The Alchemy of Flowers - by Laura Resau (Paperback)

About the Book

A broken woman. A mysterious job ad. A chance to heal in French castle gardens--but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls. This debut adult novel is an enchanting, modern-day take on The Secret Garden, sprinkled with magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.

Book Synopsis

"Utterly captivating. This beautiful novel casts a whispery spell of dark enchantments, secrets, and myth." --Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris

A broken woman. A mysterious job ad. A chance to heal in French castle gardens--but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls. This debut adult novel is an enchanting, modern-day take on The Secret Garden, sprinkled with magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.

Help Wanted: In search of a gardener for the ancient walled Jardins du Paradis in the South of France. Unique and rustic lodging provided. Off the grid in all ways. One must grow flowers from one's merde . . .

Exhausted by fruitless attempts to make a family, Eloise takes the chance of a lifetime to answer an ad in a French gardening magazine. To fly away from her life in the States and tend to both her shattered heart and the flowers of Paradise. And best of all for her . . .

Absolutely no children allowed on the premises.

Within the high garden walls, Eloise starts to learn the strange rules of the elusive estate owner. Living and working in isolation with her three companions, she finds her heart opening again to friendship--and realizes she's drawn to the handyman, Raphael. The flowers whisper to her, enchanting, delighting, healing. But why are the workers forbidden from going out during dusk? Who is the "Goddess of the Garden"? Is her mind playing tricks on her, or does she see a woodsprite flitting through the trees? The giggles and glimpses of a little girl haunt her and make her question: What is real in Paradise and what is illusion?

Eloise tries to rationalize her uneasy feelings and the darkness she uncovers beneath the garden's lush beauty, but as she digs deeper into the mysteries of her sanctuary, she begins to suspect there's a child on the grounds--who may be in danger. When Paradise becomes a deadly prison, she must risk everything to protect her newfound family and claim her second chance at happiness.

"The Alchemy of Flowers captivates the senses as well as the imagination in a magical tale of healing and forgiveness. Resau has written with great heart an eerie yet deeply touching story that keeps the pages turning until the very end." --Melissa Payne, bestselling author of In the Beautiful Dark and The Wild Road Home

Review Quotes

'Information about the language of flowers and their medicinal properties, good and bad, cleverly ties threads together and adds to the sense of mysterious unease growing in the Garden. The comfort of a found family, acknowledgment of the past traumas each Garden caretaker is working to overcome, the shared fear of malediction, and the dramatic resolution make for a page-turning gothic tale.'--Booklist

'A haunting, immersive tale set in prose as lush and magical as the garden itself.'--Kate Khavari, author of the Saffron Everleigh mystery series

'An impossible marvel . . . THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS by Laura Resau is a spellbinding journey of one woman's journey toward hope and healing, set amidst a garden of both promise and peril. Full of lush sensory detail, this tale is a vivid reminder that while the path to healing may be fraught with challenges, it is often through confronting the shadows that we find our true strength. A beautifully written, atmospheric novel that will leave readers both mesmerized and moved.'--Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of THE AMALFI CURSE

'Set in a secret garden, THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS offers a lush blend of myth, magic, and mystery. Beautifully written and brimming with heartache, danger, and enchantment, this is a moving, memorable story about hope, healing, and starting over.'--Heather Webber, USA TODAY bestselling author of MIDNIGHT AT THE BLACKBIRD CAFE

'This book made me want to sleep in a hammock in a treetop bungalow surrounded by the novel's lush, magic-steeped gardens. Eloise's journey to healing is poignant and tender--a testament to the strength of love, the power of tending to earth and growing things, and found family.'--Suzanne Nelson, author of THE LIBRARIANS OF LISBON

'For everyone who has dreamed of teleporting to the paradise of Provence, do I have the book for you. THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is a treat of transporting, incandescent storytelling, with a riveting undercurrent of suspense and mystery, too. With tender, heartfelt prose and characters who will break your heart and then stitch it back together, Resau's adult debut feels like the modern French Provencal take on UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN we've all been jonesing for. Capturing the magic of beloved childhood reading experiences while dealing with hard adult topics lovingly and achingly explored, the book is at once an enchanting journey and an unforgettable, page-turning read.'--Jaclyn Goldis, author of THE CHATEAU and THE SAFARI

'Utterly captivating. This beautiful novel casts a whispery spell of dark enchantments, secrets, and myth.'--Evie Woods, bestselling author of THE MYSTERIOUS BAKERY ON RUE DE PARIS

'Laura Resau's THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is an immersive, sensory experience. Resau treats bone-crushingly-hard topics like pregnancy loss with love and sensitivity, all the while taking the reader on a mystical journey. Deftly crafted and imaginative; a rare treat of a book.'--Aimie K. Runyan, bestselling author of THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE and THE WANDERING SEASON

'THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is a pure magical and sensory delight. Like roots in soil, though, the gift of this book goes deeper. Resau's novel offers an honest and compassionate portrait of the physical pain and health-related sorrows that go along with being human. So many of us can relate, and we can also relate to the wondrous alchemy and healing found in nature. This gorgeous novel captures both the heartbreak and the true healing at our disposal, if only we seek to turn difficulty into blooms.'--Laura Pritchett, author of THREE KEYS

'I devoured this in one sitting! Immersive, enchanting, and packed with mystery, THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS drew me in from page one. I was rooting for the curious and brave heroine, Eloise, and her cryptic compatriots in the Jardins du Paradis, as each finds friendship and healing after their own separate heartbreaks. The dreamy Provencal walled garden is the perfect escapist setting. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will love this charming, feel-good novel.'--Andrea Jo DeWerd, author of WHAT WE SACRIFICE FOR MAGIC

'THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS captivates the senses as well as the imagination in a magical tale of healing and forgiveness. Yet this Paradise harbors its own dark mystery that threatens the tranquility of the gardens and the well-being of its inhabitants. Resau has written with great heart an eerie yet deeply touching story that keeps the pages turning until the very end.'--Melissa Payne, bestselling author of IN THE BEAUTIFUL DARK and THE WILD ROAD HOME