The Confidence of Wildflowers

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Who we used to be doesn’t matter, it’s who we are now, what’s in our hearts that matters most. You’re sunshine, Salem, but even the sun doesn’t always shine.”

Their chemistry is sizzling 🥵🥵🥵 Yes the spice is pretty good. So if you just want to read it for that purpose and the sexual tension you won't be disappointed. The two connect so well and honestly I love seeing them together. Salem feels an instant connection to Thayer even though she knows it is wrong. There is something calming about Thayer, and it is with him that she finally finds peace from her nightmares and a partner she can confide in. I loved how much Thayer cared for Salem and all the little things he did without her knowing because he just wanted her to know that she mattered and that someone cared for her. Like, this man was the softest grump ever! not to mention the heroine's mum gets diagnosed with cancer, thayer spirals after his son's death, and breaks up with salem, who is just the most overdramatic girl i've ever met. the guy just lost his son and your only worry is him leaving you???I should've heed the warning in my brain that somewhere along the line, I'm going to get my heart bruised.

The love-story itself was... just no? There was no spark (hell, there wasn’t even a little microscopic twinge), no chemistry, and the whole plot was just a succession of embarrassing moments and equally embarrassing dialogues (and actually unspeakably embarrassing thoughts from our brilliant contradiction of a MC). And it was just so BORING. Gah. And, I’m sorry (I’m not), but how, just how, was Forrest’s character LIKED?? I can understand the appeal of a child (I can’t), but every sentence he spoke was so clearly thought by an adult that it was just so hilarious😭😭. Our brilliant MC repeatedly praises the little human’s intelligence (that does appear to exist in some sentences) only for him to say: “What did she mean about my dad cheating on her? Were they playing a game and he cheated?”..... 😭GOD, the way his intelligence appeared only when the author thought it convenient, and otherwise reduced him to a blabbering, brainless prop, was atrocious. At least be coherent to the character itself😭. We’re smiling. We’re thriving. That’s the true test of a person— the beauty they’re able to find in the simple things. In the wildflowers that bloom and blossom freely. In the bees that pollinate our earth. In the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. Those are the things that matter. This. Us.” salem was looking after forrest, and he's been told not to swim in the pool unsupervised, but after an argument with his dad who promised to build him a treehouse but hasn't gotten around to it, forrest jumps into the pool and drowns. i hated this twist so much, i will never understand plot twists like this, it just felt so unnecessary, adding trauma just for the sake of a cliffhanger??? if you are the author of this book DO NOT read this review as you will not like anything that will be said here.For fans of Lucy Score and Colleen Hoover, a heart-wrenching contemporary romance about a young woman with a traumatic past who falls for the single dad next door. I was eighteen, he was thirty-one. We were worlds apart. But right next door. The temptations were too strong. My future is a big ‘what if’ at the moment and I’m fine with that. For the most part. When Thayer Holmes moves in next door, the grumpy landscaper both fascinates and amuses me. When he asks me to nanny his kid, it’s a great way to make some extra money. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Thayer and his adorable son. There’s a big problem though. I’m eighteen. He’s thirty-one. Falling for someone almost fifteen years older than me wasn’t part of my plans, but sometimes things happen when you least expect them. There was no point of this book, it could've easily been an epilogue in the first one. It honestly felt like the author didn't have any heart in writing this. It's so mediocre.

One of the strengths of The Confidence of Wildflowers is Micalea Smeltzer’s ability to craft characters who resonate deeply with the reader. Salem, our fearless protagonist, possesses an old soul wrapped in a youthful exterior. Her resilience and optimism shine through as she faces life’s challenges head-on. It’s impossible not to root for her as she discovers the power of unconditional love and gains confidence in the path she’s chosen. Salem’s character journey is both heartwarming and inspiring. I mean, the man raised her child, doesn't want to separate from her, and understandably wants to maintain a connection with her for a little longer. And that's too much to ask? I also loved Salem's relationship with her mother and also the brutal honesty that came from Salem's therapy copying mechanisms. Their baking was so cute and I loved their bonding in that (I will forever associate cookie dough cupcakes with this book). Honestly, I just wanted to protect Salem and her mum at all costs. Their lives were awful when their husband/father was alive, and yet these woman made it, they survived it, and they fought for their happiness. Ugh, my heart hurts just thinking about them. A note on the cheating: I will admit. I felt a little bad for Caleb...but in the same way that Caleb understood why she cheated, I also understood it. I know there will be some readers that view this as a huge NO, but please don't discount this book because of that. I’m in so much pain rn it’s not even funny that ending made me bawl and scream while walking on the treadmill.Salem's response to the tragedy at the end of this book was so off. I could not understand her rationale at all. It boggles the mind and that's not even taking into consideration the very last bomb dropped as the cliffhanger. Salem faults Thayer for not reaching out to her but why tf would he do that when he was fixing himself and knowing she was married A YEAR after their fallout (she gave him no time to heal) I hated the way this was written, from the constant repetitions to the irritatingly cringy dialogues. Felt no attachment whatsoever to any of the characters, also downright loathed the MC. (Who, by the way, claims to be so grown and mature for her age, only to justify her cheating on her boyfriend to “being young” and “being able to make mistakes”, and actually uttered the sentence: “he was just being a guy” after being called a ‘hot piece of ass’). Instead what we got is her falling for him so easily despite everything. Him loving her so easily. Her cheating on her boyfriend so easily. Her going to her boyfriend and breaking up with him so easily…only for him to accept it all so easily. Her whole relationship with the guy is just too easy and too chill and everybody is so okay and so chill to the point that I just thought that it was all weird and annoying. I felt absolutely heartbroken when her mother confesses that she has breast cancer, but I was glad when she survived the chemo and surgery though it seemed unfair for a woman who went through hell to have to go through this too.