Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse Audio and HarperCollins for a copy of this audio & eARC.
Thinking back on this book has been so enjoyable, it really hit so many markers of what I, personally, love as an avid reader. You’ve got exploration of grief & guilt, found family, healing, a lil romance, daring escapes with an eerie mystery lurking in the corner.
I truely loved the experience this book gave me, it was such an easy read story wise but still held so much depth to the character & plot development. I admit there were some moments where I would’ve loved aspects to be further explored; i.e. the triple goddess and magic system, but I loved it nonetheless!

4 stars

I was enchanted with this book from the start. The paradisiacal garden world the author created transported me.
I enjoyed the way mythology, fantasy, and botany were woven together.

Overall, I found the pacing to move rather well. I did feel that after a beautiful intro, there was a lull in getting to the major plot points. Conversely, I would have loved the ending to have been drawn out a little more with a more detailed epilogue.

I do feel it is important to acknowledge a very present theme for reader awareness: infertility. Separately, there are several mentions (not descriptions) of sexual assault. While I would consider myself a rather sensitive reader, the author was gentle with these topics and I still enjoyed the book immensely.

One of the most unexpected joys of this book was friendships.

For me, this was a lovely read for early summer afternoons and evenings. Make a cup of tea and savor paradise.

I look forward to other enchanting stories from Laura Resau in the future.

Thank you to Laura Resau and Harper Muse Audiobooks for granting me an eARC audiobook through NetGalley.

Eloise is given the chance of a lifetime when she gets a job as a gardener in a secretive French castle and grounds called Jardins du Paradis. She likes the other 3 caretakers at Paradis, and most importantly to her, no children are allowed. Shrouded in mysteries and strange rules, the garden fluctuates between a healing oasis and a sinister hellscape.

Laura Resau did a great job balancing the uncanny valley feelings with their cozier cousin of magical realism. I went in with minimal expectations, and did not expect some of the tonal shifts-it reminded me a little of how Riley Sager's novels start out feeling paranormal or horror in nature, and then end in a completely different and more 'normal' or 'grounded' place in the end.


Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Alchemy of Flowers in exchange for my honest opinions.

Overall, the book was just OK. The best thing about the book is the atmosphere. But it was different than what I was expecting.

A garden of healing, after divorce and infertility, found family, magic realism, and a little bit of gothic drama? I enjoyed this mix of enchanted healing medieval garden and modern gothic mystery. The lush garden sounded so lovely, I’ve been inspired to visit my local botanical garden museum.

I listened to the audiobook, which was fun because the narrator used French accents when speaking English at times. It helped keep my mind rooted in France where it’s set.

If you are open to magical realism (like Ashley Poston), are open to hearing about a difficult infertility journey and the healing thereafter, and can handle some spooky elements, check out this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy in exchange for this review.

A 5 star book - beautiful, whimsical and wonderfully introspective.

First I will mention the narrator, I was so impressed by the beautiful warm voice that rose to the challenge of not only doing many different characters but also giving each a French accent. Very well done, it added so much authenticity to the atmosphere. It was easy to imagine the southern French garden and its magical ambience.

The story was beautiful as well, exquisitely blending themes of grief and healing against a backdrop of lush gorgeous nature. I enjoyed the magical realism elements (the twilight hour mystery, the messages from the plants in the garden, the lurking statues) and how the mystical aspects were weaved into the story, particularly the maiden/mother/crone motif and how it related to the main character's growth.

The main character's journey was emotional, immersive and relatable. I was not expecting such depth from the book's description, yet I'm so happy to see sensitive topics treated with such care and tenderness along with crafting a main character that is mature in both age and intellect.

The side characters were well rounded, with interesting backgrounds and their relationships were lovely to follow along. I loved the scenes where they'd all gather for outdoor late dinners with homemade food and they'd talk into the night.

The mystery of the story is slow to unfold yet I loved the pacing of the book. The story twists happen towards the second half, were fun to see and I as so glad they converged towards a happy ending for the FMC.

It's obvious this book was written with a lot of care, compassion and thoughtfulness. The FMCs journey was beautiful to watch unfold and I felt happy and sad along with her. I had *all the feels* listening to this book and I'm so glad that I picked it up..

Tigger warnings: infertility, illness, body image issues

This audio book was such a change in what I’m use to reading but I truly enjoyed it.

Hearing how Eloise’s journey to healing off in France, u was shocked what happened.

The French did make it a little harder for me to understand in certain points but I did get over it.

I kinda wanna visit my own flower world and get lost in Paradise.

The Alchemy of Flowers
Laura Resau
🎧

Publication July 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Alchemy of Flowers follows Eloise, an American who moves to France in search of sanctuary and healing after years of emotional and physical pain. She accepts a job as a gardener at Jardins du Paradis—an ancient house and garden said to possess mystical, otherworldly powers. But with the job come rules, and there are consequences if they’re not followed.

"This is a refuge for the broken."

I really enjoyed this book! The world-building is strong and immersive, with beautifully written descriptions that paint a vivid picture of the setting. I initially expected a full-on fantasy novel, but quickly realized it was more grounded. There are subtle hints of the fantastical—whispers of goddesses, ancient rituals, and unseen magic—but the real themes are deeply human: heartbreak, healing, connection, and starting over.

The story starts a little slow, and I found the narrator a bit hard to connect with at first. But as Eloise settles into the gardens and the mysteries begin to bloom, I became more and more drawn in. The ending was satisfying, dramatic, though maybe a touch predictable.

There are a few spicy scenes that took me by surprise, but since it’s advertised as an adult novel, they didn’t feel out of place. They fit the tone and emotional arc of the story well.

If you enjoy slow burn, emotionally rich stories that blend realism with a touch of magic, a few twists thrown in, The Alchemy of Flowers is worth a read!

"The Alchemy of Flowers" is a mysterious and magical book full of danger and intrigue. The main character Eloise is full of pain because of a divorce and inability to carry a child to full term. She has the ability to be able to hear flowers and after dealing with so much tragedy in her life she applies for a job at a mysterious castle to tend the flowers there. This book has magical realism, beautiful flowers and a found family full of loss and tragedy to meet her at the castle.

The book definitely takes the reader on a dark path but the moments of light in the book are enough to keep it from becoming too heavy of a read. The flowers, the food described and the friendships including the little woodsprite make this place somewhere that I would love to visit if this was a real life place. The author takes the reader/listener on so many twists and turns it's hard to guess what will happen next. This book isn't my normal preferred genre but I'm definitely glad i had the chance to listen and review it.

I had a chance to listen to the audiobook via Netgalley and it was well done. Thank you to Harper Muse for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this book. I highly recommend this one to audiobook listeners.

3.5⭐️ rounded up. I would describe it as magical realism, full of secrets and mystery. There’s grief, new friendships, found family and of course the power of healing flowers. I received the audio arc from NetGalley and really enjoyed it.

The atmosphere that Laura painted with this story was, well truly, out of this world. I loved the descriptive nature of the garden, how well I could picture myself walking through the flowers, in the treehouses, and sitting at the table for breakfast with these characters. There was mystery, long in and desire, grief and loss, and acceptance. I would compare The Alchemy of Flowers to a fogger morning overlooking a lake as the sun comes up, eerily beautiful. It was a perfect blend of fantasy and reality with the characters and all their feelings, interwoven stories, and growth alongside the flowers.

And a debut? Impressive.

The audio was gorgeous too - I loved the narrators voices, it was soothing and yet full of emotion that reallly aided in bringing the story to life.

The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau is like wandering into a lush, mysterious garden where every bloom hides a secret, and every shadow whispers a story. Eloise’s journey to tend a secretive, off-the-grid estate in the South of France feels straight out of a modern fairy tale—think The Secret Garden meets a touch of magic dust. Living behind ancient stone walls and forbidden to go out at dusk, Eloise gradually uncovers the enchanting—and sometimes eerie—rules of her new home. As she tends to her flowers, she begins to see whispers of a little girl and glimpses of a woodsprite, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. Is her mind playing tricks, or is there a real child in peril, hidden in the garden’s shadows? The suspense builds beautifully as Eloise digs into the estate’s darker secrets, risking her heart—and her safety—to protect her fragile, newfound family. Resau’s storytelling is warm and whimsical, sprinkled with moments of magic that make you believe in the impossible. The romance with Raphael, the mysterious handyman, adds just the right touch of sweetness amid the garden’s mysteries. It’s a story about healing, second chances, and discovering that sometimes, the greatest magic is found in facing your fears and unearthing the truth. Perfect for fans of atmospheric, feel-good stories with a dash of mysticism, The Alchemy of Flowers will transport you to a world where love blossoms among secrets, shadows, and the scent of a thousand blooming flowers. Just mind the dusk—something magical (or perhaps sinister) is trying to find its way out.

I loved everything about this book and the only thing better would be to have some of the recipes for teas and tinctures! The characters were multi-faceted and delightful. The setting was ALL THE THINGS. I'm allergic to anything green and most things that buzz, but I'd risk it for a chance to stay in those gardens for a week. A deeply personal story as well, it was multi-faceted and poignant.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this book. A mystery? A romance? Fantasy/supernatural? Whimsical? Well, I got a little of all of the above.
This was a beautifully written story. It painted such a vivid picture of the world, throughout the entire book.
I’ve never lost a child, but I found myself in tears for our main character.
This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read and the author has gone on my automatic read list!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Laura Resau for the ARC of The Alchemy of Flowers!

While the title brought me in, the storyline kept me hooked. A modern take on a secret garden taking place in France, full of mystery and wonder. As someone who loves spending time in their garden and dreams of exploring a French garden and all it's history, this book was right up my alley. Including the magical aspects, including mention of the fae. I felt Elloise was relatable and I appreciated her raw and real take on motherhood and the tragedy surrounding her desire to bear a child. The narration was delightful to listen to.

Overall, this was a joy to read! I have already recommended this book to friends and my book club!

I already didn't love the book, but I couldn't even make it 10 minutes into this audiobook. The phrasing was awkward and off. The way she takes "au-to-pay" and "stom-ach tightening" right at the very first chapter were enough for me to drop it.

Posted to Goodreads: 6/14/2025

This book combines magical realism, and domestic fiction in a luxurious tale of healing. The story follows Eloise, who applies to a strange job ad in a gardening magazine. By some miracle, she lands the job, and moves to a sweet garden in the south of France. Or at least it appears to be sweet. Strange rules and routines put in place by the mysterious "La Patron" cause Eloise to wonder whether everything is alright in this garden of paradise. This book has very heavy themes of infertility and also lends itself to a mysterious and almost paranormal vibe at times. That being said, I did find the book to be a bit scattered because it seemed to have multiple focuses and many things happening in the story that didn't necessarily connect together. I was given the opportunity to listen to the audio book version through NetGalley, and I hope other readers enjoy it!

The Alchemy of Flowers begins with Eloise, heading to France to be employed as the gardener at Jardins du Paradis. Her employer lives on an estate with a huge Medieval house, only partly restored. The person who links the employees to their employer is Antoinette and no one ever sees the Patreon. Eloise, who went through a divorce partly related to the inability to bear a child or adopt a child is uncomfortable around children. Paradis forbids children on the grounds. A huge wall keeps those who live there locked in and only Antoinette can let them out. Eloise immediately relates to her coworkers, two men and a woman, with different responsibilities. They have kind of a communal life style where they cook and eat together but live in separate little home, each modern enough on a place that is totally off the grid, to have some creature comforts.

The estate sells various products made from herbs and essential oils, flowers and herbs at a town market. Eloise is responsible for the plants, which are exceptional. There is a rule that employees must stay inside at dusk. There are other rules as well. Eloise tries to find out the reasons for them, but her coworkers are mum. They also won't share information about former employees who left suddenly. So, there can be a malevolent feel to the place, even though the day to day experience is very pleasant.

Along the way, Eloise sees images of people or goddesses and she cannot discern if it is due to her imagination. She sometimes hears laughter. She talks to the plants ... and they whisper to her. The mysticism/magic adds to the story a gothic feel as do the sculptures all around. All in all, the characters, the estate itself, the unseen employer all make for a mysterious story and an evolving need to know what's real and what's not. It satisfactorily gives us that. Good book.

An intriguing mystery with a splash of romance and a healthy dose of magical realism set in a luscious garden cut off from the world. It's meant to be a place of healing for broken souls but evil lurks there too. I love the eerie feel of the setting, the sprinkling of French throughout, and all the references to the power of different herbs and flowers. The pace was a bit slow, but that felt right for the telling of this story. However, it felt a little repetitive in places and rushed at the end. The narrator of the audio version did an excellent job.

2.5/5

I loved the setting and the premise of a group of broken people who come to a common place to rediscover their love of life. I was also excited about the borderline fantasy aspect of this book because who doesn’t love a magical garden?? But to compare this to the secret garden or to try to look past the inner dialogue taking up the majority of this book is just…painful.

There are certainly important messages here but the plot is just not strong enough to be captivating for me. I wanted to stop reading multiple times but kept going in hopes something would happen by the end to make me love it. It didn’t quite get there. There was just a lot going on in different directions and muddled my overall feel of the book. So many cliches as well. Just not my type of book.