Author: Annie Rains
Publisher: Forever
Series: Love and Bloom Book 1
Genre: Romance
Format: Print ARC
No. of Pages: 345
Date of Publication: April 16, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
For a gardener blessed with a green thumb, Savannah Collins’s life sure seems like it’s all thorns, zero roses. She has no job, no relationship, and no place to live. With nothing but a car full of plants and her new rescue kitten, Savannah heads to Bloom, North Carolina, to spend the summer with her beloved Aunt Eleanor, a retired librarian.
Her aunt shares her love of literature with the Finders Keepers Library, located in her beautiful garden, where anyone can stop by to pick a book or leave a book. When a sudden summer storm destroys the library and many of the roses, it will take a village to get everything ready for the garden wedding that is planned there in just three weeks.
As the entire town joins in to make the necessary repairs, Savannah bonds with their neighbor Evan Sanders over the books that Eleanor has handpicked for each of them, helping them both find healing and self-discovery. Savannah only intends to stay through the summer, but when an unexpected job offer, a sudden health crisis, and a wayward pre-teen push her future in new directions, she has to wonder whether this is the place that she is meant to be—and the family she’s meant to be with.
MY THOUGHTS:
In this poignant narrative by Annie Rains, readers are transported to a world where hope and healing intertwine. Savannah Collins, a recently unemployed woman, finds her life upended when her fiancé abruptly ends their engagement, citing Savannah’s recent Lupus diagnosis as the reason. The emotional toll of this unexpected turn of events is palpable, as Savannah grapples with the prospect of a shortened lifespan and questions her ability to fully invest herself in her passions, particularly her love for gardening and botany. Having transformed her passion into a successful social media influencer, Savannah is deeply disheartened by her diagnosis, which takes precedence over her efforts to manage her flare-ups.
Savannah’s Aunt Eleanor operates the Finders Keepers Library, which operates on a “take a book, give a book” premise, attracting avid book enthusiasts. The library’s location in Eleanor’s garden provides a serene setting for many patrons to find solace. However, Eleanor recently experienced a fall and a severe summer storm caused significant damage to the library and a portion of the garden. Not only concerned with her aunt’s welfare, as well as the urgent need for repairs, Savannah intervenes to assist. With a summer wedding scheduled to take place in the garden in a few weeks, immediate attention is required to address the damage.
During the ongoing repairs, Eleanor’s acute perception soon assists Savannah in recognizing her connection to Evan Sanders, an individual from her past who is assisting with the repairs. Several years prior, Evan had developed romantic feelings for Savannah but remained discreet about his intentions. Consequently, they now have an opportunity to rekindle their connection, and Eleanor assumes the role of guiding them. Her actions involve selecting suitable books for both Savannah and Evan that facilitate introspection and reveal their true emotions. Ultimately, they are presented with a chance to pursue love.
This is an exceptionally well-crafted narrative. The ingenious choice of opening each chapter with a distinct quote from a book, particularly those that I had personally read, significantly enhanced the reading experience. This literary device allowed me to draw meaningful parallels between the story and my own prior reading experiences, making it even more relatable and enjoyable. The author’s skillful use of quotes is a testament to their exceptional storytelling abilities.
Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
USA Today Bestselling Author, Annie Rains, is a contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America’s largest military communities,
Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband, 3 children and dog, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.
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