Review of Idle Bloom by Jewel E. Ann

Idle Bloom by Jewel E. Ann

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I do not say this lightly, but Idle Bloom has got to be one of the best books I have read this year. It’s a beautiful love story between two broken people who finally get a chance to heal with one another’s love. As I expected, I definitely shed quite a few tears several times. What I did not expect was how much I laughed while reading the book because it’s not a romantic comedy; rather, Vivian and Oliver have fun and laugh with one another and their laughter is contagious. This emotional rollercoaster ride made for an immensely enjoyable reading experience.

Both Viv and Oli have baggage from their past. While some of Viv’s baggage is visible, she reveals her internal baggage to Oli early on in their relationship. Upon hearing the circumstances surrounding her tragic accident I felt a mixture of relief (that it wasn’t due to a sexual assault) and sadness (because of the actual incident and how it scarred her). While I may have had mixed feelings surrounding her accident I had no doubts regarding how I felt about her and Oli’s relationship – it was beautiful. Even when it was painful or hurtful, their love was beautiful and watching it grow and deepen as they faced far more obstacles than they should have was an experience I look forward to repeating when I read Idle Bloom again. Equally enjoyable was the freaking hot sex they had … frequently … and thoroughly. It and their laughter helped to balance out the overwhelmingly sad circumstances that were the cause of Oli being broken. It has been quite a while since I have felt such sympathy for a character in a book. Oli’s loss was devastating and I found it very easy to understand his reactions. Although both of their pasts are unbelievably sad, I loved the realism with which Ms. Ann wrote them.

I must admit that as the end of the book neared, I questioned whether or not Oli and Viv would get their happily ever after. There was so much that hadn’t been said or done and I found myself running out of pages with no resolution in sight. Yet Ms. Ann did the unthinkable – she gave Oli and Viv’s story an absolutely perfect ending for them and did so without making it feel rushed or contrived. The author maintained the realism of the characters and managed to leave me wishing this book was the first in a series instead of a standalone so I could have more time with Oli and Viv. Idle Bloom is an excellent book that has secured its spot on my re-read list and I cannot wait to check out more of Ms. Ann’s books.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Idle Bloom Tour Stop! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


View all my reviews