2.75⭐

LIKED:
- I really liked Tansy’s character. I understood her hang ups and her motivations. I loved her passion for her job and her child and her struggles that they caused her as well.
- The other librarians were a joy and I honestly wish we got more of them. I understood who each of them were unique to themselves as well as their relationships to Tansy.
- I so appreciated Melanie Sweeney putting a map to the gardens grounds at the front of the book. Mostly because I just love a good book map but also because it did help with my own mental mapping.
- The writing of the after effects of disaster (re: hurricane in this case) are pretty brutal in a way that was very effective. It was a solid catalyst for a lot of the external conflicts of the book that just really worked .
- It’s good title. I wish that this book actual had more about plants and planting, but it is a good title as a title.

LAMENTED:
- I found Jack incredibly frustrating, especially in the latter half of the book. I get that he is a “grump” archetype, but his ire towards Tansy made little sense. He’s just mean.
- As I’ve mentioned a bit, I’m not a dual POV super fan because I feel that it can easily take away from one character’s story and not add enough to another. This is a prime example of this. It should have just been Tansy’s story. All of the drama and intrigue we learn about Jack’s background and character we should have also learned from her perspective (in my opinion). It would have made their budding interest in each other make more sense.
- Speaking of which…why did they even get together? Their first intimate scene (making out in a wall-to-wall windowed greenhouse while there are children outside even??) made no sense in the evolution of their “relationship”. It’s not that they even still hated each other at that point, but we had no communication from a reader vantage point that Tansy was even remotely interested. I wish they had still hated each other. That would have been at least heightened emotions.
- The relationship between Tansy and her ex is just kind of left dangling. Also their relationship kind of painted her in a bad light while still dubbing him the villain a few times. It was frustrating. And then there’s the pissing games between him and Jack,, ugh.
- The treatment of Briar (from the writing) I found very discouraging. I’m not sure exactly how to describe it, but there was something just kind of unspoken in regards to this child’s struggles. I’m glad she was in therapy, but there’s never actually discussion on Tansy having a kid with a ton of sensory issues and possibly deeper mental healths needs. Also, I always get annoyed when kids in books are never written to seem like they’re consistenty the same age throughout the book and Briar suffered a bit of that. I think she was supposed to be about eight and her character ranged pretty wildly from kindergartener to middle school.
- This cover is just…not good. Why is ti so yellow but Tansy’s hair is also blonde and against the yellow? Why are they so blobby and flat? It just is not visually enticing, and that’s pretty disheartening. Take Me Home’s cover was pretty simple as well, but ti was still eye-catching positively.

LONGED FOR:
- A more believable build up of their passion for each other
- Less of Jack’s POV that takes away from Tansy’s
- A more appealing cover

Will I read the next one? : I don’t know. Both this and her previous book I’ve read have been relatively middle of the road for me, personally, especially in the area of the romance between the MCs, so I think I may wait for a recommendation from someone else before I pick up the next one.

We Where You’re Planted
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This books made me want to read inside I library/greenhouse for the rest of the summer!

Where You’re planted centers on a small community rebuilding their library and community garden after a devastating hurricane hit their community. Jack and Tansy are both dealing with some heavy emotional trauma from their past relationships.

I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of these two main characters. While Tansy was a little bit of a frustration in the end, I loved them together with their community at the end.

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

Some books just give off warm fuzzy vibes, and Where You're Planted by Melanie Sweeney is one of those for me.

Tansy and Jack get off on a bit of a wrong foot (granted, they do meet in quite a stressful situation), but if they want to save their dream careers they will have to work together. She is a librarian and he runs the Houston Botanic Gardens, and after a recent hurricane, they're temporarily housing the library until they can raise the funds for a new building.

There is so much I could rave about with this one. The two leads are so well suited to one another! They both have huge hearts and neither are afraid of a little hard work. Tansy has an independence complex (like me) that makes it impossible to ask for help, but with Jack, she realizes that it's okay to accept some every once in awhile, even if you could figure it out on your own eventually.

It's about family, and support, and passion, and sticking together in a crisis. It's about trust and figuring it out as you go. It's also romantic as heck.

Five shining stars from me!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Melanie Sweeney’s debut, Take Me Home, so I had high expectations for her sophomore book, Where You’re Planted. My expectations were blown out of the water. Where You’re Planted inserted itself right into my chest. It is definitely in the top 5 books I’ve read this year. Melanie Sweeney writes with tremendous emotional intelligence. This book is a love letter to libraries, gardens, and the public employees who create public spaces and build communities. It’s for the people who hate to ask for help and the people who go on rescue missions because they have a boat.

Jack rescues Tansy twice during the hurricane that starts Where You’re Planted. The first time he was so grumpy about it that she almost refused the second rescue. Tansy’s desire to protect her daughter and elderly neighbor overcome her reluctance be saved by a grump. Things continue to look less than promising after the hurricane when Tansy and Jack are competing for scarce resources. Tansy is a children’s librarian at a branch that was flooded in the hurricane, and Jack is trying to get funding for flood mitigation at his botanical garden. They each recognize the value of their own public space and are frustrated that they have to work so hard to convince other people, including each other. Tansy has finagled a space in Jack’s garden as a temporary library, hoping to stave off the decision to close the branch for good. Jack is trying to improve the condition of the botanical garden and kids running around in his plants isn’t helping. But the seeds of their relationship are there. They are both so passionate, and when they begin to work together, better than they are separately.

Tansy and Jack are my favorite kind of love story – difficult people who soften for each other while they are falling in love, but don’t become less complicated. Tansy is hyper-independent. As a single mom without much support, she’s had to be*. Jack shut down emotionally after his divorce, but for those inside his circle of concern, he is generous and nurturing. Tansy’s daughter, Briar, wriggles her way into Jack’s circle, and as he warms up, so do Tansy, the library, and its patrons. Of course in a romance there’s an expectation that the lovers will end with a happily ever after, but there was a moment in the third act where I let out a sigh of relief because I knew that Jack was going to be ok, no matter what happened with Tansy.

If you wonder what Tansy and Jack would be doing in the face of cuts to libraries and science programs, I feel certain that these fictional public servants would be advocating for the restoration of funding and building community to help their neighbors impacted by the cuts. Because these two are the helpers that Mr Rogers said we should look for.

“I love it. Everyone thinks you’re this cheery, sweet children’s librarian, but you’re actually vicious.” Jack, to Tansy.

*Tangent time! Tansy resists help when she objectively needs it, but is the first person to offer non-judgmental help when she sees someone in need (like Jack). Some readers are going to feel like that’s unrealistic, but I assure you, it is not. Ask any therapist, including mine, and they will tell you it’s a classic combination. Or check on the friend that’s always there to help, and offer to help them with something. You may see a look of horror on their face before they assure that they are fine.

I received this as an advance reader copy from P. G. Putnam and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

-A case of “it’s not you, it’s me”

There is nothing “bad” about this book. There are likable characters and side characters, growth, and a sweet romance. I just couldn’t connect with the main storyline..at all (a woman whose library was displaced during a hurricane and her enemies to lovers romance with the grounds director.) I think a lot of you will enjoy this more than I did so don’t let my rating discourage you.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc! Due out in July.

Bloom Where You're Planted is a sweet romance about Tansy, a librarian and single mom in Houston, and Jack, assistant director of the community gardens. Fate and a hurricane bring them together, at first with a lot of conflict. They are forced to work together to establish a small library in a garden area at a time when there are limited funds and resources for both. Tansy's daughter, Briar, seems to take to Jack right away, and is pivotal in their nascent relationship.

I did not like Jack at the beginning of the book, and didn't feel like the conflicts between him and Tansy were realistic. The story, though lovely, is pretty predictable, even from the beginning of the book. I didn't care for the romance chapters, but that's just me, since this is a romance novel. But the story itself was fairly realistic, and the ending was satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Where You're Planted.

I liked this book so much! I loved the premise and the setting. The library in the garden was so dreamy and sweet and I wish it was a real place in my neighborhood!

I always enjoy a little enemies to lovers so that was a nice touch as well!

Thank you to Putnam books for the e-arc!

Where You're Planted started off strong. The book's premise was intriguing and compelling. I thought the author did a great job of showing the long-term impacts hurricanes have on communities. I felt sympathetic for Tansy and Briar's situation. I thought the library storyline with the botanic gardens was clever. As a librarian, I enjoyed the library aspects of the story. The combined garden and library workspace led to a forced proximity situation for Jack and Tansy. I liked Jack's character. He was just a misunderstood softie! I liked his relationship with Briar and thought his anxiety representation was written nicely. The only major thing that irked me about Jack was that sometimes his character would speak without starting with an "I." I appreciated the dual POV's. The characters felt layered and flawed. I had a love/hate relationship with Tansy. Tansy went through a lot in her life. As a result, she became very resilient and independent. Overtime, her stubbornness became too much. Her behavior in the last 20% of the story dropped this book down a star for me. I didn't like how stubborn she was being and the way she treated Jack. Like dang, how many times does this man have to express his feelings for you. I thought the pacing of the story could have been better. I lost interest at the 70% mark. Despite these flaws, I still had an enjoyable reading experience. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

While many books don't grab my attention until the 20-30% mark, Where You're Planted drew me in right away. The dual POV helped, as it created opportunities to get to know the protagonists and their lives beyond their bickering.

For the most part, I was a big fan of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic; they complemented each other so sweetly once they actually started working together. My one complaint is that the switch to lovers felt a little too absolute, like almost bordering on insta-love. I would have loved to see elements of their banter and antagonism carry through <spoiler>(though not in the third-act breakup kind of way)</spoiler> in their later dynamic.

All in all, this was such a satisfying read! It's not the most groundbreaking or heart-stopping romance I've ever read, but it's a solid read with lovable characters (including the extended cast) and emotional growth for the MCs.

Thank you to Melanie Sweeney, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tansy Perkins is a single mom whose life is turned upside down when a catastrophic hurricane destroys her home and workplace. The take-charge librarian is determined to secure funding to rebuild her library but to do so she must face her greatest challenge yet, Jack Reid.

Jack is the grumpy gardener with whom she must share a workspace at the County Botanical Garden. He is facing his own challenges, including steep budget cuts, and he does not have time nor patience to accommodate a bossy librarian and her staff.

Tansy and Jack clash constantly but with intense dislike comes intense feelings. Neither can deny their attraction, but both swear they are not interested in anything long term. However, that does not mean they can’t have some fun, right? No one is going to catch feelings, right?

Where You’re Planted was a sweet romance about two stubborn people who were too afraid to admit what everyone could clearly see; they were meant to be.

very well written romance with convincing characters and strong plotting. the setting is cool and i found the chemistry effective. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I enjoyed the storyline of this book but felt that it was very slow at the beginning. Both characters were loveable but I wish there was a bit more character development. I understood where Tansy's Independence stemmed from partially but felt that she was a bit too stubborn at times.

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

I enjoyed this book! I think on a good day, it could have been rounded up to four stars for me. I had a hard time connecting to the FMC in this book. She was really stubborn and made what I considered irresponsible choices for her and her daughter. I get that there were emotional reasons why she did those things, but when there is a child involved, it's higher stakes. I couldn't get 100% behind Tansy's character and didn't think that she was good enough for Jack. Heck, I liked Briar and Jack more than I liked her and Jack.

Jack was a complex character with some issues that hit very close to home for me. Maybe that's why I gave him more grace than I did with Tansy. I would have liked to see a slower progression with his transformation. It would have added more depth to the story.

The portrayal of rebuilding after a natural disaster were harrowing and inspiring at the same time. I can't imagine being in that situation and my heart breaks every time I think of families who struggle to make ends meet.

One of my favorite things about this book were the steamy scenes. A++++ for those scenes!

Some of the dialogue had me laughing out loud.

I'm thinking of re-reading via audiobook after it releases to see if I like it better then. Like I said, I enjoyed it! Maybe there were pieces I would connect with later that I had a difficult time connecting with this time around.

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, infertility

📚 Where You're Planted
✍ Melanie Sweeney
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐4/5
🌶️ 🌶️
📆 Out 7/8/25!
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🙏 Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons, NetGalley and the author for an advanced digital copy of Where You're Planted. All opinions are my own.
◾
🎯 What I loved: This book tugged at something special in my heart because I've spent the last 16 years of my life in Houston and have seen first hand both the devastation that comes from hurricanes and the resilience that comes afterwards. Tansy and Jack's experience post-hurricane beautifully captured what it's like to be forced to lean into those around you when everything around you has just collapsed. I loved their story but more than that, I love the way Sweeney brought to life the emotions of what it's like to weather the emotional side of a storm after surviving it physically. The botanic gardener/librarian pairing was perfection and there were a lot of LOL moments alongside deeper reflections that made this story something truly special.
◾
Read if you love:
*enemies to lovers
*single parent romances
*forced proximity
*workplace pairings
*found family + truly special community
◾
See also: Flirting with Disaster, The Boyfriend Candidate, The Love Haters

Grumpy sunshine pair?? I could not get enough of this book, especially when the MMC is sooo Swoony! I will definitely be purchasing the physical copy!

I absolutely adore the author’s debut, TAKE ME HOME. It’s become a bit of a comfort read for me. I knew that I would 100% be reading whatever she wrote next.

This book is definitely different from her debut. The MCs are significantly older. The backdrop of this story is a natural disaster so it’s also heavier regarding the hardships of life. It has a lot of layers and depth. My region was impacted by Helene Hurricane Helene last fall. The rebuilding is still happening. I think this story highlights the beauty of community in the face of disaster.

Other things I enjoyed: Briar, sweet and entertaining co-workers, a greenhouse moment, flirting with plants, kittens, and so much tension.

Tropes + things
workplace romance
grumpy x sunshine
found family
anxiety rep
dual POV/3d person

I highly recommend taking a moment to read the author’s note. It added a level of heart and understanding to this story. I’m looking forward to doing a reread when the audiobook is released.

3.75-4 ⭐️

Thank you Putnam for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

3.5! Where You’re Planted by Melanie Sweeney is a heartfelt, community-centered romance that brings together a resilient single mom and a grumpy-but-soft plant guy in the wake of a natural disaster. Set in post-hurricane Houston, the novel follows Tansy, a fiercely independent librarian determined to rebuild her life and library after losing everything, and Jack, the brooding director of the local botanical gardens. Forced to share space as both institutions struggle to secure funding, their reluctant partnership slowly transforms into something deeper. The setting—rich with the warmth of found family, community restoration, and acts of service—added real depth to the story. I especially appreciated the themes of hope and rebuilding, and Tansy's devotion to her daughter and her work really shone.

That said, it took me a while to get into the story, mostly because I wasn’t immediately vibing with Jack as the male lead. His gruffness felt a bit too detached at first, and it made the initial chemistry between him and Tansy harder to buy into. Thankfully, his character did grow on me over time, and once the emotional layers began to unfold, the romance became much more compelling. The story balances heavier themes with moments of warmth, spice, and humor, and while it didn’t fully hook me right away, I still found it a meaningful and satisfying read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putman for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy, Tansy and Jack were so sweet and extremely relatable. I appreciated the depth both main characters had as well as all the supporting characters. I was rooting for them from their meet cute to the very end. They complimented each other so well. Plus I love a single parent trope. I thought the plot was unique, but maybe a little unrealistic? Regardless, it was perfectly sexy, emotional, and sweet. I definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC.

As a librarian who lived in Houston during Hurricane Harvey, I am predisposed to liking this book, but Sweeney really nailed it. An exceptional upcoming romance that understands the importance of libraries AND gardens. Extremely swoony, too.

TV-Rating would be MA for spice (open door 2 open door scenes with frequent references), language (frequent f and s words), and trigger warnings (trauma from a natural disaster)
Loved this book. The chemistry between Jack and Tansy reminded of Luke and Lorelei.