Mini Review: The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: May 2nd 2017
My rating: 4 Stars
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD 

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… 

My Thoughts:

After getting a recommendation from Heidi, our long time bloggy friend from Rainy Day Ramblings, I knew I had to pick up The Garden of Small Beginnings.  I’m so happy I did because it was charming, fun, and full of laugh-out-loud humor!

Lilian lost her husband in a tragic accident four years ago, and hasn’t really moved on.  Not that she’s in a deep depression, this story is far from depressing, but she hasn’t really begun living life for herself since.  Her world is about her two girls, seven-year-old Annabel and five-year-old Clare. Her younger sister Rachel figures heavily into her life as well.  All it takes is a gardening class to shake things up. Thrown together with people Lily wouldn’t normally have mixed with, learning about plants, soil, as well as each other. The class instructor Edward Bloem, makes the class come to life, and his enthusiasm for growing things and life in general is contagious. 

Even though this story is about a widower coming to grips with her loss and living for herself again, it’s lighthearted for the most part, and really positive.  Like I said, this book was super funny, and a pretty realistic take on life with small children.  I live in northern Los Angeles, and a lot of times the life pictured in movies or books isn’t close to my experience, but I think the author captured a more authentic representation of Los Angeles area life.

I received a copy, but I ended up listening to the audio version, and I enjoyed the narration.  Emily Rankin had great comedic timing, given that much of the story is humorous observations and situations, that was important.  The only voice I wasn’t super keen on was Edward’s.  The accent sounded like an old German professor, instead of a handsome man from Holland.  At any rate, it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of their romance.