books for adults
the alchemy of flowers
A broken woman.
A mysterious job ad.
A chance to heal in French castle gardens—but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls.
This debut adult novel is an enchanting, modern-day take on The Secret Garden, sprinkled with magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.
When Eloise Bourne finds a mysterious job at a chateau in Provence, she hopes to escape reminders of children, but soon discovers an enigmatic little girl who needs her help.
Coming July 29, 2025 with Harper Muse/HarperCollins in paperback original, ebook, and audiobook, narrated by the award-winning Cassandra Campbell.
More about The Alchemy of Flowers
Help Wanted: In search of a gardener for the ancient walled Jardins du Paradis in the South of France. Unique and rustic lodging provided. Off the grid in all ways. One must grow flowers from one's merde . . .
Exhausted by fruitless attempts to make a family, Eloise takes the chance of a lifetime to answer an ad in a French gardening magazine. To fly away from her life in the States and tend to both her shattered heart and the flowers of Paradise. And best of all for her . . . Absolutely no children allowed on the premises.
Within the high garden walls, Eloise starts to learn the strange rules of the elusive estate owner. Living and working in isolation with her three companions, she finds her heart opening again to friendship--and realizes she's drawn to the handyman, Raphael. The flowers whisper to her, enchanting, delighting, healing. But why are the workers forbidden from going out during dusk? Who is the "Goddess of the Garden"? Is her mind playing tricks on her, or does she see a woodsprite flitting through the trees? The giggles and glimpses of a little girl haunt her and make her question: What is real in Paradise and what is illusion?
Eloise tries to rationalize her uneasy feelings and the darkness she uncovers beneath the garden's lush beauty, but as she digs deeper into the mysteries of her sanctuary, she begins to suspect there's a child on the grounds—who may be in danger. When Paradise becomes a deadly prison, she must risk everything to protect her newfound family and claim her second chance at happiness.
book clubs
I’d love to visit your book club virtually! Please use the form linked to here to request a free 20-minute chat about The Alchemy of Flowers.
Listen to a 17-minute interview with Laura about The Alchemy of Flowers. She chats about what inspired the book’s theme of transforming the merde that life sometimes hands us . . . into flowers. You can listen here or on Spotify or other podcast platforms.
praise
“Utterly captivating. This beautiful novel casts a whispery spell of dark enchantments, secrets, and myth.”
“For everyone who has dreamed of teleporting to the paradise of Provence, do I have the book for you. THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS is a treat of transporting, incandescent storytelling, with a riveting undercurrent of suspense and mystery, too. With tender, heartfelt prose and characters who will break your heart and then stitch it back together, Resau’s adult debut feels like the modern French Provencal take on Under the Tuscan Sun we’ve all been jonesing for. Capturing the magic of beloved childhood reading experiences, while dealing with hard adult topics lovingly and achingly explored, the book is at once an enchanting journey and an unforgettable, page-turning read.”
“An impossible marvel... THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS by Laura Resau is a spellbinding journey of one woman’s journey toward hope and healing, set amidst a garden of both promise and peril. Full of lush sensory detail, this tale is a vivid reminder that while the path to healing may be fraught with challenges, it is often through confronting the shadows that we find our true strength. A beautifully written, atmospheric novel that will leave readers both mesmerized and moved.”
“Set in a secret garden, The Alchemy of Flowers offers a lush blend of myth, magic, and mystery. Beautifully written and brimming with heartache, danger, and enchantment, this is a moving, memorable story about hope, healing, and starting over.”
“The Alchemy of Flowers captivates the senses as well as the imagination in a magical tale of healing and forgiveness. Yet this Paradise harbors its own dark mystery that threatens the tranquility of the gardens and the well-being of its inhabitants. Resau has written with great heart an eerie yet deeply touching story that keeps the pages turning until the very end.”
“The Alchemy of Flowers is a pure magical and sensory delight. Like roots in soil, though, the gift of this book goes deeper. Resau’s novel offers an honest and compassionate portrait of the physical pain and health-related sorrows that go along with being human. So many of us can relate, and we can also relate to the wondrous alchemy and healing found in nature. This gorgeous novel captures both the heartbreak and the true healing at our disposal, if only we seek to turn difficulty into blooms.”
“Gorgeously written and threaded with herbal wisdom, floral intuition, and mythology of the feminine, The Alchemy of Flowers is a journey into how nature and friendship can deeply heal. Resau tangles sweetness and bitterness, tenderness and fierceness to offer a thrilling tale rich with emotion. A delight in every sense of the word.”
“This book made me want to sleep in a hammock in a treetop bungalow surrounded by the novel’s lush, magic-steeped gardens. Eloise’s journey to healing is poignant and tender—a testament to the strength of love, the power of tending to earth and growing things, and found family.”
“I devoured this in one sitting! Immersive, enchanting, and packed with mystery, The Alchemy of Flowers drew me in from page one. I was rooting for the curious and brave heroine, Eloise, and her cryptic compatriots in the Jardins du Paradis, as each finds friendship and healing after their own separate heartbreaks. The dreamy Provençal walled garden is the perfect escapist setting. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will love this charming, feel-good novel.”
