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The Blooms That Broke Us
Seven Blooms. Three hearts. A second chance.
Jack Barkley has never been jealous of Jules, his twin sister, until she has something he doesn’t—a family. After his failed marriage and a trail of dead-end relationships, he’s given up hope that there could be anyone else for him.
Miranda Howard has spent the last four years with Chris, an abusive and narcissistic boyfriend. Taking care of her son Kacey has been her only priority, and Chris’ home was supposed to be a temporary landing spot in a time of crisis. But finally escaping his clutches leaves her penniless, stranded, and fresh out of options.
When Jack’s father dies, Jack and Miranda find themselves face to face in an attorney’s office, banking on an inheritance that’s locked down until they meet stipulations. Despite their sour history, they strike a deal to help each other. Miranda doesn’t like the proposed arrangement, but it sure beats the homeless shelter she was counting on to keep her and Kacey off the streets.
Can they piece together the past? Or are they still as broken as the shattered vase that ended their marriage years ago?
Jack Barkley has never been jealous of Jules, his twin sister, until she has something he doesn’t—a family. After his failed marriage and a trail of dead-end relationships, he’s given up hope that there could be anyone else for him.
Miranda Howard has spent the last four years with Chris, an abusive and narcissistic boyfriend. Taking care of her son Kacey has been her only priority, and Chris’ home was supposed to be a temporary landing spot in a time of crisis. But finally escaping his clutches leaves her penniless, stranded, and fresh out of options.
When Jack’s father dies, Jack and Miranda find themselves face to face in an attorney’s office, banking on an inheritance that’s locked down until they meet stipulations. Despite their sour history, they strike a deal to help each other. Miranda doesn’t like the proposed arrangement, but it sure beats the homeless shelter she was counting on to keep her and Kacey off the streets.
Can they piece together the past? Or are they still as broken as the shattered vase that ended their marriage years ago?
470 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2024
478 people are currently reading
1786 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
June 26, 2024
I'm throwing in the towel and giving up on this one. DNF @72% I'll compose a more in depth review over the weekend but I'll just toss out a few points as to why I had to quit on it.
: ̗̀╰⪼ It's super character driven, to the point that the plot just faded into the background and was almost non existent.
: ̗̀╰⪼ The miscommunication was really starting to be just a bit too much for me. I mean, we're talking about huge life events missed over a sentence.
: ̗̀╰⪼ The FMC started out likable but her actions just kept digging her into a hole with me. By the time I gave up I found her to be insufferable and didn't even want to root for her.
: ̗̀╰⪼ This is billed as a stand alone but you can tell that there's backstory that's not elaborated on in this novel. The side characters are much too prominent and elevated- come to find out this is a companion novel and would have likely made me feel like I was getting the whole picture/story, instead of a fraction of it if I read the previous book first.
Unfortunate, but I really tried chipping away at this for over a week and I just don't care anymore.
The reviews and ratings for this author are soaring through the sky - the premise and all of the glowing praise has convinced me to give it a try...
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜"My Wife"
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍Forced Proximity
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Law enforcement MMC
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 Dual POV
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Who Hurt You?
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 Found Family
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Flawed; Real Characters
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 Intense and Emotional
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Second Chance Romance
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 It’s always been you
Kindle Unlimited too... 💜🤍
: ̗̀╰⪼ It's super character driven, to the point that the plot just faded into the background and was almost non existent.
: ̗̀╰⪼ The miscommunication was really starting to be just a bit too much for me. I mean, we're talking about huge life events missed over a sentence.
: ̗̀╰⪼ The FMC started out likable but her actions just kept digging her into a hole with me. By the time I gave up I found her to be insufferable and didn't even want to root for her.
: ̗̀╰⪼ This is billed as a stand alone but you can tell that there's backstory that's not elaborated on in this novel. The side characters are much too prominent and elevated- come to find out this is a companion novel and would have likely made me feel like I was getting the whole picture/story, instead of a fraction of it if I read the previous book first.
Unfortunate, but I really tried chipping away at this for over a week and I just don't care anymore.
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜"My Wife"
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍Forced Proximity
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Law enforcement MMC
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 Dual POV
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Who Hurt You?
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 Found Family
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Flawed; Real Characters
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 Intense and Emotional
𐙚˚⋆↬ 💜 Second Chance Romance
𐙚˚⋆↬ 🤍 It’s always been you
Kindle Unlimited too... 💜🤍
October 6, 2024
4.5⭐️
I loved this book! It's a beautiful story that is full of ups and downs of life, raw emotions, heart-wrenching situations, and a beautiful message of strength, resilience, love, and forgiveness. It will take you on an emotional rollercoaster with all that Jack and Miranda go through together and as individuals, but you find yourself relating to them at some point along the way.
I enjoyed the dual POV and past/present timeline, which helped you, as the reader, see from both perspectives. Jack and Miranda are flawed and imperfect; you love them, get frustrated with them, and find yourself rooting for them. They show so much growth and overcome so much in this book. It depicts the value of putting others above yourself and choosing to forgive, let go, and continue to show up even when it’s hard. Ashley is truly talented & I love her writing style. She doesn’t stray away from sensitive topics but rather integrates them in a beautiful, respectful, and relatable way.
*This can be read as a stand-alone, but there are characters from Ashley’s 1st book 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 that add context + depth to the story.
I can't wait to read more books by Ashley in the future!✨
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Abusive relationship (mental, emotional, physical, etc.), Miscarriage(s), Spice: Fade to black (moderate+ heat), some language, Death of a parent
I loved this book! It's a beautiful story that is full of ups and downs of life, raw emotions, heart-wrenching situations, and a beautiful message of strength, resilience, love, and forgiveness. It will take you on an emotional rollercoaster with all that Jack and Miranda go through together and as individuals, but you find yourself relating to them at some point along the way.
I enjoyed the dual POV and past/present timeline, which helped you, as the reader, see from both perspectives. Jack and Miranda are flawed and imperfect; you love them, get frustrated with them, and find yourself rooting for them. They show so much growth and overcome so much in this book. It depicts the value of putting others above yourself and choosing to forgive, let go, and continue to show up even when it’s hard. Ashley is truly talented & I love her writing style. She doesn’t stray away from sensitive topics but rather integrates them in a beautiful, respectful, and relatable way.
*This can be read as a stand-alone, but there are characters from Ashley’s 1st book 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 that add context + depth to the story.
I can't wait to read more books by Ashley in the future!✨
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Abusive relationship (mental, emotional, physical, etc.), Miscarriage(s), Spice: Fade to black (moderate+ heat), some language, Death of a parent
August 6, 2024
The cover is beautiful.
the tattoo’s (IYKYK)
A couple sweet romantic moments
WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME:
Before we get into it, the plot alone and trauma aren't the problem. I adore difficult books, but the execution of how it was done didn’t work for me. This is a complicated recipe of messy characters, and unfortunately, the ingredients were combined in the wrong order.
The first red flag was the prologue. It’s a shock value scene and is more confusing than encouraging.
These characters are flawed and that’s something I love, but how can I root for a character who I don’t know? The character of Miranda specifically didn't portray enough nuance or tenderness to offset her mistakes. To throw toxic characters on the page and demand that we love them simply because “they went through trauma” isn’t enough. If I can’t understand them, I can’t love them and then It's impossible to care.
This is a true example of what miscommunication/refusal to communicate, and toxic behavior looks like. I noticed that Miranda’s grief was used as a tool to rationalize her toxic attitude with little growth in the end. She is quite possibly the most unlikable and inconsistent character I’ve read in a long time. Even though we both share a similar trauma, (multiple miscarriages) I found myself enraged with her through the entire book.
She rarely took full responsibility for her deplorable actions. Her self-deprecation was purely dramatic. Everything happened TO her and not BY her. her tiny growth in the end was not enough. There needs to be a balance. Instead, she took a mile and gave an inch.
While I liked the neighbor, he was portrayed as her unofficial therapist. This woman needed and could have received real therapy. This idea that all she needed was an old wise friend to give her a few words of wisdom and then she would be better is unrealistic and unhealthy. It’s like saying you can go to your Yoga instructor for your heart surgery.
There was no redemption for anyone other than Jack. He was a good man who briefly went to therapy, learned, accepted and atoned for his mistakes. Even though most of them were unintentional and a product of the poor behavior from Miranda. His character was good, but not good enough to carry the book. He didn’t have as strong of a voice as Pat in Hold Back the River.
An unnecessary amount of one-word sentences. The writing was stilted and tedious to read. The dialogue was mostly uninspiring with a few random good lines.
The romance was fine. I felt the tension maybe twice but otherwise, it was far from a beautiful love story for me.
The writing style was noticeably different from Hold Back the River. I struggled to find the same poetry and fluidity.
The repetitive sentiments and phrases almost made me DNF. Having additional characters from the previous book pulled it down, because they felt and acted out of character. At least how I remember them. Jules in particular was spiteful and cruel at times. This story dragged out longer than Princess Diana’s wedding train. 451 pages is wholly unnecessary.
The trauma is debatable but I’m tired and I think you get the idea.
OVERALL:
It genuinely hurts me to write this review because I really liked the previous book, and I saw wonderful potential there. If you like second chance romances and want something that is very bingeable, then give it a try. You'll probably enjoy it since I'm in the minority.
the tattoo’s (IYKYK)
A couple sweet romantic moments
WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME:
Before we get into it, the plot alone and trauma aren't the problem. I adore difficult books, but the execution of how it was done didn’t work for me. This is a complicated recipe of messy characters, and unfortunately, the ingredients were combined in the wrong order.
The first red flag was the prologue. It’s a shock value scene and is more confusing than encouraging.
These characters are flawed and that’s something I love, but how can I root for a character who I don’t know? The character of Miranda specifically didn't portray enough nuance or tenderness to offset her mistakes. To throw toxic characters on the page and demand that we love them simply because “they went through trauma” isn’t enough. If I can’t understand them, I can’t love them and then It's impossible to care.
This is a true example of what miscommunication/refusal to communicate, and toxic behavior looks like. I noticed that Miranda’s grief was used as a tool to rationalize her toxic attitude with little growth in the end. She is quite possibly the most unlikable and inconsistent character I’ve read in a long time. Even though we both share a similar trauma, (multiple miscarriages) I found myself enraged with her through the entire book.
She rarely took full responsibility for her deplorable actions. Her self-deprecation was purely dramatic. Everything happened TO her and not BY her. her tiny growth in the end was not enough. There needs to be a balance. Instead, she took a mile and gave an inch.
While I liked the neighbor, he was portrayed as her unofficial therapist. This woman needed and could have received real therapy. This idea that all she needed was an old wise friend to give her a few words of wisdom and then she would be better is unrealistic and unhealthy. It’s like saying you can go to your Yoga instructor for your heart surgery.
There was no redemption for anyone other than Jack. He was a good man who briefly went to therapy, learned, accepted and atoned for his mistakes. Even though most of them were unintentional and a product of the poor behavior from Miranda. His character was good, but not good enough to carry the book. He didn’t have as strong of a voice as Pat in Hold Back the River.
An unnecessary amount of one-word sentences. The writing was stilted and tedious to read. The dialogue was mostly uninspiring with a few random good lines.
The romance was fine. I felt the tension maybe twice but otherwise, it was far from a beautiful love story for me.
The writing style was noticeably different from Hold Back the River. I struggled to find the same poetry and fluidity.
The repetitive sentiments and phrases almost made me DNF. Having additional characters from the previous book pulled it down, because they felt and acted out of character. At least how I remember them. Jules in particular was spiteful and cruel at times. This story dragged out longer than Princess Diana’s wedding train. 451 pages is wholly unnecessary.
The trauma is debatable but I’m tired and I think you get the idea.
OVERALL:
It genuinely hurts me to write this review because I really liked the previous book, and I saw wonderful potential there. If you like second chance romances and want something that is very bingeable, then give it a try. You'll probably enjoy it since I'm in the minority.
February 5, 2024
Beyond glad to venture out of my home-sweet-home historicals for this particular brand of contemporary.
The overarching laudable impression from this new-to-me author: Does Not Back Down.
Does not back down from letting solid, straight-forward writing be effortlessly resonant and emotive.
Does not back down from both submerging into dark, hard themes and confidently buoying us up with the promise of redemption and resolution.
And my personal favorite: Does not back down from letting characters make their plentiful mistakes, not-painlessly stretching our empathy for them and then having them put in the repair work.
Chalk up another one for unabashed trope chasing, because, once again abandoned my long-suffering “TBR” for a subgenre-hopping marriage of convenience tropes list pick. Ok, fine, I could also sense the “He Will Grovel” on this second chance like a scent hound. So basically irresistible, and, when it pays off so majorly, I really have no motivation to mend my ways. MOC gets me in the door and then Ms. “Does Not Back Down” Dill is like “Hold my apple crisp”. What ensued were many negligently but worthily abandoned sleep hours and getting as monumentally close as a non-emotional reader gets to something in their eye. And you know what gets me there? Redemptive, life-affirming romance that also has me inner-standing-ovation chest-panging because the progression and story line choices are just so slow-clap consummate to get where we needed to get.
It’s hard enough to write romance both with chemistry and a journey to deep, tangible connection in any scenario, much more to have to pace and pacify the necessary individual and collective unpacking of several U-Haul trucks of emotional baggage and required healing for how to grieve, how to let grieve, how to forgive, how to seek forgiveness, how to dismantle and reprogram, how to repair and reconstruct. Quite the feat, which wouldn’t be half as succesful without both well fundamented and achingly layered characterization. Enter the protective hero that pines like a forest of loblolly pines for his life-battered mama-bear heroine (Yes, I’m an MC archetype chaser too, so sue me). Again, majorly paid off, plus gestures, mutual completed-character-arc-level-up romantic full-circle gestures for days. And, agh, the symbolism and insights into the necessary grit to gain the trumps-all reward of a well-tested love and thrivingly enduring marriage? Something was definitely in my eye.
Does Not Back Down. And it made me so happy.
Content Notes (some trigger warnings might spoil)
Married fade to black. Steamy make outs, that, though brief, a bit more descriptive than my personal reading comfort level (brief mention of tongue and below neck caressing). Allusions to past premarital intimacy. Grief is a significant theme. Predominant mention of pregnancy loss trauma, brief mention of post-partum depression, on page abusive relationship, very brief mention of child shooting death. Mention of toxic parents. Some brief language.
The overarching laudable impression from this new-to-me author: Does Not Back Down.
Does not back down from letting solid, straight-forward writing be effortlessly resonant and emotive.
Does not back down from both submerging into dark, hard themes and confidently buoying us up with the promise of redemption and resolution.
And my personal favorite: Does not back down from letting characters make their plentiful mistakes, not-painlessly stretching our empathy for them and then having them put in the repair work.
Chalk up another one for unabashed trope chasing, because, once again abandoned my long-suffering “TBR” for a subgenre-hopping marriage of convenience tropes list pick. Ok, fine, I could also sense the “He Will Grovel” on this second chance like a scent hound. So basically irresistible, and, when it pays off so majorly, I really have no motivation to mend my ways. MOC gets me in the door and then Ms. “Does Not Back Down” Dill is like “Hold my apple crisp”. What ensued were many negligently but worthily abandoned sleep hours and getting as monumentally close as a non-emotional reader gets to something in their eye. And you know what gets me there? Redemptive, life-affirming romance that also has me inner-standing-ovation chest-panging because the progression and story line choices are just so slow-clap consummate to get where we needed to get.
It’s hard enough to write romance both with chemistry and a journey to deep, tangible connection in any scenario, much more to have to pace and pacify the necessary individual and collective unpacking of several U-Haul trucks of emotional baggage and required healing for how to grieve, how to let grieve, how to forgive, how to seek forgiveness, how to dismantle and reprogram, how to repair and reconstruct. Quite the feat, which wouldn’t be half as succesful without both well fundamented and achingly layered characterization. Enter the protective hero that pines like a forest of loblolly pines for his life-battered mama-bear heroine (Yes, I’m an MC archetype chaser too, so sue me). Again, majorly paid off, plus gestures, mutual completed-character-arc-level-up romantic full-circle gestures for days. And, agh, the symbolism and insights into the necessary grit to gain the trumps-all reward of a well-tested love and thrivingly enduring marriage? Something was definitely in my eye.
Does Not Back Down. And it made me so happy.
Content Notes (some trigger warnings might spoil)
Married fade to black. Steamy make outs, that, though brief, a bit more descriptive than my personal reading comfort level (brief mention of tongue and below neck caressing). Allusions to past premarital intimacy. Grief is a significant theme. Predominant mention of pregnancy loss trauma, brief mention of post-partum depression, on page abusive relationship, very brief mention of child shooting death. Mention of toxic parents. Some brief language.
May 17, 2024
With great anticipation I began to read this second book written by Ashley Dill. I had read her debut novel maybe two months ago or so… And knew she could write a breathtaking story! But unbeknownst to me was how swept away I would be with this story and unable to put it down.
This book tells the topsy turvy love story of Jack and Miranda: their journey begins with great love but as married life goes on suddenly loss, broken expectations, denial, bitter disappointment, and tender, & raw grief fill their lives.
Jack and Miranda scale high mountains and low valleys. We witness them teeter unsteadily on the edge of hope and fear, promise and pain… it is a story that is vulnerable, relatable, and even daunting. It’s a story of full circle healing.
Things I loved: in today’s society we see so many marriages fail. And in books we read so many happily ever afters. It’s what I love to read, too so I get it. But I adored that this story went beyond a wedding and highlighted that marriage isn’t always easy; there can and will be sacrifice, trials, and heartache within. But there can also be giving-it-all-we-got to make it work and reconciliation.
I loved the countless, rich metaphors contrasting a labor of love in a garden to love in a marriage, the timeless lessons given by the elderly neighbor, the intensity of the characters longings, the characters depth of feelings, the putting away of childish things and becoming one flesh, the past and present alternate retelling of their story, the constant lump in my throat while reading… welp, anything Ashley Dill writes I will happily gobble up!
Read if you enjoy:
•”My wife”
•Law enforcement MMC
•Dual POV
•Who hurt you?
•Found family
•Flawed, but genuine characters
•Intense, emotional, reads
•Second chances
•It’s always been you
Content: there are quite a few so please dm for trigger warnings! Married couple fade to black, more descriptive and intense than I normally read in this regard but I would consider this still closed door.)
This book tells the topsy turvy love story of Jack and Miranda: their journey begins with great love but as married life goes on suddenly loss, broken expectations, denial, bitter disappointment, and tender, & raw grief fill their lives.
Jack and Miranda scale high mountains and low valleys. We witness them teeter unsteadily on the edge of hope and fear, promise and pain… it is a story that is vulnerable, relatable, and even daunting. It’s a story of full circle healing.
Things I loved: in today’s society we see so many marriages fail. And in books we read so many happily ever afters. It’s what I love to read, too so I get it. But I adored that this story went beyond a wedding and highlighted that marriage isn’t always easy; there can and will be sacrifice, trials, and heartache within. But there can also be giving-it-all-we-got to make it work and reconciliation.
I loved the countless, rich metaphors contrasting a labor of love in a garden to love in a marriage, the timeless lessons given by the elderly neighbor, the intensity of the characters longings, the characters depth of feelings, the putting away of childish things and becoming one flesh, the past and present alternate retelling of their story, the constant lump in my throat while reading… welp, anything Ashley Dill writes I will happily gobble up!
Read if you enjoy:
•”My wife”
•Law enforcement MMC
•Dual POV
•Who hurt you?
•Found family
•Flawed, but genuine characters
•Intense, emotional, reads
•Second chances
•It’s always been you
Content: there are quite a few so please dm for trigger warnings! Married couple fade to black, more descriptive and intense than I normally read in this regard but I would consider this still closed door.)
February 5, 2024
This book broke my heart, and then put it right back together. It’s a poignant and moving story of profound loss and grief, of broken hearts and relationships, of walking away from someone you love when things are hard.
More importantly, it’s a story of healing, hope, growth, and forgiveness. Of opening yourself up, seeing things from your partner’s perspective. Of love and passion, and being gifted with a second chance. I absolutely loved it!
As with Ashley’s first book, the writing is beautiful, the characters are complex and incredibly well drawn, and the story is interspersed with wonderfully deep insights and wisdom. Reading her books is a rich and gratifying experience.
Miranda and Jack were flawed characters, and the use of a dual timeline helps you to perfectly understand the implosion of their marriage. You can also see that while they are flawed, they’re both such good people, and you really long for them to work things out.
The Blooms That Broke Us captivated me from beginning to end. It’s a beautiful story that will stick with me for quite some time, and one that I highly recommend.
Many thanks to the author for an ebook!
More importantly, it’s a story of healing, hope, growth, and forgiveness. Of opening yourself up, seeing things from your partner’s perspective. Of love and passion, and being gifted with a second chance. I absolutely loved it!
As with Ashley’s first book, the writing is beautiful, the characters are complex and incredibly well drawn, and the story is interspersed with wonderfully deep insights and wisdom. Reading her books is a rich and gratifying experience.
Miranda and Jack were flawed characters, and the use of a dual timeline helps you to perfectly understand the implosion of their marriage. You can also see that while they are flawed, they’re both such good people, and you really long for them to work things out.
The Blooms That Broke Us captivated me from beginning to end. It’s a beautiful story that will stick with me for quite some time, and one that I highly recommend.
Many thanks to the author for an ebook!
December 15, 2023
{Not all broken things are beyond repair}
I can’t even 😭 this book was absolutely beautiful!!! ♥️ The tears were almost a near constant while reading this immensely emotion-filled story. I literally about could not put it down, it was that good! Ashley Dill has officially become an immediate must-buy author! I CANNOT wait to read more by her!
The sweater exchange nearly did me in 😭♥️ The way they were both still so crazy about the other but only admitted it through subtle actions, absolutely superb 🤌🏻 The evenings with wine and Food Network were so heartwarming; I literally could about not handle the snuggling 🫠 🔥 The kitchen “fight” and tasting though, absolute swoon fest ❤️🔥 The winks and slow smiles were to die for! Giving her money to go to Barnes and Noble where she would truly be okay alone, gaaahhh sooo sweet!!
The misunderstandings and miscommunications were no fun, but I appreciated the fact that they didn’t drag on for forever, so kudos to Ashley for that. They brought a lot of realism to the story, and I loved that aspect of it.
Richard was quite literally the sweetest character 🫠 I knew I would adore him from the moment he stepped out his back door ♥️
The ending was the sweetest thing I have read in a looong time 😭 the tattoo!!! The vows ♥️ I loved it so much! The epilogue 🥹
I was so honored to have been given the opportunity to read the ARC of this amazing book!! Thank you so much Ashley!
I can’t even 😭 this book was absolutely beautiful!!! ♥️ The tears were almost a near constant while reading this immensely emotion-filled story. I literally about could not put it down, it was that good! Ashley Dill has officially become an immediate must-buy author! I CANNOT wait to read more by her!
The sweater exchange nearly did me in 😭♥️ The way they were both still so crazy about the other but only admitted it through subtle actions, absolutely superb 🤌🏻 The evenings with wine and Food Network were so heartwarming; I literally could about not handle the snuggling 🫠 🔥 The kitchen “fight” and tasting though, absolute swoon fest ❤️🔥 The winks and slow smiles were to die for! Giving her money to go to Barnes and Noble where she would truly be okay alone, gaaahhh sooo sweet!!
The misunderstandings and miscommunications were no fun, but I appreciated the fact that they didn’t drag on for forever, so kudos to Ashley for that. They brought a lot of realism to the story, and I loved that aspect of it.
Richard was quite literally the sweetest character 🫠 I knew I would adore him from the moment he stepped out his back door ♥️
The ending was the sweetest thing I have read in a looong time 😭 the tattoo!!! The vows ♥️ I loved it so much! The epilogue 🥹
I was so honored to have been given the opportunity to read the ARC of this amazing book!! Thank you so much Ashley!
October 16, 2025
4.5 Beautiful Things Stars
This was a beautiful story of two people that truly love each other but life just kept kicking them in the teeth. They were both just not equipped to handle all their loss. But with time, distance, more heartache, maturity, and a lot of forgiveness and healing, they figure out they belong together. It was beautiful seeing them find their way back to each other.
This was a beautiful story of two people that truly love each other but life just kept kicking them in the teeth. They were both just not equipped to handle all their loss. But with time, distance, more heartache, maturity, and a lot of forgiveness and healing, they figure out they belong together. It was beautiful seeing them find their way back to each other.
Read
January 21, 2026Jack & Miranda
Tropes:
• Single Mom
• Second Chance
• Law Enforcement MMC
(Closed Door)
Tropes:
• Single Mom
• Second Chance
• Law Enforcement MMC
(Closed Door)
February 5, 2024
What a book, y'all.
The Blooms That Broke Us is such a beautiful story of overcoming grief, forgiving others, and second chances. It was heartbreaking and hopeful and just all around an awesome book.
Jack and Miranda definitely didn't have an easy time of it. I loved seeing them overcome their past misunderstandings and hurts to find love with each other again. If anyone deserves a happily ever after, it is the two of them. I also loved their neighbor Richard, his garden, and the way imparted his wisdom. Everyone needs a Richard in their life.
If this isn't on your TBR list already, it should be! I have spoken.
Also, for those that appreciate trigger warnings - this book does contain an abusive boyfriend and mention of previous miscarriages.
Many thanks to Ashley for the early copy; all thoughts are my own.
The Blooms That Broke Us is such a beautiful story of overcoming grief, forgiving others, and second chances. It was heartbreaking and hopeful and just all around an awesome book.
Jack and Miranda definitely didn't have an easy time of it. I loved seeing them overcome their past misunderstandings and hurts to find love with each other again. If anyone deserves a happily ever after, it is the two of them. I also loved their neighbor Richard, his garden, and the way imparted his wisdom. Everyone needs a Richard in their life.
If this isn't on your TBR list already, it should be! I have spoken.
Also, for those that appreciate trigger warnings - this book does contain an abusive boyfriend and mention of previous miscarriages.
Many thanks to Ashley for the early copy; all thoughts are my own.
August 16, 2025
5 big heartbroken stars haha This book is packed full of so many emotions, and it was so hard at times, but the reward was worth the journey.
I admit sometimes I wanted to kick some sense into both main characters, but the miscommunication I think was pretty accurate for everyone in a relationship at some point in time. We all learn and grow, and I appreciated their growth so much.
I listened to the audio and it was so well done. I love having two narrators!
Thanks to the author for a copy! All opinions are my own.
I admit sometimes I wanted to kick some sense into both main characters, but the miscommunication I think was pretty accurate for everyone in a relationship at some point in time. We all learn and grow, and I appreciated their growth so much.
I listened to the audio and it was so well done. I love having two narrators!
Thanks to the author for a copy! All opinions are my own.
January 14, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Sooo good. I was hooked from the start. Beautiful story.
Sooo good. I was hooked from the start. Beautiful story.
April 23, 2024
CONSUMING.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Y’all. I sat down at 45% one night to read for the evening…proceeded to devour this book. The way that second half totally consumed me (I was enjoying the first half a lot too!). This has allllll the angst. I loved the broken marriage trope when it’s done well and this one was hard. A hard read with many shattered pieces that found a way to be glue back into something new, something stronger.
I loved how both parties, Jack and Miranda had things to work one. Of course there’s some blame moments, but also along the journey the separately acknowledged their own personal issues and things to work on. The moments of communication, laying it all out there, heart on the line, had me feeling all of the emotions.
Beautiful book. I loved how everything came together. I will definitely be reading Ashley Dill’s next book.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: low-moderate
- Trigger/Content Warnings: multiple miscarriages, divorce, domestic abuse, loss of a loved one
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Y’all. I sat down at 45% one night to read for the evening…proceeded to devour this book. The way that second half totally consumed me (I was enjoying the first half a lot too!). This has allllll the angst. I loved the broken marriage trope when it’s done well and this one was hard. A hard read with many shattered pieces that found a way to be glue back into something new, something stronger.
I loved how both parties, Jack and Miranda had things to work one. Of course there’s some blame moments, but also along the journey the separately acknowledged their own personal issues and things to work on. The moments of communication, laying it all out there, heart on the line, had me feeling all of the emotions.
Beautiful book. I loved how everything came together. I will definitely be reading Ashley Dill’s next book.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: low-moderate
- Trigger/Content Warnings: multiple miscarriages, divorce, domestic abuse, loss of a loved one
September 13, 2024
This story felt so raw and real. Heavy themes but there was an undertow of hope. I loved Jack’s character especially. I will definitely be re-reading it. I would write more, but I’m having a difficult time encapsulating this book with words.
March 20, 2025
1.5
“I have real respect for the Blue—especially nowadays”
instant eye roll 🙄 my eyes are literally stuck in the back of my head from this quote 🤢 pls i should have dnf’ed this book right then. nah this man was sleeping with someone way to quickly after they had just got divorced for me. but supposedly the fmc was the the love of his life. he didnt do nearly enough groveling for what he put her through! and then she apologized to him for not telling him how she was feeling and hiding some of miscarriages from him?? yeah fck that every time she tried he ran away!!! wtf and how he reacted to the miscarriages should have been a sign that he need therapy when all this was happening not four years later! the only thing i liked about this book was richard.
“I have real respect for the Blue—especially nowadays”
instant eye roll 🙄 my eyes are literally stuck in the back of my head from this quote 🤢 pls i should have dnf’ed this book right then. nah this man was sleeping with someone way to quickly after they had just got divorced for me. but supposedly the fmc was the the love of his life. he didnt do nearly enough groveling for what he put her through! and then she apologized to him for not telling him how she was feeling and hiding some of miscarriages from him?? yeah fck that every time she tried he ran away!!! wtf and how he reacted to the miscarriages should have been a sign that he need therapy when all this was happening not four years later! the only thing i liked about this book was richard.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2024
The Blooms That Broke is emotional slow burn romance that is multilayered with themes of domestic abuse, grief, broken relationships and healing. I loved how character driven this story is and seeing the MC’s growth from start to finish. It also contains the most endearing age gap friendship. 💜 If you enjoy slow burn romances that deal with more serious topics, you’ll enjoy this novel!
May 4, 2024
2.5 stars. It’s giving self published. The story started off pretty slow and it overall could’ve been condensed.
This book was marketed as a standalone but some backstory was glossed over and side characters felt more elevated than they should’ve been. The last page showed that it was actually part of a series. I’m annoyed
This book was marketed as a standalone but some backstory was glossed over and side characters felt more elevated than they should’ve been. The last page showed that it was actually part of a series. I’m annoyed
February 17, 2024
This book was awesome!! I totally recommend this book!
July 29, 2024
Healing and forgiveness
February 6, 2024
Reasons to read:
- Marriage-in-crisis/convenience trope
- Clear character growth in both main characters
- Dual POV and Dual timeline
- Themes of forgiveness, healing, and understanding
- emotional and impactful plot and writing style
- Cameos of characters from Hold Back the River
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 :
Romance: Fade-to-Black
Trigger warning: Miscarriage, abuse, death of a parent, light violence
𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Shifting seamlessly from the lyrical tones of Hold Back the River, The Blooms That Broke Us is an emotionally raw reading experience that adds new meaning to the word love.
I take sides when reading, more so in the case of most second chance romances. And yet this was not the case for Jack and Miranda. These characters were layered and flawed. Each had a struggle they dealt with, and a fault that contributed to the failing of their initial relationship. Yet, as the story progressed, I was amazed at the fact that I could understand where each character was coming from. It is a testament to the author’s skill that made me as a reader not only empathize with the characters, but also understand their actions and emotions regardless of the fact that I have never experienced what they went through. Jack and Miranda were beautifully written characters- there was no clear right or wrong party in the story, only two people who grow together toward a new path in life forged through love and grit.
A dual pov, flashing between the past and present, readers could form a clear image of Jack and Miranda. They had wonderful chemistry, even in the scenes where there was tension between them, you could clearly see the feelings and attraction they held for each other. The romance between them was equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. I will say that Dill knows how to write a leading man. Jack was easy to love, making his determination to save his marriage all the more endearing.
Not only were the characters wonderfully layered, the plot of the story itself was complex and riddled with impactful moments that gave the reading experience a marked realistic tone. Dill dealt with difficult topics like abuse, and emotional trauma, with the utmost care, but did not shy away from bringing attention to them. I struggled to put my book down with the intensity of the plot, I needed to know there was going to be a resolution and Dill did not disappoint. Every character was essential. Even in the quieter moments of this read, something was happening to further the plot and my enjoyment.
The very last sentence of this story just wrapped up everything in a beautiful, and meaningful way. The perfect conclusion to a hard won second chance.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
- Marriage-in-crisis/convenience trope
- Clear character growth in both main characters
- Dual POV and Dual timeline
- Themes of forgiveness, healing, and understanding
- emotional and impactful plot and writing style
- Cameos of characters from Hold Back the River
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 :
Romance: Fade-to-Black
Trigger warning: Miscarriage, abuse, death of a parent, light violence
𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Shifting seamlessly from the lyrical tones of Hold Back the River, The Blooms That Broke Us is an emotionally raw reading experience that adds new meaning to the word love.
I take sides when reading, more so in the case of most second chance romances. And yet this was not the case for Jack and Miranda. These characters were layered and flawed. Each had a struggle they dealt with, and a fault that contributed to the failing of their initial relationship. Yet, as the story progressed, I was amazed at the fact that I could understand where each character was coming from. It is a testament to the author’s skill that made me as a reader not only empathize with the characters, but also understand their actions and emotions regardless of the fact that I have never experienced what they went through. Jack and Miranda were beautifully written characters- there was no clear right or wrong party in the story, only two people who grow together toward a new path in life forged through love and grit.
A dual pov, flashing between the past and present, readers could form a clear image of Jack and Miranda. They had wonderful chemistry, even in the scenes where there was tension between them, you could clearly see the feelings and attraction they held for each other. The romance between them was equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. I will say that Dill knows how to write a leading man. Jack was easy to love, making his determination to save his marriage all the more endearing.
Not only were the characters wonderfully layered, the plot of the story itself was complex and riddled with impactful moments that gave the reading experience a marked realistic tone. Dill dealt with difficult topics like abuse, and emotional trauma, with the utmost care, but did not shy away from bringing attention to them. I struggled to put my book down with the intensity of the plot, I needed to know there was going to be a resolution and Dill did not disappoint. Every character was essential. Even in the quieter moments of this read, something was happening to further the plot and my enjoyment.
The very last sentence of this story just wrapped up everything in a beautiful, and meaningful way. The perfect conclusion to a hard won second chance.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
April 10, 2025
I loved this. This was a second chance romance, two people who were once married but now divorced, thrown together again because of circumstances thrust upon them both.
Honestly, I think this is how the second chance trope should be written. It was raw, painful but so damn good. Pls check TWS before you read. It definitely dealt with horrible painful things that I wouldn't wish on anyone. My heart broke for Miranda and Jack but I loved them both so much. And I'm happy they got the family they both yearned for all their lives. 🫶💓
I think I struggled with this initially especially because of all the animosity I feel like Miranda was getting from other characters. AKA Jack and his sister. It felt like they only blamed her, they both refused to hear her out and it pissed me off. So it was kinda satisfying when Jack realised that it wasn't only Mirandas fault that their first marriage ended. He played a hand too, a MUCH bigger hand. But I really enjoyed this. And I might have to read Jack's sisters story sometime, which I probably should've read before this one. 🤷🏻♀️💖
Honestly, I think this is how the second chance trope should be written. It was raw, painful but so damn good. Pls check TWS before you read. It definitely dealt with horrible painful things that I wouldn't wish on anyone. My heart broke for Miranda and Jack but I loved them both so much. And I'm happy they got the family they both yearned for all their lives. 🫶💓
I think I struggled with this initially especially because of all the animosity I feel like Miranda was getting from other characters. AKA Jack and his sister. It felt like they only blamed her, they both refused to hear her out and it pissed me off. So it was kinda satisfying when Jack realised that it wasn't only Mirandas fault that their first marriage ended. He played a hand too, a MUCH bigger hand. But I really enjoyed this. And I might have to read Jack's sisters story sometime, which I probably should've read before this one. 🤷🏻♀️💖
February 5, 2024
Another incredible novel by Ashley Dill🤍 After reading her book, 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳, last summer, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her second novel and it did not disappoint!
Main characters, Jack and Miranda, are given an unexpected second chance after loss, heartbreak and divorce. Miranda meets Richard (my personal fave🥹👴🏼) an elderly neighbor, who takes her under his wing and teaches her through gardening about the true love and sacrifice needed for marriage and the power of true forgiveness. This book is full of hope, second chances, and even a bit of spice! 🥰
Add this book to your TBR’s and start ASAP! It’s available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
*Triggers* previous miscarriages and domestic violence/abusive boyfriend
Thank you for the opportunity to read and enjoy an early copy! All thoughts are my own.
Main characters, Jack and Miranda, are given an unexpected second chance after loss, heartbreak and divorce. Miranda meets Richard (my personal fave🥹👴🏼) an elderly neighbor, who takes her under his wing and teaches her through gardening about the true love and sacrifice needed for marriage and the power of true forgiveness. This book is full of hope, second chances, and even a bit of spice! 🥰
Add this book to your TBR’s and start ASAP! It’s available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
*Triggers* previous miscarriages and domestic violence/abusive boyfriend
Thank you for the opportunity to read and enjoy an early copy! All thoughts are my own.
November 28, 2025
This was such a beautiful second chance romance. I loved it all. The timeline and pacing were perfect and the story itself was so beautifully written. It was almost poetic.
Definitely check trigger warnings though. It was very very sad and reading the struggle from beginning to end was an emotional rollercoaster.
The characters were so well developed and the dialog made it easy to follow.
Miranda and Jack went through so much and they loved each other so deeply. I truly enjoyed this book.
Definitely check trigger warnings though. It was very very sad and reading the struggle from beginning to end was an emotional rollercoaster.
The characters were so well developed and the dialog made it easy to follow.
Miranda and Jack went through so much and they loved each other so deeply. I truly enjoyed this book.
July 11, 2025
I kept seeing so many posts and reviews raving about Ashley Dill’s books and have had them on my TBR for so long without jumping in. Knowing that they aren’t lighthearted romcoms kept them on my “to read” shelf longer than I want to admit. Now that I’ve read one, I regret not jumping in so much sooner.
I finished The Blooms That Broke Us more than two weeks ago but needed time to process this absolutely beautiful portrayal of true, raw, messy love before writing my review. Miranda felt like a friend sharing her heartbreaking story with me. I found myself nodding and tearing up throughout the book, and at times, full on sobbing. Dill crafted intensely relatable characters, with weaknesses and vulnerabilities that I’m certain we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives. I know I certainly have.
Jack and Miranda’s story healed my heart in ways. If you’ve ever experienced pain, betrayal, resentment or deep loneliness in your marriage or relationship, this book will imbed itself deep in your heart. Every step Jack and Miranda took back to each other reminded me of how far God has brought my husband and I in our own relationship. Wading through the murky waters of mutual pain and misunderstanding with these characters was therapeutic in ways I’ll never fully understand, but I’m grateful for it. The Blooms That Broke Us served not only as an entertaining and emotional journey, but one that left me reflecting on my own experiences and savoring the words of wisdom laced throughout. Absolutely a must read and certainly one of my top reads of 2025.
Intimacy: Fade to Black in marriage
Language: Moderate (25 swears, no f-words)
Content Considerations: Miscarriage, abuse, grief, death, some violence, innuendo
I finished The Blooms That Broke Us more than two weeks ago but needed time to process this absolutely beautiful portrayal of true, raw, messy love before writing my review. Miranda felt like a friend sharing her heartbreaking story with me. I found myself nodding and tearing up throughout the book, and at times, full on sobbing. Dill crafted intensely relatable characters, with weaknesses and vulnerabilities that I’m certain we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives. I know I certainly have.
Jack and Miranda’s story healed my heart in ways. If you’ve ever experienced pain, betrayal, resentment or deep loneliness in your marriage or relationship, this book will imbed itself deep in your heart. Every step Jack and Miranda took back to each other reminded me of how far God has brought my husband and I in our own relationship. Wading through the murky waters of mutual pain and misunderstanding with these characters was therapeutic in ways I’ll never fully understand, but I’m grateful for it. The Blooms That Broke Us served not only as an entertaining and emotional journey, but one that left me reflecting on my own experiences and savoring the words of wisdom laced throughout. Absolutely a must read and certainly one of my top reads of 2025.
Intimacy: Fade to Black in marriage
Language: Moderate (25 swears, no f-words)
Content Considerations: Miscarriage, abuse, grief, death, some violence, innuendo
May 8, 2025
What a beautiful story filled with hardship, second chances, and forgiveness. I love the emphasis it had on fighting for love, even when it’s not easy. I really loved this book!!
September 9, 2025
“True love doesn’t keep records.”
This one has been on my TBR for a while and I’m so happy that I finally read it. It tugged at my heart in all the right places. I loved how raw it was. It conveyed some of the hard parts of marriage that are real and relatable, but it also showed how you are rewarded when you fight for it. I loved The main characters, I loved Casey, and I loved the tattoo (oh my gosh if you know you know and if you don’t please find out 🤣). The Audio was fantastic and I am looking forward to Ashley’s next book!
🪻Contemporary Romance
🪻Book 2/ Can Standalone
🪻Closed Door
🪻Mild Swearing
🪻CW: Divorce, Mental/Physical Abuse, Multiple Miscarriages, Death
This one has been on my TBR for a while and I’m so happy that I finally read it. It tugged at my heart in all the right places. I loved how raw it was. It conveyed some of the hard parts of marriage that are real and relatable, but it also showed how you are rewarded when you fight for it. I loved The main characters, I loved Casey, and I loved the tattoo (oh my gosh if you know you know and if you don’t please find out 🤣). The Audio was fantastic and I am looking forward to Ashley’s next book!
🪻Contemporary Romance
🪻Book 2/ Can Standalone
🪻Closed Door
🪻Mild Swearing
🪻CW: Divorce, Mental/Physical Abuse, Multiple Miscarriages, Death
July 16, 2025
This audio is SO GOOD. I’m so glad to be able to listen to this book over and over again now that it’s on audio.
My original read of this book was deeply personal, and emotional, I connected to these characters so deeply. listening to it this time around hit me just as hard, and just cemented this story in my heart even more. The narrators, Stefanie Kay CJ Grey, did such an Incredible job bringing these characters to life, their performance was dripping in emotion and it was palpable, and just perfectly embodied how the story should be told!
I highly highly recommend this book, and if you’re an audiophile this audio will not disappoint!! Do yourself a favor and listen to it!!
My original read of this book was deeply personal, and emotional, I connected to these characters so deeply. listening to it this time around hit me just as hard, and just cemented this story in my heart even more. The narrators, Stefanie Kay CJ Grey, did such an Incredible job bringing these characters to life, their performance was dripping in emotion and it was palpable, and just perfectly embodied how the story should be told!
I highly highly recommend this book, and if you’re an audiophile this audio will not disappoint!! Do yourself a favor and listen to it!!
February 6, 2024
I’ve never read a book like this before, the premise was so original. The plot kept me wanting to see what would happen next the whole time. I couldn’t put it down. I feel like this book is plot AND character driven which is rare. Emotional, romantic, heartfelt.
This book was beautiful. A raw, honest depiction of love and endurance.
The main characters were madly in love but carried baggage and struggled with how to be there for each other when life got hard.
I really loved how strong Miranda was and how protective Jack was. Their romance was so beautiful with the dual POV and memories of being in love previously. The flashbacks kept the story so engaging. The romantic tension between them was intense but Ashley still kept it closed door which I appreciated.
I loved how Richard shared so much wisdom with Miranda and she took his advice to heart.
This is a book about fighting for love, the work that it takes but also the ease with which it comes. Ashley used the imagery of a new garden to show how marriage takes tending, weeding and care. But the bounty is worth it.
I typically do not enjoy miscommunication but in this story it felt very genuine. In real life miscommunication happens all the time when we try to hide from our feelings and pain. And I felt like that came through in a very genuine way in this story.
Ashley’s characters feel so real! All of the little details of their conversations, actions and thoughts make them come alive.
If you enjoy Making Faces by Amy Harmon and I Got You by Stacy Williams I think you will love this book.
I highly recommend you add this beautiful story to your TBR!! It has heavy themes but a happy ending and will make you feel all the feels along the way. Read if you love romantic books with meat and themes of redemption, unconditional love and forgiveness.
Thank you Ashley Dill for the eARC ❤️
This book was beautiful. A raw, honest depiction of love and endurance.
The main characters were madly in love but carried baggage and struggled with how to be there for each other when life got hard.
I really loved how strong Miranda was and how protective Jack was. Their romance was so beautiful with the dual POV and memories of being in love previously. The flashbacks kept the story so engaging. The romantic tension between them was intense but Ashley still kept it closed door which I appreciated.
I loved how Richard shared so much wisdom with Miranda and she took his advice to heart.
This is a book about fighting for love, the work that it takes but also the ease with which it comes. Ashley used the imagery of a new garden to show how marriage takes tending, weeding and care. But the bounty is worth it.
I typically do not enjoy miscommunication but in this story it felt very genuine. In real life miscommunication happens all the time when we try to hide from our feelings and pain. And I felt like that came through in a very genuine way in this story.
Ashley’s characters feel so real! All of the little details of their conversations, actions and thoughts make them come alive.
If you enjoy Making Faces by Amy Harmon and I Got You by Stacy Williams I think you will love this book.
I highly recommend you add this beautiful story to your TBR!! It has heavy themes but a happy ending and will make you feel all the feels along the way. Read if you love romantic books with meat and themes of redemption, unconditional love and forgiveness.
Thank you Ashley Dill for the eARC ❤️
October 18, 2025
Needed spice (it’s completely closed doors) and also better editing. This is meant to be a heartbreaking second chance marriage story but the other than the fact that she’s abused, none of it is heart wrenching. The author keeps flip flopping between past and present which is extremely annoying because it just keeps breaking continuity. In the present, she’s running for her life from her boyfriend and ends up with her ex husband now who she thinks abandoned her & her baby and therefore she hates but in literally 2.5 secs she’s talking about how attractive he is and has forgotten that a. she’s fleeing from dv and b. she left this man hating him and thinking the worst of him. Mind you, she also thinks he moved on to someone else before she left him last. Surely the author could have written this whole thing a bit better to ease into the re-attraction. There are hardly any scenes of the child and father bonding, there are unnecessary scenes of her and a sage neighbour talking about harvests that could have been cut in favour of that. The timeline absolutely doesn’t make sense. She got pregnant first on like the 2nd or 3rd date and they got married soon after. She then had 3 miscarriages in quick succession but they’ve been in a 6 year marriage? Again, it’s sloppy writing. Lastly, he forgives her far too easily - she divorced him without explaining why and then when he begged her to stay she left the city only to come back to say she was pregnant but misunderstood that he knew when he didn’t. She then doesn’t tell him until his sister figures it out and threatens to out her. She’s always crying - and I mean in the past as well. She refuses to talk to him and ices him out then goes victim / woe is me on him. All in all it’s a bit underwhelming and I doubt I’ll read this author again.
February 15, 2024
It’s hard for me to even write this review. How can I find the words to describe this book? I want to say so many things- yet don’t even know how. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. Not in a sappy-feel good-cozy way. It’s a broken-into-beautiful way. The heartbreaking hurt that life can bring is on full display here. It’s raw. But SO real. There is so much to unpack in this story. So much to carry. But wow, carrying it with Jack and Miranda is so cathartic.
Feeling the pain, the anger and frustration of walking through dark places in marriage— seeing so many fractured pieces that need to be reconstructed. When it looks like all the pieces can’t be found, the bigger picture appears. A restoration that looks different than the original image - BUT so much more beautiful because of the healed cracks and crevices. I love Ashley’s writing style. Her voice is that of a seasoned author. I read 60% of this book in one sitting. It was so late that I finally skipped ahead to see what happened next. Then I went back and slowly read the remaining 40% over two weeks. And honestly, that’s exactly what I needed. Because there at the end, there were so many quotes and themes of forgiveness that I needed right then. Right when I read them. They are helping redirect and heal me. Helping me focus on forgiveness and love despite my own hurt. This story is so beautiful. I found myself crying or near tears throughout the story. The gardening aspects were so true and relatable. I loved dear sweet Richard and all he taught Miranda. What a beautiful book.
Disclaimer : this is CLEAN fiction. It contains some mild language and heavier physically intimate scenes ( but ALL CLOSED door and between a married couple).
Feeling the pain, the anger and frustration of walking through dark places in marriage— seeing so many fractured pieces that need to be reconstructed. When it looks like all the pieces can’t be found, the bigger picture appears. A restoration that looks different than the original image - BUT so much more beautiful because of the healed cracks and crevices. I love Ashley’s writing style. Her voice is that of a seasoned author. I read 60% of this book in one sitting. It was so late that I finally skipped ahead to see what happened next. Then I went back and slowly read the remaining 40% over two weeks. And honestly, that’s exactly what I needed. Because there at the end, there were so many quotes and themes of forgiveness that I needed right then. Right when I read them. They are helping redirect and heal me. Helping me focus on forgiveness and love despite my own hurt. This story is so beautiful. I found myself crying or near tears throughout the story. The gardening aspects were so true and relatable. I loved dear sweet Richard and all he taught Miranda. What a beautiful book.
Disclaimer : this is CLEAN fiction. It contains some mild language and heavier physically intimate scenes ( but ALL CLOSED door and between a married couple).
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