The Art of Arranging Flowers

I had just completed this beautifully written book. As the sun set, my husband and Iwere sharing a good merlot when slowly the sky began to erupt in glorious ochre, violet and rose. I was moved to recount the praises of this unusual story. I tried to explain how the florist of a small town, held the pulse of the entire community, influencing every event of their lives..first loves, dates, engagements, weddings, births, sickness, and death. Somehow she couldn't help herself find the same relationships. Along the way she was privy to the story of an astronaut who had experienced an ephimany. As he hurled through space, the meaning of the universe became clear. As I talked, I looked up into the sunset and suddenly a tall Palm nearby was lit as if hundreds of fireflies danced in the top of the fronds. Looking further ahead, Palm after Palm danced with fire. I shivered in the 90 degree Arizona evening and was moved to tears. This author got me to my soul. The story is full of surprises. Maybe, it will change your world too!

In reading some of the low-rated reviews for this book, I noted that the primary complaint was boredom, or that the story was slow-moving. Well, if you want a book that has car chases, explosions, or frightening plot twists, this isn't the book for you. But I didn't find it boring in any way. It's a lovely story about a woman who puts her own personal life on the back burner while she tends to the needs of others, and then happiness has a way of sneaking up on her anyway. It's a story about emotions, life and death, and all sorts of love — friend love, parental love, romantic love. It's a thoughtful story, and I found myself highlighting many passages while reading: always a sign that a book is touching my heart. If you're drawn to the cover of the book (I was), I think you'll find the story within to be much the same — soft, gentle, loving, and ultimately joyful.

A story about a close-knit town with a gifted florist who knows everyone else's needs over her own. The people are believable, and their lives will touch your heart. Read about the link between a pair of sisters coping with rough circumstances. One will survive...and for her, it will be flowers and their remarkable influence in human events. There are warm surprises in the plot. It is refreshing to have an author offer an honest story about living and dying without "gilding the lily". You will become part of the tender mercies expressed in this town as Ruby prepares flowers. All the while, you are drawn in to the sweet details of unspoken love, generosity, selflessness, loyalty of a faithful dog, and the strength it takes to face truths. You will come to the last page with a bouquet of long-stemmed gladness nestled in some wisps of wistfulness.

OK, not great love story. Interesting and relaxing but not profound!

This is a thoughtful character driven story that includes the wide reaching premise of love......There is love between a woman and her most faithful companion, young love affected by serious illness, the 'love' between friends and the family we make with friends, co-workers, and neighbors, and a developing romantic relationship. My only criticism is the relationship between Ruby and John could have been expanded. It seemed to leap from looking at each other to well..... .That said, I believe this book will appeal to a large variety of age groups and I for one like to read about a more 'mature' main character. (Ruby is in her mid forties) who has some life experiences that shape her views of the world. I will look for more stories by Ms. Branard, and I think this one is a winner! I also learned a LOT about flowers!!

Reading this book was like chatting with a friend while sharing a cup of tea. A pleasant read, and a sweet story. Fairly long, but that was great for me, because I'd read a chapter or two before turning out the lights for bed. Good way to wind down each night.The main character is a florist with her own shop. Her gift is how she intuitively knows what sort of arrangement works best for the people she makes the arrangements for, and she knows them all in her longtime hometown.The real story is the details of all the characters' lives, and the magic is derived from how well the book is written.

I had this on my to read list forever & and glad I finally read it.It’s a lovely full circle story of characters,perfect for a nice simple but enjoyable read.

Ruby Jewell owns the flower shop in a small town called Creekside and she knows almost everyone in town. She adores flowers and she has some very good friends who work with her but she has never been married or really attached to anyone until a famous astronaut moves to town and starts teaching her some amazing things. She is such a likeable character. I'm a florist myself so I loved all the descriptions of her bouquets.

It was a good summer read!!

Lovely, lovely, lovely!

Simple, yet contained complex ideas. Very simply. I enjoyed it.

The one part I enjoyed most was that about the flower arrangements themselves and the information about them, the novel, I must say, was a disappointment. It is supposed to be about a transformation of a woman and the opening of her heart, but it turned out, ironically, to be about the missed opportunity to tell such a story! "Ruby", the main character, did not so much as go through a profound transformation as much as she was fed instructions from all those surrounding her to "see". Most of the characters around her were depicted with near psychic abilities to see through and to know exactly what the main character needed. It was over and top and annoying to see that, from child to grown up, they all seemed to "know", or rather, they all seemed to have just ONE VOICE speaking through several characters... in exaggerating that configuration, the main character was actually robbed of much of the "work" and depth and struggle that belongs to a story of transformation. That bit was flattened out and more work went into the know-all-see-all characters around her who basically fed her the way to see..... it was rather annoying, I'm sorry to say. But the bit about details of flowers was its saving grace.