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.

The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5)

What a lush, mysterious, and enchanting debut! The Alchemy of Flowers felt like stepping into a modern-day Secret Garden, but with a darker, more magical edge—and I was hooked from the very first page. The story's setting in the South of France is a dreamscape: ancient stone walls, whispering flowers, secrets blooming in the shadows. Laura Resau paints it all with such vivid prose that I could practically smell the jasmine and feel the weight of the summer heat on my shoulders.

As a voice actor myself, I'm often hyper-aware of narration—but Cassandra Campbell absolutely nailed it. Her performance brought Eloise and the hauntingly beautiful Jardins du Paradis to life. Even the French accents, which can sometimes distract me, were smooth and evocative.

The mystery at the heart of the novel—what’s really going on behind those garden walls—kept me turning pages (or rather, leaning in closer to my headphones). I loved the strange rituals, the unsettling rules, the sense that something was always just out of sight. There’s an otherworldly quality to the book that feels grounded in real emotional stakes, and that balance is tough to strike.

My only critique is that the theme of the protagonist’s infertility, while important and tenderly handled, began to feel a little repetitive for me midway through. It overshadowed some of the other rich layers the story had to offer. That said, it's still a powerful narrative of healing and rediscovery.

Overall, The Alchemy of Flowers is a beautifully crafted novel full of heart, suspense, and a dash of magic. I’m so grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to pre-listen to this one—I’ll be recommending it to anyone who loves a good garden, a great mystery, and a touch of the surreal.

The Alchemy of Flowers is an elegantly descriptive novel by Laura Resau that contains mystery and the wonderful healing power of nature. Eloise, who has undergone significant challenges with infertility and her marriage, applies for a job at a secretive French garden. There are numerous rules in the walled garden behind the chateau, including no children allowed, which is perfect for Eloise. Tending to the flowers and connecting with the few others who work there helps her to recover as they all connect behind the locked garden walls. Each has a secret or a reason to stay there which eventually is revealed as their friendship and love grows. But behind the walls and inside the chateau is a dangerous secret that eventually affects them all.

This debut adult novel is beautifully written with extensive character development. The beginning was slow, but it does pick up, although it is not a fast-paced plot. The author draws readers into each character’s background and the heartache they have suffered, all of which adds to the story as it unfolds. The author’s description of the garden and the magical powers of the flowers and the herbal teas makes the reader feel as if they are there with Eloise. The garden itself is a central character around which the action develops.

Cassandra Campbell excellently narrated the audiobook. Her change in tone and accent brought each character to life. It helped to listen to hear the correct pronunciation of the French words. The narration was well paced allowing the listener to feel what each character was experiencing as if in the garden with them, especially the last third of the novel.

I would highly recommend this novel, especially the audiobook version, to anyone who likes reading character driven books that have some mystery to them. This book will appeal to anyone who likes nature and can relate to its curing power and to anyone who understands that family is not always biological. It is the type of book that stays with you long after you read it. My only negative is that it was a little violent in the end but has a happily ever after ending where everything works out exactly how each character had hoped. But in today’s world, maybe that’s not such a bad thing to have hope that there is a happy ending somewhere in the future.

This story follows 37-year-old Elloise as she navigates starting her life anew at an almost magical French Castle Garden. A beautiful, in-depth look at a woman trying to heal herself from all of the trauma she has gone through, trying to rediscover her body. There is so much self-discovery, and the found family trope is so heartwarming. The prose is so lyrical, whimsical, fantastical and down to earth. The writing makes you feel so connected to the environment set in the book, with really good descriptive metaphoric language use. I appreciate that the author put a focus on our side characters just as much as our main character. Getting the reader to understand that every single person has their reason for being where they are, that this mysterious place brought them all together and helped them in their unique way. There aren't enough words to describe how complex and layered the characters and the plot are. The depth helps connect and sympathise with the characters. Overall, this read brought so much insight into the complications and complexities of wanting to be a parent and the impact that personal experience has on a person's view, mindset and the world around us. The narrator did a perfect job with the accents, the French and the pacing.

To start, the narration of this audiobook
is absolutely fantastic. I was so impressed and intrigued by the sheer amount of accents and talent the VO possesses.

Praises of the book are just the same! High quality writing, full characters who are so well rounded that I would have been thrilled to read another 200 pages just lapping up all the details of their pasts and how it lead them to meet our MC. I was so moved by her and it really took me by surprise. As someone who has too struggled with fertility, I am grateful she and her story were treated with such deep care. I have not a single complaint of how and where she ended up in regards to her motherhood journey. It was so relatable and tangible that she felt like a dear friend by the end. The author has my many thanks for getting to experience that kind of familiarity and understanding. This novel was so healing and i'm grateful for it.

Really good! It's a bit of a double edged sword, it tackles some tough material, but in a way that hopeful and almost healing, with just a touch of magical realism. Definitely worth a read.

Laura Resau’s ‘The Alchemy of Flowers’ is a beautifully crafted novel that intertwines mystery, healing, and the quiet magic of nature. Set against an atmospheric backdrop, this story blooms with emotion, weaving together rich sensory details and compelling characters to create an immersive reading experience.

The audiobook is a delight, with Cassandra Campbell’s narration elevating the novel’s tone and rhythm. Her expressive delivery captures the essence of each character, bringing warmth and nuance to their voices. The pacing feels natural, allowing the novel’s deeply personal themes to unfold with care.

At the heart of the story is Eloise, a woman carrying the weight of past trauma. When she stumbles upon a unique opportunity to tend the flowers in a secluded garden, steeped in mystery and untouched by children, she sees this as a chance for quiet restoration.

As Eloise navigates the garden and connects with its tenants, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and healing, unraveling the secrets that surround her while tending to her own wounded spirit.

The characters are beautifully written. Each has a distinctive presence, adding layers to the story while reinforcing its themes of transformation and connection. The magical realism elements blend seamlessly into the narrative, feeling entirely organic rather than forced, lending the novel a dreamlike quality.

Resau’s prose draws readers into a world where the scent of flowers lingers, the taste of herbal teas is tangible, and the beauty of the natural world offers quiet solace. The writing evokes a deep appreciation for the hidden magic in everyday life, making the garden feel like its own living character.

The ending delivers unexpected revelations, tying together the threads of mystery. It brings closure in a way that is thought provoking, leaving lingering reflections long after the final page.

This novel is a gem, and I’d gladly explore more of Laura Resau’s works. Her ability to craft deeply atmospheric narratives that resonate emotionally makes ‘The Alchemy of Flowers’ a truly memorable read.