IN THE SHADOW GARDEN by Liz Parker – Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

IN THE SHADOW GARDEN by Liz Parker – ReviewIn the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker
Published by Forever on September 13 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Finished paperback
Source: Publisher
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four-stars

The nitty-gritty: A magical mystery, two rival families and a touch of romance make In the Shadow Garden a satisfying read.

In the Shadow Garden was such a nice surprise, a combination of romance, magic and mystery that was a low-key read, just when I needed it. This is my first time reading a book by this publisher, and I’m glad I took a chance on it.

The story takes place in the fictional town of Yarrow, Kentucky and revolves around two rival families. The Haywoods use magic to extract emotional pain from people, after which they take that pain and “give” it to the shadow garden, a piece of land that has been in the family for generations. The shadow garden thrives on pain and has produced a particular kind of black corn used by another local family.

The Bonners are famous for their bourbon, a magical brew that can help you forget horrible memories. Many years ago, the Haywoods agreed to loan the Bonners a piece of the shadow garden, and the corn that grows there still infuses their bourbon with otherworldly qualities.

The story opens with Kaden Bonner returning to Yarrow after leaving years ago. His father has died and he feels obligated to attend the funeral, but he wants nothing to do with the Bonner’s bourbon empire and is happy to let his brother Nate take over the family business. For some reason, no one in Yarrow seems to remember Kaden, a mystery that will become clear later in the story.

We also meet Addison Haywood, a twenty-four year old who is frustrated by her lack of Haywood magic. Addison has a deep connection to the shadow garden, however, and she senses something not quite right is happening to it. Her mother Irene has a complicated past with both Bonner brothers, but a chance meeting with Kaden sparks a long buried memory. Kaden and Irene are instantly attracted to each other, but forgotten memories of the past threaten their burgeoning relationship. There’s also the matter of Irene’s dead brother Nolan, who was murdered ten years ago during the Bonner’s traditional bourbon festival. No one knows exactly what happened that night during the memory harvest, an event where the townspeople are able to choose a bad memory to be “harvested” after sipping the family’s magical bourbon. But as Haywoods and Bonners come together in the present, the terrible events in the past will be revealed.

I loved the idea of healing magic that takes away pain, and both the Haywoods and the Bonners are able to help people with their pain, but in very different ways. While the Haywood magic is positive and used for good, the Bonners are more focused on their business, and you know right away that Sylvia Bonner, the matriarch of the family, is somewhat of a conniving bitch and has done unspeakable things with her magical bourbon. Parker doesn’t go into detail about how the magic works, which might frustrate some readers, but I just went with it and enjoyed the story. I have seen some comparisons to Alice Hoffman, and yes, the author uses magic realism to great affect. The story emphasizes family relationships in much the same way Hoffman’s stories do, and the subtle touches of magic felt familiar in some ways. But Parker’s writing is nowhere near the qualify of Alice Hoffman’s, so it’s hard for me to say “If you love Alice Hoffman, you’ll love this book,” simply because I didn’t find the comparison to be completely accurate.

However, In the Shadow Garden can certainly stand on its own in many ways. I loved the mother/daughter bond between Irene and Addison, and the prickly relationship between Sylvia and Kaden added a nice sense of unease to balance out the wholesome romance in the story. In addition to the growing relationship between Kaden and Irene, Addison reunites with her childhood friend River. They have quite a few hurdles to overcome, though, since Addison tried to take the painful memory of the death of River’s beloved grandfather from him, but ended up stealing his happy memories as well. River has never forgiven her, and I loved the way the author forced them to work through their issues in a believable way.

Then there are the mysteries, which added another layer to the story. There’s the mystery of who murdered Nolan, and the mystery of why the shadow garden is struggling to thrive. The rivalry between the Bonners and the Haywoods is tense and exciting, especially when certain things are revealed, things that ultimately tie the two families together.

I loved the final reveal, which I thought was pretty clever. Parker resolves all of the mysteries, and of course the romance storylines have a happy ending. With just a tinge of dark humor, overall this was a feel good, magical story.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Posted December 12, 2022 by Tammy in 4 stars, Reviews / 16 Comments

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16 responses to “IN THE SHADOW GARDEN by Liz Parker – Review

  1. Glad to hear you found a low-key read that worked well right now. Some of the elements of this had me thinking back to a recent read of mine, Gallows Hill, about the wine business and supernatural elements related to that, and of something I think you read and I also did a number of years ago, The Vine Witch. Granted, both of those are wine and not bourbon. 🙂

  2. I love when a book hits just the right need for you and that this lowkey one did it for you. I haven’t really read much paranormal romance but this sounds interesting so I may give it a go. Great review!

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