‘The Art of Arranging Flowers’: Book’s plot, characters artfully arranged

I can usually tell pretty early on if I am going to love a book or not, and this one I knew by the first few chapters that it was a story I was going to enjoy.

Ruby Jewell is the owner of a flower shop and has sold thousands of bouquets to residents of her small town over the years. She has chosen the bouquets, using just the right flowers to convey the perfect message or elicit the right remedy. For example, white flowers to promote a healing spirit, marigolds to increase positive energies and roses as the gentle healing herb of love.

The story of the flowers and their healing properties reminded me of 'The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. I found this part of the story so interesting and took several notes about which flowers were best for certain ailments and personal feelings/situations. Ruby made flowers her own personal ministry in their community and residents were forever changed by her talents.

Ruby's life hasn't been without hardship, though, including a difficult childhood and the death of her sister, Daisy. But she has found a way to bring love to others even if she can't seem to find a way to love anyone but her faithful dog, Clementine. Her flowers have healed the sick, found love between two unsuspecting people, and brought smiles to many faces. What Ruby needs to realize is that she also deserves those same smiles and feelings of love.

I love when a quote makes me stop and consider the meaning. This book had several such quotes, including this one: 'I wonder how we are ever able to fit all the sorrow and loss into one heart, one lifetime.”

This is a beautiful story of friendship, devotion and personal growth. Each character has a hardship to overcome. Some do it easily and others, like Ruby, need more than a gentle push to see what is right in front of them. You may find the story predictable, but the joy is in the characters and their journey. This isn't a book full of drama with an exciting plot, but one full of real characters that you will grow to care about and root for.