Love a green witch story with magical gardens! This one a bit more deadly. The characters were nice and Harriet made me so so sad.

*Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a digital copy to review*

Before I started reading I thought this was a cosy fantasy involving a garden and some magic. I was right about the garden and the magic but this story is more sad than I was expecting.

Harriet hasn't had the best life, from the way her father treated her growing up to the relationship she finds herself in which she hoped would protect her. For most of the book it just seemed like things just kept getting worse for her and it really felt like it dragged on and on.

Her connection with the garden is very interesting. They can read her emotions and are extensions of her. I don't think an explanation is ever given to why she can influence the plants which could annoy some people but I was fine with leaving it a mystery.

Harriet has good character development and at the end, I felt really proud of her in how she accepts herself and moves on from her past.

Harriet is a recluse who likes to nature watch, garden and spend time by herself in her victorian estate. She is shunned by society but she is above the opinion of others. However when her father disappears suspicion is cast on her and she has to divert attention by marrying someone. She chooses the worst possible outcome and she has to grapple with getting herself out of the mess she finds herself in.
She not only has to deal with the horrid husband but keep her magical garden in tip top condition so it wont overrun the neighborhood.
Absolutely lush writing and a book I will be sure to get a physical copy for myself to reread in the future.

THE PECULIAR GARDEN OF HARRIET HUNT by Chelsea Iverson

This didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I was hoping for a strong and independent female protagonist. Instead Harriet Hunt is painfully naive, broody, passive and fickle. I understand how she was sheltered by her abusive father, but I wish she possessed even a smidge of intuition or courage.

I did like how her magical and sentient garden was responsive to her moods. However, we are not provided a clear explanation or reason for the garden’s abilities or its connection to Harriet.

As a whole this was a good story. It has a cozy yet creepy gothic vibe, but it’s not a book I would enthusiastically recommend.


Rating: 3/5 ⭐️

This was a fun, magical, enchanting tale of a girl who must use her connection to her enchanted garden to protect herself from the men in her life who want to use her for their own selfish gain.

Unsettling and beautiful. This is a title that I will purchase and read again. My only regret is that I didnt read it earlier.

This is a haunting story set in the Victorian era. There are tropes for the sorts of sensational novels that some Victorians loved at that time along with this author’s unique voice and some magical realism in these pages.

Harriet does indeed have a peculiar (unusual and unique) garden that she loves. She will see how this important spot determines aspects of her life over the course of the novel.

Harriet, like many a Victorian heroine, has found herself alone in the world. When the story begins, readers know that her father is absent but don’t know why. Being a woman alone was a challenge in that era although Harriet does not seem to mind this. However, events conspire that lead her to marriage, plots and sinister events. What will happen to Harriet? Will she have a happy ending?

This book will be enjoyed by those who are interested in the period and who are willing to suspend some disbelief. Here is an original and intriguing read that I enjoyed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this title. All opinions are my own.

This was a strange little book but in a good way. I had no idea what to expect going into it and really enjoyed the unique journey. Harriet’s talent was original and the way she learns how to bloom (literally) is so sweet and satisfying. You love seeing a character who faced lifelong hardships getting the life they deserve in the end.

This was a really interesting concept for a book, having a garden bonded to a lonely, misfit girl. I found the first half a little slow, but by the end I was invested in Harriet and what would become of her. Enjoyed the end and the side characters as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this copy of "The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt."

With a title like that (mysterious and magical), this book definitely delivered with a captivating gothic tale.

Harriet has lived her whole life in fear of her father, but he's vanished and she's alone in the Sunnyside house with her garden that responds to her and protects her.

But when a police inspector starts to ask about Harriet's missing father, she realizes how dangerous it can be for a female with no money and no rights (it's 1865).

So what happened to Harriet's mother and why does she feel responsible? And what are the mysterious letters she keeps receiving about a family secret? And why did I feel a little squeamish about the charming suitor who wants a hasty courtship?

Fantastic ending - I was cheering for Harriet! (I won't spoil it for you but let me know if you read it.)

Chelsea Iversen’s The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a whimsical and heartwarming tale that weaves together themes of resilience, community, and the magic of nature. This enchanting novel offers a delightful escape into a world where the unexpected blooms, and the beauty of connection thrives amidst challenges.

The story centers around Harriet Hunt, an unassuming gardener with an extraordinary gift: the ability to grow plants that reflect the emotions and memories of those around her. When a sudden tragedy strikes her close-knit village, Harriet's peculiar garden becomes a beacon of hope and healing, sparking curiosity and drawing people together in ways they never imagined.

Iversen’s prose is lyrical, painting vivid imagery of Harriet’s vibrant garden. The descriptions of the plants, each uniquely tied to the characters’ inner worlds, are stunningly imaginative. From a sorrowful willow dripping crystalline dew to jubilant sunflowers that hum faint melodies, the garden feels alive, almost like a character in its own right. The lush and fantastical setting is balanced by the book's emotional depth, exploring themes of grief, forgiveness, and rediscovering joy.

The character of Harriet is particularly compelling. Her quiet strength and humility make her a relatable and endearing protagonist. As she navigates her own grief while tending to the emotions of others, readers witness her growth and bravery in embracing her gift. The supporting cast, from the cynical shopkeeper to the inquisitive child who befriends Harriet, adds layers of humor and poignancy to the narrative.

While the story leans heavily on its magical realism, it also resonates with deeply human struggles. At its heart, the novel is a reminder of the power of small, meaningful gestures and the way community can provide solace in turbulent times.

If there’s any critique to be made, it’s that some subplots could have been more developed. A few characters’ arcs feel rushed, leaving readers wanting to know more about their backstories and connections to the garden. Nevertheless, the charm and originality of the narrative more than make up for these minor shortcomings.

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is an evocative and beautifully crafted novel that invites readers to slow down and appreciate the magic hidden in everyday life. Fans of magical realism and character-driven stories will find themselves utterly captivated.

This book starts slow with Harriet living with her mean neglectful father and then he disappears. Harriet is left alone in her manor with her magical garden. Luckily she has her cousin Eunice who is recently married and with child.
The police are investigating her father's disappearance.

This book was fantastic I loved the magical garden and how it took care of Harriet. The writing was beautiful. The book was unique. I really enjoyed it.

I loved reading this and honestly couldn't put it down once I started! Harriet Hunt has been a victim of many unfortunate events throughout her life, and finds solace in her garden. Parts of the story were so difficult to read because I just didn't want her to endure any more hardships! Harriet was such a strong FMC and I'm so thankful I was able to read her story.

*3.5 Stars. I enjoyed this but I felt due to the pacing I wasn’t always able to read it for a long time or wanted to pick it up. I really loved our MC Harriet and her connection to nature. I loved getting to explore her magic and how it evolved throughout the story. I have to say that this book made me yet again want to throw hands with fictional men. I absolutely HATED some of the men in this book but I’m thrilled they got exactly what they deserved. I’m so happy Harriet got her happy ending because she really went through so much in this book. I have to say I really loved the inclusion of female friendships in this book, I adored her relationship with Eunice and Amelia. My main complaints really about this book was the pacing of the story, the last 1/3 of the book was so good with the twists and turns but I found the first 2/3 drug a bit.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt” is now available for purchase.

I’m particularly impressed by books that manage to be both cozy and harrowing, and this one does an exceptional job at both.

There’s a menace to this story that comes both at and from the protagonist, an interesting dichotomy between the men seeking to control and use her and the way she controls the garden. As things get progressively worse for Harriet, her connection to the plants also gets wilder, and it’s interesting to see how these things come together repeatedly throughout the story and most meaningfully in its conclusion.

The setting here is very well rendered, and the atmosphere feels alternately snug and oppressive depending on what is happening at the moment in the story. I really liked how the author used sense of place here to amplify the emotion of the plot and its central character.

I loved this book.

I'm a huge fan of magical realism and fantasy fiction so this was a book description that really spoke to me when I saw it. I loved Harriet. She was a vulnerable character, and her garden is her backbone in a way. I felt like her world was small yet so big to read through. I will say at first this was a book that was hard to get into but once I did, I really liked spending time with Harriet in her garden.

I think this would make a fantastic book club book, because there's so much character development to discuss throughout. At the end of the novel, I was a little sad to leave Harriet behind.

Wow what a crazy read! Not at all what I was expecting, a bit slow in some parts but well worth it for that ending. I love a female rage book especially one with a magical cottagecore element mixed in-- I was hooked. Everything about this book was SUPER atmospheric! Has a lot of dark and whimsical garden vibes--definitely for fans of Weyward and the TV show Buccaneers. Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC! :)

This book started out so promising. I loved the wild garden; however, I got to the middle of this book and just did not care about the characters or what was happening with the plot. The main character, Harriet, was too much of a pushover for my liking. Therefore, I decided not to finish this book at the 50% mark.

DNF at the end of Chapter 5. Unfortunately this book seems entirely focused on telling a story about all the ways that women can be vulnerable and abused during this time period, and while I don’t like my books to pretend like things were hunky-dory for women in history, I’m also not keen to dwell on them for what feels like it will be the entire novel.

This was such a beautifully written story of overcoming. Harriet has been beaten down her entire life and yet she is the most tender yet resilient bloom in the garden. This wrapped up in the most wonderful and fulfilling way.