The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

Her husband was in a horrible accident right outside the house and died.  It's been three years now, but she can't make herself go on.  She's still grieving, taking care of the kids and the house, and working.  But a new work assignment is going to change her life...

Berkley sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

She's an illustrator and has been asked to draw illustrations for a vegetable catalog.  She accepts the assignment and agrees to go to a gardening class to see the plants and learn about them before she begins the illustrations.  There is a big variety in classmates.  She even takes her children with her.  Young and old, a couple of lesbians, some divorced, some not, and all in need of friends.  The gardening group becomes a cohesive group of friends who help each other.

They start by redoing their own gardens or creating a garden where they had none.  The whole class goes from house to house creating beautiful gardens.  Hers even has a fairy house for the kids.  But they aren't just building gardens.  They're building relationships.  A few new romances sprout, advice comes from all around to handle things.  And even a heart attack turns into a team effort on resuscitation.  They weather it all.  And they even agree to return for the next class.

Lilian is still not certain she wants to give her heart away again but, even so, Edward has stolen it.  Watching them dance around other and love made me want to reach in and shove Lilian forward.  Love can be hard to find so it's best to take it when it shows up.