Overall, this was a quick, cute read with a unique small-town banding together to save the Emma’s family farm. There were aspects that stood out to me from other city-girl-inherits-farm type books and made the story enjoyable, but also there was a level of predictability.

The main relationship is cute, even though Emma’s POV is very lust-at-first-sight while she is still in a relationship. I did like Dan’s backstory and thought it added depth to the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a sweet and easy read. It read very Hallmark movie-esque with the big city girl going to a small town. I think overall this was an entertaining read but there were elements that didn’t work for me.

The writing style wasn’t for me. There were moments I felt bored because it felt like the conversations were just two people dumping information at each other and not engaged in actual conversation. It felt robotic and very info dumpy.

I did like the characters and their back stories. They had some trauma to work through which I appreciated. I just wish there was more tension in their romance. It was pretty insta lovey and I feel like I would’ve been more engaged in the book if I felt some angst.

Overall it was okay it left me wanting more. I do think there is a possibility that I’ll like other works from the author.

I really wanted to love this book, but it wasn’t my favorite. I felt like the dynamic between the MCs fell a little flat, the conflict was manufactured, and the spicy scenes felt awkward. I also had a hard time buying into the taboo aspect, especially for a book releasing in late 2024.

It was a very cute small town, with lots of small town characters, but I struggled to get through this one.

2.5 stars!

A cute small town romance but something was missing. This story was doing great for me in the beginning but I felt the story of the grandparents was unfinished and the book felt rushed at the end. I did love that this story showed a career you normally don't see in romance books and that the book was very diverse. I grew bored towards the end and was hoping that more would be explained. Unfortunately, that never happened.

Love in Bloom is an amazing book around self-discovery between knowing who you portray yourself as and who you truly are.

The FMC (Emma) is going through the motions of her mundane life that she says she wants until situations happen that put her in a downward trajectory or so it seems.

The MMC (Dan) is a horticulturist who is running away from his past and has carved himself a little oasis in a small town in Georgia.

Between the people of the town, the past of the main characters and the chemistry they share, this book will have you laughing one moment, rooting for justice and swooning in the next.

Love in Bloom is definitely a bouquet of every unique flower imaginable, but in the best way possible.

Do I recommend? Yes!!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. the book and the plot were so cute, it’s the perfect hallmark/fluffy rom com read. the ending was a bit overwhelming to me, I felt like I got punched in the face with several different problems all at once but all in all it was a great read

I absolutely loved this book! Although Emma was annoying me in the beginning, she definitely grew on me as the story went on. I loved her and Dan's relationship. This book shows you that things in life may fall apart, but there is always another opportunity for you right around the corner. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me to read this!

Oh how I ate this book up! From the beginning I was utterly captivated and just found myself devouring this book. Dan is just absolutely swoon-worthy, the grumpiness made him so intriguing to me. Emmaline was a total city girl that was a hot mess express! The small town that this book was set in was so very lively, energetic, and full of the oddest, most fun set of characters I can ever recall reading about. They all are housing a major secret as well, and one that I kind of saw coming, but also doubted until all was unveiled and then it all just made sense.

The pacing at the end is the only thing that kept me from saying this was a higher starred read, it felt rushed and everything was abruptly wrapped up. I would have especially loved to hear more on what exactly happened to the grandparents? More on the family history as well.

But all in all I truly loved this book and will be thinking of the characters for awhile as they were so diverse and special. I highly recommend this, especially if you are a fan of small town romances with a hint of mystery!

Thank you so much to Lucy Eden and NetGalley for this e-Arc!!

Emma’s life blows up in twenty-four hours. She loses her job and breaks up with her boyfriend of over ten years. Escaping her life sounds good and she just inherited her grandparents farm. She just isn’t prepared for the secrets to be found or the man already living there.

Lucy Eden gives us a meet-cute angsty romance set on a farm. There are also a lot of deeper issues within the pages. Not only is Emma getting over the loss of her grandparents, but being back on the farm brings up the death of her sister and the impact it had on her family. Secrets that still aren’t discussed today.

Then we have Dan who is hiding his own secrets after having escaped a scandal in the U.K. Dan is just an unbelievably sweet guy and this kind of brings up an issue for me - and it’s a personal one. So here’s a spoiler, he’s a giver and Emma is a taker. The author writes a great sex scene, but Emma doesn’t reciprocate…for awhile. Dan gives her the most intense orgasm and then more later that she’s ever had and she doesn’t help him out for another two weeks?! Pillow princess! That says more about her character then I think the author intended. Emma admits all the time how great Dan is in all areas and then he satisfies her multiple times and because there are no condoms she can’t even give him a hand job? Or watch him? Like seriously?! It actually made me step back from fully liking Emma because all I kept thinking was “greedy bitch”.

I love the secondary cast. I can’t pick a friend of Emma’s that I like best because they are all fabulous. Eden does a great job of showcasing Emma’s friendships throughout the story and I love it.

Love in Bloom is a romance with a town and hero to root for. Dan can name a rose after me anytime.

i enjoyed this. it’s a small town romance, found family, with lots of drama. the concept was cute and the mmc was one grumpy man. it was a cute little rom com.

DNF at 43%. I really tried to get into it for a long time. I got past the cringy main character and her quirks. Main storyline felt forced, the chemistry between characters nonexistent. Instalove but not really. The book took a very unexpected turn I was not prepared for with the main farm being used for weed farm and the whole town is suddenly in on it? I’m sorry, but what? This had such a good premise and such good set up, but poor character development ruined it for me.

This book was so entertaining! Emma inherits her grandparents’ farm but it also comes with secrets. She has to rely on Dan, the farm’s horticulturist, to learn how to run a farm and decide if she’s going to keep it.

The premise was so fun and gave such cozy small-town vibes. I found the family drama so interesting to read about, and I had a hard time putting the book down! The romance between Emma and Dan progressed so naturally, and I loved the strong female friendships. There were a few unclear time jumps that made me pause, but it didn’t detract from the story. Overall, it was a really cute and fun read!

Thank you to Lucy Eden, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this novel, but I wanted to love it. I'm a sucker for the small-town romance, the city-girl-learns-to-farm story, the competent man, etc. And I thought many of the scenes and quips throughout were laugh-out-loud funny! Unfortunately, there were some elementsof the novel I didn't like so much. For example, there were quite a few time jumps between and within chapters that felt out of place or unclear to me. I also personally felt that the romance moved really quickly, and the resolution of the final conflict was a bit anticlimactic and unbelievable. So while parts of this novel were really fun and funny, and I liked our main characters, my overall rating loses a couple stars.

I've been looking forward to this book since I read the Publisher's Marketplace announcement for it. Lucy Eden always writes an enjoyable rom-com, and this is no exception. It's a great premise--Emma inherits a farm that's secretly (illegally) producing medical marijuana and keeping the town afloat with medical tourism--and the stakes are high. I loved Dan, the love interest, and the whole small-town vibe of the story. My main issue is that Emma tends to hide her head in the sand for way too long, and as someone who's a go-getter and determined, she shouldn't be, so this feels off for the character. The climactic moment of peril should have a ton of urgency behind it and necessitate a third-act breakup with both the love interest and the town, but she just goes on blithely for a couple of weeks.

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC.

I had mixed feelings on this book. I enjoyed the premise and some of the plot. The spicy scenes felt pretty cheesy and sometimes the dialogue fell short. I read to the end to find out what happened to the relationship and the town, but I wouldn't reread.

this was a fun read! i don’t usually like small town romances because it’s too hallmark-y for me but this cover really called to me i had to read it so bad
and i was NOT disappointed to say the least
i lowkey want a farm now and a broody guy with trauma to hit me up LIKE RIGHT NOW thank u netgalley and co for this arc.

Love in Bloom is a sweet & spicy small town romance about Emma, who loses her job and her direction in life. After she learns her estranged grandparent have left her their profitable farm she decides to uproot her life to find inspiration.

At Green Acres she meets Dan, the farm manager and it is instant chemistry as Dan is tall, handsome and super smart 🤓🔥 As the two begin to learn how to co-exist on the farm together and Emma gets a crash course into farming. . . that has more mid-adventures than successes the sparks fly.

This novel is laugh out loud funny but also tackles some difficult issues such as grief/loss, health issues and finding your calling.

Thank you Forever for the ARC!

Love in Bloom is the story of Emma and Dan. Emma inherits a farm from her grandparents and Dan has been working for them and living in their attic. Emma's life falls apart and living at the farm seems to be the perfect escape for her from her problems.

Dan and Emma's forced proximity and connection were so great. I enjoyed watching their romance come together so much. But I did feel like there were so many communication issues. From literally everyone. The big secret needed to be protected, but everyone's messes were so covered in miscommunication and hard headedness that it made characters hard to read and definitely hard to watch from the reader's perspective.

Overall, it was a fun and enjoyable read. If you like staying in the same house, I am quietly making your life easier, strong women and a very fun small town, this one is for you.

Synopsis:

Publicist Emma Walters’s life goes from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. Emma’s new country life is anything but peaceful. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm’s infuriatingly handsome manager. Emma soon discovers that the farm isn’t exactly what it seems. With suspiciously named shops like Four and Twenty Blackbirds lining Main Street, it’s clear that the whole town might be in on a secret. When the farm—and the livelihood of the townsfolk—is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it.

Review:

What a sweet and easy read. This is my first time reading this author but it won’t be my last! I loved the element of mystery and the small town setting. The characters were likeable (most of them) and I loved watching the two MCs grow throughout the book. Dan was a hot South Asian MMC (always love SA rep!) and the cultural nuances were done well.

Thank you to Forever for my ARC! I read this book in a day 🤩

Love in Bloom is a sweet rom-com. It’s your typical big city girl ends up in a small-town, but this town has a secret, and the entire community is in on it.

I laughed and got teary-eyed, I also got irritated with Emma’s ex! lol I liked the diverse characters and close-knit community. I liked the budding relationship between Emma and Dan and their ongoing chess games. Dan is just so kind and caring; I really liked him and the safe space he provided for Emma to really come into her own and grow.

Love in Bloom pub date is 11/12/24, so mark your calendars.