Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the advanced reading copy of Sunflower Sisters.

I have loved this entire series and the concluding book did not disappoint!

This is the story of Georgy Woosley Caroline Ferriday's great aunt and her Civil War. We follow Georgy and her 6 sisters, brother and mother through their Civil War stories. This wonderfully rich narrative leaves you not wanting the book to end.
Along the way we meet Jemma a slave at a plantation in Maryland and follow her on her journey through slavery and a poor economy of war. Jemma shares more than her share of tragedies related to slavery and war.

This is one of my all time favorite books as are Lilac Girls and Lost Roses. A must read for historical fiction lovers!

I received a reviewer copy of Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly from the publisher Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Slavery, Torture and Physical Abuse of Black people, Racism, Sexism, Violence Associated with War, Savior Complex

What It’s About: This is the third book in Martha Kelly’s historical fiction series covering the Ferriday family through three different generations: WW1, WW2, and now we’ve entered the Civil War. In this novel we are following three women through the Civil War: Georgeanna Woolsey a staunch abolitionist who has a dream to be a nurse, Anne-May, a plantation mistress who has Confederate sympathies, and Jemma, a young woman enslaved by Anne-May who dreams of escaping the plantation with her whole family.

What I Loved: Okay, I thought this was great, Lilac Girls is one of my favorite historical fiction books of all time, so I was all in for reading a new book (and final book of the series) by Martha Hall Kelly. I think this is the perfect book to end this series with. Here’s what I love, I love Jemma and her storyline, the way she carried out little acts of rebellion to where her story ultimately leads her is amazing and she is a compelling character that you are cheering for. I loved the storyline of Georgeanna wanting to be a nurse, training under Elizabeth Blackwell, and fighting for her right to follow her passion and train future generations of nurses (also her romance storyline was compelling to me as well). Finally, I really appreciated that this book follows a plantation in the border state of Maryland, which was part of the union but still had slavery. Anne-May’s story really shows this juxtaposition: her husband went to fight in the war for the Union and her brother fought for the confederacy. Anne May’s pure evil and selfish behavior really drives the point home that just because you live in a non-Confederate state did not mean you were an abolitionist. This is a point that is often missed in Civil War fiction and our plantations are typically in the deep South so seeing this plantation in the mid-Atlantic and that community and the work to keep the border state from leaving was an intriguing element that is not often explored. Also, very much appreciated that our Plantation owner has no redemptive qualities, it’s nice to not see the myth of the ‘kind owner’.

What I Didn't Like So Much: Okay, I really loved this story but I feel like it is important to point out that Martha Hall Kelly is a white woman who has written a book from the perspective of an enslaved Black woman. I am learning more about own voices and want to draw attention to this. Kelly did a lot of research for the novel including looking at primary documents to draw on so I feel like she was careful. Still, there are very few reviews by Black reviewers (none that I saw) and I think that for that reason, to just read carefully and consider why that might be the case.

Who Should Read This: People who love good historical fiction. People who love strong female leads. People who loved the other books in this series.

Quick Summary: A compelling and well developed story of three women through the Civil War era.

Review will be posted on 4/20/21

There's three main characters in Sunflower Sisters and each woman brings something different to this memorable Civil War tale. First up, there's Georgy, who comes from a family of abolitionists, and wants to do something meaningful with her life, so she is determined to become a nurse. She gets the opportunity to study with Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell who is the first female to graduate from medical school. However, prejudices against women are still running rampant in medicine and this becomes even more apparent to Georgy when she is at a battlefield hospital. Then there's Jemma, who is an enslaved woman working on a tobacco plantation in Maryland. The mistress of the plantation in the cruel Anne-May, who is an all-around despicable person. She treats just about everyone horribly, she is frivolous, and even takes advantage of her husband's part in the war to start an affair. While taking part in the affair, she finds herself spying for the Confederacy and forces Jemma to help her. Each character paints a different picture of what life was like during the Civil War depending on what side you were on politically as well as the atrocities and hardships of life as an enslaved person. Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly is an epic Civil War saga that depicts all the heart-wrenching situations readers have come to expect during the Civil War.

Georgy is obviously a character that most people would root for from the beginning of Sunflower Sisters. I found her abolitionist family to be really interesting as well as her determination to become a nurse. She could have easily lived a cushy life, but chose to do something more. It's also compelling how Kelly brought to the forefront how female medical students were treated and how difficult it was for unconventional women during this time period.

My heart also went out to Jemma in Sunflower Sisters. Some of her chapters were difficult to read, because it's just so heartbreaking, but I think Kelly does a good job bringing to life the horrors of slavery. I knew it would be tough, but I couldn't wait for Jemma to break free from Anne-May's clutches as well as LeBaron, the overseer, and escape life on the plantation. Her journey is definitely an arduous one.

Anne-May was the worst character in Sunflower Sisters. She almost felt like a caricature of a Southern slave owner. She not only treats everyone around her horribly, she also spends the family's fortune on snuff and things she doesn''t need. She has an affair, which will have major repercussions. She also finds herself knee deep in a spy mission and involves Jemma in it as well. Ultimately, she is morally bankrupt. I do wish Kelly would have fleshed out this character a bit more, especially regarding her background and what makes her tick. However, Anne-May felt like a one dimensional villain at times. Nonetheless, I couldn't wait for Anne-May to get a nice heaping dose of her own medicine.

While I enjoyed Lilac Girls more than Sunflower Girls, I did think that it was a compelling historical read. The Civil War is a difficult topic for many, but I think Kelly captures the horrors of the time period well. She ties together the three women's stories expertly and I think fans of Lilac Girls won't be disappointed, especially when readers recognize that Georgy is an ancestor of Caroline's from Lilac Girls.

Are you a fan of Martha Kelly Hall's novels? Is this one on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

What a beautiful story that sweeps you up into the lives and times of the characters. This was an emotionally charged story that had me furiously flipping the pages and listening to the audio! I couldn't get enough of this one!! Martha Hall Kelly has created characters that you fall in love with, want to be friends with, or want to slap upside the head. It's amazing how she brings these people to life, and I just want more and more of her writing!!

If you enjoy historical fiction set during the 1800's I highly recommend this one!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I am a fan of Martha Hall Kelly and I enjoyed her prior novels, Lilac Girls and Lost Roses. When I saw that her newest novel, Sunflower Sisters, was available through Netgalley, I did not hesitate to request an advanced reader’s copy. I was delighted to have my request granted.
sunflower Sisters is the final saga that focuses on the strong Wolsey women throughout generations. this is historical fiction but it is based on this actual family line as well as true events in our American history. You do not need to have read the two prior novels to fully appreciate this book.
The book’s setting is during the civil war. There are alternating chapters from three women.
Georgy is the strong descendant from the Woolsey clan who is a true abolitionist. she is a skilled nurse who attends to the soldiers during the war. Jemma is a slave girl who is intelligent and determined to free herself and her family from her cruel plantation owners. the last women is Anne-May, who is a privileged southern bell who owns a plantation and is a cruel and devious lady who “owns” Jemma as a slave.
This story is captivating just like the previous two books and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this period in history.

Sunflower Sisters tells the story of Georgeanna Woolsey, an ancestor of Caroline Ferriday (one of the author's characters in Lilac Girls), who serves as a nurse in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Her work brings her into contact with a young slave, Jemma, and Ann-May Wilson, the southern plantation mistress who owns Jemma.

Having loved Ms. Kelly's previous novels, I was very excited to read this one, and I was not disappointed. I love how the real life Woolsey sisters inspired the story. The novel follows a familiar pattern from her previous novels, with three point of view characters experiencing the same time period through very different lenses, with at least two characters in direct conflict. I appreciate that the main characters are not always sympathetic. Ann-May is downright unlikeable and very easy to root against.

As someone who has read ,many historical fiction novels set during the Civil War, I wouldn't say that this novel taught me anything new about the time period. Still, it was an engrossing story with interesting characters, particularly Georgie, and the story took a few twists and turns that I enjoyed.

Overall, I would recommend this book to any historical fiction lover. It was a great continuation of the Woolsey family story that began in Lilac Girls (although you certainly don't need to have read either Lilac Girls or Lost Roses to enjoy this one). Four very enthusiastic stars.

At first I found this a little slow to get into, but about a third of the way in, it really picked up and I stayed up all night to finish! (Oops.) I liked the different perspectives throughout the book (Jemma the slave, Anne-May the plantation owner, and Georgy the Union nurse), but they became much more compelling once their stories finally intersected. I did think that the author could have done a better job diving beyond Anne-May’s logic and actions – it was never really clear why she married Fergus or ended up where she did, and her particularly brutal treatment of her slaves wasn’t explained. This book packed a lot in, and by the end, it was definitely a good read!

What a beautiful ending to an amazing trilogy. Being the last book of the "Lilac Girls" Trilogy, I have to say this one was probably my favorite. I am so used to reading historical fiction based on WWII or in Europe, but this was such a beautiful story told during the Civil War from the POV of Caroline Ferriday's ancestor Georgiana, or Georgey, Jemma- a slave in Maryland on a tobacco farm, and her owner Anne May. Martha Hall Kelly really does such an amazing job with her characters and I loved most and really hated others, which was a perfect combination.

Georgey Woolsey is part of the family of very strong women, with 6 sisters and a little brother who do everything they can to help with the war and to help everyone, including the slaves they encounter. Georgey is a very strong willed woman and wants to be a nurse and open a women's training hospital, which is highly looked down upon during these times. But she is not giving up and will do anything she can. Her family is just as passionate about helping in anyway they can and I love it.

Jemma is owned by Anne May on a tobacco plantation with her family. She goes through so much, getting beaten, watching horrible things happen to the ones she loves, while also dealing with pain herself. Finally she gets the chance to get free and gets mistaken as a boy and "taken" up in the army, to fight for the Union. This is where she meets Georgey and her mother, and they help her get on her feet and become even stronger than she was before.

Ann May is the WORST!! She is the inheritor of the Peeler plantation and treats her slaves HORRIBLY!! She also is just snobby and the worst kind of character, who you definitely won't have any problem hating. She becomes invested with a man who is not her husband, selling secrets to the enemy against the Union. She made the mistake of having Jemma write it all down for her (since she can't write) and panics when Jemma is gone and she can't find this book. She goes through all the hoops to get Jemma back and hide her secrets, even if they will hurt everyone in her path.

This book was beautifully written and I loved all the different POV and how they all intertwine eventually. This is was slightly different than the other two books in the series as there was not a dual timeline going on here. I loved all the relationships in this book, being romantic or friendships. It was sooo good!! It definitely is a long one, but so worth it. The narrators were great..really bringing to life the characters and making you really feel them with you. What made it even more beautiful, it that it is based off a true story-- these beautiful strong Woolsey Sisters really did exist and were extraordinary women. I would definitely recommend reading this book, along with Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.

Thank you to Netgalley, Martha Hall Kelly and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC copy of Sunflower Sisters.

This novel is narrated by three different woman, Jemma, Georgey, and Anne-May. I fell for Jemma, hook, line and sinker! Her plight in life will make you cringe and pull at your heart strings. Georgey is a strong, determined woman and she is out to get what she wants. And finally, Anne-May. If there is hate in your heart…it should be directed at this woman!

There is so much encompassed in this tale. The strength and resilience to overcome the tragedies of life is one of the main ones. The prejudices, which not only the slaves endured, but the many woman helping on the front lines of the civil war, is another.

The only issues I had with this novel and they are minor…I felt the story was a little long and wordy. Plus, this is not my favorite time period and the cruelty is a little much. However, it was true to the time period and no one can make you get all up in your feelings like Martha Hall Kelly!

Need a good civil war read…THIS IS IT!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Throughout Sunflower Sisters, we follow the Woolsey women on their mission to help others and a slave, Jemma, throughout the Civil War through multiple points of views.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical fiction novel but by the end of this one, I was back in the historical fiction mood. I believe the story depicted the time period perfectly. We got to see what it was like as a nurse on the war front, a slave, and a rotten slave owner. It did feel a bit slow at times but once the girls came together, I felt like it picked up. Although technically book #3 in the Lilac Girls series, it can be read as a standalone which is what I happened to do. I split the story between reading the #arc and listening to the #audiobook and I honestly think I enjoyed listening to this one more than reading it. There are four separate narrators which helped me keep the characters straight and each of them were absolutely fantastic.

Sunflower Sisters released on 03/30 so be sure to pick this one up.

Thank you @netgalley, Ballantine Books, and @marthahallkelly1 for the eARC and thank you @prhaudio for the ALC.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot, after a bit of what I perceived to be a slow moving start. This is a lovely, long read so settle yourself in with this one with a nice mug of tea and some cookies.

I love historical fiction and while I haven't read any other of the titles in this series, I was hopeful that that wouldn't be too much of a hindrance. I didn't find it one at all, and other reviewer's have also mentioned that this book can easily be read as a stand-alone.

I received an eARC from Martha Hall Kelly, Ballantine Books / Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions shared are mine and are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.

An amazing historical novel!

This book got to me. With all that's been going on in this country, it told a tragic story of the North and the South during the period of the Civil War. It's a book that needs to be read and can be read as a standalone. The story intermingles the North and South, the smaller conflicts between Northern nurses, who are not yet respected for their career path and the South where so many slaves were brutalized and mistreated. This is not told in a demeaning way, but respectfully and, more importantly, honestly. The characters were truthfully drawn from the author's research.

This book is one I shall not forget.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Unfortunately I was not able to get through this book. It takes place during the Civil War, and follows a family and switches narration between multiple women. Typically, all things I would love! I hate to say I found the book to be boring. Perhaps it is just a very slow moving book, as it is very long! Loved the author's first novel, but unfortunately this one fell short for me.

An amazing book told from three points of view, each chapter highlighting a different perspective of the woman caught in her version of the Civil War. The first is George, a white abolitionist from New York City, who feels her best way to support the way effort is to become a nurse. Second is Jemima, a slave on a Maryland plantation, the family she loves, and the white family she serves. Third is Anne-May, the white plantation owner and owner of Jemima (and others. It is a honest and at times brutally realistic view of life in these times, both in the north and the south. We see how poorly women are treated, even as they try to help and serve by nursing in desperately needed battle conditions. We see the incredible cruelty done by and to the slaves working the plantations, and how their lives really didn’t matter to the people who owned them. And yet there is hope through the story. It is woven in each chapter and tied into the fabric of the characters. As good things happen, even as we watch difficult events take place, there is always hope. Based on true events and actual people, this is an excellent book that is not to be missed. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. This is my freely given, honest review.

Three women's lives will converge in this story that spans the duration of the Civil War. Anne-May is the mistress of Peeler Plantation in Maryland - she is the owner of several slaves, including Jemma and her family and she will embark on a path of destruction and ruin. Jemma will fight her way to freedom and a life of her choosing and Georgy - a New Yorker and daughter of a staunch abolitionist family will learn that love is as important a pursuit as a career.

Sunflower Sisters was my first book by Marty Hall Kerry. Even though this is the 3rd book in her Woosley-Farridy series, these books can be read as stand alones, or in any order. This one takes place during the start of the United States Civil War, through the near close of the war.


What I liked -

The richly developed characters and storyline. A good chunk of the characters are based off real people that the author has done a tremendous amount of research on. I felt that each character had a distinct personality and I believe that is in part to the authors dedication to research. Be sure to read the afterward in this book, as there are a lot more insights into the story and what research was done.


What to be aware of-

Triggers, including and not limited to, slavery, racism, violence, graphic wounds, and death.

I’d give this one 4.75 stars. This book had 528 pages but it never felt like it dragged. I was fully invested in the characters lives, and storylines. I wish the author would go back even earlier into this families story and continue this series, but I understand.
I am looking forward to reading the next 2 books in this series and deciding which one will be my favorite.

Kelly goes back another generation in history to cover the lives of the Woolsey women through the Civil War. Told in three different voices, slave, slave owner and abolitionist, the reader gets a view of the differing perspectives.

This weekend I finished Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly. Lilac Girls was one of my fave books in 2019 so I was excited to read this one. Like Lilac Girls, this book is a historical fiction that follows three woman who share their experiences in the civil war through their point of view.

Out of the three narratives, Jemma’s perspective was the most difficult to read. Jemma is an enslaved girl that is conscription to the US Army and is focused on saving her family who are still enslaved.

The other perspectives we hear from our Georgey who is a nurse, and Anna-May who owns the plantation and is a horrific person in general.

This book is incredibly well researched. Many of the moments in this book are taken from historical documents. I appreciated the author’s note at the back of the book which outlined her sources and the context.

I was very invested in these characters, particularly Jemma, and found myself unable to put the book down until I knew she was ok. I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction. I do not know a lot about the US Civil War so a lot of this information was brand new to me.

However, as a warning, there is a lot of violence in this book so please keep that in mind before you pick it up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine Books for this eARC.

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelley is a great end to the trilogy of the Woolsey/Ferriday family. While this is book three you can definitely read them in any order, although I do recommend reading them all. Lilac Girls takes place in WWII, Lost Roses goes back to WWI, and with Sunflower Sisters we are now in the time of the Civil War. This story is told mainly from the POV of three characters, Anna May, a pretty horrid plantation/slave owner in the border state of MD; Jemma who is a slave on Anna May’s plantation along with her parents and has a sister at a neighboring plantation; and Georgy, one of seven sibling who comes from a northern wealthy family but wants to be more hand on during the war and along with her sister Eliza becomes a nurse for the Union Army. This isn’t a pretty story, it gets pretty harsh in the realities of slavery and war but like the other books, it is beautifully written. While his is a very long book at over 500 pages, it tells a very well researched and detailed story of these women and we see how they intersect. Historical fiction usually isn’t a top choice for me unless its very well written or I tend to loose interest in the story. This book (and series) even with its length kept me engaged. If you are a lover of historical fiction or Civil War stories, I recommend this book. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars and thank Suzy’s Approved Book Tours, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the electronic and print review copies, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fantastic story!! I loved my time spent learning about another branch in the Ferriday/Woolsey family. Martha Hall Kelly's research and attention to detail are impeccable!