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Blooming #1
Blooming
What do you do when the future isn’t a bed of roses?
Lydia has spent three years of her life working on what now seems to be a worthless degree. Every job she applies for needs years of work experience and she has precisely none. The only spark of hope comes when her boyfriend, Jake, manages to land her a role as a gardening volunteer at Heathley Park and Gardens, but when she meets the head gardener, Scott, her hopes are crushed.
Far from being the opportunity of her dreams, Heathley Park and Gardens is one big nightmare! Will she ever be able to prove to both Scott and herself that she should be taken seriously as a gardener?
Lydia is about to discover that love, life, and landscape gardening, is far from being a bed of roses.
Lydia has spent three years of her life working on what now seems to be a worthless degree. Every job she applies for needs years of work experience and she has precisely none. The only spark of hope comes when her boyfriend, Jake, manages to land her a role as a gardening volunteer at Heathley Park and Gardens, but when she meets the head gardener, Scott, her hopes are crushed.
Far from being the opportunity of her dreams, Heathley Park and Gardens is one big nightmare! Will she ever be able to prove to both Scott and herself that she should be taken seriously as a gardener?
Lydia is about to discover that love, life, and landscape gardening, is far from being a bed of roses.
- GenresContemporary Romance
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 17, 2016
78 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Ruby Loren
98 books125 followersRuby Loren was born and raised in East Sussex, England. She writes cozy mysteries, paranormal mysteries, and stories about rockstars. Her books are designed to take you away to a little slice of a different world, often set in a rural corner of South East England. Full of ideas, she is always busy writing her next bestseller!
Ruby is the author of the Madigan Amos cozy mysteries, a funny, twisty series that stars zookeeper, Madigan Amos, and is set in Sussex. She has many other cozy mystery series under her belt, including the Blooming series, the Emily Haversson Mysteries, the Hayley Argent Mysteries, and the Holly Winter Mysteries, all set in England.
The themes of her books range from cunning, twisty plots, to slightly silly, humorous mysteries, designed to make you laugh. Her books are perfect for readers, who love to get a know a character, and like to look on the lighter side of life.
Ruby still lives near Brighton, in East Sussex, with her fox-fighting, bird-murdering cat, Jasper. When she’s not writing, she’s travelling the world with her musical duo, Rumours, playing electric guitar and singing lead vocals.
To find out more about Ruby and pick up 3 free books, visit her website: www.rubyloren.com
Ruby is the author of the Madigan Amos cozy mysteries, a funny, twisty series that stars zookeeper, Madigan Amos, and is set in Sussex. She has many other cozy mystery series under her belt, including the Blooming series, the Emily Haversson Mysteries, the Hayley Argent Mysteries, and the Holly Winter Mysteries, all set in England.
The themes of her books range from cunning, twisty plots, to slightly silly, humorous mysteries, designed to make you laugh. Her books are perfect for readers, who love to get a know a character, and like to look on the lighter side of life.
Ruby still lives near Brighton, in East Sussex, with her fox-fighting, bird-murdering cat, Jasper. When she’s not writing, she’s travelling the world with her musical duo, Rumours, playing electric guitar and singing lead vocals.
To find out more about Ruby and pick up 3 free books, visit her website: www.rubyloren.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 15, 2018
Blooming #1 - A quick, fun read with bits of suspense. Armed with self-doubt in the beginning, the main character uses integrity, determination and hard work to succeed and becomes an outstanding young woman while changing the life of the people around her. This book is filled with humor and suspense. The author did a good job with this book; still needs editing. But this recent work is vastly superior over her earlier writings. Like the main character, she persevered, too. 5*
Holly Winters books 1-4 5* Ms. Loren re-edited this series.
Snowed In With Death #1 - Just so silly, it's funny. A humorous whodunit filled with the egos of six private detectives and a young female amateur sleuth. Even with the disdainful PIs present, the young woman shows them up. Just perfect for a few minutes of humor filled relaxation. 5*
A Fatal Frost #2 - Two stories in one. This book picks up where Snowed In With Death stops. The perfect breakfast opens the story! Another well written, quick murder mystery with our two characters from SIWD. The plot was interesting and kept the reader's attention; great for a lunch break or a few moments of relaxation. I contacted the author to review her books after reading the ones I had in my Amazon library. 5*
Murder Beneath the Mistletoe #3 - An interesting story, a little more substantial than the first two books in this series. The characters are interesting, although one disappears without really knowing what's up with him. The ending is kinda cool, which of course is where the next book picks up. 5*
Winter's Last Victim #4 - Picks up where Murder Beneath the Mistletoe stopped. These four stories are related in more than one way. Interesting plot, the same good and bad character types and a new member to Holly's "gang". Plenty of humor, along with a couple of surprises. 5*
Holly Winters books 1-4 end
The Lavender of Larch Hall - A quick, easy read. A well written suspense with a touch of romance and humor. Just perfect for a few minutes with a cuppa. 5*
Holly Winters books 1-4 5* Ms. Loren re-edited this series.
Snowed In With Death #1 - Just so silly, it's funny. A humorous whodunit filled with the egos of six private detectives and a young female amateur sleuth. Even with the disdainful PIs present, the young woman shows them up. Just perfect for a few minutes of humor filled relaxation. 5*
A Fatal Frost #2 - Two stories in one. This book picks up where Snowed In With Death stops. The perfect breakfast opens the story! Another well written, quick murder mystery with our two characters from SIWD. The plot was interesting and kept the reader's attention; great for a lunch break or a few moments of relaxation. I contacted the author to review her books after reading the ones I had in my Amazon library. 5*
Murder Beneath the Mistletoe #3 - An interesting story, a little more substantial than the first two books in this series. The characters are interesting, although one disappears without really knowing what's up with him. The ending is kinda cool, which of course is where the next book picks up. 5*
Winter's Last Victim #4 - Picks up where Murder Beneath the Mistletoe stopped. These four stories are related in more than one way. Interesting plot, the same good and bad character types and a new member to Holly's "gang". Plenty of humor, along with a couple of surprises. 5*
Holly Winters books 1-4 end
The Lavender of Larch Hall - A quick, easy read. A well written suspense with a touch of romance and humor. Just perfect for a few minutes with a cuppa. 5*
September 22, 2017
Lydia has her degree in Landscape Gardening. Her parents believe she needs to seek and find a “real” job and move out of their house. Lydia's boyfriend, Jake, has volunteered to get her a volunteer position working in the gardens of Heathley Park and Gardens. It may lead to something. Lydia simply wants a chance.
Lydia is taken on as a volunteer and she has volunteered to work full time. She wants to get experience to add to her resume but she also would like to learn in the real world.
Scott is the head gardener and he does not welcome Lydia with open arms. In fact, it appears he gives her the most boring and/or difficult jobs.
The staff of other gardeners and volunteers is filled with interesting characters. There are feuds going on. There are people who think they have better ideas. There are people who work hard and want to do a good job.
The plot is pretty straight forward. Lydia has some ideas that will help a spot in the gardens which has been underutilized. She is given the opportunity to do something that will make it a destination spot. And when some things get out of whack, Lydia is also able to show her leadership ability.
Because this is a short read, the character development is relatively quick. Lydia is smart and ambitious and slowly she is finding the things in her work that make her happy. She also is able to get a better perspective on other people. She learns that people are not always as they seem. She also learns that some people only have their own best interest at heart, no matter what they say.
Ms Loren has created a quick and fun read. This is not an easily defined story. It has romance, it has mystery, and it has a great deal of interesting information about gardening.
I enjoyed the book very much.
Lydia is taken on as a volunteer and she has volunteered to work full time. She wants to get experience to add to her resume but she also would like to learn in the real world.
Scott is the head gardener and he does not welcome Lydia with open arms. In fact, it appears he gives her the most boring and/or difficult jobs.
The staff of other gardeners and volunteers is filled with interesting characters. There are feuds going on. There are people who think they have better ideas. There are people who work hard and want to do a good job.
The plot is pretty straight forward. Lydia has some ideas that will help a spot in the gardens which has been underutilized. She is given the opportunity to do something that will make it a destination spot. And when some things get out of whack, Lydia is also able to show her leadership ability.
Because this is a short read, the character development is relatively quick. Lydia is smart and ambitious and slowly she is finding the things in her work that make her happy. She also is able to get a better perspective on other people. She learns that people are not always as they seem. She also learns that some people only have their own best interest at heart, no matter what they say.
Ms Loren has created a quick and fun read. This is not an easily defined story. It has romance, it has mystery, and it has a great deal of interesting information about gardening.
I enjoyed the book very much.
February 14, 2018
Having read all of Ruby Loren's Madigan Amos Cozy Mystery series I had high hopes for this book. I was not dissappointed!
Blooming, book 1 of 6 in Loren's young adult series Blooming, has both great characters and a strong storyline.
Lydia, the female lead fresh out of university with a landscaping and horticulture degree, faces what many recent graduates in the real world encounter - few available job opportunities.
After landing a volunteer position at her current boyfriend's place of employment - Heathley Park and Gardens - Lydia not only gains first hand experience sure to impress potential employers but also tackles obstacles standing between her and her dreams.
I loved the book and would reccommend it to others. There is no violence, vulgar language or graphic sexual content if that would be a concern. Again, I highly reccommend this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Blooming, book 1 of 6 in Loren's young adult series Blooming, has both great characters and a strong storyline.
Lydia, the female lead fresh out of university with a landscaping and horticulture degree, faces what many recent graduates in the real world encounter - few available job opportunities.
After landing a volunteer position at her current boyfriend's place of employment - Heathley Park and Gardens - Lydia not only gains first hand experience sure to impress potential employers but also tackles obstacles standing between her and her dreams.
I loved the book and would reccommend it to others. There is no violence, vulgar language or graphic sexual content if that would be a concern. Again, I highly reccommend this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
June 4, 2017
I really liked this book, the first in the Blooming series. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting but in a good way. It was chicklit but with more substance. Lydia joins her boyfriend Jake volunteering at the local arboretum & gardens. Their boss Scott is tough on them but they persevere. There will be an opening for a full time employee and alot of people are vying for it. It is a great story line with soap opera tendancies. Who is going out with who? Who will get the job? Read it to find out. Enjoyable book!
June 26, 2017
Fresh from university with a landscape design degree but no paying job, volunteering full time is her only option to gain the experience she needs to round out her resume. She also comes to learn first hand how intricate employee politics can be as well as how frustrating it is for the only female in the crew. Then there is the problem of the short sighted boyfriend added in, and some very unfortunate incidents. The length of the book is really nice, but I don't want to have any spoilers here. It's a really good read!
October 24, 2017
Fun Gardening Romance
This is a fun and lighthearted story that takes place in a public garden. It gives a lot of insight into the hard work of maintaining those beautiful places that look so carefree. The plot is a light mystery and light romance. I have read many of this author’s books and have enjoyed them all. I am looking forward to reading this entire series and have already started book 2. I enjoy this author’s style as well as content. Her heroines are well centered and capable while her hero’s are nice guys who care a lot, but are not perfect.
This is a fun and lighthearted story that takes place in a public garden. It gives a lot of insight into the hard work of maintaining those beautiful places that look so carefree. The plot is a light mystery and light romance. I have read many of this author’s books and have enjoyed them all. I am looking forward to reading this entire series and have already started book 2. I enjoy this author’s style as well as content. Her heroines are well centered and capable while her hero’s are nice guys who care a lot, but are not perfect.
May 21, 2017
BLOOMING the 1st in the "Blooming "series by Ruby Loren.
Lydia had a degree in landscaping, that so far had landed her with nothing
Jake her boyfriend, talked her into volunteering, not for a day, she wanted to do it full time. When she mentions she has a degree, the gardner, looked at her with cold grey eyes. Will volunteering be a step to getting a job
Given ARC for my honest opinion and my voluntary review.
Lydia had a degree in landscaping, that so far had landed her with nothing
Jake her boyfriend, talked her into volunteering, not for a day, she wanted to do it full time. When she mentions she has a degree, the gardner, looked at her with cold grey eyes. Will volunteering be a step to getting a job
Given ARC for my honest opinion and my voluntary review.
October 16, 2019
Didn't work for me
This one didn't really work for me. I had trouble getting into the character and the situations and the writing just didn't do it for me. I think also it's not really meant to work on its own but there's no way I'd want to read a long series of it either.
The bonus novelette or whatever at the end worked for me even less.
This one didn't really work for me. I had trouble getting into the character and the situations and the writing just didn't do it for me. I think also it's not really meant to work on its own but there's no way I'd want to read a long series of it either.
The bonus novelette or whatever at the end worked for me even less.
August 12, 2018
Great story. I was wonderfully surprised by this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lydia is a strong character with a few humanizing weaknesses. Most of the gardeners around her are simply weak with few redeeming qualities. But, there is hope.
April 22, 2019
I download this book by accident thinking it was something else but even though it wasn't my usual style of book it was still am OK read.
A story about an apprentice gardener in a big team discovering ways to work through relationship & job hunting isdues
A story about an apprentice gardener in a big team discovering ways to work through relationship & job hunting isdues
August 1, 2017
Loved this book. Couldn't put it down.
September 17, 2017
Cute book. Glad she finally say Jake for what he was.
December 14, 2017
A nice read with a dash of romance. This looks to be a good series so far.
February 20, 2024
3.5 cute
July 11, 2017
Entertaining story with a romance, some conflicts and much gardening.
February 24, 2021
This is the second book I’ve read by Ruby Loren and I’m really enjoying the author’s writing style. This novel has a women’s fiction feel with a small bit of a mystery vibe with a dash of a chick lit vibe. I like the setting of the garden grounds and a main character that pushes herself to overcome gender stereotypes that some jobs are for men vs. women. She’s physically strong and mentally strong-willed and she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty to get work done.
During a time of trouble she’s able to step up to the plate and gain control. This is a great story about believing in yourself and pushing boundaries to achieve your dreams. There’s also an underlying theme that you shouldn’t waste your time in a relationship with someone that doesn’t support you and doesn’t believe in you.
There are 6 books in the series and I can’t wait to check out where Lydia goes next!
During a time of trouble she’s able to step up to the plate and gain control. This is a great story about believing in yourself and pushing boundaries to achieve your dreams. There’s also an underlying theme that you shouldn’t waste your time in a relationship with someone that doesn’t support you and doesn’t believe in you.
There are 6 books in the series and I can’t wait to check out where Lydia goes next!
December 31, 2016
I was able to borrow this off Prime and it was great!! I really really enjoyed it. This is quite likely because I could identify with the min character - fresh out of uni, did a (seemingly) pointless degrees, parents pressuring her to get a 'real' job. Lots of things about 'what women can do' (pretty much anything if you were wondering) and how she deals with it. Add in a flaky boyfriend and genuine talent and it's a great read for a quiet evening. Quite keen to read the rest in the series actually, it's that perfect blend of romance and reality with a dash of cute to warm you up on a cold night.
It was also the perfect book to break in my new reading nook :) :)
It was also the perfect book to break in my new reading nook :) :)
October 21, 2020
Lydia becomes a full time volunteer at Heathley Park and Gardens to gain hands-on experience as a gardener. She gets the worst jobs, but is determined to prove she can do the work. This is a coming of age story with all the appropriate angst. The plot and characters are well done. I enjoyed Lydia's journey.
May 21, 2017
Lydia gets a volunteer job by her boyfriend jake at heathley Park and gardens, she is determined even though she knows nothing about plants to succeed and learn even though the head gardener jake keeps giving her all the worst jobs and on top of that someone has a vendetta against the place.
It's a real coming of age book. I really enjoyed it and would really like to read more in the series.
It's a real coming of age book. I really enjoyed it and would really like to read more in the series.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews