The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

Last Updated on June 6, 2023 by ellen

I’m so glad that I won a copy of The Garden of Small Beginnings in a Goodreads giveaway! Somedays, you just need to read something positive and uplifting and this book is definitely both of those things. 

The Garden of Small Beginnings

Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.

At least her textbook illustrating job has some perks—like actually being called upon to draw whale genitalia. Oh, and there’s that vegetable gardening class her boss signed her up for. Apparently, being the chosen illustrator for a series of boutique vegetable guides means getting your hands dirty, literally. Wallowing around in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be much worse than wallowing around in pajamas and self-pity.

After recruiting her kids and insanely supportive sister to join her, Lilian shows up at the Los Angeles botanical garden feeling out of her element. But what she’ll soon discover—with the help of a patient instructor and a quirky group of gardeners—is that into every life a little sun must shine, whether you want it to or not…

My thoughts:

Lilian illustrates textbooks and is asked by her boss to attend a gardening class to go along with a new vegetable illustration job she is given. She figures she might as well and brings along her sister and her two kids to the class.

After her husband died four years ago, she finds that it’s not easy to get involved in new things and that she’s gotten comfortable with the status quo. Once she starts the class, she finds that she really likes all the different people she meets and she starts to realize that she has more in her life to be thankful for than she knows.

I really had a fun time reading this book. Not only are all the people in the gardening class completely likable, but I found myself really being able to relate to Lilian. She struggles with so many things that many moms do from doubts about her appearance to frustration at not being able to get everything done she wants to.

As an added bonus, there are fun gardening facts and advice in between each chapter. Definitely, a fun read for anyone who likes women’s literature or gardening related stories.

Buy The Garden of Small Beginnings

ellen

Ellen is a mom of a 25-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter. She is Grandma to one adorable toddler. In what little spare time she has, she loves to read, watch movies, and check out the latest toys and games.