Where Flowers Bloom


Fiction - Womens
358 Pages
Reviewed on 05/02/2020
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

For Nikki, a childhood love for reading developed into a passion for writing. Romance has always been a favorite of Nikki's but her reading choices are ecclectic and she finds her writing reflects her tastes. No matter the genre, Nikki still finds a way to sneak some love and passion into her stories - she can't seem to help it :-) So, if you love drama, suspense and/or the paranormal with some angst and a few steamy love scenes, pick up one of Nikki Vale's books and enjoy the journey!

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Where Flowers Bloom is a work of women’s fiction with plenty of interpersonal drama, penned by author Nikki Vale. The work is written for adult audiences due to the inclusion of some steamy romantic scenes and moderate violence. In this emotive and highly engaging read, we meet romance writer Kendyll as she verges on losing her passion and belief in the happily ever after. Her current relationship with long-term fiancé Vance has grown stale, prompting them to move to a new town in the hopes of a fresh start. But Kendyll gets a lot more than she bargained for when she finds an old house filled with secrets and a new contractor who rekindles her hopes for love.

Author Nikki Vale has crafted an excellent and highly engaging drama that encompasses elements of excellent romance fiction, but also of cultural and interpersonal drama that really brings home the realism of the piece. Kendyll is a strong heroine with much to figure out in her life, and we follow her through decisions both good and bad with a fervent hope that her dreams will succeed. The interracial issues present and the elements of past history add a new dimension of diversity to the work which other writers could certainly take note of, relating a modern and realistic romantic tale. Overall, I would highly recommend Where Flowers Bloom for readers who not only enjoy an accomplished and moderate-heat level romantic story but also want realistic and heart-warming characters to root for and fall in love with.

Shannon Winings

All Kendyll has ever wanted is a fairytale ending. As a romance writer, she's written plenty of happy-ever-afters but can't seem to get her own, despite having a fiance. Fighting and numerous other struggles have put them on a rocky path with no romance in sight. Looking for a fresh start, she starts house hunting in North Carolina and throws all of Vance's preferences out the window when she walks onto an old, dilapidated plantation. The house speaks to her in more ways than one and is eerily reminiscent of dreams Kendyll has had since she was a teenager. When renovation starts on the home, Kendyll is forced to confront her past, her relationship with Vance, and her feelings for the handsome contractor, Wes. Will she be able to put the past to rest and find her happily-ever-after?

Where Flowers Bloom by Nikki Vale starts slowly but pulls you in and keeps you following Kendyll and her romantic tendencies. I found myself wanting to learn the secrets behind Kendyll's relationships, detailed dreams, and the plantation mansion. I wanted to see how her dreams played out and how they related to reality. I was certainly not prepared for the twists and turns that inevitably came with addressing your past and trying to figure out your future. I was also rooting for her to get her happy ending but that's probably because I'm a hopeless romantic myself. Very interesting plot with unexpected twists. Where Flowers Bloom by Nikki Vale had great character development and made you fall in love with the colorful people who end up having such an impact on Kendyll.

Caitlin Lyle Farley

Romance author Kendyll hopes that a new start in a new town will reinvigorate her relationship with Vance, her fiancé of ten years. When Kendyll recognizes the ballroom of a plantation house in need of renovation from the dreams that have haunted her since she turned thirteen, she buys the place immediately, despite knowing that Vance won’t approve. Her initial shock that it’s a genuine plantation house is mitigated by the discovery that the house formed part of the Underground Railroad. Kendyll’s dreams become more vivid as she settles into her new home and surprising discoveries suggest that there’s more to her dreams than she first suspected, and the strange connection she shares with the handsome contractor working on her house may be the key to unraveling her dreams.

Nikki Vale blends an unflinching narrative about slavery and race with the tenderness of love in this must-read steamy romance, Where Flowers Bloom. The personality friction in Kendyll and Vance’s relationship is convincing, as are their efforts to try to overcome their differences. This makes for an interesting juxtaposition against the immediate connection she feels with Wes and the lighter experiences they share. Vale subtly explores the stigma often associated with having a darker skin tone through Kendyll’s insecurities about her complexion and her tyrannical mother’s strictly enforced opinions regarding interracial dating while Kendyll’s dreams detail the plight of slaves with heart-breaking honesty. Where Flowers Bloom is as much a story about reconciling the past and finding oneself as it is a steamy romance where the heroine must make an impossible choice between two men.