Book Review: Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris

In Long After We Are Gone, Terah Shelton Harris delivers a haunting, beautifully layered novel that explores the raw edges of grief, survival, and the fragile hope of redemption. With poetic prose and emotional depth, Harris tells the story of Leigh Wilde—sole survivor of both her family and a prison transport crash—who is forced to confront not only the ghosts of her past but the possibility of a future she never imagined she deserved.

Leigh’s journey begins with devastation and solitude. Having witnessed the death of her entire family, she is a woman forged by loss, and her survival feels more like a curse than a gift. When fate lands her in a secluded Alabama flower farm, she finds refuge in a community of the wounded and the healing—a gentle place where pain is acknowledged and beauty is grown, quite literally, from the wreckage.

What unfolds is a slow, intimate portrait of recovery. Harris masterfully crafts Leigh’s transformation through her relationship with Jackson, the farm’s tender yet quietly powerful owner, and the unlikely family that surrounds them. These characters are as nuanced as Leigh herself, each carrying burdens of their own, yet never reduced to their trauma.

Still, Harris doesn’t shy away from the darker truths. As Leigh’s past creeps closer, the narrative tightens with suspense, posing an essential question: can someone truly outrun what they’ve done—or what’s been done to them?

Long After We Are Gone is not just a story about surviving. It’s a story about learning to live again, about the quiet, often painful work of planting new roots in the aftermath of devastation. Emotional, redemptive, and quietly powerful, this novel will linger with readers long after the final page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Tender, Lyrical Story That Blooms With Grace

Where the Wildflowers Grow is the kind of book that makes you want to hold it close to your heart the moment you finish. Terah Shelton Harris writes with a gentleness and depth that feels like sitting under a wide Southern sky, soaking in every beautiful, painful truth about family, forgiveness, and what it means to truly come home.

The characters feel so real—imperfect, complex, and wholly human. I loved how Harris gives them space to breathe and grow, even when they make choices that hurt. This story doesn’t shy away from hard topics, yet it never loses its undercurrent of hope. The wildflowers in the title are such a perfect metaphor for the resilience and quiet beauty that runs through every page.

The Deluxe Edition is a true gift for fans. The extra content—whether it’s bonus scenes, author insights, or discussion questions—adds so much to the experience. It feels like being invited deeper into the world Harris has so lovingly created.

This novel reminds me why I love Southern fiction: the rich sense of place, the way the land itself almost becomes a character, and the truths that live in whispered family secrets and small acts of grace.

If you want a story that will break your heart a little and then show you how love and forgiveness can heal even the deepest wounds, *Where the Wildflowers Grow* is a must-read. Terah Shelton Harris is a writer whose words bloom long after the last page.

Where the Wildflowers Grow is an emotionally stirring, beautifully written story about survival, healing, and what it means to be free. Terah Shelton Harris once again delivers a novel that honors the resilience of women—particularly those who have endured and are still finding their way.

Leandra Wilde, born untethered from the systems and structures of the world, is a woman raised on survival. After a tragic past and a prison transport accident, she walks away from her former life and toward a future she never thought she’d find. Reclaiming herself as Leigh, she discovers hope and healing on a flower farm in Gee's Bend, Alabama, where kindness, safety, and love gently reshape her.

Jackson Shepherd, the rooted and steady force in Leigh’s life, makes space for her trauma and growth. Alongside a cast of deeply endearing characters—Tibb, Luke, and Walt—Leigh finds not only refuge in them, but a renewed sense of self.

This novel broke me open and stitched me back together. Every character, every scene, and every emotion is intentional and impactful. A powerful exploration of grief, family, forgiveness, and the beauty of letting yourself bloom.

The novel does offer a few gripping turns, and I appreciated how the characters’ genuine warmth surrounds a protagonist who is plainly wrestling with heavy trauma. Yet the story I found inside never quite matched the premise that drew me in; the plot felt at odds with the enticing description on the jacket. In the end, it simply wasn’t for me.

This was such a beautiful novel that I’ll have a hard time reviewing it. I loved everything about it – the writing, the emotions, the reflections,. It was just a beautiful story all around. I will be recommending this to all 👥 Book Club

Reading Where the Wildflowers Grow felt like taking a deep breath after holding it in for too long. This story broke my heart in the beginning, then slowly pieced it back together. Leigh’s grief was so raw and relatable, it’s rare to see a character portrayed with such emotional honesty.

I especially loved the flower farm setting. It created this quiet, healing space where the pace of life finally slows down. It allowed Leigh to breathe, to think, to feel, and I felt like I was healing with her. And Jackson? He’s not your typical romantic lead. He’s soft, steady, and present in the best way. Their relationship felt like a slow bloom, and that made it even more touching.

This story speaks about love, trauma, community, and forgiveness in such a powerful yet gentle way. It’s not flashy, it’s real, and that’s what makes it beautiful.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me early access to this book. That didn’t influence my opinion, this was genuinely a moving read I’ll be thinking about for a while.

There aren’t enough words to describe how perfect Terah Shelton Harris’ books are. 5 stars are not enough for her books and Where The Wildflowers Grow is no exception.

The story is so intricately written and unfolds at the perfect pace. I had to find the right time to read this one, because, as always with a Terah Shelton Harris book, I knew I was going to cry. Multiple times. There are so many emotions in this book that I couldn’t put it down.

Leigh was such a beautifully written, complex character. She’s honestly unforgettable and I love that.

Another masterpiece by Terah Shelton Harris, if you haven’t read her, I encourage you to & I can’t recommend enough that you pick up a copy of Where The Wildflowers grow when it’s released on February 17th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 10/10 what a beautiful story of love, survival, second chances, and taking responsibility. I fell in love with Jack and with Leandra. I was gasping as I watched their love story evolve and felt a fear inside me as I wondered when things could come undone. What I loved most was that this was a realistic story that doesn’t just give into the stereotypical fairytale ending. This is a book I will read again and again and always hold the characters close to my heart.

**Where the Wildflowers Grow (Deluxe Edition)** by Terah Shelton Harris is a beautifully written, heartfelt novel that blooms with hope and healing. The writing feels lyrical and gentle, and the characters are so real you’ll want to hug them. It’s a story about second chances, family, and finding the courage to move forward — a perfect, uplifting read that leaves you feeling warm and inspired.

Where the Wildflowers Grow is an extraordinary story of our protagonist Leigh that weaves, past, present, and bits of future with gorgeous prose and intention. Leigh reclaims a new life after she survives a terrible crash. While her instinct is to run away with her secrets and anonymity, she’s drawn into the beautiful and holistic community of flower farming in Alabama. She meets a community of people bravely working through their grief and trauma, and finds her own healing and renewal in a flower field. The storytelling was captivating from the start, and I loved the continuous allegories of blossoms and growth.
The romance is slow, yearning, deep and beautiful, and the book holds a lot of trauma-centered therapy speak and philosophy that I found powerful for anyone working through their own dark struggles or mental barriers. At the core, Harris empathizes with people who have survived the worst of circumstances, and uplifts those who choose to surrender do the hard work of facing demons and choosing happiness. I absolutely loved this book, and I included some of my favorite quotes below:

“We have to say the hard things. Out loud. I’ve learned that our past insists on coming back, whether we want it to or not. But that doesn’t mean it has to dictate who we are now.”
“Our relationship unfolded the way winter melts into spring: It doesn’t announce its arrival—it slips in imperceptibly, the subtle rise in temperature, the tender return of the grass, until you’re standing in the middle of it.”

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! Review on goodreads

A couple of years ago, I read the completely brilliant book with exactly the same title by Leif Bersweden (here is my review: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/91c8b99f-a234-4bca-aed3-67d0e0d24cae). Of course, I realised that this was not the same sort of book at all, but nevertheless, I was still drawn to it by the title. It is not that wild flowers don't play any role at all in the story, there are a couple of scenes where they are central (although one of those scenes even seems to involve destroying large numbers of rare wild flowers for a romantic gesture, which horrified me), but cultivated flowers are more important to the story.

The book starts as a thriller, and indeed gets off to a gripping start, and then gradually evolves to be more of a romance. I have to confess, that genre is not really my cup of tea. I don't know when I last read a romance, so I'm afraid that I'm poorly placed to judge that aspect. I guess it goes with that genre, but the characters in some aspects (especially physically) seemed to be more idealised than real people.

In general, the book is written in very flowerly (haha) language. "Every step forward felt like taking a step between normalcy and exposure". There is a widespread use of similes and metaphores which (at least for me) don't really work as they are often over the top and not really conjuring up the right image For example, "the sharp odor of alcohol crashed off him in waves". Phrases like that interfered with my reading rather than evoking a precise idea of what the author meant.

There were a few aspects to the plot which didn't work so well. <spoiler>When the bus crashes, the narrator says that no one will come looking for it. I immediately thought that surely when it doesn't arrive they will send out a search party. I had to wait about a hundred pages for the explanation. She says that in prison she had no time with nothing to do because she had to apply for a social security number. That doesn't make sense, even if there was a lot of work in that, she still would have had many idle hours in prison. The number of years of her prison sentence didn't seem to add up (although I might have missed something)</spoiler>

I see that I have written a series of negative things, but that is not really fair. There are also enjoyable aspects about the book. Many sections definitely have you wanting to turn the page to see what happens next. The sense of community of a small rural village is nicely evoked. The conflict in emotions of the main character is well portrayed.

In conclusion, if you foolishly choose this book hoping that wild flowers will be a big feature, you will be disappointed. But if you are looking for a romance in a small American village, with a touch of a thriller about it, then you will enjoy this book.

This review was made possible by a advance copy kindly supplied by the publisher via Netgalley.

Rating: 5/5 (More if I could!)

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris is an exquisite and emotional novel that left a deep impression on me. From the opening pages, I was hooked. The story follows Leigh, the last of the Wildes, as she wrestles with loss, guilt, and the instinct to survive. After a prison transport accident leaves her the sole survivor, Leigh escapes into hiding and finds an unexpected refuge on a flower farm in rural Alabama.

This book does so many things well. The writing is immersive and vivid. The characters are beautifully developed, especially Leigh and Jackson. Their growing connection is tender and believable, and the surrounding cast provides just the right amount of support and tension. I appreciated how the novel balanced emotional depth with moments of lightness, and how it never shied away from hard questions.

Even when I thought I could predict the story, the author delivered twists that added emotional nuance instead of relying on shock. This book made me think, feel, and reflect. Leigh’s journey is one of the most memorable I have read this year.

Highly recommended for readers who love stories about redemption, found family, and the quiet strength it takes to start again.

Terah Shelton Harris does it again with this riveting tale that will keep readers intrigued and engrossed in the life of Leigh, the main character. From birth, her plight has been marred by unfortunate circumstances which lead to even more unfortunate circumstances. Sadly, most of these scenarios are a result of her parents and unconventional upbringing.

As Leigh navigates yet another tragic situation, the reader is privy to her character and how she processes the situations that she encounters. This is when her heart is exposed and we see who she really is. Her entire story is unveiled brilliantly by the author in such a heart-wrenching way as we learn of her past and congenital lack.

As Leigh continues down the path she’s walking, she learns who she is opposed to how the world has defined her. Most of all, she learns to love herself and accept love from others.

This book left me almost speechless. The author truly researched difficult topics and presented them so eloquently. The struggles of the disenfranchised people weighs heavy in this story. In addition, I feel like I’ve now visited areas in the Deep South and the little known geographical areas mentioned in the book. Lastly, the details presented as it relates to floristry were depicted masterfully and beautifully. I HIGHLY recommend this book and am so thankful to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the e-ARC.

This is a book about Leigh'a journey to healing and finding herself. She was never in a space where she could focus on just living. From
Their beginning of her life she was subjected to so much and all she could do was survive. Survive her parents, their choices, and the life that she was given. She focused on keeping her sister safe and surviving to see the next day.

Witnessing her heal and find a place and people that help her let go of the past and find herself was heartwarming. Reading this was like coming home from a hard day and being wrapped in a warm blanket. A much needed book during these times.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this arc!

If I could give this more stars I would!!

One of the most STUNNING books I have ever read!!

From the very beginning my heart was in my throat and I think it stayed there throughout the majority of this book.

The descriptive writing was just beautiful - truly. Most of the book is set on a Wildflower Farm in a small town of Alabama. I mean, need I say more? The knowledge that has gone into this book is next level. I was so impressed with every small detail.

The romance is nice - although being completely honest, a little sappy at times. But I was also not expecting the HOTNESS that went downnn between Leigh & Jack! 🤭

Speaking of our MCs - I loved them both. Two gentle souls who have been wronged by the world show that our scars and past do not define us. Leigh has got to be one of the bravest FMCs I've ever come across, and when I got towards what I thought was their ending, I sobbed. Full on SOBBED.

Notice how i said their ending? Yeah, dry your tears and keep reading, because once the epilogue hits, every single ounce of pain and heartbreak will fall away. It was so clever how Terah ended this on a HEA because I was ready to crawl under my covers and stay there in devastation 😭 THANK YOU for healing my heart.

I feel privileged to have received an early copy of this and I'm already ready to rave to everyone go and read this once it's released into the wild!

Wow. The FMC in this book is the kind of strong and resilient female that we all need in our lives to look up to and become. A brilliantly written survival story, this book is an absolute hit!

If you liked Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Secret Life of Bees” and Delia Owens’ “Where the Crawdads Sing,” you’ll love “Where the Wildflowers Grow.” As in the other two books, the main character is a strong, resilient woman trying to survive in difficult circumstances. The details of her past are slowly shared over the course of the story as she comes to terms with her trauma and learns to love and trust her chosen family.

The writing here is outstanding and not surprising once you discover that Harris is a former librarian. I highlighted many passages that I will return to in the future. It does get wordy toward the end when the characters start getting philosophical and all of us readers just want to know what happened! It is worth it though because the ending is perfect.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There are just never enough stars for a Terah Shelton Harris book.

Have you ever thought of what shame really feels like? How you carry it on your back? How it permeates your soul and shows up in every aspect of your life? And how someone can LIVE with shame survive. That is what this story is about to me.

I'm sure this is a fantastic book, I just couldn't get into it. I put it down a few times and don't find myself striving to finish it. I imagine others would like it more than I do.

This was amazing! Leandra's story was harsh and helped carve a narrative about how resilient she had become through so much trauma. It was a story heavy with grief and hope. There were a few sentences that came off redundant and choppy but it never took away from the story.