Title: Live and Let Grow
Author: Penny Reid
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 30th October 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: SmartyPants Romance
Year: 2021
5th sentence, 74th page: Yeah.
Alice is in love with her best friend.
Now all she has to do is tell him.
Best buds Milo Manganiello and Alice Hooper have been the one constant in each other’s lives for over fifteen years. The charismatic and compassionate physics professor was there when Alice got married, and he was there ten years later when she got divorced. Likewise, the candid and kind computer science professor has always been there for Milo. She babysits his apartment and plethora of houseplants when he’s traveling and they share breakfast together every day he’s in town.
Alice wasn’t always in love with Milo, but the feeling has grown, and when Milo returns from his latest globe-trotting adventure, Alice decides it’s time to spill the seeds. 88 Does Alice have the grit to confess? And will feelings take root? Or is hers a love destined never to bloom?
For such a short story. This was just too damn cute. I mean, two people who are completely in love with each other, not quite ready to let each other know. And just generally having a whole heap of misunderstandings that could lead to total tragedy.
Alice is such a quirky lead. I know how hard it is to tell the person you love of your feelings. But the multitude of ways that she’s tried to do this… just way too cute for words. Actually, I would have probably enjoyed it far more if the first scene of her attempt to tell Milo of her feelings continued. Her sister was a bit of a killjoy with the whole romance thing. And kind of strongly putting down poor Alice when she was “looking out for her”.
The part that I’m most jealous of in this story is the fact that Alice is able to keep plants alive! I mean, I’m sure I should be jealous of the amazing romance in this tale. But since I don’t tend to even be able to keep cacti alive… I’m mostly just incredibly jealous that Alice can.
This was a fantastic visit back into the world of Penny Reid’s mind and writing. It was a short read. But one that I loved and will read again and again and again.
Earth and Skye 
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