Landscape of a Marriage: Central Park Was Only the Beginning

by Gail Ward Olmsted

A marriage of convenience leads to a life of passion and purpose. A shared vision transforms the American landscape forever.

New York, 1858: Mary, a young widow with three children, agrees to marry her brother-in-law Frederick Law Olmsted, who is acting on his late brother’s deathbed plea to "not let Mary suffer”. But she craves more than a marriage of convenience and sets out to win her husband’s love. Beginning with Central Park in New York City, Mary joins Fred on his quest to create a 'beating green heart' in the center of every urban space.

Over the next 40 years, Fred is inspired to create dozens of city parks, private estates and public spaces with Mary at his side. Based upon real people and true events, this is the story of Mary’s journey and personal growth and the challenges inherent in loving a brilliant and ambitious man.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Book Club, Marriage

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2021

About the author

Gail Ward Olmsted was a marketing executive and a college professor before she began writing fiction on a fulltime basis. A trip to Sedona, AZ inspired her first novel Jeep Tour. Three more novels followed before she began Landscape of a Marriage, a biographical work of fiction featuring landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, a distant cousin of her husband’s, and his wife Mary.

Her latest is a pair of contemporary novels featuring a disgraced attorney seeking a career comeback: Miranda Writes (9/8/22) and Miranda Nights (7/6/23)

For more information, please visit her on Facebook and at gailwardolmsted.com

Reviews

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Frederick Law Olmsted, famous designer of Central Park and many other parks, and his family, as told through the eyes of his wife, Mary. Mary was actually married to Fred's brother, John, and when John passed away, Fred married Mary seemingly out of duty. Through Mary's eyes, we see a marriage of convenience turn to a marriage based on love despite long separations due to Fred's career. The couple also survives horrific family tragedies and financial struggles, and stays strong throughout.

Although this is a story of the Olmsted family, it is also a story of America, as significant events are shown to us as Mary sees or hears about them. With Mary, we travel through Indian territory in the West, watch Central Park being built, and hear about the Civil War. Each chapter is a snippet of the Olmsteds' life, and as part of it all, we hear about many significant events in American history. Through Mary, we hear about women's movement, the Gold Rush, and the invention of the telephone. With the family, we rejoice over the Emancipation Proclamation, and then weep over Lincoln's death. With Mary, we experience the joy of using a telephone and receive a copy of Little Women when it is a brand new release. Throughout the many scenes of the Olmsted's life, we learn what it was like to live in those times. As the Olmsted family changes, experiences hard times, and grows, so does the country that Fred is helping to build.

Gail Ward Olmsted has shared with us a well-written and fascinating history of an American icon, and with an insider's view, as she is married to a descendant of the Olmsted family. Though the author notes that some of the story is imagined or embellished, much is true in this American tale. This novel/memoir, told from the point of view of a strong and resilient woman, is a can't miss for those who love historical fiction and American history.

I received a free copy of this book via Reedsy Discovery. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon Gail Ward Olmsted's books years ago, and ever since they've been a friendly hand to hold in my reading journey. Gail is incredible at writing a heart felt story with characters who feel real. It's a real talent that makes me adore reading anything she puts out. It's hard to find those authors, but when you do... Cherish them. Enjoy your time.

Landscape of a Marriage was a biographical, historical fiction tale all about Gail Ward Olmsted's husband's ancestors. From the minute I met the main characters, I figured Olmsted had to be a family name. If you get the chance to pick up this novel, read the Author's Notes in the back. It's truly incredible how stories and families inspire us. I really enjoyed taking a peek into this ancestry, even if some of this story is more fiction than not. Obviously, we wouldn't know 100% what would happen in that relationship. Either way, it was a miraculous and fabulous story.

Now, onto the actual story:

We meet Mary abruptly. She gets an urgent message to come home; a call to action. Her husband John died suddenly at 32, which brings such a sad start to this story. Once Mary gets home, she reacquaints herself with John's brother Fred. As things go, she ends up marrying Fred. It starts out as a marriage of convenience (with him being a bachelor and all, and her having three young children to care for). Eventually, the two begin falling for each other. Like every normal relationship, there are ups and downs. Fred's a busy man, being an architect and all. He made so many famous buildings along the way! How does a family that's growing and dealing with love, loss, pain, injury and illness keep it together? Well, they work hard and try their best.

There's a lot of interesting set-up in this book that foreshadows the future:
1. Everyone looking at Fred on Mary and Fred's wedding day gives you hints towards how their relationship might play out.
2. Canada geese - These are murder geese. If you see them, you know it's bad luck. Well, not really, but I found it funny. Those creatures can be evil and for some reason they are in so many books I am reading lately!
3. Naming a son after a man who had a tragic passing... You know what's going to happen.

There's also just so many fun parts about this novel:
1. The retelling of American history but from the eyes of a woman experiencing it. I really liked how history progressed and how I saw it from the average Joe's point of view.
2. The ups and downs of a long distance marriage where one partner is considerably well known.
3. The strong points of views of many characters conflicting each other, and everyone having to reach some sort of consensus.

A lot of this story holds up today, as Gail discusses in her author's notes. Gender bias, family roles, grief and loss - there's so much going on in this story, and it feels real. I felt for Mary throughout her story. It's difficult balancing a family and learning to grow from past losses. This book struck home in all the right places. Mary felt like a long lost friend who I wanted to give a hug. We've all been there with our difficulties, and I just wanted to help her. Gail did a wonderful job making her feel real.

Overall, this book is a worthy read. Historical, biographical, contemporary fiction with a dash of romance and drama. This book really does it for me. It transports me away, helped teach me a few things, and made me feel so many feelings. Ah, the feels. To many tears, honestly. In the best and worst ways.

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to Gail Ward Olmsted who provided me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel centers on Mary Olmsted, wife of Frederick Law Olmsted, the man behind the design of Central Park and a long list of other public and private landscapes.

In spite of having little evidence to work with, the author does a credible job creating a picture of a family life almost overshadowed by professional genius. I enjoyed learning a little about the Olmsted family's place in mid to late 19th century America.
However, I think first-person narration can be a bit tricky to pull off, and I didn't always love it here. Also, in trying to cover 60-some years of a life, some events get skimmed over. Even dramatic events didn't always have that much resonance when the story has to quickly skip ahead to the next part of life. I might have found it a bit more compelling if it had zeroed in on a smaller range of years.

Thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for providing a digital review copy.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting story! Frederick Law Olmsted was responsible for the design and development of public parks, most notably Central Park. The story is set in the late nineteenth century and is told from the viewpoint of the widowed Mary whom Fred marries in order to care for her and her children. The growing love between the couple is delightfully observed and readers follow the ups and downs of their long marriage. As a character driven novel, I also enjoyed the friendship between Mary and Anne where the two offer mutual support and share confidences. An easy-to-read and enjoyable novel.

[Linda Ulleseit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lovely book features Frederick Law Olmstead, designer of parks, and his wife, Mary. I love stories of the wives of famous men, and it's even better when I learn about men I never knew about! The book begins in 1858 when Mary is widowed and her brother-in-law, Frederick, marries her to help take care of his brother's children. At first, their relationship is awkward, but Mary works to make her marriage one of love and support. As Frederick designs more and more parks, which he calls the "beating green heart" of a city, Mary is his support.

The chapters in this book are short, making it an easy read. Chapters are presented as vignettes from Frederick and Mary's marriage, both good and bad, that draw them together or give them difficulty. Sometimes it seemed the problem was presented and then solved a bit too quickly, though. Even so, the story is a delight.

[Frank Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I imagine that most Americans are aware of the man who designed and oversaw the creation of Central Park in New York. And they will know, too, that he went on to create many parks for cities, institutions and private individuals across the USA in a career spanning over 30 years. What, however, do any of us know of the woman he married at the height of that first project and remained beside him for four decades? What do any of us know about the wives of any of the men who made an indelible mark on our history?
In writing her imagined biography of the wife of Fred Law Olmsted, Gail Olmsted* has created a work that gives a fascinating insight into the lives of upper middle class American families in the second half of the nineteenth century.
She has chosen her title well. After close on 58years of marriage I can testify that a long marriage does indeed contain many of the characteristics of a landscape. There are sunny uplands, deep dark valleys and everything in between. Surviving them requires the emotional equivalent of the physical resilience demanded of the intrepid traveller in unfamiliar, and occasionally hostile, territory.
Whilst the Olmsteds were blessed with an income that enabled them to maintain a large house, with servants to lighten the physical load placed on Mary's shoulders, the couple encountered tragedies that would break many a less solid pair.
Fred was a workaholic who frequently spent many days, weeks even, away from the family home. He had a high public profile and was in constant demand. Ms Olmsted accurately observes the pressures this can place on a marriage. That the marriage survived despite recurring tragedies is a testament to the strength of the love between the two.
This is a book that some may be tempted to consign to the category of 'Women's Fiction', a category whose existence I have queried elsewhere. But, if you are a man hoping to learn about techniques of landscape design and architecture you will be disappointed. I do believe, however, that it should appeal to the general reader who appreciates the opportunity to explore the lives of the people who helped create the world in which we live.
It is certainly historical fiction. The political background of Civil War, the rise of the suffragette movement and the arrival of such innovations as the telephone is evoked without intruding too heavily onto the narrative. So, too, is the debate over the funding of conservation. Fred regularly rails against the committees of bureaucrats and politicians who constantly sought to frustrate the realisation of his dreams for the green lungs that generations of citizens since have come to take for granted and which he pioneered.
But it is, above all, a story about the resilience of a woman supporting her husband and her children: emotionally, as they face various tragedies together, and in practical terms, as she takes on the reorganisation of record keeping in what quickly becomes a family business. The portrait that emerges is of a woman very much ahead of her time; courageous, resilient and devoted to her husband and his work.
I recieved an advance review copy of this book as part of Rosie Amber's review team. The review will apear on Rosie's website on June 18th 2021

*Gail Ward Olmsted is married to a descendant of Frederick Law Olmsted's brother.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for this book which I won on a Facebook book group.

I have to admit that I've never read a book set in the 1800s and I've read a lot of books in my lifetime.
I liked the historical nature of it and the life of Frederick Law Olmsted who created Central Park and other outdoor parks and I guess you would call venues around the U.S. I'm not a history buff at all and the mention of a lot of historical events i.e., Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant who Fred met were interesting.

Even though the book was supposed to be focused on Olmsted's wife Mary, it also depicted her life with her children from her first marriage to John, Fred's brother. A lot of sorrow in her life with John and Fred. It was not a depressing book at all because of the accomplishments of not only Fred but of her and considering it was the late 1800s and how most wives were "just wives." I like how she got involved in his planning of parks and had her own ideas and became his secretary in a way and helped him with the books.

Her sons also became architects and it became a family business all around.

[Jill Caugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Landscape of a Marriage is a convincing portrayal of Mary Olmsted, the wife of famous nineteenth century architect Frederick Law Olmsted, best known for his development of Central Park. The novel focuses on Mary's juggling responsibilities, trials and worries as a wife and mother, and follows the family's journeys from New York to California to Boston.

[Katheleen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite believable!

I gave this rating for the entertainment of the story as well as the history. Living in Boston and residences of some of the areas where FLO built all these beautiful parks was a real treat to read. It made the book so much more real. I love reading history that I can relate to. The author wrote this in such a beautiful way; one that allows you to feel as if you knew all the characters and could relate to each of the characters in this book. I would greatly recommend this book to lovers of historical history and then some!

R

[Jean Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewer’s Note: Thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Plot in Brief: In 1859 the widow Mary Perkins Olmsted and mother of three young children marries her deceased husband’s brother, noted landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. The fictionalized narrative covers their life together.
The Characters: This is very much a character driven book. The story is told in first person from Mary’s perspective. She describes her personal life in great detail. We watch her fall in love with her new husband as they grow as a family. Frederick adopts his niece and nephews and treats them as his own. Together they weather the highs and lows of his career and their family life. Mary struggles with feelings of jealousy and neglect as her workaholic husband travels the globe for his work.
The History: The setting, the latter half of the 19th century, is one of innovation and progress on an amazing scale. Mary experiences, for the first time, innovations such the telephone and train travel. She travels to Europe by ocean liner and explores California on horseback. I found it all fascinating. That being said, the history was really more of a backseat driver in this novel with the Mary taking the wheel.
The Writing: Well written and well edited with a sedate pace the book is a loving tribute to the author’s husband’s ancestors.
Recommendations: I think readers who enjoy a good historical setting and a well told family story will enjoy this book. Anyone interested in Fredrick Law Olmsted will definitely want to read this as his career is well laid out in great detail.
My Rating: 5 Stars

[Patti Liszkay · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the case of Gail Ward Olmsted’s work of historical fiction “Landscape of a Marriage,” you can tell the book by its cover, for the stunning cover – an autumn photograph of a stone bridge over a serene lake in Central Park - opens to a mesmerizing page-turner of a read.
In 1858 Mary Perkins Olmsted, a struggling young widowed mother of three small children, enters into a marriage of convenience with her brother-in-law Frederick Law Olmsted, a brilliant landscape architect with a grand vision of creating a vast public park that would be a work of living art, a “beating green heart” within the heart of New York City. But what begins as a union of necessity on Mary’s part and of duty on Fred’s, grows into a passionate love, one of great physical attraction and friendship that serves as the firm foundation in both their lives as Frederick Law Olmsted becomes one of the most famous men of his time for creating the most beautiful parks in America.
The story is narrated in the voice of Mary Olmsted and is so enthralling, so full of engaging details ranging from the great historical events of the time to the minutia of upper-class American family life in the mid-nineteenth century that, though the book is over three hundred pages long, one breezes through every enjoyable page.

[Robin Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is so rich; the characters and descriptions of the scenery is enjoyable. I am interested in Frederick Olmsted and been to many of his parks over the years. I was not familiar with his personal life. While this is Historical Fiction, it does give the reader a sense of his personal life with his wife Mary and how important she was to his career and the making of the beautiful Urban parks we enjoy today. I did not want the book to end. I tried to savor each word. There are not many books that I am excited to meet up with the characters again and again. I was sorry when I finished reading Landscape of a Marriage, it felt like I had to say goodbye to friends. Thank you Gail Ward Olmsted for writing such a beautiful read!!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Overall, readers who love historical fiction with a heavy dose of real events should definitely give this book a try!

Read full review in the 2021 Summer issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Beatrice Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left widowed at 28 with three children, Mary Olmsted finally returns to America, after travelling around Europe after the death of her husband. However, with no home to return to, Mary cannot help but feel apprehensive about returning. The only solution she can see is to go to her brother-in-law, Fred, and ask for his help. He would be able to help her, to get her settled. She doesn’t envisage that going to Fred would lead to marrying him, but stranger things have happened.

Despite having a wife and adopting three children, Fred is no less absorbed by his work. He is working to create a park in the middle of New York, and the task seems almost impossible. Yet, he is determined to bring what he can see in his imagination to fruition, and Mary supports him every step of the way. When the long-awaited Central Park is finished, there is a strong desire among many for Fred to design parks, in other places. Mary is patient while Fred spends long hours at work, and little time at home, but his absence weighs heavily on their relationship. He spends weeks at a time away from his family, on business trips and to talk to potential clients, and Mary cannot help but wish he would cut back on the work a little, to spend more time with her and their children.

Mary finds a lovely friendship in Anne Vaux. The two families, the Vaux and the Olmsteds spend some time living together in a large house, and with the men as business partners, and the children good friends, Mary and Anne become very close. Mary does not have many friends other than Anne, and she can talk to Anne about anything and be sure that no one else will find out. When Mary needs Anne, and vice versa, they are there for each other. With husbands who often cause them grief, such a friendship is vital, and it was lovely to read about the pair.

While there is clearly love between Mary and Fred, I couldn’t help but feel that Fred didn’t appreciate Mary too much, and did not treat her the way she deserved. Mary gives up so much, time and time again, for Fred, including packing up the entire family and moving around the country so he could take on new ventures, yet he barely graces the dinner table with his presence, and rarely shares a bed with Mary, preferring to sleep in the office or the spare room. I desperately wanted him to change, but it seems he was always supposed to be a bachelor, and marrying did not change him into a husband.

Mary’s family was lovely to read about, and I adored the interactions with the children, and watching them grow up. There is some heartbreak in this novel, following loss, but while they may be gone, they are never forgotten. In particular, I enjoyed reading about how the youngest child, Rick, escaped bath time by hiding in the dumbwaiter, which he used in preference to the staircase.

As is usually the case in many historical novels, much is known about the men and not so much about the women. Frederick Law Olmsted is a name that many people know, and in this novel, many people knew of him as well. Yet, Mary is the central character in this novel, and the story of a well-known man is told through the eyes of a woman from the background. She is not heavily involved in his career, at least at the beginning, but that doesn’t mean that she was not important, nor worth being forgotten. Creating a story out of such little information is a feat of brilliance, and I think it has been pulled off fabulously in this book.

This book is on the slightly longer side, for there is a lot to fit in when you are writing about the entire length of someone’s marriage, yet it did not take me too long to read. The chapters are short, giving little snapshots of Mary’s life, glimpses through the curtains into the world of a woman whose life was just as important as her husbands, and yet no one knows who she is. If you would like to find out about Mary, and about her life and marriage, this book is the one you need. Even if you have never heard the name ‘Olmsted’ before, this book is well worth a read, as it is entertaining, educational, and emotional, all in one.

*I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Oh Look,AnotherBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wives of great artists are always under-appreciated. In this case, we honour Mary Olmsted, wife to Frederick Law Olmsted, the man responsible for designing many great parks, in particular, Central Park (I can’t say that without accidentally saying Central Perk… I was obsessed with Friends in my teens!) As can be imagined, with a husband who has a job such as Fred’s, Mary spends a lot of time apart from her husband while he is away on business trips. However, there are also some times that he could spend at home that he avoids doing so, for example, sometimes he sleeps in his office so he can get more work done. He is a complete workaholic, and it’s a surprise Mary puts up with it as well as she does. Fred puts her in difficult situations more than once, yet she is always ready to reassure him when he is concerned, or to provide him with the love and comfort he needs.

Mary came to Fred after the death of her husband, John. John was Fred’s brother, and with nowhere to go, Mary turns to Fred for help. Fred kindly set Mary up with a house for her and her three children to live in. After Fred joins their family, there are more children to come. There is some tragedy, which will break your heart and leave you reaching for the tissues, but there is also joy and happiness. The children are all written incredibly well, and they are all different from each other. I adored Owen and Marion in particular, for Owen was the troublesome kind of boy that you can’t help but love, and Marion was so incredibly loving, kind and willing to sacrifice anything for those she loved.

This book gives almost a journal type style to story-telling, as each chapter is a segment of Mary’s life, and it is written in the same way that I wrote in my journal before I gave up. I would only write if there was something interesting that had happened, or something important, something I didn’t want to forget. This book doesn’t pause on the days in Mary’s life when nothing happened, but focuses on the ones where something does. In a way, this is a fabulous way of moving the story along, but at times it made me feel a little disconnected from the characters. Something major would happen, and then we would move along a couple of months. We don’t see the small details, but with the whole purpose of the story to inform about the life of Mary, who is otherwise not very well known, this style of writing worked rather well.

Everyone likes a good book to sit down with, me more than most people. But there is usually a slight issue, in that I have children who needs constant supervision. This book is written in very short chapters, which are the perfect length for me to get through in between prising apart Lego blocks or saying no, you do not need another snack.

A lot happens in this novel, with Mary’s marriage to Fred being contained between the covers of a book, but it has been done so in a way that made me want to keep on reading, to keep on finding out about her life. I also learned about other things, for example, I had never heard of the Devil in the White City before, but looking the name up led me to finding a book of the same title that I now very much want to buy. Unfortunately, my book-buying budget has been used up for the next two years already, so I may have to hold off on getting my hands on it.

This book is everything the title says it is. It is a vast landscape that you are admiring, although instead of that landscape being one of Fred’s parks, it is Mary’s marriage, laid out to look at, and it is breathtaking, to say the least.

*I received a copy of this novel from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Barbara Bamberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Landscape of a Marriage: Central Park Was Only the Beginning
Gail Ward Olmsted

Mary Olmsted, wife of noted American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, is given her proper place in the limelight in this engaging historical novel by Gail Ward Olmsted.

The story opens as the recently widowed Mary is returning from Europe, where they had desperately but unsuccessfully sought a cure for her husband John’s tuberculosis. She has three young children who will need a home and support. She seeks the counsel of John’s brother Frederick, working on a major project in New York City – turning a fetid swampland into what will someday be known as Central Park. The two begin to acknowledge feelings for one another; their love will blossom and continue to bloom for more than forty years. Together, Mary and Fred face financial insecurity and eventual undeniable success wrought by the constant changes in his career prospects: the necessities of the nation’s Civil War that draw him to Washington to assist in quartering and supplying the Union troops, to California during the gold rush, to numerous American cities - Buffalo, Milwaukee, Boston - for large-scale planning projects. Through the alterations to location and activity, Mary stands firm, her strong character being built year by year. She confronts and quashes rumors of Fred’s infidelity; she is drawn to the newly burgeoning suffragette movement; and without being asked, she takes an unassuming role in managing her husband and sons’ growing businesses. By the last years of her remarkable life, Mary is a quiet phenomenon in her own right.

Author Olmsted has composed Mary’s life events in short, often sweet, sometimes-sorrowful vignettes, revealing the grit of a heroine rolling with rapidly changing times. The invention and acquisition of a telephone in the late 1800s, the contemporary popularity of such writers as Louisa May Alcott and Mark Twain, and a headline-grabbing murder at the great Chicago World’s Fair add fascinating historical sidebars to a narrative that sustains a cozy, indeed, romantic stance throughout. Many chapters end with the couple’s little chats, often with a hint of saucy sharing anticipated. Most of all, readers will see the inner development of a woman of her turbulent American era, dealing with complex issues, some now mostly put to rest - like the once-prevalent ravages of cholera - and others still part of the present panorama - notably Fred’s decline and eventual confinement owing to dementia.

Olmsted, who has written other novels based around women’s views and experiences, boldly and one suspects, gladly parses and praises Mary as the quiet, patient, vigilant, strong-minded wife of a famous man, who steps from behind the scenes to center stage as her dynamic circumstances allow and propel her. Landscape of a Marriage is an aptly titled, beautifully constructed work that will appeal to intelligent females readers of any age, in any age.

[Mari LivTollefsonCarlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1858, Fred Olmsted, the landscape architect behind Central Park and other national treasures, marries his brother’s widow, Mary, and fathers her children. Mary reminds herself she’s made of sterner stuff to find courage to adapt to this “marriage of convenience.” But as she and Fred fall in love, she discovers that sterner stuff might not mean what she thinks. Perhaps it means leaning on Fred, relying on their companionship and devotion through family deaths, work hardships, and uncertain world events.
Gail Ward Olmsted, a descendant of Fred Olmsted through marriage, sculpts a portrait of the Olmsted marriage like Fred builds his career: project by project. Each short chapter highlights a characteristic or pivotal moment in the family’s life. From weekday meals, funerals, or holidays, the vivid scenes convey shared toil and tenderness. Reliance on dialogue brings out individual personalities with immediacy and reflects Mary’s perspective: her attention to relationship, feelings, and domestic concerns. In putting family first and herself second, Mary’s concerns seem to run counter to the suffrage movement going on around her. But her children and husband convince her of her worth and value before the law, and at home. Mary’s soft-spoken personality and salt-of-the-earth conversations endear her to everyone around her, including readers.
An album of snapshots covering fifty years, this book gives a vivid overview of a turn-of-the-century couple. Events like the Civil War, Tammany Hall corruption, and the World’s Fair, seen through the lens of women and children, offer a poignant, personal glimpse into the past and into families everywhere.

[Dee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible Plus 9 hours 46 min. Narrated by Stephanie Nemath Parker (A)

I found this book through a Facebook advertisement, and it was exactly what I needed after reading about the destruction of so many lives during WWII in my last book THE LIBERATOR by Alex Kershaw.

This is an endearing historical biography of Mary Perkins Olmstead, the wife of Frederick Law Olmstead. Olmstead and his first partner designed Central Park in Manhattan, and he went on to establish the first architectural landscape firms with his sons. Together, they designed and built thousands of parks across America, including the Vanderbuilt estate in Ashland, NC; Stanford College in Palo Alto, CA; and Niagara Falls, NY during the 1800's. This is a story of their marriage told from Mary's point-of-view as wife and mother. Have your tissues handy!

[Nancy Luebke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this clean, overview of the lives of this family. I received this for free from the author and I voluntarily chose to review this story. Warning, this mentions the death of some babies and family members throughout their lives. This was full of feels and upheavals during Mary's life. This story was compelling or sad at times and was a page turner. A family considered rich, though they strived to make ends meet while moving around the country to work on parks within cities. There is a little romance but mostly it's centered around family and parks. I needed to keep tissue's handy to get through this.

[Janis Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Landscape of a Marriage cultivates the relationship between Frederick Law Olmsted and his wife, Mary. Chronicling their forty-four years together from 1859 to 1903, the story spans Olmsted's work with the Union Army during the Civil War (nod to Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly for previously educating me about his role with the Sanitation Commission) to his designing and building American landscape architectural landmarks, including: Central Park, the Arnold Arboretum and Emerald Necklace of Boston, the Chicago World's Fair, and Stanford University's campus. Yet, Landscape is not another Olmsted biography; it is Mary's story, told from her point of view, as the woman behind the man. For isn't it the quiet, hidden roots from which the mighty, showy flora reaches for greatness with its blooms? Gail Ward Olmsted (related to Frederick through her husband's family) offers a story of love and respect without the sappy overdone writing of a romance novel. From words spoken at many marriage ceremonies, the teachings of I Corinthians ring true throughout this beautiful story: And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love. I received an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Martha Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing story!

I had a difficult time putting the book aside to take care of what had to be done . The people in the book were so real, their emotions presented so vividly that I felt that I was alongside them. The descriptions of the travels to begin development of the new parks & the planning for them is amazing. Finding out more about the background of some of our national park and famous public parks was wonderful. Thank you for this book!!!!

[Linda Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author’s vivid details transport the reader firmly into the nineteenth century with its morés, customs and historical events. Anyone interested in Frederick Law Olmsted will enjoy this engaging novel creatively written as snapshots into a long loving marriage, with all the hardships forced upon them.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging read about the family and professional life of one of the greatest landscape architects of our time, Fred Olmstead. I hadn't realized the amount of personal tragedy he had to overcome to make his visions realities. His wife was the rock of the family and the story is told from her perspective. You really can appreciate the effort it took for her to remain with a man so dedicated and obsessed with his work.

[Cindy Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting historical novel based on the development of many well know , beautiful parks.

Landscape of a Marriage is an interesting, riveting historical novel about the development of many famous parks ,including Central Park in NYC. The author develops an in depth look of the characters and family dynamics of the men behind their amazing accomplishments. A story of love, dedication, loss and grief of the characters and above all perseverance that keeps the reader engaged and anticipating the next plot development. Highly recommended for all readers especially those who enjoy historical novels , romance and a gambit of emotional trials with a realistic outcome.

[Linda D Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading

A captivating book combining history of the most well known park creator and the times he lived. I couldn't put it down until the end. A really good book.

[A.J. McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Olmsted has created an enchanting and thoroughly engrossing fictionalized account of real-life people and events. She drew me in from the first page, and my life came to a standstill until I reached the last page of this fascinating work of historical fiction. It follows the life and times of Frederick Law Olmsted, an acclaimed landscape architect, and his wife Mary (yes, ancestors of the author’s family). I felt a strong connection to the well-developed characters and their experiences – compelling evidence of the skill of the author, who weaves fact and fiction into an unforgettable novel that should not be missed.

[Linda Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived in the upper West Side of Manhattan where my friends and I spent hours each week in the city’s Central Park, I was anxious to jump into a biographical novel based on Fredrick Law Olmsted, who designed NYC’s sprawling park, as well as the landscape treasures of many other great cities. In the first few pages of the book, I was drawn into Olmsted’s life in the second half of the 19th century, and the lives of those around him. Beautifully seen through the eyes of his wife, Mary, the novel, mixing fact and fiction, chronicles a marriage of convenience that becomes a partnership fueled by love, children, and professional successes. I felt a connection to the couple as I shared their joys, their heartbreaks, their triumphs, and their lives in a rapidly evolving world during their forty-year marriage. The book is beautifully penned by Gail Olmsted, whose husband is a distant relation of Fredrick Law Olmsted. I highly recommend it.

[Kerry Chaput · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the mid-1800's and what at first seems like a marriage of necessity between widowed Mary and her brother-in-law Fred turns into a dedicated romance that spans decades. Fred Olmsted is responsible for creating Central Park and his aspirations carry his new wife and children through the ups and downs of his big dreams. Rather than try to change him, Mary works to support him and through this, they both change and grow together. Through the difficulties of Victorian life, hope, loss, and an evolving country, it is their love for each other that holds the family together. Gail Olmsted paints a wonderful picture of a marriage that spans a lifetime, and the challenges of loving a creative person. Landscape of a Marriage shows us how love can carry us through the most difficult of times.

[Regina Buttner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former Landscape Architecture student at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, NY (way back in the 1980s!), I was immediately drawn into this based-on-real-life tale about the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, told from the viewpoint of his sharply observant and dedicated wife, Mary Perkins. I enjoyed the candid peeks into the Olmsted marriage, and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that took place as FLO (as we affectionately called him in our late-night drafting studio at ESF) wielded his unparalleled design genius in the creation of Central Park in New York City, the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C., and countless other locations across the country. If you're looking for a deeper dive into the less-traversed aspects of American history, you'll love LANDSCAPE OF A MARRIAGE!

[Mary Bramwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely story. The characters are rich and well-developed. You feel like you are just one of the family—aging, growing, learning along with them in this beautiful family saga.