The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back is a brilliant Rom-Com all about love, loss, friendship and starting over. A great, easy holiday read.

It's fair to say Celia Bloom lives a very beige life. She and her husband Geoff watch every penny, she dresses very sensibly, she has a job she doesn't really mind, she hasn't had her hair properly styled in forever and her main social life is with her neighbour Terri. The only things that bring her any kind of joy are her son and the plant hospital that she runs out of her house. Even that has to be contained to just one room otherwise Geoff gets upset.

When she gets invited to her best friend from school's glamourous wedding she is quite surprised. She has barely spoken to Amanda for years. Geoff won't come with her to the wedding, so she feels quite out of place.

Fast forward a few months and Celia is having a particularly bad day, as you do when you have recently caught your husband in bed with someone else in the mouldy caravan that he has inherited from his parents. When French school teacher Enzo comes knocking at her door with a particularly sick looking cactus named Spike, she turns him away, but also feels bad about that almost immediately. When she runs into Enzo again, she agrees to see if she can work out what is wrong. This is a huge relief to Enzo who can't face telling his young daughter, Matilde, that he has killed the cactus. Enzo and his ex-wife are navigating co-parenting very well, but he is struggling to get back into the dating scene.

The last thing Celia needs is Amanda inviting herself to stay for an indefinite period, without even having the energy to wonder why she would turn up out of the blue like that! For all that Amanda looks like she has everything together, she really doesn't. She has just been told that her TV job is coming to an end as they need someone younger, her toyboy husband is driving her crazy and she just needs to get away.

Amanda decides that she is going to help Celia. After all she does have experience doing makeovers on TV. With Amanda taking charge, Celia begins to live a little more taking small steps like trying a new haircut, a new fragrance, getting some new clothes and more. Soon it is more than just a cosmetic makeover, it's a life makeover.

It's funny. When the book began I saw Celia as being my own age or a bit older (which is mid to late 50s) so when it began to look as though there might be a spark of interest there it puzzled me for a moment. However when I did the maths, Enzo and Celia were much closer in age that I had remembered. I guess that is the whole point of the story. Celia was almost invisible until something happened to give her the opportunity to take a chance on a new life.

Plants are a bit part of Celia's story. It's her special gift. It's fair to say that I don't have that same gift. A while ago we had the idea to put up a vertical garden on a fence that we can see from our living room. It was going to be nice to see cascading greenery whenever we looked out. Now, we see a wall of black plastic pots and some of those got eaten when we had my stepdaughter's dog staying with us. That probably sounds dreadful but we do have a nice patch of grass that my husband takes great pride in, especially now that dog is gone and so there are no new holes being dug.

It's funny though. The next book I picked up to read was all about gardens too. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something!

I hadn't read Fiona Gibson before, and I have to say I enjoyed this book a lot. The good news is that there are lots of other books on her backlist, and quite a few of them have fun titles like this one.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books & Fiona Gibson for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was my second read of a book by Fiona Gibson, the first being Tis The Damn Season. Again, Fiona gives us a relatable story for those that have dealt with a crumbling marriage and a middle aged identity crisis. I loved following Celia's journey, albeit painful at times, as she rediscovered friendship, love and herself.

Celia’s life is sort of drab and mundane. She loves to potter with her plants and her part time work in a clothing shop.
Life hurtles some unintended surprises for Celia and she muddles through.
I thought Amanda was quite self centered and snobby but who did she run to when she needed help.
Logan was very naive for a 24 year old.
Geoff deserved the grotty caravan!
I liked seeing Celia get her spark for living back and move on to the next chapter,

I love Fiona Gibson's books and feel this one is the best I have read. Wonderful narratives and descriptions. Highly recommend.

A wonderful book of discovery and finding meaning in every day events, is cleverly written in “The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back". I love how the characters in this book all get their own spark back and bring happiness to their lives.
The characters are all relatable, there are moments in time when we see each person realise their own worth.
The main character Celia has lived a life that should have affection from those around her, her husband doesn’t know how to show love and respect so she devotes her life to her plants and son.
An old friend, a good friend and a new friend are back in Celia’s life, for the better. Old relationships are given new meaning, or not and we realise that everyone has different issues, hidden or not!
Second chances are taken gratefully, obligations are dissected along with delightful opportunities that are presented.
I particularly enjoyed the warmhearted approach to finding your worth and relationships that work, in a positive light.
Highly recommended.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Reading The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back by Fiona Gibson felt like having a heart-to-heart with a close friend. The main character is real—flawed, funny, and trying to figure things out. I found myself rooting for her as she navigated the chaos of family life, work, and the unexpected twists that come with starting over.

There is warmth and humor, and there were moments that made me laugh, as well as others that touched me. It’s not just a story about romance—it's about self-discovery, resilience, and learning that it’s never too late to reignite your spark.

If you're looking for a comforting, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Celia has her life turned upside down when she discovers her husband in bed with his secretary.

Her next surprise in when her childhood friend appears at her home with a suitcase and in the hope of staying for a few days. And finally a chance meeting with a handsome man and his daughter in need of some urgent plant care for their dying cactus.

This book is light and witty, full of hope, friendship and love.

Celia is 43 and planning to attend her friend Amanda’s wedding. Amanda is a television producer marrying an actor. Celia is irritated that her husband Geoff refuses to attend the wedding with her.

Geoff spends most of his time and money on golfing and golfing getaways with his friends. Cecilia’s son has grown and gone. She spends a couple days running a boutique and the rest of the time tends to her houseplant hospital in her Glasgow flat. This is her true love. People all over ask for her help with their fledging plants and she’s happy to do so.

Enzo and Laura are divorced and parents to Matilde. When Enzo’s parents in France passed away, the one thing Matilde wanted was their beautiful cactus that Matilde names Spike.

When Celia finds Geoff with another woman in the family’s caravan, she kicks him out. Her friend, Amanda, is also having problems with her younger husband so she comes to stay with Celia for some time. The women get along and when Celia meets Enzo, they realize they have a lot in common and slowly they form a friendship with hopes of more to come.

This is a sweet, funny and realistic book that shows the things that marriages face. The characters are genuine and the story is delightful. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back by Fiona Gibson

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Meet Celia. Life hasn’t worked out quite how she’d planned.

Since her son left for university, Celia has felt stuck at home – battling with her husband Geoff over control of the thermostat, and without the merest glint of a social life. Her only joy comes from the plants she nurtures in her makeshift plant hospital in their Glasgow flat.

Then three unexpected things

She catches Geoff in bed with a secretary from his sausage factory (no pun intended). Her high-flying best friend Amanda arrives on her doorstep without warning (but with a very large suitcase). A tall handsome French teacher asks her to tend his daughter’s cactus back to health. Suddenly, Celia finds her life in freefall, but she makes a she won’t let this be the end of her. She’ll bring herself back to life, just like the plants she works her magic on. But just how do you change the habits of a lifetime?

My Opinion

Fiona Gibson has written an uplifting novel about self-discovery. The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back was a real page-turner with some relatable characters. A lovely, light-hearted read. I really enjoy Fiona’s writing style.

Rating 4/5

Another solid 4 star review for Fiona Gibson. Just quite as funny as Tis the season but still a likeable cast.

Celia does get her spark back but I felt like there was just some storyline missing from this book.

Overall an enjoyable read.

This was my first Fiona Gibson book and it was so fun! It was heartwarming and full of humor. A quick and easy read that can be done in a day. The FMC is easy to connect with and the side characters are wonderful. 3.5 stars rounded up. *I received a complimentary ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

'Nuturing drooping aspidistras and desiccated begonias back to full health'.

I've been reading so many more books recently where the protagonist is middle-aged. As a 52 year-old in reality, a 30 year-old in my head, and a 70 year-old in my body, I love that Celia, Amanda, Terri, and Enzo made me feel that there are still hundreds of opportunities, just waiting around the corner.

When I read that Celia ran her very own houseplant hospital, I found myself wondering whether I knew enough about plants to run my own… I definitely don't! 🤣 But Celia did, whether it was a poorly Peace Lily, a sickly spider plant or a finicky Fiddle Leaf Fig, she somehow manages to find a cure and send them on their way. Does she cure Spike? You'll have to read the book to find out! 🌵

I think you'd need to be in the UK, and old, to remember a character called Beryl the Peril in a comic called the Beano. Well, Mathilde is Enzo's nine-year-old daughter and that's who she dresses like. With her black and red stripey tights and black dungaree dress, it gave me a blast from the past as the sassy little girl knew what she wanted and went all out to get it!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back by Fiona Gibson

Thanks netgalley for allowing me to have a copy of this book. There are elements to this story that I'm sure will resonate with some woman. A fun and feelgood story, well worth reading.

I like that this book features two diverse stories whose only connection is that they take place in Glasgow, but gradually, with the help of a cactus, they connect in a meaningful way. Celia has made the best of her life after a rocky start. She is a good mother, now an empty nester whose marriage does not seem as good as it once was. In reality, it's worse than she thought. Celia moves on from a life-changing event with the help of her female friends, who nurture and support her to discover the life she deserves. There is unexpected romance, strong female friendship, humour and poignancy in this engaging story. It has a refreshing and relatable realism, still managing to show life's magic.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I think all of us feel like Celia sometimes. I love that Fiona Gibson can make us relate to her characters. Life isn’t always what we’d planned, it throws us curve balls more often than we’d like. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books publishers for the opportunity to read this fun book about friendship.

I’ve enjoyed previous books by Fiona Gibson. This was a likeable read but a little flat and lacking in plot. An easy holiday novel.

The Woman who Got her Spark back was a very enjoyable read. The book follows Celia as she attempts to put her life back together after she finds her husband cheating on her, with the help of her childhood best friend and a handsome French teacher and his daughter who are trying to save a failing cactus.

Celia was a wonderful character to read. She manages to pick herself up and sort her life out after her world falls apart. Her former best friend, Amanda, might seem a little irritating at first but she quickly grew on me and I found her story to be just as compelling as Celia. Enzo and his daughter, Mathilde, were quite adorable and I liked reading him bumbling through trying to date before he inevitably ends up with Celia.

This was a fun read and I very much enjoyed it. It’s a quick book to get through and I never felt bored while reading it. All of the characters were fun to read and I liked the burgeoning relationship between Celia and Enzo, it doesn’t move too quickly and they are adorable when they interact. All in all, I had a great time reading this book.

I can't put my finger on why, but Fiona Gibson has already written much better books than this one. This book dragged on, it felt like a long, long narration about a woman, but without a story in it. There were not many events happening and the few that the novel was centred around quickly started to feel flat and utilised. It also felt messy, not thought - over and I didn't find this humour that so many mention in their reviews.

It was a warm and uplifting and altogether optimistic story about rediscovering yourself, about gaining your confidence, a story about second chances filled with woman power. Written in this easy to follow, rich Fiona Gibson's writing style, however felt slow and I read it because I felt obliged to. Sadly, as I was hoping for more.

Although she doesn’t know it, Celia needs to get her spark back. Raised by an alcoholic single mother, she had a son at nineteen and was abandoned by his father. Her best friend moved away to start a successful career as a TV presenter and her miserly husband thinks that buying coffee at a café is an unnecessary luxury. Celia’s only joys are her moody son Logan and her in-home houseplant hospital.

Life changes when she finds her husband with another woman. Then her friend Amanda (the TV star with problems of her own) comes for an extended visit and Enzo, a hunky French teacher, begs her to resuscitate his daughter’s “pet” cactus. While Amanda works on Celia’s appearance with a new hairstyle and wardrobe, Enzo works on her heart. Even Logan responds to the new Celia.

Fiona Gibson has done it again! The Woman Who Got Her Spark Back is pure delight! It’s a quick read with an uplifting, optimistic theme. Change is always possible.. Celia is a sympathetic character and I wanted so much for her to find happiness. Learning how to save most houseplants was a plus! 5 stars.

Thank you too NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Fiona Gibson for this ARC.