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.
bio
Laura Resau is the author of The Alchemy of Flowers, her debut novel for adults coming summer 2025, and eleven acclaimed books for young people. Her books have won five Colorado Book Awards, spots on “best-of” booklists from Oprah, the American Library Association, and more.
Trilingual, she’s lived in Provence and Oaxaca, and studied cultural anthropology and languages. She teaches graduate creative writing at Western Colorado University.
You might find her writing in her cozy vintage trailer in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she lives with her rock-hound husband, musician son, wild husky, and a hundred house plants.
Tina Wood Photography
Here you can find a longer bio with glimpses of Laura’s travels and time living abroad.
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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
interviews and press
Tina Wood Photography
The above images are for press and promotion. To make sure the image is the high-resolution version, please click first for the full-sized image and then save it as a large file or copy the jpg link. Credit to Tina Wood Photography.
