Watching The Bloom is a lyrical journey through love, loss, healing and growth told in heart ramblings that trace the seasons of a life deeply felt. Through seven chapters, this collection from Assata Dela Cruz explores what it means to root into yourself, to love fiercely, to break, to mend and to keep going.

From the quiet longing of Rooting, where the search for belonging begins, to the intoxicating tenderness of Budding, where love first cracks through the surface. From Pruning, where love is wild and untamed, full of ache and release, to Blooming, a tribute to the souls who have shaped and shaken the journey. Then comes Wilting, where addiction, grief and the shedding of self take center stage, followed by Shedding, a reckoning with love that could never truly take root. And finally, Seeding-a meditation on legacy, resilience and the love planted in the hands of the next generation.

Tender yet unflinching, Watching The Bloom is for anyone who has ever loved, lost and found themselves growing anyway. This is a story of becoming, of surrendering to every season and finding beauty in the bloom, the wilt and everything in between.