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.
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I think this might be my favorite book by Ms Hart!
Coming up Roses has a unique setting and features a family of entertaining siblings. All of the Bennetts were fun to meet and I especially enjoyed getting to know Luke and long time store employee, Tess.
The set up of needing to save the family business and the role Tess played gave us ample opportunities to see our featured couple together as they resolved old misunderstandings and created new memories.
Both Luke and Tess grew up a little bit here – I appreciated how they seemed to balance each other and challenge each other depending on what was needed.
After spending time with Luke, Tess, and the rest of the Bennett family, I hope to see more stories for Luke’s siblings!
5 Luke Filled Stars!!!
YES!!!! Staci Hart proves every time she releases a new book why she’s one of my favorite authors. This isn’t her first Jane Austen inspired book and hopefully it’s not the last.
Tess Monroe has worked at the flower shop her entire life and takes care of her father and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Mrs. Bennett has taught her everything and has been a mother figure to her.
With the flower shop failing all of Mrs. Bennett’s children have moved home to save the family business and their legacy. Tess is fine until Luke walks into the flower shop.
Tess used to be friends with Luke. She had a huge crush on him. On a night Tess needed Luke the most, he was there for her. They shared words and a kiss that Tess will never forget. Unfortunately the next day Luke didn’t remember their night and Tess was heartbroken.
Tess literally wants nothing to do with Luke. But, in order to save the shop she must work one on one with him and he’s making her forget why she hates him and that’s killing her.
Luke Bennett is the youngest sibling and has never held down a job. He kinda just goes with the flow. Wherever the wind blows him he goes. Since getting divorced and he’s close to hitting rock bottom when he gets the call about his families flower shop he drops everything and goes home.
Luke’s always thought Tess was beautiful but somehow she’s more beautiful than he remembered. Unfortunately, Tess hates him and for the life of him he can’t remember what happened for her to feel that way.
Luke wants to prove to his siblings, parents and most importantly Tess that he has what it takes to save their families legacy. Luke’s worked a million different jobs, made a bunch of different contacts. All are an advantage to his plans. He’s gradually getting closer to Tess and feeling things he’s never felt before.
Just as Tess, Luke and the rest of the Bennett family think they’ve made steps in the right direction Luke’s past returns and throws a wrench in everything.
This story’s amazing!!! Luke is an all-around amazing guy. He was all over the place for awhile but it was bc he didn’t have a purpose and somebody to ground him. Even though I wanted to strangle him a few times, it was hard bc he does think with his heart and people took advantage of that.
Tess had a stick up her butt in the beginning. I thought she was overreacting. You can’t expect somebody to remember something important when they were drunk when the conversation happened. I’m just saying lol. Thankfully Luke helped her relax and breathe and enjoy herself.
Luke and Tess are amazing and they were the perfect couple to start a new series off on. After meeting the Bennett siblings and their amazing parents I’m really looking forward to the rest of their HEA and the success of their flower shop. This family deserves it. Great job Staci!!!!
** spoiler alert ** The writing was good and I was looking forward to this book so much because it was marketed as a Pride and Prejudice variation, but I really didn’t find much of my favorite characters in this book. I even got the links to P&P besides the names (of one character) and it being an enemies to lovers trope. Staci Hart’s Austen series follows the books so well and I was expecting that level of book, but sadly I didn’t connect with either of these characters. Maybe Luke was supposed to be Lydia Bennett. That makes more sense. Wendy was Wickham and Tess was his/her redemption? If I look at it that way, it is understandable. The end of the book was just a .. no from me. Either way, I wanted to love this P&P revisit, but it lacked something. The connection of the two was instant and glossed over much of their rocky past. One kiss (and more, super quickly) fixed everything. I wanted to believe in this kind of love, but it just didn’t work for me. I will continue to read Staci Hart, but this one just wasn’t for me. Great expectations and all.
Coming Up Roses is a brand new romantic comedy from Staci Hart! This book had me giggling especially when it came to the banter between Tess and Luke. You see, the two seems to have a love/hate relationship (or more like Tess hates Luke and Luke loves Tess). It was so much fun seeing their relationship blossom as it was pretty tumultuous when they first got together again. This is due to a former misunderstanding, a shared kissed that may have happened while under the influence.
Overall, I enjoyed this one! I loved how family played a role in the story as well as the setting within the flower shop that needs help staying open! Poor Tess had a lot of things going on in her life and with worrying about the shop and Luke’s intentions it wasn’t easy for her. But Luke made everything FEEL easy to me and I adored him!
If you’re looking for a lighthearted, enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy then I recommend grabbing a copy of this one!
Tess hates Luke. Everyone else loves Luke, which irritates Tess even more. What’s worse is the fact that Luke can’t remember why Tess hates him so much. But she loves the flower shop more than she hates him, and they must work together if the shop is going to be saved.
I loved this book. Staci Hart is a fantastic writer. Not only is there romance in these pages, but humor and family and some real wisdom bombs. I was highlighting so much. And their families! Tess’s dad was #dadgoals. The Bennets were all wonderful. I hope we get a whole series of Bennet books!
Read this book, people. It’s so good.
Let me start by saying, what a freshening Cover this book has. I loved it from the first sighting and think it’s very fitting for the story.
I love a Staci Hart book, and will always be anxiously waiting for the next books release. Unfortunately this one fell short for me. And I can’t quite put my finger on it as to why. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters but it seemed to be lacking something. There were a few components that didn’t totally fit or feel right for me. It’s odd how only Luke, with Tess, had been the instrumental members to save the family business when everyone else is there helping. And I really couldn’t get my head around the green house in NYC supplying all those flowers on a daily basis and not running out. But I think my biggest dismay was that it dragged on too long where it could have been more concise with more depth.
This is certainly not a rom-com but the banter between the family members had me smiling a lot. It is a very sweet and charming contemporary romance of family values and commitment towards each other and other relationships. There is some angst as well, with an ex causing drama but the biggest outcome is love. It’s not necessarily light hearted, but it is very heartwarming and full of emotions.
* Reviewed by Monique for JoandIsaLoveBooks Blog.
If you’ve been reading Staci Hart’s books, then you’ll know her books are always fun and sweet which makes her the best romcom author! Coming Up Roses is no exception! I love when a book makes you feel everything.
A forgotten kiss make Tess hate Luke even though it happened years ago. His player attitude doesn’t make it easy for Tess to like him. He comes across as flighty and shallow and he is the opposite of Tess. And Tess is all about routines and playing it safe. So giving a second chance to Luke is definitely out of her forté
The history between Luke and Tess goes back so far and I felt my heart breaking on behalf of Tess. But Luke isn’t exactly the player that everyone thinks that he is. I loved Luke’s character and how he was so good. He comes across as wily and charming, but he has such a big and loving heart. The chemistry between Luke and Tess had me coming back for more.
I really enjoyed his fall for Tess, his protectiveness, his inner thoughts about her first thing. I will admit that the conflict part of the story wasn’t my favorite, but I still could not put this book down and read it within the span of 1 day.
Staci has always write such great books, I’ve read alot of her books, and will continue to do so!
Not surprised to love another book by author
I found myself enthralled following the journey of these Jane Austen inspired Hero & heroine needing to find out how they finally get their HEA.
This story was sweet with moments of angst, as an enemies to lovers romance All misunderstanding began as young kids, Tess and Luke were complete opposites Author Staci Hart made them fit in a stepout of your box and let go of the past grudges kinf a way with plenty of giggle worthy moments with his sibilings. As it always is with this author I felt present for it all as she has this beutiful way with detailed scenes that have you looking for the scent of all the flowers.
I am a huge fan of Staci Hart. I love her sweet and charming stories and Coming Up Roses was all that and more in this enemies to lovers romance! Tess loves her job at the Longbourne Flower Shop. But then Luke, who does not remember a pivotal moment for Tess, returns and she just hates it. He is back to help save the family flower shop. Tess just hates him, right?
Tess and Luke had great chemistry! Even as Tess wants nothing to do with him, Luke has no idea why! I loved their banter and Luke’s determination to win her over. Tess is a woman with responsibilities and determination. Luke is easygoing and very likable. They seem like total opposites and yet there is something there. Such a fun, charming and sweet read with all the best feels!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
For a book with a flower in the title and full of beautiful plants and blooms, this book was chockfull of butterflies. I mean, swooning left and right because of Luke Freaking Bennet. Imagine this: a big, muscle-y, charming, handsome, smirky guy who seems to only have eyes for pretty much anything in a skirt. Until his gaze narrows to the shy florist who works at his family’s flower shop. Who kinda hates him. But in a way that only Staci can do, they fall. Hard. No one does first kisses like Staci Hart, or the stolen glances. And Luke and Tess are super cute together. Add in the whole falling-for-my-boss’-son thing? Gah. So. Freaking. Adorable.
New Staci Hart!! How excited are you? I DEVOURED this read guys. One day. Heck. Less than a day.
I love Staci’s books and this one was no different. Her books in this spinoff are all loose reinterpreted retellings of Austen novels and I am HERE For it.
This is the first book in this series and it laid the perfect ground works for the next few books. I loved meeting the characters and the world.
The Bennet Brothers.
Yes, you read that right, and boy have they met their match in this series. Enemies to lovers is one of my TOP ropes and when Hart does it, it is NEXT LEVEL.
This book though? Our heroine had ALL the sass and spunk, and even though she drove me bonkers I loved every bit of it. This book brought the swoon and the sexy and I was all for it. I can’t wait to read the next one!
Now, I am off to buy some flowers, my house is severely lacking.
4.5 CROWNS
Staci Hart never does me wrong! The writing, the voice, and fun romances with underlying thematic messages gets me every single time.
I really love Luke Bennett. He definitely had that charm and charisma. I couldn’t resist him, honestly, and it was easy to understand why women fell under his charm. His larger than life and adventurous outlook are simply contagious.
Tess was endearing but the complete opposite of Luke in almost every single way. She definitely has her hurt pride and prejudices against Luke, and they are not unfounded.
I did find their chemistry authentic. I like that Luke made Tess more outgoing and willing to take risk, and in exchange Tessa made Luke more settled and responsible.
While the plot was not really filled with large surprises I was drawn in by the retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I thought her rendition of the Bennett family was spot on. I love the carefree nature of Luke as the youngest Bennett, the love arduous Mrs. Bennett, and even the father. I cannot wait to see what she does with the rest of the series.
Entertaining, romantic, filled with fantastic prose, Staci Hart’s coming up roses is another must read in the romance world.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
”Be wild. Because life is lived in the moments you don’t see coming”
I really don’t know where to begin and where to end. This book totally took my by surprise and gave me everything I didn’t know I’d need. I’m still in awe with what Staci Hart created here. The thoughtful writing, the soft creation of these deep characters and their development. Everything about this book is harmonic and everything feels perfect to me: The pace, the slow-burn, the natural interaction of all characters, the emotions, the story-flow, the well dosed drama that lead to the angsty part of the story and on and on I could go with this.
”She was as familiar to me as she was a discovery, the girl I’d known, the woman I’d come to need.”
I could picture each character so clearly, it was like watching a movie. I got caught by the realness of it all. The feels and most importantly the message this book carries. Maybe it was because I found myself so clearly in Tess and the way she lived her life, the cautious way she made sure not to get hurt and therefore didn’t take any risks.
Tess is real, beautiful, thoughtful, cautious, caring, loving. She gives with all her heart and is afraid to live her life a little more adventurous. But who can blame her? Aren’t we all afraid to get hurt or afraid of consequences? I love the way the opens up naturally after Luke is back in her life. It’s like two puzzle pieces fall back in place together.
Lucas is the perfect example that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. You only see the top of the iceberg and you underestimate its depth. Can someone bake me a man like Lucas? I’d really like to meet him and fall in love with him.
Not to mention on how Tess and Luke compliment each other. They balance each other perfectly. Where Tess needs to get more wild, Luke shows her how to live a litte. And where Luke needs more stability learning to be dependable, Tess gives him exactly what he needs. Everything comes to them naturally and they just live with the flow without realizing it.
”Love happens in moments.”
All I can say is that Staci Hart has outdone herself with this book. I loved her books before but non of them spoke to me like this one here did.
Please go and meet these wonderful characters and get surprised on how quickly they grow on you, touch every fibre of your heart.
”In this man was a heart too big to contain, with patience and love beyond the bounds of comprehension. And he was mine.”
Coming Up Roses is a beyond beautiful book with a strong message that effortlessly made it on my list of favorite reads this year!
“He was feral, a thing unbridled, without rules or constraint. He went where he wanted, did what he chose.”
When Luke gropes the wrong woman at his family’s iconic florist shop, he’s thrilled to realize just who the gropee is. Unfortunately for him, (and for her), Tess is far, far less than thrilled when Luke grabs her, thinking she’s Ivy, her friend and Luke’s former friend with benefits. She’s hated Luke for years, ever since he forgot about the kiss he laid on her on one of the most heartbreaking nights she’s ever experienced. And now the laconic but charming playboy is back in town to help his siblings save their family’s florist business. But, she can just avoid him until he does his usual thing and leaves to roam around the world where his next whim takes him. Surely it will be easy to avoid him, right?
“One of my particular joys in life was making her uncomfortable in the hopes she’d reveal a crack in the wall or the flesh of her soft little underbelly.”
Except Tess hadn’t counted on the interest she’s sparked in him. Suddenly, he’s doing his best to get under her skin, to get a reaction from her other than just shooting daggers at him from glacial eyes. Can she ever forgive Luke for forgetting that kiss? Can she really give in and have some fun with him, the man who broke her still sore heart? If Luke has anything to say about it, if his legendary charm works on her, then definitely YES!
“Forever used to feel like a cage, a trap, but then you taught me that forever is an adventure, and I want to spend every minute of it with you.”
Coming Up Roses is just as sweet as the gorgeous blooms Tess and Luke handle all day. But it’s not just that, Luke and Tess make a compelling couple. From their first anger-filled tanglings, down to the last word in the epilogue, where it shows how very much their relationship had developed, Coming Up Roses proved just how adept Staci Hart is at weaving a fantastic love story. I’ve loved everything of Staci Hart’s that I’ve ever read, and Coming Up Roses continues that love. If sweet, sexy, snarky fun are your thing, then I highly recommend you download your copy of Coming Up Roses today!
ARC via Social Butterfly PR.
WOW!!!! What a beautifull story. This author never disappoints, seeing her name on the book’s cover, I know it need to be good one.
Of course with Coming Up Roses there were no exceptions !!!! Staci Hart wrote this book at the finest!I was waiting impatiently for Coming Up Roses so once I’ve started, I couldn’t put this book down. It was funny, it was sweet, it was heartwarming… it was simply everything.
Tess & Luke are seriously… special together. I couldn’t bored with them for sure. They love each other and they hate eachother… and every possible situation shows how much they should end together.
I have great time during reading newest Staci Hart baby, and I’m sure that I always will love come back for her as an an author.
As someone who is a huge fan of anything Jane Austen related, I was excited when I heard Staci Hart was doing a spin-off from her Austen series. Plus, Coming Up Roses takes place in a flower shop! Floral design is a dream job for me so I was living vicariously through Tess Monroe and the Bennet family.
Luke Bennet and Tess Monroe’s love-hate relationship had me eating up the pages. Tess was feisty, and I enjoyed every second of the banter that was tossed between these two. And Luke, although having his moments of oblivion at the beginning, really wanted to work to get Tess to like him. He really stepped it up and I adored him!
Coming Up Roses is a light-hearted, entertaining story I loved! I couldn’t get enough of the characters or the setting in which they live. And Staci Hart’s writing is elegant and flawless — I easily found myself lost in every detail of this story.
3.5 Stars!
Tess loves everything about her job specially her boos, Mrs. Bennet. Everything except Luke Bennet. She can’t stand him for many reasons but most importantly she hates him for forgetting the night that is branded on her soul. She has to hate him because falling for him will only bring her pain.
I’m a huge fan of Staci’s storytelling and this book was no different. I love the way she paves the story and crafts it in a way that you can’t help but love. This was a beautiful new world filled with immense possibilities and romance. I adored it through and through. As with all her books, this one made me smile big and happy.
I found it difficult to connect to either of the characters. Though I enjoyed their bickering, I wasn’t really invested in them. I feel like there were some things left lose or unsaid.
I’m excited to see if we get more stories in this universe. Pride and Prejudice has been an immense love of mine and this gender bend spin on their stories has me hyped to the max.
There were so many aspects of this story which reminded me of Pride and Prejudice. And that right there is what I love so much about Staci Hart; she weaves in the feeling, not exactly an adaptation of the classics, to lend a familiarity to a story while still keeping it original. Given how much I love Pride and Prejudice AND Hart, well, it was all coming up roses (ha, ha, pun intended).
“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.”
Luke is wild and unpredictable. At least that is what everything thinks of him, and sometimes it’s easier to live up to the stereotype. Tessa, on the other hand, is reliable and always walks the safe path. They have a history, they clash, and they have chemistry. What is the common ground? A family business, loyalty, and deciding not to avoid the unavoidable.
If this were a true adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Luke would possess the characteristics of Elizabeth Bennet and Tessa would be the quiet Mr. Darcy. But at the same time, there was some cross over at times, so this story was fresh, interesting, and yet had me laughing at the “Mr. Bennet” comments.
What can you expect in this story? Hart’s signature storytelling, which sucks you in and makes you want to see how the characters develop and figure out their respective and collective paths. I can’t wait to see what happens with the other members of the Bennet clan. We started with the youngest, so we can only go up from here!
Shel: What do you get when you mix a person of optimism and hope and a person is a realist and runs on fear? You get Luke and Tess in Coming Up Roses, another great read written by Staci Hart. Court: Such a great read written, and it was a great novel right from the very first page!
Shel: While this novel definitely has some of the humor we’ve come to expect in Hart’s novels, this one felt like it had less of that and more sweet romance, more examination of the inner workings of the two main characters, and was tinged with an overall sense of big romance. I really enjoyed the all the various facets of Luke and Tess and seeing each of them grow and learn as the story progressed. They seemed like such polar opposites that it was fun to see him try to charm her, her try to resist him, and then their sweet romance when he finally wore her down. Court: Yes! The almost enemies to friends to what will happen next for these two was a beautiful ride. I couldn’t put the book down from the moment I started it, and devoured it whole. There was so much to absorb and I really enjoyed the nuances we got and the pace we got them. The writing was just so brilliant.
Shel: Additionally, Luke’s family really rounded out the story. I liked the dynamic between the siblings and between the parents and the siblings and the parents. The Bennet family felt so warm and like the kind of family that anyone would love to be a part of. They ribbed each other, protected each other, and were so supportive of each other that part of this novel felt like a love letter to the family too.
Court: I agree, and the way that the entire family and secondary characters were brought in that it was my favorite kind of story. I love when the secondary characters are such a huge part of the big picture, and of course that means I am hoping and praying for more stories from this clan of wild and crazy Bennets’.
Shel: And obviously, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the flower shop and how much research and vision Staci Hart had when it came to making that her backdrop. I loved the entire concept of the store, the greenhouse, and the family business. I could totally envision the most adorable flower shop with the best curated flowers in town…and I wish I could visit it in real life. Court: UGH! YES! And New York (and my love for it) was felt through every single page too. I really was engrossed in this story for so many reasons, y’all! I highly recommend a pick up asap!
Shel: I’m hoping that this new book is the beginning of a brand new series about the Bennets so that I can not only see all of them fall in love, but I can keep tabs on how each of them are doing (because they now live in my heart and head). Court: 100% agree, I really hope we get the rest of the siblings stories as well..and wouldn’t hate a little info on what’s going on in Luke and Tess’s world in the meantime.
Shel: Good read!
4.5 stars. I will admit to being on team Tess in the beginning. Luke seemed like an immature, flighty f**kboy. I was worried how the book was going to progress. But then he showed his real self and like Tess, I totally fell in love! I am looking forward to more of the Bennets and Longbourne Flower Shop.