The Garden of Small Beginnings

Lili's life has fallen into a routine in the wake of the devastating death of her husband in a car accident three years ago. Lili works as an illustrator at a children's educational publisher, she cares for her two young daughters (with the help of her sister and a sitter), and little else happens. But when her work gains a contract for a gardening book that wants hand-drawn illustrations, they send Lili (along with her daughters and her sister) to a gardening class as research. Over the course of six weeks, Lili and her classmates will learn the basics of vegetable gardening but will also find unexpected friendships. In addition, Lili's encounters with the instructor will have her questioning her belief that she'll stay a widow for the show more rest of her life.

While this novel has some weighty themes and deals with them deftly, it never feels heavy. Instead there are multiple passages that left me laughing out loud (on the bus, too) and the novel somehow feels cozy, even while realistically dealing with the realities of grief, widowhood, and single parenting. I also so appreciated that Waxman creates a group in the gardening class that initially seem one way and then undercuts the character's (and reader's) expectations about who these people are. The romance plot line is light but rewarding and overall I finished the novel and then recommended it to multiple people. An excellent read. show less

Abbi Waxman's debut novel, “The Garden of Small Beginnings”, is a sweet and funny tale of starting over and the persistence of small growing things. (And she followed it up with three more unrelated but equally delightful books, so yay Abbi!)

Lilian Girvan is still trying to deal with the sudden death of her husband, three years previously, while bringing up her two daughters and sidestepping a toxic relationship with her self-centered, alcoholic mother. A job assignment that involves illustrating a gardening textbook leads her to take a back-yard-gardening class, which sets up the rest of the plot.

The romance thread pops its head up rather quickly (sorry; it’s going to be hard to write this review without tossing in gardening show more puns), but it’s a grown-up romance between grown-up people, and it ripens nicely (there we go again) as the book progresses through the side-salad plot lines of family relationships, new friendships, and uncertainty on the job front.

As always, Waxman’s quirky observations of her own life and the idiosyncrasies of the people around her make for delightful reading. (Example – while cleaning out her desk at work, Lilian makes the following observation: “If I find myself with a piece of paper in my hand, and I’m unsure where to put it, I lay it down on the nearest surface and hope it folds itself into a paper plane and flies wherever it’s supposed to go.”) The characters – particularly the children – are believable and consistent, the situations, while not your normal garden-variety, aren’t totally out in left field, and the internal descriptions of a woman struggling to break free of years of guilt and grief are touching and heartfelt.

Put this one on your summer reading list. And if you have a shady spot with a hammock in it near your garden, so much the better. show less

I’m not usually a fan of Chick Lit; I requested this book because of the hook of it centering on a gardening class and the people in it. The narrator, Lilian Girvan, is a young widow with two daughters. Her husband died, right in front of their house, almost four years ago. She had a breakdown and was hospitalized for a couple of months when that happened; she is still grieving, although coming out of it. Her life centers on work (she’s an illustrator for a textbook publisher), her daughters, and her sister, Rachel. There’s not anything she does just for herself.

When her employer gets a contract for a book about vegetable gardening, they have an unusual request from the authors of the book: that the illustrator take the gardening show more class one of their number will be putting on at the L.A. Botanical Gardens. This brings her in contact with the rest of the cast of characters: the instructor, and the other students. The class meets on Saturday mornings for six weeks. Over this span of time relationships form and change. These people meet not just at the vegetable garden, but in each other’s yards, too. Lil’s daughters and Rachel are also involved.

It’s interesting, but the characters are a little too perfect to really feel involved with. In fact, it wouldn’t have really held my interest except for one thing: the narrator is hilarious. So is much of the dialog. It’s snarky but not mean. The author is very good at describing the little details of everyday life in a way that I found myself going “Oh, yes, I know that well!” A light, funny, mostly upbeat read. show less

The Garden of Small Beginnings is one of my favorite books so far this year. Lili finds herself a widow in a life rut four years after the trauma occurs when suddenly change is thrown at her from every direction. A work required gardening class begins gently shifting her perspective and altering her path from surviving to thriving.
Waxman crafts wonderfully complex characters on an unexpected journey. The realistic kid characters are some of my favorites, because they’re just so authentic- from cute to lethal in half a second! Lili’s mothering struggles are realistically portrayed, which is incredibly refreshing. Additional prior family drama adds to the pressure. This cast of likeable characters made the book impossible to put show more down, and is one of the reasons I’m sad it’s over. The other reason is the witty and quirky voice of the protagonist narrator. She is incredibly funny, insightful, irreverent and genuine. She’s one of the most realistic characters I’ve read, and I can see myself re-reading this gem. show less

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman is a 2017 Berkley publication.

I admit I started reading this book with a certain mindset. I was thinking contemporary fiction, maybe some romance, maybe not, with 'mature' adult characters, and I was right about that much, but whatever else I might have been thinking, was totally blown out of the water after reading the first chapter.

The story deals with some heavy topics, but it was absolutely hysterical. I laughed all the way through it, but it was also a moving and bittersweet journey.

Lilian Girvan is going through the motions of living. She has a good job as a textbook illustrator, but it’s not all that challenging or fulfilling. She’s the mother to two little girls, sister of show more Rachel, a free spirited woman who would do anything for her, ... and a widow.

When Lilian’s husband, Dan, is killed in a car accident, Lilian nearly died from a broken heart. She spent a little in -patient time in a mental hospital, and might have entertained a few suicidal thoughts, but now, she’s able to simply exist again, not actually living life to its full potential, but getting through one day to the next, nursing her grief, unable or unwilling to let go of it. But, the thing is, Dan has been gone for three years, and those who love Lilian would really like to see her start moving forward with her life instead of walking in place.

As fate would have it, Lilian’s boss signs her up for a gardening class to appease a new client, and out of this random and seemingly benign event, Lilian finds her entire world opening up to new possibilities, as she forges an unexpected relationship with other members of the class, not only learning to cultivate vegetables, but also new friendships, stronger familial ties, and maybe even the strength and desire to begin dating again.

This novel explores various themes, such as the relationship between sisters, first impressions, unexpected experiences that can steer us in a new direction, and the simple act of enjoying a new hobby, such as gardening, which may initially seem challenging, but turns out to be quite therapeutic and fun.

Humor is a tool some people hide behind when under duress, or as a coping mechanism. Both Lilian and Rachel were able to lean on this ability to get them through some tough times, but it also helped them communicate with each other without one taking offense and kept the tone light, despite the palpable pain Lilian was suffering.

It was a fascinating dance between the sisters who stayed close despite their differences. Their relationship appears to parallel the relationship between Lilian’s own daughters in a way, with one being very sensitive and the other showing an unflappable approach to life.

The students taking the gardening class, and the teacher, all have a role, and each one shares thier unique background, which adds depth and character to the story, fleshing it out, and bringing much needed variety and color to Lilian’s life.

For those looking for romance, this book does have a few promises and hints of budding relationships, but this really isn't a romance novel, in my opinion.

It is more about Lilian’s long journey out of the dark grip of grief, her healing and eventual personal growth. Lilian learns to face her fears so that she can be a better parent, sister, and friend. She must first learn to care for herself, so that she can fully take charge of her life again.

The author did an amazing job of capturing Lilian’s melancholy and vulnerabilities, while also accentuating her humor and wit. She was a delightful character, and I instantly warmed up to her, and knew I was going to enjoy getting to know her. When Lilian is finally able to think of others, to draw her attention away from her inner struggles, she is able to reenter life and truly become productive again.

Lilian steps out of her perpetual gloom, into the light, kicking and screaming, fighting it every step of the way, but once she finally steps into the sun, the welcoming brightness sent rays of hope to warm her fragile heart and weary soul.

The gardening tips at the beginning of each chapter was a nice touch, and as a gardener, I found many of the suggestions useful, as well as charmingly funny.

Overall, this is just the type of all around inspirational feel good story I need sometimes. There is no absolute- 'and they all lived happily ever after'- conclusion, exactly, which, under normal circumstances would really tick me off, but in this case, I didn't mind so much.

I don't think it's too hard to determine how things will probably turn out for Lilian and her sister, as well as for the supporting cast, and since the book ends on such an optimistic note, I'm going to go with my own version of events, which is: ' and they all lived happily ever after.'

Lilian’s reluctant pilgrimage sucked me into another life, took my mind off my own troubles, while I cheered her from the sidelines, watching while she blossomed back to life, while touching my own life.

4 stars show less

Lilian Girvan is thirty-nine and has been widowed for four years with two young girls. She has a strong bond with her unmarried sister Rachel who provided care and support for her children while she was recovering from a breakdown. Her life starts trending in a positive direction and she continues her career as an illustrator.

Lilian struggles with romance while focusing on providing a stable home for her children. She has not been open to dating because of her grief over losing her deceased husband. Lilian gets assigned to illustrate a series of books about gardening vegetables. Knowing little about the topic, she agrees to attend a six week gardening class where she can also bring her children. The garden and her life slowly begin to show more grow as she forms new relationships while also seeking out new job opportunities.

The setting for this story should be sad but Lilian is very likeable and her thoughts are funny. I really enjoyed the clashing personalities of Lilian and Rachel and their love for each other. These contrasts make for a very entertaining debut novel by Abbi Waxman. show less

Lilian is a widow with two young daughters. She has an alcoholic mother, a bossy sister, and a decent job as an illustrator. Through a gardening class she takes because of her job, she meets an assortment of interesting people and there is some bonding among the group which stretched my ability to suspend disbelief. Still, there was enough substance and sarcastic dialog to keep me reading. There is a snarky comment about Meg Ryan, but, really, this is her kind of role. A pleasant, light read.

Free advance review copy from publisher