The First Gardener

by Denise Hildreth Jones

Jeremiah Williams has been tending the gardens of the Tennessee governor's mansion for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart.
Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for ten years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life--anticipating the coming reelection and sending their precious daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten--when a tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.
Though his heart is also broken, Jeremiah realizes that his gift of gardening is about far more than pulling weeds and planting flowers. It's about tending hearts as well. As he uses the tools that have been placed in his hands, he gently begins to cultivate the hard soil of Mackenzie's heart, hoping to help her realize what it took him years to discover.
A Southern tale of loss, love, and living, The First Gardner reminds us that all of life is a gift, but our heart is the most valuable gift of all.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Inspirational, Contemporary, Ebooks, Book Club

412 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

About the author

Denise Jones is a southern girl who loves Jesus, SEC football, family, friends, good food and cold Coca-Colas. She is the mom of one shih-tzu, the bonus mom to five kiddo's and the husband of one Mr. Jones. She spends her time leading Reclaiming Hearts Ministries in her home of Franklin, TN. And every now and then she writes a few books.

You can email her at:
denise@reclaiminghearts.com

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not having read any books written by Denise, I had no idea what to expect. I'm not a big fan of contemporary fiction. But being a southerner, the setting and the cover enticed me to choose this book. I am so glad!!!

With a myriad of characters, this is one emotional roller coaster ride. From a child's giddy laughter to a gardner's silent prayers you will be taken to depths and heights you cannot imagine in this jewel of a book!

I must admit when I began reading I realized fairly quickly what was going to happen. That being said, it took awhile for events to unfold and in that time my anger began to build toward Mackenzie. I thought she was too indulgent and that was going to be trouble. Basically, I was blaming her ahead of time for what I knew was going to happen. Yep. It did. Can you tell I'm involved in this book yet?!

What I ignored, in my humanity, is that God is the One in control! There is nothing we can do to thwart God's plan but when tragedy strikes we must not play the blame game (even toward ourselves) because there is no one to blame. God holds all things in His capable hands and He is the One we must lean on in our darkest hour!

Of course Mackenzie's husband, the governor, and her mom play important rolls in the book but Jeremiah, The First Gardner, is the one I fell in love with. He's an old man with a heart of gold! I only wish I had a tenth of the servant heart and green thumb that he does. His quiet strength, unwavering love and wisdom are treasures that make this book shine. Oh, that we all could have a Jeremiah in our lives!

Bravo Denise!!! I highly recommend this book to everyone! It is a must read from this reviewers point of view whether you like contemporary fiction or not. You won't be disappointed. You might laugh, and cry, and get mad but you'll come out the better for it! I fully intend on reading it again. The only thing that could have possibly made it better is if those lovely orchids on the cover had been embossed :)

I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[MKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had some tears, some laughs and some whys. But they all had to be there for the story. I admit I had no clue in the last chapter. This book makes you want to do things differently. Give it a chance, you'll be glad you did.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If heaven had a backyard, it would look like the gardens of the Tennessee governor's mansion.

Jeremiah Williams has been tending those gardens for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart.

Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, are enjoying a sweet season of life when tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.

Though his heart is also broken, Jeremiah realizes that his gift of gardening is about far more than pulling weeds and planting flowers. It's about tending hearts as well. So he gently begins to cultivate the hard soil of Mackenzie's heart, hoping to show her what it took him decades to discover.

A southern tale of loss, love, and living. The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones, reminds us that all of life is a gift, but our heart it the most valuable gift of all.

My Review

This is such a heart-wrenching story to capture between the pages of this novel but Denise Hildreth Jones has achieved a perfect blend of perfection. Dealing with such unspeakable joy, then tragic loss that will pull your heart to its breaking point and rediscover how God can work through ANYTHING to bring about His perfect will for us, as is shown through the lives of Governor Gray London, a man of honor and impeccable strength, and his transparent and loving wife Mackenzie. We discover how hard it's been for them to have children and have resorted to fertility treatments that have produced many miscarriages. When Maddie is born is seems like God is finally smiling on them and the lasting and warm friendship that develops between the family and their gardener Jeremiah will just melt your heart.

Jeremiah's love for flowers has inspired him to show kindness in the best way he can through sharing flowers he lovingly tends all around the governors mansion. It isn't until Mackenzie's mother, Eugenia, a southern belle from long ago, informs her that these flowers have a message and each one of them is meant to encourage and convey God's meaning to Mackenzie, although at times, Jeremiah questions just the reasons behind the ones he is asked to bring her.

In the end, the reader is left filled with God's unconditional love and the knowledge that in His love, He shows up with unexpected blessings, amazing friendships, beautiful opportunities and yes, sometimes He allows inexplicable pain but He NEVER leaves us to handle it alone. This book will steal your heart and soul and leave you with a lasting sense of perfect peace and smiles to warm the coldest nights.

I received this book compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review. This is my second book by Denise Hildreth Jones and it certainly will not be my last. She writes so well you care about every single character with such love that they ingrain themselves into your heart and in the end feel like your family has grown a bit larger. This one is highly recommended. It will make you smile, cry, and love like never before and for that reason I proudly give it 5 out of 5 stars.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw the title The First Gardener, My mind first went to the thought that it would be about Adam or perhaps God as the ultimate First Gardener. I had no idea what it would be about, but it stands to reason that if the spouse of the head of state is The First Wife, then the one who takes care of the grounds must be the First Gardener. This is a novel of heart ache and turmoil but also of forgiveness.
Who has not lived in the world of “what if” or “if only i” or even blaming our selves? This is the world Mackenzie, the wife of the Governor of Tennessee lives in. It is a hard life, one that takes its tole on the health and welfare of the human body. It causes us to look at life and those around us through skewed eyes. Jeremiah, the First Gardner plays the capacity of adviser as well as the gardener in this heart rending, thought provoking novel. Although I had my suspicions, what the actual tragedy is, that is mentioned on the back cover of the book, does not come out until near the center of the story.
Well told, with compassion and insight, the characters grow in their journey, dealing with the hard issues of life. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to delve into a thought provoking novel.

[Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Sigh**

I had high hopes for this one. It fell apart around 200 pages.

I didn't like the silly sarcasms/"humorous" quips and especially at the most inappropriate times.
I didn't like the "twist" at the end. It seemed to come out of nowhere and didn't add to the story.

I'm excited to be finished with it. Yay!

I would read more by the author. Hopefully, her other works are redeeming.

[LuAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely and touching story, yet very sad at the same time. When an awful tragedy rips through the first family of Tennessee, Jeremiah Williams reaches out to help. With kindness and patience, he delivers advice and compassion to the governor and his wife, hoping that he can, in his own way, bring some healing and mercy to their lives.

I found this book very compelling and tender, as well as poignant. I also found myself drawn to the characters, especially Jeremiah. The author made we want to get to know them better, especially when a little twist at the end made me say, “Ah, hah!”

I also feel this would be a wonderful selection for book groups, as there is much that could be discussed about the story and how similar tragedies have affected the lives of those around us. Can we take the example of Jeremiah and use it to help our own friends?

Beautifully written and stirring, this is a book you’ll not want to pass up if you are looking for your next reading adventure.

[Melissa Corrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The author did a wonderful job at writing a book that grabs your attention and I couldn't put it down. The story is sad but you have to keep reading to find out how God works in this family. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad Hallmark book. Can those go together? Be aware that there is the death of a child in the book, so is not for all people in all seasons of life. I think it’s probably a very good book for people dealing with fresh grief to read…well, not too fresh though. Great messages with Christian wisdom intertwined.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished a book that should be a movie. The book is called The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones. This book is a definitely a chick movie kind of book. The book is about a southern family but not just any southern family it is about the first family of Tennessee. Governor Gray London his wife Mackenzie and their five year old daughter are quite the family. Mackenzie’s mom Eugenia Quinn is a strong character with southern ties that run deep. I loved her three friends each one was funny in their own way. I am glad they were in the book because they were the light in some sad moments in this book. I really liked this book and it will stay with me. The author wrote so amazing strong that as I read this book I truly felt that I knew this family. I had a hard time though with this book even though I liked it so much. You see there are some parts of the story that had me in tears. I thought this book should have come with a box of Kleenex for a few of the chapters. It is really hard to read with tears and I did not want to put the book down. You also meet Jeremiah Williams he is the gardener and he has so many lit bits of simple advise that are gems. I wrote many of them down. I love the way he spins the gems of wisdom thought lessons from the garden and its flowers. I love learning the meaning of the flowers. I give this book the best rating of five stars. I am glad that I found this in the library.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of the saddest yet encouraging books I've read in a long time. Governor Gray London and his wife Mackenzie struggled for ten years to get pregnant, and their little girl, Maddie, now five, is the center of their world. When tragedy strikes, they lose their faith and their way. Can the gardener remind them that no matter how dark the winter is, spring will come?

This story will tear at your heart. The first tragedy happens, and just when you think Mack and Gray will have a break from the hurt, another tragedy strikes. And the messy aftermath is handled perfectly by Jones, who does a wonderful job capturing her characters, from the depressed Mack to the quirky old ladies who add laughter to balance the tears.

The characters are developed slowly but deeply, and my favorite of all is Jeremiah, the old gardener, who loves the London family and ministers to them faithfully through flowers. The twist at the end regarding Jeremiah brought tears to my eyes, and the theme that God owes us nothing and each thing we have is a blessing straight from Him is one that will stay with me.

Although this book is a switch from her fun Savannah series, this is a book I recommend to any reader...fans of both Christian fiction and those who just like a good story.

[Daphne Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

One couple...two tragedies.
If one death could steal your joy, then what would two deaths do, steal your soul?
Gray and Mackenzie are brought from joy to despair to hope and then thrown into the pit of hell.
A review will never capture the essence of what this story does. It shows that no matter how big the hurt, the pain, the hope, etc., nothing is too big for God.

The chapters intermingled with Jeremiah's POV give a true Southern taste and how deep our roots go when it come to leaning and trusting our Lord. This story had me laughing and a lot of times--crying (and that is hard to do). Riveting at its best, and poignant at its worst, I have never read such a story with such heartfelt sincerity and bold honesty.

As Jeremiah says: "When God call you to sump'n big, ever'thing in your life gon' be big. Your mountains and your valleys--they all goin' be big. And this here valley, it be as big as any I ever see..."

Denise Hildreth Jones walks the reader through a life of happiness and pain, but more importantly--growth. It's a big story showing growth in oneself, growth in marriage, growth in friendship, growth in spirit, and most importantly growth in knowledge. God owes us nothing, but He gives us everything.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally just finished this. My mind is still reeling from my thoughts and feelings. This is the story of the London family, the First Family of Tennessee. This family goes through a series of events which no one should have to. It's a story of grief, pain, and healing. The First Gardener, Jeremiah, has a gift which he uses through the flowers he tends to. Not all of his decisions are met with welcome and understanding, but he feels strongly that the Lord is directing him to do so.

The characters in this book are absolutely wonderful! Mack's mother & her friends remind me of the older ladies in Steel Magnolias. They are a HOOT! What can I say about Jeremiah?? He is a character who I will never forget. His kindness and compassion is something everyone should strive for.

Please, just because this is listed as Christian Fiction, don't let that deter you from reading it. Very moving story...one I won't forget anytime soon, if ever!

One of my favorite quotes is from Jeremiah: "Grief ain't sumpin' you wanna rush. It be God's way a helpin' us get out the pain. He know if we ain't got some way to get it all out, we gon' explode. So He give us grief, tears."

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written book that captures the raw emotions of the stages of loving, losing, grieving, and learning to live, trust, and forgive again. It is the story of Mackenzie and Gray London, the Governor and First Lady of Tennessee; however, I believe the main character of the story is Jeremiah,an unofficial family confidante but officially the gardner of the Governor's mansion - hence the title of the book "The First Gardener". I cheered with the family, cried with them, felt their pain and their joy, and fell in love with Jeremiah's soft-spoken wisdom. Mackenzie's mother, Eugenia, has a handful of friends that reminded me very much of Sally Field's group of friends in "Steel Magnolia's" and found myself chuckling at their antics - while truly being themselves - in their efforts to help their friend and her family.The last chapter totally took me by surprise and it was the perfect ending for such an endearing book that will be remembered in my heart and mind for a long, long time. An excellent read!

[Margaret Metz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard to read. Not because it was poorly written or because the characters didn't speak to me. They did. I read a lot of fiction and a few non-fiction titles a year. This is one of those fictional titles that reads almost like non-fiction. The setting is so contemporary and the issues are ones that could have been grabbed from newspaper headlines running this year. Some of it felt so familiar that I believed I was going to read it was based on a true story.

It was a painful story of love, loss, grief and healing.

The lovely bits about the flowers interspersed was interesting. Jeremiah's voice is strong and has a thick southern accent. I enjoyed the way he sparred with Eugenia. There are wonderful relationship dynamics in the book between all the characters. The author really pulled off writing about people instead of creating them. I want to thank Tyndale for providing my copy in exchange for this honest review.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This caught my eye at the library because I love to garden. Had no idea what it was about. I loved this book because of the strong Southern flavor. I have come to love the South having lived in the South for 27 years. I caught me by surprise, though, because it also is about dealing with the death of a child. Shed some new tears for the loss of my own son as I related to the main character, Mackenzie. I have felt all the emotions and feelings she experienced. I lived in the story all during the reading of the book. The intertwining of flowers in the story touched me deeply. It was so well written that I couldn't put it down. We planted a flower garden as a tribute to our son. It is a beautiful book and I'm so glad it grabbed my attention.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caveat - the writing was superb and I was drawn into the story immediately. That said, I don't think I've ever read a more depressing book. While I totally get the tragedy behind the story, it was just one thing after another, with no real humor interspersed to lighten the mood. I didn't really care for the three biddies and the mother just got on my nerves. I related to the main characters more, and wanted things to go well for them, but I wish more had. I guess it's true that life's not fair, and maybe I read to be entertained and to experience a surreal world, so this book was too heavy for me. But like I said, the writing was flawless, the characters real and the dialogue crisp, I just didn't enjoy the story.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything by this author and I really liked the book. I can't say I enjoyed reading it because there was a lot of hard things in the book, but it was very well written and the descriptions of grief we're very realistic. I fell in love with Maddy and think that everyone should have a Jeremiah in their life.and her mom's friends were truly loony! But they make me laugh.

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[Lenore Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to journey to the South with a tale that tugged at my heart. The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones is beautifully told capturing my soul as I explored the governor's mansion. I loved how the story paralleled tending to a garden takes love, time and attention the same as tending to a broken spirit. You will love this story if your a fan of epic life stories. The First Gardener was one that made me laugh and cry. A must have for your nightstand reading stack! Denise expresses her own Southern voice in this story. I can't wait to read her previous stories.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE FIRST GARDENER by Denise Hildreth Jones is an interesting inspirational general fiction.This is an excellent story of love,loss,life,change in the season of life,gardener,faith,spiritual insight,loss of a child,with true life characters and the greatest gift of all the heart.This is inspiring story of life and its difficulties.A touching,compelling Southern story with grief,faith,hope and a valuable gift.This is a must read. This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher. Details can be found at Tyndale House Publishers and My Book Addiction Reviews.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Truly heartbreaking, and made me cry multiple times. I enjoyed reading about the character's relationships with each other and their relationship with GOD. Some of it was tough to swallow, but understandable in the face of true grief. I did have a problem with some of the character development, but the story held me and kept me interested. Good read if you enjoy the South. Kind of Steel Magnolias-ish ;b

[Nandi Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book@!! I got the book over a year or so ago but didn't get into it until these past couple of days when I was sick and needed something to catch my interest. But the whammy at the end really hurt. I loved the characters. I was truly sorry for the little one. For the momma left behind. For those who shared her sorrow. But was surely glad that Jeremiah was a great help and inspiration to them.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of Denise Hildreth's books and have enjoyed them all. This one though was without a doubt the best book I've read in a very long time. The emotions were so real. The politics pulled straight from today's headlines. I fell in love with all the characters and cried with them and laughed with them. Can't wait for her next book.

[Patsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was kinda hard to get into at first. However, once the story got going it was a great read. The story takes place in Tennessee. It tells of Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London and the tragedy that takes place in their lives. It's a story of enduring and overcoming.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me through so many emotions that I couldn't put it down. I loved all the characters in the book and it definitely would make a great movie.
I will definitely seek out another Denise Hildreth Jones book and I hope it's as good as this one.

[Katherine McDermott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book about grief and love and unexpected joy. This was a sensitive, uplifting book that deeply touched me. A quiet, godly message reaches out to our very limited understanding. This book will open your eyes to a deeper understanding of the human heart.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was an excellent read. Had me sobbing, laughing, and thinking about how our God works in our lives.

[Danielle Comparette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book is kind of slow, but overall it is a good read. It is a compelling story of loss and healing. The ending was also quite a surprise to me!

[Dawn Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. What a great story couldn't put it down. I will pass book on to others to enjoy. Thanks again.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read in a long, long time. The middle got kinda depressing, but I couldn't put it down and I'm glad I didn't!!!

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome book. would definitely recommend