BLOSSOMING FLOWER by Vivian Winslow (Wildflowers, #1)
Release Date: October 19, 2015
Genre: New-adult Contemporary romance
Blurb
In the wake of the collapse of her father’s business empire, Flor, the gorgeous twenty-one year-old daughter of disgraced former Brazillionaire Gustavo de Lima, is forced to forge her own path in life.
Flor decides that none of it—the private jets, the vacation homes and the luxury cars—were real. Or at least they really didn’t matter. The only thing that’s real for Flor is her love of horses and her desire to go to veterinary school.
Heading into her final year of college, Flor seeks out the help of an unlikely benefactor to secure a summer internship working with horses. Arriving at the secluded Belo Horizonte ranch, Flor is awed not only by the majestic beauty of the place, but also by handsome cowboy and skilled horse trainer, Collin Taylor. Yet nothing is quite as it appears on the surface.
When the hidden past is revealed, will love end up blossoming for Flor?
Excerpt
Flor throws herself into work the next week, trying her best to forget about that touch. She does what she can to keep Paco and his inviting eyes at arms’ length as well. What for? She chides herself. In case Collin accepts her invitation for coffee? Even she has to laugh at that. But what then?
It’s only ten weeks until she leaves for Smith. Ten weeks isn’t a lot of time, but when you’re young, it’s certainly long enough to try to get to know someone.
“Are you interested in coming over tonight?” Paco asks Flor as she helps him sort out semen samples in the lab.
She closes the door to the small fridge and smiles. “To watch a movie?”
He chuckles and removes his gloves. Leaning toward her he says, “I was thinking along the lines of wine and music. But if you prefer a movie . . . .”
Flor shakes her head.
“No to the movie?” Paco asks, running his hands through his thick hair.
Flor watches, mesmerized by his smooth manner.
“I don’t get it, Flor. One moment, I think you’d like to get to know me, then the next, you act like you don’t.” He steps toward her. She remains frozen, his gaze holding her in place, her eyes watching his gorgeous lips move.
What did he just say?
“Usually I can tell when a woman is attracted to me, but you, I get mixed signals.” He reaches out and runs a finger along the back of her hand.
Nope, not even a flicker of electricity. Flor looks down and doesn’t answer. But still she’s extremely attracted to him. Her panties are wet, and it’s a struggle to control her breathing.
The Argentinian draws his long finger up to her chin. “You are incredibly beautiful, Flor,” he whispers. His face inches closer to hers, his blue/gray eyes searching hers. He wants permission and a part of her is screaming to give it as much as it’s screaming for her to leave. She closes her eyes and parts her lips, knowing it won’t feel right. She wants him to realize it too.
Paco’s lips are as soft as she imagined them to be. He reaches his hand around her neck and pulls her body to him, his tongue entering and searching for more. It feels better than Flor even imagined when she lay awake touching herself, picturing him covering her body with his mouth and tongue.
All of a sudden she’s on fire. Flor reaches up, her hands on either side of his face. Their kiss deepens as his hands begin to roam, slowly unleashing the desire she’s felt since she first laid eyes on him.
The kiss feels incredible. He’s truly an expert at reading a woman. His tongue traces her lips before biting down softly on her bottom lip. The sensation travels straight down to her sex, pulsing with need. That’s what this is now. Pure, unadulterated need. He sparked it in her, and now he’s stoking the fire with every touch, every kiss.
As Paco’s lips travel down her neck, she catches their reflection in the window. The image of them together with her in his arms, makes her stop. She wrenches herself out of his embrace.
“I’ve got to go,” she whispers.
Before Paco has a chance to respond, she’s already out the door. When Flor nears the house, she stops and leans against a large magnolia tree, slides down the trunk, and hugs her knees to her chest. Flor tries to push the image of her and Paco out of her head. He’s not the one she wants. It’s Collin.
Why these men and why now? She laments. In the few short weeks she’s been here, she’s allowed herself to be consumed by longing for one and being pursued by another. Is this karma? Flor wonders. The moment she determines she doesn’t want to fall in love or become entangled in anything the universe puts not one, but two desirable men in her path. Although one doesn’t seem to want her back.
Flor stands slowly, watching bees flit from flower to flower on the low hanging branches. No one thing or person is worth the energy at this point, she resolves. She’ll do as she pleases and let the chips fall where they may.
My Review of Blossoming Flower by Vivian Winslow
If you’ve read other works by Vivian Winslow, you know that she creates these worlds in which her characters come to life and jump off the pages. That is how it felt to read Blossoming Flower. There are a few characters in this book that have been in previous books, but this is the first book in a new series.
Flor has known what it’s like to grow up with money and lies. Now, she is spending the Summer learning how to stand on her own. But, what happens when she meets Collin? I’ll tell you. Sparks fly! Vivian Winslow has once again given us a beautifully erotic romance, with a good plot, great characters, and emotional drama.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this new series because it is listed a a New Adult romance, and while Flor is in college, she may be young, but (to me) it doesn’t read like a NA. The story line is interesting and unique, the characters keep you drawn to the book and keep the pages turning. I devoured Blossoming Flower in a few hours and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. There is some serious sexiness happening in the pages of Blossoming Flower.
★ ★ ★ ★ Stars
- Collin as a BBF: ★ ★ ★ ★
- Hotness Level: ★ ★ ★ ★
- Swoon Level: ★ ★ ★ 1/2
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A little something from Vivan
Top Ten Books that Changed my World View
1. Demian by Hermann Hesse
2. Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
3. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
4. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
5. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
6. Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
7. Night by Elie Wiesel
8. Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
9. Man Seeks God–My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner
10. Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are by Dr. Seuss
My inspiration for the book came from . . .
As I was contemplating going back to a YA series I had started a few years ago, it occurred to me to try New Adult and suddenly Blossoming Flower was born.
My inspiration for the book came from my Gilded Flower Trilogies. The Trilogies follow three young women, Lily, Dahlia and Violet, as they navigate relationships that force them to confront their issues surrounding personal power, family and trust.
The end of The Violet Trilogy had me wondering what’s next for Gustavo, a disgraced Brazillionaire, with whom Lily had a relationship in The Lily Trilogy. I made him a recurring character throughout the Trilogies because he was such a complex and multi-dimensional man, not to mention incredibly sexy.
I thought why not explore how his actions and choices impacted his family? Blossoming Flower is the story of Flor, his daughter.
About the Author
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Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California. Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world every couple of years thanks to her husband’s job and her incurable wanderlust. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years.
New York is the perfect city to indulge her love of fashion, the arts and especially food. If she’s not at home writing or running around the city with her kids, you’ll most likely find her eating at the newest restaurant in her beloved Lower East Side or having a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she’s still a California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.
Giveaway!
