The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

The vibe

A magical, coastal Maine summer escape with romance, whimsy, and mystery—think lush gardens, quirky found-family vibes, and a love story that might literally be rooted in enchantment.

What it’s about (spoiler-light)

Sophie Drear heads to coastal Maine for the summer to take a temporary job restoring the storied grounds of Lilymoor House. She expects hard work, salty air, and maybe a little peace.

What she doesn’t expect is to fall in love—first with the place itself: the fragrant flowers, the towering hedge maze, the eccentric staff, and the enigmatic woman who owns the manor.

And then Sophie finds the door.

It never appears in the same place twice, and it leads to a secret, unfinished garden… with a mysterious, grumpy man trapped inside.

As Lilymoor starts to feel increasingly unstable—plants resisting care, vines turning vicious, and succession plans getting messy (including the owner’s inconveniently attractive nephew, also there for the summer)—Sophie realizes the grounds aren’t just overgrown. They’re trying to tell her something.

With one man on the outside of the secret garden, and one on the inside, Sophie may be the only person who can figure out what Lilymoor needs to bloom again.

Tropes & hooks

• Magical realism + enchanted estate
• Summer escape / fresh start
• Secret door, secret garden
• Grumpy mystery man
• Quirky staff / found family vibes
• Love triangle-ish tension (outside vs inside)

Perfect for readers of:

• Ashley Poston (The Seven Year Slip)
• Sarah Addison Allen
• Cozy, romantic magical realism with heart