A quieter and more contemplative tale of grief and longing from Ashley Poston. Eleven months ago, Sophie lost her best friend to illness and has been stuck ever since. They met in college study group and both loved the legend of the garden of Lillymoor house. It’s ten years later and Harriett is gone- and Sophie is a new caretaker at Lillymoor. A door appears to a secret garden and there is a man stuck inside, every day the door changes positions and they set out to solve the riddle.
What really works well here is the beautiful atmosphere, the quiet sadness and emotional depth. It’s definitely the deepest and most meaningful of Ashley Poston’s books. The way that grief surrounded Sophie and how it impacted how she relates to the people around her was heartbreaking. The relationships went far beyond just the romantic connection and the minor characters and staff were a pleasure to read.
Magical realism can sometimes seem too simple; and that may be the case here. The magic feels more symbolic than well developed, and for me that is okay. And again, the focus is much more on an emotional journey rather than a fast paced or humorous banter filled romcom. That’s just not this story.
One very creative aspect was that each chapter is titled by non-translatable words from other languages. Harriet carried around a little journal where she kept track of words that have no English equivalent. There is a whole collection at the end. It is so quirky and wholesome.
This story is less about what happens and more about how it feels. If you enjoyed Severn Year Slip and The Dead Romantics, you will likely also be very moved by The Someday Garden.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC. Book to be published 6/15/26
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