Martha Hall Kelly never fails to give readers a walk through history that that they will not forget. She has delivered a third book just as strong and in my opinion just as good as The Lilac Girls.

This is the third book in the Lilac Girls series but do not let that sway you from reading Sunflower Sisters if you have not read the previous two. I did not find that there would be any need if you are not caught up in this series.

This is a story written in during the Civil War about three story women who believe in a different way of life and follow those beliefs.

Martha Hall Kelly does a great job with her character development and I found myself rooting for these woman and against those who stood in their way.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Sunflower Sisters is the last book in Martha Hall Kelly’s highly acclaimed Lilac Girl series. The series were inspired by the life of service of New York socialite and philanthropist, Caroline Woolsey Ferriday. It’s an impressive conclusion to the trilogy, albeit the first book in the series (Lilac Girls) remains my favorite.

While Lilac Girls is set during the WWII era and shortly thereafter, and the second book in the series, Lost Roses, takes place during the unfolding of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution, in Sunflower Sisters Martha Hall Kelly takes us back even further, to the Civil War era.

The story is told by three narrators: Georgy Woolsey (Caroline’s famous grand aunt), Jemma, the girl enslaved on Peeler Plantation, and Anne-May Wilson Watson, the mistress of Peeler Plantation.

Told from the perspective of Georgy, an accomplished Union Army nurse trained by the first woman doctor in the United States, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the story of Woolsey women is nothing short of remarkable. Theirs was a life of service: every single one of the seven sisters, and Mother Woolsey herself, were working tirelessly supporting Union troops in whichever capacity possible. Working through endless discouragement and sometimes an outright animosity displayed by Union army male doctors and nurses, Georgy, her mother, and her sisters Eliza and Jane established themselves as dependable, capable, and compassionate nurses who helped endless number of soldiers, both Union and Confederate during their tenure on the Hospital Ships as well as on the grounds of the some of the most notorious battles in the US history, such as Gettysburg. Other Woolsey sisters (Abby, Maria, Carry and Hatty) worked tirelessly in New York City, soliciting donations for the troops, teaching disadvantaged women life skills, and carrying for orphans in several New York City orphanages. The history of Caroline Ferriday remarkable predecessors makes her selfless behavior in Lilac Girls seem less extreme, and her inclination to sacrifice her own comfort, and sometimes happiness, to serve others entirely plausible.

If you read Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, you know that while it is obvious that everything that Woolsey Ferriday women did for others was done with good intentions, there is a definite “American savior” vibe that these novels give out that is often hard to ignore. The issue is borderline addressed in Lilac Girls, but I was happy to see that the author chose to explore it even further in Sunflower Sisters. While being staunch abolitionists, Woolsey Sisters were not immune to exhibiting some of the most widespread “white savior” behaviors. This was especially obvious when they "took in" Jemma, an African American girl, who grew up as an enslaved person on Peeler Plantation experiencing just about every brutality and injustice at the hands of the slave masters and overseers. Eventually “sold of”, and carted off from Peeler Plantation and away from her sister and mother, Jemma got mistaken for a boy and got conscripted into the Union Army as a drummer right on the brink of Gettysburg battle. Brave and selfless, Jemma was gravely wounded while helping a fellow soldier and ended up in the care of Georgy and Mother Woolsey. The women formed a strong bond and Jemma ended up traveling with Woolseys back to New York. One of the pivotal moments in their relationship, however, is the one in which Jemma confronts Woolsey sisters about their “bossing her around”, and essentially telling her “how she needs to be helped”. Being exploited most of her life Jemma is done taking orders, especially from the very women whom she considers her friends. I think the conversation was described in a very realistic manner: terribly uncomfortable realization by Woolsey sisters, defensiveness exhibited by Jane, and the subsequent willingness to listen and learn. Most importantly there is a valuable lesson for the reader: for the people of color to communicate openly and without hesitation, and for the white allies to pay attention and make sure you help in a way that a person needs and wants to be helped, not in a way that you deem “best” for them.

Perhaps the most memorable heroin of Sunflower Sisters is Anne-May Wilson Watson of the Peeler Plantation. An entirely fictional character, based on years of the research of the Southern ladies of “gentle breeding”, hickory switch touting, pigeon shooting, snuff addicted Anne-May is hands-down my favorite “villain” of 2021 thus far. The only other equally good multi-dimensional anti-hero in Lilac Girls series being notorious female Nazi doctor Herta Oberheuser. Anne-May is an embodiment of the antebellum South plantation mistresses: needy, vain, cruel, entitled, ignorant, deeply affected by misogyny and familial trauma, yet entirely unrepentant (albeit aware) of her own wrongdoings – Martha Hall Kelly truly created an unforgettable character in Anne-May. Profoundly affected as a child by witnessing what she perceived to be a murder of her beloved father at the hands of the enslaved people, Anne-May’s cruelty towards her enslaved charges is boundless and stands at a stark contrast to the tenderness and loyalty she experiences towards her young brother. It is almost unfathomable that the same person can experience both feelings. On the first glance Anne-May comes off as simply not too bright, but with time it is obvious that she has no illusions regarding her own person, as well as the fact that everyone around her cannot stand her, including her own mild mannered husband (the feeling is mutual). She knows that she is a terrible human being (when she asks her own mother if she thinks she could be a good mother one day, Anne-May does not seem to be surprised to hear the negative answer), yet the thought to change for the better does not even seem to cross her mind. In a way Anne-May’s relationship with everyone is similar to that of her relationship with her cat – she loathes it for hating her, yet desperately seeks approval, wants to be loved and needed. Tough as nails, albeit thinking of herself as “very gentle” Anne-May proves to be resourceful and cunning above and beyond anything anyone expected of her. She unapologetically keeps doing horrible things only redeeming herself (a little) at the very end. I honestly would love to see Anne-May on the screen or at least in fan art: thin as bones, disheveled updo of dark ringlets framing her face, pink dress with dirty cuffs and collar, snuff stained teeth, holding a shotgun and yelling “GIT!” – I am telling you, you will LOVE to hate Anne-May! 😊

I thought the pacing of Sunflower Sisters was not as perfect as that of Lilac Girls, but it was much better than Lost Roses – with the beginning being especially slow. The book did not touch on some of the finer points of the war (any war!) aftermath in a way Lilac Girl did, and the "friends-to-lovers" romance trope between Georgy and Dr. Frank Bacon was waaay too prolonged and repetitive to remain exciting. This being said Sunflower Sisters did explore other interesting topics. In particular, I very much enjoyed reading about the family dynamics in some of the “border” states such as Maryland, where many families were essentially split in the middle with some members enlisting in the Union forces while others fighting for the Rebels. Reading about these disagreements that people often call “different opinions” really made me think about present day politics and how divided the United States are. Today, oftentimes when the political discussions get too heated people also may tell you to “calm down”, and that “everyone is entitled to their own opinion”. Do you agree with that? It was the same on the brink of the Civil War. Except some people’s opinion was that it was perfectly normal to own other human beings. Hell, people were willing to die for that belief...

Sunflower Sisters is the only book in the trilogy that I read. I listened to the other two on audio, and found them both to be amazing full cast productions. To be honest I regret that I did not wait for Sunflower Sisters audio to come out. Especially after I found out that in addition to my beloved Cassandra Campbell (who is on the cast of the narrators for all 3 books), Jenna Lamia (Valentine), and Shayna Small (The Vanishing Half) have joined the cast. They all are just brilliant narrators and, I strongly recommend those of you who listen to audiobooks to check it out. I have not listened to it, but I am willing to bet my money on it -- I am SURE it’s phenomenal.



🌟🌟🌟.75



Thank you to Martha Hall Kelly, Net Galley, and Ballantine Books for gifting me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was wonderful. Taking place during the civil war, it centers around the Woolsey family, ancestors of Caroline Ferriday, the narrator of Lilac Sisters. The novel is told by three characters Georgeanne Woolsey, the ancestor of Ferriday, Jemma, a young slave girl, and Anne-May Jemma's owner. Each storyline is filled with fascinating history, but I loved Jemma's the most. I couldn't put this book down.

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed Lilac Girls and was excited to read Sunflower Sisters, the final installment in Martha Hall Kelly’s trilogy. This is a well-researched, well-written story that takes place during the Civil War, told from three perspectives: Jemma, an enslaved girl on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland; Georgy Woolsey, a Union nurse and Caroline Ferriday’s ancestor; and Anne-May, the cruel owner of the Peeler Plantation.

The author brings the time period to life as the fictional events of the story unfold over historical events such as the Battle of Gettysburg and the draft riots in New York City. The book starts out slow but the pacing picks up about half-way and the stories eventually converge. The Author’s Note is very interesting and definitely worth reading to understand the history behind the events in the story and the amount of research that went into this book. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for this ARC.

Is it absolutely insane that after 500 pages I still wanted more.

This was an absolute 5⭐️ read.

I am loving more and more historical fiction lately and this book, despite the length was perfection. The heartache, hope, strength, and passion of the characters made me feel like I knew them. The descriptive settings and suspenseful moments left me staying up way past my bedtime to finish chapters. I was transported to Peeler Plantation and New York City. The characters all have strong voices and each POV makes for interesting reading. While I hated Anne-May for obvious reasons I still enjoyed reading her parts because of the writing alone.

I loved the Authors note and a
learning more about where and how this story came to be. This was my first book by Kelly and I am officially a fan and will be buying the rest of her books along with the books that inspired and helped her research for Sunflower Sisters. This time in history was such a major turning point and a sign of hope for many. But with that, there was such loss and tragedy. I think Hall did a great job describing some of the horrors of slavery while maintaining a balance of hope and love in the story.

I want to thank Ballantine Books so much for sending me a #gifted finished copy of this book. The story of the Woolsey ladies and Jenna will stay with me forever.

If you enjoyed The Yellow Wife then I think this is a great addition to your TBR!

I love how this author uses multiple narratives to tell a story. Not only do you get different POVS but you get all of the experiences this people come with.
I also love that we have followed a single family full of strong women through history to see what their impact through generations. I love that he stories in this series are based on real women.
In this installment, we have traveled back to the time of the civil war. A widow has raised 7 children on her own after the death of her husband. As war starts to brew, 3 daughters, a son in law, and her only son decide to serve.
The main focus in this family is Gorgy. She is smart and spirited and determined not to allow a man to dictate her life. A young man she has known most of her life would really like to marry her but she has no time for that.
Then we have Gemma. She is enslaved on a plantation with her parents and longs for a different life. The overseer is horrific and her mistress is a spoiled asshole.
Ann-May inherited the plantation from her aunt and is a spoiled asshole. When her husband is sent to
war, she adopts the Scarlett o Hara school of thought where she continues to spend how she wants, mistreat everyone around her, and starts up an affair with a handsome spy in town. She is awful and a product of her environment.
This is not always an easy read but it is beautifully written. I loved this story and can’t wait to see what
She writes next.

Sunflower Sisters is the final book in Martha Hall Kelly's series on the Ferriday/Woolsey women which started with Lilac Girls, following Caroline Ferriday who helped women from Ravensbruck concentration camp after WWII, and continued with Lost Roses in which Caroline's mother, Eliza, worked with women escaping the Russian Revolution. Sunflower Sisters is the story of Georgeanna Woolsey, Eliza's aunt, who was a Union nurse during the Civil War and came to the aid of a young enslaved girl named Jemma.

In Sunflower Sisters, Kelly again interweaves three stories - Georgy fighting to make a difference as a woman when most people jut wanted to marry her off, Jemma as she and her family endure atrocities and try to find their way to freedom, and Ann-May, who owns Jemma and runs her plantation with an iron fist. Although they're all so different, these woman all have one thing in common - they want to find their place in the world, not as a wife, not as a daughter, not as a slave, but as just themselves.

Like all of Kelly's books, the research in this one is meticulous. I had to remind myself while reading that the Woolsey women were real people and much of their story is based on letters and diaries and actually happened. They lived extraordinary lives in service of others that later generations, as we saw with Eliza and Caroline, carried on.

Lilac Girls and Lost Roses are both wonderful books but this one is my favorite of the trilogy. (If you haven't read them yet, each book works as a stand alone and they can be read in any order.) While I'm sad this is her last book about these amazing women, I'm planning a visit to the Bellamy-Ferriday house in Connecticut (where Kelly got the inspiration for Lilac Girls) to learn more about them so I don't have to say goodbye just yet.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for a copy to review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The story is told from 3 points of view -an enslaved young woman, her enslaver, and an abolitionist from New York- and spans the course of the American Civil War. I found the background well researched, the characters well developed, and the storyline captivating. Though I love history, I am not well versed in the Civil War and this book represented the atmosphere of the time quite well. The story is based on a real abolitionist family and a real enslaved person -and the tone of the book is more optimistic than tense or sad, which I was not expecting.
I liked this book a lot and was never bored while reading it! It inspired me to want to read more about this time period.

I absolutely loved, The Lilac Girls, the first book in the series! The second book was really god, so I couldn’t wait to read the next installment. However, this book just did not appeal to me. The author’s writing style is wonderful and her ability to relate the atrocities that human beings are capable of is admirable.

However, I found the subject of the book difficult to read. The horrors of slavery were staggering, and I am appalled at the mindset of so many people from that time period. The fact that the story is told through the viewpoint of three very different women — Georgy, a northern abolitionist and nurse; Anne-May, a plantation owner; and Jemma, an enslaved girl — is engaging. Experiencing life through their eyes makes the time period alive and emotionally touching.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Martha Hall Kelly is an excellent writer. Her ability to paint a picture so vividly is admirable. I look forward to future books by her.

Thank you for the ARC copy. Amazing!!! This is a MUST read for 2021!! I was so drawn in to the story from the beginning and could not put it down. The story is set during the civil war and intertwines the stories of 3 women. The heartache, cruelty, determination and resilence. The story is told from the persepctives of a slave, slave owner and a activist of sorts. This story will stay with me for some time.

I can’t decide which of these trilogies I loved the most, they are all excellent, well researched. Sunflower girls is set during the Civil War, as we follow the stories of the Woolsey sisters, with Georgie as the narrator. They take up the causes, associated with that war, nursing the injured and dying soldiers, bet it Union or Confederate. We follow the determined slave girl Gemma, determined to someday know freedom, for her and her mother and sister. And then there is Ann-May Wilson, a plantation owner that cruelly abuses her slaves and assists the enemy.
This will be difficult to put down. I love historical novels, and the fact that all three stories are those of real people, all descended from Caroline Ferriday, and all following her service to others. These are worth the read.
My thanks to NetGalley, Martha Hall Kelly and Ballantine Publishing for the ARC. Definitely a 5 star experience.

I have loved all three books of the Lilac Girls series by Martha Hall Kelly, but this book is my favorite. It was one of those books I started to tell others to read even though I had not yet finished it myself. At first, I was a little intimidated by its massive size of 528 pages, but my reading time sped by as I got wrapped up into all three point of view story lines. The three points of view were Georgeanna Woolsey, Jemma (a Peller Plantation slave), and Ann-May Wilson (the mistress of Peeler Plantation.) My favorite story line point of view of Sunflower Sisters was the one told by Georgeanna Woolsey who was an abolitionist and Union nurse who helped patients on Civil War hospital ships and at Gettysburg. Through her voice, I was also able to learn a lot about her services to our country as well as many other interesting tidbits about her humanitarian family members.

Although the characters of Jemma and Ann-May Wilson are fictional they are based on real life experiences of slaves and plantation owners during Civil War times in Maryland. In this case, Jemma is enslaved with her parents at Peeler Plantation where they are constantly threatened and abused by their mistress Ann-May and overseer LeBaron. My heart reached out to this character especially when she is sold to another slave owner and later conscripted into the army. Jemma's determination to be reunited with her family never wavers and I loved seeing how Jemma and Georgeanna' paths finally cross in the narrative.

Not surprisingly, Ann-May is one of my most disliked characters in the book. It's unusual for an author, in my experience, to have the story be told from the point of view of the antagonist, but in this case, it was well played. Although there wasn't much to like about Ann-May's actions towards her slaves, she does show a few moments of kindness that we may not have seen if we had only heard the story from Jemma's view.

Overall, this book had me riveted from the start. From its cliffhanger chapter endings, well developed characters, rich historical details, and suspenseful plot lines, I was utterly transfixed. This book was a brilliant book in an amazing trilogy of historical fiction. I am happy to give it a strong 5-star rating! I am grateful that I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Martha Hall Kelly does it again. It’s going to be sad to leave the Ferriday-Woolsey women behind. The civil war setting was a hard one to read, but it’s just as excellently researched.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

The third and final installment in Kelly’s series which started with the best-seller, powerful Lilac Girls. Sunflower Sisters continues the story of the Woolsey-Ferriday family and the charitable works of its strong women. Whereas Lilac Girls started with WWII and Caroline Ferriday’s work to help survivors of Ravensbruck, and Lost Roses examined the plight of the Russian aristocracy fleeing from the terrors of an emerging Soviet nation with assistance from Eliza Woolsey Ferriday, Sunflower Sisters steps back one more generation to the Civil War and the abolitionist and nursing work of Georgeanna Woolsey, her mother and sisters. Similar to Lilac Girls, Sunflower Sisters also includes the POV of a despicable character, Anne-May Wilson Watson, a woman who you hope is captured and tortured in the same manner that she inflicts upon her slave, Jemma. The three women intersect for a compelling read set against the backdrops of a Maryland tobacco plantation, the New York’s elite inner sanctum of the mid-1800s, and the battlefields of Gettysburg. While I also enjoyed the other two novels, I found a special affinity to Sunflower Sisters reading about the seven Woolsey sisters and their commitments to charitable work as accomplished and determined women. Overall, five stars based on vivid descriptions, well-developed characters and satisfying resolutions and unification at the end. I’m sad knowing this is the end of the series, but look forward to hearing what Kelly may be working on next.

Sunflower Sisters
A Novel
by Martha Hall Kelly
Read an Excerpt
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Ballantine Books
Historical Fiction
Pub Date 30 Mar 2021 | Archive Date 30 Jun 2021

I really enjoyed the Lilac Girls and enjoyed this one as well. Great job Martha Hall Kelly! The historical fiction is right on and I will recommend this to our readers. Thanks to Random House Publishing Ballentine/Netgalley for the ARC.

5star

Martha Hall Kelly you have my heart. Every time I read something she has written my heart breaks a little bit more.

The Sunflower Sisters is the third book in the Lilac Girl Series that can be read separately though I’m sure if you read this book you’re going to want to pick up Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.

This installment takes place during the Civil War and it’s told by the point of view of three women:

Anne-May, evil plantation owner who inherited the plantation from an aunt. She did not abide by her aunt’s wishes to free the slaves instead she burned the papers and kept the slaves.

Jemma, one of the slaves that worked on the plantation. She was taught to read and write by the previous plantation owner.

Georgy a NY nurse working with the Union army helping soldiers and slaves.

This is a long story, a sad story, an emotional story, it’s a brutal read and it’s a must read. Based on real people and events of the atrocities of the Civil War era that still affect us today.
Martha Hall Kelly impressively blends these three points of view seamlessly making it easy to follow, a smooth read despite the length of this book. The overall writing style is beautiful. I highly recommend.

This is the story of the seven Woolsey sisters of New York City and Jemma, a slave on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland at the start of the Civil War. Just before the war Mother Woolsey stumbles onto a slave market and is appalled and passes her card to a woman and tells her if she ever gets to New York to find her and they will be helped. The story alternates from the points of view of Anne-May, the plantation owner, Georgy Woolsey who is instrumental in setting up a nursing school for women after becoming a nurse during the war, and Jemma, a slave on the Peeler Plantation. The industry of all the Woolsey sisters was mind boggling. They were all involved in making the world a better place by nursing, caring for children and making clothes for the poor and the soldiers. I don't think I have ever had such a visceral reaction to characters as I did to Anne-May and her overseer, LeBaron. The punishments that were meted out for slight transgressions was stomach turning. There were vivid scenes of the hospital wards, the screams of the wounded soldiers and the amputated limbs piled in corners. I loved this book as much as one can love a story about such an appalling time in our history but there was always the shining lights like the Woolsey sisters.

I want to thank Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me a copy of this wonderful book.

I absolutely loved Kelly’s Lilac Girls. I read it years and years ago and is one of the books that got me into historical fictions. Needless to say I was pretty excited to see she had a new one out. Even more excited to see it be about an era we don’t get a lot of in historical fictions.

It followed the same writing style as her other books. Three different POV’s. Which can sometimes be a struggle but it worked well. Although I absolute despised Anne-May’s character and really struggled to read her parts, but I feel confident we’re suppose to not like her. So I’m okay with it! And what I disliked about her the other characters made up for. I hope to raise a daughter as strong and fierce as Georgy and Jemma.

It was beautifully written and a story that deserved to be told. Albeit a tad on the long side, but it likely needed to be to get everything in.

All in all, I’ll continue to read everything she writes and look forward to more from her!

Thank you to Martha Hall Kelly, Ballantine Books, and NG for allowing me to read an ARC of “Sunflower Sisters”. WOW! What an incredible story...and to think that a lot of the story is based on real people and happenings...truly amazing!

Martha Hall Kelly is such a wonderful author...I have read all the books she has written and thoroughly enjoyed them all. The stories of Georgeanna Woolsey and the slave woman Jemma will stay with you for a long time after reading “Sunflower Sisters”. So many strong female characters (especially in the Woolsey family) will truly inspire you. It is astonishing to think how vastly different most women’s lives were little more than 150 years ago...thank goodness, we have all benefited greatly from the efforts of women like the Woolsey sisters and their mother! Can’t wait to read whatever Martha Hall Kelly comes out with next!