The Language of Flowers

Have you ever received some flowers and really responded to the message of receiving them? Not just who they were from or what color roses were sent on a particular holiday but as if someone was trying to send you a message just based on the type of flower they sent?

Victoria Jones has that uncanny ability to do just that. After spending years within the foster care system and in and out of more homes than most, she spent her time understanding and learning about the different types of plants, flowers and trees around her. Not only the scientific names as well as their common ones, but what is the meaning behind every single one. Now that she's 18 and technically homeless, she spends her first few weeks living in the park planting and overseeing the flowers she finds there.

Often times she wanders the streets while looking for job or something to eat and will come across a flower that she finds would be perfect to plant in the park. When fate plays a role in her life one day after helping Renata, the owner of Bloom, a local flower shop, she finds a perfect job suited just for her.

At first it's only helping to create flower arrangements for weddings on the weekend, but when Renata leaves her in charge of the shop for a few hours, her ability to understand what customers wants when ordering flowers, makes her a sought after employee, especially when the recipient responds based on what she creates for them.

In addition to making her way in this world, Victoria finds a chance encounter with a local flower vendor leads to more than she ever expected. Even though they don't exchange any words, they are able to communicate through the simple exchanges of different flowers and plants each time they meet.

I received the novel, The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Random House Publishing House for my honest review and LOVED this concept. Even though the background story on Victoria's upbringing within the foster care system is hard, it helps you to understand how she uses her gift to speak to peoples hearts through the messages of flowers. It made me realize how often we don't think about what we are saying through the meanings of flowers we give, for example, lavender means mistrust, so what are we trying to say to the person we are sending it to. Makes you really consider that next flower arrangement you are going to send in the future. It makes for a great idea to surround the story around with Victoria's difficult upbringing but it all works so well in helping her work towards restoration in her life. I arrange for this book to receive a 5 out 5 stars!

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Vanessa's even working on an organization called the Camelia Network designed to help the youth making the transition from foster care. You can find out more information by clicking here.