The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni

The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni is one of the most delightful books I have read this year.  Delphinium Hayes owns a flower ship in Moonberry Lake, but she is not your typical florist.  She has the ability to identify people’s scent as flowers and has insight into their character from their scent.  It is a true gift.  Elliot Sturgis is the director of the Moonberry Lake’s senior care facility.  He is trying to control a group of his unhappy residents who keep showing up in Delphinium’s flower shop.  They are so different, and unusual circumstances keep bringing them together. 

It was great to revisit the town of Moonberry Lake.  I enjoyed walking with Delphinium and Elliot as they grew and changed throughout the story.  I enjoyed the banter, chemistry and friendship between them. Their senior friends brought me such joy and I loved their antics.  This sweet story had wonderful themes of forgiveness, redemption, and found family.  I enjoyed the faith elements that were beautifully woven in.  This is a gem of a story.

The Blooming Delphinium by Holly Varni is a sweet and beautifully written story.  The characters are engaging and funny, the setting is sweet, and the seniors had a great layer of humor to the story.  I highly recommend you add this to your TBR! 

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Holly Varni is a native Minnesotan of strong Norwegian descent, who was raised in the Lutheran Church that Garrison Keillor made a career depicting. Between the lutefisk, grumpy grandparents, and the crazy neighbor who mowed his lawn wearing pajamas, the seed to becoming a storyteller was planted. She wants to give readers characters they can connect with, admire, laugh at, and most of all love.

She is podcast host of “Moments from Moonberry Lake,” and author of the “Moonberry Lake” series.

In her personal life, she married a University Professor with the same chocolate eyes as her romantic lead. They live on the Central Coast of California with their three sons. The characters of Moonberry Lake and their unique stories came about as she was trying to survive being a boy mom. When not doing laundry or writing, she has the privilege of being a Hospice volunteer, where she sits with the dying and listens to their stories.