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Fantasy. Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:Against the backdrop of a house steeped in history and a thriving new gardening business, three women unearth the memories of the past in the first novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts' In the Garden Trilogy. A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at nightâ?¦ Trying to escape the ghosts of the past, young widow Stella Rothchild, along with her two energetic little boys, has moved back to her roots in southern Tennessee. She isnâ??t intimidated by Harper Houseâ??nor by its mistress. Despite a reputation for being difficult, Roz Harper has been nothing but kind to Stella, offering her a comfortable place to live and a challenging new job as manager of the flourishing In the Garden nursery. As Stella settles comfortably into her new life, she finds a nurturing friendship with Roz and expectant mother Hayley and a fierce attraction to ruggedly handsome landscaper Logan Kitridge. Heâ??s difficult but honest, brash but considerateâ??and undeniably sexy. And for a sensible woman like Stella, he may be just what she needsâ?¦ Donâ??t miss the other books in the In the Garden Trilogy Black Rose… (more)
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Don't let this be a gauge for the usual Nora
I was a little disappointed by the book – I thought someone with so much routine would write a
But after becoming a widow so tragically (plane crash) everything just runs soooo smoothly. She gets the job, she loves her new boss (who is admittedly awesome), she gets along great with her family, her kids have no problems adapting, everyone loves the changes she makes at the garden store. The shop thrives, and everybody gets along real smoothly. Not even the plants ever develop any lice or whatnot. There’s another character introduced and there’s more instant female bonding. Then there’s a ghost, to propel the story forward a little and to set up the sequels but it’s clear from the beginning that it doesn’t pose a threat.
There’s no conflict. The only conflict in the whole book appears to be the fact that the hero and heroine dislike each other on sight. That is dissolved with a date pretty soon and from then on it’s really just her overly developed sense of duty and order that keeps them apart. And for that 500 pages seems a bit much.
The first thing
This personal pet peeve aside, each of the characters (including most of the men) is incredibly reasonable, lovely, smart, hard working, and usually says the absolute right thing at all times. How many people do yu know that are actually like that? Personally, I tend to enjoy characters, even villains, with a mixture of both flaws and virtues (and virtues disguised as flaws don't count)
This "Perfect People Syndrome" leaves very little in the way of actual conflict, except for the ghost (which seems almost incidental to the story), and an unwanted attraction between Stella and Logan that I find utterly incomprehensible and devoid of chemistry (since they both admit that the other person represents everything they can't stand, and don't explain how this translates to actual admiration).
Since it quickly becomes apparent that nothing really bad will ever be allowed to happen, the ghost has no "teeth", and there is no doubt about whether Logan and Stella will work out.
I can likely tell yu what will happen in the next books without even trying: The two other relationships set up in the first book will blossom and succeed. Stella and the younger girl will each have a baby. The ghost will come to peace, after they discover and understand her past. The end. : / And I didn't even have to read their descriptions.
I have heard that the formula used here is common for this author's work, so I will definitely not be reading anything else she has written.
Sorry if my little hypothetical ending is an actual spoiler, but it's really just a blind guess.
Recently widowed, newly transplanted to Tennessee, Stella wants nothing more than to make a success of her new life for her boys' sake. Managing
Classic Roberts fare - if you're a fan, this won't disappoint.
Comments: On the whole, a pretty good book, Lagged in some spots, but not for long. A nice romance between a widow with two young sons and sexy, divorced landscaper. Sparks fly,
A couple of years after Stella’s husband dies in a plane crash, she and her two sons move to Tennessee, where her father and stepmother live. Stella quickly finds a job (and a place to live) with Roz, who owns a gardening company. Roz also owns a huge old house, complete with a resident
I enjoyed this. It wasn’t fast-moving or anything, but it was enjoyable. I liked the ghost story, in particular. This, being the first in the trilogy, didn’t come to a full conclusion and we can already figure out who will be paired up with whom in the next two books, but that’s ok. I’d like to continue and I certainly want to learn more about the ghost story!