Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected--A Memoir by Kelle Hampton

"The author of the popular blog Enjoying the Small Things interweaves lyrical prose and stunning four-color photography as she recounts the story of the first year of her daughter Nella--who has Down syndrome--and celebrates the beauty found in the unexpected, the strength of a mother's love, and, ultimately, the amazing power of perspective"--

Kelle lived a charmed existence, marrying the man of her dreams, having a beautiful baby girl, expecting her second child, surrounded by warm loving family and friends, starting a blog about the joys of being a wife and mother.

Then she had her second child and knew something was not right. It did not take long for the doctors to tell her that the baby girl had Down syndrome.

It did take a while for Kelle to face and accept this, and it took the help of the warm loving family and friends for her to do so. And that is what this book is all about.

I'll be frank: Kelle is part of a generation who has grown up to expect life is a series of pages in a lacy scrapbook, so going on and on about facing an event that brings challenges into life might not sit well with those readers who have lived through difficulties like fighting in a war or growing up in poverty in Africa. Kelle's story, first told in her blog to a huge audience, obviously has resonance. I found the book genuinely compelling, told with love, with beautiful photos, taken with love.

Although it took me little time to read, it just wasn't compelling. The author felt too much pity for herself. I thought that I had to keep reading, because it had to get better...but it didn't.