This story is seriously adorable! I don’t usually reach for romance novels, but this was exactly what I needed to kick off the holiday season. It’s cozy, cute, and feels like curling up with a Hallmark movie by the fire—total comfort read vibes.

Emma, the main character, was such a joy to follow. Watching her grow, figure herself out, and navigate the chaos of farming and small-town life made her journey feel so real.

That said, there were a few hiccups. The pacing dragged a bit in the middle, the third-act breakup felt a little too dramatic, and those 40-minute chapters? Whew! Still, even with its predictable moments, this story had all the cozy, small-town charm I wanted. Such a fun holiday read!

Lucy Eden's "Love in Bloom" serves up a classic fish-out-of-water romance with a agricultural twist. When high-powered publicist Emma loses both her job and her senator-wannabe boyfriend in the same week, inheriting her grandparents' farm seems like either divine intervention or cosmic joke. Enter Danesh (Dan), the farm's talented and charming horticulturist, who might just be the green thumb Emma needs to help her life grow in unexpected directions.

Eden plants all the seeds of a promising romance: a compelling meet-cute, crackling initial chemistry, and the classic tension between small-town charm and big-city ambition. The town itself becomes a character, populated with well-meaning busybodies whose concern for Emma, Dan, and the farm's future adds both warmth and complications to the growing romance. The author particularly shines in depicting Emma's fumbling attempts to adapt to farm life, creating moments of genuine humor that lighten the weightier themes of family legacy and personal reinvention.

Dan emerges as a refreshing love interest who balances gentlemanly patience with a willingness to challenge Emma's preconceptions. Their dynamic offers sweet moments of mutual understanding, though at times their connection feels more told than shown, leaving some of their emotional roots feeling shallow rather than deep.

While the romance blooms steadily, the plot could use more consistent cultivation. The story attempts to juggle multiple serious themes alongside its lighter moments, but not all storylines receive the attention they deserve. A third-act conflict centered on miscommunication feels particularly forced.

Despite these growing pains, "Love in Bloom" offers a cozy escape for readers who enjoy:
- Fish-out-of-water scenarios
- Small town charm
- Career reinvention stories
- Medium-heat romance
- Agricultural settings
- Found family themes

This is a gentle romance that, while not breaking new ground, provides comfortable entertainment for readers seeking low-stakes storytelling with a dash of pastoral charm. Think of it as a warm summer afternoon in book form – pleasant and relaxing.


*I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever Publishing in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars//
Emmaline returns to a familiar small town in the wake of her grandparents' will reading upon their unsolved disappearance. After having a hot yet embarrassing run-in with a sexy Brit, Danesh, in the men's restroom, she walks into the room to see him and several strangers there to listen to the will reading as well. Emma opens herself to rely on the help and companionship of those in the town and the townsfolk, who open up to her. Further down the line, she has to decide whether to keep her grandparents' lucrative business running or to run back to the city of Atlanta to live as the wife TO the politician her ex-fiance expects her to be.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a perfect mix of cute, hilarious, and steamy while discussing the important topic of using other methods to treat chronic/severe illness. Lucy Eden really grips you into this book with the mystery of Emma trying to discover what is going on at her grandparents' farm and keeps you reading with the beautiful, realistic romance blooming between Emma and Dan. If you are looking for some fluff mixed with mystery, I would recommend you give this a read!

Thank you NetGalley, Forever and Grand Central Publishing, and Lucy Eden for this eARC

Special thanks to the author, @librofm for my ALC & @readforverpub for my gifted e-ARC‼️

Finally a rom-com that made me laugh which was partially due to my girl Wesleigh Siobhan narrating the audio. Her delivery and energy is always on point so just know anything she narrates will be worth listening to.

Now this book had a slow start for me and I didn’t think I’d enjoy it but I’m happy I pushed through. Emma thought she had the perfect life with her successful career and loving boyfriend Teddy. But in a matter of minutes her entire world is turned upside down leaving her jobless, boyfriend-less, and the new owner of a family farm. With nothing else to lose Emma packs her bags and heads to Green Acres, Georgia. Upon arrival she’ll discover that Old McDonald left her more than just a farm it came with a little medical marijuana and a sexy farm manager who will swoon her right out of her knickers 😂.

Ya’ll this book was heartwarming, funny, a little spicy and filled with loveable characters. I literally could see Lynn Whitfield playing Emma’s mother. But the fact Emma and Dan were from two different cultural backgrounds I always felt their encounters were authentic and funny. Their first time having sex was so hilarious to me. The only character you’ll dislike is Teddy the narcissistic f*ckboy from hell. He was such a loser for what he tried to do.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and if you like small-town romances with Hallmark vibes you’ll enjoy this one too. Lucy was in her Tyler Perry bag when she wrote this book lol. Perfectly capturing the small- town charm and what it means to completely start over. The dialogue was on point , the humor was lighthearted, and the romance was passionate and nurturing for both MC’s. Need I say more?

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

DNF

I tried my hardest to really read this book and enjoy it, but I just could not get into it. The cover is absolutely adorable don't get me wrong, but the book was just not it for me.
I loved the whole small town romance and found family, but I felt like something was missing. I couldn't feel the connection between the FMC and MMC. I just felt like everything was forced in the beginning and it made me cringe.

Will I come back and try to read it again? Yes in the future but just not now.

I do want to thanks Netgalley and Forever for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was sucked into this one right away - I loved Dan, I hated Teddy, like seriously never hated anyone more! This book started out so cute – I loved the connection between Emma and Dan, I loved the town coming together, the meddling, and the friendships. The story had a good amount of spice but also the small town hallmark vibes I love. Then the last third of the book, was so frustrating to read! I don’t want to say too much, but I hated that Emma kept things to herself and didn’t ask for help sooner, and just thought it was a little ridiculous the way things went down. I also wanted more resolution with Dan’s ex and her father. All in all, it was a quick and cute read!

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC!

Another wonderful book from Forever! I love so many of thier books and this one was the same!

Thanks so much for the digital copy!

Never did I except a romance book like this to have such a twist! I loved this Lucy Eden story, playing out on a farm in Georgia where Emma inherits more than she bargained for including the hot farm manager, Dan. I love the chemistry between the two of them as Emma tries to learn farm life when her old city life falls apart. Lurking behind there budding romance is a secret that threatens the whole town if discovered....

This book started out cute and I love me some small town romance vibes. However the romance aspect was extremely boring and I couldn’t feel the chemistry between the characters at all. Overall this one was meh and not one I’ll remember for long

Love in Bloom is a charming small-town romance featuring Emma, a publicist who, after being fired and breaking up with her boyfriend, inherits her grandparents' farm. Seeking refuge, she moves to the farm and meets Dan, the manager, a gentleman horticulturist who challenges her beliefs about small-town life. The two share a sweet, understanding relationship, though the romance could use more depth and excitement.

While the first part of the book is light and enjoyable, the third act felt out of place with a forced, dramatic twist involving blackmail. This shift detracted from the otherwise cozy and cute vibe. Emma, sometimes a bit too clueless, provides both comedic and frustrating moments, while Dan’s character offers emotional depth. Though not perfect, this book will appeal to fans of steamy rom-coms and readers looking for a low-stakes, feel-good romance with a touch of humor.

This book was so adorable! I love Lucy! This book was such a fun and light-hearted read. I cannot wait to read more from the author.

Tropes:
💚Small Town Setting
💚Rom-com vibes
💚Steamy (low spice)

Mmm yawn? Love in Bloom is a small town romance between Emmaline and Dan. They do have a pretty sweet meet cute and I loved Dan. A man who gardens?? Come on. The ex was annoying, and the town secret felt I don't know.. maybe it's because I'm Canadian it just felt like whatever? I would have liked more of a resolution with Emmaline's mother and everything that happened with her sister. That felt very interesting and I still don't really understand..

🌶️🌶️: Open Door Romance, No 🌶️ TW, More plot than Spice

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review

I couldn’t get into the story. I couldn’t connect with the main characters and wasn’t rooting for Emma to succeed or Dan to be less grumpy. The small town full of busybodies was my favorite part

This story had a great start! It was very entertaining and immediately had my attention. I thought was plot was good, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance. I didn't really feel the chemistry between the characters.

Love Bloom is a cute small town romance. The contemporary romance brings to life Emma and Dan, two individual who are searching to make it through Emma’s taking over the farm.

I loved the banter between Emma and Dan. The progression of their relationship was what romance is made of. The fact that both had internal dialogue helped to create a rich experience between myself and the characters.

The book was well written. The pacing was very well executed and I was able to get through it fairly quickly. The story was immersive. I could see the farm and the town through the descriptive narrative.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Love in Bloom. Getting to know Emma, Dan, especially Dan *sigh,* and the town of Green Acres was a treat. I was curious how certain issues would be resolved and I liked overall how things ended up in the story. Lucy Eden is a new author to me and I'm looking forward to reading more of their books.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and discover a new author for my TBR

This is one of those small town romances about a woman who inherits her grandparent's small town farm when they pass away. The town is full of secrets but she needs a fresh start and really wants to try her luck at farm work. I liked the meet-cute but the romance felt a little forced and the 3rd act breakup made no sense.

I am so I love with this book. It has me laughing, swooning and in my feels. Emma & Dan …their relationship and friendship was so sweet and I just adored how he took care of her. Someone said it gives Schitts Creek vibes and I agree. I laugh at his the town handles things weed related, but the community comes together when it matters. The only issue that I came across was that it was very slow at times

dnf @ 35%

Didn’t really vibe with the characters. Also one of the plot points was kinda a turnoff for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this earc in exchange for my honest review

I truly enjoyed this book! From the first page I was pulled in immediately! Throughout this story I caught myself laughing with characters and enjoying the clever writing. Dan and Emma were such a cute pairing and I loved reading their love develop through the story. (Ummm I want a rose named after me!!). This story would have been a 5 star read but I feel as though at around 80% through the book kind of fell flat in the final act. There was a lot going on at time and it was hard to keep things straight haha. Overall this book brought me so much joy and was a great escape for a couple days.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!