The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt follows the titular character, Harriet, whose father has gone missing leaving her alone. She rarely leaves her house and instead spends time in her garden, a place that she has a special relationship with. Harriet meets a seemingly charming man and decides to get married but people aren’t all that they seem and she finds herself in a dangerous situation. How will she get out?

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio and Anna Burnett’s narration kept me invested in the story the whole time despite it having some slower moments. I loved Harriet’s connection to her garden. It added a layer of magic that I always enjoy. I love how this book delved deep into heavier subject material. I was expecting this to be much more cozy but it took some dark turns.

This book was pretty average for most of the book. I was enjoying it but I wasn’t loving it. But the way it ended felt so perfect, it really raised my enjoyment of the book! This is a book that has a lot of feminine rage but on a sort of quiet way that I don’t see often and I think it really worked for this story.

I would recommend this to people who enjoyed Weyward or The Magician’s Daughter from last year.

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and recommend reading it for yourself! A beautiful and powerful story filled with magic. This book is a powerful example of feminine rage against being used, ignored, or neglected by men and society. It's about what it means to be different than expected societal constraints and how to find our strength here.

This was a book I really wanted to love. I don't often read summaries before I dive into a story, but I glimpsed the first few lines about "a lush, enchanting story of a woman who must use magic..." and I knew it sounded right up my alley for reading.

I give this book 3.75* but will round up to 4 since I can't give partial stars and don't want to round down to 3.

This book had so much potential with the allure of magic and a woman finding her way among men who are plotting against her. The issues I ran into were the magic was scarcely referenced and though it seems Harriet has had this "garden ability" nearly her entire life, she seems completely in the dark about what she can do and the magic she holds.. her naivety and helplessness starts to grate on my nerves as she seems to be able to do almost nothing for herself. She is able to go out and pawn or sell items from around the house to keep them afloat month to month, but after her father disappears, she acts as though she is completely helpless and ends up marrying the first man who even shows vague interest in her because she is scared to reveal anything about being alone.

She does have a cousin and a female maid do enter the picture which seem like stronger females for her to take the lead from, but she still floats through life, almost waiting for someone else to come along and save her from herself. We don't get a lot of resolution until the very end and I do feel as though some of it was rushed and not fully explained. We spend the whole book wallowing in self-pity with her but do not get time to share in the joy when things turn out for the best.

The plotting and planning as well as her mother's hidden secrets are fun storylines but I do wish Harriet had been a stronger more independent character.

What if your green thumb was so good that you could control your entire garden? That is the focal point for this Victorian Era story. Harriet Hunt is a quiet girl who really only has one friend, Eunice. With her father missing (and Harriet the main suspect) and Eunice moving off to the country with her husband, Harriet finds her self attracted to the almost too perfect Christian. As time progresses, she starts to wonder if Christian is more like her father than she thought.

I was intrigued by the idea of this story but ultimately it left me feeling as if I was consistently waiting for the next thing to happen. Personally, I felt as if the first couple of chapters could have been combined. It wasn’t so much that the story took a while to get started, but rather it felt as if I was given too much information. I know this might be a pro for other readers. I personally felt like I was internally wanting the story to “get to the point”.

I developed such a love hate relationship with Harriet. Sometimes I really loved how she put herself out there and didn’t care what people thought about her. Other times I struggled to understand why she ignored so many red flags from the people around her. Ultimately, I was able to understand that the abuse her father inflicted upon her did much more than just physical damage.

I loved every interaction with Christian’s cousins. Can I have a whole book about the two of them? The dynamic and confidence that they gave Harriet was amazing. This was my favorite part of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this opportunity to review.

I’ll begin by saying that this book was not for me.
Having read the blurb i thought this was going to be a cozy, magical realism book, so i expected the magical part being more relevant to the plot. I also didn’t like the narrator, in fact i couldn’t always follow along. If i had the physical version i would have probably enjoyed more, but since i didn’t i wasn’t even connected to any character.
For anyone interested in this book by the plot i would suggest reading it, and not listening to the audiobook.

A fantastical exploration of coming of age after long term abuse. Iverson's magical garden world and Anna Burnett's emotional narration hooked me from the first thirty seconds. I devoured this book in one day.
Iverson takes a heavy complicated subject, infuses it with magic, and produces a beautifully dark cozy story that keeps you reading. While I thought I knew what was going to happen from the first chapter, there were some surprises that caught me pleasantly off guard.
The main character, while often frustrating, was extremely well written and relatable for people with PTSD from long term abuse. The development of her relationship with people and the garden are very well written and beautiful.
I also really loved the exploration of how gender plays a role in abuse and recovery.
Overall, a hauntingly beautiful historical fantasy that leaves you feeling positive after a roller-coaster of emotions.

What a cute, unique story. It’s like The Secret Garden all grown up. Of course as all grown up things, there are secrets we have to find the answers to on our own. What a fun journey!

Chelsea Iversen's The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a haunting and empowering tale that blends historical fiction with a touch of dark fantasy. Set in 19th-century London, the story follows Harriet, a woman grappling with loss, debt, and a patriarchal society that seeks to control her. Harriet’s garden, her only refuge, soon reveals an eerie magic that mirrors her inner strength and emotions. As she uncovers secrets about her father’s disappearance, Harriet must face both the dangers of the outside world and the mysterious power rooted in her sanctuary. Iversen weaves an atmospheric narrative full of suspense, resilience, and a touch of the supernatural, making it a gripping read for fans of gothic and feminist fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Loved this book. Great narration and one heck of a story. I absolutely devoured this book within one day. I couldn’t put it down.

The perfect amount of dark, gothic, botanical that I've been reading lovely. It was a lovely story and I can't wait to recommend it to friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was ok in my opinion. If anything this book was very depressing to read. I just couldn't find myself getting engaged with the characters or the plot, unfortunately.

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a story of finding your voice and independence.

Harriet is a woman controlled by horrible men in her life, and her frustrations are mirrored in her wild untamable garden. There were some items of violence that were a bit difficult to read but I thought this was a wonderful story of found family and the power of friendships. The end of this novel really brought everything together and I loved how all the stories wrapped up.

I would say this is very light magical realism/fantasy. It has the feel of a cozy fantasy for fans of that genre.

I enjoyed the narrator, and I was lucky enough to be able to follow along with the digital copy. I finished it but the story just fell a bit flat for me and had to keep going back and reread or found myself not following along. I was expecting more development and it Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC and ALC
3 Star

This book was so beautifully written, and the characters were endearing (if they were supposed to be…). There are definitely plenty of dark elements to the story - from the loss of parents to the powerlessness women experience. Harriet’s character development was wonderful to read, and I loved that her garden was basically its own cast of characters. All in all just a really lovely book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a magical, immersive historical fantasy novel with a dark atmosphere reminiscent of The Secret Garden that hooked me from the start.

This one was lovely. It was moody, dark, sweet, and twisty. I loved the historical setting and incorporation of eerie plant magic. The characters and character development were wonderful, and I adored the lush prose. The plot was entertaining, and the ending was satisfying. I highly recommend this one!

Anna Burnett’s narration was beautiful. Her voice and accents for Harriet and the other characters were splendid, and I adored how her performance further immersed me in the story.

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Thank you Sourcebooks for my #gifted ARC and thank you Recorded Books for my #gifted listening copy of The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt! #sourcebooks #sourcebookslandmark #bookmarked #ThePeculiarGardenofHarrietHunt #RecordedBooks #netgalley

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐈𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

I was drawn to this book by its stunning cover and unique description. While it’s not like anything I would typically read, I was intrigued by Harriet from the start. It was a blend of fantasy and magical realism with a gothic atmosphere. Harriet was such an interesting character and I loved everything about her. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was the feminist undertones and the focus on female friendship throughout the book. This book had themes of men who treated Harriet badly, and the friendship aspect felt so important in the midst of all the darkness that Harriet experienced with her bad relationships with men. Despite the cover, this book definitely had some dark themes and focused on loss and taking control of our lives. I definitely enjoyed this book and I’m glad I picked it up.

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was expertly narrated by Anna Burnett. Burnett did such a phenomenal job drawing the reader in and captivating the essence of Harriet. I thought the audio was truly perfect. I did switch between the print and audio a few times, and truly loved my time listening to the audio.

Posted on Goodreads on November 29, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around November 29, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on December 3, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Apparently, magical realism is becoming my jam. From the moment I saw the stunning cover, intriguing title, and captivating synopsis, I knew I had to read this book.

Described as "a lush, enchanting story of a woman who must use the magic of the fantastical plants that adorn her crumbling estate in Victorian London to thwart the dark plots of the men around her," this modern-day gothic fairy tale delivers a spellbinding tale of resilience and self-discovery.

At the heart of the story is Harriet, a 17-year-old girl trapped in a crumbling estate, burdened by her father’s mysterious disappearance and the crushing debts he left behind. Known as “peculiar” around town, Harriet lives a solitary life until a detective’s investigation into her father’s disappearance puts her under suspicion. To escape scrutiny, she marries a seemingly kind man, only to realize she’s exchanged one nightmare for another.

As Harriet uncovers the secrets of her father’s disappearance, her husband’s cruelty, and the true power of her magical garden, she learns how far her strength and magic can take her. This story beautifully blends Victorian gothic vibes with feminist themes, as Harriet ultimately takes charge of her destiny—with a little help from her girlfriends.

While the ending was absolutely spectacular, I wish the book had reached some of its big revelations a little sooner. Still, the journey to the conclusion was well worth it. I'm giving this book 4 1/2 stars (rounded up to 5).

Thank you, NetGalley and RBmedia, for the ALC of this enchanting read!

Okay, so like, this book was such a vibe! 🌿✨ The lush, magical garden, the creepy gothic vibes, and Harriet’s whole "I’m-quirky-and-don’t-fit-in" thing totally pulled me in. The story felt like a mix of dark fairy tale and those moody, old-timey dramas where women have to deal with awful men, you know? Harriet was super relatable in that “trying to find her power” way, even if some of her choices had me like, girl, noooo! 😅

That said, it kinda dragged in the middle—like, the pacing was a little "meh"—and some of the darker moments were heavier than I expected. The magical garden? Absolute chef’s kiss. Harriet’s decisions? A little frustrating, TBH. But overall, it had that cozy-yet-creepy thing going on, which is totally my jam, even if it wasn’t OMG amazing.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! 💚

I truly feel like I would have appreciated this book more if I read a physical copy; however, that wasn't the case. I listened to the audiobook, and I personally did not like the narrator. Because of my dislike of her, I couldn't stay immersed in the story.

4 ☆
The cover art is beautiful!

The title and the cover art give me "The Secret Garden" vibes, and I love it.

Harriet Hunt is completely alone. Her father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside House, dwelling on a past she'd rather keep buried. Harriet's garden is special. It's a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb is Harriet's purpose—the perfect modern fairytale about women taking control of their lives—with a little help from the magic within them.

The story was good. The pacing was a little weird in the beginning and the middle, but the storyline was good. Check the trigger warnings before reading, as it does have some domestic violence in the story.

The audiobook was good. The narrator did a good job telling the story and bringing the characters alive.

Thank you, NetGalley, and RB Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.