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Love in Bloom
11 hours, 8 minutes
For fans of B. K. Borison and Sarah Adams comes a cheeky, small-town romantic comedy about finding yourself in the weeds . . . only to find love, too.
It took exactly twenty-four hours for Atlanta publicist Emma Walters’s life to go from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. All that’s left is for her to take the still-smoking remains of her dignity and flee to her new farm in Green Acres, Georgia.
However, Emma’s new country life is anything but peaceful. The quirky locals seem to inexplicably dislike her, and farming proves way messier than she expected. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm’s infuriatingly handsome manager, who doubts her ability to handle even the simplest tasks.
Emma soon discovers that the farm isn’t exactly what it seems. It doesn’t sell anything, making her wonder if it's just a glorified petting zoo or if Dan is hiding something much bigger. With suspiciously named shops like Four and Twenty Blackbirds lining Main Street, it’s clear that the whole town might be in on a secret.
But when the farm—and the livelihood of the townsfolk—is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it. Because when you farm around, it’s just a matter of time before everyone finds out.
For fans of B. K. Borison and Sarah Adams comes a cheeky, small-town romantic comedy about finding yourself in the weeds . . . only to find love, too.
It took exactly twenty-four hours for Atlanta publicist Emma Walters’s life to go from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. All that’s left is for her to take the still-smoking remains of her dignity and flee to her new farm in Green Acres, Georgia.
However, Emma’s new country life is anything but peaceful. The quirky locals seem to inexplicably dislike her, and farming proves way messier than she expected. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm’s infuriatingly handsome manager, who doubts her ability to handle even the simplest tasks.
Emma soon discovers that the farm isn’t exactly what it seems. It doesn’t sell anything, making her wonder if it's just a glorified petting zoo or if Dan is hiding something much bigger. With suspiciously named shops like Four and Twenty Blackbirds lining Main Street, it’s clear that the whole town might be in on a secret.
But when the farm—and the livelihood of the townsfolk—is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it. Because when you farm around, it’s just a matter of time before everyone finds out.
Audiobook
Published November 12, 2024
70 people are currently reading
7413 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Eden
33 books799 followersLucy Eden is the nom de plume of an romance obsessed author who writes the kind of romance she loves to read. She’s a sucker for alphas with a soft gooey center, over the top romantic gestures, strong & smart MCs, humor, love at first sight (or pretty damn close), happily ever afters & of course, steamy love scenes.
When Lucy isn’t writing, she’s busy reading—or listening to—every book she can get her hands on— romance or otherwise.
She lives & loves in New York with her husband, two children, a turtle & a Yorkshire Terrier.
Website: https://www.lucyeden.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucyedenauthor/
Join Lucy Eden's Paradise: https://www.facebook.com/groups/33013...
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When Lucy isn’t writing, she’s busy reading—or listening to—every book she can get her hands on— romance or otherwise.
She lives & loves in New York with her husband, two children, a turtle & a Yorkshire Terrier.
Website: https://www.lucyeden.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucyedenauthor/
Join Lucy Eden's Paradise: https://www.facebook.com/groups/33013...
Twitter:https://twitter.com/lucyedenauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucyedenaut...
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 390 reviews
May 24, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up -enjoyed even more on a reread!
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I think this is Lucy Eden's first traditionally published book and I could not be more thrilled for her! She had written some really amazing indie romances and while Love in Bloom is not my favorite book from her, there was still a lot I liked about it. It's a steamy rom-com with a hot mess of a heroine.(how she managed to be so successful in her PR career we may never know!)
The book begins with a bathroom mishap as Emma is changing clothes before a will reading for her estranged grandparents. They leave her a farm, complete with a rather attractive manager/ horticulturalist. She has no idea what she would do with a farm, but when she loses her job and breaks up with her long-time boyfriend all in one day, the farm becomes a refuge. But when she tries her hand at farm work, she is entirely unprepared! And the town has secrets...
Emma is sometimes a "too dumb to live" kind of heroine. It certainly makes for conflict, and sometimes plays for laughs, but I think some readers might find it irritating while others find it funny. Dan/Danesh is an interesting character and do like the depth of development with the two of them and their relationship. It's quite a sexy book, but some of the conflict elements at the end are a little wild! I liked this and the audiobook is done well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
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I think this is Lucy Eden's first traditionally published book and I could not be more thrilled for her! She had written some really amazing indie romances and while Love in Bloom is not my favorite book from her, there was still a lot I liked about it. It's a steamy rom-com with a hot mess of a heroine.(how she managed to be so successful in her PR career we may never know!)
The book begins with a bathroom mishap as Emma is changing clothes before a will reading for her estranged grandparents. They leave her a farm, complete with a rather attractive manager/ horticulturalist. She has no idea what she would do with a farm, but when she loses her job and breaks up with her long-time boyfriend all in one day, the farm becomes a refuge. But when she tries her hand at farm work, she is entirely unprepared! And the town has secrets...
Emma is sometimes a "too dumb to live" kind of heroine. It certainly makes for conflict, and sometimes plays for laughs, but I think some readers might find it irritating while others find it funny. Dan/Danesh is an interesting character and do like the depth of development with the two of them and their relationship. It's quite a sexy book, but some of the conflict elements at the end are a little wild! I liked this and the audiobook is done well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
November 8, 2024
Love in Bloom is a small-town romance following Emma, a well known publicist, whose life is turned upside down after she is fired and inherits her grandparents' farm all in the same week. With her relationship on the rocks and no job to keep her in the city, Emma flees to the farm in the hopes of discovering more about herself and her family. When she is met with Dan, the farm's subsequent manager, Emma is forced to decide if she is willing to push aside her previous beliefs about small-town living and her new role all while falling for the charming horticulturist.
This was a very cute and simple read! The small town was full of busy bodies and I thought it was so sweet how everybody was concerned for Emma, Dan, and the farm. I absolutely loved the relationship between the two, they were so understanding of one another, Dan was such a gentleman but always willing to call Emma out on herself. While I did enjoy the romance, I wish there was more plot and something to liven up the writing. I found the book to be a little boring and just wish it had an extra element to keep me engaged the whole way through. While this may not be my favorite read, I think it will work for a lot of people and lovers of cozy romances with low stakes and medium heat!
~Many thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
This was a very cute and simple read! The small town was full of busy bodies and I thought it was so sweet how everybody was concerned for Emma, Dan, and the farm. I absolutely loved the relationship between the two, they were so understanding of one another, Dan was such a gentleman but always willing to call Emma out on herself. While I did enjoy the romance, I wish there was more plot and something to liven up the writing. I found the book to be a little boring and just wish it had an extra element to keep me engaged the whole way through. While this may not be my favorite read, I think it will work for a lot of people and lovers of cozy romances with low stakes and medium heat!
~Many thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
November 16, 2024
This definitely would’ve been a four-star read but I hated the third act. Blackmail is a copout nine out of ten times and this was one of the nine. The book was so low key and cute that a high key third act was just exhausting and out of place. I think there was a way to make it a little bit more humorous and less icky (her ex was HORRIBLE). Like I’ve seen the set up before of an entire town having to dupe a group of people for one reason or another (think Funny Farm), and I’ve loved it. While this one was kinda that, it was ultimately more off-putting than comedic.
The book was still fun for 75% and I loved Lucy’s style. After meeting her at a few conventions, I’m happy to report that her chaotic-good energy is fully present in her writing. The narrator was great and a really good fit. I’ll definitely read more from Lucy, but maybe some of her older non-trad stuff.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I received an ALC from Libro.fm. All opinions are honest and my own.
The book was still fun for 75% and I loved Lucy’s style. After meeting her at a few conventions, I’m happy to report that her chaotic-good energy is fully present in her writing. The narrator was great and a really good fit. I’ll definitely read more from Lucy, but maybe some of her older non-trad stuff.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I received an ALC from Libro.fm. All opinions are honest and my own.
October 30, 2024
“Rod of velvety steel” in a small town romance is fucking crazy
November 18, 2024
Love in Bloom by Lucy Eden
Contemporary diverse romance.
Emma Walter’s life takes a turn when she loses her job and dumps her boyfriend. Not knowing what else to do, she decides to go live in the farm that she recently inherited from her grandparents in Green Acres, Georgia. She doesn’t know anything about farming but she’s also not afraid of hard work. Plus the handsome farm manager, Dan Pednekar is sure to help her, right?
Blackmail is illegal, as much as selling non medical marijuana is in Georgia. The sheriff should have known that and brought it up in the conversation to save the situation. More, they are growing and selling medical grade cannabis which is legal. But maybe I’m missing something in the specifics.
Sure, they still would have had to figured out how to keep the secret if they don’t want it made public, but it’s a factor a political individual on the rise would know.
I liked Dan and his romantic gestures.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Contemporary diverse romance.
Emma Walter’s life takes a turn when she loses her job and dumps her boyfriend. Not knowing what else to do, she decides to go live in the farm that she recently inherited from her grandparents in Green Acres, Georgia. She doesn’t know anything about farming but she’s also not afraid of hard work. Plus the handsome farm manager, Dan Pednekar is sure to help her, right?
Blackmail is illegal, as much as selling non medical marijuana is in Georgia. The sheriff should have known that and brought it up in the conversation to save the situation. More, they are growing and selling medical grade cannabis which is legal. But maybe I’m missing something in the specifics.
Sure, they still would have had to figured out how to keep the secret if they don’t want it made public, but it’s a factor a political individual on the rise would know.
I liked Dan and his romantic gestures.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
August 9, 2024
3.5⭐️ || TikTok
- small town romance
- city girl inherits the family farm
- found family
- family secrets and drama
I enjoyed this. I thought the concept was really cute and I liked our grumpy MMC. The writing was a bit one dimensional but all around a cute rom-com with a little mystery and drama.
Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
- small town romance
- city girl inherits the family farm
- found family
- family secrets and drama
I enjoyed this. I thought the concept was really cute and I liked our grumpy MMC. The writing was a bit one dimensional but all around a cute rom-com with a little mystery and drama.
Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2024
This was my first book by this author, I did not know what to expect but it definitely didn’t disappoint! I also went in blind because I didn’t read the synopsis. 🫣
Small town romance, family secrets & drama, black FMC, unexpected plot twist !!!
Emma is a true city girl that inherited a farm from the grandparents she doesn’t even remember because they were estranged from her mother. I loved Emma down but she was a walking disaster. On that farm she meets big DAN not the little one. The spice in this took me by surprise!!! I was gasping !!! That last chess scene really took me out Dan hurt my feelings too. 😭
This love story was so beautiful and well done. There was character development with every character. I think this book will be popular.
Audio is 10/10 because it’s Narrated by Wesleigh Siobha she’s a fav. The beginning of the book dragged a little & the chapters are entirely toooooo long. 40 mins to a hr in one chapter is crazy!!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Forever, & Lucy Eden for this audio ARC. ♥️
Small town romance, family secrets & drama, black FMC, unexpected plot twist !!!
Emma is a true city girl that inherited a farm from the grandparents she doesn’t even remember because they were estranged from her mother. I loved Emma down but she was a walking disaster. On that farm she meets big DAN not the little one. The spice in this took me by surprise!!! I was gasping !!! That last chess scene really took me out Dan hurt my feelings too. 😭
This love story was so beautiful and well done. There was character development with every character. I think this book will be popular.
Audio is 10/10 because it’s Narrated by Wesleigh Siobha she’s a fav. The beginning of the book dragged a little & the chapters are entirely toooooo long. 40 mins to a hr in one chapter is crazy!!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Forever, & Lucy Eden for this audio ARC. ♥️
December 26, 2024
2.5
It's interesting to see reviews that claim this is a low stakes romance. It's not that the stakes were low but that there was never a sense that things wouldn't conveniently turn out well for the characters. There also just wasn't a lot of build up. And focus was placed on things like Emma planning the fall festival that didn't further the running plots.
Full review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
It's interesting to see reviews that claim this is a low stakes romance. It's not that the stakes were low but that there was never a sense that things wouldn't conveniently turn out well for the characters. There also just wasn't a lot of build up. And focus was placed on things like Emma planning the fall festival that didn't further the running plots.
Full review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
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November 10, 2024DNF Details
How far did I get? I listened to an hour or two of the audiobook before switching over to the ebook and then ultimately skimming.
Why did I stop? I was not feeling the story at all, unfortunately. That cover is absolutely adorable and I've heard good things about Eden's writing, but it was clear from the start that this wasn't going to be a win for me. The heroine has a long-term boyfriend when the book begins, yet she's lusting over the hero almost immediately. There are over 200 mentions of her boyfriend throughout the book, so it's not like she dumps him at the beginning and then connects with the hero - the OM drama is present throughout. Definitely not my personal preference to just keep hearing about a past relationship while I'm trying to connect with the new one. The cover gives off such sweet and swoony vibes, I wasn't expecting to encounter that much drama.
Was I enjoying it initially? No, the red flags popped up pretty quickly, and there was no going back after that. Technically speaking, this should be a fun, fish out of water romance, with our city girl heroine re-evaluating her life after inheriting a farm. I was excited to get to that part of the story, but it took a LOT of stops and starts for me to get that far - every time I would try to pick it back up, something would pull me right out again.
Would I finish this? I would not. Looking at other reviews, very few people have rated it as 5 stars, so I'm okay with leaving it unfinished.
Who would I recommend this to? Fans of fish out of water romances who don't mind some OM drama.
Audio note: Mixed feelings on the audiobook! Wesleigh Siobhan has a very distinctive voice, so I do recommend sampling before you commit to listening to the audio. Her performance brings a ton of personality to the heroine's character, and I liked that. I do think this would've been more successful with dual or duet narration, however, as the hero has a British accent and that was rough with this narrator. I couldn't handle 11 hours of that, so I found myself switching to the ebook. The vibes are light enough that this would work as an office listen, though it's longer than I can typically get through in a single day. The story is a slower burn, with what appears to be a minimal amount of spice.
How far did I get? I listened to an hour or two of the audiobook before switching over to the ebook and then ultimately skimming.
Why did I stop? I was not feeling the story at all, unfortunately. That cover is absolutely adorable and I've heard good things about Eden's writing, but it was clear from the start that this wasn't going to be a win for me. The heroine has a long-term boyfriend when the book begins, yet she's lusting over the hero almost immediately. There are over 200 mentions of her boyfriend throughout the book, so it's not like she dumps him at the beginning and then connects with the hero - the OM drama is present throughout. Definitely not my personal preference to just keep hearing about a past relationship while I'm trying to connect with the new one. The cover gives off such sweet and swoony vibes, I wasn't expecting to encounter that much drama.
Was I enjoying it initially? No, the red flags popped up pretty quickly, and there was no going back after that. Technically speaking, this should be a fun, fish out of water romance, with our city girl heroine re-evaluating her life after inheriting a farm. I was excited to get to that part of the story, but it took a LOT of stops and starts for me to get that far - every time I would try to pick it back up, something would pull me right out again.
Would I finish this? I would not. Looking at other reviews, very few people have rated it as 5 stars, so I'm okay with leaving it unfinished.
Who would I recommend this to? Fans of fish out of water romances who don't mind some OM drama.
Audio note: Mixed feelings on the audiobook! Wesleigh Siobhan has a very distinctive voice, so I do recommend sampling before you commit to listening to the audio. Her performance brings a ton of personality to the heroine's character, and I liked that. I do think this would've been more successful with dual or duet narration, however, as the hero has a British accent and that was rough with this narrator. I couldn't handle 11 hours of that, so I found myself switching to the ebook. The vibes are light enough that this would work as an office listen, though it's longer than I can typically get through in a single day. The story is a slower burn, with what appears to be a minimal amount of spice.
November 7, 2024
This story is BEYOND CUTE!!! I don't usually reach for romance novels but this was exactly what I needed to kick of the holiday season! It was a cozy and cute read, and it felt like curling up with a Hallmark movie with the fireplace on. I loved seeing MFC Emma grow and find herself through this story, even as she tackled the mess of farming and small-town life.
Wesleigh Siobhan, take a bow. I don’t think I’ve laughed out loud so often during an audiobook. Emma’s inner monologue was priceless, and Wesleigh’s narration made me feel like I was getting some hot tea from one of the girls. Chef’s kiss. She made Emma feel so relatable and hilarious, and I’m pretty sure this wouldn’t have hit the same way if I’d read it myself. Honestly, it felt like a dual narration at times—I’m still not over how perfectly she nailed it.
The downside. The pacing slowed right down in the middle, the third-act breakup felt overdone, and the 40-minute chapters were crazy! And even with the predictability, this story was cozy, and I loved the small-town vibe.
Emma & Dan 4eva ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Wesleigh Siobhan, take a bow. I don’t think I’ve laughed out loud so often during an audiobook. Emma’s inner monologue was priceless, and Wesleigh’s narration made me feel like I was getting some hot tea from one of the girls. Chef’s kiss. She made Emma feel so relatable and hilarious, and I’m pretty sure this wouldn’t have hit the same way if I’d read it myself. Honestly, it felt like a dual narration at times—I’m still not over how perfectly she nailed it.
The downside. The pacing slowed right down in the middle, the third-act breakup felt overdone, and the 40-minute chapters were crazy! And even with the predictability, this story was cozy, and I loved the small-town vibe.
Emma & Dan 4eva ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2024
Audiobook/Book Review 📖🎧🌾
thank you so much partner @readforeverpub @librofm for the gifted copy and audiobook!
Love in Bloom
by Lucy Eden
Narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan
About the book 👇🏽
It took exactly twenty-four hours for Atlanta publicist Emma Walters’s life to go from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. All that’s left is for her to take the still-smoking remains of her dignity and flee to her new farm in Green Acres, Georgia.
However, Emma’s new country life is anything but peaceful. The quirky locals seem to inexplicably dislike her, and farming proves way messier than she expected. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm’s infuriatingly handsome manager, who doubts her ability to handle even the simplest tasks.
Emma soon discovers that the farm isn’t exactly what it seems. It’s clear that the whole town might be in on a secret. But when the farm—and the livelihood of the townsfolk—is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it.
🌾 My thoughts:
I couldn’t get enough of this story! First of all… it is so refreshing and unlike any book I’ve read with its plot and I loved it!! If I wasn’t reading it, I was listening to it. Wesleigh Siobhan was the audiobook narrator and did an amazing job with it. Both version held my attention and it was truly unputdownable even with longer chapters. I loved how the fish out of water AND found family tropes were done. This story was the right amount of steamy and cozy and I’ll definitely be reaching for more books by Lucy Eden! oh and for more audiobooks with Wesleigh Siobhan narrating! Love in Bloom is out NOW!
Happy reading 📖 🎧🌾
thank you so much partner @readforeverpub @librofm for the gifted copy and audiobook!
Love in Bloom
by Lucy Eden
Narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan
About the book 👇🏽
It took exactly twenty-four hours for Atlanta publicist Emma Walters’s life to go from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. All that’s left is for her to take the still-smoking remains of her dignity and flee to her new farm in Green Acres, Georgia.
However, Emma’s new country life is anything but peaceful. The quirky locals seem to inexplicably dislike her, and farming proves way messier than she expected. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm’s infuriatingly handsome manager, who doubts her ability to handle even the simplest tasks.
Emma soon discovers that the farm isn’t exactly what it seems. It’s clear that the whole town might be in on a secret. But when the farm—and the livelihood of the townsfolk—is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it.
🌾 My thoughts:
I couldn’t get enough of this story! First of all… it is so refreshing and unlike any book I’ve read with its plot and I loved it!! If I wasn’t reading it, I was listening to it. Wesleigh Siobhan was the audiobook narrator and did an amazing job with it. Both version held my attention and it was truly unputdownable even with longer chapters. I loved how the fish out of water AND found family tropes were done. This story was the right amount of steamy and cozy and I’ll definitely be reaching for more books by Lucy Eden! oh and for more audiobooks with Wesleigh Siobhan narrating! Love in Bloom is out NOW!
Happy reading 📖 🎧🌾
November 11, 2024
Thank you to hachette audio for this ALC
I loved the premise of this story it's so original and led to both comedy and tender emotional moments.
The FMC was so well rounded funny,smart confident yet vulnerable and not without faults. The romance was a great added extra and the MMC was down sooooo bad. I honestly just loved the plot and the small town aspect -especially a black small town. The supporting characters were excellent and added so much warmth to the story.
Wesleigh Siobhan is my favourite female narrator so I was hooked from the start. She voiced the story so well with multiple characters and accents.
I loved the premise of this story it's so original and led to both comedy and tender emotional moments.
The FMC was so well rounded funny,smart confident yet vulnerable and not without faults. The romance was a great added extra and the MMC was down sooooo bad. I honestly just loved the plot and the small town aspect -especially a black small town. The supporting characters were excellent and added so much warmth to the story.
Wesleigh Siobhan is my favourite female narrator so I was hooked from the start. She voiced the story so well with multiple characters and accents.
February 22, 2025
…this wasn’t *bad* but it certainly wasn’t good, either
August 5, 2024
3.5/5 ⭐
Rounding up because I love this cover so so much it's so pretty. This was a good read i think anyone that likes small-town romance with a bit of farm life and fun moments will enjoy this one. The fmc inherits her grandparent's farm and meets the mmc who's the horticulturist. She has to navigate taking over the farm, and her surprise to find out that it's a medical marijuana business and running it well since so many people in the town rely on it. She gets closer to the mmc as she's navigating family secrets, career changes, and her feelings for the mmc.
I enjoyed how unique this city girl fmc was and the farm aspect. There were a lot of fun hijinks and adventures though the fmc was also trying to figure out why her parents were not close to her grandparents. I thought the family aspect was interesting and would have liked a better tie-up with that storyline. I also liked the romance; it was steamy and happened with minimal conflict. Though trauma in both characters was discussed I still sometimes felt that they weren't great character development, especially the mmc but I appreciate what the author did with it at the end. Overall really cute, sweet, and heartwarming. Thanks to Forever for the arc.
Read if you like:
- Small-town romance
- City girl fmc
- Close-knit community
- Steamy scenes
- Cozy rom-com
- Black fmc x Indian mmc
- Weed farm/ business
Rounding up because I love this cover so so much it's so pretty. This was a good read i think anyone that likes small-town romance with a bit of farm life and fun moments will enjoy this one. The fmc inherits her grandparent's farm and meets the mmc who's the horticulturist. She has to navigate taking over the farm, and her surprise to find out that it's a medical marijuana business and running it well since so many people in the town rely on it. She gets closer to the mmc as she's navigating family secrets, career changes, and her feelings for the mmc.
I enjoyed how unique this city girl fmc was and the farm aspect. There were a lot of fun hijinks and adventures though the fmc was also trying to figure out why her parents were not close to her grandparents. I thought the family aspect was interesting and would have liked a better tie-up with that storyline. I also liked the romance; it was steamy and happened with minimal conflict. Though trauma in both characters was discussed I still sometimes felt that they weren't great character development, especially the mmc but I appreciate what the author did with it at the end. Overall really cute, sweet, and heartwarming. Thanks to Forever for the arc.
Read if you like:
- Small-town romance
- City girl fmc
- Close-knit community
- Steamy scenes
- Cozy rom-com
- Black fmc x Indian mmc
- Weed farm/ business
October 27, 2024
This book kept a smile on my face the whole time (minus Emma’s lowest point which got me in the trenches with her).
I can understand for some that the relationship with Dan is moving too fast but I think it’s also realistic for some people to fall in love with someone they just met and live a happily ever after!
This book was funny, had a nice pace a little bit of spice and overall made me feel good at the end! I loved the representation of multiple women having a position of power and standing up for themselves. As well as having the male lead being there for their partner without it being overbearing, it was refreshing.
The narration was great, I thought it was a dual narration at times! But you could also hear sometimes Dan not having his British accent so strong, not sure if that was intentional or not. But I was impressed at how all the characters felt real in my hears it was almost like having a full cast.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for providing early access to this audiobook. All opinion are my own.
My rating system:
Narration: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Entertainment: 5/5
Emotions: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
I can understand for some that the relationship with Dan is moving too fast but I think it’s also realistic for some people to fall in love with someone they just met and live a happily ever after!
This book was funny, had a nice pace a little bit of spice and overall made me feel good at the end! I loved the representation of multiple women having a position of power and standing up for themselves. As well as having the male lead being there for their partner without it being overbearing, it was refreshing.
The narration was great, I thought it was a dual narration at times! But you could also hear sometimes Dan not having his British accent so strong, not sure if that was intentional or not. But I was impressed at how all the characters felt real in my hears it was almost like having a full cast.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for providing early access to this audiobook. All opinion are my own.
My rating system:
Narration: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Entertainment: 5/5
Emotions: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
February 9, 2025
Oooo this was cute
August 3, 2024
~ Small-town romance, Steamy-romance, Mystery, Secrets, and more!~
Love in Bloom by Lucy Eden follows Emma Walters, a savvy PR agent who just inherited her Grandparent's farm. After some unfortunate events that leave her jobless and single, she runs to the farm and into the arms of the handsome farm manager, Dan Pednekar. But all is not as it seems as Emma uncovers the small-town and farms secret.
4.5| Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. I love the description of the farm and the town. Emma and Dans relationship is sweet and progresses at a nice pace. It doesn't seem to rushed or too slow. I loved getting to see some of Dan's culture throughout the book, though I do wish we got to see more of his family. His backstory is interesting and allowed me to really understand his character and ambition. Emma is a relatable character with her perfectionist nature. A strong FMC is always nice to see. She has some major character growth throughout the book. I like how Emma and Dan both had flaws; they weren't perfect the whole time. I wish Dan had more of a solid friend group like Emma especially since he seems so personable. The characters are well-rounded; they seem like they could be real people, not just characters straight out of a book. The predictable twist was made up for with the great storytelling.
One thing I especially loved about this book was the growth we saw Emma go through. Going from a fancy PR agent in Atlanta to working on a small town farm is a big change, and I'm glad that transitional struggle was shown. Her ambition is admirable and shows her stubborn personalliy. I love how rich her family history is and how it was shown. I'm typically not a fan of flashbacks in stories, but they were well done and added a lot of much-needed depth and backstory. Emma went through some really high moments and some really low moments, but she made it through. She is a smart character, and I love that aspect of her wasn't pushed aside in favor of romance. The side characters were great and had a lot of personality. This was an enjoyable and easy read with great characters and a fascinating story.
*I received this book through Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley as an eARC reader. This will not in any way affect my thoughts or opinions on the book*
Love in Bloom by Lucy Eden follows Emma Walters, a savvy PR agent who just inherited her Grandparent's farm. After some unfortunate events that leave her jobless and single, she runs to the farm and into the arms of the handsome farm manager, Dan Pednekar. But all is not as it seems as Emma uncovers the small-town and farms secret.
4.5| Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. I love the description of the farm and the town. Emma and Dans relationship is sweet and progresses at a nice pace. It doesn't seem to rushed or too slow. I loved getting to see some of Dan's culture throughout the book, though I do wish we got to see more of his family. His backstory is interesting and allowed me to really understand his character and ambition. Emma is a relatable character with her perfectionist nature. A strong FMC is always nice to see. She has some major character growth throughout the book. I like how Emma and Dan both had flaws; they weren't perfect the whole time. I wish Dan had more of a solid friend group like Emma especially since he seems so personable. The characters are well-rounded; they seem like they could be real people, not just characters straight out of a book. The predictable twist was made up for with the great storytelling.
One thing I especially loved about this book was the growth we saw Emma go through. Going from a fancy PR agent in Atlanta to working on a small town farm is a big change, and I'm glad that transitional struggle was shown. Her ambition is admirable and shows her stubborn personalliy. I love how rich her family history is and how it was shown. I'm typically not a fan of flashbacks in stories, but they were well done and added a lot of much-needed depth and backstory. Emma went through some really high moments and some really low moments, but she made it through. She is a smart character, and I love that aspect of her wasn't pushed aside in favor of romance. The side characters were great and had a lot of personality. This was an enjoyable and easy read with great characters and a fascinating story.
*I received this book through Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley as an eARC reader. This will not in any way affect my thoughts or opinions on the book*
August 5, 2024
3.5/⭐️An interesting read. While I think the overall plot was adventurous and unique, the story landed a bit flat for me. The writing felt very one dimensional. There were lots of words, but not a lot of depth. The characters would just take their turns trauma/info dumping.
Some of the sequences were a little far fetched and/or corny. We meet Emma on what she says is the worst the day of her life, then BAM: she’s lusting after a stranger in the bathroom. She frequently says things that contradict statements that were made earlier. One minute she likes the town, she likes Dan, and people are kindly giving her free services. Then suddenly she says that the town makes her uneasy and that everyone is looking at her with contempt. She says that her grandparents were practically strangers to her, then she’s crying over them. At one point she defends her job and claims that she liked it, then a few paragraphs later, she says the opposite.
The book definitely gets better as you read, specifically the second half of the book. The first chapter of any story is usually what hooks a reader, which unfortunately was not the case here. I honestly struggled to get past the first few chapters. I wish the beginning had been more original and intriguing. Instead, Emma met her love interest, barely had any real conversation with him, and then spent the rest of the night staring at him while comparing him to her boyfriend. There was nothing coy or subliminal about her thoughts or internal dialogue. For lack of a better word, it was corny.
Anger is a big emotion in this story and I wish it had been fleshed out a bit more. Dan’s reaction to Emma’s intent with the news article felt very impulsive and out of character. Emma’s mother’s behavior at the end of the story, was also very out of character for the curt, sad, and angry Celeste that we had become familiar with.
If I had to sum it up, I would say that continuity is this story’s biggest downfall.
Overall, this is not a bad story. I think with a little reworking it could be even better, especially with such a unique plot.
Some of the sequences were a little far fetched and/or corny. We meet Emma on what she says is the worst the day of her life, then BAM: she’s lusting after a stranger in the bathroom. She frequently says things that contradict statements that were made earlier. One minute she likes the town, she likes Dan, and people are kindly giving her free services. Then suddenly she says that the town makes her uneasy and that everyone is looking at her with contempt. She says that her grandparents were practically strangers to her, then she’s crying over them. At one point she defends her job and claims that she liked it, then a few paragraphs later, she says the opposite.
The book definitely gets better as you read, specifically the second half of the book. The first chapter of any story is usually what hooks a reader, which unfortunately was not the case here. I honestly struggled to get past the first few chapters. I wish the beginning had been more original and intriguing. Instead, Emma met her love interest, barely had any real conversation with him, and then spent the rest of the night staring at him while comparing him to her boyfriend. There was nothing coy or subliminal about her thoughts or internal dialogue. For lack of a better word, it was corny.
Anger is a big emotion in this story and I wish it had been fleshed out a bit more. Dan’s reaction to Emma’s intent with the news article felt very impulsive and out of character. Emma’s mother’s behavior at the end of the story, was also very out of character for the curt, sad, and angry Celeste that we had become familiar with.
If I had to sum it up, I would say that continuity is this story’s biggest downfall.
Overall, this is not a bad story. I think with a little reworking it could be even better, especially with such a unique plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2024
I will start off saying that this was so much fun to listen to! The narrators did a fantastic job with telling the story in such a way where you felt immersed in Emma and Dan’s world. This story starts off with Emma losing her job, breaking up with her boyfriend all while grieving her grandparents passing. However, because of what was left on her grandparents will, she is left with a farm a few hours outside of Atlanta that she is left to take care of. She has to decide whether she wants to keep or sell it. This is how she meets Dan, who is a horticulturalist and farm manager as well as her new roommate. As her time on the farm goes by, Emma starts to learn about the history of Green Acres and what it meant to her grandparents while uncovering some of its secrets.
I felt immersed within the townspeople, like I was there sitting in the booth at the diner. The story flows very well and didn’t feel rushed. It didn’t really leave anything out and was cohesive. The romance was so adorable and Dan is such a great caretaker and partner to Emma. If you like small town and fluffy romances, I definitely think you would like this one. They had really balanced chemistry and even though they had some mishaps, it didn’t disrupt the flow of the story. I adored their relationship and the epilogue made me swoon. I really enjoyed this and I would honestly listen to it again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC!
I felt immersed within the townspeople, like I was there sitting in the booth at the diner. The story flows very well and didn’t feel rushed. It didn’t really leave anything out and was cohesive. The romance was so adorable and Dan is such a great caretaker and partner to Emma. If you like small town and fluffy romances, I definitely think you would like this one. They had really balanced chemistry and even though they had some mishaps, it didn’t disrupt the flow of the story. I adored their relationship and the epilogue made me swoon. I really enjoyed this and I would honestly listen to it again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC!
December 4, 2024
BEAUTIFUL. Zero complaints whatsoever. Such a heartwarming story.
Thank you so much to Hachette Audio & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ALC & ARC review copies!
I had never read any of Lucy Eden’s books until this ARC, but I am SOLD! The writing was fantastic and touched on so many important themes. Grief, loss, healthcare issues, etc.
The story starts with Emma, finding out her grandparents have passed and left her their farm. Being from Atlanta, Emma has absolutely no idea how to run a farm. After some back & forth decision making, the true focus of this story is Emma’s character development. While adapting to farm life, she learns more about the small town and her grandparents impact that holds it together.
Emma also forms a tentative friendship with the farm manager, Dan. The way their attraction is written, it feels like they were ‘meant to be’ from their very first encounter. The steamy scenes are amazing and not over the top!
I adored the small town feel of the book and ALWAYS love a ‘fish out of water’ trope small town romance!
Thank you so much to Hachette Audio & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ALC & ARC review copies!
I had never read any of Lucy Eden’s books until this ARC, but I am SOLD! The writing was fantastic and touched on so many important themes. Grief, loss, healthcare issues, etc.
The story starts with Emma, finding out her grandparents have passed and left her their farm. Being from Atlanta, Emma has absolutely no idea how to run a farm. After some back & forth decision making, the true focus of this story is Emma’s character development. While adapting to farm life, she learns more about the small town and her grandparents impact that holds it together.
Emma also forms a tentative friendship with the farm manager, Dan. The way their attraction is written, it feels like they were ‘meant to be’ from their very first encounter. The steamy scenes are amazing and not over the top!
I adored the small town feel of the book and ALWAYS love a ‘fish out of water’ trope small town romance!
November 12, 2024
4.5 Rounded Up
This was delightful, charming, and light-hearted. The story kind of reminded me of a Hallmark Christmas movie set up: busy big city professional woman has life changing experience, moves to small town USA and falls is love with a sweet local.
I liked that the third act misunderstanding wasn't a frustrating lack of adult communication. I loved the side characters in this. While this isn't holiday centered, its got cozy fall romance vibes.
The narrator of this audiobook is Wesleigh Siobhan. Wesleigh has a real gift for narrating these types of stories. I'll definitely be seeking out other works narrated by her.
Thank you to Lucy Eden, Hachette Audio , and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
This was delightful, charming, and light-hearted. The story kind of reminded me of a Hallmark Christmas movie set up: busy big city professional woman has life changing experience, moves to small town USA and falls is love with a sweet local.
I liked that the third act misunderstanding wasn't a frustrating lack of adult communication. I loved the side characters in this. While this isn't holiday centered, its got cozy fall romance vibes.
The narrator of this audiobook is Wesleigh Siobhan. Wesleigh has a real gift for narrating these types of stories. I'll definitely be seeking out other works narrated by her.
Thank you to Lucy Eden, Hachette Audio , and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
August 16, 2024
this was a fun read! i don’t usually like small town romances because it’s too hallmark-y for me but this cover really called to me i had to read it so bad
and i was NOT disappointed to say the least
i lowkey want a farm now and a broody guy with trauma to hit me up LIKE RIGHT NOW thank u netgalley and co for this arc
and i was NOT disappointed to say the least
i lowkey want a farm now and a broody guy with trauma to hit me up LIKE RIGHT NOW thank u netgalley and co for this arc
January 12, 2025
Special thanks to the author, @librofm for my ALC & @readforverpub for my gifted e-ARC‼️
Finally a rom-com that made me laugh which was partially due to my girl Wesleigh Siobhan narrating the audio. Her delivery and energy is always on point so just know anything she narrates will be worth listening to.
Now this book had a slow start for me and I didn’t think I’d enjoy it but I’m happy I pushed through. Emma thought she had the perfect life with her successful career and loving boyfriend Teddy. But in a matter of minutes her entire world is turned upside down leaving her jobless, boyfriend-less, and the new owner of a family farm. With nothing else to lose Emma packs her bags and heads to Green Acres, Georgia. Upon arrival she’ll discover that Old McDonald left her more than just a farm it came with a little medical marijuana and a sexy farm manager who will swoon her right out of her knickers 😂.
Ya’ll this book was heartwarming, funny, a little spicy and filled with loveable characters. I literally could see Lynn Whitfield playing Emma’s mother. But the fact Emma and Dan were from two different cultural backgrounds I always felt their encounters were authentic and funny. Their first time having sex was so hilarious to me. The only character you’ll dislike is Teddy the narcissistic f*ckboy from hell. He was such a loser for what he tried to do.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and if you like small-town romances with Hallmark vibes you’ll enjoy this one too. Lucy was in her Tyler Perry bag when she wrote this book lol. Perfectly capturing the small- town charm and what it means to completely start over. The dialogue was on point , the humor was lighthearted, and the romance was passionate and nurturing for both MC’s. Need I say more?
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
Finally a rom-com that made me laugh which was partially due to my girl Wesleigh Siobhan narrating the audio. Her delivery and energy is always on point so just know anything she narrates will be worth listening to.
Now this book had a slow start for me and I didn’t think I’d enjoy it but I’m happy I pushed through. Emma thought she had the perfect life with her successful career and loving boyfriend Teddy. But in a matter of minutes her entire world is turned upside down leaving her jobless, boyfriend-less, and the new owner of a family farm. With nothing else to lose Emma packs her bags and heads to Green Acres, Georgia. Upon arrival she’ll discover that Old McDonald left her more than just a farm it came with a little medical marijuana and a sexy farm manager who will swoon her right out of her knickers 😂.
Ya’ll this book was heartwarming, funny, a little spicy and filled with loveable characters. I literally could see Lynn Whitfield playing Emma’s mother. But the fact Emma and Dan were from two different cultural backgrounds I always felt their encounters were authentic and funny. Their first time having sex was so hilarious to me. The only character you’ll dislike is Teddy the narcissistic f*ckboy from hell. He was such a loser for what he tried to do.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and if you like small-town romances with Hallmark vibes you’ll enjoy this one too. Lucy was in her Tyler Perry bag when she wrote this book lol. Perfectly capturing the small- town charm and what it means to completely start over. The dialogue was on point , the humor was lighthearted, and the romance was passionate and nurturing for both MC’s. Need I say more?
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
October 30, 2024
If you can, go into this one blind—or at least a little bit. The synopsis gives away too much, in my opinion, and uncovering the secrets of the inherited farm alongside Emma would have added a bit more fun and shock factor.
I did find it hard to believe that an entire town would accept these secrets—the logistics felt too unrealistic for me—but I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet and low-stakes this romance was.
There’s some drama, yes, but it’s mostly outside of Emma and Danesh’s relationship. Danesh, the British farmhand with a speciality in horticulture, was such a charming character. I loved his teasing, their ongoing chess game, their quiet moments together, and… the roses! Swoon.
(heat level: multiple open-door scenes, explicit details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I did find it hard to believe that an entire town would accept these secrets—the logistics felt too unrealistic for me—but I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet and low-stakes this romance was.
There’s some drama, yes, but it’s mostly outside of Emma and Danesh’s relationship. Danesh, the British farmhand with a speciality in horticulture, was such a charming character. I loved his teasing, their ongoing chess game, their quiet moments together, and… the roses! Swoon.
(heat level: multiple open-door scenes, explicit details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 5, 2025
3.75 ✨(rounded up)
I enjoyed this much more than I anticipated! Our FMC, Emma inherits a farm at the same time she loses her high profile job and breaks up with her long term boyfriend. She ultimately decides to spend some time at the farm to decide her next steps, and this sets the scene for the blooming romance.
I loved the set up of this! I’m a sucker for a small town romance with nosy residents 😂 It was a lot of fun seeing Emma transitioning from city life to country life. There were funny moments, emotional moments, forced proximity, friendships, and a good romance.
I always hate the miscommunication in romances, and this was no exception 😅. That aside, I’ll definitely read more from this author.
I enjoyed this much more than I anticipated! Our FMC, Emma inherits a farm at the same time she loses her high profile job and breaks up with her long term boyfriend. She ultimately decides to spend some time at the farm to decide her next steps, and this sets the scene for the blooming romance.
I loved the set up of this! I’m a sucker for a small town romance with nosy residents 😂 It was a lot of fun seeing Emma transitioning from city life to country life. There were funny moments, emotional moments, forced proximity, friendships, and a good romance.
I always hate the miscommunication in romances, and this was no exception 😅. That aside, I’ll definitely read more from this author.
November 4, 2024
The narrator on this audio is GOLD. The book was cute but this narration was such a perfect fit I adored it! The book is written in parts as inner monologue that had me LOLing along. The premise was unique and very modern and made it a book I had never read before which was very appealing. Highly (pun intended) recommend this on audiobook!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this amazing audiobook!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this amazing audiobook!
January 15, 2025
This was good. But I hated every mention of Teddy. He could absolutely kick rocks! But I'm sure that was the author's intention. I loved Emma and Dan. Happy reading!
August 25, 2024
I went into this book with no expectations, and fairly blind to the story. I thought this would be a typical small town rom-com, but this gave so much more! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really ended up enjoying it 🥰
🐐 Small Town (with a twist!)
🌹 Cinnamon Roll Hero
🐐 City Girl Inherits Family Farm
🌹 Family Secrets & Drama
🐐 Black fmc x Indian mmc
Okay so picture a Hallmark channel movie if it was spicy, with a cast of diverse characters, and there was a town full of residents collaborating together to hide this big old town secret 👀. The whole thing ended up being so endearingly wholesome and just so much fun! 🤗
The small town that this book is set in was lively, energetic, and full of absolutely hilarious and heartfelt characters. I love when a town has a hidden secret that they all work hard to protect. I won't say what the secret is in this, but it was such a unique storyline and I loved everything about it. It really intensified the importance of the story, and added a layer of emotional depth.
Now to our leading characters...
Dan Pednekar had me from the moment he stepped on the page with his British accent and sly little smile saying, "hello, love" 🫠. He could do no wrong in my book. He was so attentive, compassionate, and oh so patient with Emma 🤭
Speaking of which, Ms. Emmaline Walters was an absolutely walking hot mess! God love her, but in the beginning I wanted to smack her 🤣. I don't even drink coffee, but even I know how to make a simple pot with out having coffee grounds go over the entire kitchen! Like girl, what are you doing?!... but I digress 😅. As I said a walking disaster in the beginning, but she did have so much growth in this! I like that the overall theme in this was learning to ask for help, which Emma was terrible at. I get it though, because I am the exact same way whether I like to admit it or not 🫣. I liked that theme and towards the end seeing all of these characters from the town and Emma's life come together to put everything back together at the end.
The one thing that bothered me with this is how we never really heard what happened with Emma's grandparents. We know that everyone in the town is mourning them, but all we hear is that they disappeared basically to never been seen again (presumed to be dead). But I never heard exactly what happened, and honestly I kept waiting for them to show up but I guess it wasn't that type of book lol 🤷🏼♀️
I also struggled with the pacing at the end. So many storylines that had been building up and they all sort of exploded all at once and I was like, "how are we going to solve all of this so quickly?!" For the most part we did, but it felt sort of rushed at the same time. Like there was this slow build up, and the BAM PROBLEMS EVERY WHERE!
Overall though, I really really enjoyed this story!! It was a breeze to read. Once I hit 50% I could not put it down. I was chomping at the bit trying to figure out how everything was going to work out for this cute little town. I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you love a good small town romance 🤗
Thank you Forever Pub and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
🐐 Small Town (with a twist!)
🌹 Cinnamon Roll Hero
🐐 City Girl Inherits Family Farm
🌹 Family Secrets & Drama
🐐 Black fmc x Indian mmc
Okay so picture a Hallmark channel movie if it was spicy, with a cast of diverse characters, and there was a town full of residents collaborating together to hide this big old town secret 👀. The whole thing ended up being so endearingly wholesome and just so much fun! 🤗
The small town that this book is set in was lively, energetic, and full of absolutely hilarious and heartfelt characters. I love when a town has a hidden secret that they all work hard to protect. I won't say what the secret is in this, but it was such a unique storyline and I loved everything about it. It really intensified the importance of the story, and added a layer of emotional depth.
Now to our leading characters...
Dan Pednekar had me from the moment he stepped on the page with his British accent and sly little smile saying, "hello, love" 🫠. He could do no wrong in my book. He was so attentive, compassionate, and oh so patient with Emma 🤭
Speaking of which, Ms. Emmaline Walters was an absolutely walking hot mess! God love her, but in the beginning I wanted to smack her 🤣. I don't even drink coffee, but even I know how to make a simple pot with out having coffee grounds go over the entire kitchen! Like girl, what are you doing?!... but I digress 😅. As I said a walking disaster in the beginning, but she did have so much growth in this! I like that the overall theme in this was learning to ask for help, which Emma was terrible at. I get it though, because I am the exact same way whether I like to admit it or not 🫣. I liked that theme and towards the end seeing all of these characters from the town and Emma's life come together to put everything back together at the end.
The one thing that bothered me with this is how we never really heard what happened with Emma's grandparents. We know that everyone in the town is mourning them, but all we hear is that they disappeared basically to never been seen again (presumed to be dead). But I never heard exactly what happened, and honestly I kept waiting for them to show up but I guess it wasn't that type of book lol 🤷🏼♀️
I also struggled with the pacing at the end. So many storylines that had been building up and they all sort of exploded all at once and I was like, "how are we going to solve all of this so quickly?!" For the most part we did, but it felt sort of rushed at the same time. Like there was this slow build up, and the BAM PROBLEMS EVERY WHERE!
Overall though, I really really enjoyed this story!! It was a breeze to read. Once I hit 50% I could not put it down. I was chomping at the bit trying to figure out how everything was going to work out for this cute little town. I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you love a good small town romance 🤗
Thank you Forever Pub and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
April 4, 2025
I have such mixed feelings about this one and that always makes it SO difficult for me to rate and review! First off, I absolutely loved the main characters in this book. Dan and Emma are absolutely adorable together. I loved watching their relationship develop and “bloom”, how well they loved each other, and their sarcastic banter made me literally lol on several occasions. Definitely reminded me a bit of the banter between myself and Kris, and I loved it! I also loved that the characters were far from perfect and had their flaws. It made them feel more relatable and genuine. Watching them come back together after deep struggles was inspiring and beautiful. They went through a lot of similar things Kris and I have had to wade through in our relationship, and seeing them fight for each other the same way Kris and I have, even when things got really messy, was so special and sweet.❤️ I also loved how the community all came together and how Emma’s grandparent’s farm, which she inherited, built such a foundation for the town and many others who traveled from near and far to take part in what the community and farm had to offer. I won’t spoil it and explain why, but I really did love watching it all unfold. Some may have conflicting feelings behind the WHY of it all, but as someone who suffers from chronic health issues, I personally thought it was so beautiful. ❤️ Also, as a granddaughter of grandparents who had/have a farm, this book brought back a lot of really sweet memories, especially of my late Grandpa. 🥹 Cue the tears and pass the Kleenex. 🥹❤️🩹 What I didn’t care for was the intense spice in this book and how descriptive it was. It didn’t hit until about 60% in, but once it hit, whew buddy, did it get spicy! 🌶️🥵 That’s just personally not my cup of tea. I don’t mind a few simple scenes here and there in books, but the erotic and descriptive scenes in this book were just not for me. There was also quite a bit of crude language in this book, which is also not my cup of tea. Again, I don’t mind some language, but I thought it was a bit excessive in this book. Those things aside, it was a really beautiful story of love, family, generational pain and trauma, loss, community, realizing that mistakes don’t equate to failure, forgiveness, and learning how to come back together and really fight for what you believe in. I’m struggling so much on how to rate this, because the story itself I loved and it really spoke to me, but certain things just really rubbed me the wrong way. I think I’m going to go for a 3.75 on this one, bumping to a 4 on Goodreads. It could have easily been a 5 star for me without all the smut and language, so that was a bummer. Overall, good book, great story, just could have done without certain things. If you don’t mind very descriptive spice and foul language, I recommend. 🫶
November 11, 2024
First, I would listen to Wesleigh Siobhan read a phonebook, so I was happy when I was granted the opportunity to listen to this early. As always, her narration was emotional, entertaining, and extraordinary.
However, I found myself straddling between finding this really sweet and enjoying the small town banter and feeling like not much was going on/not quite buying the love story. Not because Emma and Dan weren't appealing characters, but because they moved quite quickly for me and it felt instalove-y despite technically not being such. The spice was a little odd sometimes due to some of my least favorite words being used in those scenes, but that's very much a *me* thing, but I did love how much emphasis was placed on using protection. Emma having friends but being too I'm-a-strong-woman-y to lean on them was exasperating at times—if anything this book highlights how absolutely essential community is because individualism was going to take my sis out the game early!
I felt like the stakes in this novel rested on nothing. I know this takes place in a rural small town, but I don't know many people who would have been scandalized by what was happening on the farm. At least not someone under the age of 35—so Emma's reaction and condemnation walking more on the extreme line her parents walked was…antiquated. And strange for a millennial or gen zer to feel lol. So this subplot—while the fear of the illegality surrounding it is legitimate and real—was simply difficult for me to find scandal in. I also felt the tension between Emma and Dan toward the end was contrived. It didn't make sense to me that someone who always thought far in advance and considered every outcome due to her work made such a rash decision surrounding Dan's past and didn't foresee his reaction. I also felt like his reaction was so…big because they simply didn't know each other well enough to be moving as fast as they were romantically so it fell apart easily.
However, I think Eden is a great author! She did a great job juggling a lot of characters and bringing a resolution to the end. I also thought the small-town, found family aspect was my favorite because while the neighbors did meddle, they weren't overbearing like they can be in similar small-town romance books. I'm very much looking forward to reading more from her!
3.5 ⭐️s
2 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 11/12/24
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for providing an ALC!
However, I found myself straddling between finding this really sweet and enjoying the small town banter and feeling like not much was going on/not quite buying the love story. Not because Emma and Dan weren't appealing characters, but because they moved quite quickly for me and it felt instalove-y despite technically not being such. The spice was a little odd sometimes due to some of my least favorite words being used in those scenes, but that's very much a *me* thing, but I did love how much emphasis was placed on using protection. Emma having friends but being too I'm-a-strong-woman-y to lean on them was exasperating at times—if anything this book highlights how absolutely essential community is because individualism was going to take my sis out the game early!
I felt like the stakes in this novel rested on nothing. I know this takes place in a rural small town, but I don't know many people who would have been scandalized by what was happening on the farm. At least not someone under the age of 35—so Emma's reaction and condemnation walking more on the extreme line her parents walked was…antiquated. And strange for a millennial or gen zer to feel lol. So this subplot—while the fear of the illegality surrounding it is legitimate and real—was simply difficult for me to find scandal in. I also felt the tension between Emma and Dan toward the end was contrived. It didn't make sense to me that someone who always thought far in advance and considered every outcome due to her work made such a rash decision surrounding Dan's past and didn't foresee his reaction. I also felt like his reaction was so…big because they simply didn't know each other well enough to be moving as fast as they were romantically so it fell apart easily.
However, I think Eden is a great author! She did a great job juggling a lot of characters and bringing a resolution to the end. I also thought the small-town, found family aspect was my favorite because while the neighbors did meddle, they weren't overbearing like they can be in similar small-town romance books. I'm very much looking forward to reading more from her!
3.5 ⭐️s
2 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 11/12/24
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for providing an ALC!
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