - generations of strong, brave women whose lives have been documented through an extensive family history. For all three of the books, do not skip the author's notes at the end - you will be amazed. Which leads me to my tribute to the author. Martha Hall Kelly is an outstanding translator of the historical record into fiction that follows fact more closely than many. Her efforts to research the heck out of things are outstanding in the genre.

although this book is said to be #3 in the series, It is really a stand alone story. The main character is a nurse in the union army. Martha Hall Kelly again focuses on strong, brave women . The story is actually based on a true life. Great women's Historical Fiction. Recommended read

This was the final book in a trilogy. I have learned so much history reading these books. I feel that they were well written and engaging. I cant wait to see what this author writes next. Love these books!

As I'm behind on my advance copies, when possible I'm checking out the audiobook from the library to help speed up my reading. Sunflower Sisters is also set during a time period that I don't typically like to read - the 1860s and Civil War. But I knew if anyone could make me enjoy a story set then it would be Martha Hall Kelly. I'm glad that it is the third book in her series which started with Lilac Girls as I probably wouldn't have picked up it if it had been the first. But I wanted to learn more about the women who would influence and shape the life of Caroline Ferriday.

What I didn't like about the book would be the same things I would likely say about any book set during the Civil War. I'm glad that it was set in Maryland as it was a divided state during the war - even though it didn't secede with the south many plantations were sympathetic to the Confederate cause and sent men to fight on their side. If you watched the 2016 PBS television series Mercy Street you will find several similarities in the storylines.

I found it interesting that in the 1860s nursing was considered a man's job because at some point in history it came to be seen as a women's career. I also didn't realize it was called the Sanitation Commission and not the medical corp or something else that clearly labeled medicine.

Like in Kelly's previous novels, there are multiple storylines, each with its own female protagonist, that eventually intertwine. In Sunflower Sisters, we have Georgeanna Woosley, the ancestor of Caroline Ferriday; Jemma, a slave on the Peeler Plantation; and Anne-May Watson, mistress of the Peeler Plantation and owner of Jemma.

I enjoyed the characters. They are all multi-dimensional and fully fleshed-out characters. Like we saw in Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, it feels like Caroline Ferriday's ancestor has the smaller role. Yet like Caroline and Eliza, her role has a big impact. Getting to know these women through this series I would say that is how these women saw themselves - that their role is small but what they do is important.

Like I was transported to Wollenstonecraft's bedside, I often felt that I was beside the characters. That is how alive they felt. The audiobook production, with its multiple narrators, was seamless and well done.

And I was right about Kelly being able to make me enjoy a story set at a time period I don't like reading. Her storytelling pulls you right in and you come to care so much about the characters that other points just fade into the background.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/06/2-audiobooks-for-fans-of-historical.html

I’ve said this before, historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read. I learn so much and am better for it.
This story takes place at the onset of the Civil War. It follows three main characters - a young female slave, her mistress and a young woman who becomes a nurse for the Union. I was engrossed in this book and also felt a lot of emotion as I read about how people were treated during this time.
I found the authors note about her research at the end extremely interesting.
Highly recommend this book to everyone.

I love that Martha Hall Kelly wrote her Lilac Girls series in reverse order. This approach is fascinating to me. Sunflower Sisters is set during the time of slavery and the Civil War. Kelly doesn't hold back in her descriptions about the injustices of slavery and war. While each of Kelly's novels can stand alone, I love the connection between all of the characters and slight spoiler alert? All based off real-life people. Now that I've read all of her series, I'd actually like to go back and re-read them so I can explore the connections between them further.