The Garden of Small Beginnings

This was actually a really cute book. I read it on the plane to and from vacation last week, and it was a perfect lighthearted read for such an occasion. Definitely helped my transition into and out of vacation mode. I didn't feel this story had nearly as much depth as The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, but the characters were all unique and relatable, which I always appreciate. Overall, a heartwarming story but didn't pull me in. If I hadn't been on vacation with extra time, I'm not sure that I would have finished it.

Read this book after finishing Waxman's breakout [b:The Bookish Life of Nina Hill 42379022 The Bookish Life of Nina Hill Abbi Waxman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541774944l/42379022.SY75.jpg 66042198] but didn't enjoy it quite as much. The gardening class was a little too cozy - hard to believe that there wasn't at least one annoying member instead of everyone becoming instant BFFs - and the object of Lili's affection was so perfect he didn't seem human at all. However, both the close relationship between Lili and her sister, and their troubled relationship with their mother were well portrayed, and the slow recovery from grief felt realistic. A promising if imperfect debut novel, and the seeds of the much stronger Nina are definitely there.