3.7⭐

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

spoiler free

15/16+

romance: 6/10 (some kissing, a non descriptive scene where Eloise uses a showerhead to masturbate in the shower, a non descriptive scene where Eloise and Raphael have sex, mentions of eloise and her ex husband having sex a lot to try and have a baby)

cursing: 3/10 (i’m pretty sure it was just shit, at least in English lol. There were many uses of “my God” in French tho)

violence: 4/10 (it only really got violent at the end, where there was some blood, stabbing, a bomb)

other: alcohol consumed to the point of tipsiness. One character is gay and gets a boyfriend at the end

tw: infertility, grief, miscarriage

first person, past tense


–OVERVIEW–

This book was a rollercoaster.

I have never been, nor will be for a long while, pregnant but this book made me feel for our main character. I have never lost a child, but I could feel the pain in losing one in the words. It was very obvious that the author has experience with it and my heart goes out to her.

I genuinely have no idea what genre this would be considered as. It’s a romance, but it’s not quite a magical realism, not quite a contemporary, not a fantasy, not mystery enough to be a mystery. There’s an obvious magical feel to this book while everything remains in the realm of reality.

The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books as a kid, and this was incredible.

This book is for dreamers who grew up but never truly did.

It was a daring dance of love and fate, like twirling through a garden of beautiful, yet deadly, flowers.

I was enthralled from the first sentence.

This is the first ever audiobook I’ve reviewed from Netgalley, but it certainly won’t be my last. As some of you know, I am a big crochet girlie (an albeit more recent addition to my ever growing list of hobbies) and it seemed only fitting to crochet a flower bandana while listening.

-the narration-

Absolutely magnifique. I loved her expression and how she spent the time to learn the pronunciation of all the French words. Safe to say if I had actually read this, I would have botched every name, place, and word.

-the writing-

As the name would suggest, the writing was flowery without being overbearing. The prose was excellent. I felt wholly immersed in this mystical, magical garden

This was my first book by Laura Resau and it definitely won’t be my last.


–PLOT–

The first 75% was a more cozy book with a undertone of danger, then that last 25% was like 📈📉📈📉📈📉📈📉 with my anxiety

–CHARACTERS–

Eloise
⤷ She was actually a very likeable character, I felt her pain like it was my own. I want to wrap her up in a tight hug and give her cinnamon hot chocolate.

Raphael
⤷ I love this man sm. He’s so sweet and ahhhhh 🤭🤭


–CONCLUSION–

If you’re okay with the heavy topics and the content, READ IT.

Narrated by the talented Cassandra Campbell, "The Alchemy of Flowers" by Laura Resau promised a magical journey through the life of Eloise, a woman struggling to find her place in the world. While Resau's writing style is undeniably whimsical and imaginative, the book ultimately fell short of my expectations.

As a reader who appreciates depth and complexity in both plot and character development, I found that "The Alchemy of Flowers" lacked the emotional resonance I was hoping for. Eloise's struggles felt disconnected from my own experiences, making it difficult to empathize with her journey. While this may be due to my personal life stage, the writing style itself often veered towards the corny, further inhibiting my ability to connect with the story.

Despite its shortcomings, "The Alchemy of Flowers" benefits greatly from Cassandra Campbell's enchanting narration, which breathes life into even the book's weaker passages. Her beautiful voice and narrative style lend an air of sophistication to the story that elevates it beyond the words on the page.

Thank you to Laura Resau, Cassandra Campbell, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Alchemy of Flowers is a curious and intoxicating blend of mystery, tragedy and magical realism.

Resau’s prose is beautifully lyrical and creates an immersive atmosphere, sometimes fragrant and peaceful, other times tragic and violent. It makes for a compelling and unique reading experience, and I found myself hooked, enjoying the twists and turns of this strange garden.

The Secret Garden is one of my favourite books and to some degree it carries a similar mix of gothic and beauty. I think it’s a wonderful read for fans of authors such as Sarah Addison Allen. To note - While impactful, the storyline is a a heavy one, and some readers may like to check triggers about infant loss and infertility before diving into this read.

I enjoyed this in ebook and audio form. I found myself racing through the pages, but the listening experience truly elevated the mystery of the garden and its curious inhabitants. The production value was excellent, and the narrator did a wonderful job of drawing out the emotional experiences of the characters.

Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

I just finished an amazing audiobook. The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau was such a great listen. Pick this one up.

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It’s filled to the brim with magic and I really could picture the estate as paradise. This book also has a mysterious element to it along with heartbreak and growth. And, of course, the lovely Cassandra Campbell narrates it beautifully. You need to add this to your TBR.
⬇️book description⬇️

I so wanted to like this book but the description of the book (taking a job to avoid reminders of children) definitely didn’t match up to the serious and heartbreaking content of the book. It was a very hard read for personal reasons. That being said, the writing was absolutely beautiful and the authors writing it raw and painfully true. I enjoyed the overall concept of the book but I sincerely wish it was not based on so much trauma. The write up on the book should have come with a disclaimer trigger warning about the tragedy the main character has experienced. I will give this author another try though as she is clearly a beautiful and accomplished writer. Thank you so much for allowing early access to listen to this book.

Eloise is from Colorado and recently divorced. She applied for a job as a gardener on a whim, and she was accepted, thus starting her journey to the south of France where a mystery awaited her.

This was the first time I listened to an audiobook and I'm not a fan. Also, the narrator wasn't very good. What I did like was the gardens and their descriptions, full of magic and the power of healing.

Warning - infertility and the battle with it.