I LOVED this story. I do not think there is enough of a word to describe how much I loved Mona and her journey. Mona believes in the healing power of gardens. She has gone so far as to dedicate a portion of her land as a therapeutic place for young people who have suffered through traumatic events to go and seek healing. This has been a passion project of hers and she has gained the traction to see her vision to come to life. This piece of Mona alone made her, quite possibly one of my favorite characters I have ever read. Kit is Mona’s business partner and he is also very charming. I loved that he shares her vision and passion of the garden. However, when a third person, Holly, enters the mix things become very different. This is my first book by Jennifer Raines and I cannot say enough about her ability to develop characters and write stories that people want to read. This story was filled with complex, well developed characters and a plot that kept the story moving at a good pace. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun read!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christinehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristine2023-08-03 19:50:262023-08-04 12:32:28Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Christine Baranek
Holly Cooper loves being a nurse, but when she witnesses a murder during a shift in the ER she needs to find herself again. With childhood fears fast on her heels she’s following music festivals around Australia working and volunteering.
Kit Silverton is one piece of a research project about gardening as therapy. The project is working with children who have survived domestic violence. As a survivor himself, Kit has a lot of pain and guilt and he struggles to form and keep relationships.
When Kit’s partner in the project, and Holly’s grandmother, is injured, Holly is suggested as a replacement. She’s qualified, but Kit is finding it hard to believe with her pink hair and free spirit.
While working together, Holly and Kit can’t help but fall together, so when something goes wrong Kit is confronted by his worst fear: the violence inside himself. What will it take to prove he’s wrong?
This was a sweet, emotional read. I loved almost every step of the way, as it started out a bit slower than I anticipated.
I love the dynamic between Kit and Holly and Mona. The love and determination they have to help the children is evident in all the moves they make.
I think the only thing I’d love more is pictures of the gardens they’ve created!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tia Martelhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTia Martel2023-08-03 13:58:242023-08-04 12:29:02Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Tia Martel
All I thought about last night and this morning was those kids. They have dealt with unimaginable pain and suffering, yet the garden they were working on with Kit, Mona and Holly became so much more for each of them and their healing.
Holly and Kit weren’t trauma free either and I think that helped them connect with the children and also heal and recover too.
I’m not sure why but Bella in the mud puddle really tickled me, thought about that a few times throughout the book especially during the more difficult moments.
There is love involved, but I feel the book is more about healing any way possible and helping other heal along the way.
Ms. Raines is a new to me author and I absolutely loved this book. I will be reading more by her in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Robin Rankinhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRobin Rankin2023-08-02 20:42:452023-08-04 12:13:44Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Robin Rankin
This was such a cute contemporary romance! I have read books by this author before, and I have come to enjoy this her work. She takes you on an emotional ride, but still captures the essence of the characters which invests you in them quickly. I picked this up because the cover was cute, and I love gardening so it felt like something I would relate to. I really liked the Australian slang that was thrown in as I have family there, so it made me feel even more at home. If you are looking for a great contemporary romance to read in your cozy book nook this afternoon, I highly recommend picking this one up!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shannen Kernhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShannen Kern2023-08-02 20:20:442023-08-04 12:19:31Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Shannen Kern
This is a sweet contemporary romance. The author does an amazing job with the characters making the reader feel like they know them and are invested in their lives. This is a story about finding love when you least expect it. It is a story of fear, compassion, love and angst. There is some sensitive topics touched up such as the loss of a friend in horrific circumstances, and history of a bad childhood that the author writes about in a very respectful and sensitive way.
Holly was a nurse in the emergency department of the hospital. After witnessing her friend murdered before her and being unable to save her it has left Holly with a lot of trauma and doubting what she wants to do with her life. Since they she volunteers as a nurse at music festivals. As she trys to rebuild her life her grandmother has a fall. When Holly rushes to her side her grandmother tells her she needs to keep working on the project else it won’t get going. So Holly agrees and this is how she meets Christopher. Christopher has had a pretty rough start in life and he is trying everything to prove that the violence he grew up with isn’t inside of him. He started working on this research project with Holly’s grandmother to provide and safe space for children who are going through or witnessed violence. Christopher’s idea is that gardening could produce some therapeutic benefit for these children. When Holly takes over in her grandmothers place the connection between her and Kit gets stronger and the attraction grows. Can this relationship really work? Will the gardening therapy actually help Holly heals some of her wounds? And what happens when Christopher’s demons raise their heads is he strong enough to fight them to protect the woman he’s falling for and the children he wants to help so badly?
This is a sweet romance about 2 people who are struggling with demons and wounds from their past working together and finding a way of not only healing themselves but each other in the process
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Carrhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Carr2023-08-02 07:58:592023-08-04 12:13:04Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Kerry Carr
This book has a unique storyline, where a romance between two emotionally injured characters develops around gardening. It is an emotional roller coaster as the two main protagonists are complex. Holly had to witness a tragedy in the past first hand and is emotionally healing herself working as a nurse and a gardener. Kit is a passionate gardener, but he is also dealing with his past, a complex muddle of guilt and violence. When Kit hires Holly, sparks fly, a passionate romance develops between them. But when things take a turn, will trust sustain between them. Can the passion develop into a life long relationship? This is my first book of this author. I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more from this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Anantha Rusumhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAnantha Rusum2023-08-01 08:13:482023-08-04 12:06:13Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Anantha Rusum
If you are looking for a book that will give you all the feels, leave you crying, smiling, and wanting to keep turning the pages, then this book is for you!
Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines follows the stories of Nurse Holly Cooper and gardner Kit Silverton as they plant their way to their very own love story.
I loved the fact that the characters seemed real, flawed, and nuanced but still kept the lighthearted feel of a romance while still dealing with hard topics like grief, loss, and domestic violence. The book felt real and left you feeling like hope and love can help you through pain and loss. I can’t wait to pick up another book by this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Enisha Reaveshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEnisha Reaves2023-07-31 20:06:282023-08-04 11:58:14Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines
This book was so moving on so many levels!! I love the stories of redemption throughout this book. Holly returns to home to take over for her grandmother who has been hurt and is in the hospital. She leads a group of children who come from abusive backgrounds as they work to build a garden. Holly gets much more than she bargained for. She may have to decide whether or not to keep running from the violence in her recent past.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Paula Sayershttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngPaula Sayers2023-07-31 19:38:032023-08-04 11:57:26Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Paula R Sayers
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tabithahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTabitha2023-07-30 19:56:412023-08-04 11:38:28Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – review by Tabitha Montero
There’s a saying that goes “ If you have a garden and a library you have everything you need.” I couldn’t agree more and despite the fact that I’ve not a green finger I do try but on this instance this really is a healing garden ……
Holly is a born nurse but after a very traumatic experience in the emergency room she has to take a sabbatical to heal and get over the sense of not belonging so she travels across Australia following music festivals where she either works as a nurse or volunteer , she travels in her trusty “steed”!Norman and I must say he’s rather decorative but the meaning behind his art work is a lot deeper ❣️🚙
While finishing off at a festival she gets a call that her grandmother Mona is in hospital and she heads to Bendigo to be with her and that’s where she meets Christopher….let’s just say his reception was rather chilling ….
Christopher has demons of his own and he has misconceived ideas of Holly and who she is and her story let alone her relationship with her grandmother but there’s no mistake both of them love Mona ….
So Mona and Christopher were working with children on a garden , but the children all come from abusive backgrounds where the mother has died at the hand of the abuse and more often than not they saw it all go down and man my heart broke into a million pieces but there’s healing here and Holly is so good with the children and the gravitate towards her but Billy and Sophie have a special place in my heart and the relationship they share with Holly is just amazing 🥰
Watching Christopher ( Kit) discover Holly and the magic they share was beautiful but even more amazing was the garden and it’s healing and yes I cried alot but I also laughed a lot ( Jaffa reference 🤣🫣) there were some rather stressful and mail biting moments where I held my breath !
These characters are so endearing and climb into your ❤️ a brilliant read
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heidihttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeidi2023-07-30 08:30:202023-08-04 11:35:57Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Heidi Sturgess
The synopsis didn’t do this book justice. There’s so much love and fight in the story. So many lessons to learn. One of my fave books of the year so far. You’ll become attached to the characters fast. You’ll feel so many emotions. Maybe even shed a tear. I highly recommend this book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amber Howardhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmber Howard2023-07-24 23:31:092023-08-03 13:57:31Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Amber Howard
Planting Hope is a Contemporary Romance that is fast paced and hard to put down once you start reading. This is a story about love,loss and hope. Holly is a nurse and loved it till she witnessed a horrible accident that had her feeling like she did as a child of not belonging anywhere. Kit is a gardener who is doing a research project in which he needs a nurse. Can gardening help one heal after domestic violence? That’s what kit is trying to figure out. These two botj have hidden issues. But can he see past her wild hair and her free spirit? Will these to give Romance a chance? I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I’m looking forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2023-07-24 05:56:472023-08-03 13:58:49Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
Planting Hope is a lovely contemporary romance following Holly and Kit as they navigate his gardening project. Jennifer writes really emotively and has well-developed characters. I would highly recommend this book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Stephanie Robbhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngStephanie Robb2023-07-22 23:12:422023-08-03 13:30:37Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Stephanie Robb
Gardens are places for healing and Mona has dedicated a portion of her land to young people who’ve been through some extremely traumatic experiences to come for healing. It’s a project she’s wanted to do for years and with the help of local professionals, she’s hoping that the program will become completely funded and acceptable.
When Mona gets sick and finds herself in the hospital, her business partner calls her grand daughter Holly to come be at her side. Kit isn’t impressed with Holly and wishes Mona hadn’t wanted her called. Afterall, she’s a party going, money hungry leech and Mona doesn’t need that right now.
What Kit doesn’t know is that he’s completely wrong about Holly. Will the program pass all the inspections with Mona unable to attend to the daily tasks? Can he figure out what Holly’s about and look past his previous preconceived notions?
This was a fun afternoon read! There were a few times I had to stop and look up a word, as the author is an Aussie and uses some terminology I’m not familiar with. However, it was minor and I learned some new words and spent an afternoon in a great book!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Julie Johnsonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJulie Johnson2023-07-15 17:35:052023-07-17 07:58:43Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Julie Johnson
This very talented creative author brings her storylines to life so wonderfully and vividly that you become totally immersed in every detail just as if you are there in person. I have to say I was completely hooked from start to finish. Kit and Holly, with her pink and green hair (I love that little element so much I just had to mention it LOL) are absolutely fantastic characters that will weave their way into your heart and stay with you long after you finished the last page.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Juleshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJules2023-07-15 05:53:592023-07-17 07:42:31Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Jules Herbert
I enjoyed reading this cute romance story. This is still a newer author for me which I enjoyed their attention to details to give the story a realistic feel. I enjoyed the author’s writing style that pulls you into the story. This book is all that and more. I found it to be well written and hard to put down. It is a story about Holly and Kit and how like a garden grows so does this romance. They are great characters that are strong, connectable and supportive of each other. They add so much to the story. I enjoyed watching their growth and chemistry throughout the story. I found this to be a fast paced, hard to put down story that you don’t want to miss. This is a great romance story. I highly recommend it.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Bobbi Wagnerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBobbi Wagner2023-07-14 07:49:482023-07-17 07:37:21Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Bobbi Wagner
When Holly’s life changes when she returns to her grandmother’s house to care for her, Holly dwells on a colleague’s murder and her upbringing. She is forced into helping with one of her grandma’s projects (gardening with at-risk kids) and gets more than she bargained for working alongside Kit, whom we find out later had an abusive upbringing, akin to the kids they are working with. You have to read to find out if their friendship blossoms like the garden they are creating, or does Holly storm off when Nana is better?
The interactions between Kit and Holly, Kit and the kids, and Holly and Nana are realistic and make this a worthwhile read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Crainhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Crain2023-07-13 18:13:342023-07-17 07:34:25Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Jennifer Crain
This is one of those books that turned out to be so much more than I was expecting. It was such an emotional journey for both Holly and Kit. Even though they are fictional characters, their stories felt inspiring and captivating. The author did such a good job of making them relatable and believable. It was fascinating to watch them develop as the book went on. This author is still a pretty new author to me and I have enjoyed so far getting familiar with her writing style. The stories are easy to connect with and so emotional. I loved this book from the moment I started reading and I cannot wait to discover what else she has to offer.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Bakerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Baker2023-07-13 15:39:232023-07-17 07:33:55Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Kerry Baker
Planting Hope is a gripping story of love, loss, hope and compassion. This is the story of Holly Cooper, a nurse who during a horrific event at work loses her close friend. She is determined to go through life, deciding to go back to her profession of nursing in a hospital or continuing her current path of working at a music festival. When her grandmother falls ill, Holly abandons the festival, to help Kit Silverton on his therapeutic gardening research project where Mona was his nurse. This story is well-written and the characters draw you in. I have read other books by Jennifer Raines and this was by far my favorite. Will Holly get over her demons while Kit fights with his? Find out when you read this eloquent novel.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Diane Sennetthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDiane Sennett2023-07-13 08:41:282023-07-17 07:28:08Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Diane Sennett
Hope brings love This contemporary romance has all the feels. It tackles realistic issues such as trauma from violence with sensitivity. Holly and Kit have both faced harsh situations and are brought together through a gardening project that helps people deal with trauma. I love the way the author interweaves the multiple storylines and emotions. Highly recommend.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Rayne Easthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRayne East2023-07-13 04:57:442023-07-17 07:27:20Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Rayne East
Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines is a wonderful women’s fiction story with a contemporary romance, dealing with trauma, garden therapy, a research project with a difference, chemistry, quirky characters, passion blooms, family, friendship, connection, drama, the healing power of love, finding love unexpectedly, and hope. This is a sweet story that has a real heart and soul to it. With plenty of emotion that tugged at my heartstrings. Holly and Kit aren’t your ‘typical’ romance leading characters, but their story is definitely romantic and heart-warming- and they’re just perfect for each other. I love seeing what Ms. Raines brings to the table with every new release, and I think this book might just be her ‘best-yet’! Looking forward to what she does next. Happy to recommend this as it is well worth the read! Happy Reading…
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2023-07-13 00:26:592023-07-17 07:31:03Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Angela Hayes
Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines. This was such a good twist on a contemporary romance, Its set in Australia which is a good change as well. Its the story of Holly who is a nurse and happy with her job until she see a coworker murdered in front of her. Holly decides she needs to get out of town and so she travels down the coast doing odd jobs and volunteering. Holly is a very free spirit and loves to just do what she feels when she meets Kit he is the total opposite. He’s struggled with several demons left over from his childhood and now tries to help others. He has formed a program to see if gardening can help people get thru traumas. When Holly takes the place of the on site nurse that is helping him research the project feelings become involved. They learn from each other and their own traumas and hope they can put them to use to help others. Falling in love is another matter neither of them see coming. When their own safety is at stake can their newly formed friendship survive a attack? Read this sweet romance to find out.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tausha Treadwayhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTausha Treadway2023-07-12 22:35:562023-07-17 07:30:32Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Tausha Treadway
Planting Hope is a contemporary romance that centers around the characters of Holly and Kit. Holly is a nurse who is trying to move on after witnessing the murder of a colleague. The experience has left her feeling unsettled so she is living as a free spirit, choosing to work or volunteer where she can. Kit lives his life as a bit of a recluse with his attention focused on his garden. He believes that gardening can have healing powers and can help someone heal from experiencing trauma. As a child, Kit witnessed domestic violence and now wants to help other children heal through creating a garden. He needs a nurse to help him research the project and gets introduced to Holly. With her colorful hair Kit is a bit leery of trusting her but as the two-work side by side in the garden their friendship grows and the attraction between them builds. This was a beautifully crafted story with an engaging plot and wonderful characters. Kit and Holly have both witnessed their share of horrific violence and now find themselves wanting to help children who have witnessed domestic violence. Although their pasts still haunt them, they are not afraid of doing the work involved in helping children heal from trauma. A great read full of hope, love, trauma, passion, and empathy.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tara Johnson Barneshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTara Johnson Barnes2023-07-12 17:41:172023-07-17 07:26:20Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes
An enjoyable and engaging contemporary romance which held me captivated throughout. Nursing is Holly Cooper’s vocation, until she witnessed a murderous attack which brings her childhood fear of never belonging back. Holly decides to leave, and then works either as a nurse or a volunteer at music festivals whilst travelling down Australia’s eastern seaboard. Meanwhile, reclusive gardener Kit is undertaking a research project, on the therapeutic powers of gardening. As a survivor himself he wants to discover if gardening activities can help kids heal after domestic violence. When the on-site nurse is injured she suggests her granddaughter take her place. When Kit and Holly first meet he’s unsure about whether the pink and green haired free spirit is right for the project. However, it’s not long before a relationship begins between the couple as the garden develops. When security on site is breached, Kit must confront his worst fears, but in defending Holly and the kids he proves his critics right, thinking that he is violent. Holly knows this is not true, but must overcome her own fears to help prove him wrong. The characters and well defined and the beautiful Australian setting is brought vividly to life by the descriptive narrative, which made me feel immersed in the story. Both Kit and Holly are likeable and relatable characters, and I loved how their relationship developed throughout the story. An emotional read at times, but one which had me hooked from start to finish.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Gordonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Gordon2023-07-12 17:12:592023-07-17 07:26:07Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Jennifer Gordon
I fell in love with this book almost immediately. I’m not sure what it was that captured my attention so close to the start when the plot was being set up, but it was there, and it only got better.
The way the difficult issues and emotions were handled felt respectful and genuine. I felt for Holly and Kit given what the pair faced in their pasts, but most of all for the children. Their pain felt real. The care Holly, Mona and Kit had for them felt real.
I don’t want to give away spoilers, but it really throws into light how important and different the healing process is and having people around who understand that and value their safety. One careless slip up could destroy that and this book captured that.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Rebecahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRebeca2023-07-12 16:56:522023-07-17 07:26:01Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Rebeca Elliott Figueiras
Jennifer Raines is an Australian who writes lovely contemporary romances. It’s great to see an Aussie Author hitting the market and bringing wonderful and unique stories to life. The original storylines are refreshing. Planting Hope is a bit of an emotional journey as our well-developed, yet characters go through so much. The characters are complex and. Jennifer once again has cleverly woven the story together with complex layers that leaves you with an intriguing and compelling tale. There is a bit of everything with fear, angst, passion and compassion, love and loyalty and some humour and more to keep you glued to the pages. Holly is still haunted from a tragedy she witnessed firsthand and needs to find new roots. Nature, helping kids heal and a passionate man are just the things that may help her. Kit is a passionate but wary man and isn’t sure what to think of the free spirit that is now an inclusive part of his project. Now he just has to prove them all wrong when things take a turn. Will he come to terms with himself and be there for those who need his help? I look forward to more from Jennifer.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jenni Bishophttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJenni Bishop2023-07-12 16:12:022023-07-15 11:04:43Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Jenni Bishop
What a wonderful book. Holly and Chris both have issues having ben through traumatic experiences. They are both brought together to help pull her grandmother’s healing garden other and to help child victims of trauma. This is a sweet story of two people working through their issues and healing as they build a relationship. My heart wouldn’t let me quick reading. I was invested right from the beginning. A beautiful story that will touch your heart right from the start. I need to read more of this author’s books.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shelly Kittellhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShelly Kittell2023-07-12 09:54:122023-07-15 11:02:31Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Shelly Kittell
Can digging and weeding, planting, and pruning equal love?
Nursing is Holly Cooper’s vocation, and her sanctuary, until she witnesses a murderous attack during emergency surgery. Her childhood fear of never belonging resurfaces. Untethered, she’s following music festivals down Australia’s eastern seaboard, sometimes working as a nurse, sometimes as a volunteer.
Reclusive gardener Christopher (Kit) Silverton needs a nurse for his half-finished research project: the therapeutic power of gardening. In plain English, can digging and weeding, planting, pruning, hacking, or any one of those activities help kids to heal after domestic violence? A survivor himself, he knows what it’s like to live with pain, guilt, and relationships that end in tears.
When Kit’s partner, and on-site nurse, is injured, she suggests her granddaughter, Holly Cooper, as a replacement. Holly has the qualifications, but Kit will need convincing that a pink and green haired free spirit has anything to offer the project.
As the garden develops, passion blooms between Holly and Kit. When security on the site is breached, Kit confronts his worst nightmare. Defending the kids and Holly proves his critics right—violence lives within him. Can Holly overcome her own doubts to prove he’s wrong?
Australian Jennifer Raines writes contemporary romances set mainly, but not exclusively, in Australia – think Malta, Finland, New Zealand or ?. A dreamer and an optimist, her stories are a delicious cocktail of mutual respect, passion and loyalty because she still believes in happily-ever-afters.
Jennifer fell in love with romance as a teenager. Starting with historical romance. Everything in the school library and then a personal treasured collection of Georgette Heyer, hard copies and paperbacks. Historical romance remains comfort food, like vegemite toast, for those times when she feels low, but Georgette Heyer was an early star, under the blankets after lights out using a torch.
Jennifer is a member of Romance Writers of Australia. Three times a finalist in the Emerald competition, including in 2017, 2018 (Taylor’s Law) and 2022 (Quinn by Design – July 2024). She’s a member of Romance Writers of New Zealand, winning the Pacific Hearts competition twice, including in 2019 with Grace Under Fire, the sequel to Taylor’s Law. She’s also a member of Romance Writers of America and has been a finalist in chapter competitions in 2019, 2020 (Winner Orange Rose contemporary romance category – Planting Hope) and 2021 (Taylor’s Law). Jennifer values competitions for the constructive, honest, not always comfortable feedback they provide.
Jennifer loves those days when words flow and the joy of writing makes the hard slog worthwhile. She’s always made up stories about strangers in the street, in a café or strolling through an airport terminal; finding inspiration in snippets of conversations, news items and the sheer puzzle of human interactions.
Jennifer lives in inner-city Sydney, Australia, with the requisite number of partners (1) and animals (2). Her desk overlooks a park which nourishes her soul when she raises her head from her keyboard. She gets some of her best ideas during long yin yoga poses or walking – anywhere. While Jennifer adores historical romance, she chose to write contemporary because she thought (wrongly) it needed less research while she was holding down a full-time job.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/JR-PlantingHope-750x1125-1.jpg1125750itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2023-07-12 00:03:432023-07-25 16:10:53Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines
Can digging and weeding, planting, and pruning equal love?
Nursing is Holly Cooper’s vocation, and her sanctuary, until she witnesses a murderous attack during emergency surgery. Her childhood fear of never belonging resurfaces. Untethered, she’s following music festivals down Australia’s eastern seaboard, sometimes working as a nurse, sometimes as a volunteer.
Reclusive gardener Christopher (Kit) Silverton needs a nurse for his half-finished research project: the therapeutic power of gardening. In plain English, can digging and weeding, planting, pruning, hacking, or any one of those activities help kids to heal after domestic violence? A survivor himself, he knows what it’s like to live with pain, guilt, and relationships that end in tears.
When Kit’s partner, and on-site nurse, is injured, she suggests her granddaughter, Holly Cooper, as a replacement. Holly has the qualifications, but Kit will need convincing that a pink and green haired free spirit has anything to offer the project.
As the garden develops, passion blooms between Holly and Kit. When security on the site is breached, Kit confronts his worst nightmare. Defending the kids and Holly proves his critics right—violence lives within him. Can Holly overcome her own doubts to prove he’s wrong?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/JENNIFER-RAINES-PLANTED-PREORDER.png750750itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2023-07-03 00:05:302023-12-29 20:12:59(づ♥‿♥)づ PREORDER (づ♥‿♥)づ Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Google Analytics Cookies
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
Other cookies
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:
Privacy Policy
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
