Rivalry, Drama, Hurt and Healing

The Gardins of Edin by Rosey Lee is a female centered family drama which explores jealousy, ambition, insecurity and forgiveness.

Lee deftly showcases the competing emotions that cause divisions and hurt among family members. With unexpected plot twists, flawed, yet relatable female leads, and a sensitive portrayal of emotional, mental and physical health challenges, The Gardins of Edin challenges readers to explore boundaries, healing and forgiveness in their own lives.

Five stars for Rosey Lee’s drama filled debut.

An exceptional book. Why? 1) The story was about relationships among women which is always a bit of a conundrum and at the same time interesting and a revelation applied to one’s own life. 2) There are so very wonderful sentences and descriptions of life! A bit of a caveat in my assessment because it has Christian undertones, largely due to the play on names such as sisters Mary and Martha. This may not appeal to everyone but I found it comforting. I think it represents black culture in America well and as a long time resident of Georgia I felt right at home in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Waterbrook Publishing for the Advanced Review Copy.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a contemporary novel. This story captured me from the description to the final sweet moment.

We follow the journey of four women who have been hurt by grief in their family. They each have to forge their path to forgiveness, love and acceptance.

The sister Martha and Mary were my favorite characters to follow. Martha was the older and annoying sister. To see her faith and acceptance grow was beautiful. Mary struggled with being anxiety and had a traumatic past and present. I rooted for her to find her voice and when she did, she did not disappoint.

Ruth had been married into the family (twice) similar to Ruth in the Bible. She wore the weight of responsibility and she wore it well while dealing with her own grief. My heart long for her mistreatment within the family.

Naomi was the sweetest and I’m so glad she got her happy ending 💍. I really enjoyed this read!

I wanted to love this book but the writing made it hard to get invested. I had to put it down at 51%. The plot itself was fine and makes a good story but I feel like the writing could have used some improvement. There was just a lot of unnecessary extra stuff that was thrown in that made getting to the point difficult. It seemed to drag and honestly had me rolling my eyes at times, wishing it would just get to the point already. If the author would have been more direct about what was happening, it would have read much better.

Then at other times, other things, for example Mary's money, were presented and solved within one chapter and felt rushed and just thrown together. Without giving spoilers, I didn't understand what someone else investigations had to do with anything. That just didnt make sense. Then the next chapter the family is discussing the issue but it's not mentioned how they came to know what happened until almost the end of the chapter and Mary recalls briefly telling her family and Naomi told everyone what was in the envelope after she opened the letter after Tynan gave it to her.


I also think a lot of these characters were toxic and dramatic for no reason and blew things way out of proportion. I had a hard time liking any of them. Tynans comments upon seeing Mary at the hotel for example, they (Mary, Martha, Ruth, and Naomi) all made it seem like it was verbal abuse and it wasn't even like that.

The family names were biblical and there were mentions of prayer so as a reader you did know they were a Christian family but there were no real elements of faith like I would have liked to have seen.


Thank you NetGalley, WaterBrook & Multnomah for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.

Well, this one was a surprise. I ended up liking it. However, the culture (black, Southern) is so far from my worldview (immigrant Canadian family) that it took me a while to understand the dynamics.

The Garden family of women is competitive and competent, but they are working at cross-purposes throughout. "I'm right, you're wrong," could have been a subtitle.

I'd love to know what readers in the American South think of it. Fortunately, the ending brings some resolution and satisfaction. Overall, a good story and interesting interactions.

I love books about family and this is one complex set of characters! It centers around Ruth who calls Naomi, her mother-in-law MIL, Mary and Martha (Naomi's nieces) and others who all seem to be related in one way or another. Their relationships are often contentious as they all work together but have different ideas how to run a business. And of course there are secrets. lies, and past mistakes that no one could have imagined. But bottom line is family is everything and those bonds are stronger than anything else so heritage trumps all else!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I was intrigued by the title of Rosey Lee’s new novel, The Gardins of Edin, and one of the most gorgeous book covers I’ve seen. I love seeing black women portrayed in such a beautiful, natural light. This cover did the main characters justice. And I absolutely can appreciate the rich town’s history. Gardin was a refuge for a people who needed to unite as a unit for the next generation after falling prey to a horrible past. I can appreciate that. Naomi quickly became my favorite, having a well-rounded demeanor. She was an educated woman, but when Naomi asked Ruth to hand over her purse while talking to Mary’s ex-fiancé…. I enjoyed that part a little too much. Lastly, imagine me exclaiming, “Oh my goodness,” when I read how 27 years factored into Naomi’s life. (I won’t share what that is about, but it was a shocker.)
I do not understand Mary’s ex and how he treated her. He expected to just waltz back into her life. Also, he had a security detail while he was away but was not concerned for his fiancée’s safety. He did admit to being selfish when he tried to slither his way back into her life. I could have used a little less hesitancy on her end.
A few minor adjustments would’ve done the story well. First, there may have been a little too much of an info dump in the beginning chapters that could’ve been better conveyed throughout the story, perhaps in dialogue, for example. However, due to the nature of the story with many women and diverging opinions, the arguments were sometimes dragged out, with one person giving a monologue. I don’t know many people who would allow someone to have the floor for so long and ask so many questions without allowing them to answer. Shorter, punchier discussions may have increased the tension.
Overall, I liked the roundup and how Naomi, Ruth, Mary, and Martha were different ages. I recommend this story to fans who love African-American romance, Christian fiction, Women’s fiction, workplace romance, love after loss, sister-to-sister stories, stories in southern locations, Christmas themes, holiday themes, family drama, and mature relationships.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

A lighthearted book with a deep undercurrent. Such a reminder that family is important and learning how to put others first. The challenges this family face are just like any other family, so encouraging to walk well together.