Ten years after she was last there, 32-year-old horticulturist Sophie Drear returns to Lilymoor House to restore the gardens for its owner, Eula Beck. Sophie was last at the aging estate with Harriet, her best friend, and tending the deteriorating grounds now unearths painful memories of Harriet’s death. Although Sophie had not understood Harriet’s belief that there was magic at Lilymoor, her attitude changes when she discovers a blue door that leads to another part of the garden. There she finds a mysterious man named Rus, who is on a mission to transform the secret garden of Lilymoor.
Author Ashley Poston’s (Sounds Like Love, A Novel Love Story) characters are rich and relatable. Sophie is a likable and kind protagonist whose close relationship with her mother is refreshingly sweet. Equally amiable are the secondary characters: Wykofski, the unflappable handyman; Juliette, Eula’s lighthearted assistant; and Eula’s great-nephews, Oliver and Cyrus. The storyline with Cyrus is especially intriguing, his presence as mysterious as the uncanny resemblance he bears to the elusive Rus.
Poston casts a spell on readers with lush garden metaphors; Sophie’s work in the garden involves tasks like weeding but also detangling emotions to restore peace among Lilymoor’s residents, as well as nurturing her own heart. At times, Poston disrupts the immersive narrative by unfolding Sophie’s backstory with Harriet, even though the memories are already effectively woven into Sophie’s cultivation of the garden. The unfolding intrigue surrounding Rus, and his connection to Cyrus, contributes to the novel’s mysterious, dreamlike quality, while the sensual scenes add emotional charge to the narrative.
The Someday Garden is an uplifting tale of love and hope blossoming after loss and grief. Fans of tender, thoughtful romances with a touch of fantasy will enjoy this charming, emotional, but not overly sentimental story.