Blooming All Over (Mira) [Mass Market Paperback]

Judith Arnold (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004 | Series: Mira

Following up on her successful novel, "Love In Bloom's, the author continues the story of Susie Bloom, who is keeping busy writing "The Bloom's Bulletin, but she's also keeping her options open -- not just with the store, but also with tall, blond and handsome Casey, the store's bagel master. He's pushing for marriage, but Susie has her qualms. When Casey quits to open his own specialty bakery, and appears to have another woman in his life, it is time for Susie to decide on her order.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Even the most goyische reader will get a kick out of Arnold's newest novel, which centers around the Bloom family delicatessen, "the biggest good deli" in New York City, according to Susie Bloom's opinionated Grandma Ida. As the creative director of Bloom's monthly bulletin, Susie serves up the deals on blintzes and bagels. But finding the right word to rhyme with pastrami for the bulletin's ubiquitous limerick is the least of Susie's problems when her sexy, bagel-making boyfriend Casey Gordon asks her to move into his apartment in Queens. In an effort to avoid Casey's tempting offer of domesticity, Susie embarks on an ill-advised trip to New England with her penniless cousin Rick to film an infomercial for Bloom's, which will feature herself and a decidedly un-Kosher, six-foot-tall plastic lobster. Meanwhile, Susie's sister Julia (the protagonist from Arnold's previous book, Love in Bloom's) must plan her wedding, no easy task considering her mother wants to book the Plaza and Grandma Ida wants the wedding to be held in her apartment. As the story progresses, other Blooms enter the picture, which makes for some fun, sexy misadventures. As simple and scrumptious as one of Bloom's Heat'n'Eat entrees, this novel has all the makings of a memorable summer read.
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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Mira; Regular Print/Single Titl edition (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778320596
• ISBN-13: 978-0778320593
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,214,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I wasn't impressed with this "sequel" to Love in Bloom's, March 22, 2005

By 

lovestoread "aquacies" (Springdale, AR United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Blooming All Over (Mira) (Mass Market Paperback)

I expected to like this book because I had enjoyed the first Bloom's story. However, Susie Bloom's story just never really materialized in this book. I really expected some interaction of some sort with her boyfriend from the first book, Casey Gordon. I knew there were going to be problems with the relationship since they were already "together", but she didn't work on those problems - she ran away from them. The so-called main characters barely share *any* scenes in the book. And while I truly enjoyed finding out the "rest of the story" on the rest of the Bloom's, they totally took over this story that I thought was supposed to be about Susie and Casey. This book mainly seemed to be about what was now going on in the Bloom family. If that is the reason you want to read this book, you may enjoy it. But I found it wandered around too much and never settled on what story it was trying to tell.

5.0 out of 5 stars witty New York shtick romance, June 30, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blooming All Over (Mira) (Mass Market Paperback)

No one does bagels better than Bloom's Deli near Central Park. Apparently, no one does romance better either as relationships are forging that no one would have anticipated. For instance, Susie Bloom is a pseudo-sophisticated Manhattan Jew; her beloved Goy Casey Gordon works as a bagel maker extraordinaire and lives in barbaric Queens. Casey lives in a terrific relatively large and new apartment for much less than Susie's Manhattan closet that she shares with roommates costs her.

Casey wants to move forward with their relationship, but Susie has doubts so while she films a family infomercial, he quits his job and plans to open his own specialized bakery. Casey begins seeing Eva and perhaps other women; Susie knows this is his prerogative, but does not like it even if she refuses to marry him. Will she choose the all-playground hoop star who loves her or will she opt for a sophisticated film life?

The sequel to LOVE IN BLOOM, BLOOMING ALL OVER, is a witty urban romance between what seems like two opposites in a gender bending way. Casey is a realistic dreamer (walk on to the St. John's University basketball team is one heck of a fantasy - except perhaps this past season); Susie is pragmatic realist (trains crossing rivers to go to work seems obscene). Casey wants to marry Susie while she fears the commitment as living in the boroughs instead of the metropolis frightens her. Fans of New York shtick will appreciate this fine tale that showcases the Manhattan attitude not just across the Hudson, but also to the rest of the city where obviously Attila the Hun resides.

Harriet Klausner