Review by: Claire Dano

Title: The Confidence of Wildflowers

Author: Micalea Smeltzer

Genre: Romance/Dark Romance

Publisher & Year of Publication: Page and Vine (2022)

Page Count: 353

How long did this take me to read? – 4 days! (That is pretty quick for me considering I have a part-time job and go to school full time.)

Star Rating:

Brief Summary:

This novel follows Salem, an eighteen-year-old girl grappling with past traumas while trying to figure out her future after high school. Her plans take an unexpected turn when Thayer Holmes, a thirty-two-year-old single father and landscaper, moves in next door. Thayer hires Salem to nanny his young son, Forrest, making her a regular part of their lives. As they grow closer through daily interactions, fitness activities, and cupcakes, an unexpected relationship begins to develop. Despite the 15-year age gap, their connection deepens—proving that love often arrives in the most surprising ways.

First Impressions

The first sentence in the prologue—“I didn’t cry when my dad died.”—immediately caught my attention. After reading that line while flipping through the book at Barnes & Noble, I closed it and dropped it into my basket without hesitation. That powerful opening made it clear that we’re dealing with a well-developed character, shaped by meaningful experiences and deep emotional complexity. From the outset, Smeltzer also includes a clear content warning for themes such as sexual abuse, cancer, and death. I knew then that this would be an emotional and potentially triggering read—one that demands sensitivity and care from its audience. Another first impression was the intricate flower details on the cover and header of every chapter, this small addition made the reading experience pleasant

Characters / Subjects

For my character analysis, I chose to focus on the three main characters who appear throughout the novel. I genuinely enjoyed my time with them and found myself connecting with them on such a deep level that I felt like I was apart of the family. Which made my heart break even more at end… (not a spoiler)

Salem

The entire novel is told from Salem’s point of view, and Smeltzer does an excellent job of immersing readers right into her world. From the very beginning, we learn that Salem struggles with sleepless nights, haunted by memories of her deceased father, who was both abusive and controlling. Rather than lying awake, she takes to running—an act that offers her a fleeting sense of freedom, as though she’s escaping the weight of those painful memories. It’s clear that her past has profoundly shaped the person she’s become, explaining why she’s emotionally mature and acts beyond her years.

We also learn that Salem is a baker, enjoying the act of making homemade cupcakes with her mother. I find this detail particularly sentimental—it’s a beautiful representation of her love language, cooking for others as an expression of care. And the perfect excuse for her to meet her neighbor – to drop off some baked goods when they move in. What I appreciate most is that Salem isn’t overly focused on school or academic success, a refreshing departure from many contemporary romance novels where the protagonist’s academic journey takes center stage. It’s relieving to have a character who has similar thoughts as everyone else, what am I going to do for the rest of my life? What will make me happy? Favorite quote from Salem: “I want to have the confidence of wildflowers – to never give up, to flourish, and thrive.”

Thayer

Thayer is Salem’s romantic interest in the novel, and when we’re first introduced to him, he’s tending to his garden in his new home. As Salem attempts to introduce herself and offer help, he abruptly shuts her down. He’s depicted as handsome, grumpy, closed off, and mysterious, which, naturally, both Salem and the readers find intriguing. After the first chapter, I wrote a note in the margins: “Weak way to introduce the characters and their chemistry, but since the pace is fast, it won’t be dreadful.” I was a tough critic only 15 pages in! Looking back after finishing the book, their initial meeting makes perfect sense for the dynamic Smeltzer is trying to establish. As Salem gets to know Thayer and becomes more involved in his life, he begins to open up and soften towards her. One of my favorite early scenes with Thayer occurs when Salem’s boyfriend ditches her on the way to a concert—Thayer, without hesitation, drops everything he’s doing and drives her two hours to the event. Throughout the novel, Thayer makes grand gestures to show his appreciation for Salem, like when he builds a gym for her because she can’t run outside during the winter, or when he starts running with her early in the mornings to keep her safe from the dark and the danger, despite his dislike for running. Smeltzer does a great job of differentiating fatherly and romantic gestures, making sure the tone is clear in each moment, and deepening the relationship between the characters.

Writing Style & Pacing

The writing was very easy to follow and faced paced. The most chapters ranged from 2-5 pages long. All ending with some type of a cliff-ending, this type of writing style made reading effortless. For example, significant flashbacks the style for those chapters were poetry-like. Compared to some of my other favorite romance novels like Wildfire by Hannah Grace, several of those chapters felt unneeded or dragged on the story. However, in The Confidence of Wildflowers, every single chapter added to the plot.

Themes & Messages

An important theme that stood out was the influence of others on our journey toward resilience. As suggested by the title, the book emphasizes the importance of persevering through hardships such as abuse, judgment, illness, and loss. This theme is especially evident in Salem’s memories of her father. Despite the trauma of childhood sexual abuse and the deep impact it had on her sense of self-worth, Salem begins to rediscover herself after meeting Thayer. Through his kindness and support, Thayer teaches her what it means to be genuinely loved and cared for. He helps her understand the value of allowing others in and encourages her to follow her heart.

The book gave me new insight into how fortunate some of us truly are. While everyone has their own unique experiences, reading Salem and Thayer’s story prompts deep reflection on one’s own life. It highlights how easy it can be to take a loving, supportive network for granted—and how life-changing such support can be for someone who has never known it.

Strengths

•  Good character development
• Well written age gap romance with a child
• Emotional experience
• Insightful way of exposing topics of abuse, sickness, and loss

Weaknesses

•  Ending with no closure, really pushed for a second book – the second book was more of an epilogue than a continuation of the story
• There was a lack of internal relationship conflict between Thayer and Salem. In most age-gap romances, there’s an element of risk, particularly when the couple comes out, with supporting characters often disapproving or trying to intervene. However, I didn’t feel that Salem and Thayer were ever concerned about facing this kind of opposition. I wish there was more of that.
• The relationship felt a bit rushed. Thayer initially showed no signs of interest in Salem, but once she began pushing to get to know him, he immediately became possessive and protective of her, despite barely knowing her.
• Too many “self-help” quotes

Memorable Quotes

“I lived in a constant state of holding our breath, waiting to see what would upset him next. It could be as something as small as a light left on or not cleaning up the kitchen as fast as he thought we should.”

“Everyone worries so much about monsters lingering outside, they forget about the ones that can haunt you behind closed doors.”

“I’m not bright like you, but I promise, when your days are dark, I’ll be your light.”

Final Thought

All in all, this book was a first for me: my first intermediate-level dark romance, my first romance novel dealing with intense themes of abuse, illness, and loss, and my first age-gap romance. It was a quick, emotionally intense, and eye-opening experience. Given its heavy themes, I’d recommend this book only for mature readers. I did shed a few tears toward the end, so be prepared for a heartbreaking conclusion.