The Thorns of Bellhaven

By: Micki Smith

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Elara "Ellie" Reynolds thrives in the familiar, vibrant chaos of Bellhaven Blooms, her family's generations-old nursery in the heart of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. She speaks the language of flowers, coaxes life from the stubbornest seeds, and finds solace in the earthy scent of soil and blooming roses. But beneath her capable exterior lies a yearning for something more, a desire to prove her talent on a larger stage, and a lingering heartbreak from a past love that traded their small-town dreams for a big-city career.

That yearning is ignited when the prestigious "American Gardens Reimagined" competition is announced, with the grand prize being a career-making contract to design a landscape for a massive new development in New York City. The catch? The lead judge is none other than Jackson "Jax" Sterling, the epitome of everything Ellie despises: sleek, sophisticated, ruthlessly ambitious, and a champion of minimalist urban design that clashes with her own wild, organic style. He is, also, irritatingly attractive.

Forced into a collaborative partnership for the competition's first round, Ellie and Jax are like oil and water, their design philosophies as different as the rolling hills of Virginia and the concrete canyons of Manhattan. Their clashes are immediate, their arguments heated, their underlying attraction… undeniable. He critiques her "rustic charm" as unsophisticated; she finds his minimalist designs sterile and soulless.

As they navigate the high-pressure world of the competition, and explore New York City, their forced proximity sparks more than just professional rivalry. They discover hidden depths beneath each other's carefully constructed facades. Ellie sees glimpses of vulnerability beneath Jax's polished armor, and learns a shocking secret. Jax, in turn, is captivated by Ellie's passion, her connection to nature, and her quiet strength. He starts seeing the beauty in her vision.

But their burgeoning feelings are threatened by external forces. There is the constant, poisonous presence of Brenda, Ellie's childhood "frenemy" and professional rival, who is determined to sabotage their chances, both professionally and personally. She has a secret weapon. And then there's the looming shadow of Jax's powerful, disapproving father, a man who expects his son to follow in his footsteps, not fall for a "small-town florist." A dramatic ultimatum tears the new lovers apart.

Can Ellie and Jax overcome their differences, their past heartbreaks, and the relentless pressure of the competition to create a winning design? More importantly, can they forge a lasting love amidst the thorns of ambition, betrayal, and a past that refuses to stay buried? The Thorns of Bellhaven is a story about finding beauty in unexpected places, challenging expectations, and discovering that sometimes, the greatest love stories bloom from the most unlikely partnerships.