I came across this title in our audiobook collection last year. I loved it so much, I asked the Fiction Selector at work to purchase a copy for each branch. It falls under the genre of Women’s Fiction, but the new-ish genre of Up-Lit works in describing it, too. Heartwarming, quirky characters, small town setting, with enough emotional resonance to lift it above others like it, it stole my heart!

Ruby Jewell has known tragedy in her life. When she was in her twenties, her beloved sister committed suicide; this sent Ruby into a downward spiral of depression, causing her to drop out of law school. One day, lying in bed, unable to get up and get back to life, she happened to notice some beautiful flowers growing outside her window. That vision was enough to help her get up, and gradually over time, to put together a life of sorts.

Ruby became a florist in a small town, and for twenty years she has helped to commemorate all the celebrations and passages of time for those in her community, with only her faithful dog, Clementine as company. With just one look at a customer, Ruby seems to know exactly what type of arrangement is needed to help heal a broken heart, or a sudden passing of a loved one; to convince that girl to go out with you, or remind a friend you are worth forgiving. She is beloved in the community, but not loved with someone's heart.

All that changes, when a young orphaned boy asks for a job at the Flower Shoppe, a man who has flown to the moon takes a sudden interest in her, and a local veterinarian starts causing some long-forgotten feelings in the region of her heart. It sounds like a romance, but it’s really not. It’s about life, tragedy, community, faith, and yes, love, too. It has stayed with me for a long while, as the best books do, and I have bought copies for family and friends, as well as recommended it through Reader’s Advisory in the library. Sometimes you just need this type of story, and if you do, this one’s for you.
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The Art of Arranging Flowers by Lynn Brandard

2014

I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. ( )

Oh boy, I thought this was going to be heartwarming and sweet, maybe have a little bit of a love story and ideally some magical realism.

I didn't dislike this book, it just wasn't what I thought it would be.

Can I recommend that if you've lost anyone you love recently that this is probably not the book to read? There is a lot of talk of dying in this novel.

I didn't think enough time went towards the love interest in the story. I feel like there was more talk about science from the astronaut than there was written at all about the love interest. You want her to be happy, but it felt like you missed out a bit on her actually getting to that point.

Sorry, that's my complaint, let's get to know more about the love interest and root for him a bit more.

I did love the character of the astronaut, he seemed like a guardian angel.

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Ruby Jewell endured a hard early life, sustained by the mutual love she and her younger sister, Daisy, enjoyed. Then Daisy died tragically young, when the sisters were in their early twenties, and in the two decades since, Ruby has kept her emotions locked up. She expresses them only through the flower arrangements she creates as proprietor of the Flower Shoppe, in Creekside, Washington. Ruby's life is safe, contained, and useful; with her flowers and her detailed client notes and tickler file, she promotes the happiness and well-being of others. Ruby has her friends, but her only real companion is her aging Lab, Clementine.

And then a young boy with a family life as troubled as her own was comes to the shop seeking an after school job. The town's most famous citizen, retired astronaut Dan Miller, needs a companion at short notice for a very fancy dinner. A new veterinarian moves into town, taking over the practice of the previous veterinarian.

This isn't an exciting book; it doesn't set out to be. It's a slow, gentle, feel-good story. All the significant characters are good, decent people, who have their foibles and weaknesses, but try to do the right thing and to be kind. Ruby and some of her friends and neighbors have some distinctly New Age-y beliefs which some readers will find off-putting or annoying. The promised romance is slow to put in an appearance.

All that said, I really enjoyed this book. Ruby and her friends are, likable, enjoyable people, and it was good to spend some time with them. It's a sweet, gentle story, a wonderful comfort read, and on that basis I recommend it for those in the right mood for it.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. ( )

This book is almost as saccharine sweet as the flowers the main characters arranges for her customers. Coming out of a deep depression after her sister’s death, Ruby turns to flower arranging as a career. For twenty years, she has been her small town’s one stop for flowers and plants. She knows her customers better than they know themselves sometimes. Her whole life revolves around her flower shop. When a retired astronaut asks her to a fancy dinner with the President and the new town veterinarian buys a bamboo plant for his new house, Ruby starts to wonder if maybe she needs a bit more in her life than just flowers.
While this sounds like the set-up for a romance, it both is and isn’t. A traditional romance would have a lot more, well, romance in it. A lot of the romance in this book happens off-screen. This is really more literary fiction with a romance subplot. I confess that I know nothing about flowers except that they make my eyes water, so most of the flower names are completely foreign to me. Ruby is exceedingly knowledgeable about flowers including both the superstitions and aromatherapeutic qualities that each flower contains.
On the whole, the book is enjoyable, but it does contain a few stereotypes as well as a missed opportunity for representation. I know that Washington State is over 80% white, but having your only POC character be an Indian doctor with magical healing powers is not a good look. Nonetheless, if you want something light and easy to read, this is a good choice. ( )