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The Memory Gardener
Sure to charm fans of Chocolat, Garden Spells, and The Scent Keeper, USA Today bestselling author Meg Donohue’s The Memory Gardener is a cozy and moving tale about the power of memory and the nourishing magic of gardens.
Lucy Barnes has an uncanny ability to know exactly which scent among the flowers she grows will return a person to a long-forgotten memory, a key from their past that has the potential to change their future. When she takes a position as the gardener at a somber, colorless assisted-living home, the evocatively scented flowers that she grows awaken not only the home’s gardens, but the entire community, stirring new pleasures and unearthing long-buried secrets within all who venture through the gardens’ gates.
But when a secret comes to light that threatens to shatter the newly close-knit community, the future suddenly looks uncertain. Have the memories that Lucy has unearthed awakened something wonderful … or are some memories better left buried?
Lucy Barnes has an uncanny ability to know exactly which scent among the flowers she grows will return a person to a long-forgotten memory, a key from their past that has the potential to change their future. When she takes a position as the gardener at a somber, colorless assisted-living home, the evocatively scented flowers that she grows awaken not only the home’s gardens, but the entire community, stirring new pleasures and unearthing long-buried secrets within all who venture through the gardens’ gates.
But when a secret comes to light that threatens to shatter the newly close-knit community, the future suddenly looks uncertain. Have the memories that Lucy has unearthed awakened something wonderful … or are some memories better left buried?
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 25, 2025
75 people are currently reading
12185 people want to read
About the author
Meg Donohue
8 books696 followersMeg Donohue is the USA Today bestselling author of The Memory Gardener (11/25/25), You, Me, and the Sea, Every Wild Heart, Dog Crazy, All the Summer Girls, and How to Eat a Cupcake. Her novels have been translated into Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she lives San Francisco with her husband, three daughters, and dog. She is currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
November 21, 2025
Lucy is a bit of a nomad, she has never stayed in one place even for one year. After her mother‘s death, she is given the opportunity to redo the garden at an assisted living facility. But that’s not all, Lucy has a gift. She can unlock memories for people after introducing them to a specific scent. She has a past that haunts her due to her gift, and is hesitant to let other people get too close. One of the patient’s grandson, Adam, and his daughter Sophie threaten to change that.
The unlocking of memories using smells is something very unique to the story. One of my favorite scenes in a movie is in Pixar’s Coco, when Miguel uses music to unlock the memories of mama Coco. She remembers being little and her father singing to her. Music therapists have Long used music to help Patients in memory care facilities.
Although this book is probably classified as magic realism, we all can use our senses to unlock memories, the painful, and the joyful. I cannot remember ever reading a book that had so many references to scent. I feel like the book should come with an optional scratch and sniff paper so that you remember what all of the descriptive smell descriptions in the Story.
I collect perfume bottles, I have 80 or 90. Most of them don’t have any perfume in them anymore, they’ve been gone many years. But I love the bottles. And nothing brings the memory of my grandmother back to me more than smelling Estée Lauder’s Beautiful.
This is a heartwarming concept and the story carries it well.
Thank you to Gallery Books for the advanced reading copy. Book to be published November 25,2025.
The unlocking of memories using smells is something very unique to the story. One of my favorite scenes in a movie is in Pixar’s Coco, when Miguel uses music to unlock the memories of mama Coco. She remembers being little and her father singing to her. Music therapists have Long used music to help Patients in memory care facilities.
Although this book is probably classified as magic realism, we all can use our senses to unlock memories, the painful, and the joyful. I cannot remember ever reading a book that had so many references to scent. I feel like the book should come with an optional scratch and sniff paper so that you remember what all of the descriptive smell descriptions in the Story.
I collect perfume bottles, I have 80 or 90. Most of them don’t have any perfume in them anymore, they’ve been gone many years. But I love the bottles. And nothing brings the memory of my grandmother back to me more than smelling Estée Lauder’s Beautiful.
This is a heartwarming concept and the story carries it well.
Thank you to Gallery Books for the advanced reading copy. Book to be published November 25,2025.
November 25, 2025
3.5
This was a heartfelt, feel-good women's fiction story about a nomadic woman gardener who travels around restoring gardens and has a magical ability to help people remember important things by smelling particular flowers. The story has a large cast of side characters, a old age home in need of saving, regrets, second chances and new love. It was good on audio and I would recommend it for fans of authors like Fraya Sampson or Claire Pooley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Steam level: kissing only
This was a heartfelt, feel-good women's fiction story about a nomadic woman gardener who travels around restoring gardens and has a magical ability to help people remember important things by smelling particular flowers. The story has a large cast of side characters, a old age home in need of saving, regrets, second chances and new love. It was good on audio and I would recommend it for fans of authors like Fraya Sampson or Claire Pooley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Steam level: kissing only
July 22, 2025
I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.
I have never read anything by Meg Donohue and The Memory Gardener is not really in the genres that I am reading right now. Despite those two things, I really enjoyed this book! The story moves along at a comfortable, experience-every-day pace, with hints at previous struggles that don't take away from the lightness and easy read that the story generally provides. Donohue does a fantastic job at seeing the humanity in all her characters and revealing the road they traveled on life that led them to where they are now. I found myself smiling quite often while reading The Memory Gardener. The ending even had a few surprises I didn't see coming!
The Memory Gardener by Meg Donohue will shine a little bit of light on your days. Absolutely worth the read!
I have never read anything by Meg Donohue and The Memory Gardener is not really in the genres that I am reading right now. Despite those two things, I really enjoyed this book! The story moves along at a comfortable, experience-every-day pace, with hints at previous struggles that don't take away from the lightness and easy read that the story generally provides. Donohue does a fantastic job at seeing the humanity in all her characters and revealing the road they traveled on life that led them to where they are now. I found myself smiling quite often while reading The Memory Gardener. The ending even had a few surprises I didn't see coming!
The Memory Gardener by Meg Donohue will shine a little bit of light on your days. Absolutely worth the read!
September 1, 2025
The Memory Gardener is a book that blooms (pun intended) slowly and beautifully, layering grief, healing, and a touch of magic into a story that feels both tender and hopeful. From the very first chapter, you can tell this is going to be a sensory experience—the way flowers, scents, and colors are described makes the setting come alive. This is one of those books that pulls you in with its atmosphere as much as with its characters.
I felt connected to the characters grief and emotional development throughout this story and felt that it was done with tenderness and care.
I cannot wait to read more from Meg Donohue!
I felt connected to the characters grief and emotional development throughout this story and felt that it was done with tenderness and care.
I cannot wait to read more from Meg Donohue!
August 9, 2025
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this delightful book.
This is an absolutely charming book, with a beautiful setting, wonderful flower descriptions, evocative scents and some magical realism. The story was heartfelt without being syrupy, and the story of trying to save Oceanview Home, while getting to know the residents, and seeing the gardens resurrected was just the perfect read for me, especially right now. Filled with hope and practicality, I find myself being a little wistful, missing the residents. It would be lovely to have a follow-up story.
Four plus stars.
This is an absolutely charming book, with a beautiful setting, wonderful flower descriptions, evocative scents and some magical realism. The story was heartfelt without being syrupy, and the story of trying to save Oceanview Home, while getting to know the residents, and seeing the gardens resurrected was just the perfect read for me, especially right now. Filled with hope and practicality, I find myself being a little wistful, missing the residents. It would be lovely to have a follow-up story.
Four plus stars.
September 7, 2025
If you are looking for cottage core and Secret Garden vibes, this book is for you! The author’s writing was fantastic and drew me in right away. I wanted to keep reading to see what was going on. The characters had a lot of heart and I could really see them as real people at times. I loved this and thought it was a cozy adorable read! Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!
November 24, 2025
Thank you @gallerybooks for my #gifted copy and thank you @simon.audio for my #gifted listening copy of The Memory Gardener! #GalleryInfluencer #gallerybooks #MegDonohue #TheMemoryGardener #simonaudio
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐞𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐡𝐮𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
4.5★
I absolutely adored this book! It was just so charming and I was drawn in from the very first page! Perhaps it had to do with the fact that I lost a parent over the past few years, and I felt a connection to Lucy, the main character and her loss. This book was just so cozy and heartwarming and I loved it. I enjoyed learning about a new flower at the start of each chapter. As someone that loves flowers but does not know a lot about them, and I appreciated the little facts throughout the book. I loved that this book incorporated magical realism through the power of scent and flowers and their power to bring back memories. I really enjoyed the focus on community in this book and loved the side characters and the romance too! This was my first Meg Donahue book but it won’t be my last!
🪻Grief & Healing
🌷Magical Realism
🌺The Power of Scent
🌻Forgiveness & Friendship
🌹Atmospheric
🪴Gully the Dog
🪻Community
🎧Narrated by Erin Moon and Chris Henry Coffey, I loved how these two brought this book to life! I found myself hooked to the audio and not wanting to stop once I started listening. While I’ve listened to Christ Henry Coffey before, this was my first time listening to Erin Moon before and I thought she did a phenomenal job! There was just something about her ability to portray the right type of emotion that made her so perfect for this book and I just loved listening to her!
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐞𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐡𝐮𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
4.5★
I absolutely adored this book! It was just so charming and I was drawn in from the very first page! Perhaps it had to do with the fact that I lost a parent over the past few years, and I felt a connection to Lucy, the main character and her loss. This book was just so cozy and heartwarming and I loved it. I enjoyed learning about a new flower at the start of each chapter. As someone that loves flowers but does not know a lot about them, and I appreciated the little facts throughout the book. I loved that this book incorporated magical realism through the power of scent and flowers and their power to bring back memories. I really enjoyed the focus on community in this book and loved the side characters and the romance too! This was my first Meg Donahue book but it won’t be my last!
🪻Grief & Healing
🌷Magical Realism
🌺The Power of Scent
🌻Forgiveness & Friendship
🌹Atmospheric
🪴Gully the Dog
🪻Community
🎧Narrated by Erin Moon and Chris Henry Coffey, I loved how these two brought this book to life! I found myself hooked to the audio and not wanting to stop once I started listening. While I’ve listened to Christ Henry Coffey before, this was my first time listening to Erin Moon before and I thought she did a phenomenal job! There was just something about her ability to portray the right type of emotion that made her so perfect for this book and I just loved listening to her!
January 14, 2026
If you like Hallmark movies, you’d probably like this book a lot. Lucy is a gardener whose magical gift is delivering memories to friends, family and strangers via scents of flowers she knows will invoke things from their past. Cute enough, but the “plot” is predictable, the writing very simplistic, and it reads like a cheap romance novel at times. Some of the characters are cloyingly stereotyped. And why is it that I find even the dog annoying? Just not for me but if you’re looking for simple read with a saccharin ending, go forth!
December 23, 2025
I liked this book, but the beginning was a bit slow for me. I was also confused why her high school boyfriend stopped talking to her when the memory that returned to him was finally revealed. Overall, it's a cute story with a bit of magic mixed in. There was one twist I didn't see coming that I really liked and is why I gave the book four stars instead of three.
November 23, 2025
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
Lucy Barnes has always had a special ability with plants. She knows exactly what flowers will spark a memory that a person has forgotten. So it makes sense that she has become a much-sought-after garden designer. She travels the country designing gardens for people, never staying in one place too long. But six moths ago her mother died, and her father has become a recluse. So Lucy decides to move back home so she can keep an eye on him, and she will accept commissions in the area. A mysterious note leads her to take a job as the gardener at the Oceanview Home, a senior-living residence. Soon, her work has everyone residing at the home out enjoying the gardens, and reliving memories that were long forgotten. But not everyone is happy to see how her presence has transformed the Oceanview Home, and when a secret comes to light that threatens to shatter the entire community, the future suddenly looks uncertain. Have the memories that Lucy has unearthed awakened something wonderful…or are some memories better left buried?
This feel-good story is perfect for fans of Heather Webber, Freya Sampson & Kate Storey. I adored Lucy, and I loved all of the quirky residents at Oceanview. I enjoyed the way at the top of each chapter it showed a picture of a different flower, and gave a description and told what properties it held/what sort of memories it might invoke. Since I already dabble i aromatherapy, I found that fascinating. There is a nice twist at the end that was a pleasant surprise. I highly resommend this one!
Lucy Barnes has always had a special ability with plants. She knows exactly what flowers will spark a memory that a person has forgotten. So it makes sense that she has become a much-sought-after garden designer. She travels the country designing gardens for people, never staying in one place too long. But six moths ago her mother died, and her father has become a recluse. So Lucy decides to move back home so she can keep an eye on him, and she will accept commissions in the area. A mysterious note leads her to take a job as the gardener at the Oceanview Home, a senior-living residence. Soon, her work has everyone residing at the home out enjoying the gardens, and reliving memories that were long forgotten. But not everyone is happy to see how her presence has transformed the Oceanview Home, and when a secret comes to light that threatens to shatter the entire community, the future suddenly looks uncertain. Have the memories that Lucy has unearthed awakened something wonderful…or are some memories better left buried?
This feel-good story is perfect for fans of Heather Webber, Freya Sampson & Kate Storey. I adored Lucy, and I loved all of the quirky residents at Oceanview. I enjoyed the way at the top of each chapter it showed a picture of a different flower, and gave a description and told what properties it held/what sort of memories it might invoke. Since I already dabble i aromatherapy, I found that fascinating. There is a nice twist at the end that was a pleasant surprise. I highly resommend this one!
January 7, 2026
I think if you love books like The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie, or books by Sarah Addison Allen, I think you would enjoy this one.
Lucy returns home to check on her father after her mother died. He isn’t leaving the house, and she wants to try to figure out how to get him involved again. She notices her mom has “Oceanview Home” on her calendar for the next week, so she looks it up, and finds they need a gardener. She stops by and ends up getting the job restoring the gardens of a mansion turned retirement home. She has a special gift of noticing what flowers have memories for certain people, and begins changing the lives of those who live there.
At the same time, several people in the story, Lucy included have issues in their pasts that they believe are beyond repair.
I really enjoyed this sweet story of a young gardener with a bunch of retirees, and a little romance, and a little magical realism.
“Loss changes a person just as love does, perhaps in equal measure.” Ch 1
“The flowers that I grow… their scents can return you to the past, to a memory you’ve forgotten.” Ch 10
“Maybe that’s because in gardens, storms always pass. The season eventually changes and flowers grow again.” Ch 13
“We carry every turn of our lives, every version of ourselves, within us, forever.” Ch 26
“How long have I been running from this feeling? Running from the place where I experienced my biggest regret, but also the place that is at the core of all of my best memories?” Ch 26
Lucy returns home to check on her father after her mother died. He isn’t leaving the house, and she wants to try to figure out how to get him involved again. She notices her mom has “Oceanview Home” on her calendar for the next week, so she looks it up, and finds they need a gardener. She stops by and ends up getting the job restoring the gardens of a mansion turned retirement home. She has a special gift of noticing what flowers have memories for certain people, and begins changing the lives of those who live there.
At the same time, several people in the story, Lucy included have issues in their pasts that they believe are beyond repair.
I really enjoyed this sweet story of a young gardener with a bunch of retirees, and a little romance, and a little magical realism.
“Loss changes a person just as love does, perhaps in equal measure.” Ch 1
“The flowers that I grow… their scents can return you to the past, to a memory you’ve forgotten.” Ch 10
“Maybe that’s because in gardens, storms always pass. The season eventually changes and flowers grow again.” Ch 13
“We carry every turn of our lives, every version of ourselves, within us, forever.” Ch 26
“How long have I been running from this feeling? Running from the place where I experienced my biggest regret, but also the place that is at the core of all of my best memories?” Ch 26
January 21, 2026
The Memory Gardener is described as a “cozy tale of the power of memory and the nourishing magic of gardens”. I like the concept of the novel which highlights the strong connection between scent and memory. I thought the information at the beginning of each chapter about different flowers and the meaning of their scents was interesting. And I enjoyed Lucy’s ability to match a scent to a specific person’s memory with the hope to heal them.
I found the pacing of the story to be somewhat uneven, with the middle third dragging a bit for my taste. However I enjoyed the ending, which wrapped up in a sweet and satisfying way. And I love a romantic epilogue 💕 I listened to the audiobook and did not form a strong connect with the narrator. I think I may have enjoyed this novel more if I read it with my eyeballs. Overall a sweet novel that I think will resonate with fans of cozy romances with a side of magic 3/5⭐️
I found the pacing of the story to be somewhat uneven, with the middle third dragging a bit for my taste. However I enjoyed the ending, which wrapped up in a sweet and satisfying way. And I love a romantic epilogue 💕 I listened to the audiobook and did not form a strong connect with the narrator. I think I may have enjoyed this novel more if I read it with my eyeballs. Overall a sweet novel that I think will resonate with fans of cozy romances with a side of magic 3/5⭐️
November 26, 2025
3.5 stars
I listened to this one on audio, and it was fine, but it didn't really spark much emotion from me as a magical realism women's fiction focused on grief and memories might for others. Erin Moon's narration at 2x speed was emotive and easy to listen to, but Chris Henry Coffey's portrayal of the elderly, cantankerous Fitz was grating, bordering on stereotypical. Lucy is a gardener with a special gift of pairing scents with recipients who will return to long forgotten memories when they smell them, outrunning her past and a time where this gift turned out to be more of a curse. After the loss of her mother, she returns home to look after her devastated father, and finds a mysterious appointment in her mother's calendar at a nearby retirement community. Curious, she pays them a visit, and is offered a job to bring their overgrown walled gardens back to their former splendor. Once there, Lucy embraces her gift again, and brings not only the gardens back to life, but the home's residents. This was a sweet story, and I found the chapter headers explaining the language of flowers to be interesting, but the very convenient twist at the end was a bit twee for my liking. This would be a good fit for someone who likes a touch of magic without the paranormal, and a very mild read that doesn't entirely put you in your feels.
🌷🌼🌿 Thank you Simon Audio for the ALC and Gallery Books for the gifted book
I listened to this one on audio, and it was fine, but it didn't really spark much emotion from me as a magical realism women's fiction focused on grief and memories might for others. Erin Moon's narration at 2x speed was emotive and easy to listen to, but Chris Henry Coffey's portrayal of the elderly, cantankerous Fitz was grating, bordering on stereotypical. Lucy is a gardener with a special gift of pairing scents with recipients who will return to long forgotten memories when they smell them, outrunning her past and a time where this gift turned out to be more of a curse. After the loss of her mother, she returns home to look after her devastated father, and finds a mysterious appointment in her mother's calendar at a nearby retirement community. Curious, she pays them a visit, and is offered a job to bring their overgrown walled gardens back to their former splendor. Once there, Lucy embraces her gift again, and brings not only the gardens back to life, but the home's residents. This was a sweet story, and I found the chapter headers explaining the language of flowers to be interesting, but the very convenient twist at the end was a bit twee for my liking. This would be a good fit for someone who likes a touch of magic without the paranormal, and a very mild read that doesn't entirely put you in your feels.
🌷🌼🌿 Thank you Simon Audio for the ALC and Gallery Books for the gifted book
January 2, 2026
Since people have a strong memory of scents, becoming reacquainted with a scent can trigger old memories. Lucy uses this in her garden. Certain flowers can bring up different emotions and feelings. As she works to cultivate an overgrown garden in a home for the aged, she helps them remember their past by exposing them to the fragrant flowers. Of course, not everything goes smoothly. She soon discovers that the home is being sold. Can she find a way to save the home and all who live in it?
November 26, 2025
Synopsis: Lucy has always had the ability to transport people to a memory based on the scent of a plant. She has avoided using her gift on others for years, instead focusing on her job creating beautiful gardens. When she ends up with a garden renovation job back in her hometown at a retirement home, she attempts to use her gift to help the residents.
Thoughts: I really loved this heartwarming story! This is a beautiful story of grief and healing with a touch of magic. The magical realism is so well done - the magic does take center stage, but the realness and humanity of the characters keeps things grounded in reality. The cast of characters is lovely, and the found family vibes are perfection. There is also a dog! 🐶 A note on the audio: the narrators absolutely nailed it!
Read this if you like:
👩🏻🌾 plants
👩🏻🌾 magical realism
👩🏻🌾 found family
👩🏻🌾 grief and healing
Thoughts: I really loved this heartwarming story! This is a beautiful story of grief and healing with a touch of magic. The magical realism is so well done - the magic does take center stage, but the realness and humanity of the characters keeps things grounded in reality. The cast of characters is lovely, and the found family vibes are perfection. There is also a dog! 🐶 A note on the audio: the narrators absolutely nailed it!
Read this if you like:
👩🏻🌾 plants
👩🏻🌾 magical realism
👩🏻🌾 found family
👩🏻🌾 grief and healing
January 12, 2026
What a comfort to read right now. I feel like I was transported to a kind and lovely place with caring and warm people. This book was such a solace. All the descriptions of flowers and smells were so comforting.
December 4, 2025
Sweet and cozy story with some magical realism.
January 7, 2026
sweet book. would make a great hallmark movie
January 14, 2026
Very dear story. Love the residents of Ocean View home.
January 17, 2026
A book of hope, healing, and forgiveness...with a touch of magic.
January 16, 2026
Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but i loved the story.
October 13, 2025
Provided by Simon & Schuster via NetGalley.
I received the right email at the right time from Gallery Books' marketing department. They used their technology and magic to see that I love Alice Hoffman. They told me that if I like Hoffman, I'll like The Memory Gardener by Meg Donohue. They were not wrong.
While The Memory Gardener is not billed as a mystery, there are a lot of personal mysteries that do unfold in gentle reading waves. Lucy Barnes possesses skills with plant life that are playfully considered magic or supernatural, yet, there are people who have abilities to smell scents beyond the average just like super tasters can extrapolate the fine details of what they eat. The olfactory system has long been known to have a direct connection to the memory centers of the brain. If you put the green thumb, agricultural science, and magic together, what you end up with is a character like Lucy Barnes.
Lucy has an extreme avoidance of setting down her own roots (no pun intended, but it works) ever since something happened between her and her high school boyfriend, Jack. Author Meg Donohue takes her time revealing what that something is from Lucy's perspective and then even longer to get Jack's perspective.Whatever Lucy's biggest secret shame is, it's kept her from returning home to the small village of Bantam Bay in California.
It may be cliché, but in The Memory Gardener, the location is undeniably its own character. The book opens with the most lyrical descriptions from Lucy's perspective of the Oceanview Home gardens. These gardens are where 99% of the change takes place for the characters. There are small scenes with big changes in the Barnes' house where Lucy's father, Gregory, lives; and a little more at the community center. The gardens are where everything is anchored. First, the sunken garden off the terrace of the retirement home. Then Lucy and carpenter, Adam, find gates leading to other gardens: a rose garden, a native plants garden, and more.
In the sunken garden, there's a reflecting pool. This serves as more than a mere decorative element to the setting. Each character is granted time with Lucy who finds the plant that would draw out buried memories. She's fearful that her gift for making these connections could ruin their lives—some things are better left buried. This means all of them reflect back on the kinds of lives they had, love, grudges, and what they might be remembered for after they've died. Even with a sign of success in illuminating one retiree's memories, Lucy is constantly stressed that she could expose someone to crushing heartache.
As I read through all the long scenes where Lucy eases into her talents and gets involved with friendly people and a few with rock hard stubbornness, I had my own memory of watching Awakenings starring Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro. Donohue doesn't mention Awakenings, but she does address the writer and starring character, Dr. Oliver Sacks and some articles about his breakthrough work. Dr. Sacks was the genius behind being able to cure people from dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other catatonic states. I won't ruin it for you regardless of how old the movie is. This setting of the Oceanview Home and its residents finding new sparks of life also reminded me of Cocoon, a star-studded movie with Wilford Brimley, Don Ameche, Brian Dennehy, Jessica Tandy, and Maureen Stapleton directed by Ron Howard. In that, the retirement home residents discover a way to rejuvenate their bodies and minds essentially turning back the clock. It's not the magic of plants though.
It's clear there are going to be romantic feelings between Lucy, who wants to avoid it, and someone else in the cast. Is it Donovan, the owner of Oceanview Home with his good looks and financial sense; or Adam, the carpenter who feels the stories of every house he works on?
Adam's wife died two years prior to the book's timeline and he is left to raise their daughter Sophie. Sophie is a tenderhearted child with selective mutism. She provides the naive perspective of youth. The only time she lights up anymore is when she sees Lucy's dog, Gully. Everyone loves the enormous hound, even the most standoffish people.
Donohue has a spiderweb of storylines that are wrangled carefully allowing all these characters to have a starting point, a change, and a new beginning. With so many characters, it's a marvel how she accomplished this with fluidity and clarity. Even late in the book, around 80%, Donohue toys with readers as Lucy learns more about her mother's life. New questions come up and fortunately it's not too late yet for Lucy to get the answers she needs.
Donohue also fills the book with trivia and folklore about the plants in the Oceanview gardens much the same way as Susan Wittig Albert does in her China Bayles Herbal Mysteries. With the details about the way every plant looks, behaves, and smells, readers wouldn't expect anything less than nuggets of knowledge too.
Summary:
Meg Donohue's The Memory Gardener feels like a refreshing Happily-Ever-After from a book that isn't a romance though it does have a thread of it. The Memory Gardener will perfectly satisfy fans of Alice Hoffman as was promised. It's also well-suited for anyone who thinks one mistake in their past has to define their entire life. Donohue shows that there is forgiveness, misunderstandings, and relationships that can be built despite one's regrettable history.
Due to the timeline ending on May 1st, this would be a great holiday gift for someone who loves to read stories taking place in the same season, in this case Spring.
I received the right email at the right time from Gallery Books' marketing department. They used their technology and magic to see that I love Alice Hoffman. They told me that if I like Hoffman, I'll like The Memory Gardener by Meg Donohue. They were not wrong.
While The Memory Gardener is not billed as a mystery, there are a lot of personal mysteries that do unfold in gentle reading waves. Lucy Barnes possesses skills with plant life that are playfully considered magic or supernatural, yet, there are people who have abilities to smell scents beyond the average just like super tasters can extrapolate the fine details of what they eat. The olfactory system has long been known to have a direct connection to the memory centers of the brain. If you put the green thumb, agricultural science, and magic together, what you end up with is a character like Lucy Barnes.
Lucy has an extreme avoidance of setting down her own roots (no pun intended, but it works) ever since something happened between her and her high school boyfriend, Jack. Author Meg Donohue takes her time revealing what that something is from Lucy's perspective and then even longer to get Jack's perspective.Whatever Lucy's biggest secret shame is, it's kept her from returning home to the small village of Bantam Bay in California.
It may be cliché, but in The Memory Gardener, the location is undeniably its own character. The book opens with the most lyrical descriptions from Lucy's perspective of the Oceanview Home gardens. These gardens are where 99% of the change takes place for the characters. There are small scenes with big changes in the Barnes' house where Lucy's father, Gregory, lives; and a little more at the community center. The gardens are where everything is anchored. First, the sunken garden off the terrace of the retirement home. Then Lucy and carpenter, Adam, find gates leading to other gardens: a rose garden, a native plants garden, and more.
In the sunken garden, there's a reflecting pool. This serves as more than a mere decorative element to the setting. Each character is granted time with Lucy who finds the plant that would draw out buried memories. She's fearful that her gift for making these connections could ruin their lives—some things are better left buried. This means all of them reflect back on the kinds of lives they had, love, grudges, and what they might be remembered for after they've died. Even with a sign of success in illuminating one retiree's memories, Lucy is constantly stressed that she could expose someone to crushing heartache.
As I read through all the long scenes where Lucy eases into her talents and gets involved with friendly people and a few with rock hard stubbornness, I had my own memory of watching Awakenings starring Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro. Donohue doesn't mention Awakenings, but she does address the writer and starring character, Dr. Oliver Sacks and some articles about his breakthrough work. Dr. Sacks was the genius behind being able to cure people from dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other catatonic states. I won't ruin it for you regardless of how old the movie is. This setting of the Oceanview Home and its residents finding new sparks of life also reminded me of Cocoon, a star-studded movie with Wilford Brimley, Don Ameche, Brian Dennehy, Jessica Tandy, and Maureen Stapleton directed by Ron Howard. In that, the retirement home residents discover a way to rejuvenate their bodies and minds essentially turning back the clock. It's not the magic of plants though.
It's clear there are going to be romantic feelings between Lucy, who wants to avoid it, and someone else in the cast. Is it Donovan, the owner of Oceanview Home with his good looks and financial sense; or Adam, the carpenter who feels the stories of every house he works on?
Adam's wife died two years prior to the book's timeline and he is left to raise their daughter Sophie. Sophie is a tenderhearted child with selective mutism. She provides the naive perspective of youth. The only time she lights up anymore is when she sees Lucy's dog, Gully. Everyone loves the enormous hound, even the most standoffish people.
Donohue has a spiderweb of storylines that are wrangled carefully allowing all these characters to have a starting point, a change, and a new beginning. With so many characters, it's a marvel how she accomplished this with fluidity and clarity. Even late in the book, around 80%, Donohue toys with readers as Lucy learns more about her mother's life. New questions come up and fortunately it's not too late yet for Lucy to get the answers she needs.
Donohue also fills the book with trivia and folklore about the plants in the Oceanview gardens much the same way as Susan Wittig Albert does in her China Bayles Herbal Mysteries. With the details about the way every plant looks, behaves, and smells, readers wouldn't expect anything less than nuggets of knowledge too.
Summary:
Meg Donohue's The Memory Gardener feels like a refreshing Happily-Ever-After from a book that isn't a romance though it does have a thread of it. The Memory Gardener will perfectly satisfy fans of Alice Hoffman as was promised. It's also well-suited for anyone who thinks one mistake in their past has to define their entire life. Donohue shows that there is forgiveness, misunderstandings, and relationships that can be built despite one's regrettable history.
Due to the timeline ending on May 1st, this would be a great holiday gift for someone who loves to read stories taking place in the same season, in this case Spring.
December 8, 2025
The Memory Gardener by Meg Donohue.
Published by Gallery Books, and thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy.
I opened this book expecting a soft, dreamy read about flowers and feelings. What I got was a gorgeously warm, slyly witty story about memory, grief, community, and the strange ways life reroots you even when you swear you are not plantable. Lucy Barnes, our reluctant heroine, has a gift that is both magical and alarmingly inconvenient. She can match people with the scent that will unlock the memory they most need. It is useful in theory, dangerous in practice, and exactly the sort of skill you never want to mention at a dinner party unless you want someone crying into the roast chicken. After a tragedy tied to her ability, Lucy flees her hometown and perfects the nomadic life, drifting from one garden project to the next like a very emotionally burdened dandelion seed.
Then her mother dies. Six months later, Lucy wakes up to the unmistakable scent of her mom lingering in the room. It is subtle, impossible, and just annoying enough to send her home to check on her father, who has fully committed to becoming a hermit. Naturally, this trip home comes with a side quest. A mysterious note leads her to Oceanview Home, a senior residence that has let its gardens slip into full haunted-house mode. Lucy signs on to revive them, assuming it will be a quick job. Instead she finds herself knee-deep in roses, secrets, and elderly residents who have zero problem telling her exactly what they think.
This is where the book shines. Oceanview is charming, chaotic, and very real. Each resident comes with a story, a regret, a stubborn habit, or a simmering grudge. They are messy in the best human way, and Lucy can’t help but get pulled in. As the gardens bloom, so do the people. Memories rise. Relationships shift. And Lucy must face the truth she has been dodging for a decade. The emotional payoff is steady and satisfying, and the humor is perfectly placed. Donohue manages to make grief tender without being heavy, magic gentle without being flimsy, and character arcs meaningful without shouting, “Look, personal growth!”
Lucy’s relationship with her father is one of my favorite threads. Watching two people try to mourn the same woman while barely knowing how to talk to each other is equal parts funny and heartbreaking. Her bond with Adam and his daughter Sophie adds even more warmth, and the dog, Gully, continues to be the real scene-stealer. Honestly, I would read an entire novella titled The Adventures of Gully, Chaotic Garden Horse.
And yes, there is a twist. No, I did not predict it, despite my completely unwarranted confidence. It lands well, deepens the story, and avoids melodrama. The pacing stays smooth, the descriptions lush, and the emotional beats linger just long enough to matter.
What I loved most is how the book treats memory. Not as a tidy archive of sentimental moments but as a living, shifting landscape. Some memories heal. Some haunt. Some need gentle coaxing. And some are better left untouched. Donohue handles this theme with honesty and a surprising amount of humor.
This is a cozy read with depth, a magical read with restraint, and a hopeful read without shortcuts. A perfect choice for fans of warm fiction with a touch of enchantment. Plus, it made me think I could grow something beyond a dying basil plant, so that alone feels like a plot twist.
#TheMemoryGardener #MegDonohue #GalleryBooks #BookReview #MagicalRealism #WomensFiction #CozyReads #GardenMagic #ReadersOfInstagram #Bookstagram #giftedbook #HealingStories #2025Books
Published by Gallery Books, and thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy.
I opened this book expecting a soft, dreamy read about flowers and feelings. What I got was a gorgeously warm, slyly witty story about memory, grief, community, and the strange ways life reroots you even when you swear you are not plantable. Lucy Barnes, our reluctant heroine, has a gift that is both magical and alarmingly inconvenient. She can match people with the scent that will unlock the memory they most need. It is useful in theory, dangerous in practice, and exactly the sort of skill you never want to mention at a dinner party unless you want someone crying into the roast chicken. After a tragedy tied to her ability, Lucy flees her hometown and perfects the nomadic life, drifting from one garden project to the next like a very emotionally burdened dandelion seed.
Then her mother dies. Six months later, Lucy wakes up to the unmistakable scent of her mom lingering in the room. It is subtle, impossible, and just annoying enough to send her home to check on her father, who has fully committed to becoming a hermit. Naturally, this trip home comes with a side quest. A mysterious note leads her to Oceanview Home, a senior residence that has let its gardens slip into full haunted-house mode. Lucy signs on to revive them, assuming it will be a quick job. Instead she finds herself knee-deep in roses, secrets, and elderly residents who have zero problem telling her exactly what they think.
This is where the book shines. Oceanview is charming, chaotic, and very real. Each resident comes with a story, a regret, a stubborn habit, or a simmering grudge. They are messy in the best human way, and Lucy can’t help but get pulled in. As the gardens bloom, so do the people. Memories rise. Relationships shift. And Lucy must face the truth she has been dodging for a decade. The emotional payoff is steady and satisfying, and the humor is perfectly placed. Donohue manages to make grief tender without being heavy, magic gentle without being flimsy, and character arcs meaningful without shouting, “Look, personal growth!”
Lucy’s relationship with her father is one of my favorite threads. Watching two people try to mourn the same woman while barely knowing how to talk to each other is equal parts funny and heartbreaking. Her bond with Adam and his daughter Sophie adds even more warmth, and the dog, Gully, continues to be the real scene-stealer. Honestly, I would read an entire novella titled The Adventures of Gully, Chaotic Garden Horse.
And yes, there is a twist. No, I did not predict it, despite my completely unwarranted confidence. It lands well, deepens the story, and avoids melodrama. The pacing stays smooth, the descriptions lush, and the emotional beats linger just long enough to matter.
What I loved most is how the book treats memory. Not as a tidy archive of sentimental moments but as a living, shifting landscape. Some memories heal. Some haunt. Some need gentle coaxing. And some are better left untouched. Donohue handles this theme with honesty and a surprising amount of humor.
This is a cozy read with depth, a magical read with restraint, and a hopeful read without shortcuts. A perfect choice for fans of warm fiction with a touch of enchantment. Plus, it made me think I could grow something beyond a dying basil plant, so that alone feels like a plot twist.
#TheMemoryGardener #MegDonohue #GalleryBooks #BookReview #MagicalRealism #WomensFiction #CozyReads #GardenMagic #ReadersOfInstagram #Bookstagram #giftedbook #HealingStories #2025Books
September 6, 2025
The Memory Gardener is a cozy story with just a dash of magic about a gardener named Lucy Barnes, whose connection with flowers allows her to elevate a special scent for a person that helps brings back memories they've lost.
Six months after her mother unexpectedly passed away, Lucy is drawn back home to Bantam Bay from her wandering life doing gardening jobs across the west coast of California. Her dad's state is motivation enough for Lucy to stick around, despite having left because an incident with her boyfriend years ago, but a note about the Oceanview Home left behind by her mother draws her in even more, especially when she finds out they need a gardener to rehabilitate the gardens on the property.
Despite the owner Donovan's mysterious reasons for having Lucy undertake the work, she quickly falls in love with the community and the residents quickly befriend her and her dog Gully, although the grumpy and cantankerous Fitz is slower to engage. Not only do the garden begin to transform under Lucy's care, but as some of the residents reconnect with the memories of their past the whole entire community begins to transform from a drab, lifeless facility to a vibrant and engaged community.
Lucy forms a connection with Adam and his daughter Sophie, the grandson and great-granddaughter of one of the residents while also trying to draw her father out from the wall that's he's hiding behind while grieving for his wife. Everything is almost too sweet and cozy, so when the reason Donovan brought Lucy in is exposed it provides just the right amount of conflict to keep moving the story forward.
A reader won't see a lot of character development in this story, although Lucy, her father and Fitz all find some closure from what has kept them from truly being happy. This is more a story just to make you feel good - and make you want to be a part of the Oceanview Home community. And Donahue's descriptions of all the flowers and building out a garden (or two) is icing on the cake.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Six months after her mother unexpectedly passed away, Lucy is drawn back home to Bantam Bay from her wandering life doing gardening jobs across the west coast of California. Her dad's state is motivation enough for Lucy to stick around, despite having left because an incident with her boyfriend years ago, but a note about the Oceanview Home left behind by her mother draws her in even more, especially when she finds out they need a gardener to rehabilitate the gardens on the property.
Despite the owner Donovan's mysterious reasons for having Lucy undertake the work, she quickly falls in love with the community and the residents quickly befriend her and her dog Gully, although the grumpy and cantankerous Fitz is slower to engage. Not only do the garden begin to transform under Lucy's care, but as some of the residents reconnect with the memories of their past the whole entire community begins to transform from a drab, lifeless facility to a vibrant and engaged community.
Lucy forms a connection with Adam and his daughter Sophie, the grandson and great-granddaughter of one of the residents while also trying to draw her father out from the wall that's he's hiding behind while grieving for his wife. Everything is almost too sweet and cozy, so when the reason Donovan brought Lucy in is exposed it provides just the right amount of conflict to keep moving the story forward.
A reader won't see a lot of character development in this story, although Lucy, her father and Fitz all find some closure from what has kept them from truly being happy. This is more a story just to make you feel good - and make you want to be a part of the Oceanview Home community. And Donahue's descriptions of all the flowers and building out a garden (or two) is icing on the cake.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 9, 2026
Every now and then I come across a book by an author I’ve never read before. And not only is it a good read, but it leaves me with a good feeling about life and people overall.
That’s the case with Meg Donohue’s latest novel “The Memory Gardener.” It’s a well-written, almost visual experience, with characters who are easy to relate to and care about.
Lucy Barnes has a gift. She’s a gardener with much more than a green thumb. She can discern which scent among the flowers she grows will return a person to a long-forgotten memory. Not unlike listening to a song that reminds us of an experience or event from days gone by.
Lucy also lives life as a nomad. She moves from town to town, job to job, renting furnished apartments and staying only as long as the project requires before moving on. And we learn early on that there’s something in Lucy’s past, something related to her unique floral ability, that she might be running from.
She returns home six months following her mother’s untimely death to find her father is a shell of his former self. After finding a note in her mother’s appointment calendar regarding a local assisted living facility, she takes on a one-month project to restore the facility’s four gardens. And in the process, awakens memories and restores color and life to the residents who had become listless in their existence.
But are all memories good ones? Should some be left to lie dormant? Lucy wrestles with those questions, and the seemingly contradictory words she recalls from her mother:
“If you can’t find magic, you must make it.”
“Be careful with your gift Lucy. Every action has a consequence.”
Donohue’s writing is vivid. You can almost smell the fragrances emanating from the gardens as you turn the pages. The narrative moves at a steady pace, and there’s even a surprise or two that I didn’t see coming, but which align nicely with the novel’s overall theme of healing, forgiveness, and living life to its fullest.
Five stars for “The Memory Gardener.” It is an excellent, feel-good novel.
And you can read all my reviews at my Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com) blog site. New reviews posted every Monday.
That’s the case with Meg Donohue’s latest novel “The Memory Gardener.” It’s a well-written, almost visual experience, with characters who are easy to relate to and care about.
Lucy Barnes has a gift. She’s a gardener with much more than a green thumb. She can discern which scent among the flowers she grows will return a person to a long-forgotten memory. Not unlike listening to a song that reminds us of an experience or event from days gone by.
Lucy also lives life as a nomad. She moves from town to town, job to job, renting furnished apartments and staying only as long as the project requires before moving on. And we learn early on that there’s something in Lucy’s past, something related to her unique floral ability, that she might be running from.
She returns home six months following her mother’s untimely death to find her father is a shell of his former self. After finding a note in her mother’s appointment calendar regarding a local assisted living facility, she takes on a one-month project to restore the facility’s four gardens. And in the process, awakens memories and restores color and life to the residents who had become listless in their existence.
But are all memories good ones? Should some be left to lie dormant? Lucy wrestles with those questions, and the seemingly contradictory words she recalls from her mother:
“If you can’t find magic, you must make it.”
“Be careful with your gift Lucy. Every action has a consequence.”
Donohue’s writing is vivid. You can almost smell the fragrances emanating from the gardens as you turn the pages. The narrative moves at a steady pace, and there’s even a surprise or two that I didn’t see coming, but which align nicely with the novel’s overall theme of healing, forgiveness, and living life to its fullest.
Five stars for “The Memory Gardener.” It is an excellent, feel-good novel.
And you can read all my reviews at my Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com) blog site. New reviews posted every Monday.
November 25, 2025
Everyone has things in their past they’d like to forget. Or have buried somewhere deep. But there are also those things that you wish you could remember. The good stuff.
Lucy is a landscape artist and gardener. She has the gift of more than a green thumb, she would almost claim that the scents of plants find her. Over her young life, Lucy has had mostly positive experiences with her gift. There is one time in her past that has led her to think that her gift can do more harm than good.
Maybe that’s why she’s avoided being home for any time. Her mom passed away just six months ago. Lucy has been on the road for years now. She finds a job, moves into low cost housing while she completes the job, and then moves on. When her last job ended, she headed home to Bantom Bay, a small town on the California coast.
What she finds when she gets there is a father who has not been taking care of himself. He doesn’t leave the house, which worries Lucy. She also finds her mom’s planner. In there is a visit to Oceanview Home, a place for seniors. When Lucy finds it, she also finds that they are looking for someone to renovate the gardens. Lucy is intrigued.
This was such a lovely novel. A story of a young woman trying to figure out the next steps in her life, alongside a lot of elderly people trying to survive their later years. Lucy is a kind and warm and so gracious to the people she comes in contact with. While she does have a gift, her greatest gift is her generosity of spirit.
The story flows well, carrying you through both trying times and happy times. The characters at the home are truly unique, and sometimes very sad. I will admit that parts of this book made me cry. Sometimes good cries, but sad as well. Meg Donohue has the ability to keep the reader engaged and excited about what’s to come.
I loved this book and will absolutely want to dive into some of her other work.
Lucy is a landscape artist and gardener. She has the gift of more than a green thumb, she would almost claim that the scents of plants find her. Over her young life, Lucy has had mostly positive experiences with her gift. There is one time in her past that has led her to think that her gift can do more harm than good.
Maybe that’s why she’s avoided being home for any time. Her mom passed away just six months ago. Lucy has been on the road for years now. She finds a job, moves into low cost housing while she completes the job, and then moves on. When her last job ended, she headed home to Bantom Bay, a small town on the California coast.
What she finds when she gets there is a father who has not been taking care of himself. He doesn’t leave the house, which worries Lucy. She also finds her mom’s planner. In there is a visit to Oceanview Home, a place for seniors. When Lucy finds it, she also finds that they are looking for someone to renovate the gardens. Lucy is intrigued.
This was such a lovely novel. A story of a young woman trying to figure out the next steps in her life, alongside a lot of elderly people trying to survive their later years. Lucy is a kind and warm and so gracious to the people she comes in contact with. While she does have a gift, her greatest gift is her generosity of spirit.
The story flows well, carrying you through both trying times and happy times. The characters at the home are truly unique, and sometimes very sad. I will admit that parts of this book made me cry. Sometimes good cries, but sad as well. Meg Donohue has the ability to keep the reader engaged and excited about what’s to come.
I loved this book and will absolutely want to dive into some of her other work.
February 15, 2026
This was my second book of February, and I gave it five stars out of five. It was so good. This isn’t typically the kind of book I gravitate toward since I usually read more romance, but this one completely pulled me in.
The story follows a gardener who has a sort of magical ability to help people recall memories through the scent of her flowers. She ends up taking a job at a nursing home, and while there’s much more to the backstory behind why she goes there, that’s really where the heart of the story unfolds.
The relationships she builds with the residents in this historic nursing home were just beautiful. I loved getting to learn about each person who lived there — their pasts, their personalities, the friendships they had with one another. The book is such a reminder to be patient and kind and present with people, especially those who are older and carry so many stories with them.
There is a small love interest woven into the story. It’s not the main focus, but it’s meaningful and definitely adds to the overall warmth of the book.
This story carried so many real emotions — loss, grief, happiness, healing. It is probably the first book that has ever made me cry both sad tears and happy tears. Toward the end, there were a couple moments that completely shocked me. I physically gasped. I had to clutch my chest because I truly did not see it coming. It was so well done.
It was also a very easy read. The writing flowed beautifully and each chapter begins with a little snippet about a different flower, its scent, and the feelings it evokes. I loved that detail. I could honestly see myself rereading this in the spring or early summer when everything is blooming.
You don’t have to be a gardener or even love flowers to enjoy this book. It’s just such a heartfelt, beautifully written piece of fiction that I think so many people could connect with. I highly recommend it.
The story follows a gardener who has a sort of magical ability to help people recall memories through the scent of her flowers. She ends up taking a job at a nursing home, and while there’s much more to the backstory behind why she goes there, that’s really where the heart of the story unfolds.
The relationships she builds with the residents in this historic nursing home were just beautiful. I loved getting to learn about each person who lived there — their pasts, their personalities, the friendships they had with one another. The book is such a reminder to be patient and kind and present with people, especially those who are older and carry so many stories with them.
There is a small love interest woven into the story. It’s not the main focus, but it’s meaningful and definitely adds to the overall warmth of the book.
This story carried so many real emotions — loss, grief, happiness, healing. It is probably the first book that has ever made me cry both sad tears and happy tears. Toward the end, there were a couple moments that completely shocked me. I physically gasped. I had to clutch my chest because I truly did not see it coming. It was so well done.
It was also a very easy read. The writing flowed beautifully and each chapter begins with a little snippet about a different flower, its scent, and the feelings it evokes. I loved that detail. I could honestly see myself rereading this in the spring or early summer when everything is blooming.
You don’t have to be a gardener or even love flowers to enjoy this book. It’s just such a heartfelt, beautifully written piece of fiction that I think so many people could connect with. I highly recommend it.
January 4, 2026
I was #gifted this book in 2025 by Gallery Books and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I got it. I decided to make it my first book of the year.
I am SO glad I did because I LOVED this book!! It was cute and magical and so Inspiring to real life.
🌼 “You’ll never find what comes next if you don’t take the first step.”
🪻”If you can’t find magic, you must make it.”
🐾 ”That’s the thing about about dogs- they’re too loyal or dependent or just plain simple in the very best way to care about all the awful things you’ve done in your life.”
🌹”When they underestimate you, they don’t see you coming. Use that to your advantage.”
✨🌹✨🪻✨🌷✨🪻✨🌹✨🌷✨🪻✨🌹✨🌷✨🪻
Lucy is gardener who has a magic with flowers. They call to her and she smell their scents from a ways away. She can also sense when someone has an affection with a certain flower and can send them back to memories. With some help from her mother, she ends up going to work at a retirement home.
I didn’t want to put this down and I found myself falling in love with all the characters! Marjorie and Cynthia were two of my favorites. I loved their relationship and I hope to one have a friendship like they did!! I love the way she knew Lucy would be perfect not only for her grandson Adam, but for Adam’s daughter Sophie, as well. 🥹🥹
Mr Fitz was such a character. His ornery old self made me fall in love with him, and seeing him befriend and ending up loving like she was a granddaughter Lucy, and seeing the way she let him and opened him up to seeing the world better was super sweet.
This book had some interesting twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and the ending had me squealing. If you love women’s fiction with a little magic and a lot of scheming, pick this one up! 🌼🌷💐🌻🪻🌹
I am SO glad I did because I LOVED this book!! It was cute and magical and so Inspiring to real life.
🌼 “You’ll never find what comes next if you don’t take the first step.”
🪻”If you can’t find magic, you must make it.”
🐾 ”That’s the thing about about dogs- they’re too loyal or dependent or just plain simple in the very best way to care about all the awful things you’ve done in your life.”
🌹”When they underestimate you, they don’t see you coming. Use that to your advantage.”
✨🌹✨🪻✨🌷✨🪻✨🌹✨🌷✨🪻✨🌹✨🌷✨🪻
Lucy is gardener who has a magic with flowers. They call to her and she smell their scents from a ways away. She can also sense when someone has an affection with a certain flower and can send them back to memories. With some help from her mother, she ends up going to work at a retirement home.
I didn’t want to put this down and I found myself falling in love with all the characters! Marjorie and Cynthia were two of my favorites. I loved their relationship and I hope to one have a friendship like they did!! I love the way she knew Lucy would be perfect not only for her grandson Adam, but for Adam’s daughter Sophie, as well. 🥹🥹
Mr Fitz was such a character. His ornery old self made me fall in love with him, and seeing him befriend and ending up loving like she was a granddaughter Lucy, and seeing the way she let him and opened him up to seeing the world better was super sweet.
This book had some interesting twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and the ending had me squealing. If you love women’s fiction with a little magic and a lot of scheming, pick this one up! 🌼🌷💐🌻🪻🌹
January 6, 2026
If you're feeling a little blue after the holidays and need some color in your life, The Memory Gardener by Meg Donohue will put a little spring in your step. It's about a gardener Lucy who possesses a special gift to grant other people access to vivid memories from their past with the whiff of a flower or herb associated with that time, person, or circumstance. After her mom passes away, she returns to her Northern California childhood home to take care of her dad. She never stays long in one place but now decides to stay for a while and takes a job at a senior citizen home to rehabilitate their overgrown gardens.
What a delightful book! Each chapter starts with a description of a beautiful or fragrant flower or herb. The meaning behind the flowers contributes to what happens in many of the chapters. So many of the descriptions of the flowers, gardens, and scents give you a sense of peace and make you wish to stroll through botanical gardens or wish for those heady spring or summer days. I found the pages to be full of serene descriptions that add to the writing.
The story contains many different characters, including a dog, and varied plotlines, and they're all charming and come with their own twists. Many of the principal characters come from the retirement home, and you learn how they all come together to support each other and the other events that occur in the book. It's heartwarming and sad at times but enjoyable to see relationships repair and develop.
Although I take my time with most books, this charming novel can be read in a quick weekend. It's not too long, engaging, and written with lyrical prose that matches the descriptions of the flora outdoors. I found it a breath of fresh air amid the cold temperatures and letdown after the holidays.
What a delightful book! Each chapter starts with a description of a beautiful or fragrant flower or herb. The meaning behind the flowers contributes to what happens in many of the chapters. So many of the descriptions of the flowers, gardens, and scents give you a sense of peace and make you wish to stroll through botanical gardens or wish for those heady spring or summer days. I found the pages to be full of serene descriptions that add to the writing.
The story contains many different characters, including a dog, and varied plotlines, and they're all charming and come with their own twists. Many of the principal characters come from the retirement home, and you learn how they all come together to support each other and the other events that occur in the book. It's heartwarming and sad at times but enjoyable to see relationships repair and develop.
Although I take my time with most books, this charming novel can be read in a quick weekend. It's not too long, engaging, and written with lyrical prose that matches the descriptions of the flora outdoors. I found it a breath of fresh air amid the cold temperatures and letdown after the holidays.
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