Typical Roberts trilogy. ( )

I've read enough Nora Roberts trilogies to know that the second one is usually the weakest of the three, and I like it the least. I read the first,
Blue Dahlia, way back in January, so by now I've forgotten most of the story. And there isn't much of an ending, because the seeds for the third book have been planted. But such is life for the middle book of trilogies.

Anyways, the main character of this book is the Matriarch of Harper House: Roz. She's sort of a southern businesswoman hardass whose not had an easy time in life. She falls for the cute professor who is researching her family history - specifically, the Harper Bride, a ghost that haunts the children of Harper House. Roz has an asshole ex-husband who is kind of cartoony (but the way she handles him is straight up cold shoulder and deadpan polite burns) and a garden business that, frankly, is probably not getting as much attention as it should have because everyone's getting funky.

Nora Robert's characters aren't perfect. What I like best about them is that they are flawed. Roz is too vain and haughty, Mitch (the cute professor) is a recovering alcoholic, and the other characters are also real in the same sense. I'm not too sure about strict southern manners, but the social situations that Roz deals with as the matriarch of an important old family - they made me shudder. But pretty good. I liked her Ireland trilogies better, but that's probably because Ireland seems much more interesting to me than Memphis. ( )

The second book in the "In the Garden" trilogy. I had a tough time getting into this one, it just moved a little to slow for me. I hope the final one Red Lily moves a little quicker. I had a tough time finding the main character in this story Roz to be very sympathetic. On one page she is a strong woman standing on her own (up to her ex-husband, his new girlfriend and a string of lies) and the next one she needs her son to carry her. I just didn't like this one as much. ( )

It's the 2nd in the In The Garden trilogy, about 47-year-old Roz. Happy dances all around for the concept that women don't have to be 25 years old and model-perfect to get that HEA.

Roz hires Mitchell to research the Harper Bride, the ghost that's haunted her house for years. The ghost's activity accelerates along with Roz & Mitchell's romance, as do the nasty tricks of Roz's ex-husband Bryce.

Lots of gardening details and hints about the next book's couple of Hayley and Harper. If you're not a gardener before you read this book, you'll be inspired to give it a try when you're done. ( )

My favorite book in this trilogy - Roz is an older woman who knows what she wants and isn't going to settle for less. But when falling in love with Mitchell, her vulnerability and personality come out and it's an interesting process to see. ( )