"The Garden of Small Beginnings" by Abbi Waxman follows the story of Lilian, a young widow with two daughters, who finds solace and healing in a gardening class she takes as part of her job. Through the interactions in the class, Lilian forms new friendships, navigates through grief, and experiences personal growth. The book is filled with humor, poignant moments, and quirky characters, making it a heartwarming and uplifting read.

The narrative is a blend of humor, sadness, and joy as Lilian embarks on a journey of healing and self-discovery through the gardening class. The book explores themes of loss, friendship, and new beginnings, all while incorporating gardening tips at the beginning of each chapter, adding a unique and entertaining touch to the storytelling.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, featuring a relatable protagonist dealing with her grief, a supportive sister, and a diverse cast from the gardening class that enriches the story.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is humorous and poignant, effectively blending elements of comedy with deeper emotional themes, while incorporating unique gardening tips.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around a young widow's journey of healing and personal growth through a gardening class that leads her to new relationships and a renewed outlook on life.

Setting:

The setting is primarily in Los Angeles, encompassing a gardening class that serves as a backdrop for community interactions and personal growth.

Pacing:

The pacing is steady with a balance of humor, character development, and gradual relationship building, keeping the reader engaged.

The next day, Clare had an afternoon playdate. Samantha was in her class at school, collected Littlest Pet Shops, and could rattle off the names and evolutions of three hundred Pokémon, ergo they were...

Notes:

The book is about Lilian Girvan, a widow and mother of two young daughters.

Lilian has been grieving the loss of her husband Dan for three years due to a tragic car accident.

She works as a textbook illustrator, and her boss enrolls her in a gardening class for work.

The story mixes heavy themes of grief with humor and lighthearted moments throughout.

Lilian's sister Rachel is a significant support system for her and her children throughout the book.

The gardening class leads to unexpected friendships and personal growth for Lilian and the other characters.

The novel features gardening tips and illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, adding a unique touch.

Lilian explores feelings of attraction toward her gardening instructor, Edward, amidst her grief.

The book balances themes of loss, healing, and the importance of community support.

It's described as a feel-good story with a bittersweet tone, making it both touching and humorous.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes of grief, suicidal thoughts, and a character's battle with mental health, which may serve as triggers for some readers.

Has Romance?

While there is romance in the story, it is more subdued and secondary to the protagonist's journey of healing and personal growth.

From The Publisher:

"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 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…

READERS GUIDE INCLUDED

*HelloGiggles

**Bustle

Ratings (5)

Loved It (2)
Liked It (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (9):

Read It (5)
Want To Read (3)
Not Interested (1)

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About the Author:

Abbi Waxman, the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Other People's Houses, and The Garden of Small Beginnings, is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for…

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The Garden of Small Beginnings

Abbi Waxman