Bestselling author Staci Hart is back with a brand new romantic comedy and clever spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Meet the Bennet brothers, get to know Longbourne, and fall in love in this steamy enemies to lovers romcom.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 … 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.
more
Another wonderful story from Staci Hart. Coming Up Roses is a Pride and Prejudice retelling set at Longbourne the family flower shop.
Luke Bennet and his siblings have returned home to help save the shop. Tess Monroe has worked at the flower shop since high school and has known Luke just as long. The two used to be friends, but one night changed everything and Tess has hated him since.
Luke and Tess were opposite in so many ways but complement each other well. I liked how their relationship grew as they came to appreciate each other’s talents and point of view.
The story is told in dual POV and I think it kept the plot moving forward at a good pace. It also allowed me to really come to like Luke a lot despite Tess’ original opinion of him.
I loved all the descriptions of the flower shop, greenhouse operation, and arrangements. There was enough detail to make it feel authentic and interesting without getting mired down in too much detail.
I really hope there are more books to come about the Bennet siblings and Longbourne!
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Oh my GOODNESS, this was a fun book. Luke and Tess were just…well, antagonistic on her part and sweetly chaotic on his part when they first meet again. Besides the forgotten kiss, his cavalier attitude drives her bonkers. She’s all about routines and playing it safe and he’s the EXACT opposite.
He comes across as flighty and shallow, but there’s a lot more to Luke Bennet than meets the eye.
Fortunately for him, Tess makes a conscious decision to give Luke a second chance. And she starts to see a whole other side of him that…sparkles for her. Which sounds weird, but he has facets and he wants to get to know the Tess that’s under her prickly exterior and YESSSSSS. I love their slow evolution.
Not that it’s slow, exactly. I mean, once Tess chooses to give Luke a chance, things move pretty quickly. Maybe that’s to be expected, though, when you spend every waking moment beside someone while working to restore something that means everything to you.
*le sigh* So good. Their relationship is sweet and sexy and fun all at the same time. And, yes, there are bumps along the way, but I genuinely enjoyed every step of their journey. Even the bumpy parts.
Annnnnd…with so many Bennet siblings, there are so many possibilities. *dreamy eyes*
4.5 “Pizza Bod” Stars
What’s there to say that hasn’t already been said? Honestly, Staci has a way of rendering me speechless. Just when I think she can’t outdo herself, she goes and does just that and then some. I’ve once again been hooked with Staci’s impeccable writing. And with this new series she’s given the classic Jane Austen story a fresh new modern twist that is just incredible.
Lucas is the youngest sibling in the Bennet family. His lives for adventure and doesn’t take anything too seriously. A true free spirit at heart. But that’s about to change when he returns back home and needing to step up and help his family’s crumbling flower shop. And when he first arrives not everyone is happy to see his return, and let’s just say he doesn’t make quite the impression on Tess.
Tess has known Luke her whole life. Along the way she developed a crush on him. Something happened that had Tess believing that it could mean something, but it only led her to view Luke differently. And now that he’s back she does everything to ignore him, but she can’t help but think about what happened and trying to mask how she really feels for Luke.
Luke and Tess couldn’t be more opposite, but are so right together. Their chemistry is just so amazing. They’re both looking for something and ultimately find it with each other. Both taking the leap and going on the greatest adventure they’ll ever be on.
Coming Up Roses gave me all the feels! Amazing story with outstanding characters and so many tender and heartwarming moments. I fell so hard for the endearing, charming, caring and loving Bennet family. What an incredible start to a new series by Ms. Hart. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Tessa and Lucas are adorable. Tess has been harboring feelings for Luke for as long as she can remember. Yet, she feels betrayed by him. Tess doesn’t believe he remembers a kiss they shared. When Lucas returns to town to help with his family’s business he makes it a point to peruse Tess. Such a sweet story. Absolutely adored it.
I am never surprised at the depth of love I feel for Staci Harts storytelling. I always think ” once again, this is why I became such a book lover”. So always astounded I’m even further astounded at how Staci takes inspiration from a Jane Austen novel and gives it just the right wink and a nod so that I get the same feels with an entirely different story.
The Bennets reinvented give us a whirlwind of a young man in Luke. When he returns to the Longbourne Family Flower Shop after a ten-year and a couple of thousand-mile separation, he does so with panache. After the immediate groping and mortification of Tess Monroe, Luke settles into his role as savior and instigator of ruffled feathers. Specifically Tess’ feathers. No, she is none too pleased to see Luke and to revisit the hurt feelings he inflicted on her as a teenager. But Luke is nothing if not tenacious and winning Tess over becomes the end game.
I loved these characters and their path to each other. Tess is simply delightful and shares Lukes unfailing brand of loyalty, even if Luke’s is misplaced. His adventuresome spirit is both attractive and scary to her. It’s clear Luke needs the right kind of woman to balance him out and in Tess, he may have found her. But it will be an uphill battle as he fumbles to get past his past. But if anyone has the charm to woo her over it’s Luke.
Also, delightful were all the lovely descriptions about the Longbourne Flower Shop, and who hasn’t dreamed of working shop? This drove me to Pinterest and Instagram (oh the hardship) to research Cloud Flowers and window installations looking for what might have inspired the fictional Tess. With this said I’ll close with my wholehearted recommendation and share a wonderful quote from the book that harkens to another century.
“To all that’s old and new,” I said, smiling down at my mother. “May we be immortalized by the deeds we do and the love we give.”
Coming Up Roses is the first in a new series by Staci Hart. It’s fun and quirky as we’ve come to expect from this author. The heroine did take a bit of time to warm up to. Tess has a lot on her plate, she’s been harboring an unrequited crush for ten years and Luke has been oblivious and also absent for half of that decade. So, Tess is a bit moody, a bit guarded and maybe even… hostile toward him at first.
He’s not at all what she thought he was though. Okay, maybe he is, just a bit. He’s spent a long time gallivanting through life-and women. Now, his parents” flower shop needs rescuing and its all hands on deck as it were.
Tess and Luke work together along with his siblings to do all that they have to save the day.
The story is told in dual POV and has a kind of ‘Jane Austen-y’ feel to it at times. It was a nice start to the new series and I’m looking forward to the next in line.
Wow, I loved Coming Up Roses. Tess and Luke pull you in right from the start. These two have a past, but will it impact their future. Luke returns home to help out at the family flower shop, which is where Tess has been working since high school. Tess and Luke work together to save the shop, while their chemistry starts to burn the more time they spend together. Tess and Luke take you on a fun, heart-warming, and laughter filled journey. Definitely read this book and find out what will happen with Luke and Tess.
Love how this story not only focuses on building a relationship but also saving a family legacy. Luke is hard to pin down, he moves from job to job with a restless spirit yet he married Wendy only to have that fall apart. When the family business needs all the Bennett kids to help save it, he jumps right in and gets to reconnect with Tessa. Tessa has a passion for flowers and loves working at the Bennett flower shop but she hates that Luke is coming back. He committed the worst sin, kissing a girl and then completely forgetting her and the kiss. Even though Tessa loves Luke deep down, she can’t get past his ‘crime’ in her eyes. Luke has been drawn to Tessa and doesn’t know why she hates him but when the business needs them to work together, well, just maybe Luke can show Tessa another side to him she’s never seen. Will Tessa let her heart thaw? This is a fun, sexy romance with a great heart as the family unites to save a true legacy. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
4 Love Happens in Moments Stars!!!
I’m a longtime fan of Ms. Hart’s books and I love nothing better than a new series because she has the uncanny ability to write stories, that may be a re-telling of a classic novel, like this series, based on Jane Austen’s Bennett Sisters but reversed, with her own flair, fun and quirkiness.
Coming Up Roses is the first book where we meet the entire Bennet family, who have all returned home to save the family florist shop Longbourne and one would think everyone would be happy they’re all home again…yeah not everyone is jumping for joy…one of those being Tess who has been working for Mrs. Bennet since her high school days and being a florist is in her blood and when Luke Bennet strolls back into her life and “her” shop the fireworks go off and not in a good way!
Tess has had a crush on this man from way back and there’s definitely animosity on her side of things, but poor Luke has no idea what’s going on which just let me know right off the bat this was going to be SO MUCH FUN!!
Ms. Hart has written a book that is engaging, funny, heart-tugging and sexy! Watching the progression of Luke and Tess move from where they started and her anger at him being in the shop to truly falling in love had me captivated from beginning to end. I adored how she doesn’t let him get away with anything and calls him out a couple of times! And when they finally come together in every way possible, it’s hot and some would consider dangerous given where some of these sexy times took place…think thorns and pinking shears LOL!
One of the most endearing things about this book is the family love that exists in the Bennet family and I’m so excited to get all the kid’s stories from one of my favorite one-click authors!
Luke and Tess were childhood friends, until one night caused the end of their friendship. Now Tess is working at her dream job at the Longbourne Flower Shop, which is in trouble. When all of the Bennett siblings arrive in town to save the shop, Tess is faced with Luke again. Can these two sort out their differences and have a 2nd chance? This is a beautifully written flawless story which is fun, sweet, entertaining, humorous, and a heart-warming poignant love story. I was enthralled throughout and look forward to reading more from this gifted author.
Wickedly awesome romantic comedy beautifully orchestrated and sinfully hot. Staci has managed to write one of the best rom coms I have read this year. Her characters are so well developed and the descriptions so detailed that I could smell the roses in the back of Luke’s delivery van and see the peony’s that Tess was working with. I love when a book makes you feel everything. Luke and his brothers and sisters all return to New York City in a last ditch effort to save the family’s florist shop and to protect their parents retirement dreams. A recently divorced Luke comes back and encounters Tess a girl from his past and feels immediate chemistry. Tess had a crush on Luke as a teen when they spent one night in the storage bin in the flower shop and a drunk Luke gave her the kiss of her life and forgot about it the next day. Their first encounter is awkward when Luke mistakes her for an old friend he fooled around with and gropes her by surprise. It’s here where the story begins as opposites attract and Tess learns to be adventurous and Luke learns that routine can be fun. This is the story of how these two learn to live, laugh, trust, keep secrets, communicate, believe in each other, and love. Definitely a five star read and a book that leaves you wanting more. Bravo Staci I can’t wait for more stories of the Florist shop and family.
I was provided an Arc of this book for an honest
Staci Hart always writes some of the funniest stories! Coming Up Roses was as sweet as the fragrance of the roses gracing her cover. I did struggle a bit through the first half. I can’t exactly pinpoint the exact area where I struggled… I think it was more Tess and her behavior than anything else. Besides all that, Luke is charming and was so confused with why he was still getting the cold shoulder from Tess after all this time.
My favorite part of this book is the fun and lightness of the story. Factor in Staci Hart’s fabulous writing and this book was enjoyable and just what we expect from Mrs. Hart. I really think the way she throws in these one-liners or quotes that really stick with the reader, or me in this case, is something that keeps me sucked into her books. The quote below is one I highlighted and often returned to so I could reread… it stuck with me and made me ponder my life. I love when books do that… get you thinking of your life and if you could be a bit more wild yourself.
“Be wild. Because life is lived in the moments you don’t see coming. Not in the comfort of predictability, but in the thrill of the unknown.”
So while this isn’t my favorite Staci Hart book it is a great read. Mrs. Hart is so descriptive in her words that she brings the flower shop to life with her words along… if that isn’t talent, what is?
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
How about a fun retelling of Pride and Prejudice? What if It has Staci Hart’s signature? Great, right?
She rocked creating a simple and beautiful plot about a second chance romance, resilience, forgiveness and love … sooooo much love …. both familiar and for the floriculture as well as sexual … Wow!
Tess is a quiet and accommodating girl who has been working since her teens at the Bennet family flower shop, a motherless orphan she has been very attached to Mummy Bennet and takes special care of her father and the house where she lives that carries many memories of her mother. She loves her work very much and has a very special way of putting together beautiful, romantic and inspiring arrangements. Not content with living and breathing flowers at work, in her spare time she takes pictures for her instagram where she uses all her creativity in flower arrangements and dreams of one day being able to publish a book on this subject. She is happy …But she has an Achilles heel …. Luke Bennet …
Luke Bennet is the kind of person who illuminates everything around him and draws everyone into his orbit with just a smile. He and Tess have been inseparable friends in the past and he has no idea what may have caused the separation between them, he only knows that he needs to reverse the girl’s implication anyway as they will work together from now on to try to save the flower shop . Although he gives the impression that clings to nothing and only changes from job to job, he will surprise us and Tess.
Between hilarious and sighing moments, this duo together with Ivy (friend and other store employe) and all the other Bennet brothers will roll up their sleeves for a common target and maybe another target too …. hehehehe .. ..their own heart.
But things are is not coming up roses as we all know and the love of this couple will be strongly tested thanks to a heartbreaking conflict point culminating in an ending that tears me away from a situation that shows well Luke and Tess’ gold heart.
I thought it was beautiful how Staci Hart showed that their love helped not only the flower shop but also each one to mature, realize their strength and fight for what they want.
I only say one thing: I want more Bennet’s brothers!
This is my fifth ARC from Author Staci Hart and probably my most favorite.
This is the love story of Lucas Bennet and Tess Monroe… they’re childhood friends until that one fateful night. She’s been working for his mom’s flower-shop for a very long time. He came home to help out their mother’s flailing business and at the same time to start anew. She’s a worrier and he’s a happy-go-lucky kinda’ guy… it was insta-like for him and she was in-denial of having feelings for him for a very long time.
Although their entire love story is swoony, it started a wee bit faster for my liking. I would’ve wanted a longer build-up for these two.
Overall I loved the story… it’s a page-turner… great word-building… it’s light and sweet and gives you warm fuzzy feelings.
To the fans of Rachel Grey, Max Monroe and Lauren Blakely… this is the book to pickup next.