Wallflower in Bloom: A Novel

“. . . hits the mark . . .”

Deirdre Griffin is overwhelmed. She is facing midlife working at a career that consumes her every minute. In addition, dating her boyfriend Mitch for more than a decade is getting rather tiresome. When will she find someone to love her on a permanent basis?

She is employed as a personal assistant to her older brother, Tag—a charismatic New Age guru. Not only is Deirdre in his employ, but their aging hippie parents and Deirdre’s two sisters also help manage the highly lucrative business. In addition, Tag built a compound on the Massachusetts shore with homes for all his family members.

Deirdre loves her converted “sheep’s shed,” but Tag refuses to sell it to her, making her more beholden to him. She wonders if she will ever get out from under her family, find her true self, and do something she can be proud of on her own.

When Deirdre learns Mitch plans to marry a woman he got pregnant this proves to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Outraged at Tag, his narcissistic attitude, and his incessant demands, she quits her job and flies home to drown her sorrows in comfort food and booze.

She then learns the latest celebrity hired to perform on “Dancing With the Stars” has dropped out to enter rehab, and the producer is trying to contact Tag to take her place. Deirdre knows Tag has two left feet, and she offers to dance in his stead.

The way to do this is by getting people to vote for her, so, acting as Tag, she logs into his Facebook page and website pleading with his followers to choose her.

Reality hits Deirdre in the face like a cold washcloth. What has she done? Is this her 15 seconds of fame or her entry into doom? Can she be as perfect at this as Tag is at everything?

Ms. Cook’s penchant for hitting the emotional sore spot and combining it with humor hits the mark with Wallflower in Bloom. A thoroughly enjoyable and amusing read, this story is sure to delight those who most undeniably share the same insecurities as Deirdre.