Love in Bloom was pure joy to read, a radiant burst of sunshine. Emmaline (Emma) Walters is fired from her job and breaks up with her longtime boyfriend all in the same day. She was recently left the family farm by her estranged grandparents in rural GA, and runs to escape life temporarily. As a lifelong perfectionist, she doesn’t know how not to be the person everyone expects her to be.

In the small town she finds everything - hope, friendship, a secret medical marijuana farm that is supporting the whole town’s tourism and helping so many thrive, love beyond her expectations with British Indian horticulturist, Danesh (Dan) Pednekar, and most of all, herself.

I adored this story and Lucy Eden is such a gem for bringing this book into the world! Emma and Dan were perfect together. As a fellow perfectionist, I could relate. And Dan is a book boyfriend so many will fall in love with, too.

A few of my favorite quotes:

“It was like every single person in my life got the Emma that I thought they needed. Dan is the only person I feel like I can be myself with.”

“I didn’t feel like I was running away from my life. I felt like I was running toward it.”

“Danesh Pednekar was a great cook. He was a gifted horticulturalist. But as a kisser, Dan was pure magic.”

I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I give this book an overall rating of 3.5 rating

The story: I was very surprised by this book at times I found moments I didn't anticipate. There is a lot packed into this book its not just a romance. There is found family, family secrets, new beginnings, and rediscovering/loving yourself. They is a lot of growth from the FMC from the life she had chosen for to the life she is choosing for herself. The romance was slow and real, no insta love but a lot of building of that relationship. The small town was fun and had a nice message of being there for each other and protecting one another.

The writing: I did think this books was a little too long there was a lot packed in there that I felt we could have gotten to sooner. There was times when I felt that some moments contradicted the scene or who I thought the character was. I personally didn't like the feeling of chapters within chapters time would pass and it made it feel elusive. I also like when a scene is completely followed through when they are going from one place to another we are reading those moments happen and I didn't feel that always happened here.

My first Lucy Eden book & I thoroughly enjoyed it! Love in Bloom details the story of Emma, who much to her surprise, inherits her grandparents farm, even though her family has been estranged from her grandparents for many years. This takes her from her big time job as a publicist, to a small rural town full of its own quirks and unique individuals, some that may take romantic interest too 😉
As well as uncovers the town secret that no one saw coming 🤫

I really loved reading this book as it had a light feel to it, while also tackling some challenging topics and dynamics with such tact and respect! The characters in the small town are so witty and eclectic, which made for an additionally fun read too. The themes of family dynamics, medicinal needs, interpersonal relationships and unexpected love were so well done & kept me wanting to read more and more!

I also was able to listen to the book on audio as well, and I really enjoyed the emotion, sass & depth that’s as conveyed through the beautiful narration of Wesleigh Siobhan! Listening to the narration truly immersed me in the world of Green Acres, Georgia!

Read this if you like:
•small town romance
•estranged family/family secrets
•found family

This was a cute romcom with a hint of some mystery. There’s a little bit for everyone. I enjoyed the audiobook as it really brought the characters to life. Thank you Hachette audio for the ALC!!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

This was a sweet, fast-paced, small-town romance with a twist that kept it engaging. It had all the bones of a fairly straightforward small-town romance, but Eden kept it somewhat engaging with her twist and cute characters.

While this was a cute book, it needed more depth for our characters because they felt fairly flat and needed more development. I wanted this to be longer and drawn out, so I cared more about our characters.

This is a promising debut that just needed a little bit more.

This book and Lucy Eden’s writing just absolutely pulled me in! Emma’s story was so intriguing and her personal journey was one I couldn’t stop reading about. I always enjoy when romance books have a little bit of mystery to them and this story balanced that perfectly. So in love with this cast of characters and this little town!

Emmaline had my whole heart from the beginning, watching her find herself again was so beautiful. This character felt very real and I enjoyed that she had realistic setbacks and timelines for her growth! Loved watching her stand up for herself while also learning how to ask for help.

Danesh my love!!! Was such a support system, and the perfect mix of grumpy yet sweet. He was such a good balance to Emma and I loved the grounding presence he brought to this story.

Overall the themes of family, self-discovery, and legacy were such beautiful backdrops to the love story at the center. This was my first Lucy Eden story and it will definitely not be my last. Recommending this story to everyone I know!!!

This book was a great small town romance full of shocking surprises. Cause who would have thought that’s what Grandma and Grandpa were up to lol. And then Emma’s ex was def a piece of shit and I was so ready for someone to knock him out lol. Like sir please go find something not safe to do. I wanted to fight him on numerous occasions. I am happy that Emma and Dan found each other and themselves in the process. It was a great little love story with some funny sprinkled in a few places. If you love small town romances please get into this one.

Humor, drama, great character development and great chemistry between the MMC and the FMC

Emma Walters (Emmaline) and Dan (Danesh Pednekar) are an unlikely pair, which makes their path to love and romance even more endearing.

This story has drama, and lots of it. But there is also a lot of humor, and a meddling town only add to the plot.

Loved the main characters, Emma and Dan; the sub characters in the town are meddling and interfering, but mostly lovable. The ex with his political agenda… I was done with him from the moment he left Emma to travel alone to a Will reading. So when the ex re-enters the plot, I personally want to give him the boot back to Atlanta.

Grab this rom-com and curl up with a good cup of tea…

Emma is having a crisis - her grandparents who she didn't have a relationship have left her a farm, she's newly single and no longer has a job. When she goes to a will reading for her grandparents she was estranged from she doesn't know what to make of them leaving her their pride and joy in small town Georgia.

Contemporary romance fans who just want to lose themselves in a quick story will I enjoy. I had kind of burnt myself out on PR professional's life imploding and falling for handsome opposite so this one didn't hit me quite the way I wanted it to.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid small town, fairly low stakes/angst romance. Emma is going through it - in one day she loses her job and her boyfriend, and inherits a farm in small country town from her estranged grandparents. The romance was solid, but probably my favourite part was watching Emma come into her own and find her strength while she stayed and figured out farm life. Definitely one to read if you're a small town romance fan.

This story has a great start and continues to build. Packed with action, emotion and some very loving community involvement. The way this group of people come together for a shared purpose and become a family is beautiful. Emma had a seemingly good life in the city, but she learned what life was really all about when she arrives at the farm and begins small town life. Dan & Emma’s relationship was so naturally organic, a refreshing pace. They built up with time, not overwhelmingly but with sincerity. I enjoyed this story a great deal.

I’d recommend if you like:
🏡 Forced Proximity
🗣️ Men with English Accents
🖤 Black Love
🔀 Opposites Attract
🏘️ Small Town Romances
🌃 City Girls
💪🏾 Strong FMC’s
🌱 Plant Daddies

This one hits so many boxes for me! I love the humor, especially the opening with the wrong bathroom and sadly, I had a moment like that recently where I bulldozed into a men’s restroom thinking it was the women’s to be caught and questioned and omg it was so embarrassing so that moment instantly made me love this book because it was so relatable to my recent similar embarrassment…

Beyond that, the small town, will she or won’t she keep her family’s property that is the cornerstone to the small town was so well done, and truly loved the narrative behind the depth of why the family farm was so important to the town beyond the economics.

I also really loved the forced proximity of the farm manager living in the attic apartment in the FMC’s now home and the tension as it built between them and then exploded, quite literally 😘

All in all, I could keep going on, but just know I loved it and if you feel like the vibes match what you are looking for in your next romance I’d highly recommend!

Thanks so much to the Forever Publishing for my ALC and ARC in exchange for my review! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to Forever & Hachette Audio for the review copies!

Love in Bloom
By Lucy Eden
🎧 Narrated by: Wesleigh Siobhan
Book 164 of 2024

🎧I really enjoyed this by audiobook! Siobhan’s narration was really engaging, and I never wanted to turn this one off! After a string of audiobooks I didn’t love, this was much needed.

Pick this one up if you love a city girl who finds a home. Now more than ever am I looking for books with close-knit communities who take care of each other, and Love in Bloom is exactly that.

Emma & Dan’s relationship was also so fun to watch - Dan is swoony and supportive, but will push back when he disagrees with Emma. I loved these two together!

I recommend this one for when you are in the mood for a low angst, fairly steamy romcom!

CW: childhood illness/death

Thanks to Netgallery for the ARC of Love in Bloom in exchange for an honest review.

Release Day: Nov 12, 2024

Read if you like:
- Small Town Romance
- Black FMC x Indian MMC
- A Mystery?

Review: This is a sweet story, it might be one dimensional, and it might not have a lot of character development but it was cute nonetheless. I enjoyed the town, and the whole "secrets/drama" aspect of the book but the sad truth however, is that although I understand a lot of people can like this story, I can't recommend it. The pace and how "flat" the characters were for me, make this book forgettable. I didn't feel the connection between them, I guess because it is KINDA "insta lust" and I don't love that trope, but the fmc had a boyfriend at the beginning of the book and that always throws me off. Its a me problem, I know...however, if you enjoy stories with drama, and a small town romance, give this one a try. The writing is not bad, and I do think I will read another book by this author, it's just that this one was not for me.

Thanks again to Forever for this ARC.

such a sweet romance and so much growth in emma. not gonna lie, there was a line that shook me to my core in this small town romance lol 😂 but i enjoyed emma’s story, her relationship with dan and her friends. but the way i wanted to strangle her ex was sooooo real omg. and the tears, this book had me angry crying AND wanting to throw my book across the room! ugh!!!! loved it and I'm still thinking about it a week later!

hallmark vibes complete with a harvest festival—but make it spicy 🌶️ 😏 and diverse characters—forever and always, yes.

thanks so much forever for this arc of love in bloom! 🩵🩵

In one huge plot twist to her life, Emma gets fired from her job, breaks up with her boyfriend, and inherits a farm from her estranged grandparents, all in 24 hours. When she gets to the farm she finds the farm manager, Dan, is also living there and is getting in her way. It doesn’t take long to understand why the locals are acting strangely toward Emma. It turns out, her grandparents were doing some illegal activity and keeping huge secrets on their farm.
This small-town romance with a twist was exactly what I needed during a stressful week. This book had me laughing out loud with all of the mishaps and busybodies, the romance had me swooning, and the side characters were chef’s kiss. This book was cozy and so much fun - if you like Hallmark vibes but with steam and a little illegal activity, this is for you!
I loved the audiobook narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan. She did a great job with the multiple characters and accents!
Thank you to Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

This book was so fun and different and I loved it. The idea that an entire town is in on a secret about medical marijuana is insane, but amazing. Lucy Eden made this book so enjoyable. The love story was great, the banter was great, everything. I also loved how deep the book got, into grief and how it can affect a family for years. This was a great story and I hope there's more books in this world.

I'm dying that the farm in this story is a medical marijuana farm. That was the first time something like that was mentioned in a book I've read. Anyway, I loved this rom com and this was spicyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy hunniiii. It was small town vibes so you know you're going to love every character here.

This is romantic dramedy perfection!

Very much heart of dixie meets some sort of vivacious Black female lead, and a yummy Indian male lead.
I do adore the pace of this book. I truly fell in love with the characters and found myself rooting for them during the story.
I appreciate even the third act break up and the way the female main character sits and wallows in some of her fails. As well as community and family coming in to help to lift her spirits.

The steam is a great addition to the couples chemistry!

What to expect:
🌾city girl inherits farm
🌾secret family business
🌾long standing chess game
🌾fall festival
🌾Hallmarky farming fails

I was invested in the storyline at the start and loved how Emma stood up for herself, and was determined to carve out a life she was happy with. The romance was sweet, but also moved quickly. I thought the pacing was a little off with things moving fast between them and then little happening but spice once the farm secret was revealed. I'm glad I had forgotten the summary by the time I read this, so the weed farm secret was a surprise for me. I was also surprised to see afterwards that this was actually revealed in the book summary. I think it was more enjoyable not knowing that up front personally. Overall, it was just an okay read for me, though it did have cute aspects