Maybe it’s not too late for her happily ever after… single carnation, let alone a dozen roses.
Then Christian walks into Happy Petals, and she knows the fragrance of flowers has to have gone straight to her head. It’s inconceivable that the cute Spanish guy she remembers from high school would be interested in her…
She’s the girl of his dreams, and way out of his league…
Family is important to Christian. Why else would he be living in a company trailer? It’s a sacrifice he has to make so he can afford to send his sister to college. But nearing forty, his own chances of starting a family aren’t lookin’ too hot, especially considering he hasn’t been out on a date in years.
So it makes no sense at all he can’t get Carla out of his head. Not only is she gorgeous, she’s college-educated and way too good for a barely educated guy like him.
Only, she does seem interested.
Maybe, if he hides the truth about just how out of her league he is, he might have a chance…
Bloom of Love is the tenth novel in the Long Valley Romance series, although all books in the Long Valley world can be read as standalones. It has some strong language, and oh my, sexy times. Enjoy!
more
Whoa!
Bless Christian, all he wants is to keep the women in his life happy…but with a Mama and six, yes six, sisters that is a LOT before he begins to think about Carla. You would think growing up with that many sisters he would be confident around women, but Carla is too important, too special and she makes him nervous…which just melts your heart. Really! Just hand it over to him now! He is packed with self doubt, convinced she is too good for him, when all Carla really wants is….him!
A sweet addition to the Long Valley series, a number of taboo subjects faced here…racial slurs, weight issues, infertility, cultural differences…but they are all handled with respect keeping this as a sweet romance.
I have enjoyed all the books in this series. I think what I enjoy most is that all 9f Erin Wright’s characters are so relatable and likeable.
Christian is 38 and the oldest of 7 children – the only boy. His family is very important to him. He has given up on finding “the one” and is just doing his job and taking care of his family.
Carla wants to find the right guy but she is sure that with her physique not many will look at her. She loves her flower shop and keeps the secrets of the small town.
These two meet and the attraction is there but neither can believe the other would like them.
This is a sweet romance that blossoms into so much more. As the characters are older their drama is limited, though the family dies add a little.
It was great to see how characters from her other books were doing.
In this opposites attract romance both Carla and Christian have insecurities they need to get over. The storyline was sweet and the characters are sweet together. Carla is thirty seven and Christian is almost forty, both are hard working and not married. They do have some obstacles to work through but they do get their HEA ending.
This is a story about two people who want what everyone does – to be loved and to be happy. Carla is a romantic, waiting for the man of her dreams and starting to feel that it won’t ever happen. Ranch foreman Christian knew her in high school and he can’t stop thinking of her. Both of them are in their late 30’s and would love to find their special someone to settle down with and have a family. But Christian is afraid he has waited too long. He has been delaying his own happiness so that his sister can get a college education. Staying in a company trailer to save money so he can pay for her tuition, he hasn’t had any time for romance. Then he remembers he needs flowers for his mom!
It takes a couple of trips to the flower shop before Christian gets up the nerve to ask Carla on a date. He feels he is out of her league, but he needs to give her a chance. These two really need a shot of self-confidence! He is so flustered about asking her out, and she is finding it impossible to imagine him wanting a date with a big girl like her. Yet these two people have hearts of gold, with kindness and love given freely to their family members. They are actually perfect for each other! And if they can open up and talk to each other, share their hopes and dreams, they may find out that they really do belong together! Is this the beginning of their love story? Is there a HEA waiting for them?
Once more, the author’s books are pure magic! She welcomes readers into her world and makes them family! The reader already knows quite of few of the townspeople. Now it’s Carla and Christian’s turn for happiness. Grab your book and don’t miss this one! Your Long Valley family is waiting for you to visit!
Bloom of Love is a story that brings out all of my feel good feelings! With all their differences, Christian and Carla may not seem to be a good fit for each other, but reading this book definitely changed my mind. I love how they dance around each other before Christian gets up the courage to ask her out. The author does a wonderful job of bringing back characters from previous books to tell their story. I highly recommend this book… You won’t regret it!
Carla and Christian’s story was exceptional and unique. They really didn’t have the typical boy/girl issues. They both struggled with self doubt and low self esteem. Christian worshipped the ground that Carla walked on and it was so endearing. I enjoyed reading their story and this one really hit home for me. I love this author’s work and the stories are amazing.
Bloom of Love
Carla’s story is one that I have waited for. She’s been the faithful friend to many in Sawyer. Her flower shop, Happy Petals, has provided many with their flower needs. The man for her had to be someone very special. Christian definitely fit the bill.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved this visit back to one of my favorite small towns Long Valley. This emotionally thrilling and sweetly sexy journey is filled with engaging charters, lots of witty banter, exciting twists and heartwarming moments that make you go ahhhh.. Loved it!
I am sure that Christian was wondering if he would find the right woman to fall in love with since he was already 40 and still single. I am sure his family thought the same thing since they were Hispanic and used to large families. I was glad he thought Carla was beautiful since she was 37 and considered herself fat. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and Christian thinks Carla is beautiful. It was funny how they were both shy about dating the other and what they should do. I loved that Carla was a florist, but felt like the things she knew about why people were giving flowers was her sacred duty not to tell anyone. There are some surprises that come up for the two of them—some good and some not so good. This is a sweet story about love. I was given a copy of the book and voluntarily wrote a review.
Bloom of Love is an entertaining, opposites attract, romance. Both Carla and Christian are nearing forty, wanta love and a family and are embarrassed by where they live. But their temperaments are really opposite – bubbly extrovert meets stoic introvert. Their twisty path to an HEA is what captured and held my interest. Carla truly takes florist/client confidentiality to heart as she creates beautiful bouquets for many of the reader’s friends in Long Valley. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Carla has lost every hope of getting married, so, instead, she tries to help other people, mostly through her dear flowers.
Christian is nearly forty and he has already abandoned the idea of getting married, that is until he found the love of his life.
One of the sweetest books by Erin Wright. Carla and Christian are so different that it is difficult to think of them as an item, but, in truth, they want the same: a family of their own and together of course.
Well-written, sweet, funny and easy-to-read.
I received a copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
4.5 Stars
This story took me a chapter or two to get into bit then I was hooked. Love these two!
Christian saw her at the florist shop and fell in love. Now he just needed to figure a way to ask her out. Carla felt that men noticed her. That her weight kept them away. But Christian didn’t mind about her weight.
Ms Wright is always a good read.
I could probably have given this 5 stars if I had ever seen the Princess Bride, but I haven’t, so I know I missed a lot. I did enjoy the story, just probably not to the fullest. I loved that both Carla and Christian thought the other was out of their league. It made for some cute internal dialog! There are a lot of appearances and references to other characters that have had their own stories, which was nice, plus some set up of more stories to come. I just hope there’s more of Carla and Christian in the works too
Carla is a caring person but she is 37, single and only wants to find the love of her life like I her favourite movie The Princess Bride. Christian is a hard working man, the older brother of six sisters, and he is used to women but seems unable to find his soulmate. Can these two wonderful people find each other and have their own happily ever after? Sweet love story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It has been a long dry spell waiting for Erin’s next book but it was worth the wait. I do love the stories about the small town of Sawyer, Idaho. Having lived in a small Idaho town myself, I can relate to the quirky characters who come together to help each other out when times get tough but know all of each other’s business too! The lead characters Carla and Christian are a bit unconventional so it makes their romance a nice fresh surprise. Carla feels that she is overweight and has body issues. Christian is shy and clueless about dating and being Hispanic from a large farm labor family, he feels that he doesn’t deserve Carla. And they are both ashamed of their tiny living quarters and lack of money and both in their late 30s. These issues make the characters real and relatable, and their struggles and stumbles will pull at your heart. And there is a very sweet romance (with some steam) that will make you sigh too. I volunteered to read and review an early copy because I had waited long enough!
This is a wonderful, heartwarming love story, a balm for all we’ve experienced this past year. Carla and Christian’s story is sweet – both are worried they are not enough for each other – and yet, once they get together, their love shines through. Carla, owner of Happy Petals flower shop, has watched her friends and others find their happily-ever-afters while she…hasn’t.
At 37, she’s beginning to wonder if she will ever find love. And Christian, at 38 and oldest child in a family of seven with six younger girls, some who already have children of their own, also believes love has perhaps passed him by.
But when he meets Carla…well, he’s thinking she might be that special someone.
And Carla…just seeing Christian puts a big smile on her face!
Watching these two fall in love is endearing – and although it’s a story made more poignant in this time when our lives have been so changed due to the pandemic, it is a love story for ALL time.
I was sucked in from the start and yes I stayed up to finish it. I love this quirky town with its deep love stories. These two have a lot going against them; race, finances, and self doubt but it’s a joy to see friends help them out. Don’t miss out on a truly enriching experience.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When I sit down with one of Erin Wright’s books I know that I’m in for a treat. Her books are filled with relatable characters and stories that will warm your heart with a little spice added in.
This is Christian and Carla’s story and it is set in the small town of Sawyer, Idaho in Long Valley.
Christian is the oldest child of 7 and the only boy. Family is everything to him. He works as a ranch foreman o a small ranch. At 38, he has given up on finding someone to marry and spend his life with. His life is hard work and saving every penny to help pay for his second youngest sister’s college tuition. That is until Mother’s Day when he realizes that he forgot to get something for his mama. He ducks into the local flower shop to buy her some flowers. When he does, he sees Carla who owns the shop. Christian knew Carla in high school but didn’t have anything to do with her. But when he sees her now, he is struck by how beautiful she is and how easily she talks to her customers. He wants to ask her out but he gets flustered and leaves after Carla’s helps him buy the flowers. When he gets another opportunity to go to her shop again he is still tongue tied.
Carla is 37 and a romantic at heart. She has given up on marriage. She helps take care of her niece and nephew and she has her shop and her cats. When Christian comes into her shop to order flowers for his sister’s quinceanera, she wishes that she could have a guy like Christian but what would a guy like him want with a big girl like her? When Christian finally gets the nerve to ask Carla out on a date, Carla is surprised. Why would a guy like him want to date her?
As the two begin to date, they learn that what you think about someone is not always what the truth is as well as the importance of communication. It was great to see how the two of them worked through their issues and the pride that they both had.
This book did not disappoint. While it is the 10th book in the Long Valley series, it can definitely be read by itself.
Bloom of Love is the latest book in the fabulous Long Valley series. It can be read as a stand-alone as each book is an individual story but each book is interconnected to the others with recurring characters.
Florist Carla is curvy, insecure, totally obsessed with The Princess Bride and convinced that love is for others but not for her. Christian has six sisters and lives in trailer where he works. He is also seriously attracted to Carla.
This is a very good book with wonderful characters. Erin Wright tackles several important issues throughout the book with care and honesty. There is one thing that seriously bugged me about this book .. the Princess Bride quotes at the start of every chapter, the constant Princess Bride references, the Princess Bride overload. I have never seen this film and now I never will .. it bugged me that much. However the book still deserves a five star rating as it is a great read and I enjoyed it (Princess Bride excluded).