Bumblebee Season: A Novel

by Eileen Garvin

From Eileen Garvin, nationally bestselling author of The Music of Bees and Crow Talk, a heartwarming new story that returns to the vibrant world of beekeeping in a small Oregon town

Beekeeper Jake Stevenson should be celebrating. His fledgling honey farm has been inundated with orders. Instead, Jake is worried. He can’t seem to hire anyone—with local teens more interested in jobs at Hood River’s hip waterfront—and there’s no way he can do it all by himself, no matter how adept he’s become at maneuvering among the beehives in his wheelchair.

Meanwhile Flaco López, a young migrant from Mexico, is lost on Mount Hood when he stumbles upon Jake’s beehives in a high alpine meadow. As Flaco takes refuge on Jake’s farm, they begin to form a tentative friendship. And the two soon cross paths with Abigail Plue, a scientist more interested in insects than people, who’s on Mount Hood studying a threatened native bumblebee.

Then a local rabble rouser begins to rally support to build a commercial hunting camp that would destroy Mount Hood’s pristine wilderness—the home of Jake’s honeybees and Abigail’s beloved bumblebees. And Jake, Abigail, and Flaco must come together to protect everything they hold dear. Full of warmth, big-hearted characters, and a celebration of nature in all its complexity, Bumblebee Season reminds us that human connection might just be the most powerful force there is.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 21, 2026

Reviews

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be the most timely book ever written. it’s based a one of her previous novels featuring Jake who I loved, but you don’t have to have read the previous novel to read this. The story was so good- well written and informative and scary and ever so timely. My heart was racing the whole time I was reading and I couldn’t put it down. I loved Abigail -who deserves her own book someday!
If I were the publishers, I would put this out right now.. In the future, this will be THE book that people read when they don’t believe what happened.

[Debbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. Bumblebee season revisits the landscape of the authors first book, Music of the Bees. Jake Stevenson, five years later, is a master beekeeper and the co-owner of a honey farm. Jake, in a wheelchair, defies many notions people have regarding disabilities. He is confident, professional, has romantic interests and a good life. There are new characters in this novel, Abigail , who is neurodivergent and working with the OSU lab on bumblebee research and Flaco a 14 year old boy who has made his way to Oregon from Mexico.
I am impressed by the author's knowledge of bees, it adds substance to the story. The characters are well developed and the Oregon setting was perfect. The pacing felt a little off it was slow until the last third. The themes of disabilities, the environment, immigration and community were expertly braided to create an interesting story. A good stand alone, it isn't necessary to read the first novel to enjoy this one.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy to read and review.

[vicki honeyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eileen Garvin returns to Jake and Alice, the main characters from her debut novel "The Music of Bees," the tender story about beekeepers in Hood River, Oregon. This is a good time to honor the world of beekeeping, what with the non-stop demise of bees worldwide. Jake is now the 23-year old Jacob. He and Alice have become business partners of the highly successful Queen of G Honey Farm. Their story is not only a deep-dive into beekeeping and honey farming, it's also about the terror of undocumented Mexican farmworkers and the dichotomy between those who strive to protect our natural world and those who want to destroy it for their own self-serving desires. Kudos to Garvin for yet again sharing her love of the natural world, her respect for the real Jacob's and Alice's beekeepers, and her page-turning writing skills.

[Jordan Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to a 4.
I really did enjoy the book. I was in it til the last chapter. I find bees pretty fascinating, so that paired with both a wheelchair bound MMC and a young immigrant boy, and a smart woman on the spectrum, this book touched an so many nuanced areas of life and did it well. I enjoyed all the characters and the ways they developed. My biggest qualm was jumping back and forth from different narrators. It wasn’t chronological and towards the end got confusing. I couldn’t remember where we left off with each story…and one even seemed out of order. It made it feel choppy rather than a seamless storyline weaving together.
That said, I really did enjoy this read and would read something again by this author. Thanks to Dutton and Netgallery for the ARC in exchange for me honest review.

[Karen Axnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a sequel to the author’s previous novel, “The Music of Bees.” I had not read the first, but I found this latest works very well on its own. There is just enough background woven into the story to provide a solid understanding of current dynamics.

The story unfolds in alternating chapters between three main characters…each has their respective, quite different challenges. Jake provides the continuity between the two books. A 23-year-old who suffered a traumatic event that left him wheelchair bound, he is co-owner of the Queen of G, a business which produces award-winning honey from his hives. Jake is desperately seeking additional labor as the harvest season approaches and the demand for his product dramatically increases.

Abigal is a graduate student majoring in entomology. While she is passionate about bees, she struggles with human relationships and loses her teaching status due to her inappropriate responses to students. Abigail struggles with her neurodivergent characteristics coupled with abandonment issues. Fortunately, Jake appreciates her unique qualities and a bond of friendship forms between the two.

Fourteen-year-old Flaco, aka Sebastian, is sent north by his mother from his tiny town in Mexico to avoid being drawn into the local cartel activities. He finds himself stranded in California without food or money and makes the solitary journey on foot to Oregon by sheer willpower. Through serendipity, Flaco finds himself reluctantly befriended by Jake as others try to help him gain legal status to stay in the United States.

The convergence of their individual stories is climatic in highlighting the conflicting forces of human greed, bigotry, and nature. It is a compelling read that is both emotionally evocative and informative. The descriptions of the Oregon region and specifically Mount Hood are inspiring. My only criticism is that the transitions between chapters felt fragmented at times. A chapter would end with a “cliff-hangar” event and not be picked up again for several chapters. It was a bit frustrating.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

[Lyla Nadeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start off by saying this book is not my typical read and I did overall enjoy it. It is very diverse with real issues that are really important to read and those voices should be lifted. That being said I did not understand a lot of the story. It is very character driven and feels like several stories in one with an invisible string that brings them together but not everyone’s story makes sense.

Let’s start with Abigail…. I loved her and as an “odd girl” myself I related to her and neurodiversity and all the struggles and feelings tied to that. I also LOVED the bee facts! There is a lot of detail in this book and although I found it fascinating and informative some might find it boring and lose interest.

Next there’s Jake… I felt for him and his struggles but I loved that as hard as moments were for him he still had an open heart to ppl who needed it most. That’s how he ties Abigail and flaco together. He’s like the glue.

Then there is Flaco as he calls himself and his story is the major story in this book. He is a child who comes to America and we see his struggles of not knowing the language well, the lengths he has to get here and stay here and a lot of this story revolves around immigration. I really enjoyed reading his story and being educated on the issues that we are facing and how much he deserved better. He finds “home” in the people who he might never have expected and it was a beautiful story.

Overall I enjoyed the book but it felt disconnected as we were jumping between several characters and it is very detail and character driven so some might struggle with it. I rounded up because the story is a beautiful story and needs to be told and read but I really did get a little lost.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Jake has hit a career high; as a beekeeper, his honey farm has won a big award, and now his business is taking off, but he cannot keep up with the orders and is struggling to find adequate help. Flaco, a teenager from Mexico sent north to escape local violence, gets lost in his journey and winds up on Jake's farm. And Abigail winds up near Jake's farm as she studies some of the bees for her graduate degree, and also conducts research that could help preserve the area around Jake's farm from being made into a commercial hunting site.

I really loved the setting of the bee farm and the timely discussion on habitat, climate, and commercialization. For those into more deeper political elements, there is also relevance to the current climate surrounding immigration. There is a heartfelt element to this book as well, and the author did a great job of humanizing the characters, which made them quite relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[vlm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eileen Garvin’s Bumblebee Season is a heartfelt, quietly powerful novel about connection, resilience, and the fragile balance between humans and nature. The story weaves together the lives of Jake, a struggling beekeeper; Flaco, a lost migrant teen; and Abigail, a passionate entomologist. As their paths converge on Mount Hood, they face challenges that test compassion, courage, and community in the face of exploitation and environmental threat.

Garvin’s prose hums with warmth and empathy, offering a tender reflection on hope and the unexpected bonds that sustain us. Both intimate and timely, Bumblebee Season beautifully captures the sweetness and sting of finding belonging in a world that often forgets how to care.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[SueK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

When I picked up this book, I did not realize that it was a follow up book to another (The Music of Bees). I don't believe it suffered in the least from my not having read the first book. Told from alternating viewpoints - Jake, the 23 year-old wheelchair bound owner of the apiary; "Flaco," a 14 year old sent north by his mother to escape cartel violence; and Abigail, an entomologist doing fieldwork, who also happens to be on the spectrum.

I was charmed from the beginning with the way Abigail was written, being inside her head as she dealt with her responses to issues. The convergence of these three main lives, plus all the supporting characters of the book, is very well done.

Also, the book is extremely timely. I wish it were generally available now.

Round up to 4 1/2 stars.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second novel is the continuing story of Jacob and his honey production. We are introduced to two more characters in Abigail, as we see her dealing with autism, and Flaco, who is an young 14-year-old from Mexico who is sent by his mother to Oregon to prevent him being forced into the drug trade in his home town. Illegal immigration was handled from a different perspective than the current government wants us to believe. We also see Jacob continue to deal with peoples' opinion of disabled persons. The understanding of bees, the different types of bees, the production of honey, and the threat to bees was very enlightening. Thanks NetGalley for a preview copy.

[MeLisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

This is the story from three perspectives, each unique and challenged in their own way. Abigail, a masters student pursuing a study in bumblebees; Jacob, a 23 year old honeybee farmer; and Flaco, a 14 year old undocumented child arriving in Oregon from Mexico. Through these 3 people you delve into topics of neurodiversity, disability, and immigration. But in the end this book is about community and belonging. I really enjoyed it. It does touch on many immigration issues that are even more prevalent today, so perhaps proceed with caution.

[Ashley B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC. I didn’t realize this novel followed an earlier installment, so a few references felt like pieces of a larger puzzle—but even without that background, the story stands on its own with warmth and charm. Bumblebee Season offers a gentle, immersive reading experience, weaving together themes of community, renewal, and the quiet magic of the natural world. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a lingering sense of calm and reminds you how meaningful our connections—to each other and to the environment—can be.

[Rebecca Enslein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Eileen Garvin's debut novel, The Music of Bees.

When I saw she'd written another book set in the same Hood River universe, I was so excited!

It's so much fun to revisit a cast of characters that captured your heart.

Garvin does a great job of shifting the focus of this novel to Jake, who we first met as a paraplegic teen with the tallest mohawk around.

He's now older and an experienced beekeeper, facing harvest season with crushing demand for his honey and no one to help him collect it and fill the orders.

Then Flaco appears- a teen who has fled the dangers of his hometown in Mexico and has been separated from everyone he was traveling with.

The two form a tentative friendship amidst the swirling racial tension in Mt. Hood.

I don't want to spoil anything for you, but this is a great novel that celebrates the beauty of the natural world and the importance of being kind to others.

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #bumblebeeseason

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intimate, timely, detailed, and beautifully written. Three main characters who were complete opposites but Garvin managed to weave their timelines together wonderfully.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy. This book was fabulous. It’s something we should all read - a young immigrant child escaping Mexico for a better life, and the people who help him along the way. We should all have a little more compassion toward those different than us.

[alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! I like this authors writing style and focus on different characters in the same cohesive story. First one was sooo good, this one was still great though

Thank you NetGalley for the arc