Marigold Milk

by Ayla Simone

Grief-stricken by the loss of a child, Mariella Gold finds herself applying for a nanny position for a widowed local doctor, Jamie North. As with most things in Mariella’s life so far, the job comes with a polarising twist. The moment she walks into the North residence, Mariella is much more than just a nanny to Jamie’s child; a secret that she must keep from her contentious husband if she wants to keep her renewed hope and purpose. Hiding the morbid truth behind Mariella’s own short-lived experience as a mother proves challenging. Her bond with Jamie blossoms while in forced proximity, provoking chaotic results. It’s only a matter of time before an even darker truth from Mariella’s past is revealed.

Genres: Romance, Love, Forced Proximity, Romantic, Fiction, Workplace

212 pages, ebook

Published December 10, 2022

Reviews

[Kylee Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw a TikTok about a month ago advertising this book and have been anxiously awaiting it’s release since. I can now say that it didn’t disappoint! Marigold Milk is a heartwarming story about finding love and family after loss. It has some fun twists and a sweet HEA.

A few things that I didn’t love was that the beginning was slow and had a few too many poetic descriptions of things. I also would have loved more details of Jamie and Mariella’s relationship between the time jumps.

Overall I really enjoyed the story and look forward to what the author writes next!

[Cassidy Addison · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was BAD. poorly written, plot was very boring, predictable ending, etc. The only reason I didn’t DNF it was because it was so short. It felt like a waste to even DNF

[Mollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watching tik tok and came across a video advertising this book. I couldn’t be happier to have picked it up!!! This book was such an amazing read and held such emotion.

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

I really enjoyed this book! Despite it taking me a bit to really get into it, once I did, it was hard to put down and ended up finishing it in mere hours. I loved the way the author described what each of them had gone through and their constant internal battles. The writing was beautiful, though the switch in POVs was a bit confusing for me at first, I ended up getting used to it. Overall, I think this was a beautiful piece of writing about themes that could be of comfort and help to so many mothers and people who have lived similar experiences.

[Mathair Rouge · Rating 5 out of 5]

tear jerking and perfect

As a woman who has had 3 pregnancies and 1 loss in between 2 healthy children i was hesitant due to emotions. However this story is so beautiful. It’s well written. The characters develop well and naturally and the outcome shows that happiness is possible with the right person, the love of you life. If you have suffered the loss of a child, this book will make you emotional but it’s in a good way🥰 and it’s a perfect reminder that it’ll one day get better❤️

[Ifa Fathima A · Rating 4 out of 5]

If i were to speak about this book well for starters it's beautifully written and pretty clean..I always found the concept of wet nurse intriguing because of the emotional depth that connect's which i guess could been more explored in this book but it wasn't.Rather it focused on the romance between the leads and was fast paced. But nevertheless it was a good book which i genuinely found amazing to read and would recommend

[Daphne Chipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ayla, your book is amazing!! I laughed, I day dreamed and then I cried. I've never had a book bring out so many emotions, thank-you. You are incredible.

There is always a way to happiness. Your book attests to that...albeit fictional it's a testament that rings so very true.

[Lucy 🤍 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2 hours I’ve never felt so warm and happy reading the ending of a book! It was the perfect ending and the whole storyline was so good! Looking forward to reading more books from this author! Marigold milk is now one of my top favourite books🤍

[Andrei · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than viable. Perfect.
this book was such a thrill and i think it should have way more readers and ratings than it currently holds. i love how deep and passionately Mariella lives all that life has to throw at her. i also love the way she stays soft, willfully fighting against giving in to her past trauma.
i also feel blessed to have come across this book on booktok, especially being a male. even though i could not really relate to her experience, Mariella did something to me. she made me realize how deeply mothers feel. and how ready they are to sacrifice everything for the children they pour their whole hearts into.
i definitely recommend this book. i found it to be emotionally enriching for me. although i'd say it's a tad too happy for me, i still strongly believe women deserve happy endings that feel like life's puzzle pieces just fall into the right places. both within the pages they read and in their real lives.

[Caroll [Taylor's version] · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so well written!
A mother's grief is something i know is very painful but Ayla has written the book so beautifully! Nothing was neglected! I cried my eyes out... I sympathize with Marie so much ! She deserves the best!
If you are looking for smut this isn't the book! It's more about story building!
Omg Jamie loved Sally Rooney and i love Jamie for loving Sally Rooney!

[Charmi Zielinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautifully written

Ayla Simone did a great job at writing this book. Grief surrounding pregnancy and infant loss is a big factor in this book, and while it didn’t resonate with me I feel like many women can look at this book and see parts of themselves in it. Ayla shows how the loss of a child effects both people in the relationship, and how people may choose to deal or make sense of this is not generally right.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: infant loss

I’m sitting here crying having just finished this beautiful story. My heart broke for Mariella, and the grief she experienced loosing her baby girl. Lost to her grief, she looses her business and while searching for a new job, she becomes a live in wet nurse for single dad Jamie’s baby boy, who also lost his wife the previous month. Mariella struggles with her husbands lack of support surrounding their loss but finds purpose and love again looking after baby Vincent and with Jamie by her side.

It’s is an incredibly emotional and beautiful story full of loss, love and acceptance, while finding purpose again in life. I loved it so much.

[Lulu Delores · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just gorgeous… the language used is so poetic, yet modern. I loved it. It isn’t a spicy book, nor is it action packed, but it is delicate and written with precision. Marigold Milk is a triumph. Especially for women.

[Maya Cheikh Ibrahim]

in love. that's all i have to say

[Kaylee Shick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down I received it over the summer along with some other books i haven’t read yet I picked it up and read it in one night

[Elliot Dolan-Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartfelt book from a young, emerging Australian author was difficult to put down!

Although the book is titled as a romance, I would suggest it goes deeper than that genre, and is deeply engaged in a story of familial, romantic, and friendship relations that are set in the context of profound heart loss, longing, and contemporary suburbia.

For me, the writing powerfully constructed and detailed the emerging, emotional relationships that were constructed between an unlikely group of people, which centred on not only the important task of childcare and a blossoming romance, but also had, on the other hand, a shadow creeping over the narration of trauma arising from a lost pregnancy and a collapsing marital relationship.

The plot was fast moving, though emotionally complex and involved, with the author flawlessly constructing a clear mental picture of the location, feelings, and context of the story in the mind of the reader. Interestingly, as the book progressed, the narration switched between a first-person perspective of the main character and to a third-person perspective of a secondary character, chapter-to-chapter. I have never seen this attempted in a novel before - but I felt the author was using this technique to subtly give primacy to the story of the main character, who was experiencing a contradiction of extreme loss and renewed hope, and I felt it was highly effective in this goal.

Would highly recommend - and I can promise you'll delightfully romp through it in a matter of hours!

[Juliette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ Bonne lecture

Cette lecture est partie d’un fou rire sur le titre. Vraiment pour un titre de romance c’est non.

Et puis finalement les thèmes m’intéressaient pas mal donc pour la science je l’ai lu !

C’était pas mal. L’histoire c’est Mariella qui a perdu sa fille née trop tôt et qui vie cette fausse couche seule depuis plusieurs mois. Face à l’ignorance et meme les assauts moraux de son mari, elle va chercher un nouveau travail et trouver un peu par hasard cet homme qui cherche quelqu’un pour nourrir son nouveau né après le décès de sa femme. Une histoire entre deux personnes seules face au deuil, un pansement pour le cœur.

Honnêtement ça m’a beaucoup fait penser à un Colleen Hoover. C’était bien écrit, sa construction était bien (quoique certes très répétitive sur l’état mental de Marielle). La deuxième partie m’a un peu moins convaincue mais honnêtement au niveau des messages on y était.

Des personnages qui font assez réaliste mais qui ne me marqueront pas non plus, c’était une bonne lecture pour un dimanche après midi quand on aime le drama et les personnages blessés haha !

Par contre le titre c’est toujours non 👀

[Rita · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,8

I really had hoped for this one. It was the authors first books but it was giving wattpad.
The way the book was written is so confusing, first there was only narration and almost no dialogue, second why have her prob be in the 1ers person but his in the 3rd?!?! Who does that.

There story had potential but maybe it should’ve been longer to clear up some questions.

We don’t know why and how the wife died or why she acted the way she did in her mariage to Jamie

There is no development or tradition to Jamie’s and Mari’s relationship. Like that « I love you » came out of nowhere.

Mari and Vinnies relationship was the best thing out of this book. The way he cared for him.

[harbinger of death · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so fucking boring. There was like barely anything to the plot. The characters were super boring. Mari was boring. Jamie was boring. Franco at least had some villian in him. All of it was so fking boring. I would have DNF but it was so short I just rage finished it.
I do not recommend this book at all. There was too many words to basically say nothing. And the random I love you outta no where ??

[Coco H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and such a sad yet hopeful story. Absolutely loved this book!

[Shim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moral of the story
Don't believe everything in Tiktok

This book had so much potential, but its lacking in every way, from writing, to the flow, to the change in narratives.

[Zahida Sayed · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the story could have been very good if the writing style was good. It was structured like 2013 amateur wattapd books which had potential but lacked delivery.

[Aliyah Champion · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book sucks. Hate the writing and no plot

[DarknessLighttt · Rating 4 out of 5]

🐚 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 🐚

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: forced proximity, forbidden, slow burn, workplace romance,

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: infant loss, grief

Marigold Milk is a book about finding love and family after a loss.

Mariella is such a strong woman. She struggles with the grief she experienced after the death of her baby girl, and when she is ready to take a step to recover, she discovers that she has also lost her business and now she has to find a new job. Because of this, she meets Jamie, a widowed father who needs a wet nurse, and thus ends up living with him. As long as she stays there, she realizes that in all her struggle with mourning and the lack of support from her husband, she found the purpose and the love she needed.

It is an emotional and beautiful story, full of mourning, love, recovery and finding happiness.

Thank you Ayla Simone for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was provided via BookSirens.

[Ariadna Conde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estem pues no lo terminé, me empezó a aburrir y nomás me faltan 20 páginas pero como yo no pierdo tiempo ya quiero leer algo que si me guste.

RESEÑA:
Básicamente este libro se trata de Mariella quien acaba de tener un miscarriage y está literal deprimida, no hace más que disque limpiar su casa, take care of her dog and diría soportar a su marido pero ni se ven a los ojos así que no sabría que decir, y de Dr Jamie quien perdió a su esposa en el parto de su bebé Vincent, y está en busca de alguien que le pueda dar leche materna para su bebé porque es alérgico a todo y nada le cae bien, un día Mariella se encuentra con este anuncio de el Doctor y decide llamar, se encuentra con el y firma un contrato de un año como donadora de leche para el niño, pero decide aceptar la propuesta que le hace el desesperado papá.

[♏Vanessa♏ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrible title, really good story

This is only 200 pages of a tragic and sweet story about second chance. The fmc is hired as a wet nurse to an orphaned boy and slowly feelings for her employer develop. They are both stricken with grief and they help each, somewhat, to overcome the past.
The title is terrible, I thought it was a fetish thing at first. But it's not that at all.
Australian author on ku.

[Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so lovely and heartfelt I absolutely devoured it at once, the writing of the author was beautiful and refreshing. It surely was a 5 star read to me. As a fan of dark romance this book was like breath of fresh air for me, it got me out of my reading slump and the tropes and the plot of the book absolutely stunning

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel that touches deeply on feelings of love, loss and resilience.

While some character developments in the book did not seem super necessary, they did help to flesh out the book and show the sometimes messy reality of life.

As a Gap resident, I found the local references really enthralling and special. I really enjoyed the impact and pace of the novel.

[Jen B · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a really good book! Really enjoyed the characters, how Mariella life was and has been after losing a child. I couldn’t imagine what she had been going through and also that Franco wasn’t there for her when she needed him the most. I really love how Jaime was Mariella second chance in life and love. Loved every moment of it🩷

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This was more chick lit or women's fiction than the type of romance that I typically read. And I wish that I'd have known that going in. Based on the title and blurb, I was expecting a very different experience. It felt like things were just added to the story to explain things, rather than building them into the story. We needed a reason for these two to be together when she was still married and his wife died just a few months ago, so we see all of these things pop up every so often about the spouses to make us dislike them. But the backstories of those character flaws are never explained or explored. In the end, it just didn't really work for me.