The Garden of Small Beginnings

Starred review from March 1, 2017
Thirty-something Lilian Girvan, mother of two young girls, is a widow who saw her husband die in a car crash 50 feet from their home. But Waxman's debut novel, far from sad and depressing, is full of wry humor and a cleareyed view of how life keeps offering good things.After Lilian lost her husband three years ago, she had a breakdown, ending up in a treatment facility for several months while her devoted sister, Rachel, stepped in to help with the girls. But all this is in the past, and she's back to making her living as an illustrator and picking her way carefully past the pitfalls of fresh widowhood and piles of toys in the living room. Her company is closing Lilian's department, leaving her with one final assignment: to illustrate a series of vegetable gardening books for Bloem Company, obliging her to attend a six-week Saturday morning gardening class taught by Edward Bloem. The diverse group quickly bonds over the pleasure of planting seeds and the hope this inspires. And a tingle of interest begins between Lilian and Edward. For readers who see where this is headed, of course! But anticipating a happy ending is like waiting for dessert. There is much soul-searching on Lilian's part and a number of side stories involving the other members of the group. Many life lessons are learned in the garden, and not just by Lilian. The plot is straightforward, but it is Waxman's skill at characterization that lifts this novel far above being just another "widow finds love" story. Clearly an observer, Waxman has mastered the fine art of dialogue as well. Characters ring true right down to Lilian's two daughters, who often steal the show. This debut begs for an encore from Waxman.

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Starred review from May 1, 2017

DEBUT When widowed illustrator Lilian, a single mom to two young daughters, has to take a six-week gardening class to help inform her next assignment, she expects to learn about preparing soil and growing tomatoes, not how to move on more than three years after her husband died in a car accident. She brings her children and helpful sister along and meets a diverse group of people, including the handsome and divorced instructor. The group clicks and members become friends who support one another through life's surprises while Lilian struggles to overcome her guilt and sadness. Kudos to debut author Waxman for creating an endearing and realistic cast of main and supporting characters (including the children). Her narrative and dialog are drenched with spring showers of witty and irreverent humor, which provides much respite from the underlying grief theme. Bonus: While enjoying this wonderful funny novel about life and loss, readers will learn a little about gardening, too. VERDICT For fans of humorous and down-to-earth women's fiction.--Samantha Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2017
Lillian Girvan didn't plan to be a widow at 34, and three years later, she still sometimes wishes she had died alongside Dan. Her young daughters are delightfully imaginative (one has decided to marry the family dog), but it devastates her that they hardly remember their father. Her self-sacrificing, if slightly batty, sister has been a huge help but is pressuring her to get out and live again. Her job as a textbook illustrator seems to be coming to an end. When Lili is offered an opportunity to illustrate an encyclopedia of vegetables if she'll attend a gardening class, she never imagines it to be the beginning of the moving-on process, but move on she does. A band of unique gardeners and a hot Dutch gardening instructor show Lili that she may still have life in her yet. Debut author Waxman takes readers from tears to laughter in this depiction of one woman's attempt to hold it all together for everyone else only to learn it's OK to put herself first. Perfect for fans of Melissa Senate or Liza Palmer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)