The Music of Bees A Novel

An exquisite debut that combines a moving tale of friendship with a fascinating primer on bees. People , "Best New Books"

This heartwarming, uplifting story will make you want to call your own friends, not to mention grab some honey. Good Housekeeping, *May Book Club Pick*

"A sweet story and a nice reminder that 'flaws' can actually be strengths. The Washington Post

"[A] warm, moving story. Woman's World

"The striking beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and the humble marvel of beekeeping, bring home nature s life lessons to a trio of misfits in Eileen Garvin s debut novel. This charming small-town story about second chances hums along, with the characters finding renewal in the kindness of friendship." Christian Science Monitor

"Eileen Garvin's debut novel is uplifting, funny, bold, and inspirational. The Music of Bees sings!" Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author

Exactly the book I needed to read right now I laughed, I cried, and in the end I was left with a renewed belief that there's always hope for all of us, no matter how broken or stuck we may feel. This deft, compassionate story about the enduring power of friendship and the sparkling promise of a fresh start will stay with me for a long time. It's simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting, and I loved it. Abi Daré, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl with the Louding Voice

"You'll love cheering for the likable loners in this kind-hearted, hopeful, and beautifully detailed story. I adored The Music of Bees." J. Ryan Stradal, bestselling author of The Lager Queen of Minnesota

"A story for this unique time about three people trying to mend their broken lives [that] tells of the power inside each of us that builds the sweet life we want even if we don t get there the way we had dreamed. It s exactly the book we need after a year of uncertainty." The Spokesman-Review

Delightful . . . It's a story sown with rich metaphors and life lessons that hum sweetly along in Garvin's authentic and resonant voice. . . . The Music of Bees poignantly weaves the intricacies of bee and beekeeper behavior into a heartwarming tale that reminds us of our ineffable interconnectedness. . . . Warmly capturing the quirkiness, goodness, and fallibility of the human experience, Garvin adds texture to the storyline with themes we all can relate to: loss, survival, nourishment, growth, forgiveness, family, and our relationship to community. The Bend Source

"Definitely a must read for nature lovers and those in need of recharging their faith in humanity.
The Journal Gazette (Indiana)

"The Music of Bees tells a hopeful, heartwarming, uplifting story about the power of chosen family and newfound home and beginning again. Its delightful cast of characters is the perfect balance between quirky and familiar, flawed and endearing. And oh the bees! Eileen Garvin s beautiful descriptions throughout this lovely novel immerse the reader in the seasons, the weather, the trees and the flowers, the river and the land, and the rhythms of small-town life, but it s the bees, with all their wonder and intricacy and intrigue, that make this story sing." Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This Is How It Always Is

I knew nothing about bees before reading this marvelous book, but now I m craving honey. Who knew that the intricate miracle that is a beehive can contain such deep, surprising life lessons? This emotionally resonant story strikes to the heart of how grief can crack you open but lead to unexpected new ways to connect. Judy Blundell, New York Times bestselling author of The High Season

"The Music of Bees is a transportive tale to lighten the heart. Eileen Garvin has woven a hypnotic human story of perseverance and second chances with a glittering love letter to our pollinators. It combines a cast of marvelous characters with an utterly exquisite excursion into the buzzy life of bees. Every page hums with hope, gleaming with a message of our inextricable interconnectedness, both within our own species and to our home of the natural world. The Music of Bees is an enchanting book of belonging, overcoming adversity and the journey to find a hive of one s own." Kira Jane Buxton, author of Hollow Kingdom

"In a small Oregon town, the lives of three strangers--Alice, a widowed beekeeper; Jake, a paraplegic teenager; and Harry, an anxious misfit intersect in this moving tale. Garvin s characters, battling loss, crave a sense of belonging, and like the bees they tend to, they must learn to rely on each other as they create their own version of home. A special treat for nature lovers, The Music of Bees is full of warmth and hope and decency a delightful debut that really resonates." Rebecca Hardiman, author of Good Eggs

Both buoyant and bittersweet, Garvin s impressive first novel, a luscious paean to the bonds of friendship and limitations of family, is the kind of comforting yet thought-provoking tale that will appeal to fans of Anne Tyler and Sue Miller. Booklist (STARRED review)

Genuinely touching. Publishers Weekly

"A honeybee farm brings together three strangers in need of a fresh start. This novel about friendship and healing is said to be ideal for readers who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine." Bookish: 21 Debut Novels to Have on Your 2021 TBR

Fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine will enjoy this touching and uplifting novel about the healing power of friendship. BookRiot: 9 Mesmerising Debut Novels You Won t Want to Miss in 2021

"Not only gives readers insight into raising bees but also takes away the fear many may experience with them while it explains the complexities of their lives and their jobs . . . Educational and fascinating.
New York Journal of Books

Inspiring and moving . . . A heartfelt story about loss, resiliency, friendship, and finding your way . . . Garvin creates realistic and memorable characters who bond during a time of reinvention.
Fresh Fiction

Let s be honest, after 2020 we could all use some uplifting stories and this could be just the Band-Aid our collective hearts need. Midwestness

"A wonderfully written, beautiful story." All the Good Books

Garvin's writing is smooth, like a refreshing green glade with cool, soft grass. . . . Start this book. You can't help but like it." The Bookworm Sez

"Sensational . . . A heartwarming, poignant, emotional story of friendship and healing. The Reading Café

Garvin's characters ring true, as does her depiction of the Hood River Valley, which gives this novel a unique sense of place. The Music of Bees is just the book to sink into when you need inspiration and restoration. The Oregonian

"The striking beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and the humble marvel of beekeeping, bring home nature s life lessons to a trio of misfits in Eileen Garvin s debut novel." Christian Science Monitor: 10 Best Books of April