Super Bloom is a true delight—hilarious, poignant, and as much of an escape as a spa day in the mountains of Vermont. Who could resist a novel about writers, romance, and the nuances of friendship? Not me! Take Super Bloom along on your next getaway.”
—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times best-selling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick, The Jetsetters and The Lifeguards
“Super Bloom is such a fun read! Megan Tady had me laughing out loud as I followed her quirky, broken-hearted heroine Joan as she bumbled her way through grief, loss, and the more typical hardships of a thirty-something woman living in a small town. This life-affirming story (and a romance within a romance within a romance) is a tale of unexpected friendship, moving through grief, and never giving up on your dreams.”
—Eileen Garvin, bestselling author of The Music of Bees
"Fresh, funny and told by a narrator whose voice I would follow anywhere, Super Bloom is a true delight. I absolutely adored this book.”
—Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script
“Super Bloom is that rare sort of novel that’s both a blast to read and leaves you thinking about the characters long after you’ve finished the last page. Set in a spa in Vermont (who doesn’t want to go there for a while?), Megan Tady delivers a terrific satirical world in which our heroine—a down and out massage therapist mourning a lost love—has to fight her way back to happiness. Throw in some entitled clients and a narcissistic romance novelist with truly evil intentions, and you’ve got a sure hit from a wonderfully gifted new debut novelist. Can’t wait to see what she writes next!”
—Katie Crouch, New York Times best-selling author of Embassy Wife and Girls in Trucks
"Super Bloom is super fun! Like a great massage therapist, Megan Tady’s funny, feel-good debut will de-stress and delight."
—Georgia Clark, best-selling author of Island Time and It Had to Be You
2023-03-14
A grief-stricken massage therapist agrees to help a romance novelist write her next book—but gets more than she bargained for.
Joan Johnston works as a massage therapist at Vermont spa the Apex, and she’s beyond burned out. Part of that is because she kind of hates her job (the demanding clients, the physical stress, the unpredictable pay), and part of it is because she’s grieving the death of her beloved boyfriend. They may have been a couple only for six months, but they were planning to spend the rest of their lives together—and now all she has to look forward to is another day getting yelled at by clients. If she doesn’t get fired, that is. Her boss, Tara, tells her that if she can’t get a review from notoriously hard-to-please client Carmen Bronze, she’s finished. Joan thinks her days at the Apex are done—until Carmen wants to strike a deal. Carmen, a prolific romance novelist, wants Joan to give her notes about the inside workings of the spa so she can use them in her next book about a massage therapist. In return, she’ll give Joan a glowing review—and a decent amount of cash. Joan happily takes the deal, but holding up her end of the bargain is harder than she expected. Taking notes for Carmen awakens her own long-dormant dream of writing, and soon Joan is secretly working on her own romance novel. What will happen when Carmen finds out? Debut author Tady carefully balances humor and grief, exploring Joan’s genuinely touching heartbreak over the premature death of her boyfriend while also giving readers plenty of her snarky internal monologue. The story is at its best when Joan begins to open up to the people around her—her co-workers, book club members, and even a favorite grocery store employee she nicknames Deli. As Joan works through her grief and attempts to restart her life, it’s satisfying to see her realize how much support and love she already has.
An alternately heartbreaking and hopeful debut about the importance of writing your own story.
