I absolutely loved Kelly's debut novel, Lilac Girls, and though her second novel, Lost Roses, disappointed me, I still had high hopes for this one, her third. Moving backwards through Caroline's family history, this one includes the Civil War accomplishments of the Woolsey side of the family. Told in three perspectives, Georgeanna - or Georgy- provides the Woolsey voice as an unmarried woman who makes strides forward in nursing during the war. Meanwhile, in the border state of Maryland, life on a tobacco plantation, the Peeler Plantation, comes to life through the eyes of Jemma, a slave who has lived there all her life and Anne-May, the mistress of her newly inherited plantation, recently arrived from New Orleans. While Jemma's narrative is the most sympathetic - and frankly, the most interesting - I never found myself as engrossed in either Georgy or Anne-May's sections. George - particularly in her romantic relationships - is not very sympathetic. And while she's certainly forthright, there are many instances where the whole Woolsey family feels too modern to be truly believable. On the opposite end of that, Anne-May borders on too evil to be believable. There are some moments more Elisabeth Bathory than Scarlett O'Hara and she is just a unbalanced character - especially to justify the ending. Her actions don't follow logic, nor do they really add up to a solid character arc.

While the book certainly feels well-researched for the most part, it glosses over many of the hardships of a lingering war. In part, that may be because the wealth of the characters shielded them from this, but there's more time spent describing dresses and hoop skirts than food shortages. Also, the medical situation doesn't really add up to some of the different accounts that I have heard of the times - Louis Pasteur and his germ theory had not gained prominence in the United States and the cleanliness described also seems to be a more gentle whitewashing of this part of history. The book is also rather drawn out and while I did overall enjoy it more than Lost Roses, and am thankful for my NetGalley wish to have come true, it just wasn't quite as strong of a novel as I hoped it would be. I am curious to see what Kelly will write next, especially since she states here that she is moving on from Caroline's family history.

It took me a little bit to get into it. I think the character and time period building was slow, but once it picked up, I was hooked.

Slavery books are horrifying and heartbreaking every single time. The fact that it ever took place is despicable. We can’t allow ourselves to forget it happened though, which is why I think it’s so important to read books like Sunflower Sisters.

The one thing I can see being an issue for some people is that one of the characters was a slave, and the author is white. I sat and thought about it for a bit and think in the end it was necessary for Jemma’s story to be told. Her perspective was an integral part of that time period, and the book would not have been as impactful or eye opening for some, if it had not been shared.

I loved these characters...except for Anne-May, she can burn in hell. They had their flaws, but that’s what made them so real to me. The world needs more Georgy’s in it.

This was a beautifully written novel with characters I won't soon forget. I would recommend ❤️

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Penguin Random House for the gifted ecopy.

I finished this book last night, and all I can say is WOW!! I haven’t read much Civil War historical fiction, so this was an interesting change for me. I felt all the emotions reading this, though, and got fully invested in the characters and their stories.

Alternating points of view, mostly between Jemma, Georgy, and Anne-May, this book gives the reader a look into what the various characters are thinking and feeling. You go from the POV of a white Yankee woman who is a military nurse, to a young female slave that has been through hell and back, to a white Southern woman slave owner - and that adds so much to the book. A good chunk of the book takes place in Maryland, which was a border state in the Civil War, and the different views of slavery are prominent plot points.

This book is beautifully written and will have you crying, cheering, yelling, and sitting on the edge of your seat as you read about these women. AND - it's based on a. true story, so make sure you read the notes at the end of the book.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction!

If you enjoyed Lilac Girls, this one is for you!

This story follows 3 women during the Civil War:
-Georgey Woolsey, a Union nurse and ancestor of Caroline Ferriday from Lilac Girls
- Jemma, a slave on Peeler Plantation in Maryland
- Anne-May who runs Peeler Plantation

This is based on true events of how the paths of these 3 women came to cross each other. I adored Jemma and Georgey! I love how Martha Hall Kelly gives insight into her research at the end of her books. It brings the characters to life in my head, because I know some of those things truly happened.

On a scale of good, great or fantastic, I thought this was FANTASTIC!

It is hard to put into words how powerful this book was and how much it means to me. At times, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever read and yet still, it will go down in history as one of my all time favorite books.

The cruelty of humans is all too evident anytime one thinks of slavery, and this book does not shy away from horrible, ugly truths. At times it was so hard to read that I could physically feel the weight of it in my bones and would have to pull my eyes away from the book and take a moment to breath. However, looking back, that is not what I will remember about this book. I will remember Jemma and Georgy and how they never stopped fighting for what is right. Despite every cruel injustice and unfair circumstances and on and on and on, they fought. Even when they were tired or hurting, they never stopped thinking of what was important and what they knew they needed to do. I also deeply appreciated their friendship and how together they learned how to do even better then they already were, how to advocate for themselves better, how to tell the truth and how to grieve and how to be a friend. It was beautiful to watch them grow.

I also appreciated how well perspectives from all sides of the war. Not even just from the obvious narration standpoint but from the brothers and soldiers who crossed the paths of our three narrators. It really shines a light on how there were truly good and bad people on both sides and truly, when it comes down to it, what matters is how we treat people. Simply being an abolitionist isn’t enough to make you a good person if you don’t treat the person in front of you right, slave or free.

Truly, the only downside is the label of historical fiction. I simply wish I could know every detail of what was real and what was fiction. I of course read the Author’s Note and appreciated the attempts at clarifying that for me. However, I am so engaged that I will definitely be looking up the resources listed there to learn even more for myself.

If it was up to me, Sunflower Sisters would be required reading for all. I loved this book so much and it will stay with me for the rest of my life.

This is a superbly done book that takes us back to the civil war and the cruelty and horrors of slavery. I was immediately pulled into this historical fiction story that is based on actual events and people. Martha Kelly did an incredible job of putting this story together, excellent research, the writing was pretty much flawless, and I loved the characters, especially the Woolsey sisters. Very strong female characters and even one or two not so likable (Anne-May Wilson) but that still had a big impact in the story. Those are the characters you love to hate! This is a must-read for historical fiction fans. Do not miss this one.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

4.5/5 Stars Well done historical fiction, interesting and engrossing.

This third in the books about the Woolsey-Ferriday women, does not disappoint. I wasn't sure I was ready for a Civil War story but this works and continues the story of this fascinating family. Like Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, Martha Hall Kelly uses a structure of POV of three different women. First is Georgeanna (Georgy) Woolsey, the ancestor of Caroline Ferriday; Jemma, an enslaved woman on a Maryland plantation; and Anne-May, the mistress of that plantation. Well researched and heavily based on surviving correspondence from the Woolsey-Ferriday family, plus historical research and other family histories including from descendants of enslaved people, the novel paints a full picture of several years during the Civil War. The war is here in all it's horror, the numbers lost, the conditions in which the wounded were treated, the apathy of too many wealthy Northerners, Southerners who refused to see the enslaved as human and Southerners who just couldn't be bothered to change. This is not a Civil War battle narrative, but a reader can track the basic history and back and forth of Union and Confederate losses and victories.

The battle to bring trained female nurses into medical care during a time of war, is Georgy's story, as she and her family work to help in any way they can while battling sexism and poor medical practices from far too many surgeons and doctors. There are also details of the entire Woolsey family, their relationships with each other, the activities of all of the Woolsey daughters, and Georgy's own love interest. I feel like Georgy is more fully drawn than the other Ferriday women of the series and I appreciate that. Jemma's story is one of the horror of enslavement, the family that surrounds her and how they support each other, and Jemma's journey to New York City and eventual freedom. Nothing is spared here, but Jemma does not exist to just show trauma. She is a fully formed character who loves and cares and dreams, even when she fears any dream is hopeless because she's waiting for the other shoe to drop. Anne-May is the plantation mistress, for whom I felt nothing but anger and contempt. Hall Kelly writes that she is flawed and I'll say that's an understatement. She's self-centered, cruel, manipulative, and rotten to her core. As with Hall Kelly's other books, I appreciate seeing the story from different views. It feels more authentic, more well rounded, more thorough.

Throughout there is a broad cast of side characters. We have siblings, other doctors, other soldiers, those who operated orphanages or charities, townspeople, and extended family members, plus real historical figures who appeared in the Woolsey family correspondence and memoirs. It makes for a fully realized, richly detailed world. We see a bit of the internal battle happening, too, as the country is torn apart by civil war. There are characters discussing news sources and perspectives that is not unlike the discussions happening now in 2021. Woolsey women call out those who ignore how their families have made money while also reckoning with their own family history. There is a Confederate character who dislike slavery but didn't like the way the rules were being changed, while his brother in law fights for the Union. At times all the details slow the pace a little but I never felt like it was bogged down, it simply slowed my reading speed.

Settings are also important and well done, so one always has a good sense of place. New York City during the war is interesting, from balls and fairs to raise money to the draft riots, the Black community in Brooklyn and orphanages up north, and so much more. The world of the plantation is physically narrow, with two neighboring plantations involved and one small town in the border state of Maryland. Nevertheless, the reality of life there is still fully painted. And of course, the battlefield conditions are front and center, particularly Gettysburg.

Throughout this time period and this book, there is a lot happening, and I appreciated that the author did not take short cuts. The author's note at the end is full of intriguing stories and lists of websites, other books, and sources so a reader can dig further into all of the history here.

Readers who enjoyed the first two books of this series, should enjoy this. I think the differing points of view will be interesting for Civil War historical fiction readers.

CW: slavery, lynching, whipping, sexual assault, battlefield injuries, death in war, sexism, racism. infidelity, classism, rioting with destruction

Sunflower Sisters is the final book of the Lilac Girl Trilogy by Martha Hall Kelly. Martha brings strong female characters again, George or Georgianna and Jenna. George is a northern young lady that trains to be a nurse under Dr Elizabeth Blackwell during the civil war. While she is a strong abolitionist but will help any soldier even though treated like a bug under foot just because she’s a woman.
Jenna is a slave in the Peeler Plantation owned by Anne-May Wilson Watson. Anna-May is a selfish owner and takes care of herself rather than the plantation. The slaves are abused and mistreated by all except Anna-Mays husband, Fergus. This causes several ripple effects to the plantation and the slaves.
While Sunflower Sisters is pretty lengthy it keeps your attention and I’m thankful to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced copy of the book
#Netgalley #Ballentine #Sunflower Sisters

Happy pub day to Sunflower Sisters! Thank you @randomhouse @netgalley for my review copy.

This is the third book in the Lilac Girls trilogy. I do want to note that you don’t have to read the other two before reading this one. They are all stand alone books.

I loved the different POVs. It was interesting to see the time period through the different realities for the three women. I thought the story flowed really nicely, even having three POVs. I also really like that the author wrote most of her characters based on real people. It made the story really come to life.

I loved Lilac Girls, wasn’t that into Lost Roses, but I really enjoyed this one! So if you felt the same about Lost Roses, please pick this one up and give it a try!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is the third in a series of books by Martha Hall Kelly which examines the activism and contributions to the war effort of a family of women, beginning with Carolyn Ferriday in Lilac Girls. This one is about the Woolsey sisters during the Civil War, one of which was Carolyn Ferriday's grandmother.

After accidently stumbling upon a slave auction in South Carolina in 1859, the Woolsey women, already anti-slavery, are drawn to find ways they can assist in the abolition of slavery. Soon the Civil War begins and Georgy Woolsey becomes a nurse to wounded troops, both North and South. She runs across a runaway slave, Jemma, and takes her back to New York, where they are pursued by Jemma's owner, Ann-May Wilson Watson.

The book is played against the backdrop of the Civil War and includes many historical references to battles and battlegrounds, as well as insight into the practice of slavery.

This is a mostly true story of a remarkable family who are involved in American history.

The Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly is a very good novel that is set during the Civil War. The journey of a family that has been sold into slavery is captured with clarity. The reader is transported back in time to when human beings were sold into slavery and children were separated from their families .
Scenes of the slavery auction block are heartbreaking. Families are ripped apart. The journey of one family sold into slavery is followed and the love they show for each other is evident. As the reader is transported back in time the imagery makes it seem as if you are living through the experiences with the characters. There is also another family’s journey. This family comes in contact with the slave family and with the horrors of war. Several of these family members become nurses to help in the war effort and there is an effort to assist negro families escape the horrors of their life circumstances. I applaud Martha Hall Kelly for her efforts. I believe that this novel would make a very good book club choice. There is much to be discussed. I would like to thank Martha Hall Kelly, Ballantine Books, and netgalley for allowing me to read Sunflower Sisters in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Martha Hall Kelly is back with this third installment of her Lilac Girls series. She first introduced us to Caroline Ferriday in The Lilac Girls, a story of the American philanthropist who helped young girls released from Ravensbruck concentration camp. Then, in The Lost Roses, we traveled back in time one generation earlier to follow Caroline's mother Eliza's story in the era of World War I.
In Sunflower Sisters, we meet Caroline's ancestor, Georgeanne “Georgey” Woolsey, in the era of the Civil War. Georgey is a Union nurse, joining the war effort, who crosses paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl sold off and conscripted into the army, and Ann-May Wilson, a southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists. This story is told from multiple POV of each of these women in the first person narrative.
The first half of the book can feel a bit slow as the background is established for each of the main characters, but it's important to familiarize the reader with the time. And, even though the book is lengthy, Kelly's writing is beautifully done, and I found myself enthralled by the story, waiting to see how the stories intertwined, and how each of these women would play a part in the overall picture. Well-researched, and beautifully executed, this story gives a picture of the Civil War times, the ugliness of the war, as neighbors and family members fought each other to death, and the brutality of slavery. Kelly has the keen ability to transport the reader to another place and time, this story is as eye-opening as it is heartwrenching, as we learn more about this time in America's history.

Stunning, captivating and beautifully written.
A fantastic historical fiction novel based on real life events that was inspiring and impossible to put down.
I love strong characters and the women in this story were simply remarkable.
Sunflower Sisters is the third book in a series but it can be read as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley, Martha Hall Kelly and Random House for this eARC.

http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeepleasemx

Martha Hall Kelly has quickly become one of my favorite historical fiction authors. The amount of research that goes into her books to provide the reader with graphic details is unprecedented The third book in the Lilac Girls trilogy follows Jemma, A slave on the Peeler Plantation living an awful life and faced with a heart-wrenching decision. Anne-May whose been left to run the Peeler Plantation in her husband's absence as he fights in the war and Georgey an abolitionist nurse who entrenches herself in finding justice and protecting women's rights. These strong women will capture your heart in a book that is nearly impossible to put down.

Happy pub day to Sunflower Sisters, the third book in the Lilac Girls series!
Thank you Ballantine Books for providing a NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻
Pub date: March 30

In Sunflower Sisters, we meet three different women struggling amid the Civil War. Georgie Woolsey has a passion for nursing and that takes her to Gettysburg and other Civil War hospitals. As a member of an abolitionist family, Georgie can't understand why the South is so intent on maintaining slavery. Jemma, a slave woman owned by the vicious Anne-May of Peeler Plantation in Maryland, dreams of being free and reuniting with her family. But Anne-May will stop at nothing to ensure Confederate victory, even becoming a spy dedicated to bringing down the Union.

I loved Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, so I jumped at the chance to read this book featuring the Woolsey ancestors of Caroline and Eliza Ferriday. It starts a little slowly, and I had trouble keeping track of all the characters at first, but then the plot really took off!

I loved the strong feminist themes in Georgie's storyline, seeing how she went toe to toe with the male doctors and fought to make a difference in the lives of her patients.

Jemma's kindness, strength, and intelligence shone through in her story. She is not afraid to speak her mind, and she makes it clear that the Woolseys do not "save" anyone - the slaves who managed to escape have saved themselves.

Anne-May is a villain you will love to hate. Her inhumanity is hard to read in places, but I'm glad that the author included her as an unsympathetic character so that we remember how brutal slavery was. We also get her perspective of having family on both sides of the war, showing us how the war tore families apart.

This is a lengthy read, but parts 2 and 3 move along at a fast clip, and you will find yourself gasping in shock a few times! If you are interested in the Civil War time period or loved the earlier books in the series, give this one a try!

Review posted to Goodreads and Instagram on pub date 3/30/21.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Another excellent book in this series from Martha Hall Kelly. I was quickly drawn in to the stories of the three main characters and as usually happens by the time I finish reading one of her books, I went down several research rabbit holes while I was reading. Kelly does a wonderful job of researching her books and the stories are both compelling and historically accurate. For anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, I would recommend Sunflower Sisters (and Kelly's other books Lilac Girls and Lost Roses).

One note...although this book is the third book in the Lilac Girls series, the books do not need to be read in order to enjoy them.

The Woosley sisters Abby, Jane, Georgeanna, Mary, Eliza, Harriet and Caroline grew up in privileged and well to do household. Their mother Jane lead by example, she helped the less fortunate, an abolitionist and her daughters followed in her footsteps. Georgeanna trained to be a nurse, despite male disapproval and became one of the first Union army nurses serving in the Civil War. She tended wounded in hospitals, on the battle field and aboard hospital ships. She and her sister Eliza went to Gettysburg where for three weeks they witness firsthand violent battle, the terrible injuries and the horrors of slavery.

Peeler Plantation in Maryland, Jemma is a slave, her father and mother live in the slave quarters and her twin sister Patience works at a nearby Indigo plantation called Ambrosia. The two people she fears the most are her difficult and mean mistress Anne-May and the extremely nasty overseer LeBaron. Anne-May is the owner of Peeler Plantation, her husband Fergus Watson joins the Union army and her beloved brother Harry Wilson joins the Confederate army. Left in charge Anne-May sees it as the perfect opportunity to do as she pleases, she spends too much money, treats her slaves badly and flirts with shop keeper Jubal Smalls. Anne-May is rather naïve, her behavior gets her into serious trouble and she’s drawn into a network of Southern spies.

Sunflower Sisters is inspired by the real Woosley sisters, the letters they wrote and other memorabilia kept in a collection. Sunflowers were also used by the underground railway as a symbol of danger and sisters Jemma and Patience were both drawn to them.

While reading the story you’re given a comprehensive look at life in American during the time of the Civil War, from the streets of New York to tobacco fields of the South. The plot includes information about the battles of the Civil War and the destruction it caused, the shocking injuries and the massive loss of life. It also looks at the evils of slavery, its terrible cruelty and nothing is left out. It’s a story filled with strong female characters to admire, it has elements of suspense, tension, drama, sadness and a little romance.
Martha Hall Kelly has written an amazing book to conclude her Lilac Girl Series, its absolutely brilliant and five stars from me.

This was a great, thought-provoking historical fiction read. The three main characters were captivating and provided realistic voices from the Civil War era. Some aspects were gritty and stayed with me for a long time, but added to the depth of the story and offered timely perspective to current events.
I would highly recommend this book!.

Sunflower Sisters is another fantastic work of historical fiction by Martha Hall Kelly. Kelly transports her reader to the Civil War and a variety of locations including South Carolina, and New York,. The Woolsey sisters of NYC are abolitionists who fight against slavery and volunteer wherever they are needed to help mankind. Georgy Woolsey strives to become a Civil War nurse. Life om the South Carolina tobacco farm is despicable for the enslaved Jemma and her family. She lives in fear of beating from her selfish owner Anne-May. Kelly's characters are captivating and endearing. The plot may be gritty, but it has many twists that will capture the reader's attention. Sunflower Sisters is definitely a thought provoking novel.

I'm glad that this book in the "series" did not require that the prior books be read ahead of time so I was able to jump right in. I agree with some of the other reviews I've seen that the sheer amount of characters is a lot to handle. However, once I got about 20% of the way in I was able to more easily distinguish who was who, what was going on in that individual plotline, and start to put the puzzle pieces together.

Overall I really enjoyed this book even though some of the dialogue seems a little corny, but maybe I was just imagining it as a Hallmark movie or something so I was reading it all funny. I love historical fiction and have Martha Hall Kelly's other books sitting on my bookshelf so they will definitely be jumping to the top of my TBR since I enjoyed this title so much.

Although this book is long, it was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

(will be posting for pub day on my Instagram)