Author: Sophie Green
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Genre: Fiction, Modern & Contemporary Fiction, General Fiction
Year of release: 2023
Release Date: 26/07/23
Rating
Synopsis
Noosa Heads, 1987: Newly divorced Cynthia has returned to her hometown from Los Angeles to reconnect with her 19-year-old daughter, who is pregnant and determined not to listen to her mother’s advice. Cynthia’s former best friend, Lorraine, has been stuck mowing lawns as part of a business she shares with her husband – his dream, not hers. When Cynthia convinces Lorraine to join the local Sunshine Gardening Society, they meet young widow Elizabeth, and rootless, heartbroken Kathy.
The four women soon discover that society is much more than an opportunity to chat about flowers. Rather, it offers them the chance to lend a helping hand to people whose lives need a bit of care and attention right along with their gardens.
Between pulling up weeds and planting natives, the women learn from each other that some roots go deep, and others shallow; that seeds can lie dormant for a long time before they spring to life, and that careful tending is the key to lives and friendships that reach their full potential.
Review
Noosa Heads, Queensland, 1987, Cynthia has recently returned home after living in Los Angeles for the better part of fourteen years, she decides it’s time to reconnect with her nineteen-year-old daughter Odette which could be quite the undertaking as Odette is pregnant and determined not to listen to any of Cynthia’s advice, perhaps she could mend some broken bridges with her former best friend Lorraine, the pair lost contact when Cynthia swapped the sand for the city 11,490km away all those years ago.
Lorraine has been helping her husband Mike run their business, which is Mike’s passion more so than hers but it puts food on their table who is she to complain? There will be time for Lorraine and her own passions someday, but for now, she has other priorities like running a household raising two sons Terri aged fourteen and Simon aged nine as well as finding the time to not rock the boat with her mother-in-law Cora who also lives with them. Lorraine is convinced the woman believes her to be the maid.
Which could cause tension in her marriage.
One morning Lorraine gets a phone call from her best friend from high school Cynthia, Lorraine is understandably cautious after all Cynthia was the one who went radio silent for years what does she expect that they will pick up exactly where they left off? That woman must make some serious effort if she wants to be back in Lorraine’s life again. Cynthia invites her to join the local Sunshine Gardening Society.
The pair encounter two women one by the name of Kathy who is currently drifting through life nursing a broken heart and Elisabeth a young recently widowed single mother to her son Charlie. As the gardening begins the four women soon realise the society isn’t there to just cater to the flowers in bloom or dispose of the weeds that threaten to take over the garden altogether, it provides an opportunity to lend a hand, a listening ear and a supportive shoulder should someone need it.
It doesn’t take long for the quartet to soon learn from each other that some roots can go deeper than you realise, whereas others are closer to the surface, and seeds can lay slumbering for years before they spring to life.
Blossoming friendships and new beginnings I personally believe there is something magical about books that celebrate friendship, especially female friendship, this is a common theme in the author’s previous novels this theme seems to get stronger and stronger with each new novel this is the reason why this reviewer never has any hesitation in reading or recommending a Sophie Green novel to anyone and the reason for my 5-star-rating.
Discovering the author’s 2021 novel Thursdays at Orange Blossom House and being swept up by the plot the moment I closed that book I simply knew I had to get my hands on her entire bibliography as soon as possible, I had found an auto-buy author in the modern & contemporary fiction genre this reviewer didn’t know she was looking for was a definite 2021 highlight.
Another reason I have been so eager over recent years to get my hands on a new book by Sophie Green is her ability to introduce multiple dynamic characters to the reader, the reader will end up having a strong bond and connection to; perhaps even an understanding due to a shared experience with one or more of the characters at one time making it impossible to claim a favourite character, this process seems to happen seamlessly as the novel progresses without the reader being made aware of it, this is certainly the case Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society.
We mothers like to have our secrets …. But we get away with so many of them because no one ever asks what we get up to in a day. When your children and your husband think you’re just their servant, they overlook you”. – Sophie Green Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society.
Sophie’s skilled writing makes it easy to see that three-dimensional characters have been shaped, crafted and bought to life within these pages of this novel.
Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society also has minor characters that fit perfectly into the story and keep the story moving I found that I was just as easily able to care for them just as I do for the protagonists even if they only play a minor role.
I won’t say that the author’s books are predictable, she’s a comfort author for me, however, I will say If you’ve read one of the author’s previous books you know you are in for a read that will tug at all of your heartstrings, whilst also being able to make you smile or even laugh out loud Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society was that book from Sophie Green that bought a tear to my eye.
The story spans between March 1987 till June 1988 this little detail gave this reader the feeling that time was continuously moving forward for the characters it also adds to the feeling that the reader really is in Main Beach, Noosa Heads, Queensland a lovely location anytime of year but especially inviting in the depths of a freezing winter!
The minute the reader begins to read the story is setting a scene as well as provides plenty of detail without leaving a reader feeling like an information overload is happening, there is plenty keep a reader of any genre engrossed, I feel I should probably warn you if you’ve never read a Sophie Green novel before, the story does finish rather quickly because you cannot put her books down!
Call me greedy but without spoilers I will say I was hopeful the book would have a little epilogue I personally wanted to know how some details turned out in the end.
If I had to describe Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society to someone my first thought whilst reading this book was to think of the 1989 film Steal Magnolias starring Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, yes I am well aware we are talking about two different forms of entertainment but the friendship each of those women form in times of need feels somewhat similar in the best possible way.
Whilst the book might have sunshine in the title and there is plenty of light and joyful moments within these pages Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society is heavy in emotions, grief in particular the author has skilfully approached this topic with sensitivity and care.
Sub plots included in Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society:
- Alcoholism
- Self-discovery
- Female friendship
- Loss of a parent
- Coming of age
- Motherhood
- Grief
- Single parent
- Secrets
- Reconnection of friendship
- Self-care
Tropes included in Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society:
-
- Small town
- Family drama
- Homecoming
- Teen pregnancy
- Misunderstood
- relationship with one parent
- Deceased parent due to illness
- Friends from high school
- Older role model
- Adolescence
- Self-discovery
- Self-care
Once again, I am left waiting for another offering from Sophie Green, I was a little worried for awhile that Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society would leave me in a reading slump because I love it so much and who really wants to leave the 80’s behind? In the end, though my heart was full.
I highly recommend Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society to a mature audience, readers of the author’s previous books will no doubt be making a purchase upon release. If you are a Modern & Contemporary Fiction fan but are yet to read a Sophie Green novel, the time is now you will not be disappointed!
With continued thanks to Hachette Australia, Benson PR, Sophie Green for Sending a physical copy of the book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.