My Rosebud Boy

by Rainbow Rowell

This short story was written as a bonus for people who ordered SCATTERED SHOWERS from the Bookworm in Omaha, Nebraska. It's an alternate universe story about Simon Snow and Baz Pitch, characters from Rainbow's Simon Snow Trilogy. It was printed by the author in a brochure format.

Genres: Romance, Short Stories, LGBT, Young Adult, Fantasy, Queer, Contemporary

49 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2022

About the author

Rainbow Rowell writes all kinds of stuff.

Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS, LANDLINE, SLOW DANCE).

Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK, FANGIRL) .

Sometimes — actually, a lot of the time — she writes about lovesick vampires and guys with dragon wings. (THE SIMON SNOW TRILOGY).

Recently, she’s been writing comics, including her first graphic novel, PUMPKINHEADS, and the monthly SHE-HULK comic for Marvel.

She lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

More at rainbowrowell.com.

Reviews

[Celine Ong · Rating 4 out of 5]

simon snow calling out my tattoo pain kink was not on my 2023 bingo card

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely cannot believe Rainbow wrote a whole alternate universe about Snowbaz where Simon works at a flower shop and Baz is a tattoo artist.

I love how much fun she has with these characters and how I love how much she can’t get them out of her head.

Can we also talk about the artwork though?!?! Absolutely STUNNING!!

[Rowan :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You haven't ruined this. You haven't ruined me. I wanted everything you gave me- I want more."

Oh my goodness, this was such a cute fluffy read! Again, many thanks to my lovely librarian for letting me read her very own personal copy.

This short little story became available when Scattered Showers was published- if you ordered it from Rainbow Rowell's website, it came with an extra Snowbaz story- this.

My Rosebud Boy isn't set in the World of Mages- it was written in an AU, which was so interesting! I really enjoyed seeing the alternate roles the characters played in this story. It was so fascinating! The characters, as expected, had the same personalities, but, as usual my favorite character was, to the surprise of no one, Baz.

Okay. Baz. AS A TATTOO ARTIST. ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY YES. His character in this story was so amazingly well done, and I just loved every second I spent reading about him.

Simon isn't my favorite character, I guess you could say, but I still really enjoyed his role in this story. Simon working at a flower shop. Who has a bunch of tattoos, most of which don't mean anything... Yes. Just yes.

The plot of this story was really great. Good pace, no insta-love. It was so much fun watching Simon's feelings develop for Baz, quite similarly to how it happened in Carry On: They never really used to hang out, (in this story they don't hate each other, they just don't know each other) their shops are next to each other, (much like their roommate situation) and Baz had feelings for Simon all along: he just didn't do anything about it and Simon never realized the feeling was mutual until he got to know him.
It was so fun watching their feelings build up and progress over the span of many tattoos and months.

And can I just take a sec to say how AMAZING the art in this book was? I mean, all the depictions of Simon and Baz were good, but I LOVED the way this artist drew Baz. Absolutely in love.

I suppose that is all I have to say about this short story, so now for the three questions:

Would I recommend this story?
If you enjoyed the Simon Snow trilogy, then yes! I would highly recommend this. It's a cute fluffy romance and an interesting alternate universe Rainbow Rowell has crafted.

If this was a movie, what would I rate it?
PG-13. Language. Easier to relate with if you're around 13 or older.

Will I read Rainbow Rowell's other books?
I would like to at some point!

ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
Any Way the Wind Blows ★★★
Wayward Son ★★★★
Carry On ★★★★

[˗ˏˋ mckenna ˎˊ˗ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cannot believe we live in a world where an OFFICIAL tattoo/flower shop snowbaz au exists?!?! thank u rainbow 😭😭😭

[Ditte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snowbaz flower shop and tattoo parlor AU, hell yeah.

Simon having a tattoo pain kink wasn't something I saw coming but seems entirely in character 😆

Super cute little bonus AU from Ms Rowell.

[lane ദ്ദി◝ ⩊ ◜.ᐟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mom, why is my sister's name Rose?"

"Because your mother loves roses."

"Thanks, Mom."

"No problem, My Rosebud Boy (2022) by Rainbow Rowell."


(p.s. i have spent literal years searching for this, and just happened to find it on a whim. never give up guys omg)

[Vanessa | nessasreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suddenly need a tattoo

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so delightful. Not only is it so amazing to have an author who writes an AU of her own books, but the fact that it’s a flower shop, tattoo artist AU that reimagines the characters in a completely different setting but remains absolutely true to who they are as characters (which is of course the beauty of a really good AU) feels almost too good to be true. This is why I love, and will always love, Rainbow Rowell—because she embraces elements of fan culture and fanfiction and carries them over into her published writing with absolute joy and conviction. Just like the entire Carry On series, this made me laugh out loud multiple times and also yell with pure delight. I can’t think of another author who makes me cackle aloud so often while reading, or dance with joy in my kitchen because two idiots in love have finally had the courage to tell each other how they feel. I can only greedily hope that Rainbow Rowell will be inspired again to give us more Simon Snow AUs. 💖🌈💫

[Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
I had not read anything for like three weeks, just one of those reading slumps, but today I found this story and re-read it quickly. Man, I miss these characters, I feel like no matter how much time has passed or how old I get, I'm always gonna have a little hope for more Simon and Baz, in any shape or form.

Original "review":

I could read about Simon and Baz falling in love in every and any universe for years and years (which I have done, thank you ao3 writers). Hope Rainbow keeps on bringing these kind of short stories as a bonus for the fans.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how My Rosebud Boy was all about Simon having a humiliation kink with s&m undertones, what a time to be a Simon Snow fan
10/10

[Flor ):) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Will you tattoo your name over my heart?”
“No”
“What if I come back to you in six months and I still want it?”

DIOS! Eso fue bellísimo, definitivamente un AU flower shop/tattoo artist de la mismísima Rainbow Rowell no estaba ni en mis mas locos sueños pero estoy tan feliz por su existencia. Ame que fuera tan AWTWB coded (incluidas las lágrimas), el significado de los tatuajes y el hecho de que al final el corazón ya no fuera mencionado como un espacio libre.

[Lisa Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely Simon & Baz story!

[fatema ! · Rating 4 out of 5]

who let rainbow rowell write and publish fanfiction of her characters that canonically emerged from fictional fanfiction written about them by another character of hers. my head hurts just thinking about this. the florist x tattoo artist trope hits though

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute Simon and Baz deserve the world 😭😭😭

[Meliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will love Baz and Simon in every universe.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, Rainbow Rowell! To be fair, this wasn't a full-on published story. It was a fun insert for people who bought copies of another book from the author's hometown bookstore. So, yes, I went out of my way to find this and read someone's scanned photos of the original. And yes, I'm being crazy here. But it wasn't that good and I'm still bummed!

[dobbs the dog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so lovely!!!
I am a firm disliker of AUs, but this one was fantastic. OMG, a florist/tattoo shop AU, it was just so, SO good!
This also makes me want to get my next tattoo even more badly now! It’s designed and ready to go, I just need to make an appointment. And, unlike what Penny says, all of my tattoos are well thought out and planned. I’ve never gotten a tattoo on a whim before.
I’m so happy that I had the chance to read this. 😊

[Victoria Oh · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was perfect. 🥲

[lila ds · Rating 5 out of 5]

no other author would write an AU of their own work. this is why I love rr

[Valen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe Rainbow Rowell wrote an actual flower shop/tattoo artist AU for us, what a time to be alive.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more authors to write fanfiction about their characters

[paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love simon and baz
4.5⭐️

[Luly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marge, creo que amo más a Rainbow Rowell de lo que amo a mi madre
Esta mujer podría escribir su lista de compras y comerciarla y yo la compraría sin reprochar. Amo todo lo que tenga que ver con snowbaz y me hace muy feliz que se pueda dar el lujo y la satisfacción de escribir este tipo de cosas y venderlas. Es aún mejor que un fanfic típico porque es un fanfic al borde del canon (? No sé, amo lo meta que es todo y amé a este Simon totalmente disfuncional y adicto a los tatuajes. Los guiños al canon son un chef kiss

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these characters, so it was pretty much a given I would love this. I don't read AU, though, so I wasn't entirely sure. It was super fun! A short, delightful read that captures the characters remarkably well considering how removed they are from their circumstances in the books. It made me smile and laugh out loud.

[del · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was so sweet

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!!!! please give me more SimonBaz content always 😭

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would read about Simon and Baz in whatever universe 🌹

[knd · Rating 5 out of 5]

mañana rindo un final pero esto era más importante

[imluvle · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's cute but something boring and the final... could be better

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

old post reposted


GAHHHHHHH! SNOWBAZ!
I was gifted a "free" au Snowbaz short story when I purchased Rainbow Rowell's "Scattered Showers" through Rainbow's local, independently-owned bookstore. Totally. Worth. It. (obviously)

And the au? Tattoo shop/flower shop? What could be better?!

This story was fucking perfect. I don't think it could be improved in any way. It read like a fabulous fanfiction (in the good way, mind you). It called back to the original trilogy in many ways, it stayed true to the characters and their personalities, it made fun of (in a fond way) many of our favorite things. It was fucking glorious.

I've always been fascinated by flower and the language of flowers and how flower arrangments match in a un-matchy kinda way. This was that. I've also always been fascinated by tattoos and themed-tattoos from people you trust. This was that.

There was bantering and glaring and miscommunications and dead-mother-club mentions and soggy chips and secret mutual pining and self-development. It was just....so fucking good.

Also, very jealous of Simon's tattoos (the one's Baz did/fixed). And all of the flowers Baz got (from Simon).

Now that I've read two new Snowbaz stories this evening...I'm literally buzzing.

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