I Pick You

by Eryn Scott

After years of working toward other people’s dreams, Maggie has no idea what she wants.

Magnolia Parker loves botany, but became a professor mostly to make her parents happy. When she’s passed up for tenure, Maggie decides it’s time to make a change. Escaping the city, she finds herself in the idyllic town of Plumb Creek staring at a For Sale sign in a flower shop that shares her name. It must be destiny. Maggie goes all in.

Being a florist should be easy for a professor of botany. Right? Boy, is she wrong.

Before she even opens shop, she’s angered half the town. After her first customer leaves in a huff, she realizes a botany degree isn’t going to cut it.

Enter Grant Sommers, hot local entrepreneur who has the town in his back pocket. He’s willing to help turn the shop around, if Maggie will listen. As much as she wants this to work, she fears she’ll never be able to loosen the town’s tight-knit roots enough to be accepted.

It’s time for Maggie to pick her own path, even if it means disappointing everyone else.

Genres: Romance, Ebooks, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2021

About the author

Eryn Scott is the author of heartwarming cozy mysteries. Her novels feature close friendships and strong families because those are the most important things in her life -- a little humor doesn't hurt either.

She calls the Pacific Northwest home and doesn't plan on changing that anytime soon. Eryn loves to hike, horseback ride, knit, ski, and read. She believes musicals are the greatest thing since lattes, even though she's not particularly good at singing or dancing -- hey, a girl can dream, right?

Her first cozy mystery series, Pepper Brooks, is based on some of the greats in classic literature. Each book features a different author from Shakespeare to Austen. Eryn's newest series is set in a little town called Stoneybrook. The Stoneybrook Mysteries follow local jam-maker Hadley James as she solves mysteries in her town's year-round farmers market. From deceased knitters to sabotaged florists, these crafty citizens keep Hadley and her twin brother, a deputy sheriff, on their toes. Pebble Cove Teahouse Mysteries are great for readers who love a hint of paranormal with their mysteries. These books feature a tiny town tucked between craggy coastline and rocky shores with quirky characters of both the living and non-living variety. Look for new releases from all three of these series in 2022 as well as Eryn Scott's new cozy series.

You can visit her website, erynscott.com, for more information about her books and new releases.

Reviews

[Roberta (Always Behind) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnolia Parker, better known as Maggie, has just had the worst day of her life. She finds out after many years of hard work as a botany professor at her university that she has not been granted tenure. When she gets home, she sees that her apartment has been burgled. Her TV, her inherited jewelry and even her toaster are gone. Maggie is so upset she decides to take a ride out of town and ends up in a small town called Plum Creek. When she parks in front of florist that has her name in the title, she figures it must be kismet. She takes her savings and buys the florist, which has been left behind by its late owner. She knows all about plants and flowers from her years as a botanist. What could be that hard about running a business devoted to flowers?
Maggie soon finds out that knowledge does not equal good customer service or business sense. She ends up alienating many people in a short time. Layla, the young employee from the previous owner, helps her and then suggests she talk to Grant Sommers who owns and runs the popular local grocery store.
Grant gives her some good lessons, but Maggie fears she will never truly accepted by the close knit small town. On top of all that her parents, who live on the East Coast, don't know anything about her recent life changes. The only one she knows really has her back is her best friend Talia. She and Talia text and talk all the time, but Talia is on the East Coast, too.
Maggie is a wonderful character, even with her less than perfect people skills. As one who worked with the public for years, I know how hard it is to bite your tongue and smile. I can also relate to being passed over for a promotion. It is tough, but can actually be what is needed to help many of us move on. The author makes it easy to visualize Maggie and Layla.
Grant is absolutely charming. He is one who people love to be around because he is so kind and accepting. The world would be a better place with more Grants in it. The inclusion of his dog Hobbes is adorable.
Some of the secondary characters added extra depth, especially Maisie. She was doing something little, but special for those in the nursing home.
Although this story is mainly about change and growth, there is some romance. Most of the spicy part of that takes place off the page.
I have read several novels by Eryn Scott over time, but this is my favorite so far. Of course, I look forward to read many more of her delightful books in the future.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

My previous experience with Eryn Scott has been cozy mysteries series, which I've loved. This is a fun, sweet departure from that. This story not only is a comfortable, light chick lit romance; but also a lovely story of a woman stepping out to find her own personal joy. That latter piece spoke to me, as it helped this romance story feel less sappy and man-focused. Our heroine of her own story, Maggie, does have a love interest; but that's not her whole story...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jill Stahl Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for a bit of escapism, "I Pick You" kind of rolls along as an enjoyable ride with pleasant people. The characters are the type of folks you'd like to get to know, and it's easy to root for them to make the best decisions and hope that everything works out for them. The dialogue and banter between the two main characters is particularly charming.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle L. E. Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changes for the better...

I wasn’t sure I really liked Maggie to begin with, but since I’d read that this author wrote “quirky women’s stories” (mad those are my jam!), I was willing to see where this botanist-to-small town flower shop tale would lead... I’m so glad I did. Loved the friendships and really enjoyed the slower paced, darling story. Especially Maggie’s real efforts to figure out her new community. Totally recommend!

[JJ Cope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was ahhhhh-mazing! Ok, so I'm not as good at word play as Maggie. Nonetheless, this is a delightful 'dust-yourself-off-and-pick-yourself-up-again' story with likable characters and a relatable story line. The issues overcome, unlikely friendships, and Maggie's brave new launch is presented through Eryn Scott's masterful writing style that plainly reveals the awkwardness of being human. The plot was easy to follow and easy to predict but not in a way that made the story less enjoyable. I would recommend “I Pick You” for readers that like to relax with a book with a mildly complicated plot that includes the opportunity to giggle every now and then.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eryn Scott never fails to write a book I'm going to love. Whether it's her cozy mysteries or romances, I always enjoy her books.

Magnolia is having a rough couple days. After taking a drive she ends up in the small town of Plumb Creek and discovers the local flower shop is for sale. She needs a change and taking over a flower shop that shares her name seems like a great plan. Of course, things don't go as planned, but she's determined to succeed and with the help of Plumb Creek local Grant, she just may.

Magnolia was a fun, quirky character with a love of botany and puns and somewhat limited social skills and business sense. I really liked her growth as the story progessed and getting to see her find her place in Plumb Creek.

Grant was a kind, sweet guy and a perfect match for Magnolia. I liked that their relationship progression felt natural. They certainly had a mutual attraction from early on, but he genuinely wanted to help her and the flower shop and was a good friend first.

The small town and all its inhabitants add a lot of charm and humor to the story. I hope we see more of Plumb Creek in the future!

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Slight Spoilers*

Magnolia (Maggie) Parker is a professor of botany in Seattle, who after a trying day including disappointment at work and a burglary at home, decides to leave town and head out into the unknown. She stumbles upon the town of Plumb Creek and ends up taking over the local florist shop, where her only employee is a surly teenage girl, Layla. Thus begins a story of falling outs, falling ins and everything in between. Maggie has problems from the start, when she uses the wrong flower supplier and alienates the good one. Help comes in the form of local good guy, Grant Sommers, who promises to help Maggie on a professional basis with her lack of business and customer service skills, however things don't stay professional for long. Maggie initially comes across as a little confrontational and stubborn, but she soon learns how to get the locals on her side. I enjoyed the story and it was a light hearted, quick read. Just what is needed in these trying times. I loved the small town atmosphere and enjoyed visiting Plumb Creek.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Borthwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by Eryn Scott that isn’t a cozy mystery and I loved it! At first, I wasn’t liking Maggie, she was so hard, cold, not a nice person. But she did grow and I enjoyed the blossoming love story between her & Grant. I have to read more of Ms. Scott’s women’s fiction books since I adored this one so much. I was gifted an advanced reader’s copy and I’m voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Scott is a new-to-me author so I didn't quite know what to expect when I started reading. It was a truly delightful story and the author did a great job of bringing the characters and story to life. The characters were well-developed and easy to fall in love with. Maggie has had a tough time of being disappointed at work and her home being burglarized. She decides to leave and start somewhere fresh, and ends up taking over the local florist shop in Plumb Creek. Maggie is a professor of botany and thinks she has this under control, but nothing seems to go her way. She obviously has a lot to learn about managing the shop but also learning how to love herself. A very entertaining and satisfying read. I enjoyed this book very much and hope to read more by this author soon!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Pick You is more than your typical sweet romance novel, the story is about a woman taking back control of her own decisions and desires, by making a radical change impetuously, and how she works. through that process in a small town. The protagonist is not necessarily a likeable character at first, and I think this is because she doesn't really like herself, and her life much at the beginning of the story. As the book progresses we see her growth and awareness, as well as her confidence grow. I particularly enjoyed Ms Scott's secondary characters, like Lyla and Maisie, I often thought the book could easily be longer with more interaction with the townspeople she meets and gets to know. I like her approach to telling a story that seems to be more about finding a way for her heroine to love herself vs just having a love interest makes everything in life rosy.
I have previously read Ms Scott's mystery Steeped in Suspicion, and yet you would not realize they were by the same author except for the enjoyment level of the read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnolia Parker, a professor of botany, is passed over for tenure and figures she may be ready for a change. She goes for a drive and ends up in Plumb Creek where she sees a For Sale sign in a flower shop that shares her name! What more of a “sign” does she need? Here is her future! A florist job should be simple for a professor of botany! But she forgot about the human part of her success, and her people skills were lacking. In a small town, there is a way to go about making friends. She obviously didn’t read the small print! Before she is officially opened, half the town is upset with her as she fumbled through and made mistakes, alienating everyone.

Layla, a young worker in Maggie’s flower shop, recommends she talk to Grant Sommers, who offers to help guide Maggie toward a successful business. Will she follow his advice? Can she win over her customers? Will she find her happiness in a small town? Is there room in her heart to include Grant?

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes one too many things converges on life and makes a person want to see if there can be a better something somewhere. Such was where we met Magnolia who after a run of bad luck at work and at home just needs to get away. So she takes a ride and winds up in a small town in front a flower shop that bears her name. It must be a sign. So she buys it and that is the beginning of another series of life lessons for our fair heroine. I liked the fact that Magnolia had a lot to learn and in though the lessons where she landed were also tough there was hope and kindness there as well to help her grow.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this for my honest review. This isn’t my normal genre, but I’ve read the author’s other books, so wanted to give this one a try. For me, it started out slow and wasn’t sure I’d like Maggie! But I found myself getting into the story. I liked the side characters, and if a book can bring tears to my eyes, it’s good!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tammie Frankum]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters were completely engaging and entertaining. Will definitely recommend it to others.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of personal growth. The opening chapter is rather hard on Magnolia Parker (Maggie). She was denied tenure at the university. And she lost treasured family heirlooms in the burglary of her apartment. The story covers so many details in so much detail that it goes rather slowly. As an example, the story is listed as being "Women's Romance Fiction," yet Maggie's love interest isn't introduced until Chapter 7: about fifty pages into the story (the blurb notwithstanding). And at that point, Grant is an insignificant character: simply the brother of a bride. When the relationship begins, he asks her to be his fake wedding date.

Maggie still had a lot of growing up to do. She still strived for parental approval: even though she didn't want to be what they thought she should be. She was unable to express that to them. Grant also had some growth: he needed to accept that not everybody wanted to stay in his hometown.

Entertaining. Funny. Happily Ever After. Inspirational. Romantic. Steamy. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

[Helena Mendes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnolia makes a drastic life change and moves to a small town and goes from being a botany professor to owning a flower shop. She needs help and gets it from Grant. The story is lovely and all the characters are wonderfully lovable, I liked reading this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Paige Norman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a lot of chemistry in this story, but botany, friendship, choosing wisely, and a lot of flowers are present. I think we were four chapters in before we even meet the main male character, and I nearly gave it up before that because Magnolia just wasn't that compelling of a character for me. Some relationship conflicts, a HFN and it is a standalone.

[Ellen Hedden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Migrant!

The whole story was charming. The town, the flower shop, the angst teen and sweet, sweet Grant. Maggie was cute too but I felt like she was a bit old to be afraid of her parents’ judgement.

[carolyn stettler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok

It’s a fast beach read. Light and fluffy. You won’t feel invested in characters or plot as you know what will happen. But that’s ok in a beach read.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a gem under my Kindle Unlimited stories. Highly recommend.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet starting over romance.

[Karina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made it 3/4 through, had to give it up - - too much sexual reference.

[Sarah Yee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, Escapist read!

It was a great place to live for a while mmm mmm mmm hmmmm mmm mmm hmmmm m?m mmm ?mm. Mmm hmmmm

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reminded me of The Gilmore Girls, in the best possible way:) Sweet love in a small town.

[Laronda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

A good story with a nice pace and no/low angst. Nothing spectacular or amazing, just a solid read with a few funny, an maybe corny moments.

[Alayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this very slow to get anywhere, and was skipping pages till I found less descriptive writing and more action. Otherwise, the story was a good one.

[OhWell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy, relaxing and with a plot that felt quite fresh. While not totally clean, I appreciated the fact that it was not explicit either.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute 🥹

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randomly got this for free on a stuff your kindle day and LOVED it!! So cute and cozy and I want to be Margaret with her store and Grant is just the cutest!! I really enjoyed that there was minimal miscommunication and when there was any sort of disagreement it was realistic and reasonable. Walking away from an issue when you get upset to take time and calm down THEN circle back when you’re levelheaded???? Obsessed. So good. Very realistic. I loved.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.