Publication Date: 09th May 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
3.7 Stars
One Liner: A good historical drama
1893, Rye, New York
Sadie Fremd has two loves- her father’s nursery and Sam Jenkins. She has always hoped to become her father’s successor and manage the nursery. However, the economic recession pushes her into a corner. Sadie is asked to marry well to save the nursery and reminded multiple times that she cannot be a businesswoman, even if no one knows about plants, gardening, and landscaping as she does.
Sadie is determined not to lose the nursery or her freedom when Sam reappears in her life. She also learns about the life of the poor and how a single flower can give them hope (but both the flower and hope are kept away from them). She wants to make a difference, somehow. However, life gets complicated, and Sadie is at crossroads. She cannot have it all, not unless a miracle happens.
The story comes from Sadie’s first-person POV.
What I Like:
The detailing and landscaping are very well done. Flowers and plants are an integral part of the plot and the characters’ lives. I love how almost every memory is linked to flowers in one way or another.
The best parts of the book are when Sadie is working with flowers or thinking about them. Even when I didn’t know what the flowers were, I could feel her emotions and love for plants.
The contrast between the lives of the rich and poor is well presented. We also see how people abandon their ‘friends’ when they fall into tough times.
I haven’t read a book set in the Gilded Age, so this is a good addition to my list. It’s informative without being boring, which is a definite plus. The market crash and the parts about how public parks weren’t exactly for the public provide more insights into the past.
Sadie and Sam’s love story takes up a good chunk of the book. It’s a little typical of the class difference between them. I like love stories and some romantic drama, so this worked for me. Though I wish we knew a little more about Sam.
The author’s note at the end is detailed and informative. Since the book is about her ancestors (Sadie is her great-grandmother), knowing more about their lives and the author’s connection with them enriches the book. Oh, there’s a picture of real-life Sadie Fremd too.
What Could Have Been Better for Me:
Given the main theme of nurseries and flowers, I’d have loved a few illustrations scattered in the book. My knowledge about flowers is quite limited and more than 50% of the names went over my head. Yeah, I can Google, but that would break the flow.
I love happy endings, and things wrap up well in this one. However, character development isn’t the strong point of the book. Maybe that’s because the main characters are real people, but it makes them a little flat.
I find it a bit odd that the men were professing their love for Sadie when she was borderline rude to them. Though I understand their inability to see beyond a pretty face or even try to understand a woman, there sure would be other women if they expand their search.
The pacing is slow and annoying when the plot gets into a loop (Sadie refusing suitors, yearning for Sam, and her father ordering her to pick a rich husband…). However, you can speed-read without missing any vital details.
To summarize, All the Pretty Places is a historical drama based on the lives of real people. Those who enjoy gardening will love the book more. While the book deals with quite a few issues, it is primarily a romance between people from different stations. You’ll enjoy it more if you pick it up with the right expectations.
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperMuse, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #AllthePrettyPlaces
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