This book! Oh my goodness. So many emotions while reading this story. First of all - I absolutely LOVE Hannah and Vanessa together. The florist and the jeweler. The two of them were so good together, far better than either of them ever was with Bren (who I liked less and less the farther I got into the story). I did get very frustrated with them at times because I wanted them to just get it together and communicate and BE together. But I also love how they navigated some rather turbulent times together. That even when one tried to push the other away, they tried to find a balance. To give space without giving up. To respect boundaries while not just letting the other run away because things got hard or messy. It was actually really beautiful to see. Yes, there was some miscommunication and things didn’t have to get quite as messy as they did. BUT they could have been a heck of a lot worse too! 

Aside from Bren and Vanessa’s mom, the side characters were truly wonderful and added a lot to the story - like Zara and Sonja and all the youth from the garden. I just love all the parts of the story around the garden especially. So much that I wish I could be a part of it with them, working with those kids and making a difference. Such a wholesome and beautiful part of the story.

And yay for the All Things Beautiful Easter egg! 😁

I love how well fleshed out the characters are - you can tell that Alaina puts a lot of time and research into these characters and their professions. Her writing is beautiful and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she puts out there! Her stories are filled with heart and humor and complex, messy, flawed characters that will stick with you. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books. This is my honest review.

🏳️‍🌈Rep: Lesbian FMCs, LGBTQ+ SCs

📝Tropes/Themes: Road Trip, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Grief/Loss, Starting Over, Family Relationships, Betrayal/Cheating, Femme/Femme, One Night to Forever, Gardening, 40+ leads