4.5 🌟

we are so back! i was so sat from the beginning of tansy and jack’s love story + I really enjoyed the characterization (throughout the book even for the side characters!) like I truly think I loved every character i met in this book??

similar to another review I saw, it is indeed nearly perfect and I think a great rep for neurodivergent x neurotypical (ish) couples in a way!

also one thing about me i’m going to love when a family gets found like HELLO!

thank you so so much to netgalley & penguin group putnam for this arc to review!

An ode to Librarians and Plant Daddies alike, I fell in love along with Tansy and Jake in Melanie Sweeney’s Where You’re Planted. Full of humor and heart, as well as a rag tag bunch of loving friends and family, Where You’re Planted had me from page one.

Goodreads review

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am a sucker for a book involving libraries and librarians. I feel such a kinship with other book lovers so I’m sure that influenced my rating. I was excited to read this because I enjoyed her previous book, Take Me Home. I love when a book has flawed characters that are earnestly trying who you can root for. I really liked the found family aspect of this book and building up a community. Add in a sweet romance and it’s the cherry on top. The relationship with the daughter melted my heart. I will definitely be reading more of Sweeney’s future novels.

This was such a sweet surprise 🥺
---
While I felt like it took a bit to really get going, I was falling in love with the characters and this world by the 50% mark. Jack is the perfect grumpy and hot mmc, and I loved how sweet he was to Tansy. While I liked Tansy for the most part, it was a little annoying/frustrating how she was SO unwilling to accept help from others. My two favorite things are plants and books, so I was in my happy place 📖🌿. I also liked the messages in this book about the importance of nourishing our communities, and the real world problems it presented.
---
I loved the tension that slowly built up between them, and their relationship felt authentic and natural. Also, the spicy scenes were so well-written/thought out, and I felt like it actually brought them closer together! I was literally kicking my feet !!
---
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really really wanted to like this book. I hate writing disappointing reviews. I was honestly just so bored. I didn’t really enjoy the characters, the detailed sex scenes, and I just wasn’t rooting for anyone. The writing felt somewhat lacking and I would have DNF if it wasn’t an ARC.

Where you’re planted by Melanie Sweeney
First I want to thank you to NetGalley, Melanie Sweeney , and GP Putnam and sons for ARC.

📚: it follows Single mom librarian Tansy have to share space with Jack the world’s grouchiest gardener at country botanic garden after a hurricane temporarily shut down her library. When they have call truce to work together on spring festival, they start caught feelings for each other. So they had to decide to define their relationship or stay focused how to rise up funding that helps library and garden needs.
Release date July 8 25

💭: I enjoy reading this read book, love Tansy and Jack relationship during whole book. I love Jack relationship with Briar. I totally understand Tansy points of view with “help getting”. I didn’t find that annoying (some people found that annoying) I love how they talking mental health on both sides. My favorite chapters is 30.

4.50 ⭐️

Melanie Sweeney’s *Where You’re Planted* is a delightful contemporary romance that follows Tansy, a dedicated single mother and librarian, whose life is turned upside down when a devastating hurricane ravages her beloved library. Seeking a fresh start, she relocates to a picturesque botanic garden, where vibrant blooms and lush greenery paint a serene backdrop.

Here, she finds herself reluctantly teaming up with Jack, a thoughtful and nurturing gardener with a passion for nature. As they collaborate to organize an enchanting spring festival, their initial resistance to each other begins to melt away. Their interactions are filled with clever banter and genuine laughter, gradually revealing a deep emotional connection that neither of them expected.

Amidst the challenges they face, both personally and in the community, the story beautifully explores themes of resilience and the power of community support. This small-town romance serves as a heartwarming reminder that sometimes, love can flourish in the most unexpected places, much like the flowers that bloom in the garden, enriching both their lives in surprising ways.

I appreciate the opportunity to read the arc of this book and my review is based on that version.

One date night, I convinced my husband to take me to Barnes & Noble, where I randomly picked up three new books based on cover and description alone. One of these books was Melanie Sweeney's "Take Me Home," which I adored. I couldn't believe it was a debut novel! When I saw she was publishing a sophomore title, I was ecstatic. "Where You're Planted" has been on my TBR since it was announced and after eagerly consuming it, I can saw I wasn't disappointed.

Tansy and Jack have the quintessential "enemies to lovers" and "grumpy/sunshine" relationship, but it's done really well. My favorite things about this book include:
-the supporting characters; all are unique, quirky, well-developed, and beneficial to contributing to the plot.
-the fun scenarios Sweeney invents as a way for a library to work out of a public park; ex: storytime but a kid falls in the koi pond.
-Tansy and Jack's slow burn and the spice that results from it... can't say hooking up in a greenhouse was on my bingo card but maybe now it is?
-Tansy's daughter Briar and the way in which Jack interacts with her (swoon).
-The unique meet-cute involving a hurricane, a bird, and come to find out... rare plants.

I plan to purchase this book when it's published in July and recommend it to my friends who love romances like me. I had.a hard time putting this one down, and I can't wait to see what Sweeney comes up with next.

What can I say except I hope and pray to have a Jack in my life someday. He is my every dream come to fruition.

I loved this book. I ate it up. Read it in less than a day. Sweet Briar tugged on my heartstrings so many times; I relate a lot to her weather anxiety and being an "odd" child at her age. Reading about her felt like reading myself.

This is the first book of Melanie Sweeney's I've read and you bet I'm going to find her others and devour those, too.

This was a sweet story, which explores the joys and benefits of environmental conservation through nature and the sense of communities through libraries. The grief and anxiety of rebuilding after a natural disaster as well as heartbreaks was unique. I loved her writing, which had a poetic feel and I highlighted quite a few quotes!

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I absolutely loved Melanie Sweeney’s debut novel, Take Me Home, so when I heard she had a second book on the way, I couldn’t wait to dive in! Where You’re Planted not only met my high expectations but exceeded them in every way.

The story follows Tansy, a resilient single mother and the beloved librarian of a small Texas town, still reeling from the devastation of a recent hurricane. Among the storm’s many casualties was her library. Enter Jack, a hardworking but gruff divorcee and the county gardener. When the library is forced to temporarily relocate to a modest shed at the botanical gardens, Tansy and Jack are thrust into each other’s paths. From that moment on, I was completely invested!

Melanie Sweeney delivers a delightful and refreshing take on the grumpy/sunshine trope, crafting a romance that develops with such authenticity and heart. Tansy and Jack’s relationship unfolds organically, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. The supporting cast is equally endearing, each character adding warmth and depth to the story. With Where You’re Planted, Melanie Sweeney has solidified herself as a must-read author for me. I’ll be eagerly awaiting whatever she writes next!

I loved this so much! It had everything that I enjoyed in a good romance novel: enemies-to-lovers, a grumpy yet swoony garden nerd against a sweet yet feisty librarian, vulnerability and growth from the characters, and apparently flirting by plants!

Melanie Sweeney’s writing is a delight and I loved how she crafted a simple enough story — a temporary relocation of the library to the gardens, leading to the inevitable clash of tempers (and feelings) between our main characters — and yet managed to slowly peel back and reveal the layers underneath our couple. The book unfolded in dual third person points of view (frankly, a criminally underrated style so thank YOU Melanie), and I thought the evolution of how Tansy and Jack viewed each other over the course of them getting to know each other was incredibly well done and organic. It felt realistic but also with tons of butterflies-fluttering-swoony-moments.

The home renovation? Top tier. Can’t recommend this enough.

3.5 stars!!

This book was a lovely read. The book's premise intrigued me, and I was excited to see that it was wonderfully executed! I truly enjoyed the dynamics within this book from the romantic relationships to familial relationships to the friendships/bonds between characters, it was so fun to follow! I also absolutely loved how well the author represented anxiety/ptsd, especially surrounding the trauma from a natural disaster.

I will say it was harder for me to connect with the characters at points due to the 3rd person perspective, however, I think that is more a personal issue that I ran into while I was reading! I feel like the dynamics between characters, their development, and the overall plot had more of a lasting impact on me than the romance, and honestly I loved that! Because of that, I would say this is a great romance book for those that enjoy women's fiction as well!!

Overall, I would recommend this book to others, especially if you enjoy adversaries to lovers!!

Thank you so much to Penguin Group Putnam, the author, and Netgalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Y’all, I adored this book! It’s about librarian Tansy whose world shifts after a hurricane and trying to rebuild afterwards. She gets saved many times by swoon worthy Jack, but of course she fights it along the way. I could relate to her so much in how stubborn she was about being helped.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Publishing Group for an advanced digital copy of this book.

When a hurricane destroys the public library where she works, Tansy Perkins is forced to relocate to a shed at the neighboring botanical gardens. The space is less than ideal, particularly because Tansy is now forced to work under the grumpy assistant director of the gardens, Jack Reid, who also happens to be her arch nemesis (despite the fact that he rescued her and her daughter from the flood). Jointly tasked with managing the town spring festival, the two are forced to call a truce and work together. Will a newly formed working relationship change the way they feel about each other?

This book gets five stars from me purely because of the way it made me feel completely warm and gushy inside after finishing it. This was my first book by this author, and I loved her writing style. Her words were light and breezy making for a fast read, but were also infused with so much sentimentality and heart. My attention was snagged literally from the first page, and it was one of those books I both didn’t want to put down, and didn’t want to end.

The characters in this book draw you in and make you want to be part of their world…

Tansy- She’s tenaciously strong, and will do anything for the people she loves. Fiercely independent, she tackles life with the attitude of someone ready to overcome any challenge.

Jack- He’s rough around the edges and hardened by life. After overcoming heartbreak, he’s afraid to put himself in a situation that risks him getting hurt again. Underneath the surface though, he’s a loyal protector with a heart of gold who is willing to tear down mountains for those who he allows to actually get to know him.

While both Tansy and Jack are bewitching on their own, the cast of characters surrounding them are equally charming. This is a book with a strong found family vibe, and it expands on that by showing the beauty of a supportive community.

There is so much to love in Where You’re Planted. It is the perfect romance story if any of the following apply to you: You love characters with believable chemistry, you love a grumpy sunshine dynamic, you are a sucker for single moms with cute kids, or you just feel like smiling today.

I really wanted to love this book. The description had me hooked.

I had a hard time connecting with the MC's. It felt like they spent so much time NOT liking each other that I didn't think they would ever connect.

I did like the secondary characters.

The writing was great! If you don't mind grumpy characters who are really, really grumpy, than this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own

Where You're Planted is one of the best sophomore books I have read from an author! I read Take Me Home, and enjoyed it. I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Tansy is the FMC who is a librarian single mom whose love is changed after a hurricane hits Houston. Jack is the grumpy director of botanic gardens across from the library. Tansy's library is devastated by the hurricane and in order to save her branch, she asks the commissioner to give them time to essentially prove their worth and is approved. They are given a building in the botanic gardens that Jack is in charge of and this distracts him and turns his world upside down.

Tansy and Jack both have different past traumas that continue to affect their outlook on love and relationships. However, neither one of them can deny the spark between them especially after they learn more about each other. Male infertility is part of Jack's struggles and I thought that was very unique and something we usually only see from a female point of view in romance. I loved this story and Jack and Tansy's complex characters! Melanie Sweeney is definitely an auto buy author for me! Briar- Tansy's daughter and the gardens and library staff were just the cherry on top and added so fun color to this story!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you Net Galley for thrnARC cooy.

This is my first Melanie Sweeney novel and certainly will not be my last. Enemies to lovers is my favorite genre and throw in a librarian and keeper of gardens and I am all in.

I found this book enjoyable and was a quick read. You can feel the emotions of Jack and Tansey and so enjoyed the cast of characters. A hurricane has hit and destroyed Tansey’s library and has forced her into a garden shed at the nearby botanical gardens. There she meets grumpy Jack who is in line to become new director of the gardens.They are forced to work together for a spring fundraiser and have made peace with each of their forced into situations. Tansey, a single mom, with a young daughter who has become obsessed with weather conditions, has taken to Jack and Jack to Briar.

It is just a wonderful story of how community can come together for those dealing with tragic events and how the library is such an invaluable asset to all communities. This book has you cheering for a HEA for both Jack and Tansey but can they both overcome their past relationships.

I was drawn to this book because I love stories centered around books, and the gardening & botanical aspect added an extra layer of charm. The writing was immersive, and the atmosphere beautifully crafted, making for a compelling read. The male lead was well-developed—charming, swoon-worthy, and easy to root for.

However, I struggled with the female character. Her pride and rigid mindset nearly led to devastating consequences, and at times, the political undertones felt forced rather than organically woven into the story. While these elements were frustrating, the overall plot was engaging, and the book had many redeeming qualities.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DGn6b81JpP_/?igsh=MXF3amo2eHlxOThpaA==

Sweeney was born to be a writer, and she absolutely NAILED IT with her second novel, Where You’re Planted. Tansy and Jack are the most relatable couple I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know - and promptly falling head over heels for. I was hooked from the very first chapter (who am I kidding - Sweeney had me at natural disaster meet-cute! Spoiler alert: the birds were absolutely worth it 🫶)

Where You’re Planted explores different layers of human emotions and everyday struggles, and I found myself taking deep breaths and nodding along - just like I did while reading Sweeney’s debut, Take Me Home. You know those moments when a sentence hits so deeply that it tugs at your heartstrings, making you pause, close your eyes, and reread just to experience it all over again? Sweeney has done that to me too many times to count now. It’s one of the most magical things about her writing, and I have no doubt she’ll continue to wreck me in the best way possible for years to come ❤️

What’s more is the fact that she masterfully captures the most tender parts of the human heart and brings to life what it means to be in a healthy relationship - where real people, with real problems, lean on each other and make the equation exponentially better. Jack is one of the most authentic, soft-hearted MMCs I’ve ever encountered, and Tansy’s journey - embracing both the beautiful and messy parts of life, with Jack’s unwavering support - is what makes this one of the most anticipated love story of 2025.

I can’t wait for everyone to meet this unforgettable cast in just a few short months! Where You’re Planted hits shelves on July 8, 2025 - make sure you preorder your copy wherever books are sold. And if you haven’t yet read Sweeney’s debut, Take Me Home, I promise you with absolute certainty - you will not be disappointed.