On a sultry summer evening a young bride sees a beautiful teenage boy, naked by the swimming pool, a young man who starred in every fantasy she had for two decades.  Newly divorced, Lily returns to her uncle’s farm, only to have that boy return to her, only this time he is all grown up. 

Morgan Ashbury has penned a lush and sensual love story of a downtrodden woman coming into her own and the man who helps her to love herself and him along the way.  Lily Martin is a heroine who really stood out to me.  The tragic life she led for so many years will certainly strike a chord of familiarity in some women.  Abused, downtrodden, emotionally crippled, Lily has long suffered at the hands of her husband and her bratty children.  It takes the miracle of Ryan Kincaid to bring Lily into her own as a woman.  Ryan is a hero of epic proportions to this reader, a hero to measure heroes by.  He lets Lily know how desirable and worthwhile she is, while showing her how beautiful life could be if only she were to trust.  The chemistry is electric, sizzling whenever they share a scene, explosive when they finally come together in bed.  The journey from timid mouse to strong and independent woman is a thrilling one, as readers witness Lily’s transformation under Ryan’s love.  The realistic situations penned by Morgan Ashbury show her talent as a writer, lending credence and a human element to the story.  The secondary cast adds extra emphasis to the story, showcasing the rough life this woman has had to lead up to this point.  Lily in Bloom is a poignant story that will be a “keeper” in my library, as I will surely read it again and again.