this book was okay. there were sad parts, and some mystery parts in this book, aka the flower arranging girl, that kept you reading to find out what they mystery was about. The writing style of this book was interesting and poetic. It did have some slow moments but with the sad parts there were also some happy parts mixed in

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Secrets of Flowers" and all opinions expressed are my own. Flowers and the Titanic - interesting story. It took a while to get into the story. It did pick up. Overall I liked it.

Well worth the wait—and the time it took for me to read. The Titanic, a woman who feels out of place, and the people she meets in her quest (which isn’t what she thinks it is, as should be expected in all the best plots).

Even though this story is written in In Verse style I chose this book because it's Titanic. I love anything Titanic and to me this was a fantastic story
I found many things enjoyable from this story.
I especially loved the mystery of the flower girl.
She was what kept me turning the pages until the end.
In spots this story is sad but it others it was awesome.
Hats off to Emma who decided to make a change and stick with it. I was very proud of her. Yes, grief can strike at any given moment and time no matter where you are which is why I was glad that Emma had friends to help her along her journey.
Violet was an interesting character as well. She was my second favorite character. She was an amirable lady.
I love this quote because it's true even though people don't realize it until it's almost too late.
"When one door closes another door opens." Sometimes for the better.
Another thing too, it's the small things that matter .most like not having a toothbrush, comb etc

5 stars from me for keeping me engaged all the way through. I highly recommend.
Might be the best Titanic story ever written.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Sally Page writes a beautiful story. While the pace felt slow to me, the unusual plot and characters more than make up for that. The cover is beautiful.

Who arranged the flowers on the Titanic? Finding the answer to that question becomes a lifeline for Emma. After losing her husband suddenly a year ago she has been struggling to move forward with her life. Her new job as a florist has led her to wonder about the flowers on the doomed ship and the unnamed person who would have arranged them.
Definitely more of a slow burn for me, it took me a little bit to get into the rhythm and story but once I did I found a beautiful story about loss, friendship and flowers. The language @bysallypage used around flowers and their significance was beautiful. I loved watching Emma bloom as she explored the past and planned her new future.
Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollins for letting me review #thesecretsofflowers
#bookstagram #booklover #bookreview #bookrecommendations #readmorebooks #reader

Sally Page has another hit on her hands! While young widow Emma tries to work through her grief, she finds solace and comfort working with flowers in a small shop. She struggles with making personal connections but through their shared interest in the history of The Titanic, Emma slowly begins to develop a friendship with her co workers. Emma is particularly interested in who was the florist for the Titanic. Through dual timelines we learn about Emma and Violet and their particular stories.
Sally Page writes wonderful stories and creates characters that are so very endearing. I loved the historical connection and learning so many interesting facts about the Titanic along the way. This is a well researched and engaging story.

"The Secrets of Flowers" by Sally Page is a charming and heartwarming tale that seamlessly blends mystery with the beauty of personal growth. The protagonist, a woman named Violet, embarks on an emotional journey that is as much about unraveling the mysteries of the past as it is about finding herself in the present. Page’s writing shines through with its gentle prose and vivid descriptions of nature, especially flowers, which act as a powerful symbol throughout the narrative. The sense of hope and renewal that permeates the novel is uplifting, and readers may find themselves drawn to Violet’s quiet resilience as she uncovers the layers of her own story.

While the novel is rich in atmosphere and emotional depth, it occasionally veers into predictability, especially in its handling of the central mystery. Some readers may feel that the story’s twists and turns are a bit too transparent, making it easy to anticipate the outcome. The pacing, at times, also slows down due to the weight placed on Violet’s introspective moments. While these moments are meaningful, they sometimes seem to stall the progression of the plot. Additionally, while the supporting characters are likable, they lack the complexity that would have added more dimension to the overall narrative.

Nonetheless, "The Secrets of Flowers" offers a lovely reading experience, one that embraces themes of healing, forgiveness, and connection. Sally Page’s ability to create a reflective atmosphere and touch on deeper emotional currents is commendable. Though some elements may feel familiar or expected, the novel’s warmth and uplifting message ensure that it remains a satisfying read, particularly for those who enjoy stories that explore the transformative power of self-discovery and the quiet beauty found in life’s small moments.

A dual-timeline story.

This one took a lot to get into - it starts real slow and it took me a while to warm up to Emma. She's a new widow and doesn't feel like she's moving on, so she quits her job and takes a new position at a garden center - that makes her feel closer to her deceased father. Betty and Les run the garden center. Les is hosting a discussion on the Titanic and invites Emma - but she has a panic attack and doesn't go. However, it makes her wonder about the flowers on the Titanic and who the florist was. This leads her on an adventure of discovery - about herself and the flowers.

The second timeline follows Violet Jessup - a stewardess on the Titanic. And survivor of 3 ship events. Emma finds a photo of Violet and feels a connection to her and she tries to find out why.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I enjoyed this one . It was a different take on the Titanic story and a study in grief but overall very good and readable. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

Sally Page has a really digestible writing style. She also has a way of drawing the emotion and human feelings often lurking behind the mundane. I was really invested in the current timeline, but felt like I needed more than a couple of pages insight into Violets story in the past - and much more of the titanic!

It took me quite a while to get into the story but when I did I couldn’t put it down. The stories of Violet, the little girl growing up in Argentina and that of Emma, a young woman working part time in a garden center in England were so disjointed I couldn’t figure out what the point was. It wasn’t until maybe 25% of the way through that the author began pulling the stories together. And she slowly, but methodically pulled me in. A dual timeline story in which the historical part is based on an actual person, Page has crafted a delightful saga of friendship, hope, loss, yearning and forgiveness centered around the cradle to the grave role flowers play in the important moments of our lives. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

I tried really, really hard to love this book! I really enjoyed the concept and the historical aspect of it, but had a really difficult time with the writing style. Overall, I really enjoyed the story, the process of grieving, as well as the similarities between the two female main characters.

“Flowers are about women reaching out when their friends are celebrating or when they’re sad or sick or grieving. Flowers say ‘I will always love you my friend’ “

This beautiful moving book “The Secret of Flowers” by Sally Page explores a woman named Emma’s journey to find purpose again after the death of her husband. This dual POV book reflects on Violets life in the early 1900s. Their shared bond over flowers helps the book seamlessly transition back and forth between storylines.

There were so many wonderful characters to love in the book including my favorites Les and Betty, an older couple that help Emma navigate life after loss. I enjoyed Violets sweet relationship with her family and the ties that bonded them.

As someone who loves flowers and understands the beauty in growing and giving flowers to loved ones this book touched my heart!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys literary fiction, found family and new friends storylines, and people who love flowers and understand their impact and joy they add to this world.

Thank you Blackstone publishing for this ARC copy.

From Goodreads:

When Emma’s life gets thrown upside down with the death of her husband, she feels lost. Her grief is heavy and she is having a hard time moving through life. She decides to make a change. She quits her job, starts working at a garden Center and misses a talk on the Titanic that makes her interested in the flowers on the ship

The Titanic puts her on a quest to learn about the florists of the ship and she finds family, self discovery and friends along the way.

I loved learning about the Titanic and the cast of characters that rally around Emma. At times I had a hard time connecting with Emma and Violet. As well the plot lines sometimes felt a bit choppy. This was a heartfelt novel of grief and overcoming.

Thank you to NetGalley for an EARC of this new book by Sally Page and congratulations on the upcoming new release!

This is a very good story and well written about grief, and how flowers help people in all sorts of events. It is also about how Emma would wonder how she connected with Violet on the Titanic. It's a very good read.

There is much to enjoy about this novel and one big drawback, namely the very slow pacing until the last few chapters. In the extensive acknowledgments section, the author asks for forgiveness for drawing out Emma’s search, explaining that if she had allowed a quicker resolution, it would have made a “very short book.” It seems this is the writer’s style, because these author’s notes are as verbose and detailed as the book’s prose.

The chapters alternate between Emma, a fictional protagonist in the present time and Violet, a historical protagonist living a century apart. Both are interesting characters that are well-developed. Personally, I found Violet’s story much more compelling. In an interesting twist, there is an overlap of the two protagonists’ lives that spans the timeline.

Emma had a successful career as a scientist until the sudden death of her husband. One year later, she works in a garden center turning her childhood love of flowers and gardening with her father into a means to socially withdraw as she wrestles with betrayal and unresolved grief. An invitation to a talk on the Titanic is a catalyst for her own desire, even obsession, with discovering “The Florist” on the doomed ship. In the process of her research Emma slowly emerges from her self-imposed isolation to bond with others who share her interest, and she begins to heal.

Violet also has a love of flowers and indeed, they may have saved her life as a child. When her widowed mother is no longer able to support her family as a stewardess on ocean liners, Violet assumes the same position. Eventually she serves on and survives three shipwrecks, including the Titanic. It is on the ill-fated maiden voyage that she is given the opportunity to make the flower arrangements for the first-class lounge and wealthy patrons.

Overall, I found the storyline engaging, especially the descriptions of the Titanic and Violet’s relationship with the Purser of the ship. However, the slow pacing detracted from fully enjoying the novel.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I had enjoyed the previous book by Sally Page and had that element that I enjoyed about the Keeper of Stories. I also really enjoyed the Titanic elements and it didn't feel like it was just added to this book. The characters felt like they were supposed to and enjoyed the overall feel of this. Sally Page has a strong writing style and loved the way the characters were written.

My husband is a huge titanic fan which has made me want to read all the historical fiction around the event. I had a hard time with this one. I loved the idea looking for the florist it’s so different.

Still struggling a year after her husband’s death, Emma has retreated to the fringes of life. That changes when she begins researching the Titanic, and the story of the young woman who arranged flowers aboard the doomed ocean liner. Flowers, it seems, may have the power to help Emma heal from her own tragedy