“A quirky, funny, and deeply thoughtful book”* that’s “filled with characters you’ll love and wish you lived next door to in real life”** from the author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this … to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.
At least her textbook illustrating job has some perks—like actually being called upon to draw whale genitalia. Oh, and there’s that vegetable-gardening class her boss signed her up for. Apparently, being the chosen illustrator for a series of boutique vegetable guides means getting your hands dirty, literally. Wallowing around in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be much worse than wallowing around in pajamas and self-pity.
After recruiting her kids and insanely supportive sister to join her, Lilian shows up at the Los Angeles botanical garden feeling out of her element. But what she’ll soon discover—with the help of a patient instructor and a quirky group of gardeners—is that into every life a little sun must shine, whether you want it to or not…
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I loved this book! What started off as a tale about a widowed mother and the way her life and the life of her children has changed since she her husband died unexpectedly, became a story about family, healing, forgiveness, friendship, and loyalty. With enough humor to keep this story light for it’s emotional and dramatic content, Abbi Waxman worked wonders. It was emotionally charged, romantic, funny, and heart-felt. What I loved most was the relationship between Lili and her two daughters, although the recurring theme that first impressions are not always accurate, was a close second. There was a lot of character development and very interesting relationship dynamics. Would recommend this!
A delightful novel that combines heartfelt emotional struggle (to move past grief) with laugh-out-loud comedy. Best use of first person I’ve seen in a long time. Waxman writes kids beautifully, too. I’m a little jealous of everything here except the garden subplot, which, while fun, has corn and tomatoes ripening across a span of five or six weeks from planting. Real gardeners will read of that picture-perfect harvest with a total failure to suspend disbelief, but don’t let it stop you. It’s really a very entertaining read.
Abbi Waxman has done the impossible–she has written book about grief that is tender and true, deeply human, and laugh-out-loud funny. I absolutely loved this book, and I miss the characters deeply. I push this book on everyone I know who has experienced love and loss–that is to say everyone I know. I have just started Abbi Waxman’s new novel Other People’s Houses, and love it just as much!
I loved this story. It was heartwarming and also heartbreaking at times. This was a story of hope after loss and moving forward when you can’t see beyond the fear of losing old memories and also fearing what the future will hold.
I am a gardener and I truly adored that life was reflecting in the garden that the characters had planted. I also believe that family is more than those related to us by blood. This unlikely group turns into family and each are stronger for their meeting.
I loved so many quotes (many more than these that I have tagged in my book):
… but I am wrong so often and on so many different topics, I was prepared to be wrong on this one.
New things are sometimes painful, no? In this way, gardening is like life.
For the first time in recent years I was going to stop thinking and just dig in the dirt.
… that’s the thing with plants…. they grow to fill the available space.
I think this book will grow in your heart, as it did in mine. Thank you Abbi for writing this amazing book.
I laughed out loud – and then I sobbed out loud – and then I did it all over again. A roller coaster of a book that I want to read again and again.
I want to begin by telling you up front that there is a bonus to this book: Every other chapter provides a page or two regarding the care and feeding of a garden. If you read the digital version, you can look at the table of contents and go directly to the vegetable or fruit of your choice (there is no table of contents in the paperback version). Either version of this book could serve as a resource book for beginning gardeners. Whether you’re currently a gardener (I’m not) or a gardener wannabe (I’m not sure), you may find the details enchanting – I did.
That being said, the story is about two close sisters supporting each other as they individually figure out what’s next for them in life. They have the same irreverent sense of humor that serves them really well, and that’s lucky, because their mother stands in stark contrast to the daughters she raised. The eldest sister, and narrator of the story, is a young widow with two little girls whose innocence adds lots of fodder for the family humor.
The garden club characters are compulsory, as the sisters’ personalities bounce off them like well-placed volleyballs. Observing their daily interactions is both relaxing and entertaining, and definitely makes you laugh out loud. In short, they are a delightful family (including their dog).
This book inspired me on several levels. It was a reminder to be more playful; don’t overthink everything; try something new again; and make peace with my shortcomings. Ultimately, treat myself better.
So I’m going to start today by getting some fresh flowers for the dinner table tonight. I don’t know the full menu yet, but it will include a salad with lots of veggies and definitely strawberries for dessert.
Bottom line: I encourage you to grab a glass of iced tea when you have some time, and visit with these folks. Their life is full, yours is too, so you may not become BFF’s, but your life will feel enriched for having met them.
This book tells the story of a woman still grieving her dead husband while trying to continue on with two young children. A gardening class connects her with people of all different types and brings about unexpected friendships. I love the characters in this book. The flaws and the strengths. And I love how this topic was approached. I highly recommend this wonderful book.
I love Abbi Waxman’s writing and her characters. This was a realistic look at Lilian’s life as a single mom after her husband dies in a car accident. With her sister to help her and some new friends at a gardening class, she learns how to grieve, live, and move forward.
I loved it. I will read everything she writes.
Abbi Waxman tickles my fancy! She makes me laugh out loud! But also her stories have a depth to them that I really find myself learning from. NICE! A special thumbs up for Abbi Waxman!
I really loved this book…I found my self laughing and smiling throughout the whole thing! I especially liked the gardening tips at the beginning of each chapter. I will probably buy the book (I borrowed it from the library originally) just for those tips!
If you’re looking for a happy, comfortable read but with some substance, this is the perfect choice.
I love anything by Abbi Waxman – I especially loved this book and all the characters which included a gardening club. I love the family bond between the main character and her sister. I also love how the author is witty and wholly entertaining.
This is my favorite kind of book — hilarious, sad, joyful. Beautifully written. Fun. I dare you not to enjoy it.
Funny and poignant. Guaranteed to make you laugh and cry. May make you want to play in dirt and grow a new life of your own.
The “happily ever after” is not the usual HEA. This book made me laugh out loud many times. I also learned about gardening!
I wouldn’t call this chick lite….there is a wonderful laugh out loud quality but also the deep felt moments of sadness, death, kids, working, friendships and the relationship between sisters.
Sisters and the dance they do, loving, bickering, jealousy, and the fact you have each other’s back…no matter what. You have widowed Lillian and her sister Rachel, never married or deeply involved with her men.
Then you have Annabel and her sister Claire, and their fights, tears and drama as only a five and seven year old can. They belong to Lillian and her deceased hubby, Dan.
When Dan died 3 years ago, Lillian fell apart…..ended up in a hospital. Rachel picked up the pieces and cared for all three. Lillian is still carrying her grief around her while she cares for her girls, works as an illustrator…..she can draw a whale penis
totally accurately, see Rachel and her therapist. But she holds herself tight, as if waiting to fall apart all over again. She’s in a rut but it’s safe there. And between the rabbit, cat and Frank, she is busy. OH my, Frank is a hoot and her Claire wants to marry him. Frank is their dog, and he happens to have worms! And poor Annabel is upset about it…..not the worms but that her sister wants to marry the dog!
Lillian’s boss requests she take a gardening class for 6 weeks and her kids can attend. It’s to see how she and her teacher, Edwin will work together…..his family needs illustrations for a gardening book. And this sets Lillian, her kids, Rachel off on an adventure.
They will form opinions on Gene, a retired banker, Mike as a surfer dude, Angie and her son Bash. Then the two retired teachers, Eloise and Frances and they happen to be lesbians. And opinions will be changed and friendships made and gardens grown.
Annabel is a young Lillian, quiet and sensitive and rigid. Claire takes after her auntie Rachel, thinks out loud, open to experiences and dances to her own beat. The garden info is nicely at the beginning of each chapter.
The humor is wonderful!! A way to deal with life, to deflect, to survive. Love appears as does fear, loss and remorse, and moving on.
The humor of the children is so real and reminds me of the wonderful Erma Bombeck.
I love the ending, no sappy ever after…Just hope, determination, and a chance of love.
I miss every person in this book, goodbye Frank!!! I almost forgot the worm “tea”.
5 stars
Nicely written, along with being funny in spots. I was slightly confused by the how to grow vegetables chapters, but just kind of overlooked them and moved on with the story line. The book left me feeling unsatisfied, I expected more out of the story than it delivered.
Absolutely delightful! Waxman carves out the perfect mixture of serious topics and humor, of dealing with the daily grind and the wackiness of life. All this, along with gardening tips! What more could you ask for?
Abbi Waxman has a talent for creating characters you won’t like to leave behind. I wanted to follow the lives of the gardening class members long after turning the last page.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing was quite witty. I laughed a lot. I loved the characters as well as the intermittent gardening tips.
4.5 Stars
(Read: May 2017)
The Garden of Small Beginnings is women’s fiction with light romantic elements. It’s a poignant look at a young widow raising her two equally young daughters, but still grappling with “moving on” four years after her husband’s death. Although a deep and sad subject matter, the book is infused with humor. Being a fan of humorous writing, I loved the witty banter and inner musings. I will say, a few times the humor felt a bit forced, but overall it was a nice balance to some of the more somber parts.