The American Civil War is the harrowing setting for the author’s last book in her stellar trilogy, based on the true story of the Ferriday/Woolsey family. The breakout bestseller LILAC GIRLS started the saga; SUNFLOWER SISTERS ends it with a heartbreaking tale about the cruelty of slavery and the brave efforts to end it.

Kelly presents electrifying POVs from multiple women who make SUNSHINE SISTERS come alive. Georgey Woolsey, is a Union nurse along with her sister Eliza; vulnerable young Jemma is enslaved in the South; and Anne-May is a heartless plantation mistress.

From Southern brutality to NYC in tatters to the bloody battle of Gettysburg, we see their lives play out against the conflagration that split families as it fractured the nation. We long to know what happens to them, feeling we’ve walked beside them through hell, and close the book forever changed. Brava, Ms. Kelly!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 30 Mar 2021

Forever grateful to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#SunflowerSisters #NetGalley

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelley was a nice historical look into her family’s history during the Civil War, but I certainly did not enjoy it nearly as much as her preceding novels. I was highly touched by the story of the enslaved Jenna and the pro-abolitionist work of the Woolsey family, but I was not engaged by the plot and struggled to make it all of the way through. I still would recommend this book to others, but it was not for me

Thank you to NetGalley and Balantine Books for allowing me to read Sunflower Sisters early in exchange for an honest review.

Martha Hall Kelly's Sunflower Sisters is a work of historical fiction based on the very real lives of the Woolsey sisters of NYC. Alternating viewpoints, the story brings to life the woman's experience during the Civil War. The reader follows three women: Georgeanna "Georgy" Woolsey, Jemma and Anne-May Wilson Watson. Georgy is one of seven sisters born into a wealthy family in NYC who shirks her status to help with the war effort by becoming a nurse attending soldiers for the Union Army. Jemma is a young slave girl who is facing the horrendous treatment of her family at the hands of her "owner," Anne-May, on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland. Anne-May is the antagonist of this novel, but also provides readers with an inside look at the mind of a Southern woman attempting to survive during one of the most tumultuous times in our history as a nation.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of Sunflower Sisters is the author's use of real-life artifacts to build her stories around. In the Author's Note at the end of the novel, Kelly explains how the letters written between the Woolsey sisters, real documents. These letters were included either in whole or part throughout the novel. They bring a sort of life to the Woolsey sisters in the reader's mind because even those these women were very much alive in our history, their words bring their voice into the 21st century and almost make them tangible. I always knew that the characters were based on a real group of women, but finding out that the letters were real added another layer of authenticity to the story for me.

I also loved Georgy and Jemma's relationship. Both women were absolutely inspiring. For Georgy to stand up and against the standard roll of women during the late 1800's, she really took a risk of bringing dishonor to her family name. On the same hand, the support that she received from her mother and sisters, as well as her Uncle Edward, was just heartwarming. She really supported the definition of strong woman and further showed all the good one can do if they are not afraid to stand in the face of adversity. I also want to give kudos to the men in her life, because for every man in her life that looked down on her, there was another one providing never-ending support and encouragement. Something that we see even today among our strong female activists. Mind you, Georgy didn't need these men to lift her up. She would have persevered no matter what.

Jemma was perhaps my favorite character in this novel. She showed such strength and determination in the face of adversity. She was dealt this unthinkable hand of being a slave, but never let herself accept the life she was forced into. She knew that her actions would get her killed and she was scared, but she never gave up. She wanted to get herself out along with her sister and her mother. This young girl witnessed so much tragedy and barbaric acts at the hands of other people that no reader would have blamed her if she resigned to the status quo of that time. Her strength and determination is truly admirable and she is not a character that I am going to forget her for a long time.

I appreciated the author's decision to include the viewpoint of Anne-May. While this character has very few redeeming qualities, her voice was important. It helped the reader obtain a well-rounded view of Civil War life. She reminded me a bit of Scarlet O'Hara in some aspects, but I prefer Scarlet to Anne-May. Her storyline infuriated me while at the same time allowed me to empathize with her. She was an absolutely heinous person but the reader came to understand her and in the end, she got what she deserved.

As a whole this novel provides the reader with an in-depth look at the role of women during the Civil War. It is gripping from the first page and the reader is quickly drawn into the lives of these three women. The events are almost unbelievable due to how terrible humans can treat other humans. Martha Hall Kelly stated in her Author's Note that this was the end of the trilogy following the family depicted in her other works, Lost Roses and Lilac Girls. I hope that isn't so because I would love to learn more about Georgy's Mother, Jane, or even her sister Eliza Howland. This is a definite must-read for any reader who loves historical fiction or war dramas. I have learned so much and was exposed to a piece of history that is so often forgotten about.

First I would like to thank #netgalley and Ballantine books for an early digital copy of this book. This is a story told from three different perspectives on Women during the Civil War: Jemma, a slave in Maryland, Anne-May, Jemma’s owner, and Georgy, a white abolitionist nurse in New York City.

Each perspective of the story is rapturing and descriptive. With a large page count in this book I do believe that some of these paragraphs and chapters could be shortened to create a more concise point; however, the descriptive and emotional writing in this book was very beautiful.

Each perspective of their Journey through the bloodiest war in American History is thought-provoking, haunting, yet fulfilling. While I feel Jemma’s perspective was based on much research and interviews I still can’t help but feel underwhelmed by another POC written by a White Author. It took away some of the authenticity from me because no matter how much we research I don’t think a white person can accurately describe the pain, emotion, and generational trauma that followed during times of Slavery.

That being said I appreciated this book, and really enjoyed the opportunity to read it.

Martha Hall Kelly proved she was a force to be reckoned with when she published her debut novel ("The Lilac Girls") and each subsequent book in my humble opinion, has just gotten better and better. I am a sucker for a good Civil war novel (GWTW anyone?) and this fits the bill wonderfully. I sat down, and did not get up until I finished. Really enjoyed this one and will recommend it to all who love history and good writing.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine Books and Netgalley for an E-ARC Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly.
Ms Kelly is a meticulous researcher and this allows her characters and settings to jump off the page into your heart, as if they are your dearest friends. This novel set during the civil war era does not shy away from the atrocities of war and slavery. Yet it makes the suffering human and connects to the reader’s sympathies The extended family of the Woolsey Sisters and their acquaintances keeps the plot moving in unpredictable paths. The meaning of the Sunflowers is a poignant reveal in this engaging story. I have loved all of Ms Kelly’s novels surrounding the Bellamy family. Sunflower Sisters continues the historic accounts of the same family tree we enjoyed in Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.
#netgalley#SunflowerSisters

Martha Hall Kelly has not disappointed again. The Woosley family is once again brought to life in her latest novel, Sunflower Sisters, which will be released March 30, 2021. Set during the Civil War, this novel takes us on a journey from slave life on a Maryland Plantation, to a nurse’s perspective on battlefield action, and onto New York City where civilians are struggling to deal with the war. The novel is detailed with historical information that helps the reader understand the effect this war had on the United States and why it was being fought. Fans of Lilac Girls and Lost Roses will enjoy immersing themselves with the characters of this story and will praise the Woosley women once again.

I really enjoyed this tightly plotted novel set during the Civil War that entwines the lives of abolitionist sisters in the North, a family of enslaved people on a Southern plantation, the spying plantation owner, and a large cast of supporting characters. Drawing on historical documents including the letters of the sisters, Kelly creates a rich and fascinating tapestry of how different women were involved in the War and how the War affected them. Kelly writes with sensitivity and realism about nursing, and the medical treatment of Civil War combatants; plantation work and its processes; how escaped enslaved people made their escapes and and were assisted along the way to freedom and how that freedom could be reified or snatched away; how social mores and attitudes changed over the course of the War; and how spycraft worked during the period. My only quibble is with the title, which cites a relatively small detail in the novel and makes it seem much lighter than it is.

I want to thank Random House -Ballantine and Netgalley for a chance to read a d review an ARC copy of Sunflower Sisters by author Martha Hall Kelly. She is going back in history before her previously well written novels, Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.
The Civil War comes to life. It is 1863. Three women share the chapter titles. Georgy grows up in an beautiful home in a fashionable neighborhood in New York City. Anne-May inherits a plantation in Maryland. Jemma, a young black slave, is bought at an auction.
How their lives interact is the story. And it is a very good one!
Incidentally, sunflowers were tied around trees and railings as a warning of danger to escaping slaves.
Sunflower Sisters is due to publish 03/30/2021.

Let me begin this review by telling you that my husband told me halfway through my reading this book that it had to be a five star read because I would not stop calling out things like “ANNE-MAY IS SO HORRIBLE!”  And “OH NO JEMMA!”  Or “ANNE-MAY NEEDS HER COMEUPPANCE!”

He was right. I honestly can’t recall the last time I was so invested in a story and its characters.  Martha Hall Kelly has once again delivered a novel of such substance and value that I will count it as one of my all-time best reads – ever.

Oh, it’s painful.  And it’s brutal.  It’s all the things you would expect of a Civil War-era work of fiction, but it’s also necessary and so important.  

I sobbed my way through the last pages – literally the ugly face cry.  This was the book I didn’t know I needed for this time in our history.  The fact that it’s based on real people and real events makes it that much more powerful.  

Sunflower Sisters will be published on March 30, and you are going to want to mark that date on your calendar because this will be an absolute must read for 2021.  I recommend it with five stars.  

My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sunflower Sisters is the bittersweet final book in the Ferriday family trilogy. I’ve read all three and enjoyed this one as much as the others! It’s historical fiction set in the South and New York City during the Civil War and is told in alternating turns by Georgy, Jemma, and Anne-May. The women are all forces to be reckoned with and this book is an absolutely delightful read from beginning to end. Don’t miss out on the Author’s Note at the end - the women who inspired this book are amazing to say the least.

Thank you to NetGalley, Martha Hall Kelly, and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

This was my first book by Martha Hall Kelly. It’s an amazing story which takes place during the Civil War. Georgeanna Woolsey trained as a nurse follows her passion and works on the battlefront with wounded soldiers. She a strong character which is necessary for her role as the male nurses do not think woman should be near the battlefield. Georgeanna is also strong in her beliefs that slavery needs to be abolished. A second leading character is Jemma a slave on a plantation in Maryland. Through Jemma’s storyline the life of slavery is portrayed. A third character is Anne-May the owner of the plantation where Jemma is a slave.

The author does a wonderful job of portraying the opposing opinions of slavery, a people divided and takes the reader to the battlefields of the Civil War. This story is based on actual people. It’s the story of friendship, life experiences, strong females and how working together can be beneficial overall.

Martha Hall Kelley is a delightful story-teller that really knows how to pull at the heartstrings. Many people, including myself, fell in love with her book Lilac Girls. As a male reader, the floral theme to her novels isn't up my alley, but I'm also not her primary audience. However, this book is a powerful story that is definitely not one to miss.

Sunflower Sisters
Martha Hall Kelly does it again. What a breathtaking reading experience Sunflower Sisters is.

Firstly, I must say I am in awe of the sheer magnitude of research Martha puts into her writing. The historical context is splendid.

Having loved the previous Woolsey/Ferriday family history in Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, Sunflower Sisters takes us towards the beginning of the families legacy. Set in the years surrounding the Civil War, I found Martha’s setting and characters multidimensional and thought provoking.

Having read other reviews, noting their excellent summaries, I don’t think I will summarize, but will simply encouraged fellow readers to pick this up. I absolutely loved the conclusion to Martha’s trilogy, and believe you would too.

Special thanks to Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley for my advanced copy of Sunflower Sisters. Expected publication date March 30, 2021.

I was so excited to learn that Martha Hall Kelly had written another book! The Civil War is not a time period I have a lot of knowledge of so appreciated a chance to learn. The characters and alternating story lines were very engaging and held my interest. I also enjoyed the epilogue and details of the author's research.

A gripping story of slavery and cruelty during the civil war. Women in New York help to free slaves in the south. Based on true facts this is a must read. A look into racism in this country then and now.

This book drops the reader back in history to the time of the Civil War and follows three women of distinctively different backgrounds. Jemma is a slave who works on a plantation alongside her family. Anne-May is a plantation owner who keeps things running while her husband goes off to war. Georgy is from upper society in New York City dedicated to helping with war efforts & trains
and works as a nurse very close to the battlefields.

I appreciated the war told from these three different perspectives and the anxieties and fears that each faced in a very different way. The three women become connected in different ways, and the stories weave together very well. This is a long book, but it did not drag for me at any point, as I was hoping for the war to be over and conflicts to be resolved.

This novel is beautifully written. It tells a different untold version of life during the Civil War and truly allows you to see all perspectives. From the perspective of a nurse to a slave, this novel is truly wonderful in that it shows you a different story compared to those written before. I cannot recommend this novel enough!

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Civil War. White and black. Rich and poor. Female! Taking place in PA and MD. I enjoyed it. Only at the end did I learn it is book three in a series. Defiantly one you can read as a stand alone.

Another true historical fantasy of love and death by Martha Hall Kelly, the incredible author of the Lilac Girls. Wonderfully written and pure entertainment. Get it today