Book Review: The Art of Arranging Flowers by Lynne Branard

A poignant novel about a woman who has known love, grief and renewal, “The Art of Arranging Flowers” takes your breath away while it makes you hold your tears.

The story of Ruby Jewell, a florist in a small Washington town near Spokane, “The Art of Arranging Flowers” tugs at your heartstrings as the story unfolds seen through the eyes of Ruby Jewell.

The back cover describes the heroine very well: Ruby Jewell knows flowers. In her twenty years as a florist she has stood behind the counter at the Flower Shoppe with her faithful dog, Clementine, resting at her feet. A customer can walk in, and with just a glance or a few words, Ruby can throw together the perfect arrangement for any occasion.

Yet, the flowers are just the tip of the iceberg. Just like Fannie Flagg’s “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café” wherein the title draws you in but the lyrical prose that the novel it was written in makes you stay, “The Art of Arranging Flowers” has memorable characters that deeply affects you as you become to know them through Ruby’s eyes.