The Confidence of Wildflowers (Wildflower Duet Book 1)

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One thing to mention, Salem is in a relationship when she meets Thayer so I wasn’t a fan of the “love triangle” aspect but that is more of a personal choice. also, i find it quite distasteful that salem is now pregnant at the end too. like seriously? one child dies and is now being replaced with another???? 😭😭😭😭 My future is a big ‘what if’ at the moment and I’m fine with that. For the most part. When Thayer Holmes moves in next door, the grumpy landscaper both fascinates and amuses me. When he asks me to nanny his kid, it’s a great way to make some extra money. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Thayer and his adorable son. There’s a big problem though. I’m eighteen. He’s thirty-one. Falling for someone almost fifteen years older than me wasn’t part of my plans, but sometimes things happen when you least expect them. The Confidence of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer – eBook Details

TWs: Cancer, Death, Childhood Sexual Abuse (father), Cheating (their first time she is still with her BF) My only thing is that there really isn’t a lot that happens in this conclusion other than tying it up as a second chance romance after the first half. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it was pretty easy going. I also loved Salem's relationship with her mother and also the brutal honesty that came from Salem's therapy copying mechanisms. Their baking was so cute and I loved their bonding in that (I will forever associate cookie dough cupcakes with this book). Honestly, I just wanted to protect Salem and her mum at all costs. Their lives were awful when their husband/father was alive, and yet these woman made it, they survived it, and they fought for their happiness. Ugh, my heart hurts just thinking about them. tropes: grumpy x sunshine, single dad, one bed + nightmare trope, age gap (13-14 years), employee x boss vibes bc she’s sometimes babysitting his son, cheating & small town. i’m not joking when i say most of this book is just feel good moments and just the characters living life until we get to the last 20%And, I’m sorry (I’m not), but how, just how, was Forrest’s character LIKED?? I can understand the appeal of a child (I can’t), but every sentence he spoke was so clearly thought by an adult that it was just so hilarious😭😭. Our brilliant MC repeatedly praises the little human’s intelligence (that does appear to exist in some sentences) only for him to say: “What did she mean about my dad cheating on her? Were they playing a game and he cheated?”..... 😭GOD, the way his intelligence appeared only when the author thought it convenient, and otherwise reduced him to a blabbering, brainless prop, was atrocious. At least be coherent to the character itself😭. As the story progressed it came into its own. The relationship building between Salem and Thayer was beautiful. Many times I have made a plea to save wildflowers along the fence rows. The sumac, the wild roses, the wisteria, the sunflowers, the gayfeathers stay in the fence rows and can be a nesting spot for quail, rabbits, birds,and other small animals.” Nothing happens in this book. It's ALL repetitive. No drama. Same dialogues, same inner monologues being repeated. (I skimmed through the last 20% and I have no regrets). I should've heed the warning in my brain that somewhere along the line, I'm going to get my heart bruised.

I cannot wait to see Salem and Thayer’s story continue in the next book. And I hope we get to see some of Thayer’s POV. The path remained steady for a time before dwindling down to dusty silt. The sky opened above as trees fell away on either side. To their right, the land dipped down into a tiny, almost impossibly beautiful valley. A stream ran through its lowest point, its bank lined in pink lupine. Before that, tall, dark green grass sparkled with white flashes in the sunlight. Late season dandelions and breathy, tiny white flowers on slender stems were avoided by bees, while purple thistles and asters thronged with them.And after all this, after she finally tells him the truth at 30%, nothing really happens for the final 70%. It’s basically one long epilogue. No angst. No conflict. Nothing. So it was really all for nothing. Which makes me wish that this story had ended in book one and I could have avoided all this unnecessary drama and frustration. Extremely traumatic, life-altering issues that seem glossed over. They are there to create tension and drama but are handled poorly by the author. There are a handful of authors that I know can balance such heavy topics - make them integral to the story and characterization - but leave me feeling hopeful in the end. The last 10% of the book… Um… I don’t know what to say! That was heartbreaking but leaving you with a huge bomb at the end… the f? Like it felt like too much maybe save the other stuff in the other book. That last thing felt rush like it could have easily left with the most heartbreaking ever and then start with something like that… but man that is not fair. I get why people don’t like it, I think that’s fine. It’s definitely not for everyone. The supporting characters- Caleb, Lauren and Salem's family are quite one dimensional. Caleb's personality is just loving Salem and being a mama's boy, there's literally nothing more to him. Lauren is described as quirky but there's no story to her, no life to her. Salem's mother and sisters though play a very important role in her life, not much of them is shown. This is everything I dislike in a book and more. I tried, I really did but I cannot and will not look past some key points. It was hard to enjoy any “good moments” because of the whole unnecessary shit.

It’s because,” I gather everything I have inside me so I can say this last bit, “society never wants to accept that monsters are real—just weak women.” And don’t even get me started on the whole secret baby and how both him and his family were like, ‘oh no worries it’s in the past.’ You cannot convince me that Thayer wouldn’t haven been a good dad even in the middle of his grief. You really can’t. But as the story goes on, you truly see how strongly Thayer feels for Salem. I loved all the interactions with Thayer’s son, Forrest. He is such a great kid and he would say the sweetest things to Salem🥺. I do wish there had been some more time before Salem and Thayer got involved romantically/sexually. I felt their connection wasn’t fully developed and felt very insta love and a little silly? It felt like Salem had a crush and Thayer was entertaining that crush just so he could get some.It ends on a cliffhanger and the whole event is very traumatic. I still haven't been able to start the sequel. It broke my heart. Although, this reluctance I feel towards reading Caleb's story (if he ever gets one) stems from the fact that, as much as I dislike a character who is a pushover, someone who settles for being a consolation prize, Caleb's decision to marry Salem and everything else places him in that category in my eyes. But hey, at least he didn't cheat on his deserving girlfriend. I should’ve DNFd this book honestly, because nothing happens in the 70% that follows. Literally nothing. The rest of the book is Thayer and Salem having their HEA. It felt like an unnecessarily long epilogue. ok so this was not good but it was feel good. in other words it was an overly long epilogue. all this story consists of is feel good moments and a HEA. i don’t regret reading it and i’m happy it all ended the way it did but there was just too much filler writing for me to give this a higher rating.

I’m raising a son,” he says firmly, “and if I ever heard him say that shit about a woman, I would know I failed him. Just being a guy. Boys will be boys, it’s a bullshit excuse, Salem. Don’t ever let some loser make you think otherwise.” The pace is slow at first but once you get accustomed to it, you start to enjoy it. The way it's written might feel slightly odd, but it is written from the POV of an 18 year old so it does make sense. It was an addicting read. I devoured it in a day. The plot on the surface seems simple enough but the characters is what bring depth to it. Loving Thayer isn’t a choice. It just is. Loving him is natural, automatic, just like my body’s need to breathe air.” Thayer has not moved from the town, nor has he moved from Salem. I love that he stayed in love with her and actually stayed alone rather than filling his life with meaningless flings. A celibate hero is my weakness. Abusers don’t deserve tears. When the last flower was placed on the casket, and it was all over, I didn’t cry. I smiled.

No matter what conditions look like around you—keep on believing, keep on persisting—keep on going—keep on growing. Just like wildflowers grow wherever they choose, no matter the conditions—be and be becoming all that you were created to be and become.” After that cliffhanger waiting a week felt like an eternity. So, you can imagine how stoked I was to get my hands on this one. Thank you for joining project epicpdf.com one more step for saving everlasting masterpieces of great minds of all nations and times. Salem's response to the tragedy at the end of this book was so off. I could not understand her rationale at all. It boggles the mind and that's not even taking into consideration the very last bomb dropped as the cliffhanger. The Confidence of Wildflowers” is a modern masterpiece, a powerful novel that can be read on its own. This novel is written by Micalea Smeltzer. She is a true storyteller, and The Confidence of Wildflowers is her best book. It’s an epic tale of family, secrets, loss, marriage, betrayal, friendships, laughter, and regrets. The Confidence of Wildflowers is a heartfelt novel written with compassion and hope, reconciling the past to pave a road to happiness and second chances. The characters in this novel bring life and heart to this story, each with a distinct voice and personality.