Cherry Blossoms

by Kim Hooper

From the author of the critically acclaimed debut People Who Knew Me comes the story of one man’s determination to abandon his will to live.

Jonathan Krause is a man with a plan. He is going to quit his advertising job and, when his money runs out, he is going to die. He just has one final mission: A trip to Japan. It’s a trip he was supposed to take with his girlfriend, Sara. It’s a trip inspired by his regrets. And it’s a trip to pay homage to the Japanese, the inventors of his chosen suicide technique.

In preparation for his final voyage, Jonathan enrolls in a Japanese language class where he meets Riko, who has her own plans to visit her homeland, for very different reasons. Their unexpected and unusual friendship takes them to Japan together, where they each struggle to make peace with their past and accept that happiness, loneliness, and grief come and go―just like the cherry blossoms.

Haunted by lost love, Jonathan must decide if he can embrace the transient nature of life, or if he must choose the certainty of death.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Asian Literature, Japan

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 30, 2018

About the author

Kim Hooper's latest novel, Woman on the Verge, will be released on June 17. Her previous novels are: People Who Knew Me (2016), Cherry Blossoms (2018), Tiny (2019), All the Acorns on the Forest Floor (2020), No Hiding in Boise (2021), and Ways the World Could End (2022). She is also co-author of All the Love: Healing Your Heart and Finding Meaning After Pregnancy Loss (2021). Kim lives in Southern California with her daughter and way too many pets.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m BACK….
The review continues after the pink cherry blossom and add this to your TBR list. (sooner than later)


It’s magnificent …..
I love love love this book.
I’ve already been reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook and replaying certain chapters that I wanted to listen to again.
I just don’t understand why the whole world wasn’t talking about this book when it first came out and why nobody hit me over the head and told me to read it.

It’s written so well …… soooo WONDERFUL…..
It’s just SO SO SO good
I don’t have time to leave a review right now and I hope I have time tomorrow but I will soon
but get this book—
The audiobook is fantastic-—-The writing is so phenomenal and I am such a huge KIM
HOOPER fan.

Wishing others well hoping your days are not filled with construction work every day all day long in your home. Lol

P.S. if I told you there was a cat name Ralph… Would you jump and read it?
Or….. if you know San Francisco, the Pacific Heights area or Piedmont in Oakland, or Los Angeles, or Bakersfield, or love Cherry blossoms, and have been to Japan, and or want to go to Japan….
And want a really really great novel ?/!!!!!
….add this to your TBR list (sooner than later)
🌸

THE OFFICIAL … haha….REVIEW below:

Ebook….’and’ ….Audiobook….read by Peter Berkrot
….10 hours and 53 minutes

Jonathan Krause has been having a reoccurring dream…a terrifying tsunami dream that feels so real. These reoccurring dreams—where it feels like he’s grasping for air — started eight months ago when his relationship ended with Sara.

We learn early on that Jonathan is contemplating suicide— ‘more’ than ‘contemplating’….he’s done extensive research.
Before Jonathan‘s relationship with Sara ended he had planned to take her to Japan to propose marriage.
Jonathan had already started studying Japanese culture. He didn’t want to feel like an ignorant tourist: “not just some white jackass who expects everyone to know English”.

Jonathan is a funny guy. Not ‘ha-ha’ funny….rather his multi-facet characteristic qualities are full range-all-encompassing: mocking, cynical, tart, sarcastic, scathingly opinionated, and…..often comes off like a schmuck….
but underneath the surface [even rising to the surface] …. Jonathan’s
good natured stance is inherently-genetically-intrinsically lovable.

“Jonathan Krause is a man with a plan”…..
involving a plan to die from laundry detergent fumes….
….a Japanese -associated suicide technique.

Note: Japanese culture recognizes the short-lived life span of the flower cherry blossoms —as a symbol of the transience of human existence.
Japan holds a great cultural residence for cherry blossoms’ meaning, woven throughout its history. Because of the significance of the cherry blossoms in Japan, they are consider the country‘s national flower. Visitors travel far and wide to witness the blooming Cherry blossoms,…. one of the best reasons to visit Japan during the spring.
I’ve wished to go myself— many times.

As Kim Hooper weaves this story — giving us a very engaging tale about Jonathan, (a depressed copywriter), before he plans to take his life — after a trip to Japan —and introduces us to a marvelous character named Riko—( they meet in a Japanese language class), whom she and Jonathan share a unique-fascinating- entertaining- and ultimately moving friendship ——
Kim Hooper also incorporates little droplets of Japanese history and culture — ITS BEAUTIFUL! She obviously did her research. —

Jonathan, 34 years old, is an only child. He grew up in Piedmont, California —Later in the novel we meet Jonathan’s parents — they were so endearing— we feel like we know them well.
My four first cousins lived on Seaview Ave - the well-known street of MONSTER- SIZE- MANSIONS. I grew up playing lots of ‘hide-and-seek’ in my cousins (embarrassingly huge)…mansion.
Piedmont, surrounded by Oakland, in the Alameda county, in Northern California, is the richest neighborhood in Oakland.

But….as an adult ….Jonathan has been living and working in Southern California.
He works for R & R - an advertising job, in Los Angeles. He plans to quit — spend the remainder of his money, then die.
He just has one final mission: A trip to Japan…..inspired by regrets, grief, depression, love, and loss.

This darkly comic — [wonderfully comic] — heartbreaking and heart-endearing- novel is already one of my favorite novels….
It’s hard to explain….but very powerfully felt and enjoyed!!!!!

….It’s a story that will stay with me (most readers) a very long time.
….It’s funny, it’s sad, (I admit full tears one time)….
….The dialogue is fabulous-witty-thought provoking.
….The imagery is “HANAMI” (The Japanese special word that means flower viewing, yet usually refers to the custom of admiring the cherry blossoms when they bloom)
….There are the deep resonating topics you’ll want to discuss with a friend.
….There is hope, true acts of kindness, misunderstandings, suspense, understandings…..an interesting way of looking at America and Japan —-philosophically, spiritually, emotionally, and very personally.

Loved loved love it… HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Cherry Blossoms by Kim Hooper. The audiobook version that was narrated by Peter Berkrot was highly recommended to me by my friend Elyse and I was so grateful for her recommendation. Peter Berkrot’s performance was flawless as he transitioned from one character to the next. Cherry Blossoms was so well written and quite insightful. Kim Hooper was able to provide a believable glimpse into how one lived with and managed feelings that dealt with love, despair and grief. The characters in Cherry Blossoms were multi dimensional, believable and complex. The dialogue between the characters was authentic and her research into Japaneses culture, practices, daily life and important landmarks was impressive. Once I started listening to Cherry Blossoms it was hard to pull myself away from it. I honestly did not want it to end.

Cherry Blossoms by Kim Hooper was about one man’s consuming mission to end his life and commit suicide. Jonathan Krause extensively researched the best way he could accomplish this task. He did not want his family to be left with any burdens or decisions about things he left behind. Jonathan was determined to leave his personal life with all his ducks in a row. These obsessive thoughts were brought on by his breakup with his girlfriend, Sara. Jonathan was having the most difficult time navigating his life without Sara being in it. He had had intentions of marrying Sara but when she left him he no longer wanted to live his life without her. When they were together, the two had both wanted to visit Japan. Sara was obsessed with cherry blossoms and wanted to see them in the country where they had originated from. Jonathan had hoped to propose to Sara in Japan. He had even gone as far as buying a ring and asking Sara’s parent’s permission to marry their daughter. It was no wonder that Jonathan was so distraught when Sara left him.

Once Jonathan determined the best way to end his life, which was a method developed in Japan and proved to be quite successful, he set about devising a list of all the things he wanted to accomplish before he voluntarily ended his life. Since his job at the advertising agency reminded Jonathan of Sara he would quit and live off his savings. After Jonathan depleted his savings, he would know that it was the right time to carry out his plan. As Jonathan accomplished each thing on his list he checked it off. Perhaps the most important thing on Jonathan’s list was his desire to go to Japan and see the cherry blossoms. The trip was meant to heal and and make him face his regrets and also honor those Japanese people who devised and carried out his plan he would use to end his own life. To prepare him for his trip to Japan, Jonathan enrolled in a corse to learn how to speak Japanese. In that class, Jonathan met a fellow student named Riko. She had had her own reasons for wanting to learn the Japanese language and her own desires for wanting to visit Japan. Slowly a mutual friendship developed between Jonathan and Riko. They both held secrets that were hard to talk about. Riko was quite a bit younger than Jonathan but their friendship worked. As Jonathan’s trip to Japan grew closer, Riko convinced Jonathan to let her accompany him on his trip. She had her own reasons for making this trip but Jonathan welcomed her company and the two traveled to Japan together. Perhaps Jonathan felt that Riko’s better knowledge, use and application of the language would be an asset. It was both Jonathan’s and Riko’s hope that the trip would allow them to make peace with their pasts. They hoped that the trip would teach them how to accept happiness and finally teach both of them how to live with grief and loneliness. Both Jonathan and Riko came away from the trip stronger and more in control of what what was important in their lives.

Cherry Blossoms by Kim Hooper was moving, heartfelt and insightful. It was an unexpected find but one so appreciated. The complicated stages of human loss and grief are so unique for every person. Kim Hooper was able to so realistically convey Jonathan’s need to end his life that I actually felt his personal pain and desires to accomplish this. I still find myself thinking about the characters in this thought provoking book. All my emotions were on high gear throughout this amazing book. I even cried like a baby at one part. This was the second book that I have read by Kim Hooper. I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I highly recommend this book.

[Phee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book.

Main features include:
A depressed, cynical main character.
Lots of anecdotes about Japan.
Sadness and misery.
Hope.
Friendship.
An actual trip to Japan featuring many places I've been too and love.
Questions on meaning and life.
A journey to find ones self.
A cat.

I could list more but obviously this is a Phee book in all the best ways. Kim Hooper is fast becoming a new favourite author for me. Why don't more people read her books!!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kim Hooper’s books are consistently good and are all completely different from each other. That’s impressive.

This is about a man grieving the death of the love of his life. He has decided to committed suicide. His plans are specific and detailed in terms of how and when, and he is working to get his ducks in a row so as not to leave too much of a mess behind for his parents.

Part of the plan is to go to Japan in hopes of a glimpse of the cherry blossoms his girlfriend loved so much. But first he wants to learn Japanese. I’m his class, he meets a girl named Riko. She is Japanese but was adopted by Americans at age three. She is haunted by the question of why her parents gave her up. The two form an unlikely friendship. Riko is much younger than Jonathan and much more hopeful. He is grumpy and snarky.

The audio version is great. Jonathan’s sarcastic, grouchy persona is captured perfectly.

This is a great story. Themes of grief and hopelessness and recovery. It’s also nice to learn a bit about a Japan.

[Bob Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book. This is an honest review.

I did not know what to expect when I got the copy of the book. While I did not know anything about the author, somehow it seemed an interesting story. It was.

Jonathan has had a terrible loss. We know the love of his life, Sara is gone. Now he wants to end his life and makes plans for it, one year from now. This is his journey to that end. As he starts this journey, his chosen method of suicide is one that originated in Japan. For that reason, and because Sara always wanted to see the Cherry Blossoms in Japan, he plans a trip there before he dies.

To make that trip he starts a bucket list. One is to take a class in Japanese so when he visits he can try to not be a typical american tourist. In that class he meets Riko. She is Japanese but was sent here by her parents when she was three years old. Her quest is to find out why she was sent here, to find out the origins of her life. A sharp contrast to Jonathan seeking death.

The story jumps back and forth from present to his past life with Sara. While this could be jarring, the author does a very good job. The changes in time seem to flow into each other. Sometimes a chapter is about his past, other times his future. There are a few times where we see both in the same chapter.

In the chapters dedicated the current day we learn just how Sara dies. Just when you think that you understand just how it all happened , there is a jarring clue revealed. . In those revelations, many to Riko, we peel back the complicated life that was Jonathan and Sara.

In chasing her past, Riko needs to go to Japan so she invites herself to go along with Jonathan. We see Japan through their eyes.

I would recommend this book to anyone. While there is talk about suicide, I do not see it influencing anyone to do so. The rich depth of the main characters is so good, I really wanted the story to go on. Read it, you will enjoy it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not a book I selected, I was asked to read it. I had no clues, no book jacket to summarize, no idea what I was up against. I sat down, late in the morning, grabbed PB&J about 7 pm and sadly fell asleep a while later. Then we had house guests. Today I dove back in and finished it! Tomorrow I may start over, like I did with Little Women when I was 10. The topic, it turned out, is suicide or the mulling over of the idea of suicide. The main character refers to it often, and provides sufficient justification to believe him. Disturbing? No Depressing? No. Thought provoking? Absolutely.. Hard to put down? Very.
And adding to the story are lessons in the Japanese language and history. This book is like non I've read which left me thinking it's a new genre deserving more like it!

[Molly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really don't like to "call out" books, but when they're filled with actual FACTUAL mistakes that people are going to read and believe, I feel like I have to.

First off, please know that I lived in Japan for seven years. I went to school & worked there. I did two homestays with Japanese families. I studied Japanese language and culture in university. I married into a Japanese family. I am not an expert on Japan, Japanese language or culture, but I do have actual experience in the country, with the language & culture, and with Japanese people.

This book was NOT read by a Japanese person. No way. It sure as hell was not read by someone who speaks Japanese. And it was not read by an Asian person. I don't believe it. There are way too many sweeping generalizations & racist comments about Asian people. There are SO MANY JAPANESE LANGUAGE ERRORS. There are cultural mistakes & way too much fucking "weird Japan" shit. My god. Japan is more than the weird stuff that makes it onto the internet. And clearly the author went to town on that (she was even tweeting about "weird Japan" stuff, so...)

This book overall could have been great. But it's way too much a manic pixie dream girl saves the sad man story. The MC is an asshole. I get it. He says racist and homophobic things and has a huge case of toxic masculinity. He's constantly making comments about how "real men" don't do certain things. For example, towards the end of the book when the MC is in Japan he goes to a hot spring. There's a whole page about how he doesn't want to because he doesn't want to see naked men or have naked men see him or sit on a bathing stool (in Japan when you go to a hot spring you shower before getting into the bath. You usually sit on a little plastic stool in the shower area) because some other mans balls had touched it. Then he goes on to say how he'd "heard" that Japanese men are interested in foreign men's genitals and will stare & touch them. Just... wtf. Stuff like this is scattered throughout the book. Real men don't hug. Real men don't use lotion on their skin. Real American Men are taught the only time it's okay to be naked is in a sport situation. Real men don't cry. Real men don't blah blah blah. There are a few times where he has to tell us that he's not gay too. So.

So this story is about our MC, a 30 something Californian who recently lost his girl friend (also, you don't find out HOW he lost her for awhile... first we're led to believe that she left him, then you find out what really happened and like... it's such a play & emotionally manipulative) and decides that life isn't worth living anymore and decides to kill himself. Of course, since Japanese are the "masters of suicide" he decides to kill himself via a method that is popular in Japan. There are PAGES about how Japanese people are famous for killing themselves and then the MC interjects all of these reasons as to "why" Japanese kill themselves and none of them touch on the actual cultural reasons why. He makes all of these observations that Japanese are unhappy/depressed/over worked/oppressed and like, just shut up. When the MC is in Japan and he sees all of the workers going to work in the morning there are comments how they all look unhappy and no wonder so many people commit suicide. There are just all of these super gross over-generalizations.

So the MC's "gone girlfriend" wanted to go to Japan to see the cherry blossoms. They have ZERO fucking interest in Japan or Japanese culture, which is just weird to me. She literally just wants to see the cherry blossoms. Which she could do in Washington DC or other parts of the USA... like, we have cherry blossoms in Boston, but okay. The MC points this out, but no, he must go see THE REAL DEAL. So in preparation for killing himself and going to Japan he quits his job, calculates how much money he has & how long it will last him, and then decides to take a Japanese class to learn some basic Japanese for his trip.

This Japanese class is a fucking joke. I have attended about 5 different Japanese classes in my life. Two in Japan, the rest in high school and college. Every class has been very similar, just different in level. Well, this class, the one in the book, was weird. So weird. First the teacher has the students choose Japanese names. Which, to me, and my husband (who is Japanese) was VERY VERY VERY WEIRD. I took a poll on twitter & 90% of the people who responded told me that in their experience with Japanese classes they were NEVER asked to choose a Japanese name. They instead used their own name and converted it into katakana. It seems to be common to "choose a new name" in French, Spanish, German and Chinese classes. But Japanese, no. First, according to my husband, names in Japan are very tied to personal identity. Also, name usage defines relationships and distances. For example, at work or school, most people are called by their last names. Friends and family use first names. So for a native Japanese sensei to just give out Japanese first names to a bunch of non-Japanese just seems really really really weird.

Then in the Japanese class they learn so many weird or wrong things and in the book the Japanese is actually WRONG SO MANY TIMES. The author will say that one Japanese character means something that it TOTALLY DOESN'T. And it isn't a case of the MC learning & correcting himself. There's a page where the MC is like "せ is read like ’sa'". But no. THAT IS READ LIKE 'SE'. This happened a lot. There were weird uses of phrases that native Japanese would never use and no Japanese teacher would teach their students.

Okay, and there are two instances of the MC being totally racist towards Asian people and culture. First, he's in a Chinese restaurant and makes some comment about looking around under the tables to see if there are any dogs running around because Chinese food = dogs. Then he makes some comment about how he doesn't want to ride in the car with the Japanese teacher because he doesn't want to be in a car with "a female Asian who's 'fresh off the boat'" because he doesn't want to die QUITE YET. WHAAAAAAAAAAT. There are all kinds of other moments scattered through the book; the Japanese girl he takes class with is every stereotype in the book. He even compares her to a geisha at some point when she's standing silently behind him at one point. According to the MC Asians are short, they have "almond eyes", they're good at math and engineering.

It was also clear that the author didn't know a lot about actual Japanese culture. When the MC and his friend go to Japan they do things that they're like "omg this is so rude!" that aren't rude and then they do things that are rude that aren't. At one point they're at a temple and they want to know why there are white papers tied up all over the place. The friend looks it up in the guide book & says that you buy a paper, write a wish and tie it up. These are called omikuji & what you REALLY do is buy a paper that has a fortune on it. If the fortune is bad, you tie it up to kinda of "get rid of" the bad fortune. The one you buy and write a wish on is a little wooden board called an ema board. THAT is what you write a wish on and tie up. So the author combined the two. Why? (Unless there's a 3rd that I don't know about??? I googled and couldn't find anything... in my experience I've never been to a temple where you can buy a paper & write a wish on it...)

*EDIT* So after some actual research and speaking with some Japanese culture scholars it appears that this "buy a paper, write a wish, tie it up" thing does not exist. There are, like I said, ema boards (write a wish on a wooden board & hang it up) or omikuji (get a fortune, if it's bad, tie it up on a tree to get rid of the bad luck). Also, you don't "buy" these, you "donate" money to the shrine & receive the ema board or omikuji.

Now, there IS a tradition of writing a wish on a paper and tying it up on a tree. That is tanabata. You don't have to do it at a shrine though, you can do it anywhere. And you don't have to buy a paper for it. I actually used to this every year at my nearby train station. They had a box of colored paper & you'd just write your wish & hang it up on a bamboo stalk that they'd set up in the station. It happens in July (Tanabata is July 7th), so maybe there was some confusion about this one? /EDIT

There were just so many times when this book make me pause and go "huh?" or "no, wrong!" or "wtf omg why?" or "jfc!!!". I really... really would like to know if Riko's character was handled well. Like, I'd like an actual Japanese woman who was adopted by an American couple to read and review this. I have no idea how accurate Riko's adoption was or how her relationship with her birth father was. But I really don't feel like it was accurate, based on what I do know about Japanese families and culture... but that's not for me to really deeply comment on.

And the number one thing that pissed me off THE MOST about this book was when the MC and Riko go to Japan and they HATE ALL OF THE FOOD. Just. wtf. Come on. I get that Japan has some strange foods (so does the USA!!!!) but every fucking meal they ate there were comment about how gross something was, how they would hide parts of the food under decorations on their plates and how they were dying for "American" food. Also, they go to Tsukiji and are shocked by real sushi and grossed out by it? THEN WHY GO??? And apparently they get "spicy tuna rolls" in Tsukiji. Which made me roll my eyes SO HARD. I have literally never encountered spicy tuna in Japan. And I was just there two weeks ago and ate sushi like every-other-day. And every time they did go to a sushi place they got "safe rolls". Ummmmm Japan doesn't make fake American sushi. So no, they didn't go to some authentic hole-in-the-wall "only frequented by the natives" and get fucking American style sushi rolls.

UGH.

[Andrew Langert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Kim Hooper’s second novel, both 5-star efforts.
The author has the unusual ability to take you into her characters right from page one. Knowing the author is a woman, I had to adjust a bit to deal with the fact that her narrator is a young (mid-thirties) man (Jonathan). That man has lost his girlfriend and is grieved by that. They had plans to visit Japan together, to view the cherry blossoms native to Japan. But now he is going to go on that trip alone. And then he will die. He meets a young female college student (Riko) of Japanese descent when both are enrolled in a Japanese language class. She too has reasons to visit Japan and they wind up doing so together. What happens on this trip? How does the relationship between Jonathan and Riko develop? Does Jonathan go through with his decision to end his life?
This is smartly-written. You are intelligently taken into the innermost thoughts of the characters. Every paragraph is fresh with new, rich thoughts. The story never drags, moving at a pace that satisfies your desire to know what happens next. And it is all very real.
People Who Knew Me, Kim Hooper’s debut novel, seemed to be a critical success, earning positive reviews in publications as prominent as the Wall Street Journal. This novel deserves similar accolades and should further push the author to become a household name in modern literary circles.

[Leigh Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book at the Southern Festival of books and am very happy to review it here! It was beautifully written and actually got me a little emotional several times, it would be a great book club book.

[Elena L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Krause has eight months to live and he is coming up with an suicide plan. He wrote down "Things to do before the end" and one of these final missions is going to Japan. But first, he enrolls in a Japanese language class and it was there that he meets Riko, who also desires to visit Japan for different reason.
Cherry Blossoms is a moving and constructive story: the drama written is very realistic and Kim Hooper describes beautifully the Japanese culture and some suicide thoughts. Although Jonathan is quite harsh in his words, his deep care for Riko and their unexpected friendship warmed my heart. I enjoyed the fact that his personality has been changing throughout the story and, even in slow-pace, I could dive into the thoughts and doubts of the characters. Also, the suicidal facts stated between every chapter are utterly interesting and warn us about the reality not only in Japan, but spreading to the world. Lastly, this book is not ultimately based on the suicide topic, yet the plot is complete and involving. It left me thinking a bit after I had finished. I highly recommend!

[I received a review copy from the publisher and all opinions are my own]

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended—I loved this book!

This novel has such an interesting premise. The subject matter seems as though it would be dreary or morose, but the book manages to provide bright hits of levity throughout. There are key insights in each chapter about suicide culture, which intrigue the main character as well as the reader.

Our main guy is at first both guarded and desperately unhappy, while simultaneously offering quirky and witty anecdotes for the reader. Though he may seem a little hard to root for in the beginning, as the book progresses and relationships between the characters develops, you realize that there's more to the story than meets the eye. By the end of the book, I felt as though I too had gone on a long and wonderful journey with the characters and I was sad for it to end. It's a really beautifully written story, and I found that it stayed with me for a long time after reading.

[G.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow ! This is a powerful story indeed !
A humorous, sarky Johnathan Krause tells us his story, of his girlfriend Sara, her love of Japan, their relationship, and his loss.
It is full of interesting facts about Japanese culture, traditions, proverbs, food and the rather special way of living. Yet, it is a deeply moving story , as we find Johnathan is planning his suicide, which he has researched meticulously…
In his mid thirties he feels his life is over, he quits his job and plans a final trip ( homage ) to Japan, a trip he should have taken with Sara. He takes a Japanese class , and finds friendship with Riko, ( a wonderful character ), a young woman determined to visit Japan for her own personal reasons. It’s an absorbing story ( I had difficulty switching this audio book off and get on with some housework ! ) I can happily recommend this one, dive in, it might not be what you initially expect, but for sure it will be time well spent.






I can happily recommend !

[Melissa Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reading copy but that does not alter my opinion.

One of the best books I have read, it may be triggering to some due to the context of suicide and miscarriage but with that out of the way it is an amazing book. It shows a different side from the author and I'm here for it! It was difficult to read in some points only because the way it made me feel. It's a good thing though it opens your eyes to the things others struggle with. In the end an over all great experience. Highly recommend !

[Pattydery · Rating 4 out of 5]

While attending the Southern Festival of Books I had the opportunity to hear the author speak and was given a copy of this book at the conclusion of her talk. I really enjoyed the book and found the development of the characters to be well done. It’s a very engaging story and I look forward to reading more of this author. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

[Kevin Deegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is wonderful writing and a great book. I highly recommend it.

It’s a heartfelt story of love and redemption from a writer well able to identify with both, and enable us to identify along with her.

Not only do we learn some profoundly intimate truths about human relations, but we learn about the Japanese language on a narrative tour of Japan’s most breathtaking locales and cultural traditions.

Hooper takes a brave risk in adopting a male narrative voice and it pays off, giving us a fresh new perspective on men and the women who change their lives.

There is a revelatory authenticity to her writing with such lines as: “I’ve heard too many horror stories of bridge jumpers surviving and spending their remaining years as mute vegetables, unable to speak in response to their loved ones pained question: how the hell could you do this to us?”

Her writing style is also endlessly readable with wry ironic lines like: “I don’t have a terminal illness unless you consider humanity itself a terminal illness;” and “Breakfast could easily be eaten at home but it’s more enjoyable on work time;” and “Please donate my body to science. Mom, I know you always wanted me to go to medical school. This is the way,” which I laughed out loud at.

I look forward to reading many more great works from this young and accomplished novelist.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan's story and the reason he's planning to commit suicide unfolds slowly over the course of this novel, which moves back and forth in time. His love Sara is integral to the plot but you won't understand why for a while. He's decided that he's going to accomplish one of Sara's bucket list items by seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan before he dies. Luckily he decides to take a Japanese language class before he goes and there he meets Riko, a young woman of Japanese heritage who does not speak Japanese and has not been there since she was sent way at young age. She tags along with Jonathan, who has, despite his best efforts, taken her under his wing. How these two deal with the revelations they uncover is the best part of this novel. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. Some might shun this because of the suicide theme but try it- it's a heartfelt and thoughtful book.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard the author read an opening chapter and was immediately drawn to this book. The book is a great combination of satirical humor, life observations (especially of the Southern California lifestyle and corporate buzzwords), grief and finally, hope.

The humor definitely balanced out the serious theme of Jonathan’s desire to commit suicide (Not a spoiler...this is very evident from the get go).

Looking forward to Kim’s next book in 2019.

[Mary Kay North · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy at The Southern Festival of Books. I knew nothing about this book or the author before hand. This book is very well written and thought provoking. I would definitely recommend to others.

[Adriana Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very different from her debut novel, People Who Knew Me, but in the best of ways. Hooper depicts a relatable story of heartbreak, fear and hope with Cherry Blossoms woven with characters that are as complex as they are empathetic.

[Ronna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Christy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I began reading Cherry Blossoms, I quickly realized this book was a real treat! I was surprised when I found myself laughing out loud! I loved learning about the Japanese culture and what it would be like to visit Japan.
The book reminds us about how important friendship can be in our lives!
A trully great read!

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooper is a fantastic writer and even after only two novels, I plan to read anything she writes in the future. While I preferred her first book “People Who Knew Me” to this one, I was drawn in and really started to feel for the main character. A little long but overall a really enjoyable read.

[Abby Mcbride · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised when I continued to think about this book for a while after finishing reading. Thoughtful, sad and lingering.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Beautifully written. Good book club book.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was the cover that got me on this book, and some recommendations. Yet, for all the same reasons I get itchy and impatient with Romeo & Juliet, I got wiggly with this one, too.

I get it that letting go is tough, but it is the thing to do in order to make room for what's next, or not. Came very close to dnf'ing.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was our book club's most recent selection and I thought it was a thoroughly entertaining read. Just like with her previous book, Kim Hooper's ability to paint a picture and set a scene made me feel like I was sitting right next to Jonathan a lot of the time. Hooper's subtle humor offers a little balance in a sometimes morbid plot line. Also similar to her last book, I appreciate that Hooper dives into a high sensitive subject, suicide. No matter what you feel about the controversial subject matter, you cannot deny the author's talent. Hooper's attention to detail, her rich character development and her ability to compose a story that develops at a good pace is why I give this novel 5 stars.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, pulls you into the book from the very beginning and you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover. When you are finished you wish you weren't. This is a wonderful read and I highly recommend that anyone who enjoys a good book.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as a free book at the Nashville Book Festival and it was a pleasant surprise. I loved the author's witty humor and felt he cleverly states what most of us often think of ourselves and other's weird behaviors. Reading through his journey of dealing with grief and guilt and wondering if he will carry out his self inflicted death wish, I found the book a pleasure.

[Delaina Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received this book. It focuses on Jonathan, who had a significant loss and plots his suicide. This book is like nothing I’ve read before. The author transitions between time periods seamlessly and addresses the subject of suicide extremely well. I didn’t want to put it down!

[Susan Cornett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our bookclub chose to read Cherry Blossoms by Kim Hooper to support up and coming authors. 10 out of 10 of our group members were intrigued by the story and characters and would recommend it to fellow readers. Strong character development and an engaging storyline peeked my interest to the end. Hooper's new book, Tiny, just released and I'm looking forward to reading this as well.