Bumblebee Season, Eileen Garvin
Bumblebee Season, Eileen Garvin
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Bumblebee Season

Author: Eileen Garvin

Narrator: Ellie Gossage, Evan Sibley, Alejandro Antonio Ruiz

Unabridged: 13 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 04/21/2026

Categories: Fiction, Family Life, Nature


Synopsis

From Eileen Garvin, nationally bestselling author of The Music of Bees and Crow Talk, a heartwarming new story that returns to the vibrant world of beekeeping in a small Oregon town

Beekeeper Jake Stevenson should be celebrating. His fledgling honey farm has been inundated with orders. Instead, Jake is worried. He can’t seem to hire anyone—with local teens more interested in jobs at Hood River’s hip waterfront—and there’s no way he can handle the approaching harvest all by himself, no matter how adept he’s become at maneuvering among the beehives in his wheelchair.

Meanwhile Flaco López, a young migrant from Mexico, is lost on Mount Hood when he stumbles upon Jake’s beehives in a high alpine meadow. As Flaco takes refuge on Jake’s farm, they begin to form a tentative friendship. And the two soon cross paths with Abigail Plue, a scientist more interested in insects than people, who’s on Mount Hood studying a threatened native bumblebee.

Then a local rabble rouser begins to rally support to build a commercial hunting camp that would destroy Mount Hood’s pristine wilderness—the home of Jake’s honeybees and Abigail’s beloved bumblebees. And Jake, Abigail, and Flaco must come together to protect everything they hold dear. Full of warmth, big-hearted characters, and a celebration of nature in all its complexity, Bumblebee Season reminds us that human connection might just be the most powerful force there is.

About The Author

Eileen Garvin is the author of the nationally bestselling novels Crow Talk and The Music of Bees, as well as the acclaimed memoir How to Be a Sister. Born and raised in Washington State, she lives in Oregon.


Reviews

Goodreads review by vicki on October 21, 2025

Eileen Garvin returns to Jake and Alice, the main characters from her debut novel "The Music of Bees," the tender story about beekeepers in Hood River, Oregon. This is a good time to honor the world of beekeeping, what with the non-stop demise of bees worldwide. Jake is now the 23-year old Jacob. He......more

Goodreads review by Carol on October 04, 2025

This may be the most timely book ever written. it’s based a one of her previous novels featuring Jake who I loved, but you don’t have to have read the previous novel to read this. The story was so good- well written and informative and scary and ever so timely. My heart was racing the whole time I w......more

Goodreads review by Alyssa on February 11, 2026

Bumblebee Season is a tender, powerful story about resilience, belonging, and the quiet strength found in both nature and community. It beautifully explores what it means to overcome hardship, celebrate differences, and continue moving forward even when the world feels unkind. While the vital role of......more

Goodreads review by Jordan on October 31, 2025

3.5 stars, rounded up to a 4. I really did enjoy the book. I was in it til the last chapter. I find bees pretty fascinating, so that paired with both a wheelchair bound MMC and a young immigrant boy, and a smart woman on the spectrum, this book touched an so many nuanced areas of life and did it wel......more

Goodreads review by Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf on April 29, 2026

Book Report: Bumblebee Season by Eileen Garvin Set against the lush backdrop of Oregon…Bumblebee Season follows a beekeeper struggling to keep up with his growing farm…a young migrant searching for stability and a scientist devoted to protecting a threatened species. As their lives intersect…they’re......more


Quotes

“Garvin is a master at creating hive-like communities vibrating with characters readers will enthusiastically embrace.” Booklist (Starred Review)

“There is such satisfaction in the interlocking outcomes: comeuppance for bullies, validation for nonconformists, balm for broken hearts. No sentimentality, just authenticity. Just a really good read.” — Oregon Arts Watch

“A heart-wrenching yet uplifting story…Readers will cheer on the heroes of this winning story."
—Publishers Weekly

“The characters’ perspectives contrast sharply and shift in each chapter, making this a dynamic and engaging story. The writing is engaging and speeds along compellingly.” —Library Journal

“Bumblebee Season will have you feeling all the feelings, and delivers on a readable, discussable book. This would be an excellent book club choice as there is so much to discuss but it remains very accessible. The author brings the characters to life quickly and makes you want to know more.” —The Gloss Book Club

"Garvin is adept at painting characters who excel outside other’s expectations. She does it again with “Bumblebee Season,” introducing us to those who live exceptional lives, no matter how others may discount them. Kind of like the bumblebee, which keeps buzzing to beat the odds."
Spokesman-Review

"Garvin’s latest novel returns to the vibrant world of small‑town beekeeping, weaving together themes of resilience, belonging, and the profound connections between people and the natural world." Los Alamos Reporter

"The novel shines a ray of sun on the love of nature and on a multicultural community."
—Albuquerque Journal

"Not only does Garvin highlight environmental themes in her books, she also often includes characters that spotlight human-centric issues that are often politicized... Many different kinds of readers are drawn to Garvin’s books, and her newest novel is no exception." —Vail Daily

"Garvin’s latest novel returns to the vibrant world of small‑town beekeeping, weaving together themes of resilience, belonging, and the profound connections between people and the natural world." Los Alamos Reporter