Wallflower in Bloom

Love in Fairwick Falls #2

by Elise Kennedy

Painfully shy plant mom Violet Parker is about to experience the thrill of a lifetime when her TV crush lands on her doorstep.

Desperate to rehab his public image after a PR disaster, actor / playboy Jack Grant needs a wholesome fake girlfriend for the summer. Violet, meanwhile, needs help stepping out of her comfort zone so her fledgling flower and plant shop, Bloom, will thrive.

The two team agree to fake date for the summer as they promote Bloom as the resident ‘Plant Parents.’ But as they grow closer, their fake relationship starts to feel all too real.

Things start to blur when Jack finds out about Violet's very secret, not-so-wholesome 'want to try list' and they agree to no-strings pleasure for the summer. Will they be able to keep their hearts to themselves, or will this fake relationship make their strings get permanently tangled together in love?

Featuring:

• Forced Proximity (Roommates)
• Fake Dating
• Shy curvy FMC
• British celeb MMC
• Hurt / Comfort
• Cozy cottage vibes
• Plants, plants, plants!
• Confidence journey
• Spicy scenes

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Plus Size, Contemporary Romance, Love, Contemporary, Forced Proximity

333 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2023

About the author

I write cozy, steamy, contemporary romances.
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Reviews

[belle♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Elise Kennedy for providing me with an ARC of this masterpiece💕

I absolutely ADOREDADOREDADORED this book🫂💕

The chemistry between Jack and violet was EVERYTHING.🤍

THE WAY HE THOUGHT ABOUT HER?! I’m in love. I’M IN LOVEEEEEEEE.🫶🏼

I love that Violet accepted herself instead of changing herself🥰

I LOVE JACK GRANT🤭
I LOVE VIOLET PARKER😍

I love this book; the vibes; the setting; the relationships; the writing; THE EVERYTHING🤍💕🫂🫶🏼🥰🤭😍

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! Love to see a curvy FMC🙌🏻👏🏻 Also, the back and forth sarcasm between Jack and Violet felt so organic. Honestly their whole growth together felt so natural!

I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are my own!

[Kims.reading.nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the much awaited sequel to one of my favourite books of the year, Accidentally in Bloom! We follow the story of Violet Parker, sister of last FMC Rose Parker, a curvy plant lover who prefers her green house to being in the spotlight.

When British actor Jack Grant lands on her doorstep after an unexpected change of accomodation, she's shocked to be sharing her small cottage with her celebrity crush. He's the centre of a media scandal and is hiding out in the US whilst his agent goes on damage control.

Together they come to a mutually beneficial agreement; they'll pretend to date to clean up his image and to help Violet build her confidence. But Violet isn't quite the wallflower everyone believes, and Jack is about to discover that she has a 'want to try list' that he can't resist...

THANK YOU to @smalltown.romance for providing me with an ARC of this book. It exceeded my expectations and I fell in love with Violet's heart 💜 The Author put everything into this book and it shows. Violet is a beautiful, giving person who just needed to see herself as the world does. I was rooting for her the whole way through. & lets not forget, she is so spicy 🔥

I'm so excited to read book 3 in the series which will focus on Violet & Rose's sister Lily and her life long best friend Nash. I'm a sucker for a friends to lovers romance and I'm already invested in their chemistry!

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having a crush on an actor on your favourite show can be hard, so when he has to move in with you, things get CRAZY!!

Wallflower in Bloom by Elise Kennedy is a beautiful book about Jack and Violet. Jack is an actor who plays a Regency romance character that requires him to have a good image. So when he beats up a homophobic a**hole, Jack has to do damage control. This leads him to go to stay at his friend's house, only for his friend's girlfriend to be allergic to his cat. Violet has been in love with Jack since the moment he graced his face on her TV. So when the shy and garden-obsessed Violet is tasked with hosting Jack at her home for a few weeks, she loses her cool. Realising that her dream has come true, she has to keep her cool. Consequently when Jack is in need of a fake girlfriend, Violet helps him. With the agreement, he helps her become more confident with public speaking. Yet when Jack and Violet fall for each other, they don't know what to do about their timeline. Will they get their happy ending or will they just be a summer fling?

I really enjoyed this book. Elise (the author) did such an amazing job writing this book. I could feel every emotion that Jack and Violet felt throughout the book. Both characters were written beautifully. Jack has experienced quite a bit, and we see the way it has caused him to act the way he does. Violet is the best, her experience is something I have personality experiences as a plus-size woman. Her need to be a helpful friend and always go out of the way for someone she likes is something I find myself doing. She also explains the experience of being plus-sized and the fears that someone only likes you for your body as well as the fear they don't like you due to your body. It's messed up but so real. The other characters throughout this book were also amazing, and such great friends and family to our main characters. Todd was amazing, and one of my favourite pets in a book so far.

The ONLY complaint I have was where was TODD at the end of the book. I understand Violet and Jack had gone travelling and he was with Jack's Dad, but I WANTED MORE TODD TIME!!!!

Thank you to Booksiren and Elise Kennedy for letting me read this ARC!!!!!!!!!!

[Albi (albireadingromance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wallflower in Bloom by Elise Kennedy

Setting: Fairwick Falls, PA

Characters:
Violet
Jack

Tropes:
Small Town Romance
Curvy Heroine
Fake Dating
Celebrity
Spicy Rom Com

Goodreads:
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Spice:
🌶 🌶

Review:
Everybody needs to add Ms. Kennedy to their tbr pile. Her writing is wonderful. I absolutely love her characters. She writes such terrific banter, as well as spice. Her novels have been some of my absolute favorites and standouts from the year. Add Accidentally in Bloom, and Wallflower in Bloom to your lists, you will not regret it.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When her celebrity crush, British actor Jack Grant, needs a place to stay, flower shop owner Violet Parker opens her home - and her heart.

Jack's in the small town of Fairwick Falls, Pennsylvania to hide from the paparazzi after a scandal that's jeopardized his contract with the network. Looking for a way to reassure them that he'll be on his best behavior until his show goes back into production, Jack impulsively invents a fake girlfriend using Violet's description. He doesn't expect his agent to show up and plan a series of photo ops to sell the story, however. Now he'll have to convince Violet to go along with the plan, which won't be easy considering her fear of being in the public eye. He'll also have to figure out how to honor his promise to his old friend Gray, Violet's sister Rose's boyfriend, who made Jack promise that he wouldn't pursue her. Jack's been attracted to Violet since the moment they met, but his playboy reputation exists for good reason. But Violet's not as sweet and innocent as everyone seems to think she is. Could she actually be the woman Jack's been waiting for all along?

There was a ton of chemistry between Violet and Jack, but it was easy to see how much they genuinely liked each other too. Their relationship was a relatively slow burn until about 50%, but it got very steamy very quickly after that. (You may need a fan!) Violet and Jack were both likeable, three-dimensional characters, but I particularly related to Violet, who reminded me of myself in many respects. I have the exact same issues when shopping for clothing, and while I'm not quite as bad as Violet was with public speaking, I do get extremely nervous! It was very easy to root for her, and I loved seeing how much confidence she gained over the course of the story.

Overall, I adored this funny and sweet yet steamy story. I highly recommend "Wallflower in Bloom" for all fans of spicy contemporary romance and romantic comedy and can't wait for the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Enny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just started this book and I stayed up all night and I am not even done with this abomination of a book this book made me write a review for the first time at 4:30 in the fucking morning what the actual fuck first of all stop using the word “bad so goddamn much you r not a child who is just learning words and how to speak even a brain eating ameba would die cause of the lack of said brain the word bad was used way too fucking much wtf do u mean “you are very bad”, “its so bad”, “we are so bad” all used In the same chapter wtf the word choice the author uses is a fucking joke a fan fic author whose first language isn’t English writes better than this and also “make you mine. Breed you” wtf am just gonna leave that there. And I get this is supposed to be abt a shy lady but my God she made me want to stab my self right in my esophagus so I can choke on my own blood and die y r u a thirty something year old running from a meeting that u need for ur business all because u r shy bitch grow a pair bro she literally ran away while she was in a meeting and her sisters were there and other ppl like WTF.
I am going to bed now this book makes me want to cry I swear to God holding a cicada is better than reading this it’s saving grace is that the book is abt a curvy Fmc that was even y I started this book

[Grace grace_loves_books13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wallflower in Bloom is the second book in Elise Kennedy’s Love in Fairwick Falls series of interconnected standalones.

-Fake Dating
-Forced Proximity
-Shy plus size FMC
-British TV celebrity MMC
-Cozy cottage vibes
-Romance reading MCs
-Spice 🔥

I LOVED returning to Fairwick Falls for another sweet yet spicy small town romance! I appreciate a plus sized FMC and I found this book boosting my own confidence about my curvy body! 🥰 Fun, fast paced, bingeable!

Recommend this series for fans of Tessa Bailey and Lucy Score!

Thank you Elise Kennedy for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Hannah King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elise Kennedy did it again..AMAZING READ! I had just read Accidentally in Bloom, so I knew I was in for a treat with this ARC. Small town, celebrity and plant mom, fake dating...this book has everything that makes an amazing romance book. I fell in love with Jack and Violet. This book made me feel like I was transported to Fairwick Falls. I even want to go buy a plant to be a plant mom myself. This book has family, friends, love, and spice. The Fairwick Falls series is a MUST read!!

[Sabrina (Romance.and.Raindrops) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ebook Read (Kindle). Buddy Read.
This was my first full length book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I liked the FMC. I liked that she was plus size and learned to love & embrace her body without having to lose weight or "rebrand" herself.
I loved that the hero was British and how he was so patient with the heroine.
I would love to see this turned into an audiobook and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

[Amanda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the amazing opportunity to receive this ARC of Wallflower in Bloom by Elise Kennedy in exchange for an honest review. This is my first ever book by Elise and I’m hooked. I couldn’t get enough of her writing. The way she described her characters, the plants, the setting, everything you felt like you were there, that you were one of the supporting characters there. The way she brought her characters to life, even the supporting ones, was absolutely AMAZING! I am forever a fan of Elise Kennedy. She has been added to my auto-buy/aut-read author list.

This is book 2 of the Love in Fairwick Falls series, following Accidentally in Bloom (Rose and Gray’s story). This story follows a curvy, caring plant lover who would rather be in her greenhouse, garden or inside her store Bloom (that she owns with her two sisters Rose and Lily), than the center of attention. She’s known as the town's plant whisperer and a huge fan of “Beyond the Manor Walls” and of course a huge fan girl of Lord Eagleton, Jack Grant, who just so happens to land in her greenhouse needing a place to stay with his cat Todderick aka Todd.

Jack is hiding out after a scandal and stint in jail, he comes to Fairwick Falls, PA, where one of his friends, Gray lives. Violet and Jack enter an agreement to help Jack’s career and to help Violet become the strong, confident woman she can be. They agree to fake-date each other while he’s in town. But with any fake dating scenario feelings and lust forms between them and they add a no-strings attached addendum. Their feelings develop that they can’t stop. Will Jack quit his one acting job, will Violent move to Vancouver to be with him and leave her family behind. Obviously a lot more happens in the book but you’ll just have to read it to find out all the juicy details ;)

I absolutely loved this book, more than I can put into words. It is a feel good story. I love that the FMC is a curvy, plus-sized woman who has an overly attractive man swooning over her. She’s able to find her confidence and her voice to stand up for herself while falling in love with Jack. I love reading about the plus-sized FMCs getting their HEA and having the confidence of being in their own skin. I absolutely loved the banter between Jack and Violet, it felt wholesome and real, like it wasn’t fictional characters I was reading but people in real life. Like my own relationship with my husband. The spice between them was incredible. One of my favorite lines in the book is from Shay (Jack’s agent who is also plus-sized), “Honey, the world needs all of you. Every single inch of your body, your personality, all of it. We need more Violet in this world, so don’t you dare hold it back from us.” I love how Violet blooms into a strong, confident, unstoppable woman. I loved reading about their love blooming throughout the whole book. It will not disappoint you.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Tropes
🌸small town romance
🌸plus-sized FMC
🌸fake dating
🌸celebrity
🌸spicy romp-com
🌸forced proximity
🌸playboy/inexperienced

[book_nerd13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Fake dating
Forced Proximity
Plus Sized FMC
British actor MMC
Playboy/inexperienced
Coolest cat
Small town

Violet is the town plant whisperer, along with her two sisters they own a plant shop (Bloom) in Fairwick Falls. Violet, is a huge fan of a popular show “Beyond the Manor Walls”, and is a fan girl one of the characters, Lord Eagleton. A lot of sneezes, and one twist of fate has the actor who plays Lord Eagleton, Jack, stumbling into Violets life. Violet you lucky lucky girl!

When Jack has to bunk with Violet because her sister is allergic to Jacks adorable cat, Todderick, the sparks immediately fly. These two end up fake dating, to help Jacks image, and hopefully keep his job. Fake dating is never just that it’s immediate these two are definitely into each other, and everyone knows it. Don’t let this cute cover fool you, this book PACKS on the spice, and it had me blushing!

Obviously this book covers much more, but what I want to talk about is the representation Violet gives us plus sized ladies. There was one line “You’re allowed to take up space” that had me in tears! Violet continually tried to make herself and her presence smaller, Jack puts a stop to that. He really helps her see that her space, who she is, and the amazing person she is shouldn’t be minimized for anyone. Violet quiet literally blooms into the best version of her true self. 🥺

[Franette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute love story where both leads - Violet and Jack - help each other grow.

The scenes where Violet is pathologically shy and less brave can be frustrating and difficult to read, but that might be a reflection of how difficult the situation is for her. Like, she's not the bracest, never voices her opinion is super shy and this evolves over the course of the book. Same with Jack who like Violet is a people pleaser and struggles to put himself first.

I don't think they realise that they embark on this self discovery journey until a while into the story. Lots of layers to this: realising what you actually want, your worth and also where you feel you truly belong.

Oh, what I hadn't expected was the spice - those scenes were very well written and worth every muffled scream on my couch. 🔥 🔥🔥🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Finally, I loved the curvy girl representation.. Something that resonated but also felt genuine and personal. Overall, it is a nice story with an interesting twist to a well used trope.

Things I liked a bit less:
there were some lengthy passages where the characters were in their heads a lot and somewhat repetitive.
Also, these characters are very emotional, like there's always tears welling up, but that's a personal taste.
Finally… well that’s the British in me (🤭)we would use the word “courgette” rather than “zucchini” to describe that veg in Devonshire 😏


I received this ARC for my honest review, so all of the above is what I genuinely thought.

[Karli | BooksWithKarli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wallflower in Bloom, the second book in an adorable series by Elise Kennedy.

This is the perfect addition to the series. I loved reading Violet and Jack’s story.

A few key things this book has:

🪴Cute and quirky plant mom
🪴Plus size FMC
🪴MMC that is so kind and amazing with the FMC
🪴Budding plant daddy
🪴Breeding kink 😮‍💨
🪴Forced proximity
🪴Small town romance
🪴Fake dating

If any of these interest you, this is the book for you!

When Jack is in trouble with the network his TV show is on, he decides to lay low in his friend’s town of Fairwick Falls.

He ends up becoming temporary roommates with plant mom, Violet Parker. They hit it off from the start. He adores her shy and caring personality and just so happens to be on Violet’s favorite show. She welcomes him and his adorable geriatric cat Sir Toddrick into her home (he totally steals the show btw).

From the start they have chemistry and after one little white lie, Violet is suddenly Jack’s fake girlfriend…until it starts to feel real for both of them.

I was rooting for them the whole book and was SO ready for them to admit to one another that maybe this fake relationship wasn’t so fake after all. I also loved watching Jack help Violet bring out the brave woman he saw from the start.

This is the perfect addition to this series and it has me soooo excited for the next book which will by Lilly and Nash’s book!

[Riley Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️

Violet is surprised by her celebrity crush who was friends with her sister’s boyfriend. Jack needed a place to stay with his cat and Violet had space. Of course, once they meet it is immediately exciting because who wouldn’t want to meet their crush and get to know them?!

Jack helps Violet overcome her “stage fright” or really any type of public communication fright. They also bond over her books collection and her list of things she has always wanted to try. Again… meeting your crush and having them help you check off ALL OF YOUR FANTASIES?! 😍

Seriously, this book was adorable and I absolutely loved Jack and Violet as a couple. She is just the sweetest person and Jack immediately noticed and made sure that others around her would too regardless of how they knew her.

[Devons book corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys, I fell in love with Accidentally in Bloom, so when I got the chance to read Wallflower in Bloom, I screamed out loud lol. I stayed up all night reading this book and let me tell you, it was so worth the lack of sleep that I got lol. Jack and Violet are so incredibly amazing, and I love how they both seem so wholesome and natural. I also loved the sarcasm between the two of them. This book had me squealing and blushing and falling in love with it. Elise's style of writing is so amazing, and it makes reading her books that much better. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.

[K’s bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a book by this author and I wasn’t disappointed! I absolutely loved the characters and the attention to details. They had excellent character growth and world building was phenomenal. The spice was excellent and their chemistry was great. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Maddisen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars 🤩🤩🤩🤩
I am *OBSESSED* with this book!! I read the ARC and the first couple of pages were a little embarrassing to me because the FMC is so awkward and shy and fangirl-ish but it was also really cute and heartwarming and so nice to see a plus-sized FMC that was so AUTHENTIC. The way she struggled with her body image was so heart-wrenching and relatable. The writing is super well done and easy to read. Despite the touching of heavier topics (grieving the loss of a parent((off screen loss)), self image struggles, wanting to make your parents proud), the storyline just flew by. It is a cute heartwarming story I’d recommend to anyone who loves cute romcoms, Bridgerton, famous/not famous romance, supportive bf’s, smexy bucket lists, and all the feels 😍☺️

I received this as an ARC but all thoughts/feelings/opinions are 1000% my own

[Nakia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book & the whole arc of accepting yourself & loving yourself but the smut was a cringey for me. Also how many times do we have to read the word c0ck?

[Jennifer Jansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this ARC for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions of this book are my own.

I enjoyed this book very much. The fake dating trope is a fun one. A curvy MFC is also a treat. Both characters actually had growth which isn't always the case in these books. Oh, did I mention the SPICE. I didn't expect a much as we got and we are not disappointed.This book is a standalone, but I'm definitely interested in reading more about Rose and Lily. I would have enjoyed more Shay and Aaron in this book, but overall this book was a great read. I don't give out 5 stars easily, but it's definitely worthy of 4. If I could give 4.5, I would.

[MV Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished "Wallflower in Bloom" and oh my goodness, what a read! First off, I absolutely adored how the main character names her plants. And can we talk about Violet's adorable awkwardness around Jack in the beginning? It was so relatable and endearing.

The sibling dynamic in this book was pure gold – the way they looked out for Violet and their protectiveness was just heartwarming. I can't help but root for them all!

But what really stole my heart was having a curvy female main character who is celebrated exactly as she is. No one's trying to change her, especially not the male lead. It's about time we see more representation like this in literature.

If you're looking for a book that's charming, relatable, has lots of spice, and celebrates real bodies and sibling bonds, "Wallflower in Bloom" is definitely one to pick up!

Thank you to Elise Kennedy for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Wallflower In Bloom
Author: Elise Kennedy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

#I'm not exactly sure how my review for this 💜☀️ EFFING GEM ☀️💜 of a book slipped away from me, but here we are, and HOLY SHIT HERE THIS BEAUTY IS 🤩🤩

I was absolutely honored to be a part of the ARC team for @smalltown.romance and when I tell you that I shrieked, squealed, BLUSHED, and giggled with...tension 😏🤫 - it's not a joke.

Wallflower In Bloom Synopsis:
Painfully shy plant mom Violet Parker is about to experience the thrill of a lifetime when her TV crush lands on her doorstep.
Desperate to rehab his public image after a PR disaster, actor / playboy Jack Grant needs a wholesome fake girlfriend for the summer. Violet, meanwhile, needs help stepping out of her comfort zone so her fledgling flower and plant shop, Bloom, will thrive.

The two team agree to fake date for the summer as they promote Bloom as the resident ‘Plant Parents.’ But as they grow closer, their fake relationship starts to feel all too real.
Things start to blur when Jack finds out about Violet's very secret, not-so-wholesome 'want to try list' and they agree to no-strings pleasure for the summer. Will they be able to keep their hearts to themselves, or will this fake relationship make their strings get permanently tangled together in love?

My absolute FAVORITE component of this book was the eloquent and authentic character description and development we see in Violet. She 🤌🏻OWNS🤌🏻 her curves and body image, but it is NOT AN IMMEDIATE THING. The strength and resilience and CONFIDENCE this fictional woman displayed had me taking notes!!

And Jack...ooohhhhh Jack 😏😏😏 Sir, you had me favorably questioning my preferences and learning new things about myself! I adored his devotion to Violet, and it was so refreshing to read a MMC who isn't 👌🏻actually👌🏻 a jackass.

Run and get your copy!!! It truly is amazing and I am THRILLED to promote this novel!!!

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in an Instagram giveaway from the author. That being said, it was absolute perfection. It had some of my favorite tropes and kinks and none of the ones I don't like such as miscommunication.

This is definitely one of the top 5 books I have read this year.

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I got an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. I’m just gonna lay it out there: Violet was a painful character to read. The way her body is discussed by her peers is so gross. There is nothing wrong with being fat and in love. There is nothing wrong with having glasses and not wanting contacts to make yourself look more desirable to the public. There is nothing wrong with who you are as a person and someone coming into your life should not change so many aspects of your life that you are always on the verge of a breakdown about it.
The *takes glasses off and wears contacts and is immediately more desirable* trope is so worn out that there are holes in the floor.
On to Jack now. Jeeze.
His PR crisis? He punched a homophobic asshole! That’s not a crisis, that’s him being a god damn hero. We love that for him and he should’ve gone on tv and explained everything instead of disappearing to Fairwick Falls. That is the biggest plot hole in this entire book.
Also, there is a way to have a man have a type without fetishizing your body type in a folder of gifs on his phone. I’m sorry, that was just weird as hell.
The redeeming qualities of this book were literally the plant parent videos and jack being a cat daddy.
The smut? 2/5 and I never want to read the word minx again.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dunno. It was...weird? there's surprise! breeding kink (as in those words are actually used more than once and yes, this is technically a spoiler, but also, a huge part of me disconnected as soon as I read them, so...) that doesn't come up until almost 60% of the way through the book. Also, I forever and ever love a fat mc, but...there was a lot of the ways in which her body is discussed that felt like very unresolved body issues (and I GET IT) but it was also...exhausting to read? Like, I know that the author based Violet's body on her own, and it might be her experience of living in that body, and at the same time, the heavy emphasis on the societally approved parts of her fat body (tiny waist, full hourglass, a straight-up comparison to marilyn monroe) just left me feeling tired. There's better fat representation for me out there.

[Heather Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good and everyone who likes romance should read it. I know I will be recommending it to everyone. It’s nice to see this trend of plus sized main characters not hating themselves. Violet was working on her bravery/confidence and that’s completely different. It’s hard being a plus sized lady honestly and it was nice to read this book where I could see my insecurities in a main character. Thank you for that.

[Amanda (aka romcombookreader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW***

Tropes:
-small town romance
-forced proximity (roommate)
-fake dating
-celebrity romance
-cinnamon roll mmc
-plus size fmc
-hurt/comfort
-reformed playboy
-mutual pining
-spicy bucket list

Blurb:
Violet, the self-proclaimed Play Mom of Bloom flower shop, is shooketh when her Hollywood actor crush shows up at Bloom one day alongside her sister’s fiance. Turns out, Jack, said actor, is BFFs with her almost brother-in-law & he needs a place to stay for a few weeks. Jack needs to clean up his image as an actor after he went to jail for punching a dude (who deserved it) & he thinks laying low in a small ass town will help blow things over. Violet says he can stay however long he needs to at her place & they get him moved in. Jack quickly finds out Violet is totally starstruck & loves his show. But while he is getting settled in, his agent hounds him about making an apology statement & getting his act together. Jack thinks making Violet his fake girlfriend will help get his agent off his ass, so he proposes the plan to Violet. Violet unsurely says “okay” & the rest is history.

Jack:
I’m pretty sure that Jack is the most cinnamon-y roll MMC to ever exist. He is the sweetest, most kind-hearted, genuine soul to graze the book boyfriend world & I love him so much. He was so understanding, encouraging, supportive, patient, & loving toward Violet, I swooned the whole book. He loves being an actor, or used to, & underneath it all, he really just wants a wife, family, kids, & a stable life outside of making shows/movies.

Violet:
I LOVED VIOLET SO MUCH. She is so sweet, innocent, people-pleasing, hard-working, genuine, kind, loyal, loving, nerdy, & CURVALICIOUS!!! She is the self-proclaimed Plant Mom & made a shirt even that says “Weird Plant Mom Vibes” - I mean, how cute is that?! She also has a naughty & curious side to her. She loves romance novels, as one should, & this bitch has TAKEN NOTES. Jack totally reaps the benefits of her curiosity & is obvs ready to please the queen.

The Spice:
THIS BOOK’S SPICE WAS SPICIN’. Miss Violet had a spicy list... yes... Miss innocent AF Violet. Exhibitionism. Creaming on her face. Some booty play. I could go on. Jack, of course, was like HELL YES LET’S FUCKING GO, VIOLET. Jack, the most cinnamon-y roll MMC was dirty AF when it came to sexy time, plus he had experience so he was up for any & everything, until he was all... I couldn’t trust anyone else, but I have a breeding kink. SIR. WUT. Jack & Violet’s chemistry was out of this world & magnetic. Violet is very insecure about her curves & being plus-size, & here Jack is, being like I LOVE YOUR BOOBIES & CURVES every five seconds. Dream man, right there y’all. So I say all of this, & y’all are probably like is this a fast burn? Not really... it’s a medium burn book - the speed was perfect for this relationship. This little cartoon cover is deceiving as fuck.

Final Thoughts:
Elise Kennedy has done it again!!! The first book in this series - “Accidentally in Bloom” - was so amazing, & I wasn’t sure if she’d be able to top it. SHE TOPPED IT WITH “WALLFLOWER IN BLOOM.” I absolutely LOVEDDD this book! It starts off strong when Jack shows up in the very, very beginning, & needs a roommate. Like, LET’S FUCKING GO. I love when books just start off with a bang. Jack was immediately swoony with his english accent, too. Violet being Violet is like uh sure you can be my roommate, because Violet is a people-pleaser & also the most precious & innocent (so we think) FMC ever. OFF TO A GREAT START. Oh, & then the banter, flirting, teasing... TOP TIER. THEN SHE HAS A SPICY LIST. Like... YES BITCH LET’S FUCKING GO. I am just so obsessed with this book y’all. GO READ IT PLEASE. GO. NOW. READ. IT. I am sooo stoked to read the next book in the series. Elise can do no wrong.

[Razzle Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚ARC REVIEW📚

Wallflower in Bloom by Elise Kennedy
(Book 2 in the Love in Fairwick Falls series)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/3
Genres: contemporary romance
Tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, plus size FMC, confidence journey

Self proclaimed playboy Jack (TV star) plans to stay in small-town Fairwick Falls with his friend Gray for the summer to let his most recent scandal die down. However, Jack ends up being unable to stay with Gray because Gray’s girlfriend Rose is incredibly allergic to his cat.

Enter Violet, Rose’s sister. Gray suggests to Jack that he stay with her temporarily while he finds other accommodations. It just so happens that Violet is obsessed with the TV show Jack stars in.

When Jack accidentally tells his manager he is fake dating Violet, she is hesitant to go along with this ruse. She is incredibly shy and hates being the center of attention (which would be inevitable if she fake dates a TV star). However, she agrees to try with the hope that she can boost her confidence.

The lines begin to blur in their fake relationship and they are unable to deny their attraction towards each other. Jack discovers that Violet is not as “wholesome and innocent” as she appears, and they agree to a no-strings attached friends-with-benefits type situation for the summer.

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This book had me feeling so many things. I love Violet, she is an incredible character. So many things about her personality spoke to me on a personal level. Her love for her friends and family is so endearing, it made my heart melt to read it. The fact that she has horrible stage fright as well makes her even more lovable. Jack was also a very lovable character, and gives off major golden retriever vibes.

However, as much as I loved Violet, I felt like her personality was overshadowed by the other characters in the book. She has such a unique personality, but because of how strong the other characters were (Gray, Rose, Lily), she ended up feeling a little bland/boring at times.

The only thing I was not a fan of in this book was (most of) the intimate scenes. I’m not even completely sure what it was, maybe the dirty talk or the specific k*nks that were featured. But something about it made me want to skip over most of the scenes.

Overall, I really liked this book! It was a great second book in this series, and makes me SO excited to read the last book that features the youngest sister Lily.

Thank you to the author for a copy of this to read ✨

[Donna Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes: Small Town Romance, Curvy Heroine, Fake Dating, Celebrity, Spicy Rom Com
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Triggers: Off Page: Death of a parent due to heart attack (off the page), Death of a parent due to addiction (off the page); On Page: Emotionally manipulative parent, Body image concerns (FMC) and body discomfort with clothes (Plus size FMC), Minor injury. Breeding kink (MMC), Watching porn together, Oral and penetrative sex, Anal play and sex toy play
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Quote: “The hottest man she’d ever dreamed of, and a cat named Todd.”
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Book two in the Fairwick Falls series centers around Violet, the awkwardly shy plant guru, and Jack, the dashing British actor she has a huge crush on. He is visiting his friend in Fairwick Falls to hide out, avoiding negative press stemming from some recent bad behavior. Through a series of events, Jack and his cat end up staying with Violet in her cozy English-style cottage.

True to the trope, sparks fly between them, but neither will admit it. Again through a series of events, a plan is launched for the two to fake date, so he can help her be more confident speaking in front of people and her wholesome image can help him clean up his bad boy image. Are they able to help each other? Can they keep their very not fake feelings under control so their hearts won’t get broken?

Not since Olivia Dade’s ‘All The Feels’ have I been as besotted by a couple as I am with Jack and Violet. Kennedy writes them with passion, allowing their personalities to be revealed slowly. All the characters are complex and real. Except Jack’s mother, Violet’s frenemy Jennifer, and Jack’s nemesis Jason. They’re cardboard villains who I loved to dislike.

I laughed, I cried, I even lost sleep because I didn’t want to put this one down. Everything about this novel worked, from the adorable cover to the dual first person POV. The characters growth and developing connection to each other are perfection. Or as Jack would say, “Brilliant!” And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the cuteness that was Jack’s 16 year old tuxedo cat, Toddrick. AKA Todd.

Moving rating NC17, Overall 5/5, romance 5/5, violence 2/5, spice 4/5, cover 5/5. I strongly recommend.

One final quote I can’t resist sharing: “She’d do it for herself, for the little girl inside her who never saw a gorgeous, confident, plus-size woman in the arms of her dream man. She’d do it for all the girls who still needed to see it.”

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book so much and love the fake dating between Jack and violet and violet is roses sister from book one and violet loves watching beyond the manor walls and grays friend Jack plays lord eagleton in beyond the manor and love that violet reads spicy romance books and regency romance books and so does Jack to get into his character and very spicy between Jack and violet and love that Jack and violet open up to each other about there families and love that gray, rose, Nash and Lilly appear in this book and Jack moves into violets cottage since rose is allergic to cats and love that Jack and violet both help each other out but I’m not a fan of Jennifer violet ex friend or jacks mum who left to pursue her acting career in the states and love that Jack is close with his dad Gerald and Gerald and violet get along well and love some of the funny moments in this book like when jacks dad Gerald calls jacks mum she demon LOL. Love that violet is a plant mum and love her sibling relation with her two sister rose and lily and love that Jack calls violet darling in the book and love that he wants to help out as well and love the festivals that are going in the small town and love Jack and gray friendship in the book and love that violet helps Jack with his career and jacks likes violet for who she is and love the ending with gray and rose getting married, Jack and violet starting a show together, jack takes violet on a four week vacation and Nash and Lilly kissed and I can’t wait to read there book next in the fair wick falls series and there were some moments I teared up but I am loving this series and Elise Kennedy writing so much and I just love that violet is a book girly and love that Jacks dad Gerald married June violets first grade teacher and love that Jack wants a family with violet and love the small town vibe and love that rose, violet and lily are bringing out Bloom merch for the flower store and violet is a plant mum and names her plants as well and I didn’t want to put this book down and love that violet is plus size and jacks loves women of all sizes

Spicy
Dual PoV
Fake dating
Small town romance
Romantic comedy
Forced proximity
Actor/playboy MMC
Under 365 pages