Bloom Where You’re Planted

Baham tackles the difficulties of finding a life’s purpose in her inspiring but frustrating second Friendship Chronicles romance (after The Shoe Diaries). Third grade teacher Jennifer Pritchett is having a quarter-life crisis. She’s stuck in a rut at her job, fears that her trio of best friends are leaving her behind, and worries that her long-term relationship with accountant Nick Carrington has lost its spark, as Nick works long hours that leave him too tired for sex and romance. Jennifer turns to therapy and slowly sorts through her issues. But when counseling doesn’t immediately improve her relationship, problems between the couple reach a peak as Jennifer navigates a new approach to life and tries to make Nick more like her friends’ adventurous boyfriends. The couple’s issues are obvious, but it takes time to get to their root and the pair’s lack of communication—and Jennifer’s unwillingness to compromise—along the way grow tedious. Jennifer’s growth is genuine and earned, but it takes endurance that some readers won’t have. Thankfully, the relationships between Jennifer and her friend bring welcome comic relief. It’s a sweet idea that falters in execution. Agent: Latoya Smith, LCS Literary. (May)