Orchid Blooming
The Goodbye, Orchid Trilogy Book One
A childhood tragedy followed her into adult life. Will she ever claim real happiness again?
Kind and generous, twenty-seven-year-old Orchid Paige will never forget that day. Living as best she can after witnessing her parents’ fatal accident, the beauty industry marketer yearns to win a promotion to China to connect to her mom’s ancestry. But with competition fierce, she despairs she’ll never make the grade… until she meets an encouraging man who makes her feel safe despite her usual distrust.
After Orchid convinces the handsome entrepreneur to let her gain experience at his nonprofit project, she’s determined to keep their relationship professional and ignore their powerful attraction. But when working on his military ad campaign for veterans triggers her own unresolved PTSD, she fears her confident mentor may be too good to be true even if she could trust him with her heart.
Can she conquer her vulnerabilities before she loses her chance at forever?
“Tension and compelling chemistry that will leave you breathless”
-Barbara Conrey, USA Today bestselling author of Nowhere Near Goodbye
“A literary masterpiece of contemporary romance fiction, “Orchid Blooming” once again demonstrates and documents author Carol Van Den Hende’s genuine flair for originality, the creation of memorable characters, and the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that is as elegant as it is engaging. A fun read from cover to cover and unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists of those with an interest in multicultural romances and romance novels with a disability element that “Orchid Blooming” is also available in a paperback edition (9781958223017) and in a digital book format (Kindle)”
-Midwest Book Review
“A wholesome tale about a young woman’s resilience against the burdens of her past, Orchid Blooming leaves you with a sense of hope and optimism everyone is looking for. Author Carol Van Den Hende weaves a beautiful story filled with romance, humor, and heart that will have you rooting for a heroine who must let go of her past to embrace her present and future with renewed vigor. Orchid is a character who is easy to sympathize with. Her scenes with Phoenix are full of flirtatious banter and quick-witted humor, and every scene involving the two of them together was a joy to read. If you’re looking for something emotionally moving, Orchid Blooming is the perfect book for you.”
-5 stars from Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
“A love story of our times, Orchid Blooming reminds us of the power of empathy and will stay with you long after the last page”
-Lainey Cameron, award-winning author and host of The Best of Women’s Fiction podcast
“An uplifting, modern day love story…full of hope and the promise of happy endings…[that] will keep the reader rooting for Orchid’s happiness!”
-Claire Fullerton, author of Little Tea
“Precise and alluring command of language. Orchid Blooming’s compelling imagery kept me reading. Another gold medal is on the horizon”
-SSGT Aaron Michael Grant, author of “TAKING BAGHDAD: Victory in Iraq with the US Marines
“Rich with strong characters and a powerful sense of place, Orchid and Phoenix’s story has an important message about the enduring power of love and forgiveness”
-Susan Cushman, author of Pilgrim Interrupted and John and Mary Margaret
Five-stars for Orchid Blooming! This page-turning novel is modern, ambitious, tempestuous, and ultimately gut wrenching.”
-Rebecca Rosenberg, award winning author of Champagne Widows
"After a lifetime of shattered dreams, having to make do with whatever life handed her, and generating every opportunity out of her own ingenuity, she tried to quell her expectations. That didn’t stop her from dreaming up ways to encourage this agency grandmaster to grant her most ardent desire"
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