In Bloom (Sweetpea #2) by C.J. Skuse

I was medium warm on Sweetpea, I enjoyed it well enough to seek out the second book at the Library, but it was a little bit uneven. This diary-style first person narrative often works really well on audio, plus these are pretty light reading, so I decided to switch format and I’m so glad I did! The narrator – Georgia Maguire – really brings Rhiannon to life!

I felt like I got to know the character better in this second book. The audio format may have helped with that, but also the story is more inwardly focused on Rhiannon’s experience of pregnancy, wanting to protect the baby and what that means for her lust for murder, and what the future might hold when the baby arrives.

In a ridiculous little twist she hears the voice of her baby in her head whenever she’s considering murder. This voice sounds like Phil Mitchell, the narrator does the voice. It’s great. It acts her conscience but also a voice of reason, because she does need to be more fucking careful in terms of the physical role it can take for the baby, but also the danger of being caught while the police are sniffing around since she framed Craig! Rhiannon must come to terms with what means more to her – motherhood or vigilante murders?

Of course pregnancy brings many more little joys (and cunts, as Rhiannon would say) to her life – unwanted touching, unsolicited advice and judgment from strangers; and mothers groups. It was fun to get this character’s observations on how her pregnant body was both public property and invisible.

If anything I found her even more rude and judgmental than in the first book (maybe some of it was hormones)… And I love it.

I will also say, I also found all Rhiannon’s experiences very affirming for my own choice to be child free. Every single bit of it sounds like hell to me!

It was nice to see her make a new friend in Marnie, and find a genuine connection that made her happy. That plot also did not take the path that I thought it would, which I really appreciated.

The ending was what I expected, but it has me interested to see what happens with the character next because all this is some seriously intense shit – physically, emotionally and psychologically!

I’m surprised but happy to have enjoyed book 2 so much. Especially since it’s about pregnancy and I usually hate that in books!  Rhiannon is a terrible person, and not someone I’d want to hang around with, but she is fun to read about!