Eloise, mired in grief, walks away from her life and accepts a unique job offer in the south of France to live off the grid and tend a lush garden on a private estate. As with all opportunities, when it feels too good to be true, it probably is. A darkness lurks in the garden, and the "rules" for living inside the locked gates of the estate quickly begin to feel sinister. Is this truly the garden of paradise that Eloise so desperately needs, or has she made a grave error by taking this leap?

This novel is full of equal parts lush garden settings, decadent food writing (it is France, after all), and a lingering, creeping sense of dread. These things don't seem to go together on the surface, but in Resau's hands, it works beautifully. All these characters are flawed but most are extremely lovable. While some scenes frustrated me (I would not operate well among a group of people shrugging off some truly bizarre circumstances, for instance), everything comes together in due time. The nods to The Secret Garden and Eloise's incredible treehouse abode made the little girl still living in me gleeful.

The audiobook production was fantastic. The cast was relatively small, but Cassandra Campbell provided a distinct performance for all of the major characters. The French language sprinkled throughout these pages would have tripped me up if I'd tried to read this one with my eyes, but instead I was treated to Campbell's lyrical and beautiful pronunciations during these passages. I can't recommend this version of the novel strongly enough!

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to hide away in this garden prior to the book's publication. Now, I'm off to the farmer's market to immerse myself in the townsfolk and shop for a bounty of local wares!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 4 stars

The Alchemy of Flowers is a captivating story about a woman seeking refuge among the flowers of a French garden as she tries to heal from the heartbreak of the life she left behind.

At its heart, this is a story about loss, vulnerability, and healing. Resau writes with care and compassion about the complex grief that accompanies infertility, miscarriage, and endometriosis and how deeply these conditions can impact self-worth and relationships. Too many people feel alone in these experiences and I appreciate how central they were to the main character's development.

The writing is vibrant and evocative. I could feel the cool river water on my skin, smell the lavender, taste the tisanes (never have I craved floral infusions more!). The descriptions of nature, wine, and food painted a world that felt both grounded and enchanted. The slow build of trust and found family was deeply touching.

Genre-wise, this one is hard to categorize. There’s a touch of magical realism from the whispers of the flowers, a thread of mythology through the lore of the triple goddesses and the Furies, and a foreboding sense of mystery tied to the estate’s dark secrets and deadly threats.

The pace is slow at first, but then the story finds a steady rhythm until the last 10% or so, which felt mildly chaotic. I listened on audio and loved the narrator’s delivery and the Franglish scattered throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Resau, and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Alchemy of Flowers is a lush, quietly magical debut adult novel that swept me away—though not without first striking a tender chord. At its core is Eloise, a woman broken by grief and disillusionment after years of trying—and failing—to start a family. When she answers a mysterious ad for a gardener in the secluded Jardins du Paradis in the South of France, she begins a transformative journey that’s part healing, part unraveling, and entirely enchanting.

This book hit close to home. Eloise’s pain—the ache of unfulfilled longing—felt almost too familiar at first, and I found myself hesitating to continue. But I’m so glad I did. Resau delivers more than just a whimsical escape; she offers a gentle, powerful reminder that the life we imagine isn’t always the one we’re meant for—and that joy can bloom in the unlikeliest places. Eloise may have run from her inability to become a parent, but she ends up creating a found family that changes everything.

The atmosphere is immersive, the storytelling dreamlike with just the right touch of unease. The garden feels alive—whispering secrets, hiding shadows, and healing wounds. While the audiobook (narrated wonderfully by Cassandra Campbell) was easy to listen to, I often wished I had a physical copy in hand to better follow the cast of characters and sprinkle of French terms.

If you loved The Secret Garden as a child and long for a grown-up, magical, and slightly eerie version laced with themes of grief, self-discovery, and second chances, The Alchemy of Flowers is worth the journey. It reminds us that sometimes, the life we’re meant to grow into requires letting go—and trusting the garden.

I enjoyed this audiobook more than I expected. Despite a slow start, I quickly immersed myself in the story and characters. It has a unique, magical feel that defies genre.

The narration was exceptional, especially the captivating French pronunciation, which added a richness that reading alone couldn’t capture. The lyrical writing drew me into a mystical garden, creating a whimsical tone.

I loved the story, particularly the tisanes and teas from the little village of Les Jardins du Paradis. This was my first book by Laura Resau, and it definitely won’t be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.

This was a mysterious read which was also cozy. The 'secret garden' concept was what drew me in and the mystery kept me involved. The play between light and dark being shown through the physical and spiritual realms was interesting. I am not sure how I feel about the ending, hence the 3 star rating. I enjoyed the audio narrator.

3.65 ⭐ rounded up

This was an interesting story of healing, or rather of alchemising pain into healing and power. The magic of flowers, and love, shone throughout the book.
The story was sprinkled with a touch of bizarrerie or weird ethereal magic.

The prose was nice, the story well rounded and the ending fast paced.
The french was... not perfect. I am French and well... I loved the french aspects but cringed at some details that felt cliché and some words or sayings were off, literal translation or not how we actually speak or use it. I would have loved that instead of just the literal translation of some sayings, they were explained for the readers to understand better.
Obviously, some details and french mannerism were spot on.


📚 Audiobook:
The audiobook was nice.
I wish the french words would have been worked on with a native. Even though the hero wasn't a native french speaker, I would have enjoyed the words of the french characters to be said properly. Not without an accent but you don't pronounce the T and S in amants, for example.


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARCs.

DNFd this one around 50%

Came for a fantasy, enchanted garden type feel and instead read over and over about infertility and child loss. And the comments about the FMCs body were uncomfy. And the “biological purpose of life on earth” “evolutionary dead end” comments just didn’t do it for me. As the wife of someone who is also an “evolutionary dead end” because cancer took her fertility from her, this was not the book for me.

The books description needs to be clearer before more women are triggered by this VERY sensitive topic.

Thank you anyway to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was not expecting this to be so full of grief based on the blurb. I am giving three stars because I did enjoy the book and the main character however it was a tough one to pick up. I was expecting more of a magical realism type of book and instead got one that ultimately just made me sad. It saddens me that she refused to be around children and let her grief overtake her life in many ways. I would recommend if you know what you are getting yourself into before reading but this isn’t the whimsical book that I had expected.

The Alchemy of Flowers - Laura Resau

Sorry this audiobook just isn’t for me. The narrator got on my nerves and I could not get on with the narration. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book

This story is about Eloise and her adventure into her new life. Eloise spontaneously takes a job as a garden in the south of france. Traveling to a remote/off the grid location to escape her inability to have children. The island is NO children allowed. She starts to create friendships with her three new coworkers while figuring out the mysteries of the stone walled house/yard. She is uneasy with her questions, her emotions, and the secrets she discovers about the flowers that talk to her. Is it paradise or an illusion? What happens when paradise turns into a prison?

I had the great opportunity to listen to the audio of the book through Netgalley.The story was heartbreaking and eventful! It created a solid background into her past and creates a magical touch to make an enjoyable story.

There is something magical about this book. From the very beginning I was enchanted; however, that could very much be due to the narrators calming demeanor.

I do not know French, but felt I was learning bit and pieces. For example, I now know how to say shit in French -- "merde"
I feel that the incorporation of French might have been more confusing if I was reading rather than listening because I wouldn't have known how to pronounce the words, and the impact might have been lost.

This story was quite interesting because I felt a lot of unexpected emotions while reading this-- intrigue and wonder at this new paradise; sadness and fear of loss; suspense and fear from what could be spirits; hope and love from friendships and more.

All and all, I really enjoyed this audio book!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC audiobook of this book. This review is my opinion.

The store takes place in a French castle with extraordinary gardens. From the description, I had pictured a different story. The book is well written, but sadly, it was not for me. The narrator does an excellent job with the reading of this novel and kept me listening until the end.
I did have a hard time with the parts about baby loss, fertility problems, and sexual assault. Again, this was not what the book's description led me to think it would be about. Would I recommend? Yes, but with a warning for those who find these subjects to be triggers.

I absolutely loved this book. It's the story of a woman who leaves her home to live in a Provence of France, secluded from the life she knew, where she is hired as a flower expert. She is hired to tend to the grounds of this mysterious place. She makes teas with the flowers to help with different emotions/ailments. She discovers this "off limits" home is full of mystery, heartache, love and magic.

The narrator Cassandra Campbell is amazing, as always. I would highly recommend this book to just about everyone who likes to read. Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC.

2.75⭐️ Mildly interesting mystery, but didn’t love it.

This book sounded so intriguing, but honestly I felt a little gaslit by the description of the book vs. what it was actually about. If I would have known it was heavy on pregnancy loss/infertility going in, I probably wouldn’t have read it. I can appreciate what the author was trying to do with Eloise’s journey of loss and healing, but it was hard for me to personally connect with the character. Also, this book was not what I would consider “fantasy”, it was more slightly supernatural thriller/suspense, which is fine, but don’t advertise something as fantasy when it isn’t.

Additionally, I get it is supposed to take place in France, but all the French thrown in is sort of annoying/distracting. It reminded me of the children’s cartoon Fancy Nancy whenever she would toss out French words and their translation explanations.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse, and Laura Resau for the early audiobook.

This book was surprisingly great, I loved that it was set in a magical garden and the characters are surrounded by flowers, herbs and plants while they are healing from their pain and loss.
It was also a place where they find friendship and family.

I really enjoyed the book and how the story evolved.

The narrator and production of this book was beautifully done.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the arc.

The Alchemy of Flowers follows Eloise Bourne, who abruptly leaves her life in Colorado behind to move to an enigmatic, walled estate in France. Tasked with tending to its lush, otherworldly gardens, Eloise must navigate not only the château's strict rules and eccentric residents, but also the lingering shadows of her past.

As Eloise learns to live within the estate’s surreal rhythm, she begins to confront the deep trauma of infertility and child loss. Surrounded by others who are also carrying quiet griefs, she discovers a path toward healing, renewal, and the fragile hope of a second chance.

Resau navigates difficult emotional terrain with tenderness and courage, shedding light on subjects rarely explored in such depth. While the poetic style and symbolism will resonate deeply with some readers, I found the pacing slow and the narrative too abstract to fully hold my attention.

Advanced reader copy provided by Harper Muse and Harper Muse Audio. All opinions are my own.

Going through the gates of Jardins du Paradis is like stepping into a portal of a fairytale. A magnificent, fantastical realm curated and gathered through eloquent utopic imagery. It is a secluded haven for a select few, sequestered away from the rest of the modern world. But there are rules. Touched by goddesses - real or imagined, ethereal or terrifying. Life and death frolic upon the whispers of flowers. The broken go there to escape the tragedy or trauma of their pasts and as long as they adhere to the rules they can stay and live in paradise.

Eloise found her way there, by fate, by happenstance, by manifestation. It was all she could have ever imagined... and much more.

Full of mystery, of doubt and hope, of loss and healing. Tentative and fragile relationships evolve and strengthen through kindred bonds. Curiousity brings about danger... and discovery. Thrill, suspense, and dark twists. If you've followed my reviews, you know I love a story that combines multiple genres and runs my tender heart through a gamut of emotions. This would be one of those!

Love the journey, the stories, these characters!

The narration for this book was great, regardless of speed.

As for the story, it was a fascinating setting filled with a uniquely diverse cast. The gardens had a magic to them and the writing was beautiful. It touched upon the mundane as well as societal issues. The characters were their own people with their joys and sorrows. The story kept me guessing between the magical and trivial.

It felt like a fairy tale for adults. I'm not a huge fan of fairy tales but I could appreciate the beauty of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an eAudio ARC of this work in exchange for my review.

The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau is a suspenseful fantasy full of magical realism, healing free gardens, found family, aw well as delicious tisanes and cuisines

The book was simultaneously enchanting and suspenseful. The author seamlessly blends each story of the inhabitants of the Jardin Du Paradis: reasons they went there, how the garden heals them, the descriptions of the flowers, smells and colours. It is truly immersive.

Note that there are heavy topics of backstory such as infertility, child loss, child abuse/endangerment, SA, cancer, and death.

The Narration by Cassandra Campbell was very well done, with the French and Spanish accents enhancing the enjoyment and anchoring the story and characters

After a lovely lead up, the ending felt sudden and explosive, even though one could see something like it coming. It made me look at the story again from a different perspective.

Overall, a lovely if occasionally sad read about the power of flowers and medicinal plants, the transformation of healing and found family as well as facing one's trauma, sharing it, and growing from it.

#netgalley #lauraresau #thealchemyofflowers #librarianreads

Magic in an audiobook. I love the setting: magic garden, French cuisine, tree house, hobbit house, outdoor shower, loving friends and the power of the flowers.

It was an enchanting story, I love how the author blends each story of the inhabitants of the Jardin Du Paradis. The reason they went there, how the garden heals them, the descriptions of the flowers, smells and colours. It felt like I was there with them.

The only thing is that I could predict what was going on, but that was fine.

There were heavy topics/ trigger warnings: child abuse, infertility, child loss, and cancer.

The Narration was amazing, with the French accents being so nice and natural.

Tropes: found family.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my opinion.