Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

I liked this book, I liked the way it was written in 3 different POV's of Georgy, Jemma and Anne-May. I felt that I was able to really get to know each and understand why they did the things that they did.

My biggest complaint; the book is just too long. This story could have been shortened by about 200 pages and still felt complete.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Ballentine Books for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release in March 2021.

This story based on a real family set in the times of the Civil War was one of my favorite. It was quite interesting to read about those times...friendship, war, culture change, politics, and money. For me it was refreshing to read something other than WWII books (which we are drowning in at the moment). Ms. Kelly is an outstanding author which is displayed in her writing. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read I’ll recommend it to everyone .
I’d get so involved into reading that I would loose track of time the
Author brought the characters to life it actually broke my heart the way
That Jamma was treated this is one book I’ll read again
My thanks to the author

While I adored Lilac Girls and was looking forward to this third book in the same family, I was disappointed. This book was way too long. I love books told in multiple voices, but I was left feeling that especially Anne-May’s story could have been omitted. Jemma and Georgy were more compelling characters, but nothing new was presented in their stories. A fine read but nothing extraordinary.

What a great third book in this series by Martha Hall Kelly! Each of the books are definitely able to read stand alone but I loved the total story in the end. This historical fiction weaves together the lives of multiple families - and while the subject matter - the Civl War and the fight to end slavery is not new - the weaving of the life story of Georgy and her family in Sunflower Sisters was compelling and interesting.

The research done by the author was detailed and described at the end of the book and makes for an interesting read as well.

Truly recommend this book as well as the first two by Martha Hall Kelly!

Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read and review.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is written from three different characters that are so telling of their circumstances. Each view the war and slavery so differently. I will admit, midway through it did slow down for me. However, overall the story is interesting.

First, a big thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Sunflower Sisters. I really enjoyed Kelly’s other two books, and hoped to enjoy this one just as much. I would give this book 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars. While I enjoyed the overall storyline, it felt a little slow to me. It took me 2 weeks to read, and I know when I’m not picking a book up to read it every chance I get then it’s just ok for me. I feel like the second half of the book picked up more and I enjoyed it more than the first half. It was satisfying having read all 3 books in this series- and am curious to see what Kelly writes next!

I am finding it hard to get into this book. I know that it will be popular though based on the author's prior books. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly concludes the trilogy which also includes Lilac Girls and Lost Roses. It is a well researched prequel of sorts to the ancestors of Caroline Ferriday.

I loved every minute of it, and did not want it to end. It is told in three voices -- Georgy Woolsey (one of 7 sisters) who was a Civil War Nurse and staunch Abolitionist, a fictionalized slave Jemma, and a fictionalized plantation mistress Anne-May. Both Jemma and Anne-May are highly researched and true to historical figures.

We are transported into life on a tobacco plantation, hospital ships, Civil War battlefields (including Gettysburg), Washington DC, the Connecticut countryside, New York City, and more in the 1860s.

The Underground Railroad and the fight for freedom at all costs are made real. I was especially struck by the idea of not having a last name and how that effected Jemma. She said that every free person has one and it means that you matter. Your last name is what you pass on to those you love to show they have worth and matter also.

These characters will become real to you, too. You will learn much, but more importantly be inspired by the strength of these strong women. Despite their many challenges they found ways to defy the societal bounds to enact meaningful change. What a legacy they left, you will be better after reading it. Their strength and determination should not be forgotten.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review from Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

Having loved ‘The Lilac Girls’ and ‘Lost Roses’ I was so looking forward to the authors next title.
This new book takes place during the Civil War and tells the stories of three women: Georgeanna Woolsey who is trying to become a nurse and open a school for nursing, Jemma who is a slave , and Anne-May Watson who is a very unlikeable slave owner.
It is a long book but well researched and like Ms Kelly’s other books it is inspired but true events.
Really enjoyed the story, the history and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction

Sunflower Sisters is the third and final installment in Kelly’s series on the Wolsey sisters. This book follows three characters: Georgy Woolsey, a northerner and nurse, Jemma, a slave longing to be free, and Anne May, a southerner and staunch confederate. The lives of these characters overlap as they fight to survive during the dark days of the civil war.

As a big fan of Kelly’s first two books, I enjoyed the third installment as well. While I’m not normally a proponent of books with multiple storylines, I thought the characters intersected well in this book. As with the other books, I found the storyline of Georgy Woolsey the least interesting. Jemma’s story was by far my favorite and I would have loved to spend more time with her as she escaped slavery with her family. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the historical research put into it. Sometimes the emotional appeal is a bit lacking, but still a great read!

This story takes place at the beginning of the Civil War and continues until it is over. Descriptions, of the battles, the nursing being done by unsung heroines, the slaves and their horrible lives on the plantation. You can actually picture this story taking place in your head. If you are interested in the Civil War and the women that are the heroines I highly recommend this book.

Wonderful fiction novel based on real people in history.

This story takes place during the American Civil War. The reader gets a look at different lives during the Civil War, including the Woolsey family.

This novel is a very long book with many pages.

Note: I received a free digital advanced copy from Net Galley and the publisher Random House Publishing - Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

I was granted this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and to Ballentine Books!
This book is for readers who have already enjoyed Martha Hall Kelly's other two books in the trilogy, Lilac Girls and Lost Roses (sensing a flower theme?). You do not have to read these books in order or all three to enjoy them, although I find it incredibly fascinating how Kelly works her trilogy backwards in time, and keeps it all in the family. I have been waiting for this book since setting Lost Roses down.
Set in the Civil War, we meet the Woolsey Family, a real-life family of the time, and follow sister Georgy as she tries to become a nurse and ultimately start a woman's school for nursing. We also meet a Slave, Jemma, trying to escape from Anna-May, an unlikable slave owner.
If you liked the other two, you will like this book as well. You can sense that it was well researched, as hundreds of letters still survive. To me the book is long, or at least it felt that way, with most of the drive of the story comes from Jemma and her fight for freedom. Its a solid book and well worth the read. If you enjoy the era and enjoy learning about women's roles in our American History, this book will not disappoint.
p.s. Read the author's notes!

After enjoying <i>Lilac Girls</i> and <i>Lost Roses</i> by this author, I was very happy to receive an ARC for Sunflower Sisters, the third book about the Woolsey/Ferriday family.
Taking place during the Civil War, <i>Sunflower Sisters</i> tells the stories of Georgeanna Woolsey, Jemma, and Anne-May Watson.
Georgy is raised with six sisters and one brother in a wealthy family of philanthropists. She joins the US army as a nurse and takes care of the many wounded and dying soldiers. She is honest and ambitious, and often has to fight for the respect of the male nurses and doctors, who don’t think women should be nurses.
Jemma and her family are enslaved at a tobacco plantation in Maryland. Dreaming of freedom, Jemma is sold to a photographer and his family and manages to escape. But will her family be able to follow?
Anne-May Watson is the mistress of the Peeler plantation, and the owner of Jemma. She is selfish and cruel, and often finds reasons to hurt Jemma. When her husband and brother leave to fight on different sides of the war, she is left to run the plantation, but chooses to follow her own desires.
Based on historical events and the letters of the Woolsey/Ferriday family, <i>Sunflower Sisters</i> tells the story of three very different women whose lives are intertwined. This books shines a light on the different roles that women played during the war, when many of the men were fighting at the frontlines. I liked how the characters where all very complex and none of them where perfect heroines.
This book is definitely recommended for people that like to read historical fiction, but haven’t read much about the civil war and the fight to abolish slavery yet.
4 stars

#SunflowerSisters #NetGalley

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with ARC.

I am feeling so disappointed about this novel because this novel and *Lilac Girls * are written with the same Author, from the beginning there's something off with this novel to me, i put it down many times and tried hard to continue.

Sunflower Sisters is a Civil War era historical fiction work, although it is inspired by real people and events. This was a beefy read - it took me much longer than normal. Especially during the first half of the novel, I had a hard time keeping interest. Once the characters and storylines became established, it was more enjoyable. 3.5 stars rounded up.

This story is based loosely on several families that were either civil rights activists or slaves. I found this out after reading the notes at the end, which I found rather fascinating. This was an interesting story, but much too long. At times when I did not want a whole lot of description (what they were wearing, how the house was decorated) I was given too much. During the action scenes I wanted more.

Absolutely loved this book!!! Very heart felt and interesting to see characters and their behaviors and how in the end, they reveal why they are the way they are.