Caffeinated Reviewer

I love the blend of magical realism Ashley Poston brings to her stories, and The Someday Garden delivered as we are transported to Lilymoor House off the coast of Maine, where the new head gardener Sophie Drear discovers a secret garden.

The new head gardener at the enchanting Lilymoor House stumbles upon a secret garden . . . with a mysterious man trapped inside, in the next magical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Sounds Like Love and The Seven Year Slip.

When Sophie Drear plans her escape to coastal Maine for the summer—for a temporary job revitalizing the storied grounds at Lilymoor House—she doesn’t expect to fall in love.

But she does: With the beguiling land, the fragrant flowers, and the towering hedge maze. With the quirky staff and the enigmatic woman who owns the place.

And then, the door appears. Never in the same place twice, it leads her to a secret, and unfinished, garden with a frustrated thundercloud of a man trapped inside.

This mysterious garden is not the only sign that the future of Lilymoor is unstable: the foliage resists Sophie’s careful nurturing, vines threaten to strangle the hedges, and the manor’s owner has wild ideas about who will take over when she retires—including her inconveniently attractive nephew who is also there just for the summer.

Despite herself, Sophie has come to care for the residents of Lilymoor just as much as she cares for its grounds. With the help of one man on the outside of the secret garden, and one man on the inside, she might be the only person who can figure out exactly what Lilymoor needs to bloom once more.

We meet Sophie Drear when she is in college, and she and her friend Harriet travel to Maine and explore the Lilymoor House gardens. Now, ten years later, everything has changed, and once again Sophie is traveling to Lilymoor House, this time for a temporary summer job as the head gardener. Here she falls in love with the gardens, the maze and the people. The tale that unfolded pulled me in as Sophia discovered a door that led to a secret garden with a man inside.

We learn about what Sophie has been doing and what became of her vibrant friend in interim. Sophie is a bit of a crossroads. The house and gardens are preparing for a celebration, but it is also at a crossroads, much like Sophie. Poston knows how to tell a story and delivers from the lush garden details to the found family. The owner’s family and their nephews are key components of this story, and I found myself invested.

Like Sarah Addison Allen, Ashley Poston is an expert in the craft of writing stories with magical realism. I loved the aspects of the door, secret garden, and the forces holding the man within its walls. We deal with grief, family issues, and romantic elements.

If you’ve ever found yourself fearful of moving forward and forgetting, Poston through Sophie shows us it is possible. The Someday Garden is the perfect read to enjoy on the deck overlooking your own garden. I laughed, swiped a tear, and was eager to unlock the garden’s many secrets.

Patti Murin narrates, giving voice to Sophie and the other characters. She enhanced my overall enjoyment of the story, and I recommend listening. She did well with both male and female voices, creating distinct voices for each.

Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm

About Ashley Poston

Ashley Poston writes stories about love and friendship and ever afters. A native to South Carolina, she now lives in a small grey house with her sassy cat and too many books. You can find her on the internet, somewhere, watching cat videos and reading fan-fiction.

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About Patti Murin

Patti Murin is an acclaimed stage and screen actress, best known for originating the role of Princess Anna in Disney's Frozen on Broadway. Outside of her acting career, she is a sought-after audiobook narrator, frequently bringing contemporary romance and fiction novels to life

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2026 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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