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Wallflower in Bloom Review: A Warm Summer Romance

 



Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: Audiobook

Expected: August 29, 2026

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 



Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for this gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

In Wallflower in Bloom, we follow Violet Parker, a plant lover who runs her own shop called Bloom and prefers staying out of the spotlight. She has a huge crush on British actor Jack Grant and never imagined he’d end up at her door. When Jack gets caught up in a media scandal, he needs somewhere to lie low while his agent handles the damage control. He's supposed to live at his friend's house, but when his friend's girlfriend is allergic to Jack's cat, he has to find another place, which is Violet's house. Then, they come to a mutually beneficial arrangement: they’ll pretend to date to help repair Jack’s public image, and in return, he’ll help Violet build her confidence, especially when it comes to public speaking. As the summer goes on, they grow closer and slowly fall for each other. Is this just a summer fling, or will they get their happy ending?

I LOVE this audiobook! The narrators did a wonderful job bringing Jack and Violet to life. Every emotion came through clearly. I could easily picture their expressions in each scene because the performances were so vivid and expressive. It really added to the whole experience and made the story feel that much more immersive.

And my favorite character, of course, is Violet. She’s kind, generous, and beautifully written. I appreciated how honestly the author explored her experience as a plus-sized woman. She opens up about very real, relatable fears, like worrying someone might only like her for her body, or that they won’t like her because of it. It’s raw and unfair, but so true to life. Watching her grow and learn to see herself the way others do was really special. I was genuinely rooting for her the whole time.

Elise Kennedy clearly poured so much heart into this story. It’s more than just an ordinary contemporary romance; it’s about finding confidence, learning to love yourself, and realizing you deserve to be seen exactly as you are.

If you enjoy cozy-sweet romances with the fake dating trope, a sweet plant-loving heroine, and a charming British actor hero, this audiobook is worth a listen. It completely exceeded my expectations, and I loved every minute of it.

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