Elly In Bloom

Elly In Bloom by Colleen Oakes

About The Book:

Love comes in every size. Surrounded by lush flowers and neurotic brides, chubby 32-year old Elly Jordan has carved out a sweet little life for herself as the owner of Posies, a boutique wedding florist in St. Louis. It’s not bad for a woman who drove away from her entire life just two years ago when she found her husband entwined with a red-headed artist. Sure, Elly has an embarrassingly beautiful best friend, a terribly behaved sheepdog and a sarcastic assistant who she simply calls “Snarky Teenager”, but overall her days are pleasantly uneventful. As a bonus, her new next door neighbor just happens to be an unnervingly handsome musician who has an eye for curvy Elly. Just when she feels that she is finally moving on from her past, she discovers that an extravagant wedding contract, one that could change her financial future, is more than she bargained for. With the help of her friends, staff and the occasional well-made sandwich, Elly bravely agrees to take on the event that threatens to merge her painful history with her bright new life, and finds herself blooming in a direction she never imagined. Elly’s voice, both charming and hilarious, will appeal to those readers who have been looking for a new voice in chick-lit, and will give women of all sizes the realistic heroine they’ve been waiting for.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story. It has a twist I really was not expecting until half-way through the book. I enjoyed the story so much! But I wish there were not so many references to how fat or chubby Elly is. We get it, she is curvy. It does not need to be reiterated over and over. All in all, a great read!

About The Author:

Colleen Oakes is a die-hard Colorado native who really enjoys living in other places. She attended college in Bronxville, NY where she received her degree in Creative Writing. After college, she opened up a successful wedding florist before the writing urge came knocking. Elly in Bloom debuted in September, 2012 via Amazon Publishing. She now lives with her husband and son in Denver. Colleen is currently at work on the sequel to Elly in Bloom and an epic fantasy, Queen of Hearts, due Fall 2013. She blogs about life (the good, bad, and awkward) pretty frequently over at The Ranunculus Adventures.

Buy this book at Elly In Bloom on Amazon.