Love in Bloom A Novel [Paperback]

Hope Walker survived early breast cancer at just thirty-years-old, but a mastectomy left her with a lot of scarringand some serious fears about dating. Hope owns Changing Seasons, Heart Lake's most popular flower shop. When it comes to love and relationships, she's able to work magic through her expert flower arranging&for everyone but herself. Then one day a handsome contractor starts coming into her shop, but Hope knows he'd rather have a whole woman than someone like her.

When Hope stakes a plot of ground at Heart Lake's community garden, she finds that a woman can grow all sorts of things there: flowers, herbs, vegetables and even friendship. As she gets to know the two women who share neighboring plots, they discover that they can learn a lot from each othernot just about gardening, but about life. And Hope realizes that in order to live life to the fullest, sometimes you have to take a chance on love.

1. The women in LOVE IN BLOOM meet at a community garden. Where have you met your best friends?

2. With which of the women's journeys did you most identify? Why?

3. Do you think Hope's body image issues made her shallow?

4. Have you gone through breast cancer yourself or with a friend or relative? What were some of your fears and frustrations?

5. When it comes to your gardening skills, do you think of yourself as a Millie or an Amber?

6. Gardening is the number one hobby in America. Are you surprised to hear that?

7. In your opinion, should Millie have lived or died? Why do you think the author made the choice she made regarding Millie's fate?

8. Jason Wells fell hard for Hope's pretty sister Bobbi before realizing the woman he really wanted was Hope. Do you think his behavior was typical of most men?

9. What do you think is the underlying message of this book?

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Sheila Robertsis the authorlsð