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Gables Triology #1
Jennifer's Garden
In a race against time, cardiologist Jennifer Hamilton is caught between her mother’s dying wish and taking the risk of a lifetime with Jackson Montgomery. He’s the man hired to complete the landscaping for her new home; the venue for her upcoming wedding. Jackson’s everything she never wanted in a man, but as the job progresses, his lure pulls strong. It’s an attraction she cannot deny.
And one that puts her career on the line.
And one that puts her career on the line.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2011
130 people are currently reading
1437 people want to read
About the author
Dianne Venetta
21 books96 followersDianne Venetta is the award-winning author of contemporary romance and cozy mystery novels, including Jennifer's Garden, winner of Best in Romance for 2012 Indie Discovery Awards. When not knee-deep in romance, she contributes gardening advice to various websites and publications and has been featured on GalTime, Huffington Post, Earth Eats (Indiana Public Radio) and Ideal Home Garden among others.
She lives in Central Florida with her husband and two children. When not whacking away at her keyboard you'll find her in their organic garden chasing grasshoppers and plucking hornworms all while drawing wild analogies between kids and plants and men. Definitely men. A girl's gotta have fun, right?
Dianne also enjoys volunteering in school gardens and has begun a children's series chronicling her adventures called Wild Tales & Garden Thrills. It's a crazy existence to be sure, but at the end of the day, if she can inspire someone to stop and smell the roses--or rosemary!--kiss their child and spouse good-night, be kind to a neighbor and Mother Earth, then she's done all right.
She lives in Central Florida with her husband and two children. When not whacking away at her keyboard you'll find her in their organic garden chasing grasshoppers and plucking hornworms all while drawing wild analogies between kids and plants and men. Definitely men. A girl's gotta have fun, right?
Dianne also enjoys volunteering in school gardens and has begun a children's series chronicling her adventures called Wild Tales & Garden Thrills. It's a crazy existence to be sure, but at the end of the day, if she can inspire someone to stop and smell the roses--or rosemary!--kiss their child and spouse good-night, be kind to a neighbor and Mother Earth, then she's done all right.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 13, 2012
I liked Jennifer's Garden but I didn't love it. There were some sweet scenes involving Jennifer and Jackson but I never really connected with them as a couple. I think the problem for me was that I didn't really understand Jennifer's relationship with Aurelio--I mean they were engaged but I didn't feel any love between them on either side. And I absolutely HATED Jennifer in the beginning for the condescending, rude, awful way she treated Jackson because he was a bartender/landscaper. I never wanted to slap a character more then I did her. I couldn't stand that she acted like she was better then him. I LOVED Jackson-he was such a great character. Jennifer did redeem herself in the end but I guess by then I still resented her. She definitely didn't deserve Jackson -- he was way to sweet and good for her. I thought the story was a little slow for the first half but did pick up the in the last half. I was just never drawn into this story or involved in the characters.
3 out of 5 rating.
**Even though this book was just okay for me, I still added the rest of the series to my TBR pile. I'm especially interested in Whisper Privileges Book #3.**
This copy was graciously obtained per Dianne Venetta for review. :)
3 out of 5 rating.
**Even though this book was just okay for me, I still added the rest of the series to my TBR pile. I'm especially interested in Whisper Privileges Book #3.**
This copy was graciously obtained per Dianne Venetta for review. :)
January 23, 2015
I was hoping for a decent love story with some extra angst involving the h and her job: the blurb promised -
It’s an attraction she cannot deny.
And one that puts her career on the line
But there was nothing in the story about her career being 'on the line'. I was waiting for someone to accuse her of medical negligence but it was all hunky-dory - the perfect cardiologist at work.
It was all a bit 'meh' really. I found the random inclusion of 'Tony' and 'Constantine' to be rather pointless and the story lacked any real conflict.
And Aurelio really didn't deserve to be treated like that. I hope he found someone better.
It’s an attraction she cannot deny.
And one that puts her career on the line
But there was nothing in the story about her career being 'on the line'. I was waiting for someone to accuse her of medical negligence but it was all hunky-dory - the perfect cardiologist at work.
It was all a bit 'meh' really. I found the random inclusion of 'Tony' and 'Constantine' to be rather pointless and the story lacked any real conflict.
And Aurelio really didn't deserve to be treated like that. I hope he found someone better.
September 14, 2011
[I copied this from my review on Amazon.com]
Do you remember the movie Something New starring Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker? A successful young black female attorney is set up on a blind date by a friend, and freaks out because he is white. When he turns out to also be her landscape architect she has a time of it, trying to remain stoic and standoffish as he is beneath her because he is a laborer. His open personality and honest feelings get to her, however, as she is slowly exposed to him and he works his way into her life as friends. The only problems arise when there is a reminder that he is white and she is upper class black, and family and society will not approve. A cute movie, a familiar story, and this book is a dead ringer for that same plot. While the racial issue doesn't not exist in this book, the societal class relationship is a big factor.
I enjoyed Jennifer's Garden. It was a fun story, but the entire time I kept thinking of the aforementioned movie. I like the movie, however, so that's not a bad thing. The similarities are great--Jennifer is a successful cardiologist, second generation doctor, fiancee of a Latin art gallery owner, and always willing to please everyone else. Jackson ("Jax") is a landscape architect, incredibly talented, who bartends on the side for extra cash or to help out a friend. When Jax shows up at Jennifer's door as the recommended genius to redo her lawn for her upcoming nuptials, she can't see past the bartender and is quite rude in her dismissal of Jax. Once they overcome this first hurdle, Jax sets to design the garden of her dreams and promises to have it completed not only in time for her wedding but for her terminally ill mother to attend the wedding in the glorious new haven.
There were parts of the book that dragged. The relationship with Jennifer and her fiancee seemed to be not just a secondary plot but actually three or four layers down. There was some unevenness to the book, and the exposition of Jennifer's character sometimes didn't endear her to me--she came off as being a whiny "why me" sort of person prone to drama. Still, the book was a fun read, and perfect for one of those rainy Saturday afternoons that make you want to just curl up on the couch with a mindless fun story. Enjoyed!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review on Amazon.
Do you remember the movie Something New starring Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker? A successful young black female attorney is set up on a blind date by a friend, and freaks out because he is white. When he turns out to also be her landscape architect she has a time of it, trying to remain stoic and standoffish as he is beneath her because he is a laborer. His open personality and honest feelings get to her, however, as she is slowly exposed to him and he works his way into her life as friends. The only problems arise when there is a reminder that he is white and she is upper class black, and family and society will not approve. A cute movie, a familiar story, and this book is a dead ringer for that same plot. While the racial issue doesn't not exist in this book, the societal class relationship is a big factor.
I enjoyed Jennifer's Garden. It was a fun story, but the entire time I kept thinking of the aforementioned movie. I like the movie, however, so that's not a bad thing. The similarities are great--Jennifer is a successful cardiologist, second generation doctor, fiancee of a Latin art gallery owner, and always willing to please everyone else. Jackson ("Jax") is a landscape architect, incredibly talented, who bartends on the side for extra cash or to help out a friend. When Jax shows up at Jennifer's door as the recommended genius to redo her lawn for her upcoming nuptials, she can't see past the bartender and is quite rude in her dismissal of Jax. Once they overcome this first hurdle, Jax sets to design the garden of her dreams and promises to have it completed not only in time for her wedding but for her terminally ill mother to attend the wedding in the glorious new haven.
There were parts of the book that dragged. The relationship with Jennifer and her fiancee seemed to be not just a secondary plot but actually three or four layers down. There was some unevenness to the book, and the exposition of Jennifer's character sometimes didn't endear her to me--she came off as being a whiny "why me" sort of person prone to drama. Still, the book was a fun read, and perfect for one of those rainy Saturday afternoons that make you want to just curl up on the couch with a mindless fun story. Enjoyed!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review on Amazon.
July 19, 2011
Jennifer Hamilton is a successful cardiologist who is engaged to be married and wants to have her wedding at her own new beautiful home. Unfortunately, her landscaping leaves a lot to be desired. Jennifer is in a race against time to have everything completed, because, sadly, Jennifer’s mother actually is running out of time. Cancer is ravaging her body, and the doctors don’t give her much longer to live. Her mother’s last wish is to see her daughter happily married in the garden of her dreams to the man of her dreams. However, is Aurelio really the man of Jennifer’s dreams? Enter Jackson Montgomery, landscape architect extraordinaire. Recommended by a dear friend, Jackson is the perfect man for the job, but could Jackson also be the perfect man for Jennifer?
I thoroughly enjoyed Dianne Venetta’s writing. This book really drew me in. I haven’t read anything in the romance genre for a while, and it was a very nice change of pace for me. I was impressed with the author’s extensive knowledge of plants, flowers, and landscaping in general. My father is a horticulturist, and I loved the development of Jennifer’s “garden to live by” almost as much as I loved the romance between the two main characters. And there was definitely a lot to love about one Jackson Montgomery! What an amazing character Dianne Venetta created in Jackson. I also loved the relationship between Jennifer and her mother. It was very heart touching and quite poignant. Sam was another intriguing character, and the best friend relationship she shared with Jennifer was not only charming, but Sam reminded me so much of my own best friend it was uncanny!
This book is a lovely, heart warming, fast read. I look forward to reading more by this talented author.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dianne Venetta’s writing. This book really drew me in. I haven’t read anything in the romance genre for a while, and it was a very nice change of pace for me. I was impressed with the author’s extensive knowledge of plants, flowers, and landscaping in general. My father is a horticulturist, and I loved the development of Jennifer’s “garden to live by” almost as much as I loved the romance between the two main characters. And there was definitely a lot to love about one Jackson Montgomery! What an amazing character Dianne Venetta created in Jackson. I also loved the relationship between Jennifer and her mother. It was very heart touching and quite poignant. Sam was another intriguing character, and the best friend relationship she shared with Jennifer was not only charming, but Sam reminded me so much of my own best friend it was uncanny!
This book is a lovely, heart warming, fast read. I look forward to reading more by this talented author.
August 25, 2011
Note: This review, and all my reviews, comes from my blog - Romantic Rose's Bookshelf (http://romantic-rosesblog.blogspot.com) - A big thank you to Dianne Venetta for sending this to me for review!
Related to Lust on the Rocks
Jennifer Hamilton is stressed. Her mother is dying, Jen is getting married, and she has to keep up with her job as Cardiologist at a local hospital. To top it all off, she has to turn her dirt-packed backyard into a suitable wedding location ASAP because her mother wants to see Jen married in a garden, something her home currently lacks. Desperate to find a landscape artist who can do the job fast and do it well, Jen asks fellow doctor, Michael, for a recommendation. But the man who shows up at her door, Jackson Montgomery, can’t possibly be the landscaper – this scruffy, unsophisticated guy doesn’t even take notes for goodness sakes! With few other choices, Jen hires Jax to take care of the garden. As Jen and Jax grow closer, will Jen calm her unruly emotions and marry Aurelio or will she risk leaving her mother’s last wish unfulfilled by postponing the wedding and trying for true love instead?
So Jennifer’s Garden had a lot of unfulfilled promise. I look forward to reading more from Venetta who is so clearly a very talented writer and I have the feeling this book doesn't show her writing at its best. A bunch of issues decreased my level of enjoyment while reading Jennifer’s Garden. The first, which I will mention only lightly, was the grammatical inconsistency of the book – although this is becoming more common in both indie and publishing house books, it’s still annoying and unacceptable. Being a grammar-policewoman, anything more than three grammar mistakes really starts to bother me because I expect more from my authors, editors, and publishers.. So that’s something to make note of – if missing quotation marks or extra commas don’t bother you, you’ll likely give this book a higher rating.
Let’s switch to the positives for the moment. Jackson was phenomenal – sexy, sweet, extraordinarily sensitive. I found Jackson was a lot like one of my very best friends, whose name also starts with J, in his casual nature, his sensitivity, and his witty charm. He was well developed, fairly consistent, and adorable. I really liked him - can you tell? Jennifer, unfortunately, was his opposite and not in a good way. She was a surface character, one who has no depth of personality or feeling, and her behavior was inconsistent. Her character changed erratically, and I couldn’t understand the reasons why her behavior was random and unpredictable. She didn’t inspire much tender feeling nor did I ever grow to love her or feel her worthy of Jackson. Jennifer was not a character I could connect with, and her inner struggles didn’t make sense to me. Secondary characters, such as Sam (Jen’s BFF), were incredibly fun, added color to already beautiful prose, and were well-developed.
The thing I loved most about this book was the prose and the descriptions (though they were occasionally repetitive). Venetta describes the garden and other scenes throughout the story with incredible detail and clarity – and yet she somehow saves it from being boring. The garden truly came alive in my imagination as my mind filled with images of flowers in hundreds of brilliant hues and the sounds of rushing water and birds. I loved the garden scenes – loved them. Occasionally the book was repetitive and redundant in its descriptions, which was frustrating, but I found I was never bored by descriptions of the garden.
The repetition issue ties in with another setback – Jennifer’s Garden was way too long. I found myself wishing I could skip chapters just to get to the end. The book moved, literally, at a snail’s pace. There were a lot of little side-conflicts I didn’t enjoy and I found myself wishing Venetta had cut a hundred pages from the book. Few books have ever moved so slowly for me, without losing my attention completely. Some of the phrases were cliché and melodramatic which lent this mostly-realistic book a slightly silly edge. Jennifer’s fiancée’s role is really under-done, and that worried me. It seemed like he would’ve been her first, and most major, concern. While she mentioned being worried about him when thinking about Jax, I couldn’t really feel that she was worried since she seemed to think of him last. If I had a fiancée and I was thinking about another man, my first thoughts would be about my fiancée – not my last.
Another thing I thought worth mentioning is that most of this book is about self-discovery, not romance. The romance between Jax and Jen develops slowly and kick-starts rather suddenly late in the book. Jax and Jen have to come to term with grief of different kinds, and with their life goals and plans. To me, that seemed to be the main focus of the book – not the growing feelings between Jax and Jen. In the end, I would keep Venetta on your to-watch list because she has definite potential even if Jennifer’s Garden is simply average.
“Sexy”ness rating: Yummy
Overall Rating: C
Bottom Line: The book was well-written and fun, but a bit long and drawn-out with a few too many side-plots. While mostly enjoyable, the book was more focused on self-discovery than romance (or at least it seemed that way to me). For all you Indie supporters – Diane is an Indie author!
Related to Lust on the Rocks
Jennifer Hamilton is stressed. Her mother is dying, Jen is getting married, and she has to keep up with her job as Cardiologist at a local hospital. To top it all off, she has to turn her dirt-packed backyard into a suitable wedding location ASAP because her mother wants to see Jen married in a garden, something her home currently lacks. Desperate to find a landscape artist who can do the job fast and do it well, Jen asks fellow doctor, Michael, for a recommendation. But the man who shows up at her door, Jackson Montgomery, can’t possibly be the landscaper – this scruffy, unsophisticated guy doesn’t even take notes for goodness sakes! With few other choices, Jen hires Jax to take care of the garden. As Jen and Jax grow closer, will Jen calm her unruly emotions and marry Aurelio or will she risk leaving her mother’s last wish unfulfilled by postponing the wedding and trying for true love instead?
So Jennifer’s Garden had a lot of unfulfilled promise. I look forward to reading more from Venetta who is so clearly a very talented writer and I have the feeling this book doesn't show her writing at its best. A bunch of issues decreased my level of enjoyment while reading Jennifer’s Garden. The first, which I will mention only lightly, was the grammatical inconsistency of the book – although this is becoming more common in both indie and publishing house books, it’s still annoying and unacceptable. Being a grammar-policewoman, anything more than three grammar mistakes really starts to bother me because I expect more from my authors, editors, and publishers.. So that’s something to make note of – if missing quotation marks or extra commas don’t bother you, you’ll likely give this book a higher rating.
Let’s switch to the positives for the moment. Jackson was phenomenal – sexy, sweet, extraordinarily sensitive. I found Jackson was a lot like one of my very best friends, whose name also starts with J, in his casual nature, his sensitivity, and his witty charm. He was well developed, fairly consistent, and adorable. I really liked him - can you tell? Jennifer, unfortunately, was his opposite and not in a good way. She was a surface character, one who has no depth of personality or feeling, and her behavior was inconsistent. Her character changed erratically, and I couldn’t understand the reasons why her behavior was random and unpredictable. She didn’t inspire much tender feeling nor did I ever grow to love her or feel her worthy of Jackson. Jennifer was not a character I could connect with, and her inner struggles didn’t make sense to me. Secondary characters, such as Sam (Jen’s BFF), were incredibly fun, added color to already beautiful prose, and were well-developed.
The thing I loved most about this book was the prose and the descriptions (though they were occasionally repetitive). Venetta describes the garden and other scenes throughout the story with incredible detail and clarity – and yet she somehow saves it from being boring. The garden truly came alive in my imagination as my mind filled with images of flowers in hundreds of brilliant hues and the sounds of rushing water and birds. I loved the garden scenes – loved them. Occasionally the book was repetitive and redundant in its descriptions, which was frustrating, but I found I was never bored by descriptions of the garden.
The repetition issue ties in with another setback – Jennifer’s Garden was way too long. I found myself wishing I could skip chapters just to get to the end. The book moved, literally, at a snail’s pace. There were a lot of little side-conflicts I didn’t enjoy and I found myself wishing Venetta had cut a hundred pages from the book. Few books have ever moved so slowly for me, without losing my attention completely. Some of the phrases were cliché and melodramatic which lent this mostly-realistic book a slightly silly edge. Jennifer’s fiancée’s role is really under-done, and that worried me. It seemed like he would’ve been her first, and most major, concern. While she mentioned being worried about him when thinking about Jax, I couldn’t really feel that she was worried since she seemed to think of him last. If I had a fiancée and I was thinking about another man, my first thoughts would be about my fiancée – not my last.
Another thing I thought worth mentioning is that most of this book is about self-discovery, not romance. The romance between Jax and Jen develops slowly and kick-starts rather suddenly late in the book. Jax and Jen have to come to term with grief of different kinds, and with their life goals and plans. To me, that seemed to be the main focus of the book – not the growing feelings between Jax and Jen. In the end, I would keep Venetta on your to-watch list because she has definite potential even if Jennifer’s Garden is simply average.
“Sexy”ness rating: Yummy
Overall Rating: C
Bottom Line: The book was well-written and fun, but a bit long and drawn-out with a few too many side-plots. While mostly enjoyable, the book was more focused on self-discovery than romance (or at least it seemed that way to me). For all you Indie supporters – Diane is an Indie author!
July 12, 2022
Beautiful Story
This was a really beautiful and moving story. The ties between parents and children, friends, and love were moving. It is a slower and deeper book than I normally read, but well worth it.
This was a really beautiful and moving story. The ties between parents and children, friends, and love were moving. It is a slower and deeper book than I normally read, but well worth it.
March 2, 2020
Light hearted Romance
This was a new author to me. Light hearted and a typical romance story. Not my usual read but I enjoyed it
This was a new author to me. Light hearted and a typical romance story. Not my usual read but I enjoyed it
September 22, 2020
*using this book as a placeholder for another book by Dianne Venetta that I edited during this time period* (though I did read this book too, but years ago!)
September 9, 2011
Jennifer's Garden is a contemporary romance novel that is well written and jammed packed with romance, desire, internal struggles, sadness and happiness. It is a story about Jennifer Hamilton, an established Florida cardiologist, who has everything going right in her life: a career she loves, she is engaged to a wealthy man that she loves, and she has a beautiful new home. But for all the happiness she has in her life, she also has sadness ... her mom's terminal illness. Jennifer has promised her mom a garden wedding, and time is of the essence since her mom is declining rapidly. Jennifer has to have her garden landscaped before the wedding, which is just weeks away. Enter Jackson Montgomery, a landscape architect, who also does bartending on the side. Jennifer meets Jackson aka Jax at a party unaware that the next day he would appear on her doorstep as the landscaper that was recommended to her by a colleague. In Jennifer's eyes, Jax is not the sort of man that she would fall for, he is not in her social class ... but as time and the landscaping project progresses, she finds herself becoming attracted to Jax. Jennifer is a reserved woman, one who has always been methodical in all her choices, plans and decisions. She has never been one to be spontaneous,carefree, or give in to whimsical desires ... so when she becomes attracted to Jax, her doubts about her pending marriage creates an internal struggle that has her questioning everything in her life. With the help of her good friend Samantha Rawlings, and her mom Beatrice, Jennifer learns that she needs to be free from the shackles of self-discipline that rules her life, give into her true desires .. look beneath the surface and find the true love and happiness that is hers for the taking.
Dianne Venetta weaves a wonderful storyline filled with romance, desire, inner struggles, sadness and happiness. A bonus to the story is the intricate and incredibly detailed description of Jennifer's garden packed full of lush flowers, foliage and waterfalls, that will leave the reader yearning for their own little piece of paradise. As a gardening enthusiast, Ms. Vendetta's description of the landscaped garden was pure ecstasy! The other part of the story that absolutely captivated me was the loving relationship between Jennifer and her mom. This heartwarming yet sad portion of the story reminded me of my own loving relationship that I had with my mom, my emotions ran the gamut just as Jennifer's did in the story, and that made the book even more special in my eyes.
Fans of contemporary romance novels will surely love Jennifer's Garden. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
Disclaimer: At the request of the author, a Kindle e-book edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Dianne Venetta weaves a wonderful storyline filled with romance, desire, inner struggles, sadness and happiness. A bonus to the story is the intricate and incredibly detailed description of Jennifer's garden packed full of lush flowers, foliage and waterfalls, that will leave the reader yearning for their own little piece of paradise. As a gardening enthusiast, Ms. Vendetta's description of the landscaped garden was pure ecstasy! The other part of the story that absolutely captivated me was the loving relationship between Jennifer and her mom. This heartwarming yet sad portion of the story reminded me of my own loving relationship that I had with my mom, my emotions ran the gamut just as Jennifer's did in the story, and that made the book even more special in my eyes.
Fans of contemporary romance novels will surely love Jennifer's Garden. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
Disclaimer: At the request of the author, a Kindle e-book edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
May 24, 2012
This one was really enjoyable!
It took me a little while to really like Jennifer - but I suspect that was supposed to happen. Like Jackson, I found her cold and closed off but I knew there was more to her than met the eye. She was facing a lot of stress due to her mother's illness and imminent death and I could tell that's where a lot of her standoffish behaviour came from. I was worried for a bit that I wasn't going to like her at all because she acted atrociously to Jackson. For someone who seems to have such high standards she doesn't seem to have any manners. She was incredibly prejudiced towards him and that drove me absolutely crazy. He's a landscape architect and she seemed too think he needed to show up in a suit and tie. Um. Right. Not sure where she got that idea. Anyway, she eventually saw sense, thank goodness!
The story in this novel was really sweet but also very sad. It was hard to read at parts when Jennifer was worrying abut what she was going to do without her mother. I admit I teared up a bit after her mother passed away which shows I was invested in Jennifer's story.
I wish the situation with Jennifer's old boyfriend was explained a little more. They dated when they were teens and he was the reason she never gave into passion and instead chose a man who ticked all the right boxes. Because of how the fallout with this boy was explained I first thought that her father was not a very decent man. It seemed like he completely flew off the handle - more so than a father normally would when he catches his daughter with a boy. As it turns out, her father was a good man and the story of how her parents almost weren't able to get married was quite sweet.
There were a few parts where the flow of the story was a bit awkward, such as a chapter ending in mid conversation. It wasn't a cliffhanger type discussion but the chapter was ended in an awkward place. The only other thing I found odd was the Greek tycoon storyline. I don't think it really added anything to the story at all. (PS I know this is kind of vague but there's a bit of a twist, albeit a strange one, with this and I don't want to give anything away.)
Overall though I really liked reading about Jennifer's life and going through the troubling times with her. She is such a good person and it made me so happy to see everything work out for her in the end. I'm now looking forward to reading Lust on the Rocks which features Sam, Jennifer's best friend. Stay tuned for a guest post from Dianne Venetta as well!
It took me a little while to really like Jennifer - but I suspect that was supposed to happen. Like Jackson, I found her cold and closed off but I knew there was more to her than met the eye. She was facing a lot of stress due to her mother's illness and imminent death and I could tell that's where a lot of her standoffish behaviour came from. I was worried for a bit that I wasn't going to like her at all because she acted atrociously to Jackson. For someone who seems to have such high standards she doesn't seem to have any manners. She was incredibly prejudiced towards him and that drove me absolutely crazy. He's a landscape architect and she seemed too think he needed to show up in a suit and tie. Um. Right. Not sure where she got that idea. Anyway, she eventually saw sense, thank goodness!
The story in this novel was really sweet but also very sad. It was hard to read at parts when Jennifer was worrying abut what she was going to do without her mother. I admit I teared up a bit after her mother passed away which shows I was invested in Jennifer's story.
I wish the situation with Jennifer's old boyfriend was explained a little more. They dated when they were teens and he was the reason she never gave into passion and instead chose a man who ticked all the right boxes. Because of how the fallout with this boy was explained I first thought that her father was not a very decent man. It seemed like he completely flew off the handle - more so than a father normally would when he catches his daughter with a boy. As it turns out, her father was a good man and the story of how her parents almost weren't able to get married was quite sweet.
There were a few parts where the flow of the story was a bit awkward, such as a chapter ending in mid conversation. It wasn't a cliffhanger type discussion but the chapter was ended in an awkward place. The only other thing I found odd was the Greek tycoon storyline. I don't think it really added anything to the story at all. (PS I know this is kind of vague but there's a bit of a twist, albeit a strange one, with this and I don't want to give anything away.)
Overall though I really liked reading about Jennifer's life and going through the troubling times with her. She is such a good person and it made me so happy to see everything work out for her in the end. I'm now looking forward to reading Lust on the Rocks which features Sam, Jennifer's best friend. Stay tuned for a guest post from Dianne Venetta as well!
November 14, 2011
It is the desire of every woman that her wedding day be perfect, and some spend months and months debating colors, flowers, and venues. Somewhere amongst all that hubbub, sometimes one is unable to put just as much thought into the marriage that has to follow the wedding day. Jennifer Hamilton, a successful cardiologist, about to marry Aurelio Villreal who she may or may not love, but has bound herself to due to him being husband material. Adding to the situation is Beatrice, Jennifer's mother, who is dealing with a terminal illness. All Beatrice wants for her daughter is to attain happiness on her wedding day, by marrying in the garden of her dreams, just like she had with Jennifer's father. And thus, Jackson Montgomery enters the scene. A landscape architect recommended by a dear friend, Jackson not only transforms the look of Jennifer's garden, he also transforms the landscape of her life.
It is pretty clear to most who may have seen the books I read that I am not a huge fan of the genre of romance. I am mostly a suspense/thriller/mystery/fantasy kind of gal. I like thrilling, fast paced novels and I tend to cringe at romance novels and their superficiality. But there is something about "Jennifer's Garden" and the way Dianne Venetta writes about her characters, that endears them to the reader almost instantly. My favorite part about this book was probably the poignant connection between Jennifer and Beatrice. Their connection I believe is an extremely important bridge, along with the love and support of her best friend Sam, that leads Jennifer to the realizations of her core, and her dreams. And in Jackson, Dianne has created a character so lovable and endearing, you cannot help but root for the couple to come together, as the garden slowly comes into being.
The best part about this book was author Venatta's writing style. She took a contemporary romance and instead of making it cheesy and simplistic, she made this novel thoughtful and interesting, and relatable. An extremely well-plotted romance, that holds your attention from the first page to the very last. This was my first encounter with Venetta's writing, and it will absolutely not be the last - I will read her books, as long as she writes them.
(P.S - this review is way late, due to personal discrepancies, and I am extremely apologetic to the author/publishers for this transgression.)
It is pretty clear to most who may have seen the books I read that I am not a huge fan of the genre of romance. I am mostly a suspense/thriller/mystery/fantasy kind of gal. I like thrilling, fast paced novels and I tend to cringe at romance novels and their superficiality. But there is something about "Jennifer's Garden" and the way Dianne Venetta writes about her characters, that endears them to the reader almost instantly. My favorite part about this book was probably the poignant connection between Jennifer and Beatrice. Their connection I believe is an extremely important bridge, along with the love and support of her best friend Sam, that leads Jennifer to the realizations of her core, and her dreams. And in Jackson, Dianne has created a character so lovable and endearing, you cannot help but root for the couple to come together, as the garden slowly comes into being.
The best part about this book was author Venatta's writing style. She took a contemporary romance and instead of making it cheesy and simplistic, she made this novel thoughtful and interesting, and relatable. An extremely well-plotted romance, that holds your attention from the first page to the very last. This was my first encounter with Venetta's writing, and it will absolutely not be the last - I will read her books, as long as she writes them.
(P.S - this review is way late, due to personal discrepancies, and I am extremely apologetic to the author/publishers for this transgression.)
August 15, 2011
I was contacted by the author through twitter and offered a review copy of Jennifer’s Garden. After reading the blurb on the author’s website, I knew I wanted to read it. I love all genres of romance, but contemporary romances were the first ones I read and still hold a special place in my heart. Jennifer’s Garden is a fabulous contemporary romance.
I loved so many of the characters in this story. Jennifer was a bit up-tight as the story began, but she had so much pressure on her, I gave her a pass. I absolutely loved Jennifer’s mom. She was still so positive, even as she knew her life was coming to an end. I also got a big kick out of Jennifer’s best friend Sam. She is the friend every woman needs in their life and only a few of us are lucky enough to actually have her in our life. When Jennifer’s Garden begins, Jennifer is engaged to be married to Aurello, who is in the process of opening a new art gallery. Jennifer is on the search for a landscaper to finish her yard so she and Aurello can be married in her garden, which is her mother’s final wish. Enter Jackson Montgomery, who I loved from the moment he appeared on the page (maybe I was picturing sexy Jackson Montgomery from AMC at first). Jennifer is a bit ugly to him in the beginning, because she first meets him as a bartender at a friend’s party and doesn’t think he is more than just a bartender. He soon proves he is an amazing landscaping artist.
Maybe because I met Jackson, Jax to his friends, first I liked him so much more than Jennifer’s fiancé Aurello. I didn’t like Aurello from the moment he appeared in the story. He didn’t really do anything outright to make me dislike him, but something about him just seemed off to me. I think it’s because everything had to be about what he wanted. Never once did I see him worry about what others around him wanted, not even Jennifer. Luckily, Jennifer sees him for who he really is before she makes a huge mistake. Even better, she and Jax have become closer as he has worked each day at her house. Although there have still been misunderstandings between them, both have very strong feeling for each other.
I really loved Jennifer’s Garden and look forward to reading more books by Dianne Venetta. I’m especially excited for her next book, Lust on the Rocks, which is Jennifer’s best friend Samantha’s story.
I loved so many of the characters in this story. Jennifer was a bit up-tight as the story began, but she had so much pressure on her, I gave her a pass. I absolutely loved Jennifer’s mom. She was still so positive, even as she knew her life was coming to an end. I also got a big kick out of Jennifer’s best friend Sam. She is the friend every woman needs in their life and only a few of us are lucky enough to actually have her in our life. When Jennifer’s Garden begins, Jennifer is engaged to be married to Aurello, who is in the process of opening a new art gallery. Jennifer is on the search for a landscaper to finish her yard so she and Aurello can be married in her garden, which is her mother’s final wish. Enter Jackson Montgomery, who I loved from the moment he appeared on the page (maybe I was picturing sexy Jackson Montgomery from AMC at first). Jennifer is a bit ugly to him in the beginning, because she first meets him as a bartender at a friend’s party and doesn’t think he is more than just a bartender. He soon proves he is an amazing landscaping artist.
Maybe because I met Jackson, Jax to his friends, first I liked him so much more than Jennifer’s fiancé Aurello. I didn’t like Aurello from the moment he appeared in the story. He didn’t really do anything outright to make me dislike him, but something about him just seemed off to me. I think it’s because everything had to be about what he wanted. Never once did I see him worry about what others around him wanted, not even Jennifer. Luckily, Jennifer sees him for who he really is before she makes a huge mistake. Even better, she and Jax have become closer as he has worked each day at her house. Although there have still been misunderstandings between them, both have very strong feeling for each other.
I really loved Jennifer’s Garden and look forward to reading more books by Dianne Venetta. I’m especially excited for her next book, Lust on the Rocks, which is Jennifer’s best friend Samantha’s story.
September 21, 2011
We follow Dr. Jennifer Hamilton in her race against time to get married. Her mother is dying of cancer and wants to see her married in a garden, just like she was. The only problem, Jennifer’s landscape leaves much to be desired. So she hires a landscape designer to transform her yard all in time for her wedding. Little does she know that her choice of designer will forever change her life.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this story. From the book excerpt, I thought the premise was very intriguing and had my interest piqued. Dianne Venetta wrote a beautifully descriptive story and during the construction/planting phase of her garden, you felt as if you could see every single plant, fountain, shrub, etc. After reading I want to go home and plant a garden myself, it sounded just that wonderful. The love story was very soft & understated, but that didn’t make it any less powerful. What was even more powerful, was the relationship between Jennifer & her mom, Beatrice. The love that they both shared for each other and struggle with Beatrice’s illness was so moving. I cried for the loss of such an important & integral part of Jennifer’s life.
From the start I didn’t like the main character. Jennifer was a confident “I have everything planned out” kind of girl and if anything diverted from those plans she was lost. She knew exactly what she thought she wanted in a man – education, status, occupation, wealth, class, etc. If a man didn’t meet that criteria, she didn’t even look twice. When introduced to Jackson, she refuses to see past his job title & clothes, to the real person inside and treats him very unfairly. This completely & totally turned me off to her. Throughout the rest of the book, with the help of her friend Sam (whom I loved BTW), we see her realize, confront & change her prejudices, and in the end benefit from that acceptance. However, for me I just never got over that initial dislike. The book was also a little long and I felt that some length could have been shaved off during editing, especially towards the end. Other than those minor things, the book was a wonderful read. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Venetta’s work.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this story. From the book excerpt, I thought the premise was very intriguing and had my interest piqued. Dianne Venetta wrote a beautifully descriptive story and during the construction/planting phase of her garden, you felt as if you could see every single plant, fountain, shrub, etc. After reading I want to go home and plant a garden myself, it sounded just that wonderful. The love story was very soft & understated, but that didn’t make it any less powerful. What was even more powerful, was the relationship between Jennifer & her mom, Beatrice. The love that they both shared for each other and struggle with Beatrice’s illness was so moving. I cried for the loss of such an important & integral part of Jennifer’s life.
From the start I didn’t like the main character. Jennifer was a confident “I have everything planned out” kind of girl and if anything diverted from those plans she was lost. She knew exactly what she thought she wanted in a man – education, status, occupation, wealth, class, etc. If a man didn’t meet that criteria, she didn’t even look twice. When introduced to Jackson, she refuses to see past his job title & clothes, to the real person inside and treats him very unfairly. This completely & totally turned me off to her. Throughout the rest of the book, with the help of her friend Sam (whom I loved BTW), we see her realize, confront & change her prejudices, and in the end benefit from that acceptance. However, for me I just never got over that initial dislike. The book was also a little long and I felt that some length could have been shaved off during editing, especially towards the end. Other than those minor things, the book was a wonderful read. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Venetta’s work.
August 29, 2011
The thing I loved most about this book was the prose and the descriptions (though they were occasionally repetitive). Venetta describes the garden and other scenes throughout the story with incredible detail and clarity – and yet she somehow saves it from being boring. The garden truly came alive in my imagination as my mind filled with images of flowers in hundreds of brilliant hues and the sounds of rushing water and birds. I loved the garden scenes – loved them. Occasionally the book was repetitive and redundant in its descriptions, which was frustrating, but I found I was never bored by descriptions of the garden.
The repetition issue ties in with another setback – Jennifer’s Garden was way too long. I found myself wishing I could skip chapters just to get to the end. The book moved, literally, at a snail’s pace. There were a lot of little side-conflicts I didn’t enjoy and I found myself wishing Venetta had cut a hundred pages from the book. Few books have ever moved so slowly for me, without losing my attention completely.
Let’s switch to the positives for the moment. Jackson was phenomenal – sexy, sweet, extra-ordinarily sensitive. I found Jackson was a lot like one of my very best friends, whose name also starts with J, in his casual nature, his sensitivity, and his witty charm. He was well developed, fairly consistent, and adorable. I really liked him. Jennifer, unfortunately, seemed like a surface character as well as inconsistent. Her character changed erratically, and since she was a surface character I couldn’t understand the reasons why her behavior was random and unpredictable. She didn’t inspire much tender feeling nor did I ever grow to love her or feel her worthy of Jackson. Jennifer was not a character I could connect with, and her inner struggles didn’t make sense to me. Secondary characters, such as Sam (Jen’s BFF), were incredibly fun, added color to already beautiful prose, and were well-developed.
All in all, I would keep this author on your to-watch list because she has definite potential.
http://sirenssongreviews.blogspot.com...
The repetition issue ties in with another setback – Jennifer’s Garden was way too long. I found myself wishing I could skip chapters just to get to the end. The book moved, literally, at a snail’s pace. There were a lot of little side-conflicts I didn’t enjoy and I found myself wishing Venetta had cut a hundred pages from the book. Few books have ever moved so slowly for me, without losing my attention completely.
Let’s switch to the positives for the moment. Jackson was phenomenal – sexy, sweet, extra-ordinarily sensitive. I found Jackson was a lot like one of my very best friends, whose name also starts with J, in his casual nature, his sensitivity, and his witty charm. He was well developed, fairly consistent, and adorable. I really liked him. Jennifer, unfortunately, seemed like a surface character as well as inconsistent. Her character changed erratically, and since she was a surface character I couldn’t understand the reasons why her behavior was random and unpredictable. She didn’t inspire much tender feeling nor did I ever grow to love her or feel her worthy of Jackson. Jennifer was not a character I could connect with, and her inner struggles didn’t make sense to me. Secondary characters, such as Sam (Jen’s BFF), were incredibly fun, added color to already beautiful prose, and were well-developed.
All in all, I would keep this author on your to-watch list because she has definite potential.
http://sirenssongreviews.blogspot.com...
November 1, 2012
Jennifer's Garden
by Dianne Venetta
Genre: romance
Kindle, 449 pages(hmm..I don't think it was that long!)
Published 2011 by Bloomin Thyme Press
Dr. Jennifer Hamilton is under fire from too many directions. Her mother's cancer, her fiancée is starting a new venture in Africa, her yard needs to be landscaped in a hurry for her outdoor wedding, her best friend who thinks that Jennifer has "settled" in her choice of husbands.....and, oh yeah, her job as a cardiologist.
Enter landscaper extraordinaire. Jackson Montgomery has agreed to transform the "wasteland" into a lovely garden worthy of a bride. Although Jennifer has initial doubts about his abilities, she soon learns that he is an imaginative designer!
Jennifer's life appears to be one of drama, duty, and schedules. Then a free-wheeling, lusty best friend is added to the story and then I found myself wondering what exactly did these two women have in common?!?!?
And that is what makes a good plot-when we care about the characters and how their "lives" are proceeding. This is a lovely story about a woman who is learning that a structured life and trying to meet other people's expectations isn't the path to happiness. There were a couple of Laugh Out Loud moments, which is always nice!
The characters were believable and I liked them-all of them! I felt that the scenes were well-described and the right length to convey the author's message. I did not anticipate the ending, which is always nice.
There was a couple of nasty auto-correct spelling errors, I hate those! But, that was all I hated about the book.
Jennifer's Garden is the first in a series.
I enjoyed the story. You should read it and let me know what you think!
profanity
sexual scenes
I downloaded a free copy of this book from amazon and received swag from the author without a request for a review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review in any way. All opinions are 100% my own.
by Dianne Venetta
Genre: romance
Kindle, 449 pages(hmm..I don't think it was that long!)
Published 2011 by Bloomin Thyme Press
Dr. Jennifer Hamilton is under fire from too many directions. Her mother's cancer, her fiancée is starting a new venture in Africa, her yard needs to be landscaped in a hurry for her outdoor wedding, her best friend who thinks that Jennifer has "settled" in her choice of husbands.....and, oh yeah, her job as a cardiologist.
Enter landscaper extraordinaire. Jackson Montgomery has agreed to transform the "wasteland" into a lovely garden worthy of a bride. Although Jennifer has initial doubts about his abilities, she soon learns that he is an imaginative designer!
Jennifer's life appears to be one of drama, duty, and schedules. Then a free-wheeling, lusty best friend is added to the story and then I found myself wondering what exactly did these two women have in common?!?!?
And that is what makes a good plot-when we care about the characters and how their "lives" are proceeding. This is a lovely story about a woman who is learning that a structured life and trying to meet other people's expectations isn't the path to happiness. There were a couple of Laugh Out Loud moments, which is always nice!
The characters were believable and I liked them-all of them! I felt that the scenes were well-described and the right length to convey the author's message. I did not anticipate the ending, which is always nice.
There was a couple of nasty auto-correct spelling errors, I hate those! But, that was all I hated about the book.
Jennifer's Garden is the first in a series.
I enjoyed the story. You should read it and let me know what you think!
profanity
sexual scenes
I downloaded a free copy of this book from amazon and received swag from the author without a request for a review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review in any way. All opinions are 100% my own.
July 23, 2012
In her debut novel, Dianne Venetta brings a cast of wonderful and intriguing characters to life by giving them emotional connections the reader can relate too. Cardiologist, Jennifer Hamilton’s time is like sand in an hourglass, she doesn’t have much and it’s moving quickly. Her dying mother’s last wish gives Jennifer a short window of time to create a beautiful garden out of her empty backyard. Fulfilling her mother’s dream to see her married means Jennifer has to rely on a skilled landscaper to make sure the wish comes true, for better or worse.
Unfortunately Jennifer’s plans are slightly derailed when her landscaper, who came highly recommended, turns out to be a bartender who both infuriates and arouses her at the same time. Suddenly Jennifer’s oh-so-perfect reasons for marrying are becoming rather imperfect and stifling. It turns out Jennifer has a lot to learn about love and Jackson Montgomery seems to be the person to teach her. But, will she fulfill her mother’s last wish or risk it all in the name of love?
It's no surprise Jennifer's Garden is nominated for an Indie Award! With an average rating of 4.5 stars by reader's and a 5 star review by the Indie judging panel, Jennifer's Garden is a book you won't want to miss. In a perfect mix of reality, emotion and romance, author Dianne Venetta brings a touching story, full of heat and enticing characters. Though there are moments when the characters will make your blood boil, in more ways than one, the overall cast is wonderfully done and very well developed. I loved it! I wold read it again and instantly picked up Lust on the Rocks, the second book in the series, and dug right in. This one is highly recommended to all you romance and women's fiction lovers! If you haven't read either this book is a great place to start.
Unfortunately Jennifer’s plans are slightly derailed when her landscaper, who came highly recommended, turns out to be a bartender who both infuriates and arouses her at the same time. Suddenly Jennifer’s oh-so-perfect reasons for marrying are becoming rather imperfect and stifling. It turns out Jennifer has a lot to learn about love and Jackson Montgomery seems to be the person to teach her. But, will she fulfill her mother’s last wish or risk it all in the name of love?
It's no surprise Jennifer's Garden is nominated for an Indie Award! With an average rating of 4.5 stars by reader's and a 5 star review by the Indie judging panel, Jennifer's Garden is a book you won't want to miss. In a perfect mix of reality, emotion and romance, author Dianne Venetta brings a touching story, full of heat and enticing characters. Though there are moments when the characters will make your blood boil, in more ways than one, the overall cast is wonderfully done and very well developed. I loved it! I wold read it again and instantly picked up Lust on the Rocks, the second book in the series, and dug right in. This one is highly recommended to all you romance and women's fiction lovers! If you haven't read either this book is a great place to start.
October 4, 2011
I normally read paranormal romances so this was a little different for me. Jennifer's Garden turned out to be a fabulous contemporary romance. This novel is a well written story of love, grief, forgiveness and happiness. There are so many things about life that can be learned from reading this amazing book!
I fell in love with the characters instantly. They were all so real to me. Jennifer is an uptight woman with a lot to learn about life. She is so set on planning her future that she somehow forgets to actually live her life. She is a cardiologist with a ailing mother, a self centered fiance and a deadline for a dream garden. The pressure is on for her and she struggles with it.
She hires Jax to transform her backyard into a romantic garden fit for a wedding. I fell in love with Jax from the first words he spoke on the page. His love for life is the best medicine for the stressed Jennifer. As this story progresses Jennifer spends time with Jax every afternoon and she begins to see that everything she always thought she wanted was exactly what she didn't need.
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book that I have ever read that took me through such an array of emotion. I felt the bond of a mother and child, the sisterhood of best friends and the love of a lifetime. Jennifer's Garden reminded me of love blossoming and the fear and excitement that goes with it. My only negative comment about this book is that I was left wanting more.
The next installment in this series will be Lust on the Rocks, to be release mid - October. This book will feature Jennifer's best friend Sam
I fell in love with the characters instantly. They were all so real to me. Jennifer is an uptight woman with a lot to learn about life. She is so set on planning her future that she somehow forgets to actually live her life. She is a cardiologist with a ailing mother, a self centered fiance and a deadline for a dream garden. The pressure is on for her and she struggles with it.
She hires Jax to transform her backyard into a romantic garden fit for a wedding. I fell in love with Jax from the first words he spoke on the page. His love for life is the best medicine for the stressed Jennifer. As this story progresses Jennifer spends time with Jax every afternoon and she begins to see that everything she always thought she wanted was exactly what she didn't need.
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book that I have ever read that took me through such an array of emotion. I felt the bond of a mother and child, the sisterhood of best friends and the love of a lifetime. Jennifer's Garden reminded me of love blossoming and the fear and excitement that goes with it. My only negative comment about this book is that I was left wanting more.
The next installment in this series will be Lust on the Rocks, to be release mid - October. This book will feature Jennifer's best friend Sam
September 20, 2011
I always love picking up a self published novel that blows me away. And let me tell you this was DEFINITELY one of those!! Dianne Venetta is one fabulous write who pulls the reader in with such vivid details and amazing interaction between her characters. I devoured this novel - once I started I couldn't stop! Much to my hubby's irritation!! LOL Hard to cook dinner when you keep running to the computer to read just one more page!
Jennifer's mother is dying and Jennifer more then anything wants to have her mother at her wedding. She hires incredible gorgeous landscape architect Jackson Montgomery (aka Jax) on recommendation from her friend Michael. While these two got off on the wrong foot - they have some great interaction and chemistry. The sexual undercurrents with these two is FABULOUS!
Although Jennifer is engaged she can't get Jax off her mind. Her fiance is perfect for her - Aurelio is smart, successful, educated and sexy. How can she not love him and want to spend the rest of her life with him? With some lingering doubts she has to decide what direction her life is meant to go!
This was an amazing story of self discovery for the main character Jennifer. With her life thrown into turmoil she turns to her BFF Sam who helps her see the light. These two have an incredible relationship.. through up and downs they are always there for one another and are always honest. I loved that - every girl needs a best friend like that! I know I'm lucky enough to have one in my BFF!
This is a great read and needs to be read - I highly recommended that everyone picks this up and check it out!
Jennifer's mother is dying and Jennifer more then anything wants to have her mother at her wedding. She hires incredible gorgeous landscape architect Jackson Montgomery (aka Jax) on recommendation from her friend Michael. While these two got off on the wrong foot - they have some great interaction and chemistry. The sexual undercurrents with these two is FABULOUS!
Although Jennifer is engaged she can't get Jax off her mind. Her fiance is perfect for her - Aurelio is smart, successful, educated and sexy. How can she not love him and want to spend the rest of her life with him? With some lingering doubts she has to decide what direction her life is meant to go!
This was an amazing story of self discovery for the main character Jennifer. With her life thrown into turmoil she turns to her BFF Sam who helps her see the light. These two have an incredible relationship.. through up and downs they are always there for one another and are always honest. I loved that - every girl needs a best friend like that! I know I'm lucky enough to have one in my BFF!
This is a great read and needs to be read - I highly recommended that everyone picks this up and check it out!
March 19, 2012
I normally read paranormal romances so this was a little different for me. Jennifer's Garden turned out to be a fabulous contemporary romance. This novel is a well written story of love, grief, forgiveness and happiness. There are so many things about life that can be learned from reading this amazing book!
I fell in love with the characters instantly. They were all so real to me. Jennifer is an uptight woman with a lot to learn about life. She is so set on planning her future that she somehow forgets to actually live her life. She is a cardiologist with a ailing mother, a self centered fiance and a deadline for a dream garden. The pressure is on for her and she struggles with it.
She hires Jax to transform her backyard into a romantic garden fit for a wedding. I fell in love with Jax from the first words he spoke on the page. His love for life is the best medicine for the stressed Jennifer. As this story progresses Jennifer spends time with Jax every afternoon and she begins to see that everything she always thought she wanted was exactly what she didn't need.
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book that I have ever read that took me through such an array of emotion. I felt the bond of a mother and child, the sisterhood of best friends and the love of a lifetime. Jennifer's Garden reminded me of love blossoming and the fear and excitement that goes with it. My only negative comment about this book is that I was left wanting more.
The next installment in this series will be Lust on the Rocks, to be release mid - October. This book will feature Jennifer's best friend Sam.
I fell in love with the characters instantly. They were all so real to me. Jennifer is an uptight woman with a lot to learn about life. She is so set on planning her future that she somehow forgets to actually live her life. She is a cardiologist with a ailing mother, a self centered fiance and a deadline for a dream garden. The pressure is on for her and she struggles with it.
She hires Jax to transform her backyard into a romantic garden fit for a wedding. I fell in love with Jax from the first words he spoke on the page. His love for life is the best medicine for the stressed Jennifer. As this story progresses Jennifer spends time with Jax every afternoon and she begins to see that everything she always thought she wanted was exactly what she didn't need.
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book that I have ever read that took me through such an array of emotion. I felt the bond of a mother and child, the sisterhood of best friends and the love of a lifetime. Jennifer's Garden reminded me of love blossoming and the fear and excitement that goes with it. My only negative comment about this book is that I was left wanting more.
The next installment in this series will be Lust on the Rocks, to be release mid - October. This book will feature Jennifer's best friend Sam.
April 30, 2012
'Jennifer's Garden' is a story of loves - between a daughter and mother, a woman and man (men?), between friends. Some of that story is lost in an overly-descriptive narrative, but I believe the beauty of the garden, and in fact all the lovely 'word pictures' painted by the author, are the stronger story.
I wasn't fond of Jennifer; she seemed a bit whiney and shallow. However, I've read many fun books with main characters that I didn't particularly care for, or wouldn't want to have as a 'bestie' ('Shopaholic' comes first to mind). I also found some of the dialogue and description a bit repetative, and was ready to get to the end of the story a bit before the author was.
I must say that I was most taken in by the mother-daughter relationship (and that is most likely due to my own relationship with my mother at this time); the idea of arranging one's wedding, it's setting, in a race against illness in order to have your mother attend - that felt real. What didn't feel real was Jennifer and Aurelio's relationship - or more specific, Aurelio. He seemed flat, and more a pebble placed in the way for Jennifer and 'Jax'...in addition to the huge boulder of Jax's "unsuitable" profession, etc.
Overall, I think Dianne Venetta's writing is lovely, if a bit long-winded for the story that was told this time. Her detailed descriptions are vivid and well-sketched, and I think they would be very well suited for a different genre, one that doesn't expect the story to move along more quickly. I would certainly read another of her books, perhaps one a bit more 'meaty'.
I was provided a complimentary copy of "Jennifer's Garden" in exchange for my honest review.
I wasn't fond of Jennifer; she seemed a bit whiney and shallow. However, I've read many fun books with main characters that I didn't particularly care for, or wouldn't want to have as a 'bestie' ('Shopaholic' comes first to mind). I also found some of the dialogue and description a bit repetative, and was ready to get to the end of the story a bit before the author was.
I must say that I was most taken in by the mother-daughter relationship (and that is most likely due to my own relationship with my mother at this time); the idea of arranging one's wedding, it's setting, in a race against illness in order to have your mother attend - that felt real. What didn't feel real was Jennifer and Aurelio's relationship - or more specific, Aurelio. He seemed flat, and more a pebble placed in the way for Jennifer and 'Jax'...in addition to the huge boulder of Jax's "unsuitable" profession, etc.
Overall, I think Dianne Venetta's writing is lovely, if a bit long-winded for the story that was told this time. Her detailed descriptions are vivid and well-sketched, and I think they would be very well suited for a different genre, one that doesn't expect the story to move along more quickly. I would certainly read another of her books, perhaps one a bit more 'meaty'.
I was provided a complimentary copy of "Jennifer's Garden" in exchange for my honest review.
October 21, 2011
This is the first book I have ever read by Dianna Venetta. I wasn't sure what to expect but i liked what i read on her website and the cover is lovely but at the time a bit confusing. Ever read a book where the title and cover don't really appeal at first maybe they don't make sense or don't hit you right between the eyes when you first see it? Yeah that was what this was for me. I think i was halfway though the book when i got it. I should've gotten it sooner but i was slow on the uptake. lol What can i say i have no idea why it took so long. This is a long complicated book but full of journey, discovery and a bit of romance too. Jennifer is a cardiologist, a giver, and a person who gives up what she needs and wants to make others happy. Her mother is dying a slow and sometimes painful death from cancer. It's only a matter of time. Jackson Montgomery is the man she hires ( not by choice) to complete her flower garden and landscaping so she can have the wedding in her backyard. They bang heads all throughout the book. They have multiple misunderstandings but no matter what Jackson is there for her. He feels her pain and wants to help. He gives her understanding. He wants to do more but she is engaged and her mixed signals are messing him up. You laugh you cry you feel a whole range of emotions with this book. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Jennifer's Garden. You can find out more about Dianne Venetta and her books by checking out her website here www.diannevenetta.com .
January 18, 2012
Jennifer’s Garden by Dianne Venetta is a sweet romance story that dives deeper into just the love life of the heroine. Main character Jennifer is struggling in her decision to marry fiancée Aurelio, and to marry him quickly so her mother can see her as a bride. Jennifer’s mother is battling a terminal illness and doesn’t have long to live, and the pressure for Jennifer to marry is on. But Jennifer finds herself unhappy in her relationship – and then she meets Jackson Montgomery. Jax is Jennifer’s landscape architect who is to help transform Jennifer’s property into a magical scene for her wedding. The sparks between Jax and Jennifer fly – but what choice will Jennifer make?
The relationship between Jennifer and her mother was extremely touching. It was heartbreaking to read about Jennifer trying to stay strong as she watches her mother succumb to her illness. I liked that there was more than just romance to this book - there was personal struggles and a fun friendship between Jennifer and pal Sam, and then romance to top it all off. Vennetta’s writing was really beautiful, especially when it came to the descriptions of the garden. It was breathtaking to just imagine what was being created in the story, and I really got caught up in those scenes. My downfall in this story was that I found some parts to be a little cheesy and it seemed to go on for longer than necessary. Other than those critiques, I enjoyed Jennifer’s Garden and think you will too if you like to read light romances with a kick of something extra.
The relationship between Jennifer and her mother was extremely touching. It was heartbreaking to read about Jennifer trying to stay strong as she watches her mother succumb to her illness. I liked that there was more than just romance to this book - there was personal struggles and a fun friendship between Jennifer and pal Sam, and then romance to top it all off. Vennetta’s writing was really beautiful, especially when it came to the descriptions of the garden. It was breathtaking to just imagine what was being created in the story, and I really got caught up in those scenes. My downfall in this story was that I found some parts to be a little cheesy and it seemed to go on for longer than necessary. Other than those critiques, I enjoyed Jennifer’s Garden and think you will too if you like to read light romances with a kick of something extra.
January 18, 2012
Jennifer’s Garden by Dianne Venetta is a sweet romance story that dives deeper into just the love life of the heroine. Main character Jennifer is struggling in her decision to marry fiancée Aurelio, and to marry him quickly so her mother can see her as a bride. Jennifer’s mother is battling a terminal illness and doesn’t have long to live, and the pressure for Jennifer to marry is on. But Jennifer finds herself unhappy in her relationship – and then she meets Jackson Montgomery. Jax is Jennifer’s landscape architect who is to help transform Jennifer’s property into a magical scene for her wedding. The sparks between Jax and Jennifer fly – but what choice will Jennifer make?
The relationship between Jennifer and her mother was extremely touching. It was heartbreaking to read about Jennifer trying to stay strong as she watches her mother succumb to her illness. I liked that there was more than just romance to this book - there was personal struggles and a fun friendship between Jennifer and pal Sam, and then romance to top it all off. Vennetta’s writing was really beautiful, especially when it came to the descriptions of the garden. It was breathtaking to just imagine what was being created in the story, and I really got caught up in those scenes. My downfall in this story was that I found some parts to be a little cheesy and it seemed to go on for longer than necessary. Other than those critiques, I enjoyed Jennifer’s Garden and think you will too if you like to read light romances with a kick of something extra.
The relationship between Jennifer and her mother was extremely touching. It was heartbreaking to read about Jennifer trying to stay strong as she watches her mother succumb to her illness. I liked that there was more than just romance to this book - there was personal struggles and a fun friendship between Jennifer and pal Sam, and then romance to top it all off. Vennetta’s writing was really beautiful, especially when it came to the descriptions of the garden. It was breathtaking to just imagine what was being created in the story, and I really got caught up in those scenes. My downfall in this story was that I found some parts to be a little cheesy and it seemed to go on for longer than necessary. Other than those critiques, I enjoyed Jennifer’s Garden and think you will too if you like to read light romances with a kick of something extra.
April 17, 2012
Jennifer Hamilton advises people how to take care of their hearts for a living, but can she protect hers? Facing losing her mom, and only family, Jennifer doesn't want to be left alone. Her fiance is just the steady safety net she needs; the fact that he doesn't cause her toes to curl is a minor flaw in the scheme of things.
Not so according to her best friend, Sam. Sam, driven by heat and desire, wants more for Jennifer. Cue Jackson Montgomery, sexy bartender and landscaper. Jax is a man who embraces life and encourages people to live their garden.
With each passing day, Jennifer finds herself more drawn to Jax and less sure of her safe plans, and I found myself rooting for her to go for it.
Some of my favorite books explore female relationships, so I particularly enjoyed Jennifer with her mom and Sam. Maybe because I read Dianne Venetta's Lust on the Rocks first, where Sam is the main character, I was drawn to Sam's character and her free spirited ways throughout. Jax and Jennifer had rooting value, but I wanted more heat sooner.
The writing is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the romance believable. Venetta has a breeziness to her writing that draws you in and makes you feel at home. I just found her Lust on the Rocks more exciting and memorable. It was the choice between heat and comfort, and I liked the heat but certainly understand there are times for comfort.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
Not so according to her best friend, Sam. Sam, driven by heat and desire, wants more for Jennifer. Cue Jackson Montgomery, sexy bartender and landscaper. Jax is a man who embraces life and encourages people to live their garden.
With each passing day, Jennifer finds herself more drawn to Jax and less sure of her safe plans, and I found myself rooting for her to go for it.
Some of my favorite books explore female relationships, so I particularly enjoyed Jennifer with her mom and Sam. Maybe because I read Dianne Venetta's Lust on the Rocks first, where Sam is the main character, I was drawn to Sam's character and her free spirited ways throughout. Jax and Jennifer had rooting value, but I wanted more heat sooner.
The writing is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the romance believable. Venetta has a breeziness to her writing that draws you in and makes you feel at home. I just found her Lust on the Rocks more exciting and memorable. It was the choice between heat and comfort, and I liked the heat but certainly understand there are times for comfort.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
November 26, 2011
Jennifer's Garden is a fun to read modern romance. The author, Dianne Venetta has a smooth, easy writing style that is a pleasure to read. Her descriptions really drew me in to the story, especially when writing about the garden and all the wonderful flowers.
This book is more character-driven than story-driven. The story is nice, but it's the characters and their relationships with each other that make this book special. Jennifer is powerful in her career, but vulnerable in her personal relationships. Jax deals with friends in an effortless ease, yet worries how people view him in his career choice. For me, the best relationship was between Jennifer and her best friend, Sam. They laugh and cry together, draw strength from each other, it's the kind of friendship everyone wants.
There were a couple issues I had with the story. Aurelio, the fiance, was too flat of a character. I realize this was done purposefully, but I felt it was done a little too heavy-handed for him to seem real. Also, the book was too long for me. There were a few places that felt like a good ending spot, but it just kept going. I feel it would have been more enjoyable if it had been about a hundred pages shorter.
Overall, the book is well worth the read. Ms. Venetta has a talent for writing engaging characters that should make her popular with readers. If we're lucky, she'll write a romance for Sam!
I received this book from the author, I was not required to write a positive review.
This book is more character-driven than story-driven. The story is nice, but it's the characters and their relationships with each other that make this book special. Jennifer is powerful in her career, but vulnerable in her personal relationships. Jax deals with friends in an effortless ease, yet worries how people view him in his career choice. For me, the best relationship was between Jennifer and her best friend, Sam. They laugh and cry together, draw strength from each other, it's the kind of friendship everyone wants.
There were a couple issues I had with the story. Aurelio, the fiance, was too flat of a character. I realize this was done purposefully, but I felt it was done a little too heavy-handed for him to seem real. Also, the book was too long for me. There were a few places that felt like a good ending spot, but it just kept going. I feel it would have been more enjoyable if it had been about a hundred pages shorter.
Overall, the book is well worth the read. Ms. Venetta has a talent for writing engaging characters that should make her popular with readers. If we're lucky, she'll write a romance for Sam!
I received this book from the author, I was not required to write a positive review.
February 12, 2012
to start off, I won this book off of Goodreads
Very very typical romance. It's very predictable. I really should stop reading romance novels because they make me very annoyed at times. While Venetta has a very enjoyable writing style, there were parts of the book, where characters would talk about things and they didn't make any sense because there was no back story. Or she would introduce characters without any explanation of who they were. One thing that majorly annoyed me was both the main character and her best friend would talk about Tony, especially early in the book but it took over halfway through the book to explain the whole "Tony" situation and in the end it was no big deal. From the way it was talked about in the beginning of the book, I was expecting that he raped or something more dramatic than being caught by her father. It was just so random and didn't require all the build up. There were very enjoyable parts of this book, however. The main one was the way Venetta writes descriptions, especially of her characters looks or the garden that Jackson is building for Jennifer. I could actually picture the garden.
Very very typical romance. It's very predictable. I really should stop reading romance novels because they make me very annoyed at times. While Venetta has a very enjoyable writing style, there were parts of the book, where characters would talk about things and they didn't make any sense because there was no back story. Or she would introduce characters without any explanation of who they were. One thing that majorly annoyed me was both the main character and her best friend would talk about Tony, especially early in the book but it took over halfway through the book to explain the whole "Tony" situation and in the end it was no big deal. From the way it was talked about in the beginning of the book, I was expecting that he raped or something more dramatic than being caught by her father. It was just so random and didn't require all the build up. There were very enjoyable parts of this book, however. The main one was the way Venetta writes descriptions, especially of her characters looks or the garden that Jackson is building for Jennifer. I could actually picture the garden.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2013
I don't know why but I could not get into this book. I LOVED the intro and thought it would be a great book after reading the first 10-20 pages but then it just kept getting worse and worse. I will say I only made it 20% before deciding there are too many other books that I want to read and gave up. The biggest thing I had a problem with was the Jennifer's (and then later her mother's) attitude toward Jackson, the gardener. I find it hard to read and enjoy reading about people who are so judgemental. Really, you REALLY think someone can't be a great landscaper just because they tend bar too? I find it hard to believe people are that shallow and judgemental. And then when she gets mad at his pricetag - so she thinks his career is less worthy of money than hers. I'm sure, eventually, Jennifer falls in love with this "lowlife" (her words) and discovers he's really a great guy and she was a horrible person for what she thought before and for being with a man who she wasn't really in love with. At least, I hope that's how it ends because otherwise there is just no point to this book imo. But I suppose I will never know. Darn, lol!
October 4, 2011
I received this book from a Good Reads giveaway.
This was Dianne Venetta's first book. I found myself caught up in the storyline between Jennifer and Jax (and wishing I had a guy like Jax to daydream about ha!) She has exceptional use of detail. I could really picture the garden that Jax was building and see the progress in my head from beginning to end.
On the other hand, I found the storyline to be a little to predictable and the book it self a little over edited. I also had a really hard time believing there was an actual relationship between Jennifer and Aurelio. It felt more like they were business partners than fiances. Perhaps if their relationship was more believable I would have liked the beginning of the book better.
In the end though, once the storyline between Jax and Jennifer took off I really started to enjoy the book. I definitely think Venetta is off to a good start and I'm interested in checking out her next book...Lust on the Rocks.
This was Dianne Venetta's first book. I found myself caught up in the storyline between Jennifer and Jax (and wishing I had a guy like Jax to daydream about ha!) She has exceptional use of detail. I could really picture the garden that Jax was building and see the progress in my head from beginning to end.
On the other hand, I found the storyline to be a little to predictable and the book it self a little over edited. I also had a really hard time believing there was an actual relationship between Jennifer and Aurelio. It felt more like they were business partners than fiances. Perhaps if their relationship was more believable I would have liked the beginning of the book better.
In the end though, once the storyline between Jax and Jennifer took off I really started to enjoy the book. I definitely think Venetta is off to a good start and I'm interested in checking out her next book...Lust on the Rocks.
August 8, 2011
I was really surprised by this book, sometimes with self published work you just never know what to expect. This book really surprised me, not only was is very well edited (something that doesn't always happen in the self publishing world) but it was also very well written.
The story line was fabulous, the character were loveable and the problems felt real and it was easy to get wrapped up in Jennifer and Jax's relationship and in them and really care about what happened to them in the end.
Any book that can make you laugh or cry or just feel the emotions the characters are feeling is a sign of a great author.
I really enjoyed Jennifer's story and Venetta's writing. I am so glad that I gave this book a chance and can't wait to read more from the author. I think we can expect some really great things from her in the future and look forward to reading them.
The story line was fabulous, the character were loveable and the problems felt real and it was easy to get wrapped up in Jennifer and Jax's relationship and in them and really care about what happened to them in the end.
Any book that can make you laugh or cry or just feel the emotions the characters are feeling is a sign of a great author.
I really enjoyed Jennifer's story and Venetta's writing. I am so glad that I gave this book a chance and can't wait to read more from the author. I think we can expect some really great things from her in the future and look forward to reading them.
August 23, 2011
I usually read historical romance novels but this one was given to me so I read it. I am sooooo glad I did! A well written story filled with love, happiness & sadness. The characters showed such emotion I could feel it. Two best friends, Sam & Jennifer, that are opposites deal with loved ones and family situations. Then enters Jackson Montgomery, a landscaper and part-time bartender. I won't give away the story but I will say that I want my own Jax! This is one character you can daydream about! There aren't many books that I am sooooo excited about that I just cannot wait to continue to read but 'Jennifer's Garden' is one of those books. All I could think about was what will happen next?! What direction will Jennifer go? Will Jax be there tomorrow? Well worth the read and will definately recommend it.
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