Hey there, bookworms! Happy Wednesday! Another week is passing by and as usual, I’m anxious to make it to Friday. The past few weeks have really required some much-needed down time so I hope that as summer comes to a close, I can find something to do or somewhere to go to decompress for a few days. I hope you’re all well and enjoying some stories and some sun while we still have it!
I haven’t been getting much reading done myself. Between my schedule, personal life, and trying to work on my book, reading has taken a bit of a backseat. Plus, as usual, I’m way behind on posts as it is.. so don’t worry, I have plenty coming your way. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of things to post here.
Tonight, I do have a book review for you! It’s a fun summer read and a play on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Let’s talk about Coming Up Roses, the latest from Staci Hart!
Everyone hates parts of their job.
Maybe it’s the paperwork. Maybe it’s the day-to-day grind. Maybe it’s that client who never knows what they want, or the guy who always cooks fish in the microwave.
But not me. I love every corner of the Longbourne Flower Shop, every flower, every petal, every stem. I love the greenhouse, and I love Mrs. Bennet, my boss. I love creating, and I love being a florist. I don’t hate anything at all.
Except for Luke Bennet.
The Bennet brothers have come home to help their mom save the flower shop, and Luke is at the helm. His smile tells a tale of lust, loose and easy. He moves with the grace of a predator, feral and wild. A thing unbridled, without rules or constraint.
When he comes home to save Longbourne, I almost can’t be mad at him.
Almost.
He doesn’t remember that night I’ll never forget. That kiss, touched with whiskey and fire. It branded me like a red-hot iron. But it meant nothing to him.
Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.
Because if I don’t, I’ll fall in love with him.
This story had all the markings of a romance I adore; chemistry, humor, tension, a bit of a love/hate aspect, and of course… drama!
I enjoyed being a witness to Luke and Tess’s journey. From childhood friends to enemies, to frenemies, to friends, and then.. something more.
They have history, and it was good history, until it wasn’t. Luke made a huge mistake that changed the course of their friendship and possibly a blossoming romance, and then they went their separate ways. Luke became a bit of a drifter, always moving and learning something new. He never stayed in one place for too long. Tess became entangled in routine and obligation. She closed herself off and found herself lost among work, caring for her father, and learning how to run Mrs. Bennet’s flower shop. The two couldn’t be more opposite, which quickly becomes part of the appeal.
Their bickering has a playfulness to it and I couldn’t help but keep turning the pages to see when exactly one of them would cave and realize they were meant to be something incredible. Luke teaches Tess to be spontaneous and to go with her gut instincts and take risks in life while she teaches him that a bit of routine isn’t a bad thing, and putting down roots could cause something wonderful to bloom and grow (pun intended?).
Needless to say, Luke and Tess learn to work together to bring out wonderful qualities in one another that lead them down the path to a deep and ridiculously sexy romance. I couldn’t get enough of them, or the crazy cast of Bennet siblings, the wisdom of Tess’s dad, or the enchantment of a landmark flower shop in the face of a rejuvenation.
If you’re looking for another steamy pool or beach read, I highly suggest meeting Tess and Luke in this lovely rom-com. They’ll make you want to stop and smell the roses!
