Review: The Language of Flowers

Synopsis

The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

Review 

I would recommend the Language of Flowers to anybody with or without an interest in flowers or reading for that matter. After reading so many great reviews about this book, I decided to find our what all the fuss was and without any expectations I delved in. I thought for a book priced at only 99p, it couldn't be that great surely. I was wrong,  this book is exquisite.

This is a great novel about forgiveness, acceptance, unquestioning love and redemption. Victoria is a somewhat confusing character, after a childhood spent in foster care, she;s is very closed off and only through flowers does she find acceptance and love. It's easy to forget that this is the author's first novel, she's flawless and captures your attention and makes you believe in the characters.

Of course there elements that didn't work for example I wanted to learn more about Grant. I found his unquestioningly love for Victoria hard to believe. But there are so many positives that the negatives become inconsequential.  Elizabeth's unconditional love inspired me and made me think about adoption.  This is an exceptional read.