REVIEW: Lotus by Jennifer Hartmann

Lotus by Jennifer Hartmann: Unpacking similar themes to Still Beating and with a brilliant intersection of characters, Lotus unveils the true love story of Oliver and Sydney and how they find their way back to each others hearts against every conceivable odd.

Having been kidnapped as a child, Oliver has spent the majority of his life in captivity; having been fed a bunch of lies by Bradford, his captor, who insisted the world was at war and the land above ground unsafe for human living. Fed a healthy diet of literature, 80s films, comics and art, Oliver surfaces as a grown adult, disoriented, confused and physically shutting down, realising that he has spent his life living a lie.

Sydney, Oliver’s childhood best friend, never for a second gave up hope that Oliver was alive, and having remained in her childhood home next to Gabe, Oliver’s brother, has her world blown apart by his sudden reappearance. As snippets and memories get woven throughout, it becomes evident that the trigger warning of paedophilia, assault and kidnapping are well placed and sit as a powerful bookend to a love story that bestows more than a happily ever after.

The clever character development was one of the key drivers throughout, given Sydney was immediately endearing; funny, energetic, spontaneous and with that surface ‘I don’t give a heck’ attitude that covered for a heart so incredibly fragile and walled in. Similarly, Oliver, was practically perfect in every conceivable way, intelligent, considerate, gentle and hot to boot. And whilst their friendship is the cornerstone of their relationship, it was evident that their adult desires could only be held in check for so long.

With clever manipulation of tension and with some quality twists that were subtle in their lead in, there was very little that didn’t flow logically or without deep heart. And despite there being some considerably traumatic themes throughout, this was a genuine love story filled with hope, warmth and sunshine, that deserved to have its time to bloom.

Book Info:

Publication: 5th September 2023 | Blooms Books |

To the rest of the world, he was the little boy who went missing on the Fourth of July. But to Sydney Neville, he was everything. Her heart hasn’t been the same since her best friend disappeared, but she’s learned to build her life around that missing piece.

Twenty-two years later, the last thing Sydney expects is for Oliver Lynch to return. Having been captive underground for decades, he’s unfamiliar with the strange new world that awaits him―but he’s alive. He’s here. And no matter how he’s changed, he and Sydney both still feel the connection that runs between them.

But as their reborn friendship begins to feel like something more, Sydney and Oliver realize there are still jagged, painful truths creating space between them. The walls Sydney’s built don’t want to come down, and as Oliver hunts for his missing memories and lost time, he realizes his nightmare is not yet over.

With nothing as it seems, is there space for love to bloom in this dark place?