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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This one was pretty decent but it won't live in my head rent free. I enjoyed the setting and the conflict of like, this librarian needing to save her library and the whole botanic garden aspect because that's really something we don't see often. It was fun.
I think Jack and Tansy's relationship was fine. I think their ultimate conflict being that he applied for the same grant as her to be stupid though. I dislike when romance books use this microtrope to introduce conflict in relationships because like, pls be so fr. You're mad at him for applying for a grant?? Is he not allowed to get money for his job? In this one it was even more silly because they both applied separately without talking about it and Tansy still got mad.....like girl I guess. I dislike the microtrope because it makes the women seem silly. You're really gonna be mad at that you and your bf applied for the same job and he got it? Being jealous of your partner gives me the ick.
Don't really get why they made her a single mom because her 8 year old acted like she was 4 or 5, and the kid was hardly even in the story which I suppose isn't a bad thing, but Tansy basically acted like she didn't have a kid at all so it begged me to ask why even write that.
Overall though, I'd tell my friends to read it and for the most part, I did like it. I might read it again and maybe I'll find more enjoyment the second time around, but I'd recommend just reading proper. Skip the audio.
I think Jack and Tansy's relationship was fine. I think their ultimate conflict being that he applied for the same grant as her to be stupid though. I dislike when romance books use this microtrope to introduce conflict in relationships because like, pls be so fr. You're mad at him for applying for a grant?? Is he not allowed to get money for his job? In this one it was even more silly because they both applied separately without talking about it and Tansy still got mad.....like girl I guess. I dislike the microtrope because it makes the women seem silly. You're really gonna be mad at that you and your bf applied for the same job and he got it? Being jealous of your partner gives me the ick.
Don't really get why they made her a single mom because her 8 year old acted like she was 4 or 5, and the kid was hardly even in the story which I suppose isn't a bad thing, but Tansy basically acted like she didn't have a kid at all so it begged me to ask why even write that.
Overall though, I'd tell my friends to read it and for the most part, I did like it. I might read it again and maybe I'll find more enjoyment the second time around, but I'd recommend just reading proper. Skip the audio.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
@prhinternational #PRHInternationalPartner
Tansy is a single mom, who loves her adorable girl and her job as a librarian. All is well until a hurricane hits and the floods damage her library and her home. The library is forced to 'temporarily' relocate to the adjacent botanical gardens to the horror of its director, Jack Reid. What do you mean there will be children running around? Yoga classes? Birds? Hell, no!
When Tansy and her band of quirky book loving people descend, bringing Tansy's little girl in tow, Jack is not happy. He doesn't 'people', especially with little humans. But Tansy and Briar soon worm their way into his gardens and his heart.
I love the way Melanie crafts her stories! Tansy is a woman who has a hard time accepting help in any way, shape or form and who finds herself basically homeless and maybe jobless. The relationship that organically develops between Tansy and Jack is poignant and makes you want to root for both of them.
I particularly like books about book people and I was rooting for the library, the gardens and for the librarian and the gardener to merge!
I had an ARC but I waited for the audiobook for reasons of Brittany Pressley and Christian Fox. Brittany's performance is brilliant, especially voicing Briar. Christian's mellow, warm voice is perfectly matched to the deceivingly closed off Jack, who's just hiding deep truths and has a lot of love to give. The audiobook is a must!
If you love stories about people finding love amidst adversity, meet cutes that are totally unexpected and true 'found family' vibes, don't pass this up!
Content notes: PTSD after a hurricane, dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster, infertility, divorce, financial insecurity
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.25⭐
PG-13🌶️
Wow this book hit close to home after the recent Texas floods! But it hit close to home in the way it reminded me of how Houston rebuilt after Harvey in a way that brought community together, as I know central Texas will too.
One of my favorite places in Houston is Mercer Botanical Gardens and it was so special to read a book inspired by it as a gardener and librarian fell in love. Melanie captured the essence of why I love romance books even if sometimes I think Tansy and Jack just needed to get out of their own way. If you're looking for a happy and heartwarming romance, this one will have you in your feels.
PG-13🌶️
Wow this book hit close to home after the recent Texas floods! But it hit close to home in the way it reminded me of how Houston rebuilt after Harvey in a way that brought community together, as I know central Texas will too.
One of my favorite places in Houston is Mercer Botanical Gardens and it was so special to read a book inspired by it as a gardener and librarian fell in love. Melanie captured the essence of why I love romance books even if sometimes I think Tansy and Jack just needed to get out of their own way. If you're looking for a happy and heartwarming romance, this one will have you in your feels.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this, there's something about Melanie Sweeney's writing that just works for me. Emotional + funny with flawed characters that feel real, a love letter to librarians, a lovably chaotic group of side characters, messy humans trying hard to do the best they can.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Homophobia, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Putnam ARC
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.75 ⭐️
Where You’re Planted by Melanie Sweeney is a wonderfully sweet grumpy-sunshine romance, but is also so much more! This story explores the important themes of climate change and how that will continue to impact communities, as well as the importance of having safe, accessible, public spaces for all such as libraries and botanical gardens! When I read the Authors Note and realized that this was inspired by a true story of Sweeney’s local library and botanic garden after Hurricane Harvey in 2017, this book became that much more of an important read.
Where You’re Planted follows Tansy, a librarian whose library is damaged after a disastrous hurricane. Tansy must temporarily move her library’s operations to the botanic gardens and work together with Jack, the assistant director of those gardens despite their tense relationship, in an effort to save her local branch from permanent defunding and closure.
I highly enjoyed the plot line of rebuilding the library and botanic garden after the flood and the partnership of those two entities. Merging my two great loves of books and flowers, what more could I ask for! While this might be a complaint for some, I actually appreciated that the romantic relationship between the main characters was not the main focus of this novel. It really drove home the importance of communal spaces such as libraries. While I loved the MMC and all of the side characters we got to know in this book, I did have some issues with Tansy’s character that made following her a bit aggravating. Throughout this book, there were several instances where she acted so entitled, selfish, and honestly childish within her partnership with Jack and the garden, as well as her relationship with her baby daddy. I took issue with the fact that she is so adamantly against all aspects of receiving help, often to the detriment of her child, yet was totally demanding of the MMC to neglect his own efforts in managing his botanic gardens so that her library might benefit. It was very irritating, and honestly Jack is a saint for putting up with it. I also found that once the romantic tension finally broke, the relationship moved way too fast and I would’ve liked to see some more slow moving development between the characters.
Overall, I feel that this story was incredibly sweet and important and despite my complaints, I still had a great time reading it.
** Something important to note: As this story completely hinges on the aftermath of a flood that decimated a community, I advise anyone currently affected by the flooding in the Texas Hill Country to proceed with an immense amount of caution.
A huge thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!