This was the first book I read by this author and it won’t be my last. This book is set in 1935 and I got a good feeling of the time and circumstances people were living in. It’s a bleak period, so I needed some time to adjust to this, but the romance is sweet and very slow burn, as can be expected from a historical romance.

Lida moves to Cedar springs with her father who’s a gotten a job in the coal mine. After arrival in the town they quickly find that it is a very close-knit community and not everybody is most welcoming of strangers. Hazel has lived her whole life in Cedar springs, working in her family’s lodge. Life in the coal mines is hard and many people of the younger generation decide to move on, but Hazel loves her little town and is there to stay.

It took a while to find my groove in this book, which is all on me. In fact, Ledel painted such a good picture of the time period that I had trouble adjusting to this somber life. I’ve read a couple of books set in the 19th century which portray a hard life, but also the opportunities and discoveries it brings. This book is set in the 20th century during the industrial revolution, so there is no place for discoveries or adventures, it’s hard work and poverty. Lida and her father are Russian immigrants, so they also have to deal with racism and some other serious topics are touched upon. Still, once I adjusted to the time period I started appreciating the life the main characters build for themselves in this small mountain town, finding joy in small things, and I started to understand why they loved living there. I also enjoyed reading about the pack horse librarian initiative, a government funded project aiming to provide books to rural areas and work opportunities for women.

The romance is very slow burn. It takes a while before they meet and even longer before they have an actual conversation. I think it really started somewhere around 50%, but they are very sweet together. What I found refreshing is that a lot of the more standard topics in historical romances are actually avoided, so there is no disguise as a man (although Lida is more masculine), they both sort of already know they prefer women, and there appears to be very little homophobia. I’m not sure how realistic the latter part is, especially when villagers might have an idea what’s going on, but it was nice to read a historical romance without high amounts of angst concerning that topic. That’s not to say this book is angst free, there is some, but not on this topic.

I enjoyed this book, it’s a good historical romance that’s well worth reading.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

This was a super addictive, unputdownable wlw historical romance. I’m always on the lookout for good sapphic historical romances, so I was super excited when I got approved to review this book. I haven’t read from this author before, but from the very beginning of the story, it was obvious that I would love the book. There is an amazing and diverse cast of interesting and charismatic characters, a captivating portrayal of the Depression setting in rural Utah, and wonderful chemistry between Hazel and Lida. This book was fantastic from start to finish, I binged it all in one day because I just couldn’t put it down! I really can’t wait to read more from Ledel.

This book is set in small-town Utah and follows two women, Hazel and Lida. Hazel is a hard-working and generous member of the community, who is committed to feeding the community alongside her Mother and brother in the busy restaurant/lodge they own. Lida, on the other hand, is an immigrant from Russia who has moved with her father across the United States looking for reliable work and a place to stay. From the beginning, there was instant tension between Hazel and Lida, with a bit of a misunderstanding on their first meeting. The subtle flirting, lots of blushing and somewhat awkward encounters that followed were very sweet and entertaining to read. Despite being from different worlds and having different priorities, Lida and Hazel bond over a love of spreading literature and education, and are able to compliment each other in the best ways. This is the kind of blooming relationship you read with an uncontrollable smile on your face. There was so much sweetness, a good amount of heat and passion, and overall made for such a heartwarming read.

Not only did I love the relationship, but I found the setting to be very interesting as well. Half of the fun of reading a historical romance is delving into a different time and place, and I really felt myself falling into the setting of this story. Not only have I not read about this time period much before, but the multiple (and sometimes conflicting) tensions of financial hardship, small town ignorance, and dealing with grief made both the setting and characters constantly intriguing. I really came for the romance but was pleasantly surprised by the attention to the side characters and the nuanced depths of the story.

Altogether, this is a fantastic historical romance, following two strong women in a loveable small town setting.

Historical romance, 1930's rural Utah. What a delight!! Slow burn romance, two hard-working young women (in their 20s), butch/femme, fluffy feel despite having some serious topics, little homophobia. I blew through this book in less than a day, complete with staying up late to finish. Just the book I was looking for... have already ordered a hard copy for my collection!!

Lida has been following her father across the United States as he bounces from one job to another (alcoholism, depression). But there latest stop - Cedar Springs, Utah - may be the one that Lida refuses to move on from, as she may have found the future she never knew to look for. A job (working for horse-delivery rural library), a supportive community, and love... Lida just has to decide to take it.

**I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Lida and her father Mr. Jones are eastern European immigrants who is searching for a better life comes to cedar springs, Utah so Mr. Jones can work in the mines. Lida gets a job at the Pack Horse Library where she goes around town giving out reading materials while building friendships. She starts to feel at home especially when she meets Hazel a woman who works alongside her mother as a cook in the small town's restaurant. Hazel loves her town and working with her mother Clara but she feels like she doesn’t have anything for herself until she meets Lida.

Lida and Hazel grow closer as their relationship turns romantic for first time they both feel like they found someone to make them happy and place to belong. This was a good read it touches on depression and alcoholism as well as a hint of the discrimination immigrants faced.






I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Up until now, I'd not heard of Sam Ledal, but after reading Wildflower Words, I'll certainly look out for more of this author's books. I'll admit, the cover court my eye before the description of the book. But saying this, the story did not disappoint either. here you have a historical romance set in cedar springs, Utah. It tells the story of Hazel Thompson, a woman who works alongside her mother as a cook in the small town's restaurant. And Lida jones, a daughter of an eastern European immigrant, who are searching for a better life. Lida helps to earn money by taking a job in the Pack Horse Library, where she starts and builds friendships with the residents of cedar springs. The pair quickly form a close friendship, and love starts to blossom, but lida’s father starts to struggle at work, and both Lida and Hazel fear that she will again have to move on.
The story is beautiful... Well worth the read. It's not full of angst which I was worried about at first, it's just a simple love story between 2 young women set in another time.

I've given wildflower words a 3.8 star.

I love to read historical fiction/romance for many reasons. I get to learn about bits of history that might have been glossed over or even totally absent in the history books. That is exactly what happened when I read Wildflower Words by Sam Ledel.

This novel is set in a small mining community in Utah called Cedar Springs in 1935, right in the middle of The Great Depression. Lida Jones and her father, both immigrants from Russia, move to Cedar Springs so Mr. Jones can work in the mine. Lida is offered a job as a Pack Horse Librarian. She takes reading materials to homes all around the area, getting to know many of the residents this way. She gradually begins to feel like this place might be a true home for her, especially after she meets Hazel Thompson and her family. Unfortunately, her father may not feel the same way about Cedar Springs as his daughter.

This really is a lovely romance between Lida and Hazel. Being in a tiny community in the middle of the depression, though, makes it harder for the two to be together. The story also touches on the effects of clinical depression and alcoholism as well as a hint of the discrimination immigrants faced during this time period.
The characters really make this book a treat to read. Lida and Hazel are easy to connect with, and honestly, I really want to meet Hazel’s mom Clara Thompson. She would be a wonderful person to have as a friend. All of the characters are realistic and work well in the story.

The Pack Horse Library and the women who worked as librarians were real. It began as a work program created by the government to help women have paying jobs, and also to help people in rural communities who otherwise might not have the ability to get books and other materials to read. While I knew general information about the depression era work programs, I hadn’t heard of this particular one before. Now I want to know more.
This is an entertaining historical fiction/romance novel. I’m very glad I got to read this story.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This historical romance between Lida and Hazel takes place in the mining twn of Cedar Spings where Hazel has lived all her life and is running the local restaurant with her mum while looking after her brother and grandad. Lida moves there with her father, who will be working in the coal mine. The book deals with more than the romance between the 2 women as it touches on the interratial marriage, depression, Hazel’s brother and of course the grandad and his ‘views’. Hazel’s mum is supportive of her relashionship although no one puts a label on it and it apears that her influence in town is enough for them to be left alone. My only issue is that the 2 MC’s met twice in the first half of the book, I would have liked to see more of their relashionship. 3.5 stars.

How can I resist a historical fiction set in my home state of Utah. Set in 1935, Lida Jones and her father arrive in the mining town of Cedar Springs. Lida has lived most of her life in America after her family immigrated from Eastern Europe. Her father is going to work in the iron mine and Lida is hopeful this time things will work out for them. He battles with depression and drinking after the loss of his wife seven years ago. Lida loves to read and gets a job as a Pack Horse Librarian. In town she meets Hazel Thomason. Hazel works for her mother running a restaurant and lodge. Hazel loves her town and wants it to grow with opportunities beyond the mine. There is a sweetness in the friendship between the two as they share books and looks across a room.

This is a lovely story with organic attraction and feelings. Hazel has known she isn’t interested in men Lida is the first person she’s been drawn to. I love that her mother is supportive of her feelings. In a times when things weren’t labeled the author brings in issues with Lida’s father, Hazel’s brother and even Utah laws that wouldn’t recognize the marriage of an interracial couple (not changed until 1963). I love the idea of Utah have a WPA Pack Horse Library and extra kudos for mentioning the beautiful Cedar Breaks that was designated a National Monument in 1933. This fictional town could have been any of Utah’s small mining communities. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.