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Of Earthly Delights
Here is a contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family secret, a lush, mysterious garden, and a love that never dies, from New York Times bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky.
Aspiring artist Rose Pauly is not happy moving from her home in New York City right before her senior year of high school. But on her first miserable day in Connecticut, she meets Hart Hargrove. The two share an immediate, undeniable connection.
Hart introduces Rose to his slice of paradise–the immense private garden nestled behind the Hargrove family mansion. There, the two spend a fever dream of a summer together. But as their bond blossoms into love, Rose can't shake the feeling that all is not as it seems.
When Rose uncovers the truth about the garden, she's forced to question how genuine her love story truly is. But Hart can't bear to lose Rose, and he will stop at nothing to save their relationship.
Posing haunting questions about beauty and desire, this is an atmospheric and darkly romantic tale that will enthrall readers.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2025
30 people are currently reading
8161 people want to read
About the author
Goldy Moldavsky
13 books756 followersGoldy Moldavsky was born in Lima, Peru, and grew up in Brooklyn, where she still lives. Her novels include the New York Times bestseller, KILL THE BOY BAND, the Publishers Weekly bestseller, THE MARY SHELLEY CLUB, and the upcoming OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, and BUBBLEGUM SHOES. You can find her on X and Instagram @goldywrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
August 23, 2025
This is not just one of the best YA fantasy books of 2025, it’s going on my all-time favorites list—it blew my mind, especially with its breathtaking epic ending! Love can be madness, and the pain of grief feels like shards of glass lodged in your lungs, leaving you bleeding each time you're stuck in memories. I fell in love with this dark, gothic, and disturbingly beautiful love story.
The story centers on Rose Pauly, an aspiring artist who moves from New York to a small town in Connecticut with her father, following her parents’ divorce. She’s not thrilled to start her senior year in an unfamiliar place, but on her first day, she meets a charming, mysterious boy named Hart at a gas station, despite their initial encounter leaving her shirt soaked in cherry soda. Hart quickly invites her to a party, where she meets Lowell, who becomes her best friend, and his sister, Heather, the queen bee who oddly warns Rose to leave the event.
Hart later invites Rose and Lowell to the exclusive solstice garden party at the Hargrove mansion, a lavish estate surrounded by beautiful, almost otherworldly gardens. As Rose is drawn to Hart, who is also grieving his late mother, their connection deepens despite their different backgrounds. Meanwhile, Heather struggles with depression and substance abuse, withdrawing further into her own darkness.
When Rose starts to suspect something sinister about Hemlock Hill and the forbidden garden that Hart tries to keep her away from, she realizes the twins are hiding dangerous secrets that could change everything. Her love story might not be the fairytale she imagined, but rather a chilling nightmare waiting to unfold.
I won’t spoil any more, but this book is a smart, twisty puzzle that masterfully explores themes of love, grief, greed, power, and the consequences of our wishes. It’s a hidden gem deserving to be fully appreciated, and I’m giving it a well-earned five stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group / Henry Holt and Co. for providing this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The story centers on Rose Pauly, an aspiring artist who moves from New York to a small town in Connecticut with her father, following her parents’ divorce. She’s not thrilled to start her senior year in an unfamiliar place, but on her first day, she meets a charming, mysterious boy named Hart at a gas station, despite their initial encounter leaving her shirt soaked in cherry soda. Hart quickly invites her to a party, where she meets Lowell, who becomes her best friend, and his sister, Heather, the queen bee who oddly warns Rose to leave the event.
Hart later invites Rose and Lowell to the exclusive solstice garden party at the Hargrove mansion, a lavish estate surrounded by beautiful, almost otherworldly gardens. As Rose is drawn to Hart, who is also grieving his late mother, their connection deepens despite their different backgrounds. Meanwhile, Heather struggles with depression and substance abuse, withdrawing further into her own darkness.
When Rose starts to suspect something sinister about Hemlock Hill and the forbidden garden that Hart tries to keep her away from, she realizes the twins are hiding dangerous secrets that could change everything. Her love story might not be the fairytale she imagined, but rather a chilling nightmare waiting to unfold.
I won’t spoil any more, but this book is a smart, twisty puzzle that masterfully explores themes of love, grief, greed, power, and the consequences of our wishes. It’s a hidden gem deserving to be fully appreciated, and I’m giving it a well-earned five stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group / Henry Holt and Co. for providing this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
May 16, 2025
4.5⭐️I enjoyed this more than I expected I would. love that!!
This contemporary gothic romance is captivating as its cover—dark, alluring, and, like every rose, laced with thorns. Rose Pauly is compelled to leave her hometown and high school after parents' divorce. However, an otherwise difficult day takes a fascinating turn when she encounters Hart Hargrove. He introduces her to a secluded garden hidden behind his home, a place forbidden to anyone outside his family not even accessible by the staff. As their relationship deepens, Rose begins to sense that something is amiss. When she finally uncovers the truth, she is forced to question everything, including her bond with Hart. Yet, Hart is determined not to let her go. This hauntingly dark romance is certain to enthrall readers, blurring the boundaries between love and desire
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This contemporary gothic romance is captivating as its cover—dark, alluring, and, like every rose, laced with thorns. Rose Pauly is compelled to leave her hometown and high school after parents' divorce. However, an otherwise difficult day takes a fascinating turn when she encounters Hart Hargrove. He introduces her to a secluded garden hidden behind his home, a place forbidden to anyone outside his family not even accessible by the staff. As their relationship deepens, Rose begins to sense that something is amiss. When she finally uncovers the truth, she is forced to question everything, including her bond with Hart. Yet, Hart is determined not to let her go. This hauntingly dark romance is certain to enthrall readers, blurring the boundaries between love and desire
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 29, 2025
*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
2/5 Stars
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🌿Insta Crush/Love
🌸 Enchanted Garden
🌿 Hedge Maze
🌸 Dual Pov
𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･”’In every version of my future,’ Hart said, ‘you’re in it.’”°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
💭 Thoughts-
-ˋˏ✄┈┈The plot and overall book was feeling very rushed throughout the book.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I felt like it needed a lot more depth to both the characters and the world because I was left without really knowing about them or the world as much as I would have wanted to.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I defifently did not like also how it went from oh my gosh youre a fricken stranger to oh my gosh I love you. I do get that months where technically passing but it would not tell us that a bunch so it just made the whole thing feel very weird and off.
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖A Thousand Years By Christina Perri˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃ 25%
2/5 Stars
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🌿Insta Crush/Love
🌸 Enchanted Garden
🌿 Hedge Maze
🌸 Dual Pov
𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･”’In every version of my future,’ Hart said, ‘you’re in it.’”°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
💭 Thoughts-
-ˋˏ✄┈┈The plot and overall book was feeling very rushed throughout the book.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I felt like it needed a lot more depth to both the characters and the world because I was left without really knowing about them or the world as much as I would have wanted to.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I defifently did not like also how it went from oh my gosh youre a fricken stranger to oh my gosh I love you. I do get that months where technically passing but it would not tell us that a bunch so it just made the whole thing feel very weird and off.
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖A Thousand Years By Christina Perri˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃ 25%
March 29, 2025
I was HOOKED from the first chapter, I haven’t been so quickly invested in a book in a long time, and I inhaled this book in less than 24 hours. From the very start you get the vibe that something isn’t right. Something is off, but you don’t know what. There’s so many subtle clues that maybe people are lying to Rose or like maybe everyone knows something that she doesn’t. I loved it and kept me turning the page way into the night wanting to know what was going on.
There are so many twists and layers to the story, and the author did an incredible job bringing everything together by the end, even insignificant details could now be seen as breadcrumbs and clues. This is definitely going to be a great re-read.
There was so much emotion written into this story, I found myself grieving and raging right along with the characters. There’s so many heavy themes like grief, greed, vanity, control, love, obsession, and so much more, and it felt so authentic to the highschool and college years of angst, young love, and indulgence.
I am hesitant to call this a romance even though it is labeled as such, I’d classify it more as a dark romantic thriller. I will absolutely be recommending this to my friends and mutuals. I highly recommend going in blind if you are someone that is comfortable doing that, and enjoy this fever dream of a story.
Infinite thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group / Henry Holt and Co. for providing an early digital copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own
There are so many twists and layers to the story, and the author did an incredible job bringing everything together by the end, even insignificant details could now be seen as breadcrumbs and clues. This is definitely going to be a great re-read.
There was so much emotion written into this story, I found myself grieving and raging right along with the characters. There’s so many heavy themes like grief, greed, vanity, control, love, obsession, and so much more, and it felt so authentic to the highschool and college years of angst, young love, and indulgence.
I am hesitant to call this a romance even though it is labeled as such, I’d classify it more as a dark romantic thriller. I will absolutely be recommending this to my friends and mutuals. I highly recommend going in blind if you are someone that is comfortable doing that, and enjoy this fever dream of a story.
Infinite thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group / Henry Holt and Co. for providing an early digital copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own
August 5, 2025
Am I too picky or are these new ''gothic'' books just like 2% gothic, if at all?
April 24, 2025
✧₊‧˚⁀➷ 3.95/5 .ᐟ
ʚɞ ⁺˖ pros • the writing. it's so lovely and poetic and creates the perfect gothic atmosphere. i started this while i was in the middle of two other books, one paranormal gothic-ish and the other a heist fantasy, and neither gave me that lyrical fantasy writing i wanted, so when i skimmed the first few pages of this, i was immediately hooked. i also love how the book was structured—because of the flashback (i think they can be called that? sort of?) chapters, you can guess at the plot twist, but you're still shocked at the climax. the plot/pacing was very well done in general. i feel like i wouldn't have enjoyed the pacing in another book (almost all of rose's section is buildup, and hart's is mostly a will he/won't he/how will he do it back and forth), but both the writing style and the foreshadowing with heather's quips and the flashbacks made me more invested than i would have been normally.
ʚɞ ⁺˖ cons • characterization. given the plot and structure of the book, it may honestly be intentional, but rose is very manic pixie coded to me and hart barely has a personality until the last four or so chapters. and again, it very much makes sense, based on the plot, but it did kind of tamp down my enjoyment.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
ʚɞ ⁺˖ pros • the writing. it's so lovely and poetic and creates the perfect gothic atmosphere. i started this while i was in the middle of two other books, one paranormal gothic-ish and the other a heist fantasy, and neither gave me that lyrical fantasy writing i wanted, so when i skimmed the first few pages of this, i was immediately hooked. i also love how the book was structured—because of the flashback (i think they can be called that? sort of?) chapters, you can guess at the plot twist, but you're still shocked at the climax. the plot/pacing was very well done in general. i feel like i wouldn't have enjoyed the pacing in another book (almost all of rose's section is buildup, and hart's is mostly a will he/won't he/how will he do it back and forth), but both the writing style and the foreshadowing with heather's quips and the flashbacks made me more invested than i would have been normally.
ʚɞ ⁺˖ cons • characterization. given the plot and structure of the book, it may honestly be intentional, but rose is very manic pixie coded to me and hart barely has a personality until the last four or so chapters. and again, it very much makes sense, based on the plot, but it did kind of tamp down my enjoyment.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
October 1, 2025
This book was not on my radar - I actually hadn't heard of it before seeing it offered at the library. It wasn't on my TBR but I needed a book to read while waiting to start my next month's TBR, and I'm so glad I picked this book. The premise and cover piqued my interest. The story is just the right flavor of creepy weird that I look for. I enjoyed the pace and writing. I will definitely recommend this book and look at the author's other work!
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If you love active book communities, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh Book Club (on Facebook)! Games, giveaways, discussions, reviews, bingo, swaps, traveling books, and a lot more!
May 1, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
Although the plot was easy to figure out from the first chapter, I loved the journey. The writing made this a quick read with plenty of tension and mystery. The character development was shocking and tragic. Apparently I have a type, and it's doomed love.
Although the plot was easy to figure out from the first chapter, I loved the journey. The writing made this a quick read with plenty of tension and mystery. The character development was shocking and tragic. Apparently I have a type, and it's doomed love.
July 27, 2025
I’ll admit, my initial draw to On Earthly Delights was its stunning cover, an intricate, floral design that felt as mysterious and beautiful as it was haunting. It immediately caught my attention. But what stayed with me long after finishing was not just the art, but the emotionally complex, genre-defying story contained within its pages.
This was my first foray into Gothic Romance in a long while, and I wasn’t expecting to be pulled in so completely. Moldavsky crafts a narrative that is dark and atmospheric, with a contemporary edge that feels fresh yet timeless. The story is both unsettling and moving, full of tension, beauty, and emotional resonance.
At the heart of the novel are Hart and Rose, two characters whose connection defies time, reason, and logic. Their relationship is the emotional core of the book, and it’s both devastating and captivating to witness. I found myself completely invested in their love story, even as the world around them seemed determined to keep them apart. Hart, in particular, is a character whose pain is palpable; his repeated heartbreak is quietly tragic and deeply affecting.
There are moments, especially early on..when the non-linear timelines and layered plot threads can feel disorienting. But once the pieces start to fall into place, the story finds its rhythm. The revelations surrounding the Hargrove family, and the unspooling of long-held secrets, are delivered with an eerie elegance. The novel slowly builds into something unforgettable.
What surprised me most was how philosophical the book became. Beyond the romance and gothic elements, On Earthly Delights explores themes of grief, memory, sacrifice, and longing. It asks powerful questions: What would you be willing to give up for the chance to rewrite the past? How far would you go to hold on to the people you love?
The ending, in particular, left a lasting impression. It’s the kind of ending that lingers, not because it wraps things up neatly, but because it opens space for reflection. It left me breathless and strangely hopeful, even in its sorrow.
Overall, On Earthly Delights is a beautifully crafted, emotionally rich novel that blends gothic mystery with a poignant, tragic romance. It surprised me, moved me, and will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time. A remarkable read and one I highly recommend.
This was my first foray into Gothic Romance in a long while, and I wasn’t expecting to be pulled in so completely. Moldavsky crafts a narrative that is dark and atmospheric, with a contemporary edge that feels fresh yet timeless. The story is both unsettling and moving, full of tension, beauty, and emotional resonance.
At the heart of the novel are Hart and Rose, two characters whose connection defies time, reason, and logic. Their relationship is the emotional core of the book, and it’s both devastating and captivating to witness. I found myself completely invested in their love story, even as the world around them seemed determined to keep them apart. Hart, in particular, is a character whose pain is palpable; his repeated heartbreak is quietly tragic and deeply affecting.
There are moments, especially early on..when the non-linear timelines and layered plot threads can feel disorienting. But once the pieces start to fall into place, the story finds its rhythm. The revelations surrounding the Hargrove family, and the unspooling of long-held secrets, are delivered with an eerie elegance. The novel slowly builds into something unforgettable.
What surprised me most was how philosophical the book became. Beyond the romance and gothic elements, On Earthly Delights explores themes of grief, memory, sacrifice, and longing. It asks powerful questions: What would you be willing to give up for the chance to rewrite the past? How far would you go to hold on to the people you love?
The ending, in particular, left a lasting impression. It’s the kind of ending that lingers, not because it wraps things up neatly, but because it opens space for reflection. It left me breathless and strangely hopeful, even in its sorrow.
Overall, On Earthly Delights is a beautifully crafted, emotionally rich novel that blends gothic mystery with a poignant, tragic romance. It surprised me, moved me, and will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time. A remarkable read and one I highly recommend.
April 26, 2025
Wow.
This book took me by surprise in every way and I could not put it down!
Rose's parents get divorced, and she moves from NYC to Meadow Falls, CT with her dad the summer right before her senior year. Almost as soon as she arrives, she literally runs into Hart Hargrove at the gas station and ends up covered in red slushie. Hart and his twin sister, Heather, live at Hemlock Hill, a well-known house in Meadow Falls known for its expansive gardens and legendary garden parties. When Hart invites Rose to the summer solstice party, they embark on a swift and passionate summer romance that almost feels like they were made for each other. But something is suspect about Hemlock Hill and its occupants, something Rose can't quite put her finger on. She only knows being with Hart in those strange gardens is like an addiction, one that could make or break her.
This book is the best parts of Tuck Everlasting, The Secret Garden, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with a dark twist on fate and desire. From the moment Rose and Hart and Heather collide, it's obvious something isn't quite right, but nothing is wrong enough for anyone to panic. Yet. The author did an incredible job of quickly building Rose and Hart's relationship while continually feeding us seeds of unwariness.
The first half of the book is told from Rose's perspective, interspersed with glimpses into her adult life with Hart as they go off to college together. It's their future puzzle, except some of the pieces don't quite fit. Bit by bit, the mystery builds until we eventually get our answers into what makes Hemlock Grove such a dark and magical place.
You basically get two books: a whirlwind, teen summer romance and a magical realism thriller. If you've been aching for a book that will keep you up at night, you DEFINITELY need to add this to your summer reading list.
This book took me by surprise in every way and I could not put it down!
Rose's parents get divorced, and she moves from NYC to Meadow Falls, CT with her dad the summer right before her senior year. Almost as soon as she arrives, she literally runs into Hart Hargrove at the gas station and ends up covered in red slushie. Hart and his twin sister, Heather, live at Hemlock Hill, a well-known house in Meadow Falls known for its expansive gardens and legendary garden parties. When Hart invites Rose to the summer solstice party, they embark on a swift and passionate summer romance that almost feels like they were made for each other. But something is suspect about Hemlock Hill and its occupants, something Rose can't quite put her finger on. She only knows being with Hart in those strange gardens is like an addiction, one that could make or break her.
This book is the best parts of Tuck Everlasting, The Secret Garden, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with a dark twist on fate and desire. From the moment Rose and Hart and Heather collide, it's obvious something isn't quite right, but nothing is wrong enough for anyone to panic. Yet. The author did an incredible job of quickly building Rose and Hart's relationship while continually feeding us seeds of unwariness.
The first half of the book is told from Rose's perspective, interspersed with glimpses into her adult life with Hart as they go off to college together. It's their future puzzle, except some of the pieces don't quite fit. Bit by bit, the mystery builds until we eventually get our answers into what makes Hemlock Grove such a dark and magical place.
You basically get two books: a whirlwind, teen summer romance and a magical realism thriller. If you've been aching for a book that will keep you up at night, you DEFINITELY need to add this to your summer reading list.
April 15, 2025
**Sets down Kindle and stands while starting a slow clap that turns into a loud applause**
I was shooketh. I went into this novel without reading a full description, I wanted to let the cover speak to me and boy DID IT! You will find yourself sucked into this sweet story of love, and like love it’s a little confusing but like love, it’s worth it. DO NOT let that deter you from continuing. Live in the story, the party and let the gardens lure you in (no this is not a spoiler), because right when you think you know where the story is going; BAM! Nope, sorry you’re wrong. Then another BAM!!! And finally at the very end you are sitting on the edge of your sleep (yes, sleep), staying up until 2am reading even though you have work tomorrow, and all the dots connect and all I could say was DAMN! A round of applause. Needless to say. I loved it through and through! I can’t WAIT for this to be published so I can run to my favorite book stores and snag a copy while yelling from the mountain tops.
I was shooketh. I went into this novel without reading a full description, I wanted to let the cover speak to me and boy DID IT! You will find yourself sucked into this sweet story of love, and like love it’s a little confusing but like love, it’s worth it. DO NOT let that deter you from continuing. Live in the story, the party and let the gardens lure you in (no this is not a spoiler), because right when you think you know where the story is going; BAM! Nope, sorry you’re wrong. Then another BAM!!! And finally at the very end you are sitting on the edge of your sleep (yes, sleep), staying up until 2am reading even though you have work tomorrow, and all the dots connect and all I could say was DAMN! A round of applause. Needless to say. I loved it through and through! I can’t WAIT for this to be published so I can run to my favorite book stores and snag a copy while yelling from the mountain tops.
March 30, 2025
Thank you Net Gallery for granting me a copy of this arc.
“I have a theory… that it’s more than just a garden.”
This is a gothic contemporary romance book set in a small town in Connecticut. Rose Pauley has moved there with her father after her parents divorce. She is not thrilled about the move but very quickly meets the charming Hart. He invites her to a party. At the party she meets her new bff Lowell and his sister Heather who tells her she’s a “dead girl.” Things get mysterious, wild, and twisty after that.
🪻Enchanted Garden
🌷Star crossed lovers
🪻A hedge maze
🌷Gothic YA romance
🪻Dual POV
“I have a theory… that it’s more than just a garden.”
This is a gothic contemporary romance book set in a small town in Connecticut. Rose Pauley has moved there with her father after her parents divorce. She is not thrilled about the move but very quickly meets the charming Hart. He invites her to a party. At the party she meets her new bff Lowell and his sister Heather who tells her she’s a “dead girl.” Things get mysterious, wild, and twisty after that.
🪻Enchanted Garden
🌷Star crossed lovers
🪻A hedge maze
🌷Gothic YA romance
🪻Dual POV
June 18, 2025
2.75 stars
I ended up enjoying the twist in this book, but I felt pretty disconnected from the characters. The setup was intriguing but something about the pacing or the emotional depth just didn’t quite do it for me. Once the plot picked up and the family mystery came to light, I got a lot more invested. I liked the atmosphere and the concept overall, but I think I wanted a bit more!
I ended up enjoying the twist in this book, but I felt pretty disconnected from the characters. The setup was intriguing but something about the pacing or the emotional depth just didn’t quite do it for me. Once the plot picked up and the family mystery came to light, I got a lot more invested. I liked the atmosphere and the concept overall, but I think I wanted a bit more!
January 6, 2026
Uf. Já jsem ohromená. Hartovu část jsem zhltla najednou a musela to celý den rozdýchávat. Začátek mě vůbec nebavil, všechno mi přišlo neskutečně rychlé a neuvěřitelné, ti dva jsou neskutečná insta-love a všechno jede neuvěřitelným tempem. Dávkování tajemna je poměrně dobré, ale sem tam mi přišlo, že se Rose příliš soustředí na jiné věci a že až moc často utíká, než aby to řešila rovnou – ale pak otěže přebral Hart a jelo to. Foreshadowing geniální, když vám to pak zaklapne. Z toho závěru jsem prostě paf.
A jako příznivce gothic novels za mě rozhodně dobrý, má to správně temný vibe, Hart je super morálně šedá postava, dost dlouho člověk přemýšlí, jestli za tím teda je, nebo není magie, točí se to kolem toho rádoby pohádkového „pozor, co si přeješ“, až na to, že to pohádkové není vůbec. Dala bych pět hvězdiček, ale bohužel mě ten začátek až moc dlouho odrazoval.
A jako příznivce gothic novels za mě rozhodně dobrý, má to správně temný vibe, Hart je super morálně šedá postava, dost dlouho člověk přemýšlí, jestli za tím teda je, nebo není magie, točí se to kolem toho rádoby pohádkového „pozor, co si přeješ“, až na to, že to pohádkové není vůbec. Dala bych pět hvězdiček, ale bohužel mě ten začátek až moc dlouho odrazoval.
July 20, 2025
Nah, this one wasn't for me. It was described as a gothic romance, but it was mostly a romance I didn't care about and very little of the Gothic characteristics were interesting or exciting to me. The garden was cool, but it wasn't enough. I'll admit the cover got me on this one. I do think others will like this book, but I was not the right reader for it.
May 12, 2025
Content warnings: death of parent, abandonment by parent, mind control
Ok, so I LOVED the concept of this book, but unfortunately there was no depth to the characters, the plot, or the world building so I was just left with wanting more. Personally, this book also took me twice as long as normal to read, the pacing felt like it moved at a glacial pace that it was hard to keep my attention for more than a chapter or two at a time.
The ethics behind the Hart and Rose "love" story is super uncomfortable and made worse by the fact that I didn't buy them as soulmates/destined to be together. Because of that and the lack of character depth, I never became invested in either Hart or Rose. Honestly, Heather and Lowell were far more interesting and I wanted more of their stories. There's a major spoiler of sorts dropped super early on, but then also these unexplained flash forward moments so the reading experience is a bit confusing. I think the plot would have benefited from Hart's reveal much earlier on. Justice for Lowell too!
The cover is lovely, the synopsis is interesting, but I just don't see our teen patrons sticking with this one. I think adults that like to read YA will enjoy this more than teens will.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) in exchange for an honest review.
Ok, so I LOVED the concept of this book, but unfortunately there was no depth to the characters, the plot, or the world building so I was just left with wanting more. Personally, this book also took me twice as long as normal to read, the pacing felt like it moved at a glacial pace that it was hard to keep my attention for more than a chapter or two at a time.
The ethics behind the Hart and Rose "love" story is super uncomfortable and made worse by the fact that I didn't buy them as soulmates/destined to be together. Because of that and the lack of character depth, I never became invested in either Hart or Rose. Honestly, Heather and Lowell were far more interesting and I wanted more of their stories. There's a major spoiler of sorts dropped super early on, but then also these unexplained flash forward moments so the reading experience is a bit confusing. I think the plot would have benefited from Hart's reveal much earlier on. Justice for Lowell too!
The cover is lovely, the synopsis is interesting, but I just don't see our teen patrons sticking with this one. I think adults that like to read YA will enjoy this more than teens will.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) in exchange for an honest review.
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November 16, 20255🌟 1🌶️
🖤YA Gothic Romance
🖤Botanical Body Horror
🖤Enchanted Garden
🖤Secret Garden/Saltburn
🖤He’s obsessed with her
🖤Closed Door/no spice
This book felt like if The Secret Garden had a baby with that garden party scene in Saltburn… and made it romantic? I am still sitting here in shock at the ending of this story. What an incredible read with an ending that leaves you in shock. Amazing character development, I felt like I knew the characters. Fantastic detailing, not too fast or too slow, very well paced. I never once guessed what was going to happen next. I just don’t know how any man will ever live up to Hart…. Ever 😆
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Grouph for the gifted ARC.
🖤YA Gothic Romance
🖤Botanical Body Horror
🖤Enchanted Garden
🖤Secret Garden/Saltburn
🖤He’s obsessed with her
🖤Closed Door/no spice
This book felt like if The Secret Garden had a baby with that garden party scene in Saltburn… and made it romantic? I am still sitting here in shock at the ending of this story. What an incredible read with an ending that leaves you in shock. Amazing character development, I felt like I knew the characters. Fantastic detailing, not too fast or too slow, very well paced. I never once guessed what was going to happen next. I just don’t know how any man will ever live up to Hart…. Ever 😆
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Grouph for the gifted ARC.
May 21, 2025
Thanks, Fierce Reads, for the arc!
Dnf 71%
I don’t like animal death in books. I get that once in a great while it’s necessary for the story, but there are very few exceptions—VERY FEW. And there better be a damn good reason. OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS does not have a great, good, or any reason for the dog’s death. I get that while it’s there, but with everything else going on with the characters and plot, there were so many other options instead of dog death and describing what the dog looks like lying there.
I think I’m extra mad about this book because I was intrigued by the story and characters.
I’m bummed. I enjoyed JUST SAY YES by Goldy Moldavsky, and this one hooked me from the beginning, but I have no desire to finish it.
Dnf 71%
I don’t like animal death in books. I get that once in a great while it’s necessary for the story, but there are very few exceptions—VERY FEW. And there better be a damn good reason. OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS does not have a great, good, or any reason for the dog’s death. I get that while it’s there, but with everything else going on with the characters and plot, there were so many other options instead of dog death and describing what the dog looks like lying there.
I think I’m extra mad about this book because I was intrigued by the story and characters.
I’m bummed. I enjoyed JUST SAY YES by Goldy Moldavsky, and this one hooked me from the beginning, but I have no desire to finish it.
June 20, 2025
WHAT. A. READ. Damn. That's... Y'know, I don't give my 4-stars and 5-stars a lot so when I say this is a 4-star read, you know it is. I listened to this as an audiobook, I didn't know what I was walking into when I picked up Of Earthy Delights and TBH this was my first ever into to Goldy Moldavsky books. (I got it because of the cover, I don't know anything about this author. I just got the audiobook because of the cover's vibes.) And lemme tell you I was NOT ready.
In my head I thought like "Oh! Imma read about lush, dark, botanical horror story" and maybe a lil blood and haunting. But I got a heartbreaking, gorgeously layered and psychologically twisted, spellbinding story. Yeap, I think spellbinding does it. It's been hours since I finished this but I'm still reeling. This is not an ordinary story about love, obsession, memory, and the terrible cost of desire. Nope. It's waaaay more than that.
Mkay, let's start with what hit me hard: the theme of desire and consent. At first glance, i thought Hart's love for Rose feels dreamy because of how she described it. (Also, her name is "Rose"... HAHAHAHA That's foreshadowing, really LOL) It felt like it's dreamy, slow-burn, and romantic. She made him seem like this soft-spoken, mysterious, caring, understanding, thoughtful boy and that's what made Rose drawn to him... BUT... Wew. That's TWIST! The longer I stayed in the story, the more I realized that his love is not LOVE. IT'S A FUCKING OBSESSION. Like Fully blown, lush magical *wink, wink* garden. It's control. And Hart, being the "gardener" that he is, he's the one in control of Rose's love. He WANTS to keep her in his garden. It's manipulation dressed in floral metaphors. Yoooo~ read this book. It's soooo good.
Hart Truly believed he's doing the right thing, that he was saving her, that he's giving her more chances at love, at life but he's soooooooo into deep into his own delusions that he doesn't see how selfish and destructive he's become. And the scariest part? He continuosly tries to convince everyone (even Heather), that he "cares". He doesn't. He doesn't care about Rose's consent to live, but also about his own sis, too.
Speaking of: HEATHER. MY GOD. That girl broke my heart. She remembers... EVERYTHING. EVERY DAMN TIMELINE. Every death. Every reset. She carried that alone. Watching Hart get his "happily ever after" over and over again meanwhile his decision made her trapped in a cage of grief, rage, and resignation and that line she said right at the end? About never never growing old, never getting to fall in love, never living? GUTTED. He stole Heather's life and he doesn't care.
The repeating timeline? Brilliant. Perfect metaphor for toxic relationships specifically how toxic love repeats itself in cycles. you think he'll change? NOPE. You convince yourself the next time will be better. But it never is. And for Rose, the price of loving Hart is literally her life. Also the garden thing? A beautiful, otherworldly labyrinth of flowers hiding secrets, lies, and death beneath every petal. That's a symbol for the things we bury to make something look perfect. For the wishes we make and the horrors we’re willing to ignore to get what we want. Even covering up murder for love? Dark, bro.
Dear Miss Goldy, I'm on the hunt for all your books. Consider myself a new reader with big interest. Amazing work! Oh and yes, I'm getting the physical book too. This one's going to break my book ban LOL.
In my head I thought like "Oh! Imma read about lush, dark, botanical horror story" and maybe a lil blood and haunting. But I got a heartbreaking, gorgeously layered and psychologically twisted, spellbinding story. Yeap, I think spellbinding does it. It's been hours since I finished this but I'm still reeling. This is not an ordinary story about love, obsession, memory, and the terrible cost of desire. Nope. It's waaaay more than that.
Mkay, let's start with what hit me hard: the theme of desire and consent. At first glance, i thought Hart's love for Rose feels dreamy because of how she described it. (Also, her name is "Rose"... HAHAHAHA That's foreshadowing, really LOL) It felt like it's dreamy, slow-burn, and romantic. She made him seem like this soft-spoken, mysterious, caring, understanding, thoughtful boy and that's what made Rose drawn to him... BUT... Wew. That's TWIST! The longer I stayed in the story, the more I realized that his love is not LOVE. IT'S A FUCKING OBSESSION. Like Fully blown, lush magical *wink, wink* garden. It's control. And Hart, being the "gardener" that he is, he's the one in control of Rose's love. He WANTS to keep her in his garden. It's manipulation dressed in floral metaphors. Yoooo~ read this book. It's soooo good.
Hart Truly believed he's doing the right thing, that he was saving her, that he's giving her more chances at love, at life but he's soooooooo into deep into his own delusions that he doesn't see how selfish and destructive he's become. And the scariest part? He continuosly tries to convince everyone (even Heather), that he "cares". He doesn't. He doesn't care about Rose's consent to live, but also about his own sis, too.
Speaking of: HEATHER. MY GOD. That girl broke my heart. She remembers... EVERYTHING. EVERY DAMN TIMELINE. Every death. Every reset. She carried that alone. Watching Hart get his "happily ever after" over and over again meanwhile his decision made her trapped in a cage of grief, rage, and resignation and that line she said right at the end? About never never growing old, never getting to fall in love, never living? GUTTED. He stole Heather's life and he doesn't care.
The repeating timeline? Brilliant. Perfect metaphor for toxic relationships specifically how toxic love repeats itself in cycles. you think he'll change? NOPE. You convince yourself the next time will be better. But it never is. And for Rose, the price of loving Hart is literally her life. Also the garden thing? A beautiful, otherworldly labyrinth of flowers hiding secrets, lies, and death beneath every petal. That's a symbol for the things we bury to make something look perfect. For the wishes we make and the horrors we’re willing to ignore to get what we want. Even covering up murder for love? Dark, bro.
Dear Miss Goldy, I'm on the hunt for all your books. Consider myself a new reader with big interest. Amazing work! Oh and yes, I'm getting the physical book too. This one's going to break my book ban LOL.
April 28, 2025
As a child, I loved The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett where a young orphaned girl discovers a hidden garden in her new home and restores it back to its former glory, all while bringing her new family together to heal old wounds.
So when I read the synopsis of Goldy Moldavsky’s new YA gothic romance novel Of Earthly Delights, I was immediately hooked. “A dark family secret, a lush mysterious garden and a love that never dies” - this immediately evoked haunting images of the Secret Garden, but with a romantic twist.
Right from the beginning we meet our main character Rose, who has just moved to town after her parent’s divorce. She is not happy with the sudden upheaval, as she has been taken from her established life in New York City and “dumped” into a small Connecticut town for her senior year of high school. On her first night in town she meets Hart Hargrove and the two experience an instant connection that quickly develops to young love. Hart and his sister Heather live in Hemlock Hill, a sprawling estate with a massive garden - the garden is known for hosting exclusive parties and its during one of these parties that Rose discovers a hedge maze. Rumor has it that the maze is impossible to solve with a mysterious secret at its center.
I really liked this book - the premise behind the garden and it’s dark secrets was really interesting and unique, although I will say I started to figure out what was happening pretty early in the novel, which diminished the “surprise” element for me when the ending twists were revealed. Even still, I thought the book was really well written and I would highly recommend for fans of gothic romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC for Of Earthly Delights in return for an honest review.
So when I read the synopsis of Goldy Moldavsky’s new YA gothic romance novel Of Earthly Delights, I was immediately hooked. “A dark family secret, a lush mysterious garden and a love that never dies” - this immediately evoked haunting images of the Secret Garden, but with a romantic twist.
Right from the beginning we meet our main character Rose, who has just moved to town after her parent’s divorce. She is not happy with the sudden upheaval, as she has been taken from her established life in New York City and “dumped” into a small Connecticut town for her senior year of high school. On her first night in town she meets Hart Hargrove and the two experience an instant connection that quickly develops to young love. Hart and his sister Heather live in Hemlock Hill, a sprawling estate with a massive garden - the garden is known for hosting exclusive parties and its during one of these parties that Rose discovers a hedge maze. Rumor has it that the maze is impossible to solve with a mysterious secret at its center.
I really liked this book - the premise behind the garden and it’s dark secrets was really interesting and unique, although I will say I started to figure out what was happening pretty early in the novel, which diminished the “surprise” element for me when the ending twists were revealed. Even still, I thought the book was really well written and I would highly recommend for fans of gothic romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC for Of Earthly Delights in return for an honest review.
April 25, 2025
this was such an interesting read! i really enjoyed the gothic vibe this book had. its a bit creepy but thats what lures you in.
in short, this is an emotional rollercoaster. theres plenty of twists and turns that will leave you theorizing. you can expect a YA romance with a dark twist. oh, and some magic thrown in there :)
the story was a bit slow in the beginning and had a hard time keeping my interest, but it did pick back up so i’m glad i stuck it out. thats the only thing i didn’t quite enjoy. i would still very much recommend this read because it broke my heart. 😚
huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!
in short, this is an emotional rollercoaster. theres plenty of twists and turns that will leave you theorizing. you can expect a YA romance with a dark twist. oh, and some magic thrown in there :)
the story was a bit slow in the beginning and had a hard time keeping my interest, but it did pick back up so i’m glad i stuck it out. thats the only thing i didn’t quite enjoy. i would still very much recommend this read because it broke my heart. 😚
huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!
July 8, 2025
Gothic, haunting, and showcases the extreme that people will go to for love. This was so unique and hard to put down!
October 6, 2025
Botanical horror. Star crossed lovers and the most shocking death. What a wild book.
May 12, 2025
A sentient garden of wishes, hopes, and dreams, this telling was forgiving in its expectations. I felt listless in love as our blooming hopes and dreams took a dark turn into 'the secret garden that tried to take me'. Every page held a grim touch of horror that I felt drawn into and somehow I wanted more from the experience of it all. By the end of part one, it's safe to say I felt trapped in this tales ivy tangles. This story was nothing if not a platform for the yearning of that which you cannot fully grasp.
Out the gate I was captured. I don't typically relate to stories that centralize on an artist main character, despite bing an artist myself, perhaps it's just too close to home. This take however, I didn't mind.
I genuinely believe this is the kind of story that could be even better on a reread, and I look forward to what Goldy has to give us next.
Out the gate I was captured. I don't typically relate to stories that centralize on an artist main character, despite bing an artist myself, perhaps it's just too close to home. This take however, I didn't mind.
I genuinely believe this is the kind of story that could be even better on a reread, and I look forward to what Goldy has to give us next.
May 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this as an eARC.
TW: grief, death of a pet, divorce, death (I might be forgetting some)
I don't know how to describe this book, that's why I've waited so long to review this. This is a gothic love story that would probably make you wonder what you're reading. We have a small cast of characters, but that just makes it better and even more atmospheric.
Writing: I won't say this is the most beautiful and elaborated writing I've ever read, because it isn't but I am completely sure that Goldy Moldavsky knows how to grab my attention, since this is the second book I read of this author and both of them kept my attention throughout the whole story.
Ambiance: Again, Moldavsky knows how to write a dark, gothic, atmospheric story, I felt like I was in the garden and in the house. I could see the characters, how they changed and behaved in every scene. I felt like I was watching a movie the whole time I read this book, tho I imagined it as a old timey sepia movie (idk why lol).
Characters: Not the most deep characters you'll ever read, and I don't think there is a huge amount of growth in them (if that is what you are looking for in a book), but I felt like I knew this characters to a point that I could care about them.
Story: Maybe I'm lacking on the gothic literature, but this story and how Moldavsky wrote it was something new to me and creative no matter if this has been done previously, this was creative. The way the story developed was the reason I was so glued to the story and I knew the ending was going to leave me looking at the walls for a bit and/or surprised.
Who might enjoy this? If you like gothic romance stories, easy to read and follow along, twist-y stories (not like thrillers but fun twists), if you don't mind time jumps or flashbacks,
I'm not saying is the perfect book, but I'll say that I think you should give it a try if you are interested in it. I enjoyed it and I don't regret reading it at all. I know this is not the best review, but I'm honestly still thinking about this book and the best way to "sell it" to everyone else.
TW: grief, death of a pet, divorce, death (I might be forgetting some)
I don't know how to describe this book, that's why I've waited so long to review this. This is a gothic love story that would probably make you wonder what you're reading. We have a small cast of characters, but that just makes it better and even more atmospheric.
Writing: I won't say this is the most beautiful and elaborated writing I've ever read, because it isn't but I am completely sure that Goldy Moldavsky knows how to grab my attention, since this is the second book I read of this author and both of them kept my attention throughout the whole story.
Ambiance: Again, Moldavsky knows how to write a dark, gothic, atmospheric story, I felt like I was in the garden and in the house. I could see the characters, how they changed and behaved in every scene. I felt like I was watching a movie the whole time I read this book, tho I imagined it as a old timey sepia movie (idk why lol).
Characters: Not the most deep characters you'll ever read, and I don't think there is a huge amount of growth in them (if that is what you are looking for in a book), but I felt like I knew this characters to a point that I could care about them.
Story: Maybe I'm lacking on the gothic literature, but this story and how Moldavsky wrote it was something new to me and creative no matter if this has been done previously, this was creative. The way the story developed was the reason I was so glued to the story and I knew the ending was going to leave me looking at the walls for a bit and/or surprised.
Who might enjoy this? If you like gothic romance stories, easy to read and follow along, twist-y stories (not like thrillers but fun twists), if you don't mind time jumps or flashbacks,
I'm not saying is the perfect book, but I'll say that I think you should give it a try if you are interested in it. I enjoyed it and I don't regret reading it at all. I know this is not the best review, but I'm honestly still thinking about this book and the best way to "sell it" to everyone else.
May 19, 2025
Goldy Moldavsky's latest young adult novel, Of Earthly Delights, is a haunting modern gothic romance that explores the intoxicating and destructive power of love. Set against the backdrop of a mystical garden with dark secrets, this story examines how far we're willing to go for the ones we love—and the devastating consequences of getting exactly what we wish for.
What begins as a seemingly straightforward tale of teenage love quickly transforms into something far more sinister and thought-provoking. Moldavsky weaves a narrative that feels simultaneously timeless and contemporary, drawing readers into a world where magic exists in plain sight but comes with a terrible price.
The Roots: Setting and Premise
The novel opens with Rose Pauly, a New York City transplant who finds herself reluctantly moving to small-town Connecticut with her father after her parents' divorce. Within hours of arriving in Meadow Falls, Rose meets Hart Hargrove, a boy whose beauty is matched only by his passion for gardening.
Moldavsky expertly establishes the town of Meadow Falls as the antithesis to Rose's beloved New York—quiet, pristine, and seemingly perfect on the surface. The Hargrove estate, Hemlock Hill, serves as a microcosm of this contrast, its expansive grounds containing mysterious "garden rooms" with flora that shouldn't be able to grow together and a hedge maze at its center that few have managed to solve.
The author's greatest strength is in her world-building. The garden at Hemlock Hill feels like a character unto itself—alive, responsive, and harboring dark intentions beneath its breathtaking beauty. When Moldavsky describes the "Wish Garden" at the center of the hedge maze, you can almost smell the impossible combinations of flowers and feel the strange electricity in the air.
The Blossoms: Characters and Relationships
Rose arrives in Meadow Falls with a chip on her shoulder and paint on her clothes—a walking embodiment of New York's artistic chaos. Her character development throughout the novel is subtle but profound. She begins as someone whose identity is entirely wrapped up in her art and her city origins, but as she falls for Hart, we watch her bloom and eventually question everything she thinks she knows about love and authenticity.
Hart Hargrove is a fascinating protagonist—beautiful, gentle, and obsessed with the garden his family has tended for generations. His twin sister Heather serves as his foil—chaotic, self-destructive, and harboring resentments that become clearer as the story progresses. Their dynamic reflects the duality at the core of the novel: the tension between order and chaos, between nurturing something and letting it grow wild.
The supporting cast includes:
- Lowell Chamberlain, Rose's awkward new friend whose transformation becomes one of the novel's most disturbing elements
- Mr. Davis, an elderly hospice patient who knows more about the Hargroves than he initially lets on
- Jim Pauly, Rose's father, a struggling writer who moved them to Connecticut to inherit his father's house
What makes Moldavsky's characters compelling is how they each become entangled in the garden's dark influence, some knowingly and others as unwitting victims.
The Thorns: Themes and Darkness
At its heart, Of Earthly Delights explores several interconnected themes:
- The price of desire: Every wish granted by the garden extracts a cost from the wisher—a metaphor for how getting what we want often requires sacrifice.
- The nature of love versus obsession: Hart's desperate attempts to keep Rose alive through repeated wishes raise questions about whether his love is genuine or a manifestation of possession.
- Grief and how we process loss: The contrasting ways Heather and Hart deal with their mother's death highlight different responses to trauma.
- Free will versus destiny: As we learn that Rose has lived multiple lives with Hart, we're forced to question whether their love is predestined or manufactured.
The novel's structure cleverly mirrors these themes. The first half is told from Rose's perspective, giving us her experience of falling in love with Hart and discovering the garden's secrets. The second half shifts to Hart's perspective, revealing his desperate cycle of wishing Rose back to life after each of her deaths—a cycle that grows shorter with each iteration.
This structural choice creates a deeply unsettling effect. Everything we thought we knew about Rose and Hart's relationship is called into question. Was their connection ever genuine, or was it always the result of Hart's first wish for love?
The Bloom: Writing Style and Atmosphere
Moldavsky's prose is accessible yet evocative. She crafts scenes with cinematic clarity, particularly when describing the garden's various rooms and the sensory experience of being at Hemlock Hill:
"The Wish Garden assaulted her senses with an overstimulation of sight, sound, smell. There was the immediate, intoxicating fragrance of the flowers. There were birds singing, and Rose swore she could also hear the music made by every individual pollinator, joining in the chorus. But it was the sights that got her. The austere, monochrome walls of the hedge maze gave way to a riot of color."
The author excels at creating tension through small details—the way a flower grows impossibly fast, how grass clings to skin during garden parties, or how a person's appearance begins to shift after making too many wishes. These moments build a pervasive sense of wrongness that grows throughout the narrative.
The Decay: Critiques and Considerations
While Of Earthly Delights offers a captivating reading experience, it's not without flaws:
- The first third of the novel moves somewhat slowly, establishing Rose and Hart's relationship without hinting strongly enough at the supernatural elements to come
- Some secondary characters, particularly Rose's father, remain underdeveloped despite their potential
- The rules of the Wish Garden sometimes feel inconsistent, particularly regarding which wishes work and which don't
- The novel's closing moments leave some philosophical questions about identity and free will unresolved
Additionally, readers looking for a traditional happy ending may find the cyclical nature of the conclusion frustrating. The final scene intentionally mirrors the opening, suggesting that this doomed love story will continue to repeat—a choice that fits thematically but may leave some readers unsatisfied.
The Harvest: Final Thoughts
Of Earthly Delights is a haunting meditation on love, loss, and the lengths we'll go to avoid facing grief. It asks difficult questions: Is love that's influenced by magic any less real? Is it better to have loved and lost, or to keep reliving that love at the cost of everyone's freedom? Can we ever truly accept death as natural when we have the means to reverse it?
The novel doesn't offer easy answers, and that's its strength. It trusts readers to sit with discomfort and draw their own conclusions about Hart's choices.
At its best moments, the book captures the intoxicating, all-consuming nature of first love—how it can feel like the most important thing in the world, worth any sacrifice. Moldavsky then skillfully transforms that beautiful feeling into something unsettling, showing how devotion can become distortion when taken to extremes.
What begins as a seemingly straightforward tale of teenage love quickly transforms into something far more sinister and thought-provoking. Moldavsky weaves a narrative that feels simultaneously timeless and contemporary, drawing readers into a world where magic exists in plain sight but comes with a terrible price.
The Roots: Setting and Premise
The novel opens with Rose Pauly, a New York City transplant who finds herself reluctantly moving to small-town Connecticut with her father after her parents' divorce. Within hours of arriving in Meadow Falls, Rose meets Hart Hargrove, a boy whose beauty is matched only by his passion for gardening.
Moldavsky expertly establishes the town of Meadow Falls as the antithesis to Rose's beloved New York—quiet, pristine, and seemingly perfect on the surface. The Hargrove estate, Hemlock Hill, serves as a microcosm of this contrast, its expansive grounds containing mysterious "garden rooms" with flora that shouldn't be able to grow together and a hedge maze at its center that few have managed to solve.
The author's greatest strength is in her world-building. The garden at Hemlock Hill feels like a character unto itself—alive, responsive, and harboring dark intentions beneath its breathtaking beauty. When Moldavsky describes the "Wish Garden" at the center of the hedge maze, you can almost smell the impossible combinations of flowers and feel the strange electricity in the air.
The Blossoms: Characters and Relationships
Rose arrives in Meadow Falls with a chip on her shoulder and paint on her clothes—a walking embodiment of New York's artistic chaos. Her character development throughout the novel is subtle but profound. She begins as someone whose identity is entirely wrapped up in her art and her city origins, but as she falls for Hart, we watch her bloom and eventually question everything she thinks she knows about love and authenticity.
Hart Hargrove is a fascinating protagonist—beautiful, gentle, and obsessed with the garden his family has tended for generations. His twin sister Heather serves as his foil—chaotic, self-destructive, and harboring resentments that become clearer as the story progresses. Their dynamic reflects the duality at the core of the novel: the tension between order and chaos, between nurturing something and letting it grow wild.
The supporting cast includes:
- Lowell Chamberlain, Rose's awkward new friend whose transformation becomes one of the novel's most disturbing elements
- Mr. Davis, an elderly hospice patient who knows more about the Hargroves than he initially lets on
- Jim Pauly, Rose's father, a struggling writer who moved them to Connecticut to inherit his father's house
What makes Moldavsky's characters compelling is how they each become entangled in the garden's dark influence, some knowingly and others as unwitting victims.
The Thorns: Themes and Darkness
At its heart, Of Earthly Delights explores several interconnected themes:
- The price of desire: Every wish granted by the garden extracts a cost from the wisher—a metaphor for how getting what we want often requires sacrifice.
- The nature of love versus obsession: Hart's desperate attempts to keep Rose alive through repeated wishes raise questions about whether his love is genuine or a manifestation of possession.
- Grief and how we process loss: The contrasting ways Heather and Hart deal with their mother's death highlight different responses to trauma.
- Free will versus destiny: As we learn that Rose has lived multiple lives with Hart, we're forced to question whether their love is predestined or manufactured.
The novel's structure cleverly mirrors these themes. The first half is told from Rose's perspective, giving us her experience of falling in love with Hart and discovering the garden's secrets. The second half shifts to Hart's perspective, revealing his desperate cycle of wishing Rose back to life after each of her deaths—a cycle that grows shorter with each iteration.
This structural choice creates a deeply unsettling effect. Everything we thought we knew about Rose and Hart's relationship is called into question. Was their connection ever genuine, or was it always the result of Hart's first wish for love?
The Bloom: Writing Style and Atmosphere
Moldavsky's prose is accessible yet evocative. She crafts scenes with cinematic clarity, particularly when describing the garden's various rooms and the sensory experience of being at Hemlock Hill:
"The Wish Garden assaulted her senses with an overstimulation of sight, sound, smell. There was the immediate, intoxicating fragrance of the flowers. There were birds singing, and Rose swore she could also hear the music made by every individual pollinator, joining in the chorus. But it was the sights that got her. The austere, monochrome walls of the hedge maze gave way to a riot of color."
The author excels at creating tension through small details—the way a flower grows impossibly fast, how grass clings to skin during garden parties, or how a person's appearance begins to shift after making too many wishes. These moments build a pervasive sense of wrongness that grows throughout the narrative.
The Decay: Critiques and Considerations
While Of Earthly Delights offers a captivating reading experience, it's not without flaws:
- The first third of the novel moves somewhat slowly, establishing Rose and Hart's relationship without hinting strongly enough at the supernatural elements to come
- Some secondary characters, particularly Rose's father, remain underdeveloped despite their potential
- The rules of the Wish Garden sometimes feel inconsistent, particularly regarding which wishes work and which don't
- The novel's closing moments leave some philosophical questions about identity and free will unresolved
Additionally, readers looking for a traditional happy ending may find the cyclical nature of the conclusion frustrating. The final scene intentionally mirrors the opening, suggesting that this doomed love story will continue to repeat—a choice that fits thematically but may leave some readers unsatisfied.
The Harvest: Final Thoughts
Of Earthly Delights is a haunting meditation on love, loss, and the lengths we'll go to avoid facing grief. It asks difficult questions: Is love that's influenced by magic any less real? Is it better to have loved and lost, or to keep reliving that love at the cost of everyone's freedom? Can we ever truly accept death as natural when we have the means to reverse it?
The novel doesn't offer easy answers, and that's its strength. It trusts readers to sit with discomfort and draw their own conclusions about Hart's choices.
At its best moments, the book captures the intoxicating, all-consuming nature of first love—how it can feel like the most important thing in the world, worth any sacrifice. Moldavsky then skillfully transforms that beautiful feeling into something unsettling, showing how devotion can become distortion when taken to extremes.
May 11, 2025
This book was refreshingly original and dark. At first, I didn’t fully understand the reason behind the different formatting in some places. However, once I understood the purpose, I was impatient and wanted to quickly assemble every piece of this fascinating puzzle. And that ending left me reeling. I’m still processing. Well done!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.
September 23, 2025
a story of obsessive love and a garden that's more than a few pretty plants than meets the eye. i was hooked from the first page and was never able to tell what turn the story would take. the characters were interesting to read about and i enjoyed learning more about the garden and the character's connection to it. the story explores how far one is willing to go for love, even if it means destroying themselves. a really fun read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2025
Godly Moldavsky is my ultimate auto-buy author, because even when she’s doing something that is theoretically outside of my area of interest as reader, it still turns out to be a brilliant book.
This is billed as a dark romance of sorts, and while thats not at all technically wrong, this story is a lot more than that, and cemented my viewpoint that whatever Moldavsky does will hit for me.
This is such an outstanding slow burn, delightfully creepy and menacing without being outright scary until the story’s climax, and the atmosphere is exceptional.
The best atmospheric writers don’t *just* paint a pretty picture, they fuse the atmosphere into the story, and this book is an excellent example of how well that can work in a novel when done right. I’m a sucker for a creepy garden pretty much any time, but this was one was not just well-rendered in terms of sense of place, but beautifully and menacingly woven into the story.
It takes a long time for the reader to figure out what’s really going on with Hart and Rose, and there’s a pretty big jolt in the middle of the book involving a narrator switch that really knocks you off your feet. And even after that, there is still a lot of story yet to unfold.
I love the theme of rot in fiction, and this is an excellent offering in that regard. I also love novels that explore the idea that magic has a cost, and this one really does a good job of showing the consequences of that.
In all, this clever and original and one of the best uses of setting I’ve seen recently. Can’t wait for whatever Moldavsky offers us next.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is billed as a dark romance of sorts, and while thats not at all technically wrong, this story is a lot more than that, and cemented my viewpoint that whatever Moldavsky does will hit for me.
This is such an outstanding slow burn, delightfully creepy and menacing without being outright scary until the story’s climax, and the atmosphere is exceptional.
The best atmospheric writers don’t *just* paint a pretty picture, they fuse the atmosphere into the story, and this book is an excellent example of how well that can work in a novel when done right. I’m a sucker for a creepy garden pretty much any time, but this was one was not just well-rendered in terms of sense of place, but beautifully and menacingly woven into the story.
It takes a long time for the reader to figure out what’s really going on with Hart and Rose, and there’s a pretty big jolt in the middle of the book involving a narrator switch that really knocks you off your feet. And even after that, there is still a lot of story yet to unfold.
I love the theme of rot in fiction, and this is an excellent offering in that regard. I also love novels that explore the idea that magic has a cost, and this one really does a good job of showing the consequences of that.
In all, this clever and original and one of the best uses of setting I’ve seen recently. Can’t wait for whatever Moldavsky offers us next.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 1, 2025
This is the second book that I have read by author Goldy Moldavsky. The first was the Mary Shelley club. I was extremely excited to learn that the author was writing a new book and that it was coming out in 2025. I didn’t mind that the story was geared towards a younger audience. I really enjoyed the previous book that I read by the author, so I was willing to immerse myself into the mind of teenagers for a little while. As for the story, it is sweet, heartbreaking with a supernatural twist. Initially, I assume that this story would be kind of like Romeo and Juliet with magic, but it is more than that.
It is the story of two teenagers in love and the idea that something isn’t right. Everything is too perfect. Once I read the twist, everything else began to fall into place. Suddenly I started to question all of the reservations that The main character for the first half of the book had. It wasn’t until the second half of the book was told through the third person point of view of the second main character that I realized how truly heartbreaking this story was. Sometimes it is best to not mess with fate. Even if it means losing someone that you love because you never know what will happen every time you try to change the circumstances of the situation. But that said I read this novel four stars out of five. I will definitely read this author again because I love the pacing, descriptions and prose.
It is the story of two teenagers in love and the idea that something isn’t right. Everything is too perfect. Once I read the twist, everything else began to fall into place. Suddenly I started to question all of the reservations that The main character for the first half of the book had. It wasn’t until the second half of the book was told through the third person point of view of the second main character that I realized how truly heartbreaking this story was. Sometimes it is best to not mess with fate. Even if it means losing someone that you love because you never know what will happen every time you try to change the circumstances of the situation. But that said I read this novel four stars out of five. I will definitely read this author again because I love the pacing, descriptions and prose.
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