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Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Radiance is Blooming by Y.L. Wigman is a charming, sweet romance set in a small town in Western Australia. Nadeen has broken off her toxic relationship in Melbourne and moved back to her hometown of Toodyay, northeast of Perth. There, she plans to set up her gift shop. Over relationships, for now, Nadeen needs to reconnect with her roots and with herself. Lorna is a widowed farmer, also long given up on relationships, and concentrates on her work as well as raising her teenage daughter. When the two cross paths, the electricity is undeniable, and they find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. There is a deep-seated feeling that these two souls have met in a previous life and that they were destined for each other. Can their love flourish in a conservative country town like Toodyay, or must they hide behind closed doors and ignore the whispers and gossip?
Radiance is Blooming is an absolutely delightful love story. Y.L. Wigman has combined many aspects of these two women’s relationship. There is a significant age difference between Nadeen and Lorna, which allows for introspection about the importance of age in a relationship. Lorna, until this point, has been seen by everyone to be a straight, widowed woman with a teenage daughter. Her relationship with Nadeen will come as an enormous shock to many. Because their town is so small and conservative, gossip, judgment, and in some cases, outright hostility will doubtless ensue. The story arcs highlighting two characters from ancient Egypt, one a royal and one a commoner, gave a lovely insight into this modern-day romance. A compelling plot angle regarding Lorna’s farm and the attacks on her business gave the story some added depth. Although obviously classified as an LGBTQ+ novel, this is a wonderful romance that all readers will enjoy. There is an element of Australian slang, but context is everything, and readers can easily ascertain meaning. The local vernacular does give the story authenticity. I loved and highly recommend this book.
