Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This book is out today. While I was really intrigued by the premise, I found that some sections were quite redundant. There were also a few areas where the pacing was disruptive to the reading experience and I was left wondering how we got to a certain point in the plot. Definitely check trigger warnings (especially related to spousal and parental abuse) ahead of time. All in all, I enjoyed this book - especially the last 10-15% of it.

Following her mother's death, Harriet was abused and hidden away by her father for the majority of her childhood. Now he's been missing for months and an inspector is sniffing around suspicious of Harriet and what happened to her father.

If it wasn't for the inspector, Harriet would be perfectly content to live alone. After all she has her garden. One that is so attune to her emotions and needs that the plants often rush to her aid when needed.

As the inspector becomes more and more of a problem, Harriet decides a hasty marriage to a new suitor is just the thing to protect her. But, like most men in this book, he ain't no good either.

When the terrible plans laid by her father and husband come to light the garden bursts forth like never before to rescue its beloved Harriet.

My thoughts: I HATE how naive Harriet is. I get it, it makes sense she's been locked up and hidden away for years, but she's trusting and ignorant to the point of stupidity and it greatly annoyed me. Lack of any real communication is also a major theme throughout the book. Overall it's not the worst book I've ever read, but it's not one I'll be in a hurry to recommend.

Harriet Hunt's father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside house, dwelling on a past she'd rather keep buried. She doesn't often venture beyond her front gate, spending all of her time in her garden instead. She is considered a little too peculiar for popular Victorian society. Neighbors and passerby's complain at the wild state of her garden, but to her it is perfect. It's a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place, and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb, is Harriet's purpose. But a woman alone in the world is vulnerable. Soon, a sinister plot involving her father's disappearance begins to take shape, with Harriet herself at its center. Everything she holds dear – from the thorny roses she tends to her very freedom itself – is at stake. To save herself, Harriet will have to unearth her past, discover the secrets of her garden, and finally embrace the wild magic inside of her.

This book was so good. I couldn't put it down. I adored Harriet. She resonated with me. I loved how her plants took care of her, the plum tree that produced plums that would put you to sleep, how the garden helped her get her revenge in the end. This book is perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen & Alice Hoffman. I highly recommend it!

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is the perfect mix of historical fiction and magical realism with a mystery to keep you up at night. This is an author I will absolutely be keeping an eye on.

"Harriet Hunt’s peculiar gift could save her—or destroy her. This poignant story explores freedom, trauma, and finding strength in the unlikeliest places. 🥀

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea Iversen seamlessly combines magical realism, trauma, historical fiction, and mystery into a poignant tale.

Harriet Hunt has always been considered peculiar, a label that isolates her further after her father’s sudden disappearance. Living alone in the only home she’s ever known, Harriet faces growing suspicions from those around her. In a society where women are expected to conform, Harriet’s independence and emotions are dismissed as hysterics, while the men in her life shape plans that ignore her needs. As desperation forces her to take action, Harriet must decide whether the path forward will bring her freedom or danger.

This book is not an easy read. Harriet’s struggles reflect the challenges women have faced across history, where they are always expected to exist under the shadow of men. Yet her connection to her garden becomes a powerful metaphor for her growth, as she begins to understand what it truly means to bloom.

The author has crafted a moving, unsettling narrative, exploring the weight of societal expectations and the resilience of the human spirit. Please be cautious due to the book’s heavy themes, but for those prepared, it’s a story that will linger long after the final page.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book.

A darkly magical story that draws you into the life and garden of Harriet Hunt, a young woman living in Victorian London. As Harriet struggles to protect herself from harsh societal critiques and unravel the sinister plots of those closest to her, she learns to trust herself, make peace with her past and move into a fulfilling adulthood. The story is engaging and I enjoyed Harriet's journey, especially her relationship with the people that cared for her. The descriptions of her London garden, and the woods and greenhouse at her cousin's home were enchanting - I could feel the tendrils wrapping my fingers and moss under my feet. As I said after reading Chelsea Iverson's first book, I look forward to her next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bits I’ve read about this book describe it in cozy and whimsical terms with comparisons to Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series. Let me state plainly that the presence of a sentient garden does not equate a cozy label for the entire book. In fact, there is very little coziness or whimsy present. The stakes are high. There is domestic, physical, and emotional abuse on the page. The first 75%+ of the book is the FMC’s nonstop worry and anxiety about past and future events (well, and current events, come to that). Those expecting a light, cozy romp will not find it here.

There are a number of plot holes and hastily tied plot threads. For instance, the reason for Harriet’s gift/the garden’s sentience is never explained. The only vague stab at an explanation near the end is, “she had no idea why she wielded this gift.”

Tonally, the book was heavy, heavy, heavy for the first three quarters, with redundancies that should’ve been tightened up. The plot picked up significantly right at the end. The necessary tonal lightness, too, came 90% into the book. From an editing perspective, this needs adjusted.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea Iversen. Thanks to @bookmarked for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Harriet is now all alone since her father left. Her special garden keeps her company, as she is deemed too odd for Victorian society and shunned. But a lone woman in there times is vulnerable…

This story showed the limited power women had in the 1800’s and it is frustrating as you root for Harriet. The magical realism is lightly done, so if that’s not your thing, you can still give it a try. It’s mostly a historical fiction that is fast paced and becomes quite exciting halfway through. It’s a shorter read so the characters lack a deep development and are really either evil or good, but it’s entertaining and a great story.

“Men took and took and took, and it wasn’t even that they didn’t care. It was that they didn’t see her. They didn’t see that she had a will of her own.”

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt comes out 12/3.

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a story of finding your voice and independence.

Harriet is a woman controlled by horrible men in her life, and her frustrations are mirrored in her wild untamable garden. There were some items of violence that were a bit difficult to read but I thought this was a wonderful story of found family and the power of friendships. The end of this novel really brought everything together and I loved how all the stories wrapped up.

I would say this is very light magical realism/fantasy. It has the feel of a cozy fantasy for fans of that genre.

Harriet Hunt is on her own in her childhood home, her father having up and left months ago with no word as to his whereabouts. She gets by, selling his things to pay the rent and spending as much time as she can in the garden that seems attuned to her emotions and intent, and she’s desperate to keep her affinity a secret. But investigations are being made into her father’s whereabouts, and Harriet finds herself desperate to appear as normal as possible, and she finds that feeling of being a normal woman on the arm of the charming and sunshiny Christian Comstock. Once they’re married, however, Christian reveals a darker side and a suspicion of Harriet’s past and mental well-being that shake her to her core. Ultimately, it is up to Harriet and her peculiar garden to get out of the plot they’ve unexpectedly had wound around them.

I expected this to be a much lighter read than it was. The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt ultimately seems thematically centered around cycles of abuse—domestic abuse, misogyny, and ableism are all predominantly featured throughout the book. Harriet’s detachment and naivety come through significantly in the narration, which is definitely an effective display of character, but Harriet is a woman trapping herself in her own head, and I found it a frustrating read at times. The climax is wildly intense and unsettling, and still Harriet detaches herself from it, letting the core players tear each other apart on their own. I found Harriet’s passivity a sticking point, at times—I understand the ties of lack of agency, self-imposed and otherwise, to a history of abuse, and I do believe that is Iversen’s intention—but there were so many little instances where Harriet could have taken her role into her own hands and instead chose not to act. I enjoyed seeing her growth, at the end, and merely wished that for her sake she had taken that opportunity at the beginning. I would recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction, literary fiction with a fantasy bent, and those seeking explorations of cycles of abuse that do have ultimately happy endings.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting read by far, very fun, very gothic. I did enjoy it, the nature aspect and the way she was quite defiant was cool too. Not something I’d usually read but it was enjoyable.

I enjoyed the narrator, and I was lucky enough to be able to follow along with the digital copy. I finished it but the story just fell a bit flat for me and had to keep going back and reread or found myself not following along. I was expecting more development and it Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC and ALC
3 Star

In a world where I feel women’s voices are somewhat becoming smaller and smaller - this was a punch to the gut for sure. Lush, intense, feminist icon - what a solid story, and I’m so happy I got a chance to read this ahead of time! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, my opinions are my own

This was such a cozy dark gothic read. It was perfect to read in October. I really loved the aspect of the garden being connected to the FMC’s emotions. The underlines of female rage boiling over got me hooked. It felt like a classic & a book that we be talked about for a long time.
Plant girlies, this one is for you!

Thank you NetGalley & the publishers for the e-ARC!

Thank you Sourcebooks for my #gifted ARC and thank you Recorded Books for my #gifted listening copy of The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt! #sourcebooks #sourcebookslandmark #bookmarked #ThePeculiarGardenofHarrietHunt #RecordedBooks #netgalley

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐈𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

I was drawn to this book by its stunning cover and unique description. While it’s not like anything I would typically read, I was intrigued by Harriet from the start. It was a blend of fantasy and magical realism with a gothic atmosphere. Harriet was such an interesting character and I loved everything about her. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was the feminist undertones and the focus on female friendship throughout the book. This book had themes of men who treated Harriet badly, and the friendship aspect felt so important in the midst of all the darkness that Harriet experienced with her bad relationships with men. Despite the cover, this book definitely had some dark themes and focused on loss and taking control of our lives. I definitely enjoyed this book and I’m glad I picked it up.

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was expertly narrated by Anna Burnett. Burnett did such a phenomenal job drawing the reader in and captivating the essence of Harriet. I thought the audio was truly perfect. I did switch between the print and audio a few times, and truly loved my time listening to the audio.

Posted on Goodreads on November 29, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around November 29, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on December 3, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Apparently, magical realism is becoming my jam. From the moment I saw the stunning cover, intriguing title, and captivating synopsis, I knew I had to read this book.

Described as "a lush, enchanting story of a woman who must use the magic of the fantastical plants that adorn her crumbling estate in Victorian London to thwart the dark plots of the men around her," this modern-day gothic fairy tale delivers a spellbinding tale of resilience and self-discovery.

At the heart of the story is Harriet, a 17-year-old girl trapped in a crumbling estate, burdened by her father’s mysterious disappearance and the crushing debts he left behind. Known as “peculiar” around town, Harriet lives a solitary life until a detective’s investigation into her father’s disappearance puts her under suspicion. To escape scrutiny, she marries a seemingly kind man, only to realize she’s exchanged one nightmare for another.

As Harriet uncovers the secrets of her father’s disappearance, her husband’s cruelty, and the true power of her magical garden, she learns how far her strength and magic can take her. This story beautifully blends Victorian gothic vibes with feminist themes, as Harriet ultimately takes charge of her destiny—with a little help from her girlfriends.

While the ending was absolutely spectacular, I wish the book had reached some of its big revelations a little sooner. Still, the journey to the conclusion was well worth it. I'm giving this book 4 1/2 stars (rounded up to 5).

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC of this enchanting read!

What a beautiful, dark and twisty story. I loved the garden details in this story! Will definitely be looking to pick up more from this author. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an E- Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story dealt with some heavy topics, but it still felt like a magical, whimsical tale. The writing definitely leaned into that, and felt perfect for a historical setting. This was the first time I’ve read a book with the premise of a garden that reacts and is intertwined with the main character’s emotions, and I found that so fascinating and well done. This book felt like a mix of a lot of genres — historical, a little fantasy, romance, mystery. There was a lot happening in this but it all felt tied together well.

This historical fantasy has an intriguing premise, with a magical garden tied to Harriet's emotions, but the story starts slowly and struggles to maintain momentum. The predictable love triangle detracted from the more compelling elements, such as Harriet’s journey of self-discovery and the mystery of her father’s disappearance. While the concept of the garden's dark magic held promise, uneven pacing and underdeveloped relationships made the book feel unbalanced overall.

I thought this was a great read. Yes there were a few things that made my skin crawl but nothing to overt. It is a magical read in many ways. A tense read also. There is a lot going on and the main character, Harriet, is treated horribly by both her father and then her husband.

There is a magical garden and a young woman who tends this garden. Harriet's father disappeared one night after locking her in her bedroom. She does not know for sure where he went and why that is her responsibility is crazy. The law tends to think she should know though. Harriet's father was very abusive to her and threatened to have her committed to an asylum many times. That was his goal before he went away. Harriet had a garden that thrived under her touch. The plants came alive no matter what time of year. They also protected her when they could. From roses to thorn bushes, they all seemed to love her and come alive at her touch.

Harriet marries a man, Christian, who she hasn't know long and finds out he is not what he seems. He proceeds to treat her like she is nothing shortly after they are married. Harriet is confused as to why he even married her. He claimed to love her but then treated her horribly.

Harriet goes through a lot and her only escape is her garden. When her husband gets out of hand or does something extra bad the vines in Harriet's garden try to stop him. They fight for her in ways that he is not quite sure is happening. But he is afraid. When Harriet finally escapes and goes to her cousin's home things take a different turn for her.

This book was a fun read with some serious actions going on. It kept me turning the pages until the sweet ending. Yes I loved the ending very much. Harriet was a kind, caring, loving, young women who did not deserve the abuse she endured. She did not deserve the guilt she felt either.

Thank you #NetGalley, #Sourcebooks/Landmark, and #RBmedia/RecordedBooks, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts.

4.5 stars.