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La Fleur de Blanc
A young woman with a little girl’s dream. Two handsome suitors. And an adversary determined to crush her before she stands a chance.
Lily Whistler has a dream, birthed from the fanciful Parisian memories of her late to open a floral shop called La Fleur de Blanc, selling only white flowers. Back home in Kansas, such a fairy tale notion could never survive … but in the fashionable seaside town of Cielo del Mar, Lily has gambled her inheritance that it will.
At first, the lavish Palms Couture shopping center seems like the perfect place to start again. The weather is beautiful; the vistas of the ocean are breathtaking; the customers are elegant and wealthy. There are even two men who’d suit Lily’s fancy if she had time for charming Len, who operates a fine food cart, and the dark and brooding Matthew Vitale, who runs Bella by the Sea — an elite restaurant that hosts only a few couples per night at an exorbitant price.
But the one thing Lily didn’t anticipate was a Kerry Barrett Kirby, who owns an upscale furniture store across the courtyard. Kerry seems determined to crush Lily for a reason Lily can’t imagine … and has the power and connections at the Palms Couture to make it happen.
Lily only has one chance to make her shop work — a tall feat, considering the prior shops Kerry has driven out of business, and the way the Palms always bows to Kerry’s will. But Lily’s charm has bought her a handful of unlikely allies … and as Kerry will find out, quiet little Lily Whistler has more than a few country girl tricks up her sleeve.
Lily Whistler has a dream, birthed from the fanciful Parisian memories of her late to open a floral shop called La Fleur de Blanc, selling only white flowers. Back home in Kansas, such a fairy tale notion could never survive … but in the fashionable seaside town of Cielo del Mar, Lily has gambled her inheritance that it will.
At first, the lavish Palms Couture shopping center seems like the perfect place to start again. The weather is beautiful; the vistas of the ocean are breathtaking; the customers are elegant and wealthy. There are even two men who’d suit Lily’s fancy if she had time for charming Len, who operates a fine food cart, and the dark and brooding Matthew Vitale, who runs Bella by the Sea — an elite restaurant that hosts only a few couples per night at an exorbitant price.
But the one thing Lily didn’t anticipate was a Kerry Barrett Kirby, who owns an upscale furniture store across the courtyard. Kerry seems determined to crush Lily for a reason Lily can’t imagine … and has the power and connections at the Palms Couture to make it happen.
Lily only has one chance to make her shop work — a tall feat, considering the prior shops Kerry has driven out of business, and the way the Palms always bows to Kerry’s will. But Lily’s charm has bought her a handful of unlikely allies … and as Kerry will find out, quiet little Lily Whistler has more than a few country girl tricks up her sleeve.
- GenresRomance
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2021
12 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Harmony Reed
7 books6 followersHarmony Reed writes revelatory stories about what it means to live, how we can become more fully human, and how we can shed the lies we’ve been living by and embrace our truth. Her fiction melds the large-scale with the deeply-personal, yielding insight into the human psyche and the world we all must move through. If you enjoy authors like Michael Chabon and Jodi Picoult, movies like Big Fish and Little Miss Sunshine, or shows like Orange is the New Black and This is Us, you’ll love Harmony Reed.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 5, 2022
I liked the concept of the book and Lily Whistler's aim to succeed in a place like the Plaza which is complete opposite to what she is used to, even when she is faced with a nemesis who doesn't play fair.
The description of the Plaza and the different stores, shops and the characters inhabiting it as owners/tenants was done well and this could work as a decent made for TV movie. The only thing I would say is that the author could have toned down on the vulgar, sexual conversations and innuendos (or not have them at all) that Allison loves to engage in at any given moment. It would work in a smut novel but this book wasn't smut and felt out of place. The cover picture is pretty.
I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Sterling and Stone and the author Harmony Reed via NetGalley.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫
The description of the Plaza and the different stores, shops and the characters inhabiting it as owners/tenants was done well and this could work as a decent made for TV movie. The only thing I would say is that the author could have toned down on the vulgar, sexual conversations and innuendos (or not have them at all) that Allison loves to engage in at any given moment. It would work in a smut novel but this book wasn't smut and felt out of place. The cover picture is pretty.
I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Sterling and Stone and the author Harmony Reed via NetGalley.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫
February 10, 2022
I'm no prude, but I could have done without all the flaunted, vulgar lewdness and obscenities.
I wanted Lily to succeed, and to find out exactly how Allison reconciled with her father, but the ending felt so abrupt and barely explained, it left me feeling dissatisfied and somewhat annoyed. The last line was rather charming but, for me, it didn't make up for the lack of epilogue.
I wanted Lily to succeed, and to find out exactly how Allison reconciled with her father, but the ending felt so abrupt and barely explained, it left me feeling dissatisfied and somewhat annoyed. The last line was rather charming but, for me, it didn't make up for the lack of epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2021
A woman struggles to make a dream come true. And the dream doesn’t happen to be a prince. That’s different- and I like it!
Lily wants to run a florist shop with only white flowers in a fancy California shopping complex. She’s not a very experienced business woman. She has a good deal of self- doubt and an active enemy. She also makes friends. There’s a pretty foul- mouthed young woman, so if you have a sensitive soul- well, I spent 34 years in jail(teaching) and sometimes I was a bit shocked- maybe don’t go there. But, honestly, I’ve had friends like Allison myself.
I thought this book had interesting and empowering things to say.
Lily wants to run a florist shop with only white flowers in a fancy California shopping complex. She’s not a very experienced business woman. She has a good deal of self- doubt and an active enemy. She also makes friends. There’s a pretty foul- mouthed young woman, so if you have a sensitive soul- well, I spent 34 years in jail(teaching) and sometimes I was a bit shocked- maybe don’t go there. But, honestly, I’ve had friends like Allison myself.
I thought this book had interesting and empowering things to say.
June 27, 2022
Lily left Kansas and moved to California to follow her dream. She knew it would be a risk selling only white flowers at her flower shop, La Fleur de Blanc, but she didn't expect another shop in the plaza to try to try to sabotage her.
Slowly but surely, Lily finds her footing as a business owner, and as a person.
The shopping plaza was written so well I could almost picture it. I enjoyed this book, it is a great beach read! Thank you Netgalley and Sterling & Stone for the ARC!
Slowly but surely, Lily finds her footing as a business owner, and as a person.
The shopping plaza was written so well I could almost picture it. I enjoyed this book, it is a great beach read! Thank you Netgalley and Sterling & Stone for the ARC!
January 26, 2022
2.5 stars. This could have been a 3-star rating, but I noticed at least 5 grammatical errors.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews