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El jardín de algún día
Sophie Drear planea su escapada a la costa de Maine para pasar el verano (un trabajo temporal para revitalizar los históricos jardines de Lilymoor House). Lo último que esperaba allí era enamorarse.
Y, sin embargo, se enamora. De la seductora propiedad, de las fragantes flores y del imponente Laberinto. De sus peculiares compañeros de trabajo y de la enigmática propietaria del lugar.
Pero entonces, aparece la puerta. Nunca lo hace dos veces en el mismo lugar. Una puerta que la conduce a un jardín secreto e inacabado, en cuyo interior hay un hombre atrapado. Un hombre frustrado, como una tormenta contenida.
Este misterioso jardín no es la única señal de que el futuro de Lilymoor es incierto. Las plantas se resisten a los cuidados de Sophie, las enredaderas amenazan con estrangular los setos del Laberinto y la dueña de la mansión tiene ideas descabelladas sobre quién tomará el relevo cuando se jubile. Y, por si eso fuera poco, también está el sobrino, con su irresistible e inoportuno atractivo, que aparece para pasar el verano.
En contra de su voluntad, Sophie acaba preocupándose por los residentes de Lilymoor tanto como se preocupa por sus terrenos. Y, con la ayuda de un hombre que está fuera del jardín secreto y de otro que está atrapado en su interior, tal vez sea la única persona capaz de descubrir exactamente lo que Lilymoor necesita para volver a florecer.
Y, sin embargo, se enamora. De la seductora propiedad, de las fragantes flores y del imponente Laberinto. De sus peculiares compañeros de trabajo y de la enigmática propietaria del lugar.
Pero entonces, aparece la puerta. Nunca lo hace dos veces en el mismo lugar. Una puerta que la conduce a un jardín secreto e inacabado, en cuyo interior hay un hombre atrapado. Un hombre frustrado, como una tormenta contenida.
Este misterioso jardín no es la única señal de que el futuro de Lilymoor es incierto. Las plantas se resisten a los cuidados de Sophie, las enredaderas amenazan con estrangular los setos del Laberinto y la dueña de la mansión tiene ideas descabelladas sobre quién tomará el relevo cuando se jubile. Y, por si eso fuera poco, también está el sobrino, con su irresistible e inoportuno atractivo, que aparece para pasar el verano.
En contra de su voluntad, Sophie acaba preocupándose por los residentes de Lilymoor tanto como se preocupa por sus terrenos. Y, con la ayuda de un hombre que está fuera del jardín secreto y de otro que está atrapado en su interior, tal vez sea la única persona capaz de descubrir exactamente lo que Lilymoor necesita para volver a florecer.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Ashley Poston
37 books27.5k followersNew York Times best-seller by day, fanfic author by night.
Viist her at www.ashposton.com.
Viist her at www.ashposton.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,833 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
— ∞/5 stars
I truly believe that the right book finds you at the right time and this one found me exactly when I needed it most. . I was feeling a little lost, a little unsure of myself, and somehow this story reached into that space and gently held it. It made me feel vulnerable in a way that wasn’t uncomfortable, but healing. You know how there are books we read… and then there are books that read us? This was one of those. It felt like I was seeing pieces of myself reflected back through the pages.
I honestly don’t know how to describe it more precisely than that, I found myself in this book. And when I say it’s become one of my new favorites, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I already knew Ashley Poston writes beautifully. Her words always feel soft and magical, like they wrap around your soul and refuse to let go even after you turn the last page. So loving this book wasn’t a surprise it was more of a quiet, satisfied “I knew it” moment.
Getting the ARC made the experience even more special. I truly didn’t expect to receive it, so when I did, I was over the moon, smiling, giggling, staring at my screen in disbelief. I didn’t even wait to start it. I opened it immediately because I just had to. And I’m so grateful I had the chance to read it early, because it turned out to be one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.
Nobody does magical realism quite like Ashley Poston. I’ll say it again, nobody. She has a way of blending the ordinary with the extraordinary so seamlessly that it feels real, like magic could slip into your life at any moment. This book was tender, emotional, and quietly powerful. And I’m so glad it found me when it did.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
This story follows Sophie Drear, a woman who feels completely untethered after losing her best friend, Harriet. Grief has hollowed her out, leaving her unsure of who she is or where she belongs. So she returns to the one place that still holds Harriet’s memory close, Lilymoor. Years ago, they had promised to meet there again in a decade, each bringing stories and surprises from the lives they had built. Ten years later, Sophie keeps that promise alone.
Lilymoor is the only place that still feels like home, the only place where Sophie feels even remotely connected to Harriet. Wanting to stay close to that feeling, she takes a job there as the head gardener. And as the days pass, she begins to realize that Lilymoor is more than just beautiful, it’s magical. People say the gardens can whisper the voice of your truest love, and Sophie slowly discovers that love doesn’t always mean another person. Sometimes, it means finding your way back to yourself.
Through tending the soil and nurturing the flowers, Sophie begins to heal in quiet, tender ways. She learns to trust herself again. She learns that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting. Losing a best friend is like losing a limb, it shifts your balance, your perspective, the way you see the world. The sky feels less blue, the ocean less endless. That’s the weight Sophie carries. But in Lilymoor’s gardens, she finds purpose. And purpose makes grief feel a little less sharp.
As the story unfolds, Sophie discovers something even more extraordinary, a hidden magical garden within Lilymoor, accessible only through a mysterious gate that never appears in the same place twice. Inside, a man is trapped, and freeing him becomes her new mission. It gives her direction, something to fight for, something to believe in.
And somewhere between chasing magic and honoring memory, Sophie realizes she has fallen in love, not just with the garden, but with the life she is building there. Lilymoor doesn’t erase her grief. It doesn’t pretend Harriet never existed. Instead, it helps Sophie carry that loss differently. It helps her feel seen, whole, and alive again.
➳ ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
╰┈➤ SOPHIE DREAR
For me, Sophie didn’t just feel like a character. She felt like me. I have never truly, not even once related to a fictional character the way I related to her. There’s something so quiet and gentle about Sophie, an aura that isn’t loud or dramatic, but deeply present. It makes you want to protect her, to understand her, to sit beside her in silence. And in so many ways, I saw myself in that silence.
The way she carried her grief felt painfully real. Especially when she says she didn’t let herself cry because she didn’t know who would put her back together again if she fell apart. That line stayed with me. Because sometimes grief isn’t just about missing someone, it’s about being terrified of unraveling with no one there to steady you.
As someone who has walked through a similar kind of loss, that moment hit me harder than I expected. It felt like the book reached into a place I rarely speak about and said, I see you.
This story made me feel seen in a way I didn’t even think books were capable of. It was tender and honest and raw without trying too hard. I’m so grateful I got to read it early, because I truly believe the right book finds you at the right time. And this one found me when I needed it most. It felt like a warm hug on a cold day. Like being wrapped up safely when everything feels overwhelming. There was comfort in it. There was magic in it.
Sophie was written so beautifully that she never felt fictional. She felt human. Real. Flawed. Grieving. Healing. And the way she spoke about Harriet, God. There’s a line where she mentions being asked a question that didn’t force her to repeat a eulogy, but instead made her remember Harriet as a person, as memories, not just someone who had died. That line broke me. It shifted something inside me.
I cried reading this book. And I am not an easy crier. I really am not. But this story pulled tears out of me more than once. And for me, that says everything. When a book can make you feel that deeply, when it can gently hold your grief and reflect it back to you with care, that’s something rare.
This book didn’t just tell a story. It understood me. And I’ll always be grateful for that.
╰┈➤ CYRUS BECK
Okay, I’m going to be completely honest here. As much as Cyrus is technically the main male character, I just didn’t connect with him the way I expected to. I know that sounds a little unfair, but my entire focus was on Sophie. She held my heart from the very beginning, and because of that, Cyrus sometimes felt more like he was orbiting her story rather than leading his own.
That doesn’t mean his pain wasn’t real. It absolutely was. The way he loved Lilymoor, the way returning there after tragedy felt both comforting and devastating for him, that was beautifully written. You could see how much the place meant to him, how it shaped him, how it felt like the only place where he could truly be himself. But for some reason, I struggled to emotionally attach myself to him in the same way I did with Sophie. At times, he felt more like an anchor in the background rather than the center of the narrative.
Still, I can’t deny that Cyrus was written with depth and care. The way he understood Sophie, truly understood her, was something special. He recognized her grief without forcing it. He met her in that quiet, fragile space and made her feel seen. And that matters. That tenderness, that quiet emotional intelligence, made him feel very human.
And I have to mention Oliver. Oliver was genuinely one of the sweetest parts of the book. There was something so warm and lovable about him that I couldn’t help but adore him.
What really stands out to me is that every single character in this story felt real. I don’t think there was one I genuinely disliked. Each of them was written with such softness and precision that they didn’t feel fictional. They felt like people you might know in real life, flawed, grieving, loving, healing. That’s rare. It’s rare to read a book where you can say you loved every character in some way.
So even though my heart belonged mostly to Sophie, I can appreciate how beautifully everyone was crafted.
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
Honestly, I think I knew I was going to love this book from the very first page. Ashley Poston does magical realism on a completely different level, it’s soft and surreal and somehow still painfully real. I went in expecting to enjoy it. I did not expect it to see me the way it did. I did not expect to feel this vulnerable, this understood, this gently exposed.
But here we are.
This book was truly, genuinely wonderful. Not just “good,” not just “beautifully written,” but the kind of wonderful that lingers in your chest long after you close it. The kind that makes you pause and just sit there for a moment.
I would highly, highly recommend this book, especially to anyone who feels a little lost. To anyone searching for an anchor. For purpose. For something that whispers, you’re not alone in this. This story feels like it was written for people who deeply want to be seen and understood. And not in a dramatic, loud way, but in a quiet, soul-deep way.
The last book I read by Ashley Poston was The seven year slip, and for the longest time I thought that one would remain my favorite forever. I was so sure of it. I was so confident. Turns out, I was completely wrong. This one has claimed that place so effortlessly. It has become my new favorite, and I love it so much that I already know I’ll reread it. Not because I have to. Just because I want to live in it a little longer.
And can we talk about how human the characters felt? None of them felt fictional. They felt like people I could meet, people I might already know. I was so deeply entranced that I finished the book in three to four days, which, during exam season, is basically a miracle. That’s not just reading. That’s devotion.
So yes, I cannot recommend this book enough.
⚘ "Overall, If you’re looking for a story that will make you feel seen, loved, understood, more human, then this is the one. It’s gentle. It’s magical. It’s grounding.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 11 February , 2026
another anticipated arc got approved hehe, who’s doing it like me 😌🤌🏻
I truly believe that the right book finds you at the right time and this one found me exactly when I needed it most. . I was feeling a little lost, a little unsure of myself, and somehow this story reached into that space and gently held it. It made me feel vulnerable in a way that wasn’t uncomfortable, but healing. You know how there are books we read… and then there are books that read us? This was one of those. It felt like I was seeing pieces of myself reflected back through the pages.
I honestly don’t know how to describe it more precisely than that, I found myself in this book. And when I say it’s become one of my new favorites, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I already knew Ashley Poston writes beautifully. Her words always feel soft and magical, like they wrap around your soul and refuse to let go even after you turn the last page. So loving this book wasn’t a surprise it was more of a quiet, satisfied “I knew it” moment.
Getting the ARC made the experience even more special. I truly didn’t expect to receive it, so when I did, I was over the moon, smiling, giggling, staring at my screen in disbelief. I didn’t even wait to start it. I opened it immediately because I just had to. And I’m so grateful I had the chance to read it early, because it turned out to be one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.
Nobody does magical realism quite like Ashley Poston. I’ll say it again, nobody. She has a way of blending the ordinary with the extraordinary so seamlessly that it feels real, like magic could slip into your life at any moment. This book was tender, emotional, and quietly powerful. And I’m so glad it found me when it did.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
This story follows Sophie Drear, a woman who feels completely untethered after losing her best friend, Harriet. Grief has hollowed her out, leaving her unsure of who she is or where she belongs. So she returns to the one place that still holds Harriet’s memory close, Lilymoor. Years ago, they had promised to meet there again in a decade, each bringing stories and surprises from the lives they had built. Ten years later, Sophie keeps that promise alone.
Lilymoor is the only place that still feels like home, the only place where Sophie feels even remotely connected to Harriet. Wanting to stay close to that feeling, she takes a job there as the head gardener. And as the days pass, she begins to realize that Lilymoor is more than just beautiful, it’s magical. People say the gardens can whisper the voice of your truest love, and Sophie slowly discovers that love doesn’t always mean another person. Sometimes, it means finding your way back to yourself.
Through tending the soil and nurturing the flowers, Sophie begins to heal in quiet, tender ways. She learns to trust herself again. She learns that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting. Losing a best friend is like losing a limb, it shifts your balance, your perspective, the way you see the world. The sky feels less blue, the ocean less endless. That’s the weight Sophie carries. But in Lilymoor’s gardens, she finds purpose. And purpose makes grief feel a little less sharp.
As the story unfolds, Sophie discovers something even more extraordinary, a hidden magical garden within Lilymoor, accessible only through a mysterious gate that never appears in the same place twice. Inside, a man is trapped, and freeing him becomes her new mission. It gives her direction, something to fight for, something to believe in.
And somewhere between chasing magic and honoring memory, Sophie realizes she has fallen in love, not just with the garden, but with the life she is building there. Lilymoor doesn’t erase her grief. It doesn’t pretend Harriet never existed. Instead, it helps Sophie carry that loss differently. It helps her feel seen, whole, and alive again.
➳ ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
╰┈➤ SOPHIE DREAR
For me, Sophie didn’t just feel like a character. She felt like me. I have never truly, not even once related to a fictional character the way I related to her. There’s something so quiet and gentle about Sophie, an aura that isn’t loud or dramatic, but deeply present. It makes you want to protect her, to understand her, to sit beside her in silence. And in so many ways, I saw myself in that silence.
The way she carried her grief felt painfully real. Especially when she says she didn’t let herself cry because she didn’t know who would put her back together again if she fell apart. That line stayed with me. Because sometimes grief isn’t just about missing someone, it’s about being terrified of unraveling with no one there to steady you.
As someone who has walked through a similar kind of loss, that moment hit me harder than I expected. It felt like the book reached into a place I rarely speak about and said, I see you.
This story made me feel seen in a way I didn’t even think books were capable of. It was tender and honest and raw without trying too hard. I’m so grateful I got to read it early, because I truly believe the right book finds you at the right time. And this one found me when I needed it most. It felt like a warm hug on a cold day. Like being wrapped up safely when everything feels overwhelming. There was comfort in it. There was magic in it.
Sophie was written so beautifully that she never felt fictional. She felt human. Real. Flawed. Grieving. Healing. And the way she spoke about Harriet, God. There’s a line where she mentions being asked a question that didn’t force her to repeat a eulogy, but instead made her remember Harriet as a person, as memories, not just someone who had died. That line broke me. It shifted something inside me.
I cried reading this book. And I am not an easy crier. I really am not. But this story pulled tears out of me more than once. And for me, that says everything. When a book can make you feel that deeply, when it can gently hold your grief and reflect it back to you with care, that’s something rare.
This book didn’t just tell a story. It understood me. And I’ll always be grateful for that.
╰┈➤ CYRUS BECK
Okay, I’m going to be completely honest here. As much as Cyrus is technically the main male character, I just didn’t connect with him the way I expected to. I know that sounds a little unfair, but my entire focus was on Sophie. She held my heart from the very beginning, and because of that, Cyrus sometimes felt more like he was orbiting her story rather than leading his own.
That doesn’t mean his pain wasn’t real. It absolutely was. The way he loved Lilymoor, the way returning there after tragedy felt both comforting and devastating for him, that was beautifully written. You could see how much the place meant to him, how it shaped him, how it felt like the only place where he could truly be himself. But for some reason, I struggled to emotionally attach myself to him in the same way I did with Sophie. At times, he felt more like an anchor in the background rather than the center of the narrative.
Still, I can’t deny that Cyrus was written with depth and care. The way he understood Sophie, truly understood her, was something special. He recognized her grief without forcing it. He met her in that quiet, fragile space and made her feel seen. And that matters. That tenderness, that quiet emotional intelligence, made him feel very human.
And I have to mention Oliver. Oliver was genuinely one of the sweetest parts of the book. There was something so warm and lovable about him that I couldn’t help but adore him.
What really stands out to me is that every single character in this story felt real. I don’t think there was one I genuinely disliked. Each of them was written with such softness and precision that they didn’t feel fictional. They felt like people you might know in real life, flawed, grieving, loving, healing. That’s rare. It’s rare to read a book where you can say you loved every character in some way.
So even though my heart belonged mostly to Sophie, I can appreciate how beautifully everyone was crafted.
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
Honestly, I think I knew I was going to love this book from the very first page. Ashley Poston does magical realism on a completely different level, it’s soft and surreal and somehow still painfully real. I went in expecting to enjoy it. I did not expect it to see me the way it did. I did not expect to feel this vulnerable, this understood, this gently exposed.
But here we are.
This book was truly, genuinely wonderful. Not just “good,” not just “beautifully written,” but the kind of wonderful that lingers in your chest long after you close it. The kind that makes you pause and just sit there for a moment.
I would highly, highly recommend this book, especially to anyone who feels a little lost. To anyone searching for an anchor. For purpose. For something that whispers, you’re not alone in this. This story feels like it was written for people who deeply want to be seen and understood. And not in a dramatic, loud way, but in a quiet, soul-deep way.
The last book I read by Ashley Poston was The seven year slip, and for the longest time I thought that one would remain my favorite forever. I was so sure of it. I was so confident. Turns out, I was completely wrong. This one has claimed that place so effortlessly. It has become my new favorite, and I love it so much that I already know I’ll reread it. Not because I have to. Just because I want to live in it a little longer.
And can we talk about how human the characters felt? None of them felt fictional. They felt like people I could meet, people I might already know. I was so deeply entranced that I finished the book in three to four days, which, during exam season, is basically a miracle. That’s not just reading. That’s devotion.
So yes, I cannot recommend this book enough.
⚘ "Overall, If you’re looking for a story that will make you feel seen, loved, understood, more human, then this is the one. It’s gentle. It’s magical. It’s grounding.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 11 February , 2026
another anticipated arc got approved hehe, who’s doing it like me 😌🤌🏻
June 8, 2026
before i picked this up, i said: i don't want to be dramatic but my summer comes down to whether i like this book.
so...f*ck.
https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...
i can't believe i'm saying this, but i hated this book from the start.
i used to have an impression of magical romance that it was corny and sentimental, getting too caught up in fantastical scenarios to develop a banter- and yearning-based love story of the type i prefer.
i put off reading the seven year slip for ages for that reason.
but then i read it, and that wasn't the case.
that one-off tricked me into reading several disappointing, boring, poorly written, unromantic reads.
none more than this one.
this is a frustrating, unromantic story in which nothing happens. there's no vibe. there's no likability. there's no charm. there's no plot. there's just a bunch of annoying and horrible people floating around an absolutely unreal (derogatory) feeling setting pissing each other off. and then suddenly i'm supposed to believe they're in love.
there's nothing i liked about this.
bottom line: i want to go back to the timeline where i never would have read this book.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
so...f*ck.
https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...
i can't believe i'm saying this, but i hated this book from the start.
i used to have an impression of magical romance that it was corny and sentimental, getting too caught up in fantastical scenarios to develop a banter- and yearning-based love story of the type i prefer.
i put off reading the seven year slip for ages for that reason.
but then i read it, and that wasn't the case.
that one-off tricked me into reading several disappointing, boring, poorly written, unromantic reads.
none more than this one.
this is a frustrating, unromantic story in which nothing happens. there's no vibe. there's no likability. there's no charm. there's no plot. there's just a bunch of annoying and horrible people floating around an absolutely unreal (derogatory) feeling setting pissing each other off. and then suddenly i'm supposed to believe they're in love.
there's nothing i liked about this.
bottom line: i want to go back to the timeline where i never would have read this book.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
July 23, 2026
Ashley Poston's writing is beautifullllll!!! EVERY part on grief and friendship was so incredibly written. There were so many quotes I wanted to highlight. Plus the magical garden was so atmospheric and unique.
The part I felt meh on was the romance 😭. I wanted to love the romance so much butttt I feel like the magic garden set-up really held the romance back. For a huge chunk of the book, the characters only interact for short periods at a time and most of that interaction is spent trying to figure out how to get him out of the garden he's trapped in. As the book went on they do spend more and more time together and get more personal. But for most of the book, they don't get to see each other in "real life" - like what each other is like after a stressful day at work, on a date, with each other's friends, etc. I had trouble wrapping my head around them having a deep connection when they only see each other in such narrow circumstances.
Overall though I still enjoyed the book!
The part I felt meh on was the romance 😭. I wanted to love the romance so much butttt I feel like the magic garden set-up really held the romance back. For a huge chunk of the book, the characters only interact for short periods at a time and most of that interaction is spent trying to figure out how to get him out of the garden he's trapped in. As the book went on they do spend more and more time together and get more personal. But for most of the book, they don't get to see each other in "real life" - like what each other is like after a stressful day at work, on a date, with each other's friends, etc. I had trouble wrapping my head around them having a deep connection when they only see each other in such narrow circumstances.
Overall though I still enjoyed the book!
August 22, 2026
i knew a secret garden would be deliciously whimsical, but the sweet and heartwarming nature of the story is just the cherry on top.
AP has a real talent for magical realism romance. its just the right blend and balance of elements for the story to not feel so fanciful and unbelievable, but instead like a lighthearted daydream.
i enjoyed sophies growth as a character. its minor - she only needs to learn a single lesson - but the magic garden is the perfect setting and cyrus is the perfect person to help her learn it.
so this is a wonderful book to pick up to briefly escape the world, but also remind you that life can be just as enjoyable as fiction.
↠ 4.5 stars
AP has a real talent for magical realism romance. its just the right blend and balance of elements for the story to not feel so fanciful and unbelievable, but instead like a lighthearted daydream.
i enjoyed sophies growth as a character. its minor - she only needs to learn a single lesson - but the magic garden is the perfect setting and cyrus is the perfect person to help her learn it.
so this is a wonderful book to pick up to briefly escape the world, but also remind you that life can be just as enjoyable as fiction.
↠ 4.5 stars
April 16, 2026
This was so cute! Secret garden vibes, this was such a tender story, perfect for a spring read.
Right off the bat, I was invested in the gardening plot. I wanted to see our project through, and was also loving the mystery behind this mysterious door to the secret garden (and the man inside). Everything just felt so inherently romantic, even outside the romance plot- because we literally have flowers EVERYWHERE.
I did eventually come to love the chemistry and romance between our characters, but it was a little iffy in the beginning. Felt like one of those romances that just went from 0-100 instantly. Like we had some cute banter moments and all of a sudden, our characters were using language like “falling for him” and it just felt way too quick! However, the substance did come later, and I did end up falling in love with them in the end. Bonus: the third act conflict was actually plot-driven and not just an annoying miscommunication! 🥳
I did get a little teary at the end, and overall loved the story! Also loved the little “untranslatable words” theme that was included chapter to chapter, in ways it gave each chapter a purpose.
Definitely a good one to jump into for a feel good, light read!
Right off the bat, I was invested in the gardening plot. I wanted to see our project through, and was also loving the mystery behind this mysterious door to the secret garden (and the man inside). Everything just felt so inherently romantic, even outside the romance plot- because we literally have flowers EVERYWHERE.
I did eventually come to love the chemistry and romance between our characters, but it was a little iffy in the beginning. Felt like one of those romances that just went from 0-100 instantly. Like we had some cute banter moments and all of a sudden, our characters were using language like “falling for him” and it just felt way too quick! However, the substance did come later, and I did end up falling in love with them in the end. Bonus: the third act conflict was actually plot-driven and not just an annoying miscommunication! 🥳
I did get a little teary at the end, and overall loved the story! Also loved the little “untranslatable words” theme that was included chapter to chapter, in ways it gave each chapter a purpose.
Definitely a good one to jump into for a feel good, light read!
June 29, 2026
3⭐ regretfully reporting that this was perfectly lovely… but i felt almost nothing!
the strongest part of this book for me was actually the grief aspect. sophie is mourning the loss of her best friend, and i appreciated the raw heartbreak in that storyline, even if a lot of the reflections on grief felt fairly familiar. i found myself rooting for sophie as she built new friendships with the people at lilymoor. though i do think grief stories can be hard when so much of the emotional weight rests on someone we barely got to know ourselves. it felt like a lot of telling rather than showing, and i would’ve loved more flashbacks so i could have missed harriett alongside sophie 💔
my favorite detail by far were the chapter titles! every chapter begins with an “untranslatable” word, and seeing how each one connected back to the story was such a sweet touch 🥹
but everything else… just felt bland? it def reads like fiction with subplots of romance so go in with the right expectations! the chemistry just wasn’t there for me & the central couple never really convinced me. there’s this half-baked love triangle aspect and we spend so little time with either love interest for so much of the book that having the triangle at all felt pretty unnecessary? i just needed more from cyrus! (which you cannot convince me is a sexy name)
and in general i just struggled to connect with the main characters because they all just felt too generic and nice. there weren’t many flaws or opinions or interesting edges to grab onto.
overall, i can absolutely see this working for readers who want something more soft, whimsical, and comforting! this one was undeniably a sweet story, it just didn’t quite captivate me like i had hoped it would 🤷♀️🪿
the strongest part of this book for me was actually the grief aspect. sophie is mourning the loss of her best friend, and i appreciated the raw heartbreak in that storyline, even if a lot of the reflections on grief felt fairly familiar. i found myself rooting for sophie as she built new friendships with the people at lilymoor. though i do think grief stories can be hard when so much of the emotional weight rests on someone we barely got to know ourselves. it felt like a lot of telling rather than showing, and i would’ve loved more flashbacks so i could have missed harriett alongside sophie 💔
my favorite detail by far were the chapter titles! every chapter begins with an “untranslatable” word, and seeing how each one connected back to the story was such a sweet touch 🥹
but everything else… just felt bland? it def reads like fiction with subplots of romance so go in with the right expectations! the chemistry just wasn’t there for me & the central couple never really convinced me. there’s this half-baked love triangle aspect and we spend so little time with either love interest for so much of the book that having the triangle at all felt pretty unnecessary? i just needed more from cyrus! (which you cannot convince me is a sexy name)
and in general i just struggled to connect with the main characters because they all just felt too generic and nice. there weren’t many flaws or opinions or interesting edges to grab onto.
overall, i can absolutely see this working for readers who want something more soft, whimsical, and comforting! this one was undeniably a sweet story, it just didn’t quite captivate me like i had hoped it would 🤷♀️🪿
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4 ⭐️ This is possibly the most heartfelt and healing book she's written yet. Soft and tender, the narrative is wrapped in warmth of a beautiful romance despite hard hitting themes of loss of a loved one due to cancer and the grief that comes afterwards. In a way, The Someday Garden, is like a fairytale in which adults can find sunshine and peace 🧡
Sophie Drear is hurting from the loss of her best friend, Harriet. When they were younger, they took a road trip to Odette, Maine to see the Lilymoor House and Gardens. Having fallen in love with the place, they promised to each other that they would meet here again ten years later...but 10 years later never happened. Harriet was diagnosed and succumbed to cancer. In search of something to hold on to, Sophie who is now a horticulturist working for THE Botanical Gardens, returns to Lilymoor for a summer gig. Lilymoor will always be a place that she holds dear in her heart because it keeps her connected to Harriet. One day while working and exploring the gardens, she walks through a door and stumbles into an inside garden where she meets Cyrus, the most handsome grump! He is reeling from his own trauma and grief and is kind of a loner himself. They soon discover that Cyrus, who goes by Rus, is trapped inside the magical garden for only a few hours but in Sophies time, its days! Meanwhile, there are other 'issues' that surround Sophie and Lilymoor and she has a lot of work cut out for herself this summer season! Can she ensure that Lilymoor thrives again while trying to heal herself?
My goodness, this story was so heartfelt. Ashley Poston tackles a difficult topic with so much tenderness and care, I really feel a lot of readers will find comfort and internal peace for themselves in this book. Reading about a person rediscovering herself after a loss of a friend felt incredibly raw and honest. I walked in Sophies shoes before, except it wasn't my friend who I lost to cancer, but my dad. He was my best friend, so I guess I can say it's all relevant--this story, Sophies character...all heartbreaking and comforting all at once.
Sophie was trapped in the painful memories of her best friend. She couldn't move forward, had a hard time opening up to others. Harriet felt like a secret she wanted to keep for herself. That in turn, made life a lot more difficult for her. It made it hard for her to move on; a part of her felt that by moving on, it means she would forget Harriet. This is where Rus comes in and saves her. He's someone who saw her failings and still thought she did her best. Never pushy and always supportive, just enough for her to not feel overwhelmed. I loved how organically their relationship progressed. They needed each other to understand that grief is not the end, that together its their forward.
When you bury yourself in grief, it's impossible to see some light through the cracks of its darkness. I just love how Poston nurtured something from all the chaos. How she allowed the story to naturally bloom in all the right places. She's my favorite writer in this genre! She created a dream like allure but at the same time weaved in real issues and real feelings that felt relevant! I also wanted to point out that this book felt educational. I learned a thing or two about flowers and their meaning in current times--their symbolism and awareness. Like for example: which flowers to gift when someone is in mourning or what each color of roses means and how to gift them properly. Just a thought..that even in fiction, there is a lot that can be taken away!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Ashley Poston for an early copy.
Publication date: June 16, 2026
Sophie Drear is hurting from the loss of her best friend, Harriet. When they were younger, they took a road trip to Odette, Maine to see the Lilymoor House and Gardens. Having fallen in love with the place, they promised to each other that they would meet here again ten years later...but 10 years later never happened. Harriet was diagnosed and succumbed to cancer. In search of something to hold on to, Sophie who is now a horticulturist working for THE Botanical Gardens, returns to Lilymoor for a summer gig. Lilymoor will always be a place that she holds dear in her heart because it keeps her connected to Harriet. One day while working and exploring the gardens, she walks through a door and stumbles into an inside garden where she meets Cyrus, the most handsome grump! He is reeling from his own trauma and grief and is kind of a loner himself. They soon discover that Cyrus, who goes by Rus, is trapped inside the magical garden for only a few hours but in Sophies time, its days! Meanwhile, there are other 'issues' that surround Sophie and Lilymoor and she has a lot of work cut out for herself this summer season! Can she ensure that Lilymoor thrives again while trying to heal herself?
My goodness, this story was so heartfelt. Ashley Poston tackles a difficult topic with so much tenderness and care, I really feel a lot of readers will find comfort and internal peace for themselves in this book. Reading about a person rediscovering herself after a loss of a friend felt incredibly raw and honest. I walked in Sophies shoes before, except it wasn't my friend who I lost to cancer, but my dad. He was my best friend, so I guess I can say it's all relevant--this story, Sophies character...all heartbreaking and comforting all at once.
Sophie was trapped in the painful memories of her best friend. She couldn't move forward, had a hard time opening up to others. Harriet felt like a secret she wanted to keep for herself. That in turn, made life a lot more difficult for her. It made it hard for her to move on; a part of her felt that by moving on, it means she would forget Harriet. This is where Rus comes in and saves her. He's someone who saw her failings and still thought she did her best. Never pushy and always supportive, just enough for her to not feel overwhelmed. I loved how organically their relationship progressed. They needed each other to understand that grief is not the end, that together its their forward.
When you bury yourself in grief, it's impossible to see some light through the cracks of its darkness. I just love how Poston nurtured something from all the chaos. How she allowed the story to naturally bloom in all the right places. She's my favorite writer in this genre! She created a dream like allure but at the same time weaved in real issues and real feelings that felt relevant! I also wanted to point out that this book felt educational. I learned a thing or two about flowers and their meaning in current times--their symbolism and awareness. Like for example: which flowers to gift when someone is in mourning or what each color of roses means and how to gift them properly. Just a thought..that even in fiction, there is a lot that can be taken away!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Ashley Poston for an early copy.
Publication date: June 16, 2026
May 4, 2026
this was the most perfect spring romance read EVER!!! it’s set in a magical garden, rufkm!!!! 🌹🌸💐🌺🌷🌻🥀🪷🪻
Ashley Poston has found her niche in romance writing and i’m so obsessed with it—no one does the romance & magical realism blend quite like her!!! it feels so effortless to the story and weaves together so well that you almost forget there is magic! she reminds me a lot of Rebecca Serle in this way (who i’m also obsessed with).
while this is a romance, to me this one was actually more about the female MC and her coming of age/finding herself after a devastating loss. there is a lot of grief and the MC is dealing with how she can possibly move on and start living a life that is different from how it was before. she wrote that so beautifully!
then you have the romance which was definitely a slow burn. upon finishing, i honestly wanted even more from that plot! the ending wrapped up quickly for the slow burn romance/mystery of the garden so i selfishly wanted 2-3 more chapters there.
TLDR: this book was hopeful, funny at parts and super cute. lovedddd the setting and honestly it’s perfect for spring 🌼 she remains an auto buy author for me!! her books are so calming and feel like a big hug.
thanks to Berkley for the gifted early copy
Ashley Poston has found her niche in romance writing and i’m so obsessed with it—no one does the romance & magical realism blend quite like her!!! it feels so effortless to the story and weaves together so well that you almost forget there is magic! she reminds me a lot of Rebecca Serle in this way (who i’m also obsessed with).
while this is a romance, to me this one was actually more about the female MC and her coming of age/finding herself after a devastating loss. there is a lot of grief and the MC is dealing with how she can possibly move on and start living a life that is different from how it was before. she wrote that so beautifully!
then you have the romance which was definitely a slow burn. upon finishing, i honestly wanted even more from that plot! the ending wrapped up quickly for the slow burn romance/mystery of the garden so i selfishly wanted 2-3 more chapters there.
TLDR: this book was hopeful, funny at parts and super cute. lovedddd the setting and honestly it’s perfect for spring 🌼 she remains an auto buy author for me!! her books are so calming and feel like a big hug.
thanks to Berkley for the gifted early copy
August 22, 2026
Eeeep!!! This book was SO good, magical, and dreamy 🥹🫶
Ashley Poston did it again!!!! I’m totally obsessed with this book 🙂↕️🫶 Tho, not as obsessed as I was with The Seven Year Slip, but very, very close 🥹🥹
Sophie Drear is officially one of my favorite FMCs 🙂↕️🤭 Her struggles, hard work, and promises were some of my favorite parts of the book 🥹 She made me fall in love with her immediately 🙂↕️ Not once did I feel annoyed by her 🥹🫂
Cyrus, aka Rus, is also officially one of my favorite MMCs 🤭🤭 His character was written so well. At first, I liked Oliver—and I still do!!! But when I found out that there was supposedly going to be a love triangle, I was pretty scared 😭 YKWIM. But then Rus was introduced, and I immediately fell for him 🥹🥹 Rus has this persona that makes you find yourself slowly getting closer to him 🙂↕️🫶
I still like Oliver, but not more than Rus 🙂↕️ Both of them are such good characters, and I love that Oliver found someone else 🥹🫶
The main topic—grief—was discussed so beautifully in this book 🥹🫂 I loved how thoughtfully it was handled. And the writing style, as usual, was amazing 🤭🥹 Ashley Poston is definitely one of my favorite authors now.
And I want to thank my gorgeous bestie, Thea, for buddy-reading this with me 🥹🫶 I had so much fun doing this readathon with you 🫂🫶 We should totally do this again with another author 🤭💋 ILYSMMMM!!!! 🥹🫶
Overall, this was a perfect book 🙂↕️🫶 Ashley Poston can truly do no wrong when it comes to magical realism 🤭🫶
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶🧡
————————————————————
₊ ˗ˋˏ꒰ঌ 🗝️ ໒꒱ྀིˎˊ˗ pre-read ₊ ˗ˋˏ꒰ঌ 🗝️ ໒꒱ྀིˎˊ˗
Buddy reading with my gorgeous bestie Thea 🥹🧡 Ashley Poston is dropping banger after banger in our readathon, so I’m hoping for the same with this book 🙂↕️
Ashley Poston did it again!!!! I’m totally obsessed with this book 🙂↕️🫶 Tho, not as obsessed as I was with The Seven Year Slip, but very, very close 🥹🥹
Sophie Drear is officially one of my favorite FMCs 🙂↕️🤭 Her struggles, hard work, and promises were some of my favorite parts of the book 🥹 She made me fall in love with her immediately 🙂↕️ Not once did I feel annoyed by her 🥹🫂
Cyrus, aka Rus, is also officially one of my favorite MMCs 🤭🤭 His character was written so well. At first, I liked Oliver—and I still do!!! But when I found out that there was supposedly going to be a love triangle, I was pretty scared 😭 YKWIM. But then Rus was introduced, and I immediately fell for him 🥹🥹 Rus has this persona that makes you find yourself slowly getting closer to him 🙂↕️🫶
I still like Oliver, but not more than Rus 🙂↕️ Both of them are such good characters, and I love that Oliver found someone else 🥹🫶
The main topic—grief—was discussed so beautifully in this book 🥹🫂 I loved how thoughtfully it was handled. And the writing style, as usual, was amazing 🤭🥹 Ashley Poston is definitely one of my favorite authors now.
And I want to thank my gorgeous bestie, Thea, for buddy-reading this with me 🥹🫶 I had so much fun doing this readathon with you 🫂🫶 We should totally do this again with another author 🤭💋 ILYSMMMM!!!! 🥹🫶
Overall, this was a perfect book 🙂↕️🫶 Ashley Poston can truly do no wrong when it comes to magical realism 🤭🫶
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶🧡
————————————————————
₊ ˗ˋˏ꒰ঌ 🗝️ ໒꒱ྀིˎˊ˗ pre-read ₊ ˗ˋˏ꒰ঌ 🗝️ ໒꒱ྀིˎˊ˗
Buddy reading with my gorgeous bestie Thea 🥹🧡 Ashley Poston is dropping banger after banger in our readathon, so I’m hoping for the same with this book 🙂↕️
July 6, 2026
Loved!!! This made me feel the Ashley Poston magical butterflies that I haven’t felt since The Seven Year Slip. 🥹
June 30, 2026
this felt like a recycled version of The Seven Year Slip, though not as hard hitting.
i do love that Ashley Poston always handles grief with care and i ADORE how she writes magical realism, but this book didn’t really offer anything new compared to her previous story that i’ve read.
that being said, this was atmospheric and a lovely summer read. the garden setting was really beautiful.
the romance was meh. the weird love triangle set up was unnecessary. this is one of those instances where i won’t remember character names after a week.
i don’t have a ton to say on this one, unfortunately.
it was really lovely for the vibes but this didn’t hit me the way that The Seven Year Slip did.
solid 3 stars for what it was — it’s just not my favorite of hers.
i do love that Ashley Poston always handles grief with care and i ADORE how she writes magical realism, but this book didn’t really offer anything new compared to her previous story that i’ve read.
that being said, this was atmospheric and a lovely summer read. the garden setting was really beautiful.
the romance was meh. the weird love triangle set up was unnecessary. this is one of those instances where i won’t remember character names after a week.
i don’t have a ton to say on this one, unfortunately.
it was really lovely for the vibes but this didn’t hit me the way that The Seven Year Slip did.
solid 3 stars for what it was — it’s just not my favorite of hers.
June 25, 2026
★ ★ ★1/2
⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･ Promise?” She held up her pinkie finger, and I hooked mine through hers.
“Promise,” I replied, and I never broke a promise. ⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･
I should’ve known.
TW: cancer, grief
I had to restart this book 5 times because for some weird reason my brain refused to remember everything I read.
The reason I picked this up in the first place is because this book is said to be reminiscent of The Secret Garden. I loved that book as a child. It made me feel weirdly melancholic and happy at the same time. If you need proof that adults ruin (and by ruin I mean turn something that’s already beautiful into something richer) everything with their adult problems, this book has it in spades. For Poston who thought it was a good idea to put adults in a secret garden this time around, thank you
The Someday Garden is a story about a grieving horticulturist who takes a summer job at a crumbling seaside estate and discovers a magical garden hidden behind a door that appears where it shouldn't. Inside the garden is a man trapped by an old enchantment, a mystery decades in the making. What secrets does Lilymoor hold? Could this place be the birth of a future Sophie never imagined for herself?
This story is part romance, part fairy tale, and part story about finding your way back to life. It’s filled with magic, hope, love and the kind of whimsy that makes me wish hidden doors and secret gardens actually existed.
Unlike Mary Lennox, who is an insufferable child, our protagonist Sophie Drear is lovable and annoyingly humble. She is a horticulturist who doesn’t see the magic in what she does. She loves plants and enjoys her work, yet she fails to see the irony of downplaying the role she plays in nurturing life and helping things grow.
⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･ In short, I was good at gardening.
But if I was magical, then I could keep anyone alive just as well as I did flowers. But I couldn’t, and I didn’t. I simply knew what I could do well, and I burrowed myself into it. Water, soil, sunlight. Not magical. Just easy. Just predictable. ⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･
I killed a plant that thrives in poor soil and needs very little water to survive. So needless to say, I and my very dead Aloe Vera beg to differ, Sophie.
This book is so whimsical, and some of the quotes in here could breathe life into a body. Sometimes I think I’m too much of a water pot to be a reader. Reading about Sophie and Harrie’s relationship just kept the tears falling, and even my Kindle looked like it was crying with me. If you’re a pretty crier, you don’t know how lucky you are, because I really scared myself when I saw my reflection in the mirror.
This story felt like it was split into three parts for me, and I kind of enjoyed them separately more than I enjoyed it as a whole, which isn’t really a bad thing in this case, if that makes sense.
꧁🪷🌷🌸🌺🦩꧂
If you haven’t guessed it by now, Sophie’s friendship with Harrie was literally my favourite thing about this book.
⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･ She was an English major who wanted to write novels, though she wasn’t yet sure what kind. I was a biology major who, frankly, just wanted to play in the dirt.
We couldn’t be more different, but there is this feeling when you meet someone special. Like finding a lost puzzle piece and clicking it into place—there’s a certainty to it. A Yes, you are my person. The person you’re going to grow old beside. The person you want in your commune when the world goes to hell. The person who inherits the solemn duty of deleting your internet history when you die.
That person. ⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･
When I was younger, stories about friendship and finding your soulmate just seemed to find me. Now I actually have to go looking for them. It’s funny, because as an adult I care about friendships and human connection so much more. You start to realise how rare real bonds are, and how hard it is not just to make friends, but to keep them as life shifts. Like branches that once grew close enough to be intertwined, you slowly drift apart, not in absence of love but in a kind of surrender to the seasons changing. Sigh, this one hit me hard.
꧁🪷🌷🌸🌺🦩꧂
The romance between Sophie and our mystery MMC was the second part of what made this story special. I call him the mystery man because initially there’s a bit of a love triangle, but I always knew who it was going to be. The proof was in the details. I loved this romance. It was tender and beautiful, that right person at the right time kind of love.
꧁🪷🌷🌸🌺🦩꧂
The magical realism was a mixed bag for me. My usual issue with it is that the “how” is never really the point and the “why” behind it isn’t fully addressed sometimes. I felt that a bit here. I mean we can deduce the reason why mystery man is trapped in the secret garden by the end of the story but I was slightly underwhelmed by how everything was resolved and the explanations that were given in the end.
If you are a lover of languages and untranslatable words, this book will be a treat. Harrie’s quirk is that she collects untranslatable words, and my favourite word even popped up: saudade. I have loved it since I discovered it as a kid, and I think it’s beautiful that there are feelings that transcend language. It hints at the limits and the beauty of it, and everything that gets lost when we try to entrap emotion in words.
This next bit sounds problematic because I got on the internet and looked up every chapter title even though there’s a list with translations at the end of the book. I just had to look up each one for myself. Sometimes the words are explained in different ways, so I picked the explanations that moved me the most so I could keep them here for my future self to revisit. Until Bricoleur, I didn’t even realise the titles were actual words.
If you’re German, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I could tell which ones were of German origin 😂. None of these definitions are mine, I found them on the internet. If I messed up a translation, please let me know 🫶🏽
🌿✨🌙 ✧Harrie’s list/ translations for myself ✧ 🌙✨🌿
🌸 Fenwerh (German) ✧ wanderlust
📚 Bricoleur (French) ✧ handyman, one who builds with what is already there
💫 Cafuné (Brazilian Portuguese) ✧ the affectionate act of running your fingers through someone’s hair
🪟 Iktsuarpok (Inuit) ✧ the restless anticipation of going outside to check if someone is coming
🫀 Ya’aburnee (Arabic) ✧ “you bury me” — I love you so much you can bury me
🫶 Cigěrpare (Persian origin) ✧ someone you love as if they are part of your own body
🍃 Serendipity ✧ happy chance, finding something beautiful without searching
🌲 Waldeinsamkeit (German) ✧ the feeling of being alone in the woods, but not lonely
🕯️ Erklärungsnot (German) ✧ explanation poverty, the inability to explain oneself
🌼 Estrenar (Spanish) ✧ to use or wear something for the first time
🚶♀️ Flâner (French) ✧ to wander without purpose, just to observe
❓ Goya (Czech) ✧ ???
💔 Litost (Czech) ✧ the sudden ache of seeing your own misery
🤝 Taarradhin (Arabic) ✧ a compromise where everyone wins
🛡️ Trygghet (Swedish) ✧ safety, the feeling of being secure
🗣️ Yoko meshi (Japanese) ✧ the stress of speaking a foreign language
💘 Kilig (Filipino) ✧ the fluttering excitement of romantic moments
🌬️ Psithurism ✧ the whisper of wind through trees
🌕 Mångata (Swedish) ✧ moonlight forming a road on water
🙊 Mokita (Papua New Guinean) ✧ the thing everyone knows but no one says
❔ Pochemuchka (Russian) ✧ a person who asks too many questions
🌤️ Komorebi (Japanese) ✧ sunlight filtering through leaves
🕳️ Toska (Russian) ✧ an untranslatable ache for meaning
⏳ Esprit d’escalier (French) ✧ the comeback you think of too late
🌫️ Dustsceawung (Old English) ✧ dust as what used to be life
🏡 Hiraeth (Welsh) ✧ homesickness for a place you can’t return to
☕ Culaccino (Italian) ✧ the ring left by a cold glass
😌 Rire dans sa barbe (French) ✧ laughing quietly to yourself
📞 Prozvonit (Czech) ✧ calling and hanging up so they call you back
🌊 Mono no aware (Japanese) ✧ bittersweet beauty of impermanence
🔥 Jijivisha (Hindi) ✧ the intense desire to live fully
🌅 Petta reddast (Icelandic) ✧ it will all work out
🎯 Dapjeongneo (Korean) ✧ giving the answer someone already decided
🤍 Cwtch (Welsh) ✧ a safe, warm hug
🧳 Vacilando (Spanish) ✧ traveling for the journey, not the arrival
⏰ Tidsoptimist (Swedish) ✧ a time optimist, always late
🌊 Saudade (Portuguese) ✧ the presence of absence
🏰 Luftschloss (German) ✧ a castle in the air, a beautiful impossible dream
🧵 Guānxi (Chinese) ✧ the invisible web of relationships
🌑 Viraha (Sanskrit) ✧ separation, longing
🥀 Commovente (Italian) ✧ something deeply moving
🎭 Duende (Spanish) ✧ the raw spirit in art
🎁 Firgun (Hebrew) ✧ joy in someone else’s happiness
🐦 Gökotta (Swedish) ✧ waking early to listen to birdsong
⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･ Promise?” She held up her pinkie finger, and I hooked mine through hers.
“Promise,” I replied, and I never broke a promise. ⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･
I should’ve known.
TW: cancer, grief
I had to restart this book 5 times because for some weird reason my brain refused to remember everything I read.
The reason I picked this up in the first place is because this book is said to be reminiscent of The Secret Garden. I loved that book as a child. It made me feel weirdly melancholic and happy at the same time. If you need proof that adults ruin (and by ruin I mean turn something that’s already beautiful into something richer) everything with their adult problems, this book has it in spades. For Poston who thought it was a good idea to put adults in a secret garden this time around, thank you
The Someday Garden is a story about a grieving horticulturist who takes a summer job at a crumbling seaside estate and discovers a magical garden hidden behind a door that appears where it shouldn't. Inside the garden is a man trapped by an old enchantment, a mystery decades in the making. What secrets does Lilymoor hold? Could this place be the birth of a future Sophie never imagined for herself?
This story is part romance, part fairy tale, and part story about finding your way back to life. It’s filled with magic, hope, love and the kind of whimsy that makes me wish hidden doors and secret gardens actually existed.
Unlike Mary Lennox, who is an insufferable child, our protagonist Sophie Drear is lovable and annoyingly humble. She is a horticulturist who doesn’t see the magic in what she does. She loves plants and enjoys her work, yet she fails to see the irony of downplaying the role she plays in nurturing life and helping things grow.
⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･ In short, I was good at gardening.
But if I was magical, then I could keep anyone alive just as well as I did flowers. But I couldn’t, and I didn’t. I simply knew what I could do well, and I burrowed myself into it. Water, soil, sunlight. Not magical. Just easy. Just predictable. ⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･
I killed a plant that thrives in poor soil and needs very little water to survive. So needless to say, I and my very dead Aloe Vera beg to differ, Sophie.
This book is so whimsical, and some of the quotes in here could breathe life into a body. Sometimes I think I’m too much of a water pot to be a reader. Reading about Sophie and Harrie’s relationship just kept the tears falling, and even my Kindle looked like it was crying with me. If you’re a pretty crier, you don’t know how lucky you are, because I really scared myself when I saw my reflection in the mirror.
This story felt like it was split into three parts for me, and I kind of enjoyed them separately more than I enjoyed it as a whole, which isn’t really a bad thing in this case, if that makes sense.
꧁🪷🌷🌸🌺🦩꧂
If you haven’t guessed it by now, Sophie’s friendship with Harrie was literally my favourite thing about this book.
⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･ She was an English major who wanted to write novels, though she wasn’t yet sure what kind. I was a biology major who, frankly, just wanted to play in the dirt.
We couldn’t be more different, but there is this feeling when you meet someone special. Like finding a lost puzzle piece and clicking it into place—there’s a certainty to it. A Yes, you are my person. The person you’re going to grow old beside. The person you want in your commune when the world goes to hell. The person who inherits the solemn duty of deleting your internet history when you die.
That person. ⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･
When I was younger, stories about friendship and finding your soulmate just seemed to find me. Now I actually have to go looking for them. It’s funny, because as an adult I care about friendships and human connection so much more. You start to realise how rare real bonds are, and how hard it is not just to make friends, but to keep them as life shifts. Like branches that once grew close enough to be intertwined, you slowly drift apart, not in absence of love but in a kind of surrender to the seasons changing. Sigh, this one hit me hard.
꧁🪷🌷🌸🌺🦩꧂
The romance between Sophie and our mystery MMC was the second part of what made this story special. I call him the mystery man because initially there’s a bit of a love triangle, but I always knew who it was going to be. The proof was in the details. I loved this romance. It was tender and beautiful, that right person at the right time kind of love.
꧁🪷🌷🌸🌺🦩꧂
The magical realism was a mixed bag for me. My usual issue with it is that the “how” is never really the point and the “why” behind it isn’t fully addressed sometimes. I felt that a bit here. I mean we can deduce the reason why mystery man is trapped in the secret garden by the end of the story but I was slightly underwhelmed by how everything was resolved and the explanations that were given in the end.
If you are a lover of languages and untranslatable words, this book will be a treat. Harrie’s quirk is that she collects untranslatable words, and my favourite word even popped up: saudade. I have loved it since I discovered it as a kid, and I think it’s beautiful that there are feelings that transcend language. It hints at the limits and the beauty of it, and everything that gets lost when we try to entrap emotion in words.
This next bit sounds problematic because I got on the internet and looked up every chapter title even though there’s a list with translations at the end of the book. I just had to look up each one for myself. Sometimes the words are explained in different ways, so I picked the explanations that moved me the most so I could keep them here for my future self to revisit. Until Bricoleur, I didn’t even realise the titles were actual words.
If you’re German, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I could tell which ones were of German origin 😂. None of these definitions are mine, I found them on the internet. If I messed up a translation, please let me know 🫶🏽
🌿✨🌙 ✧Harrie’s list/ translations for myself ✧ 🌙✨🌿
🌸 Fenwerh (German) ✧ wanderlust
📚 Bricoleur (French) ✧ handyman, one who builds with what is already there
💫 Cafuné (Brazilian Portuguese) ✧ the affectionate act of running your fingers through someone’s hair
🪟 Iktsuarpok (Inuit) ✧ the restless anticipation of going outside to check if someone is coming
🫀 Ya’aburnee (Arabic) ✧ “you bury me” — I love you so much you can bury me
🫶 Cigěrpare (Persian origin) ✧ someone you love as if they are part of your own body
🍃 Serendipity ✧ happy chance, finding something beautiful without searching
🌲 Waldeinsamkeit (German) ✧ the feeling of being alone in the woods, but not lonely
🕯️ Erklärungsnot (German) ✧ explanation poverty, the inability to explain oneself
🌼 Estrenar (Spanish) ✧ to use or wear something for the first time
🚶♀️ Flâner (French) ✧ to wander without purpose, just to observe
❓ Goya (Czech) ✧ ???
💔 Litost (Czech) ✧ the sudden ache of seeing your own misery
🤝 Taarradhin (Arabic) ✧ a compromise where everyone wins
🛡️ Trygghet (Swedish) ✧ safety, the feeling of being secure
🗣️ Yoko meshi (Japanese) ✧ the stress of speaking a foreign language
💘 Kilig (Filipino) ✧ the fluttering excitement of romantic moments
🌬️ Psithurism ✧ the whisper of wind through trees
🌕 Mångata (Swedish) ✧ moonlight forming a road on water
🙊 Mokita (Papua New Guinean) ✧ the thing everyone knows but no one says
❔ Pochemuchka (Russian) ✧ a person who asks too many questions
🌤️ Komorebi (Japanese) ✧ sunlight filtering through leaves
🕳️ Toska (Russian) ✧ an untranslatable ache for meaning
⏳ Esprit d’escalier (French) ✧ the comeback you think of too late
🌫️ Dustsceawung (Old English) ✧ dust as what used to be life
🏡 Hiraeth (Welsh) ✧ homesickness for a place you can’t return to
☕ Culaccino (Italian) ✧ the ring left by a cold glass
😌 Rire dans sa barbe (French) ✧ laughing quietly to yourself
📞 Prozvonit (Czech) ✧ calling and hanging up so they call you back
🌊 Mono no aware (Japanese) ✧ bittersweet beauty of impermanence
🔥 Jijivisha (Hindi) ✧ the intense desire to live fully
🌅 Petta reddast (Icelandic) ✧ it will all work out
🎯 Dapjeongneo (Korean) ✧ giving the answer someone already decided
🤍 Cwtch (Welsh) ✧ a safe, warm hug
🧳 Vacilando (Spanish) ✧ traveling for the journey, not the arrival
⏰ Tidsoptimist (Swedish) ✧ a time optimist, always late
🌊 Saudade (Portuguese) ✧ the presence of absence
🏰 Luftschloss (German) ✧ a castle in the air, a beautiful impossible dream
🧵 Guānxi (Chinese) ✧ the invisible web of relationships
🌑 Viraha (Sanskrit) ✧ separation, longing
🥀 Commovente (Italian) ✧ something deeply moving
🎭 Duende (Spanish) ✧ the raw spirit in art
🎁 Firgun (Hebrew) ✧ joy in someone else’s happiness
🐦 Gökotta (Swedish) ✧ waking early to listen to birdsong
November 29, 2025
[arc review] ashley poston is one of those authors that has discovered her niche, and with every new release, proves time and time again why she’s so good at it.
I’ve been a huge fan since I read the dead romantics in 2023, and have enjoyed everything she’s released since—this novel being no different.
the someday garden follows sophie drear as she fulfills the promise she made with her best friend to visit the infamous lilymoor 10 years after they graduate—no matter where in life they end up. except this time she’s alone, and bearing the grief of losing harriet since her last visit.
sophie and harriet had theorised about how the gardens at lilymoor harbour a hidden magic.
it isn’t until sophie visits for the second time that she realises that it isn’t just a conspiracy theory—there is magic at lilymoor, and behind the blue door that appears in different locations, is a man stuck, and he needs her help to get out.
the way ashley writes has you so immersed; weaving intricacies that leave you feeling connected with the characters as they tackle such raw issues head on, but in a way that is treated so delicately.
ashley poston takes you on a journey of grief, finding strength, and learning how to live with it—not die in it.
I really enjoyed this and finished it in one sitting. I kept saying one more chapter until the end, and I still found myself wanting more.
sophie is one of those characters that has been written with so much care and attention. I liked how as the story progressed, she started to find herself again. I wanted her happy ending, and the ending was so fulfilling.
I equally loved the banter between sophie and cyrus, and the side characters each played their part in the story so well.
at the end of the day, I’m a simple woman—if ashley poston writes it, I will read it.
thank you HQ for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
I’ve been a huge fan since I read the dead romantics in 2023, and have enjoyed everything she’s released since—this novel being no different.
the someday garden follows sophie drear as she fulfills the promise she made with her best friend to visit the infamous lilymoor 10 years after they graduate—no matter where in life they end up. except this time she’s alone, and bearing the grief of losing harriet since her last visit.
sophie and harriet had theorised about how the gardens at lilymoor harbour a hidden magic.
it isn’t until sophie visits for the second time that she realises that it isn’t just a conspiracy theory—there is magic at lilymoor, and behind the blue door that appears in different locations, is a man stuck, and he needs her help to get out.
the way ashley writes has you so immersed; weaving intricacies that leave you feeling connected with the characters as they tackle such raw issues head on, but in a way that is treated so delicately.
ashley poston takes you on a journey of grief, finding strength, and learning how to live with it—not die in it.
I really enjoyed this and finished it in one sitting. I kept saying one more chapter until the end, and I still found myself wanting more.
sophie is one of those characters that has been written with so much care and attention. I liked how as the story progressed, she started to find herself again. I wanted her happy ending, and the ending was so fulfilling.
I equally loved the banter between sophie and cyrus, and the side characters each played their part in the story so well.
at the end of the day, I’m a simple woman—if ashley poston writes it, I will read it.
thank you HQ for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
July 10, 2026
‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𐦍༘⋆ “𝓜𝓪𝔂𝓫𝓮, 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵.” ₊˚⛅.ೃ࿔*:🌻･
this book holds a special place in my heart because it reminded me so so much of my precious estie bestie, god bless her soul 🕊️.
plot: gardener sophie loses her bestie harriet and returns to intern at lilymoor, the secret garden-inspired manor where they promised to meet 10 years earlier. i teared up when sophie mentioned how much she missed her bestie. i was hooked by the love triangle, the someday garden, and cyrusss. a beautiful mix of romance, grief, and magic. seven year slip is still ashley poston's best book but this is a close second
estie you are the harriet to my sophie 💜🖤
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 🍊🧡✨
almost squealed when i found this at the library
this book holds a special place in my heart because it reminded me so so much of my precious estie bestie, god bless her soul 🕊️.
plot: gardener sophie loses her bestie harriet and returns to intern at lilymoor, the secret garden-inspired manor where they promised to meet 10 years earlier. i teared up when sophie mentioned how much she missed her bestie. i was hooked by the love triangle, the someday garden, and cyrusss. a beautiful mix of romance, grief, and magic. seven year slip is still ashley poston's best book but this is a close second
estie you are the harriet to my sophie 💜🖤
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 🍊🧡✨
almost squealed when i found this at the library
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
ughhh i was worried that this wouldn’t be a five star read for me (ashley poston became one of my fav authors in 2025 and all of her books were five stars for me), but the last 10 pages or so solidified why i should trust in poston’s process.
as usual, ashley poston writes beautiful magical realism novels that focus on so many different types of love. in the someday garden, sophie drear returns to the beloved garden lillymoor that she and her best friend harrie visited 10 years ago, only this time she returns as the head gardener, and without her best friend.
sophie grapples with the loss of her best friend and drifts through life without much passion until she stumbles upon a door to a hidden garden during lillymoor’s golden hour, and finds a handsome but rude man seemingly stuck in the garden.
i especially loved how each chapter was titled an “untranslatable” word, with the full list being featured at the end of the book.
i’m very excited to hear ashley poston speak about this book in june!
ughhh i was worried that this wouldn’t be a five star read for me (ashley poston became one of my fav authors in 2025 and all of her books were five stars for me), but the last 10 pages or so solidified why i should trust in poston’s process.
as usual, ashley poston writes beautiful magical realism novels that focus on so many different types of love. in the someday garden, sophie drear returns to the beloved garden lillymoor that she and her best friend harrie visited 10 years ago, only this time she returns as the head gardener, and without her best friend.
sophie grapples with the loss of her best friend and drifts through life without much passion until she stumbles upon a door to a hidden garden during lillymoor’s golden hour, and finds a handsome but rude man seemingly stuck in the garden.
i especially loved how each chapter was titled an “untranslatable” word, with the full list being featured at the end of the book.
i’m very excited to hear ashley poston speak about this book in june!
June 26, 2026
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ TL;DR: Another romance that belongs on my favorites shelf because this was such a beautiful and amazing book. 🥹
〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Something in The Heavens by Lewis Capaldi 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 0:20 ─ㅇ───── 3:17
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ Are all of Ashley Poston’s books like this? If so, why have I not read them?? What am I waiting for? Because, my God, this was soooo good! 😭
I don’t even know what to say, honestly, that will articulate how I feel about this book, so I'll do my best.
This is a perfect summer read that not only has magical realism but romance, character growth, and heartwarming moments that bring a tear to your eye. Sophie, our protagonist, was awesome. I usually always have something to say about characters (especially their flaws and shortcomings), but I understood every decision she made and every word she spoke, and I related to her fears. But not only that, she grew as a character. She wasn’t the same Sophie from the beginning of the book as she was at the end of the book. And, gosh, I just wanted to give her a big hug. I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose your best friend.
ꕥ “We couldn’t be more different, but there is this feeling when you meet someone special. Like finding a lost puzzle piece and clicking it into place–there’s a certainty to it. A Yes, you are my person. The person you’re going to grow old beside. The person you want in your commune when the world goes to hell. The person who inherits the solemn duty of deleting your internet history when you die. That person. I knew it would be Harrie the moment I met her.” ꕥ
Okay, I’m gonna go sob real quick.
And her job as a horticulturist? So cool. Granted, I’m not the biggest fan of plants, no matter how much of a fan plants are of me. I couldn’t kill one even if I tried. (Don’t worry–I haven’t tried to…intentionally.) But either way, learning about plants and their meaning and how beautiful they look was fun, and I really enjoyed it. 🪴
And the other characters were amazing as well. Whenever Sophie, Juliette, and Wykofski were together, I had a smile on my face. Eula and Oliver were also great–I really enjoyed their characters too (especially Eula. 🤭) Ugh, they were all just so fun to read about! I can’t get enough of them! 🥹
And, of course, I can’t forget Cyrus. I’m glad he went through some character growth too because he needed it, lol. But, honestly, all he has to do is put on those glasses of his, and I’d forgive him in an instant. 😂
The writing in here was so damn good. I highlighted so many sentences, and I wish I could share them all in this review, but what fun would that be? You’ll have to read the book to find your own tidbits of gold that will make you want to tattoo them on your forehead. And the romance? Ooh, girl, don’t get me started on that one. I’ll be here all day telling you how sweet and cute it was, making me scream and cry and giggle like I completely lost it. And do you know why? There was no miscommunication! The characters talked it out like mature adults, and I didn’t pull my hair out or throw my phone into the great unknown.
*heavy sigh* Communication is such a beautiful thing.
Everything about this was just fantastic. I was hooked from the very beginning, and I was so sad when it ended. I legitimately teared up at the end because it was just so gosh darn beautiful. But, of course, it was a hundred times better reading it with Gillian. Thank you so, so much for reading this with me, my lovely bestie! I had soooo much fun. 🥰🫶🏼
ꕥ “‘I’m glad it was you who walked through that door,’ he whispered. ‘I’m glad it was you.’ And in those words, I heard a permission I hadn’t given myself in a very long time–to be messy and awful and undone. To be human. To be hurting. To be alive.” ꕥ
ꕥ “‘Sprout, it’s a privilege to waste time–waste as much of it as you can. On things you love, on things you enjoy, on moments that make you so happy you could burst. And in the end, if you do it right, none of it will have been a waste at all.’” ꕥ
《 Content Warnings 》
Death of loved one(s).
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)
〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Something in The Heavens by Lewis Capaldi 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 0:20 ─ㅇ───── 3:17
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ Are all of Ashley Poston’s books like this? If so, why have I not read them?? What am I waiting for? Because, my God, this was soooo good! 😭
I don’t even know what to say, honestly, that will articulate how I feel about this book, so I'll do my best.
This is a perfect summer read that not only has magical realism but romance, character growth, and heartwarming moments that bring a tear to your eye. Sophie, our protagonist, was awesome. I usually always have something to say about characters (especially their flaws and shortcomings), but I understood every decision she made and every word she spoke, and I related to her fears. But not only that, she grew as a character. She wasn’t the same Sophie from the beginning of the book as she was at the end of the book. And, gosh, I just wanted to give her a big hug. I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose your best friend.
ꕥ “We couldn’t be more different, but there is this feeling when you meet someone special. Like finding a lost puzzle piece and clicking it into place–there’s a certainty to it. A Yes, you are my person. The person you’re going to grow old beside. The person you want in your commune when the world goes to hell. The person who inherits the solemn duty of deleting your internet history when you die. That person. I knew it would be Harrie the moment I met her.” ꕥ
Okay, I’m gonna go sob real quick.
And her job as a horticulturist? So cool. Granted, I’m not the biggest fan of plants, no matter how much of a fan plants are of me. I couldn’t kill one even if I tried. (Don’t worry–I haven’t tried to…intentionally.) But either way, learning about plants and their meaning and how beautiful they look was fun, and I really enjoyed it. 🪴
And the other characters were amazing as well. Whenever Sophie, Juliette, and Wykofski were together, I had a smile on my face. Eula and Oliver were also great–I really enjoyed their characters too (especially Eula. 🤭) Ugh, they were all just so fun to read about! I can’t get enough of them! 🥹
And, of course, I can’t forget Cyrus. I’m glad he went through some character growth too because he needed it, lol. But, honestly, all he has to do is put on those glasses of his, and I’d forgive him in an instant. 😂
The writing in here was so damn good. I highlighted so many sentences, and I wish I could share them all in this review, but what fun would that be? You’ll have to read the book to find your own tidbits of gold that will make you want to tattoo them on your forehead. And the romance? Ooh, girl, don’t get me started on that one. I’ll be here all day telling you how sweet and cute it was, making me scream and cry and giggle like I completely lost it. And do you know why? There was no miscommunication! The characters talked it out like mature adults, and I didn’t pull my hair out or throw my phone into the great unknown.
*heavy sigh* Communication is such a beautiful thing.
Everything about this was just fantastic. I was hooked from the very beginning, and I was so sad when it ended. I legitimately teared up at the end because it was just so gosh darn beautiful. But, of course, it was a hundred times better reading it with Gillian. Thank you so, so much for reading this with me, my lovely bestie! I had soooo much fun. 🥰🫶🏼
ꕥ “‘I’m glad it was you who walked through that door,’ he whispered. ‘I’m glad it was you.’ And in those words, I heard a permission I hadn’t given myself in a very long time–to be messy and awful and undone. To be human. To be hurting. To be alive.” ꕥ
ꕥ “‘Sprout, it’s a privilege to waste time–waste as much of it as you can. On things you love, on things you enjoy, on moments that make you so happy you could burst. And in the end, if you do it right, none of it will have been a waste at all.’” ꕥ
《 Content Warnings 》
Death of loved one(s).
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)
July 8, 2026
i wish i cared about this more, but i started reading it right before going on a girls’ trip to see BTS in concert 4 times across 2 countries, and so i literally had better things to do than read it 🥲. i read the first 50% in tiny increments and the last half i read on the train ride home suffering from severe post-concert depression, so i wasn’t into it all that much 😭.
maybe i’ll spin it again one day. no real review here, just a basic ass rating down the middle(ish). i don’t think it was bad, so i don’t want to discourage anyone from reading it (if that’s even possible). it had its charm…but it just didn’t have me all that (personally) invested and i was distracted, so i don’t have all that much to say about it.
a few things though (because it’s me and i can’t write a nothing review to save my life — the curse of a yapper):
— one, i think that the faux love triangle this book tried to peddle was unnecessary;
— two, the chemistry between the fmc and both “love interests” (and yeah, even with the one who was so clearly the mmc) was a bit weak. not enough electricity and cohesion there, i fear. oliver was a distraction — more of a love decoy than a veritable love interest. the page time spent on him could have gone into developing the thing with cyrus more;
— three, the whole grief angle of losing your best friend to cancer has been done before (and recently too) in a way that was more impactful for me in promise me sunshine, so that aspect of this book, which i gather was supposed to be a major calling card for it, fell a bit flat because i’ve just…experienced it done way better and with stronger emotional pay-off; and
— lastly (a more petty remark): why was his (the mmc’s) name cyrus??? like, we couldn’t have cracked open the book of sexy mmc names and picked something else?! lawd. anyways…next.
maybe i’ll spin it again one day. no real review here, just a basic ass rating down the middle(ish). i don’t think it was bad, so i don’t want to discourage anyone from reading it (if that’s even possible). it had its charm…but it just didn’t have me all that (personally) invested and i was distracted, so i don’t have all that much to say about it.
a few things though (because it’s me and i can’t write a nothing review to save my life — the curse of a yapper):
— one, i think that the faux love triangle this book tried to peddle was unnecessary;
— two, the chemistry between the fmc and both “love interests” (and yeah, even with the one who was so clearly the mmc) was a bit weak. not enough electricity and cohesion there, i fear. oliver was a distraction — more of a love decoy than a veritable love interest. the page time spent on him could have gone into developing the thing with cyrus more;
— three, the whole grief angle of losing your best friend to cancer has been done before (and recently too) in a way that was more impactful for me in promise me sunshine, so that aspect of this book, which i gather was supposed to be a major calling card for it, fell a bit flat because i’ve just…experienced it done way better and with stronger emotional pay-off; and
— lastly (a more petty remark): why was his (the mmc’s) name cyrus??? like, we couldn’t have cracked open the book of sexy mmc names and picked something else?! lawd. anyways…next.
July 3, 2026
REVIEW TO COME AFTER I GATHER MY THOUGHTS❤😭🌺!!!!!!!!!!
🍭🧸🍓👯Buddy reading with my prettiest girl Cat🍭🧸🍓👯!!!!!!!!
🍭🧸🍓👯Buddy reading with my prettiest girl Cat🍭🧸🍓👯!!!!!!!!
Did Not Finish
July 5, 2026DNF @ 48% in
I want to love another Ashley Poston so badly, you have no idea!!!! I've given this author 5 stars in the past, but I've been let down by all her latest releases sadly. This book had great atmosphere, but I just couldn't get invested in the characters or the romance. And this book felt a lot more character heavy and less focused on the romance? It felt like more of a coming of age story about the protagonist and her journey as opposed to a romance, which is fine, just not really what I wanted from this.
Ashley Poston romance Rankings:
1) The Dead Romantics - 5 stars
2) The Seven Year Slip - 5 stars
3) Sounds Like Love - 2.5 stars
4) A Novel Love Story - 2.5 stars
5) The Someday Garden (DNF)
I want to love another Ashley Poston so badly, you have no idea!!!! I've given this author 5 stars in the past, but I've been let down by all her latest releases sadly. This book had great atmosphere, but I just couldn't get invested in the characters or the romance. And this book felt a lot more character heavy and less focused on the romance? It felt like more of a coming of age story about the protagonist and her journey as opposed to a romance, which is fine, just not really what I wanted from this.
Ashley Poston romance Rankings:
1) The Dead Romantics - 5 stars
2) The Seven Year Slip - 5 stars
3) Sounds Like Love - 2.5 stars
4) A Novel Love Story - 2.5 stars
5) The Someday Garden (DNF)
June 17, 2026
The Someday Garden follows Sophie Drear, who gets hired for the Summer to be the new Head Gardner at the captivating Lilymoor House. This enchanting property on the coast of Maine is one Sophie has been familiar with for years.
When Sophie's job at the New York Botanical Garden starts to feel stale, and she's offered the chance to work at Lilymoor for the Summer, she feels compelled to accept.
Lilymoor is just as lush and enchanting as she remembered, but the grounds are also in need of some TLC. It's not just her staying at the property either, there's a couple other staff members and the vibrant older woman who owns it.
As Sophie settles in, she feels renewed by the magical property. She can breath again, and she starts to really care about the future of Lilymoor and all who reside there.
The most fascinating aspect for Sophie is the door that appears, seemingly at random, allowing her to enter a secret garden. Within the secret garden is a handsome and mysterious man, seemingly trapped within its walls.
I don't feel like I'm doing a great job summarizing what you'll find within these pages, but honestly, it's a difficult one to try and describe. What I can tell you is how magical and emotional this story is. Poston certainly knows how to squeeze your heart to within an inch of its life.
Poston is the only author who consistently makes me cry, and I love her for it. The way she examines different kinds of love, not just romantic love, feels so special to me.
This is such a gorgeous novel. I was swept away to the Coast of Maine, an area I'm very familiar with, and absolutely came to adore everything about Lilymoor House and its quirky group of residents.
The Someday Garden has many different aspects to enjoy, but for me the emotional progression Sophie experiences during her time at Lilymoor truly stands out.
Prior to her arrival, she's suffered a terrible personal loss, and I feel like we got to see all aspects of her grief and self-discovery. The way Poston explored such a sensitive and relatable experience as grief, I cannot praise it enough. There's such care and grace in the way she tackles these types of topics. No one does it better.
I also feel like Poston has such a unique and magical sense of Contemporary storytelling. The tone she sets and the ability to pull a Reader in, it gets me every time. On the surface, this might not seem like my kind of book, but it certainly turned out to be. This now lives in my heart rent free.
I would definitely recommend this to Contemporary Romance Readers, particularly those who enjoy Magical Realism within their stories, or anyone who has enjoyed Ashley Poston's work in the past. This is right up there with The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Poston comes up with next. Her creativity knows no bounds!
When Sophie's job at the New York Botanical Garden starts to feel stale, and she's offered the chance to work at Lilymoor for the Summer, she feels compelled to accept.
Lilymoor is just as lush and enchanting as she remembered, but the grounds are also in need of some TLC. It's not just her staying at the property either, there's a couple other staff members and the vibrant older woman who owns it.
As Sophie settles in, she feels renewed by the magical property. She can breath again, and she starts to really care about the future of Lilymoor and all who reside there.
The most fascinating aspect for Sophie is the door that appears, seemingly at random, allowing her to enter a secret garden. Within the secret garden is a handsome and mysterious man, seemingly trapped within its walls.
I don't feel like I'm doing a great job summarizing what you'll find within these pages, but honestly, it's a difficult one to try and describe. What I can tell you is how magical and emotional this story is. Poston certainly knows how to squeeze your heart to within an inch of its life.
Poston is the only author who consistently makes me cry, and I love her for it. The way she examines different kinds of love, not just romantic love, feels so special to me.
This is such a gorgeous novel. I was swept away to the Coast of Maine, an area I'm very familiar with, and absolutely came to adore everything about Lilymoor House and its quirky group of residents.
The Someday Garden has many different aspects to enjoy, but for me the emotional progression Sophie experiences during her time at Lilymoor truly stands out.
Prior to her arrival, she's suffered a terrible personal loss, and I feel like we got to see all aspects of her grief and self-discovery. The way Poston explored such a sensitive and relatable experience as grief, I cannot praise it enough. There's such care and grace in the way she tackles these types of topics. No one does it better.
I also feel like Poston has such a unique and magical sense of Contemporary storytelling. The tone she sets and the ability to pull a Reader in, it gets me every time. On the surface, this might not seem like my kind of book, but it certainly turned out to be. This now lives in my heart rent free.
I would definitely recommend this to Contemporary Romance Readers, particularly those who enjoy Magical Realism within their stories, or anyone who has enjoyed Ashley Poston's work in the past. This is right up there with The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Poston comes up with next. Her creativity knows no bounds!
on-hold
June 15, 2026pre-read: I finally got my hands on this...reading it asap.
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update: omg it's outtttt, going to be reading it as soon as I get my hands on it.
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I've been so excited for this one...and it finally comes out tomorrow. 🤭
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update: omg it's outtttt, going to be reading it as soon as I get my hands on it.
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I've been so excited for this one...and it finally comes out tomorrow. 🤭
June 26, 2026
“The best stories are the ones that fill you with wonder. The ones you almost believe.”❤️
I absolutely loved this book! It was so beautiful! This was such a wonderful romance about friendship, love, family, finding purpose in life and learning to live again after a loss of a best friend. The Someday Garden follows Sophie a gardener who takes a job for the summer to clean up the grounds at famous Lilymoor House. One day she finds a secret garden with a man trapped inside. Can she discover the magic of the garden and help him before it's too late?
"Sprout, it's a privilege to waste time-waste as much of it as you can. On the things you love, on the things you enjoy, on moments that make you so happy you could burst. And in the end, if you do it right, none of it will have been a waste at all."
Thoughts
I fell in love with this stunning story and the characters from the very first page. The summer and spring vibes in this book were immaculate; the flowers in full bloom, lemonade and an outdoor garden party made the season come to life. I loved the hint of magic sprinkled into the story, it added an extra layer to the story. The plot was well thought out and I was engaged in the story the entire book. There were several plot twists that left me shocked and wanting to read more. The writing was beautiful, concise, descriptive and witty. The writing felt like a love letter to gardens, magic and true love. I felt so many emotions while reading this book; I smiled, laughed and cried. I appreciated the author's thoughtful and relatable discussion of grief. Poston showed that grief can effect everyday life and and everyone deals with it in different ways. I can relate because I have faced the loss of several of my grandparents. The ending was heartwarming and I loved that there was time for reflection on love and life.
"The garden were magical, that sometimes you could hear the voice of your truest love."
Characters
I loved Sophie, she was hardworking, thoughtful, kind, resilient, brave, and passionate about gardening. Sophie's character development was amazing, at the beginning she was lost and didn't have passion about her career or life but at the end she found both. I'm in love with Cyrus, he was hardworking, smart, witty, sweet, and resilient. I loved how sweet he was to Sophie, I swooned at several of the things he said to her. The scene with the glasses made me swoon. 🤭 Cyrus' character development was great, at first he was gruff, not very friendly but then he showed how kind he really was. The side characters were awesome, especially Oliver, Juliette, Eula, and Wykofski. The interactions between Sophie, Juliette and Wykofski were so sweet, I laughed at many of the scenes with them. I loved how each character had their own unique personality and were an important part to the story.
"We couldn't be more different. but there is this feeling when you meet someone special. Like finding a lost puzzle piece and clicking it into place-there's certainty to it. A Yes, you are my person. The person you're going to grow old beside."
Romance
I loved the slow-burn romance, I was so glad that it took a while for the love interests to fall in love. The banter between Sophie and her man was amazing, I giggled so much! The chemistry and tension was also excellent. I loved that they communicated effectively about their feelings for each other. I'm so glad that there was no third-act break-up or miscommunication. I loved how Sophie and her man treated each other, they let each other be themselves with trying to change anything.
Thank you so much to my lovely bestie Sarah for buddy reading with me!! ❤️🥰 I had so much fun discovering the secrets of the garden and falling in love with the romantic interest with you! ❤️😄
I absolutely loved this book! It was so beautiful! This was such a wonderful romance about friendship, love, family, finding purpose in life and learning to live again after a loss of a best friend. The Someday Garden follows Sophie a gardener who takes a job for the summer to clean up the grounds at famous Lilymoor House. One day she finds a secret garden with a man trapped inside. Can she discover the magic of the garden and help him before it's too late?
"Sprout, it's a privilege to waste time-waste as much of it as you can. On the things you love, on the things you enjoy, on moments that make you so happy you could burst. And in the end, if you do it right, none of it will have been a waste at all."
Thoughts
I fell in love with this stunning story and the characters from the very first page. The summer and spring vibes in this book were immaculate; the flowers in full bloom, lemonade and an outdoor garden party made the season come to life. I loved the hint of magic sprinkled into the story, it added an extra layer to the story. The plot was well thought out and I was engaged in the story the entire book. There were several plot twists that left me shocked and wanting to read more. The writing was beautiful, concise, descriptive and witty. The writing felt like a love letter to gardens, magic and true love. I felt so many emotions while reading this book; I smiled, laughed and cried. I appreciated the author's thoughtful and relatable discussion of grief. Poston showed that grief can effect everyday life and and everyone deals with it in different ways. I can relate because I have faced the loss of several of my grandparents. The ending was heartwarming and I loved that there was time for reflection on love and life.
"The garden were magical, that sometimes you could hear the voice of your truest love."
Characters
I loved Sophie, she was hardworking, thoughtful, kind, resilient, brave, and passionate about gardening. Sophie's character development was amazing, at the beginning she was lost and didn't have passion about her career or life but at the end she found both. I'm in love with Cyrus, he was hardworking, smart, witty, sweet, and resilient. I loved how sweet he was to Sophie, I swooned at several of the things he said to her. The scene with the glasses made me swoon. 🤭 Cyrus' character development was great, at first he was gruff, not very friendly but then he showed how kind he really was. The side characters were awesome, especially Oliver, Juliette, Eula, and Wykofski. The interactions between Sophie, Juliette and Wykofski were so sweet, I laughed at many of the scenes with them. I loved how each character had their own unique personality and were an important part to the story.
"We couldn't be more different. but there is this feeling when you meet someone special. Like finding a lost puzzle piece and clicking it into place-there's certainty to it. A Yes, you are my person. The person you're going to grow old beside."
Romance
I loved the slow-burn romance, I was so glad that it took a while for the love interests to fall in love. The banter between Sophie and her man was amazing, I giggled so much! The chemistry and tension was also excellent. I loved that they communicated effectively about their feelings for each other. I'm so glad that there was no third-act break-up or miscommunication. I loved how Sophie and her man treated each other, they let each other be themselves with trying to change anything.
Thank you so much to my lovely bestie Sarah for buddy reading with me!! ❤️🥰 I had so much fun discovering the secrets of the garden and falling in love with the romantic interest with you! ❤️😄
Want to Read
December 21, 2025Gimme plz 🥺🥺🥺🥺
July 2, 2026
“Gardens change. They’re supposed to. There are seasons to it all. New eras, new flowers, new storms that threaten to uproot it all. That’s why I love them so much, because if a garden can change and still be beautiful, why can’t we?”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ” x ᴇᴍɪʟʏ ꜱᴄᴏᴛᴛ ʀᴏʙɪɴꜱᴏɴ
1:57 ──────♥────── 3:59
I honestly don’t even know where to start with this one. Genuinely, I'm speechless.
From the first few chapters, I knew this wasn’t going to be a book I’d forget anytime soon. It has this quiet, comforting feeling to it, but underneath that is so much love and so much grief that you can’t help but feel it as you read 😭
The story follows Sophie, a horticulturist (someone who studies the science of how fruits, plants, flowers, etc. grow) who returns to Lilymoor House after losing her best friend, Harriet. What starts as a summer spent restoring beautiful gardens slowly turns into something much more magical when she discovers a hidden garden… and the grumpy man trapped inside it. As whimsical as the magical realism is, this story never loses sight of the people at the center of it. And that’s what made me fall in love with it.
Watching Sophie carry Harriet with her absolutely broke my heart. 😭 She wasn’t just grieving Harriet, she was holding on so tightly to the version of herself that existed when Harriet was still alive. She convinced herself that if she kept living in the past, then somehow Harriet would stay a little closer🥺🥺
She believed that if she laughed again, if she fell in love again, if she became someone Harriet never got the chance to know… then she’d slowly lose her. 😭🥺
But that’s not how love works.
This book reminds you that healing isn’t forgetting.
Growing isn’t replacing the people we’ve lost.
And choosing joy again isn’t leaving them behind. 🥺🫶🏼
Sometimes the greatest way we honor the people we love is by allowing the love they gave us to keep changing us instead of letting grief keep us stuck.
One of my favorite parts was watching Sophie realize that keeping Harriet tucked away in her own heart wasn’t protecting her memory. Harriet deserved to be talked about. To be remembered in stories. To have people laugh about the things she loved. Because every time someone’s name is spoken, every memory that’s shared, every story that’s retold… a little piece of them continues on in the people listening.
I thought that was such a beautiful way to look at grief.
I also really loved getting Rus's perspective throughout the story. He wasn’t there to rescue Sophie, and she wasn’t there to rescue him. They simply understood each other in ways no one else really could. They reminded each other that you can carry loss with you and still make room for new memories, new people, and new seasons of your life. Their relationship felt so patient and genuine, and I loved every single second of it. 🥺
I genuinely don’t have words for how much I loved this book.
It hurt.
It healed.
and somewhere along the way, it reminded me that grief isn’t the only way to remember someone 🥺 Sometimes the greatest way we honor them is by letting the love they left behind continue to shape the life we build.
I’m so sad it’s over. so so sad😭
but I think that’s the sign of a story that found exactly where it needed to bloom 😭
honestly… this would’ve been more than five stars if that were an option.
Five stars for the story.
Five stars for the magic.
And five stars for reminding me that healing and remembering were never meant to be opposites 🥺🫶🏼
favorite quotes ↓
“Treat yourself like you treat your flowers, sprout,” she said softly. “Be kind.”
“Things that are hard are usually the ones that are worth it.”
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
“When you buried yourself in grief it was sometimes impossible to tell the difference between the wind and someone you missed so much you thought you could hear their voice.”
“She refused to fail, and when she did she would say she was just learning. You never failed if you never gave up.”
“It’s a privilege to waste time—waste as much of it as you can. On things you love, on things you enjoy, on moments that make you so happy you could burst. And in the end, if you do it right, none of it will have been a waste at all.”
things to know about the book ↓
🌷 strangers → lovers
🌷 magical realism
🌷 enchanted setting
🌷 grief & healing
🌷 slowburn
🌷 opposites attract
🌷 single POV (hers)
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 27, 32, 36, 43
yet again another win for the books, beautiful Cara!! 🥹💞 We always have the best luck when it comes to buddy reads and this one was no exception!! Absolutely amazing!! I had the best time reading together and sharing thoughts about a silly goose, poor Cyrus getting bonked on the head (i can't get over her poking him 🤣) and so so much more. Love you forever mwahhhh 🌷🫶🏼
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🧡🪴 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
july 2nd- buddy reading with my most beautiful and fav girl Cara 🫶🏼 i've seen lots of good things so i'm so excited!!
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ” x ᴇᴍɪʟʏ ꜱᴄᴏᴛᴛ ʀᴏʙɪɴꜱᴏɴ
1:57 ──────♥────── 3:59
I honestly don’t even know where to start with this one. Genuinely, I'm speechless.
From the first few chapters, I knew this wasn’t going to be a book I’d forget anytime soon. It has this quiet, comforting feeling to it, but underneath that is so much love and so much grief that you can’t help but feel it as you read 😭
The story follows Sophie, a horticulturist (someone who studies the science of how fruits, plants, flowers, etc. grow) who returns to Lilymoor House after losing her best friend, Harriet. What starts as a summer spent restoring beautiful gardens slowly turns into something much more magical when she discovers a hidden garden… and the grumpy man trapped inside it. As whimsical as the magical realism is, this story never loses sight of the people at the center of it. And that’s what made me fall in love with it.
Watching Sophie carry Harriet with her absolutely broke my heart. 😭 She wasn’t just grieving Harriet, she was holding on so tightly to the version of herself that existed when Harriet was still alive. She convinced herself that if she kept living in the past, then somehow Harriet would stay a little closer🥺🥺
She believed that if she laughed again, if she fell in love again, if she became someone Harriet never got the chance to know… then she’d slowly lose her. 😭🥺
But that’s not how love works.
This book reminds you that healing isn’t forgetting.
Growing isn’t replacing the people we’ve lost.
And choosing joy again isn’t leaving them behind. 🥺🫶🏼
Sometimes the greatest way we honor the people we love is by allowing the love they gave us to keep changing us instead of letting grief keep us stuck.
One of my favorite parts was watching Sophie realize that keeping Harriet tucked away in her own heart wasn’t protecting her memory. Harriet deserved to be talked about. To be remembered in stories. To have people laugh about the things she loved. Because every time someone’s name is spoken, every memory that’s shared, every story that’s retold… a little piece of them continues on in the people listening.
I thought that was such a beautiful way to look at grief.
I also really loved getting Rus's perspective throughout the story. He wasn’t there to rescue Sophie, and she wasn’t there to rescue him. They simply understood each other in ways no one else really could. They reminded each other that you can carry loss with you and still make room for new memories, new people, and new seasons of your life. Their relationship felt so patient and genuine, and I loved every single second of it. 🥺
I genuinely don’t have words for how much I loved this book.
It hurt.
It healed.
and somewhere along the way, it reminded me that grief isn’t the only way to remember someone 🥺 Sometimes the greatest way we honor them is by letting the love they left behind continue to shape the life we build.
I’m so sad it’s over. so so sad😭
but I think that’s the sign of a story that found exactly where it needed to bloom 😭
honestly… this would’ve been more than five stars if that were an option.
Five stars for the story.
Five stars for the magic.
And five stars for reminding me that healing and remembering were never meant to be opposites 🥺🫶🏼
favorite quotes ↓
“Treat yourself like you treat your flowers, sprout,” she said softly. “Be kind.”
“Things that are hard are usually the ones that are worth it.”
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
“When you buried yourself in grief it was sometimes impossible to tell the difference between the wind and someone you missed so much you thought you could hear their voice.”
“She refused to fail, and when she did she would say she was just learning. You never failed if you never gave up.”
“It’s a privilege to waste time—waste as much of it as you can. On things you love, on things you enjoy, on moments that make you so happy you could burst. And in the end, if you do it right, none of it will have been a waste at all.”
things to know about the book ↓
🌷 strangers → lovers
🌷 magical realism
🌷 enchanted setting
🌷 grief & healing
🌷 slowburn
🌷 opposites attract
🌷 single POV (hers)
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 27, 32, 36, 43
yet again another win for the books, beautiful Cara!! 🥹💞 We always have the best luck when it comes to buddy reads and this one was no exception!! Absolutely amazing!! I had the best time reading together and sharing thoughts about a silly goose, poor Cyrus getting bonked on the head (i can't get over her poking him 🤣) and so so much more. Love you forever mwahhhh 🌷🫶🏼
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🧡🪴 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
july 2nd- buddy reading with my most beautiful and fav girl Cara 🫶🏼 i've seen lots of good things so i'm so excited!!
July 14, 2026
I had my doubts starting this book, it was slow and I had this immediate fear that was tone for the entire book. But once I got to know Sophie and this magical garden I fell in love with the slowness. It's a great book of Sophie re-discovering herself and new people after her best friend died. It's slow but it is mighty!
June 25, 2026
This story was EVERYTHING I didn’t know I needed 😭
I am a firm believer that certain books find you are the right time, meaning something different at different times in your life. THIS book found me exactly when I needed it and I was revealing in all its glory 😌💖✨
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Ashley Poston is the QUEEN of magical realism. Nobody hits the mark quite like her. She has a unique style and way in which she blends reality with the otherworldly that it flows so seamlessly. She makes magic REAL ✨
In this extraordinarily beautiful book, Sophie, the new head gardener at the enchanting Lilymoor House, stumbles upon a secret garden finding much more than she bargained for…including a mysterious man trapped on the inside…freeing him becomes her new mission. It gives her direction, something to fight for, something to believe in. She might just be the only one who can figure out what Lilymoor truly needs to bloom once again 🪴🌸✨
Grief stricken Sophie Drear returns to the one place that can revitalise her after the loss of her best-friend, Harriet. She heads to coastal Maine for a temporary summer job at the famous gardens at Lilymoor House. As she works on the property, she falls more and more in love with the beautiful landscape, abundance of flowers, and the quirky staff members. But it all begins to change when she finds a door…with ‘the secret door’ vibes, this magical mystery door leads Sophie to an unfinished garden with an unexpected man trapped inside. And somehow between chasing the extraordinary that this garden represents and honouring the Owner of the manors wild ideas, Sophie realises she’s not only fallen in love with the garden, but also the mysterious man trapped inside the gateway. But this place has also given her a chance to heal. Lilymoor cannot erase her grief, but it does help Sophie to see her past in a new light, and cast her presence into a brighter future 🪴🌞
Sophie was such a relatable and pure character. I genuinely felt like I was reading about a real person, she was so genuine and honest about her flaws. Although she wasn’t loud or dramatic, she still had a strong presence making her narrative compelling and a joy to read. I wanted to sit with her thoughts and really learn from her gentle wisdom. There was a deep sense of comfort in her insights. Even the way she grieved felt like a learning experience and it was beautiful to watch her healing over the course of the story.
Cyrus certainly was a mysterious character. I was instantly curious about him and his connection to the secret garden. He had a strong role in the plot however, I felt like he wasn’t a main feature compared to Sophie. It was like he played a secondary role to her story. But perhaps that’s okay? After all, it was a single POV. His character linked and grounded Sophie to the hidden garden, and as the end grew near, I felt myself becoming more emotionally invested in him and his future with Sophie. He saw her, held her, and loved her with a quiet tenderness that made him undeniably lovable.
There were also a number of supporting characters that I feel deserve to be mentioned. I honestly loved every single one of them. Ashley writes with such beauty and softness that makes her characters feel both real and magical. They all had a key role in this story and brought something unique to the plot. I genuinely want to know every single one of them.
A strong theme that ran throughout this story was of grief. Ashley captured a beautiful balance between joy and painful grieving, and the idea that they can coexist. It was heartbreaking at times, yet over the course of the story I felt a deep sense of healing. By the end, I felt like all the heartbroken parts of me had been put back together in a more positive and wholesome way. Thank you for that, Sophie and Ashley 😌
Overall, this was a thing of beauty, tenderness, and joy. It is one of those special books that feels like a true gift and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. It is a book that deserves to be savoured, particularly when read in the garden on a beautiful sunny day 🌞 I highly recommend this book. I know that I will cherish its richness and beauty for a long time to come 💖
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I am a firm believer that certain books find you are the right time, meaning something different at different times in your life. THIS book found me exactly when I needed it and I was revealing in all its glory 😌💖✨
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Ashley Poston is the QUEEN of magical realism. Nobody hits the mark quite like her. She has a unique style and way in which she blends reality with the otherworldly that it flows so seamlessly. She makes magic REAL ✨
In this extraordinarily beautiful book, Sophie, the new head gardener at the enchanting Lilymoor House, stumbles upon a secret garden finding much more than she bargained for…including a mysterious man trapped on the inside…freeing him becomes her new mission. It gives her direction, something to fight for, something to believe in. She might just be the only one who can figure out what Lilymoor truly needs to bloom once again 🪴🌸✨
Grief stricken Sophie Drear returns to the one place that can revitalise her after the loss of her best-friend, Harriet. She heads to coastal Maine for a temporary summer job at the famous gardens at Lilymoor House. As she works on the property, she falls more and more in love with the beautiful landscape, abundance of flowers, and the quirky staff members. But it all begins to change when she finds a door…with ‘the secret door’ vibes, this magical mystery door leads Sophie to an unfinished garden with an unexpected man trapped inside. And somehow between chasing the extraordinary that this garden represents and honouring the Owner of the manors wild ideas, Sophie realises she’s not only fallen in love with the garden, but also the mysterious man trapped inside the gateway. But this place has also given her a chance to heal. Lilymoor cannot erase her grief, but it does help Sophie to see her past in a new light, and cast her presence into a brighter future 🪴🌞
Sophie was such a relatable and pure character. I genuinely felt like I was reading about a real person, she was so genuine and honest about her flaws. Although she wasn’t loud or dramatic, she still had a strong presence making her narrative compelling and a joy to read. I wanted to sit with her thoughts and really learn from her gentle wisdom. There was a deep sense of comfort in her insights. Even the way she grieved felt like a learning experience and it was beautiful to watch her healing over the course of the story.
Cyrus certainly was a mysterious character. I was instantly curious about him and his connection to the secret garden. He had a strong role in the plot however, I felt like he wasn’t a main feature compared to Sophie. It was like he played a secondary role to her story. But perhaps that’s okay? After all, it was a single POV. His character linked and grounded Sophie to the hidden garden, and as the end grew near, I felt myself becoming more emotionally invested in him and his future with Sophie. He saw her, held her, and loved her with a quiet tenderness that made him undeniably lovable.
There were also a number of supporting characters that I feel deserve to be mentioned. I honestly loved every single one of them. Ashley writes with such beauty and softness that makes her characters feel both real and magical. They all had a key role in this story and brought something unique to the plot. I genuinely want to know every single one of them.
A strong theme that ran throughout this story was of grief. Ashley captured a beautiful balance between joy and painful grieving, and the idea that they can coexist. It was heartbreaking at times, yet over the course of the story I felt a deep sense of healing. By the end, I felt like all the heartbroken parts of me had been put back together in a more positive and wholesome way. Thank you for that, Sophie and Ashley 😌
Overall, this was a thing of beauty, tenderness, and joy. It is one of those special books that feels like a true gift and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. It is a book that deserves to be savoured, particularly when read in the garden on a beautiful sunny day 🌞 I highly recommend this book. I know that I will cherish its richness and beauty for a long time to come 💖
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
July 23, 2026
The Someday Garden is another signature Ashley Posten magical realism novel. Horticulturist Sophie Drear met her best friend Harriet in college, taking a road trip with her to Maine's Lilymoor House before graduating. Ten years later, Sophie is back, taking the a temporary job as the head gardener. Only this time without Harriet, who died the year before. While tending the magical garden, Sophie comes to care for its residents just as much as she cares for its grounds.
Also grieving is Lilymoor’s owner, Eula Beck, who lost her husband Henry years before. She plans to retire after celebrating the 200th anniversary of the garden, wanting to leave it to her nephews. The magical element of the story comes when Sophie finds a door that wasn’t there before, one that leads to a secret, and unfinished, garden. More so, she finds a man inside, trapped in the garden and a time warp. Realizing it is one of Eula's nephews, Cyrus, Sophie makes it a goal to help him out. But doing so forces Sophie to address her own grief.
The novel remains slow throughout the ending, which comes with the Bicentennial celebration of the garden. I find that I like how Ashley Poston weaves in some magic with her romances, but did not connect as much with this one. The chemistry element was actually a bit bland, and none of the characters really caught my attention. There was supposedly a love triangle, which never truly culminated. The pacing too felt a bit off, making it hard to get a good footing on anyone's relationship.
Grief was a heavy focus of the book, making it more about Sophie's development of overcoming the loss of Harriet. Though it was far from a heavy read. It was a bit too surface level to truly pull at me. Not to say it was not a good book; rather it was just somewhat simplified. I can see why readers view it as a cute novel, perhaps just not one suited most to my tastes.
Also grieving is Lilymoor’s owner, Eula Beck, who lost her husband Henry years before. She plans to retire after celebrating the 200th anniversary of the garden, wanting to leave it to her nephews. The magical element of the story comes when Sophie finds a door that wasn’t there before, one that leads to a secret, and unfinished, garden. More so, she finds a man inside, trapped in the garden and a time warp. Realizing it is one of Eula's nephews, Cyrus, Sophie makes it a goal to help him out. But doing so forces Sophie to address her own grief.
The novel remains slow throughout the ending, which comes with the Bicentennial celebration of the garden. I find that I like how Ashley Poston weaves in some magic with her romances, but did not connect as much with this one. The chemistry element was actually a bit bland, and none of the characters really caught my attention. There was supposedly a love triangle, which never truly culminated. The pacing too felt a bit off, making it hard to get a good footing on anyone's relationship.
Grief was a heavy focus of the book, making it more about Sophie's development of overcoming the loss of Harriet. Though it was far from a heavy read. It was a bit too surface level to truly pull at me. Not to say it was not a good book; rather it was just somewhat simplified. I can see why readers view it as a cute novel, perhaps just not one suited most to my tastes.
July 28, 2026
4⭐️
This book was exactly what I needed to help me fall in love with reading yet again. I want to stress the fact that this was a really good book. It had so many good qualities and I blew through it, even if there were moments where I felt some small parts lacking.
The characters in this book were so wholesome and very sweet and I liked getting to know everyone as the story progressed. Sophie was a really stand-out character and I enjoyed the depth of her character in both aspects of personality and backstory. Her grief over Harriet was palpable and I could really feel the emotion and devastation that her passing brought to Sophie's character.
Unfortunately, that's about as deep as it got.
I enjoyed Sophie as a character and her funny, witty personality and I liked watching her personal growth over the course of this book as she weaves through the grieving process, but that was about all to her backstory.
And that's okay!
I'm not gonna harp on this book because of the backstory simply because it gave everything else. All the connections to her coworkers and friends and family flourished in this book to the point where I could really feel them as if it was me.
I enjoyed the love development between her and Cyrus and I'm happy to report that this book really didn't feel insta-lovey for a book that's not too long.
I found the ratio of plot to romance was a good balance and I was intrigued by what was going to happen next the entire time.
This book made me feel so many things and I felt myself going through an entire wheel of emotions and that's something I really enjoy in books. The ending wrapped up so nicely and by the end I was a bit misty-eyed.
My absolute favorite part about this book was the way Ashley Poston used descriptive language to set an absolute fucking scene. Everything in this book felt like a movie playing in my head. The setting was beautiful and summery and downright cinematic. Her use of evocative imagery did not lack in the slightest and it was such a beautiful scene to play in my mind.
Overall, I'd have to say this is probably one of my favorite Ashley Poston books I've read so far. The combination of her descriptions of the beautiful gardens and estates, the connection between all of the characters, the heavy emphasis on getting through grief, it all made up for one hell of a story. If this woman is going to write it, I am going to read it. This book has solidified that I am a true Ashley Poston fan and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 🪴🧡
Another year, another Ashley Poston book 🙂↕️
While I haven't read anything extraordinary from her yet, I do typically enjoy her magical realism aspects so I hope this one is just as entertaining!!
This book was exactly what I needed to help me fall in love with reading yet again. I want to stress the fact that this was a really good book. It had so many good qualities and I blew through it, even if there were moments where I felt some small parts lacking.
The characters in this book were so wholesome and very sweet and I liked getting to know everyone as the story progressed. Sophie was a really stand-out character and I enjoyed the depth of her character in both aspects of personality and backstory. Her grief over Harriet was palpable and I could really feel the emotion and devastation that her passing brought to Sophie's character.
Unfortunately, that's about as deep as it got.
I enjoyed Sophie as a character and her funny, witty personality and I liked watching her personal growth over the course of this book as she weaves through the grieving process, but that was about all to her backstory.
And that's okay!
I'm not gonna harp on this book because of the backstory simply because it gave everything else. All the connections to her coworkers and friends and family flourished in this book to the point where I could really feel them as if it was me.
I enjoyed the love development between her and Cyrus and I'm happy to report that this book really didn't feel insta-lovey for a book that's not too long.
I found the ratio of plot to romance was a good balance and I was intrigued by what was going to happen next the entire time.
This book made me feel so many things and I felt myself going through an entire wheel of emotions and that's something I really enjoy in books. The ending wrapped up so nicely and by the end I was a bit misty-eyed.
My absolute favorite part about this book was the way Ashley Poston used descriptive language to set an absolute fucking scene. Everything in this book felt like a movie playing in my head. The setting was beautiful and summery and downright cinematic. Her use of evocative imagery did not lack in the slightest and it was such a beautiful scene to play in my mind.
Overall, I'd have to say this is probably one of my favorite Ashley Poston books I've read so far. The combination of her descriptions of the beautiful gardens and estates, the connection between all of the characters, the heavy emphasis on getting through grief, it all made up for one hell of a story. If this woman is going to write it, I am going to read it. This book has solidified that I am a true Ashley Poston fan and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 🪴🧡
Another year, another Ashley Poston book 🙂↕️
While I haven't read anything extraordinary from her yet, I do typically enjoy her magical realism aspects so I hope this one is just as entertaining!!
August 7, 2026
3💫
honestly, if this book doesn’t sound interesting to you at all- skip it.
the first half had me incredibly bored- i really hate to say it because i’m such a big fan of this author. although it did pick up for me eventually, i’m not sure that most people will find it worth it to finish it especially if you’re struggling with the first bit. :/
that being said, i personally did enjoy it more when it picked up. i’ve always loved ashley poston’s writing and her magical realism is always chef’s kiss! this story was good, but not fantastic like i was hoping it would be. it was cute with the whole concept of a secret garden and a mysterious man being stuck in there while time goes by super slowly. i just found the lead up to be boring and almost made it not worth continuing. it’s a very similar idea to her book Seven Year Slip, which i loved so don’t get me wrong, but this was a boring, less fun/cute version of that.
the romance was kind of meh and the love triangle was kind of weird and like underdone. Cyrus did not wow me at all. it was not my favorite couple to exist in Poston’s work.
coastal Maine in a cute little garden was such a lovely setting and very atmospheric !!!! i visited Maine for the first time last year and absolutely loved it so i adored that this was the setting for the book💓🥹
this was not a bad read overall, but also not great. 🤷♀️
Read if you like:
🧡secret gardens
🧡magical realism
🧡slow burns
🧡flowers!!
🧡grief and healing
🧡coastal Maine
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ — preread:
i have been dying to pick up another ashley poston book and i finally am doing it! she really hasn't let me down yet so im really excited to read this!! i always love her simple but cute cover <3
honestly, if this book doesn’t sound interesting to you at all- skip it.
the first half had me incredibly bored- i really hate to say it because i’m such a big fan of this author. although it did pick up for me eventually, i’m not sure that most people will find it worth it to finish it especially if you’re struggling with the first bit. :/
that being said, i personally did enjoy it more when it picked up. i’ve always loved ashley poston’s writing and her magical realism is always chef’s kiss! this story was good, but not fantastic like i was hoping it would be. it was cute with the whole concept of a secret garden and a mysterious man being stuck in there while time goes by super slowly. i just found the lead up to be boring and almost made it not worth continuing. it’s a very similar idea to her book Seven Year Slip, which i loved so don’t get me wrong, but this was a boring, less fun/cute version of that.
the romance was kind of meh and the love triangle was kind of weird and like underdone. Cyrus did not wow me at all. it was not my favorite couple to exist in Poston’s work.
coastal Maine in a cute little garden was such a lovely setting and very atmospheric !!!! i visited Maine for the first time last year and absolutely loved it so i adored that this was the setting for the book💓🥹
this was not a bad read overall, but also not great. 🤷♀️
Read if you like:
🧡secret gardens
🧡magical realism
🧡slow burns
🧡flowers!!
🧡grief and healing
🧡coastal Maine
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ — preread:
i have been dying to pick up another ashley poston book and i finally am doing it! she really hasn't let me down yet so im really excited to read this!! i always love her simple but cute cover <3
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