Thoughts on a book....

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Another book put in my reading stack by virtue of being chosen for my Book Group.....  Its a "happily-ever-after" sort of read but with a grittier heroine than usual.  Victoria has pretty much survived the foster care system, if you don't count the big issue of personal space and what extremes she goes to so that other people are kept at a distance.  As an adult she is released into the world, armed with little more than a deepening affinity with flowers, a large appetite and a small amount of money.  Her knowledge gets her a job with a prickly but kind florist who just happens to have a sister with a spare room, and a mother who serves large meals and delivers babies.  Customers are beguiled by Victoria's bouquets that awaken their senses, calm their fears and open doors to new beginnings.

Gradually we learn about the one loving family Victoria spent time with, and how silence and guilt and misunderstanding forced her away from them.  The fairy-tale aspect of the book begins when the mysterious flower wholesaler who shares her understanding of the language of flowers turns out to be someone from her past.  Of course he will fall in love with her and she will reluctantly be drawn to him.  Their future is a certainty despite obstacles real and imagined that litter the path like discarded thorns.  

We'll see if this book survives the discussion next week, otherwise, it is destined for The Merchant.