I loved this book. Should be 4.5 stars. A totally different “enemies to lovers” trope…a social media fashion influencer and a “Plant Boy”…what could go wrong?? This book gave me all the feels. The will they/won’t they, the Pride and Prejudice vibe. The unrequited love between the sister and Plant Boy’s best female friend. The funny Ts. The family pressures to do what they think is right, which isn’t necessarily what is right for you. I also liked how the author focused on the pressures of social media and the toll it takes on people to get that next like, that latest connection to advance their presence. And all the flowers! I could picture the gardens that Rowan created. I also appreciated how the author dug into the background of garden design and how botany and gardening comes together to create beautiful flowers variations. ( )

Full review here: http://girlwellread.blogspot.com/2022/01/tahira-in-bloom-by-farah-heron.html. ( )

teen fiction. Desi Canadian (who happens to be Muslim) teen who aspires to be a famous designer and get into the prestigious FIT school takes a detour into a small garden-centric town when her fashion internship is canceled.

the characters are funny and likeable; I liked that Tahira gets disenchanted with the instagram-obsessed crowd. A cute story with a strong protagonist. ( )

"Art. Culture. Breathtaking beauty. You reminded me that I needed all that in my life, and that little bit of discomfort when something is new is worth it."

Tahira in Bloom by Farah Heron was a sweet surprise. I thought it was going to be just a fluffy read but it was so much more. It was refreshing to see young people make mistakes and take full accountability. I loved how important communication and compromise were in the friendships and romantic relationships. I also loved that it showed that art comes in many forms, including flowers. Even though this book was essentially a coming of age romance, it touched on many deeper themes in lighthearted ways and it contained more than one kind of representation that was celebrated equally (Desi, Muslim, Black, Blindian couple, LGBTIA+)

My favorite character wanted to start a page to take pictures of books. Imagine that. 😜 It was also great to see how much of Desi culture the author infused into the book. There were scenes that made me laugh hysterically, lots of fuzzy warm ones that made laugh and some that made me question some of their character. Overall it was a cute and fun read with enjoyable writing. I would definitely read more of Heron's work. If you're into fashion, flowers, sweet romances and social media influencers this one might be perfect for you. Thanks to @amazonpublishing and @tlcdiversity for the gifted copy.

Some of the main points were:

💐 the algorithm favors white creators over others
💐 BIPOC creators are overlooked 8n many spaces & have to work twice as hard to gain visibility
💐 social media fame is not the end goal for everyone
💐 the fashion world can be cutthroat
💐 female influencers are deemed less intelligent
💐 there can be more than one path to the same goal
💐 first impressions aren't always accurate
💐 staying true to yourself and your values keeps you grounded

4.5 🔥 ( )