The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau is a gorgeously rendered tale that begins as a fragrant dream—lush, luminous, and brimming with quiet magic. The found family Eloise discovers in the off-grid French garden estate is tender and nourishing, and the early pages unfold like a bloom in slow motion.

But midway through, that dream fractures. The story shifts from gentle magical realism into a taut, almost Sager-esque thriller, threaded with danger and dread. The transition is compelling, but jarring—like reading a novel co-written by Sarah Addison Allen and Riley Sager.

The narration on audio added another layer of richness to the reading experience, especially with the French woven throughout. It deepened my immersion in the setting and helped bring the atmosphere to life.

Though the pacing falters at first and the tonal shift is sharp, there’s beauty in the book’s suggestion that paradise without pain is a dangerous illusion. Life, like any garden, thrives not in perfection but in the balance of shadow and sun.

🌿✨Mystery, magic, and myth wrapped in blooms.

Alchemy of Flowers is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching tale that weaves together the pain of infertility, the allure of paradise, and the ancient magic hidden in nature’s blooms. Resau paints a lush, intoxicating world where grief and longing take root in soil rich with secrets. There’s a gentle mystery, a touch of the mythical, and a thread of healing that feels both fragile and powerful.

A story about what is lost, what can be found, and how sometimes the most broken hearts bloom in the most unexpected places. Haunting, hopeful, and infused with quiet magic—this book lingers long after the final page.

The narrator did a beautiful job bringing this story to life, her French was beautiful and really made me feel every emotion, every heartbreak, and every grain of hope!

Thank you Netgalley for the ALC in return for my honest review.

Thank you Harper Muse for the Netgalley ARC and Harper Muse Audio for the ALC.
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audiobook: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


What a story!
A mix of literary fiction, romance and magical realism.
An American woman, broken by a brutal struggle with infertility, finds a job ad to work as a gardener in a French remote country side chateau. Why not, she has always had a unique relationship with plants and flowers. But the biggest selling point is that children are not allowed on the premises.
She arrives there, meets her colleagues and starts a journey of self discovery, healing, reaching a better understanding of herself and the magical place she ended up in, and finds love in the most unexpected places.
I quite enjoyed this story. The writing is so beautiful and atmospheric; I could visualize the environment and the characters and connect with them.

My issues were that some aspects of the magic were not explored, there was minimal explanation of the main character’s relationship with her magic and knowledge of plants and flowers. My other issue is pacing; the final act was such a big change from the sedate pace of the first two acts in the book, shocking, fast paced and felt a bit rushed.

As I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of the audiobook; narrated by Cassandra Campbell, this review will include me gushing about Cassandra’s narration; beautifully executed, especially with the French accent and the mannerisms of each character. 10/10 job.

Laura Resau’s debut is part fantasy, part romance, and part mystery, set in an enchanting secret garden.

This was an easy listen, although the plot progression was a bit slow at times. Resau does an excellent job immersing readers in the French castle garden setting. The lush, haunting imagery of The Secret Garden paired with the whimsical talking flowers a la Alice in Wonderland give it a nostalgic charm. The mystery is set up well enough to build some intrigue, although its conclusion fell short for me.

The story is told from the first person perspective of Eloise, an American woman in her late thirties, consumed by grief after suffering multiple miscarriages, a failed adoption, and divorce. She accepts a mysterious job offer at a secretive French garden estate. There, she meets the rest of the staff, all of whom have their own experiences of loss and trauma involving children.

Although I enjoyed the characters at surface level, they lacked adequate depth. Their stories are adequately compelling, but the characters’ personalities are not explored much beyond those stories. Other than a few minor details, their dialogue and contributions to the plot are not very distinguishable from one another. Unfortunately, this amounts to an entire cast of characters who are very much defined by their traumas.

Despite its shortcomings, I eagerly devoured this book in one sitting. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, engaging read—with just a little sprinkle of spice—set in a world you can easily lose yourself in.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't find any of the characters in this book particularly likeable and I found the reveal to be unsatisfactory.

A very interesting and different read!
And, the author is new, as this is HER FIRST BOOK! So, keep your eyes 👀 open for more from her!!!

*** Please note: THIS HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! DUE OUT 7/29/25! ***

Eloise has been going through a rough patch in her life. She was married. They were desperately trying to have a baby. Seems like she was unable to carry to full term…. and her husband was a piece of work…. The marriage did not last.

So, when she hears about a job in France…far from home (USA), and kind of reclusive, BUT, surrounded by flowers and peace… well, she jumps on the chance, and gets accepted for the job! Once there she realizes that she might just be in a bit over her head, as there are a lot of rules to be followed….

But she carries on, and comes to really care for the people she’s working alongside, as well as the gardens and the ‘castle’ they’re living in! And…she begins to heal! ❤️

Just as all of this is coming together, other things begin to unfurl, and she’s placed in an unimaginable position… where she needs to choose… and someone’s life depends on her making the right choices! 😮😫

And, that’s it! 🛑🛑 I’m stopping right there! 🛑🛑

If this sounds like one you might enjoy, please give it a chance! To me, it was definitely worth the read!! (It was actually a bit healing for me too, as I was going through a very rough week..last week.)

#TheAlchemyOfFlowers by @LauraResau and narrated nicely by @CassandraCampbell.

Sweet ✅
Sorrowful ✅
Somewhat magical ✅
Friends supporting friends ✅
Good versus evil ✅

*** THIS ONE HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! PLEASE LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JULY 29, 2025!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperMuseAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

I loved this book and recommended to a friend even before I finished reading it. It was romantic and mysterious and just really comfortable even when you had to sit in the pain and suffering of the characters.

To be published July 29, 2025- Thanks to Netgalley for the early ARC.

Eloise takes a chance, she's in desperate need of a change when she comes across a work advertisement in a magazine to tend to a secretive French Garden. It's magnificent, quiet, and while the rules seem a bit strange- Eloise is relieved to be there.
Eloise is enchanted, by the flowers and the company and is healing from the life she left behind. The groundskeeper is cute and they keep sneaking moments, the master of the house is strange and keeps repeating the no children rule, which Eloise can follow-until she thinks she starts seeing a small child running through the woods. Things start to shift into a magical realism kind of vibe at this point and Eloise starts looking for clarity.
It quickly becomes a found family, cozy book for awhile with some excitement at the end. Slight violence but nothing too gory.
The narration was magnificent and kept up well with the flowery writing style.


This would be a great pickup for anyone who loved the Secret Garden as a child.

The Alchemy of Flowers is set up with an intriguing premise--live as a caretaker of a mysterious garden, a magical paradise, and all your needs will be met...but don't break the rules.

I found the narration effective and enjoyed hearing the elements of the French language spoke (though, as someone who doesn't speak French I can't comment on the actual translations/content). I loved the eerie gothic vibes, like the strange statues, the poison garden, and the mysterious assistant.

I enjoyed the magical elements of this story, but sometimes found them at odds with the writing. It felt jarring when the main character would refer to her "LBD" when she was choosing her outfit, for example, and the letter from Amber was so absurdly over-the-top that it was hard to take any of her concerns seriously. The ending, too, felt incongruent with the tone of the rest of the book and I felt unprepared for it.

There is much discussion about fertility and pregnancy loss, and while I appreciate their inclusion and how they shaped the main character's story, they often felt incredibly heavy-handed. I think a little more nuance and finesse here might have made Eloise's healing journey more sympathetic.

Overall, an interesting read but not necessarily a book I'd pick up again or recommend to friends.

A wonderfully immersive story, and beautiful detailed descriptions of the gardens of Paradise. Magical and aromatic. Thank you NetGalley.

Thank you to the book’s publisher and NetGalley for the ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

The book’s description sounded promising and I was excited to begin reading. Unfortunately, the ARC audiobook was just not enjoyable to me and I chose to DNF, I may try the print version at sometime in the future.

3 stars out of respect for the author.

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audio. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Women's Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, General Fiction
Spice Level: Fade-to-black sex scenes and not overly descriptive mention of masturbation
Language: Includes French phrases and swearing, especially sh*t related to the mc's job as a gardener
Representation: Gay person, Different races, Mental Illness
Narration: I loved the narrator
Content: Frankly discusses infertility and sex

THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS, a garden of secrets and lies, caught me in its web.

This book is compared to The Secret Garden, and I can see it because of the isolation, garden, and family secrets. I enjoyed the nod to mythology and the creepy setting—the gothic elements are incredible. Setting the book with an American in a castle in France increased the isolation that worked very well.

I loved how Eloise is figuring out herself as she's trying to fit into this special garden. She pushes against the mysteries as she takes control of her life. The book also explores the roles of women that makes this book very relatable. I loved the flowers, the escalating danger, and the climax was handled incredibly well.

This is an intriguing novel, and I recommend it.

Happy reading!

THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is a whimsical little story that lives within the realm of magical realism. Thank you @netgalley and @harpermuse for my early reading and listening copies, of Laura Resau’s novel, out today!

Eloise has struggled with infertility and her family has broken as a result of this. She finds the Chateau du Paradis exceptionally appealing because it is a place for her to heal, and children are forbidden, so she doesn’t have that deep sadness looming over her.

On the property are flowers of various uses, from whimsical to dangerous, along with a few residents which Eloise befriends.

As her time at the Chateau progresses, she begins to notice other perplexing oddities, and even feels as if she sees a little girl.

She begins learning that her friends are all there working through their own deep sadnesses and remorses, much like Eloise is.

What she learns about her friends and the mysterious little girl pushes Eloise to grow, putting her past behind her and ultimately step forward doing what she knows needs to be done.

I like this novel, the character growth and the whimsicalness of the storyline. If you like magical realism, you will enjoy this!

I see where the story is going and the writing style is beautiful. It just unfortunately did not capture my attention and I DNFed. I think it was more of a not for me than anything.

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.