Blue Dahlia

"I have a difficult relationship with romance in general. As a fantasy reader, I rate romance a lot differently than I do fantasy, meaning I give a lot more leeway. I haven’t had a good run with romance this year either. With that being said, this was fantastic.<br/><br/>I had a blast reading this book. The characters weren’t perfect. The romance wasn’t cookie cutter. I feel like there was a right amount of each element. The paranormal subplot is just the right amount; it doesn’t overshadow the rest of the book but it’s also not left behind. The romance isn’t insta-love (thank goodness). It’s genuine, sweet, and I loved every bit of it. I enjoyed each character and they all felt very integrated into the story. It made me excited to read the rest of the series which I will be doing this week."

"Blue Dahlia (In the Garden book 1) by Nora Roberts *****/*****<br/>#AudiblesSale #Reviews<br/><br/>Triggers: Ghosts, Betrayal, <br/>Subgenres/ Tropes: Ghosts, Single Mom, Second Time Around, Co-Workers, Hate to Lovers<br/><br/>Spoilers Possible<br/><br/>In the Garden is one of my favorite series of all time. There is something very practical and consistent in these books. Normally Nora Roberts writes very romantic sweet stories, and while these are for sure romantic and sweet and even fanciful with the whole ghost aspect they are so very practical. I love it! Sometimes the overly sweet can be too much and these books are very good palate cleansers. Susie Breck, the narrator, was a perfect choice, not overly accented and very practical sounding. (Have I said practical enough yet? I just can't think of a better word to describe these books)<br/><br/>Blue Dahlia is not my favorite of the series but Logan is for sure my favorite male of the story. I do so love a cranky ornery lead with a mushy inside. I enjoyed the connections between Rosalind, Stella, and Hayley, three different stages in life yet able to truly connect. There is nothing romantic about Amelia and what happened to her but her backstory is very interesting and parts of it were completely surprising. Rosalind is my favorite female by far, I want to be her when I grow up. I loved that all three female leads are strong independent single mothers who don't need a man but do enjoy them occasionally. Nora Roberts is so good at writing strong independent women. <br/><br/>I will for sure be reading more by Nora Roberts and enjoy every moment of it! <br/><br/>PS: My other favorites by Nora Roberts are the Inn Boonsboro trilogy and the Bridal Quartet. They are both just as magical and romantic as this series. Inn BoonsBoro also has a ghost like this one but much more romantic and sad. The Bridal Quartet does not have a ghost but still has grief weaved in. <br/><br/>Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Dahlia-Garden-Book-1-ebook/dp/B004IYJEJM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1637579741&sr=8-1 <br/>Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/Blue-Dahlia-Audiobook/B002V8ML6A?qid=1637579735&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=TDKF3TRNDS1MHX0Z4PHQ <br/>Author’s Website: https://noraroberts.com/ <br/>Goodreads:"