In Bloom (Entangled Embrace)

by Katie Delahanty

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

The description for In Bloom made it sound so cute and light. Well, it is light and the romance is adorable in places, but for the most part I was just bored. Olivia is new to Los Angeles, as she pursues her dream of being a stylist. Soon she's hired on at an upscale lingerie company, and she has two friends who are training her to fit in in Hollywood. Then she meets the lead singer of her favorite band at a fashion show, then runs into him again, and again. Finally, they start meeting on purpose and Liv is thrust even more into the limelight than she anticipated.

In Bloom was hard for me to initially get into because the opening chapters felt very jumpy and random. I suppose that matches the chaotic pace of life in LA, but it didn't draw me in. I also didn't feel like I really got to know who Liv was. She keeps inner-monologuing about how awkward she is, and what awkward things could happen to her in any situation. Well, she doesn't actually do anything awkward. Thinking about being awkward, when no one but the reader knows what's going on, does not make you awkward. It could have been fun to actually have random things happen to Liv when she's trying to make an impression, but really, all she does is consider the possibility of things happening.

The romance of In Bloom is disgustingly adorable, but not really in a good way. It's the typical normal girl meets rock star, he sweeps her off her feet because he's different, and they live happily ever after. Berkeley was so boring. This boy has no personality to speak of. He was the humble, down to Earth rock star who hasn't been changed by fame, but he read more like self-conscious and dull. I also didn't believe their connection. They just kind of meet, start dating, and are in love. There was no moment where I felt like they belonged together. They do have some really cute scenes together, but that doesn't make up for the lack of sparks or tension.

The one thing that I did really like about In Bloom was that there was a lot of focus on the publicity of stardom. We get to see how just about everything Berkeley does is filtered through his publicist, and if he doesn't go to her first, how the media twists every story into something. Of course, I know the media does this anyway, but it was an interest behind the scenes look. Although it did make the inevitable fight pretty obvious and annoying, since Liv knows not to believe everything she reads, and yet she does and it causes problems. There was a great missed opportunity involving her ex-boyfriend though. He does give a magazine some pictures of Liv from when she was younger, but he was also introduced as being bitter, so he could have exacted some revenge. Oh well.

In Bloom was just kind of whatever for me. It was cute, but didn't excite me in any way. I didn't believe the romance, and I sure as heck did not believe that ending. There is no way that would ever happen. Ever. It was a grand romantic gesture, but it didn't work.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.