You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Thank you to Putnam for the advance reader copy of Where You’re Planted by Melanie Sweeney.
The community Tansy lives in experiences a hurricane that damages her place of work, the library, and the home that she shares with her daughter. Tansy is rescued by Jack, gardener at county botanic gardens and these two don't get along. Jack and Tansy end up forced to partner together as they plan the spring festival.
This book is a slow burn and for me it took me awhile to get into it but I’m glad I kept reading as the story really picked up for me. When it did, I couldn’t put the book down until I finished. Tansy is a great leading character.
If you enjoy a rivals to lovers, forced proximity romance, this is one to check out!
The community Tansy lives in experiences a hurricane that damages her place of work, the library, and the home that she shares with her daughter. Tansy is rescued by Jack, gardener at county botanic gardens and these two don't get along. Jack and Tansy end up forced to partner together as they plan the spring festival.
This book is a slow burn and for me it took me awhile to get into it but I’m glad I kept reading as the story really picked up for me. When it did, I couldn’t put the book down until I finished. Tansy is a great leading character.
If you enjoy a rivals to lovers, forced proximity romance, this is one to check out!
An ode to Librarians and Plant Daddies alike, I fell in love along with Tansy and Jake in Melanie Sweeney’s Where You’re Planted. Full of humor and heart, as well as a rag tag bunch of loving friends and family, Where You’re Planted had me from page one.
ARC from Net Galley
ARC from Net Galley
Not the best romance I've ever read, but it grew on me. I really dislike the correlation in mainstream media that asking for help means you're no longer independent as a woman, and this FMC was a big perpetrator. If you're not observing the nuance, that way of thinking just villainizes women who either can't afford to pay for things they need, or physically do them themselves (like repair drywall in a flooded home, lmfao?). Tansy sacrificed better material and emotional care for her child because she was too stubborn, and honestly prideful, to accept money from her ex-fiance and father of her child. That's....not admirable or independent. It's dangerous. Fortunately she sort of came to that conclusion by the end, but was hypocritical getting there.
Jack was great and sort of vanilla, but I loved his journey of grief and acceptance. And I love a man who loves plants so that was a joy.
Jack was great and sort of vanilla, but I loved his journey of grief and acceptance. And I love a man who loves plants so that was a joy.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
The perfect mix of plants and books! Melanie Sweeney combines just the right amount of emotional and challenging topics with sweet moments (as well as a few spicy encounters) and humor in this book. Ranging from natural disaster recovery to complicated relationships to government funding, the characters definitely go through real struggles and process realistic emotions along the way. This is balanced by the fun, supportive, and loving cast of characters that work together through the challenges faced and help each other grow and learn to trust. The combination of a library space with a botanical garden makes for a wonderful setting that I wish I could have jumped right into! I really enjoyed every element of this book with the story moving at just the right pace to process everything while staying engaged and wondering what was coming next. This is one of those books that I wish didn’t have to end!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a galley copy of this book!
After hurricane damage forces her library to relocate into a tiny shed at the local botanic gardens, Tansy Perkins fears she'll be rejected for the government funding necessary to rebuild this vital community resource. Despite her mountain of troubles, Tansy has a sunny disposition and moxie for days so she Is willing to do whatever it takes to see the library thrive. Her first obstacle? Reconcile how the man who saved she and her daughter from rising flood waters and the garden's surly director could be one in the same.
Jack has preferred nature to human beings since his divorce. He will soon be taking over an even bigger leadership role at the botanic gardens and simply does not have time for relationships with other people, especially the Tansy Perkins shaped people who have invaded his space. Unfortunately for Jack, the Commissioner has tasked he and Tansy with joining forced to host a big family festival to prove to the community has fully recovered...which it hasn't. But the Commissioner promised to commit to funding essential flood-mitigation projects if Jack complies, and he will do what he must to protect his community from another inevitable natural disaster.
Jack and Tansy's passion for rebuilding their own public spaces is not only the flint that strikes a mutual understanding, but a deeper connection that neither of them can deny. Too bad there is just not enough public funding for everyone...
This is honestly a perfect contemporary romance for anybody whose tummy hurts and is mad at the government. Ok so it actually won't do anything about your tummy except possibly redirect the aching to your head because the government is inept and the fictional plot is too real. Please know it is taking every once of restraint not to turn this review into a plea for unconditional FEMA support in the midst of rapidly escalating climate change. I can do brave things!
Yes--your rage against the government will persist. But the budding relationship between Tansy, an eternal optimist who no reason to be optimistic, and Jack, a big 'ol grumpy anxious man who doesn't want to get hurt, is SO freakin' swoony! Oh also I dare you not to weep while Jack forges a bond with Tansy's daughter Briar. What I loved the most was the way in which both Tansy and Jack were able to shed light on how absolutely critical free shared public spaces are to communities. Tansy was willing to go to bat for any library patron, even the ones attempting to summon the devil, simply because the library is a space for EVERYONE. Jack was already passionate about maintaining the botanic gardens as a safe space for native plants, but Tansy's influence helped him expand the garden's possibilities.
This is my first Melanie Sweeney novel and oh my god???? I grabbed my phone to put a library hold on her debut novel so quickly after finishing this book that I almost dropped it. I absolutely loved the hell out of Where You're Planted, and won't be shutting up about it anytime soon.
Thank you to Penguin Group Putman for the eARC of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to love this enemies to lovers, but I felt disconnected from both characters and their chemistry. It didn’t jump off the page for me and fell flat.
I also don’t understand how as a mother you could subject you and your daughter to a home with no walls, hot water, kitchen, bed or furniture for months on end after a hurricane. How no one called CPS here is beyond me. It just really frustrated me that as a single mom, Tansy had so many options to ask for help from her ex partner, Charlie. She was selfish and protecting herself so she wouldn’t lose custody when she absolutely should have.
Jack’s hero complex and needing to care for Tansy and Briar while heartfelt, did not have the build up which warranted his quick attachment.
The quirky side characters who all work at the library felt forced at times except for they/them. I didn’t find humor in their “hi-jinx” or how the older woman was made out to be weird/super kooky and it’s just like “ohh lolllll. That’s just Marianne.”
Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this eARC.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
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:
Complicated
Within the realm of contemporary romance, I’m most drawn to authors whose writing feels realistic and emotionally authentic—the kinds of writers who create characters that feel like people I could know in real life, but with the volume turned up just a smidge. Melanie Sweeney’s writing style fits that bill. I loved her debut novel, Take Me Home, and this is a great sophomore release.
Set in the aftermath of a brutal Houston hurricane, this book pairs Tansy—a single mother and librarian—with Jack, the director of the botanical gardens where her library is temporarily relocated. Theirs is the epitome of a grumpy/sunshine romance. They are share classic enemies-to-lovers chemistry—sparks fly from their very first meeting, and gradually deepen into something more meaningful.
Tansy, much like the flower she’s named after, is resilient—optimistic even in the face of hardship, and fiercely independent, sometimes to a fault. Jack, still reeling from a bad breakup years earlier, is gruff and guarded; at first, he doesn’t appreciate Tansy’s warmth. What I love most about these characters and their relationship is that, though they approach life in very different ways, they’re both healing from similar kinds of pain.
The book is rounded out by a cast of wonderful side characters, moments of sharp humor, queer representation that feels genuine rather than tokenistic, and possible neurodiverse representation portrayed with care and authenticity.
Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
This love story was so sweet, and I think I loved it mostly because of the background plot that centered on a community rebuilding after a natural disaster, and of course, libraries! Actually, libraries and gardens which is even better. While I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one didn't seem like they actually had reason to hate each other; they just were annoyed by one another. So it wasn't too difficult to see them let their walls down and show feelings. I also liked that the MMC put his heart on the line first and was pursuing the FMC. The spicy scenes were steamy and fun. After the second open-door scene, the rest of them were closed-door, which was meh but fine. During the conflict, I thought Tansy was a little naive to think she wouldn't rely on help from anyone at all for the rest of her life, but I was glad the conflict wasn't a miscommunication that led to a breakup. It was complex and wasn't easily solved with clarity. Actually, the two characters communicated effectively and openly throughout the whole book, which was refreshing!
I also appreciated the inclusion of a non-binary friend of the FMC. Kai was a funny character and had a little romance themselves in the subplot. I liked that Kai was in many scenes, so we got the chance to read over and over again "they did this," "their back was turned," etc. I think in normalizing the use of nonbinary pronouns, it's helpful to see written (or say, in a conversation) those pronouns repeatedly. In that regard, I thought the representation was well written, but I am not an NB pal, so my opinion in this holds little to no value.
Spicy rating: 2/5 🌶️ Two open door scenes, a few closed door scenes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I also appreciated the inclusion of a non-binary friend of the FMC. Kai was a funny character and had a little romance themselves in the subplot. I liked that Kai was in many scenes, so we got the chance to read over and over again "they did this," "their back was turned," etc. I think in normalizing the use of nonbinary pronouns, it's helpful to see written (or say, in a conversation) those pronouns repeatedly. In that regard, I thought the representation was well written, but I am not an NB pal, so my opinion in this holds little to no value.
Spicy rating: 2/5 🌶️ Two open door scenes, a few closed door scenes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Infertility, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Abandonment
Alt content warnings: natural disasters
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
LIKED:
- I really liked Tansy’s character. I understood her hang ups and her motivations. I loved her passion for her job and her child and her struggles that they caused her as well.
- The other librarians were a joy and I honestly wish we got more of them. I understood who each of them were unique to themselves as well as their relationships to Tansy.
- I so appreciated Melanie Sweeney putting a map to the gardens grounds at the front of the book. Mostly because I just love a good book map but also because it did help with my own mental mapping.
- The writing of the after effects of disaster (re: hurricane in this case) are pretty brutal in a way that was very effective. It was a solid catalyst for a lot of the external conflicts of the book that just really worked .
- It’s good title. I wish that this book actual had more about plants and planting, but it is a good title as a title.
LAMENTED:
- I found Jack incredibly frustrating, especially in the latter half of the book. I get that he is a “grump” archetype, but his ire towards Tansy made little sense. He’s just mean.
- As I’ve mentioned a bit, I’m not a dual POV super fan because I feel that it can easily take away from one character’s story and not add enough to another. This is a prime example of this. It should have just been Tansy’s story. All of the drama and intrigue we learn about Jack’s background and character we should have also learned from her perspective (in my opinion). It would have made their budding interest in each other make more sense.
- Speaking of which…why did they even get together? Their first intimate scene (making out in a wall-to-wall windowed greenhouse while there are children outside even??) made no sense in the evolution of their “relationship”. It’s not that they even still hated each other at that point, but we had no communication from a reader vantage point that Tansy was even remotely interested. I wish they had still hated each other. That would have been at least heightened emotions.
- The relationship between Tansy and her ex is just kind of left dangling. Also their relationship kind of painted her in a bad light while still dubbing him the villain a few times. It was frustrating. And then there’s the pissing games between him and Jack,, ugh.
- The treatment of Briar (from the writing) I found very discouraging. I’m not sure exactly how to describe it, but there was something just kind of unspoken in regards to this child’s struggles. I’m glad she was in therapy, but there’s never actually discussion on Tansy having a kid with a ton of sensory issues and possibly deeper mental healths needs. Also, I always get annoyed when kids in books are never written to seem like they’re consistenty the same age throughout the book and Briar suffered a bit of that. I think she was supposed to be about eight and her character ranged pretty wildly from kindergartener to middle school.
- This cover is just…not good. Why is ti so yellow but Tansy’s hair is also blonde and against the yellow? Why are they so blobby and flat? It just is not visually enticing, and that’s pretty disheartening. Take Me Home’s cover was pretty simple as well, but ti was still eye-catching positively.
LONGED FOR:
- A more believable build up of their passion for each other
- Less of Jack’s POV that takes away from Tansy’s
- A more appealing cover
Will I read the next one? : I don’t know. Both this and her previous book I’ve read have been relatively middle of the road for me, personally, especially in the area of the romance between the MCs, so I think I may wait for a recommendation from someone else before I pick up the next one.
*Thank you to Putnam Books & NetGalley for providing this ARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy
Minor: Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
We Where You’re Planted
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This books made me want to read inside I library/greenhouse for the rest of the summer!
Where You’re planted centers on a small community rebuilding their library and community garden after a devastating hurricane hit their community. Jack and Tansy are both dealing with some heavy emotional trauma from their past relationships.
I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of these two main characters. While Tansy was a little bit of a frustration in the end, I loved them together with their community at the end.
Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!