 Author: Holly Varni Genre: Contemporary Romance Series: Moonberry Lake #2 Pages: 320 Release Date: September 24, 2024 Publisher: Revell As far as hidden talents go, Delphinium Hayes is blessed with one of the more unique ones. With the slightest passing whiff, she knows someone's most admirable or weediest characteristic. This peculiar perception never fails to give her an advantage in life--until she meets two men who turn her world upside down. Mason McCormack has agreed to help her with a group of seniors who have taken over her flower shop as their hangout. But his assistance is not without its price, and Delphinium agrees to compensate him with beautiful bouquets that seem to possess a bit of dating magic. Elliot Sturgis, director of The Gardens Assisted Living Facility, is determined to discover why a group of his residents keeps sneaking over to Delphinium's shop to play poker in the walk-in refrigerator. He soon finds himself as enchanted by Delphinium as everyone else. But his devotion to following the rules and maintaining order does not endear him to the shop's owner. Sparks fly as opposites attract and love finds a match in Delphinium's Flora Emporium--even for those who resist it the most.
 Reviewer: Winnie Thomas Holly Varni has a delightfully captivating sense of humor, and it permeates the pages of her newest book, The Blooming of Delphinium. The characters are masterfully created in all their quirkiness and lovability. Delphinium Hayes owns a flower shop in Moonberry Lake, Minnesota, which is a fitting setting for her unique ability to tell a person’s character by their scent. When a rebellious group of quirky senior citizens from an assisted living center invades her shop, things begin to get interesting and a little complicated. Their hilarious antics cause quite a stir in the town and with the director of the assisted living center. “What am I going to do with a refrigerator full of elderly men?” Filled with plenty of laughs, charm, a few tender moments, and even a dose of romance, this heartwarming story left me wanting to move to Moonberry Lake and be best friends with all the fantastic characters. Even prim and proper Elliot Sturgis, the director of the assisted living center, doesn’t have a chance against this group. Although the book is Varni’s second book set in Moonberry Lake, it can be read alone. However, once you get a taste of the town’s citizens, you’ll definitely want to go back for more. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions are my own. Reviewer: Emily Stephens The Blooming of Delphinium is a truly delightful, unique, Christian story. Delphinium owns a struggling flower shop in Minnesota. The shop attracts a group of men from the local senior home, who play poker in her refrigerated room during a heat wave. What follows is a lovely, heartwarming story of relationships. Delphinium’s interactions with the seniors are lots of fun. Some of those gentlemen are truly unfiltered and hilarious! The home’s director, Elliot, also gets involved with some interesting romantic elements. The story itself held my attention, as Delphinium struggled with trying to keep her business open, dealing with the seniors, and her unique gift that allows her to “smell” people’s inner selves. The true heart of the book, however, is what the author has to say about the value and meaning of various relationships. She delves into the dynamics of friendship, romance, and family relationships with an impressive degree of thoughtfulness, and I enjoyed reading about each of them. 5 stars! I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. Reviewer: Nikita Wells So there were some things I liked about this book, and some things I definitely didn't like. Positive elements: I loved the banter between Delphinium and Elliot. They were hilarious! Henry and Helen, both residents at The Gardens Assisted living center were two of my favorite elderly characters in this book. Despite their advancing age, they took time to help and encourage the other townsfolk. I also liked Delphi's best friend Lindsay. While we didn't see a huge lot of her in the book, she made a difference in Delphi's life and stuck by her side. The redemption/full circle arc near the end with someone's parents was very nice. Negative Content Language: one use each of fool, oh my gosh, a couple uses of screw up and screwed up. General Negative Content: an elderly person asks if Delphi properly seduced the nursing home director. *cringes* A couple mentions of strip poker, (this doesn't happen, but is referring to a couple elderly men who like to play poker sitting in undershirts and bed shorts.) One of the elderly men decides to take off his pants and sits there playing poker in his underwear. Obviously the man had some mental problem or age disease, but him threatening to do that is a running "joke" in the first part of the book that I didn't think was funny. I felt bad for him cause it's clear he had some problem. A mention of a flapper dress.A elderly woman tells a man if he wasn't so old, they'd have him neutered. *cringes* If it wasn't for the negative content above, this could have been a five star read for me. Unfortunately though, I can't recommend this book as is. The ending though, was perfection. *chef's kiss*. I received a complimentary paperback from Revell to review through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.  Reviewer: Diana Varela The Blooming of Delphinium was a very nice book with a positive message. It never bored me and left me wanting to read more. It had some humor that had me laughing and some sad scenes that had me tearing up. This is a definite reread for me! I liked the author’s writing style and creativity. Holly Varni showed exactly what she was trying to portray. It was as if I was personally standing in the room. I liked that I knew exactly what was happening and was never confused. This is my first book by Holly Varni, and I want to read more by her. The main characters were very likable and able to grow. I especially liked the male lead character, who was very realistic. I liked the side characters, who added to the story with their humor and wit. All the characters were believable, and the dialogue was natural. I personally enjoyed the dialogue between the leads. There was some faith talk, but it was not preachy. It was a super clean book. I received this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own. Reviewer: Conny Withay “You are a force, Delphi. Let him prove that he is up for the challenge. He is a good man,” Delphinium is told in Holly Varni’s novel, The Blooming of Delphinium. This three-hundred-and-twenty-page paperback targets those interested in contemporary romance based in a small Minnesota town. Topics of aging, illness, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes an excerpt from the prior book in the series, two food recipes, acknowledgments, the author’s biography, and advertisements. With an odd name like Delphinium, this vibrant woman living in a quaint town has the gift of being able to smell floral scents on people that match their personalities. Owning her beloved grandmother’s struggling floral shop, the fiery protagonist has a deep affinity toward senior citizens, allowing them to set up colorful social activities in the back of her store. But the director of their care facility is opposed to their shenanigans, yet intrigued by the woman who has increasingly grown on him. This is a light-hearted tale that shows how devoted friendships can bloom, even between generations. Having volunteered with the elderly for decades, I appreciated the love, concern, and dedication Delphinium had for her aging friends and vice versa. The idea that someone can “smell” a person’s personality was interesting. Although the romance was predictable, it was tender and realistic. I enjoyed this read more than the first book. Those who do not like reading about a town where everyone knows everyone else’s business may want to pass on this one. Others who do not care for faith-based undertones may want to pass, but they are seldom mentioned and not the focal point of the story. While the main character tends to have temper tantrums, the bantering of the seniors was sometimes monotonous and overly written (although I have witnessed some of the same emotions and feelings the elderly face). Usually assisted living, senior care, and nursing home residents are not capable of the activities some of those in the story engaged in. Having the senior characters living at an independent living facility may be more realistic. If you enjoy a breezy romance that creates beautiful bouquets of friendships between young and old, this one will make you smile, especially if you are a lover of flowers. I received a complimentary copy from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. Reviewer: Laura J. Davis If you are looking for a heartwarming book that has all the feels, look no further than The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni. This is the second book in the Moonberry Lake series and can be read as a standalone. For those who read On Moonberry Lake, you will be delighted to see our favourite ornery character, Widgy, appear in this one as well. The author has once again captured the heart and soul of living in community with others. Her cast of characters are vibrant, realistic and well-developed. The seniors who “invaded” Delphi’s shop were a hoot. At first, they seemed to be obnoxious as they took over the shop and seemed to disregard Delphi’s feelings. But, as time goes on, you realize that these seniors always have something up their sleeves. I loved the special ability Delphi had and how it helped her detect a person’s personality just by smelling them. I loved how Delphi “smelled out” her perfect match in the end. I was disappointed that the faith thread was not carried through in this book. The book hinted that Delphi did not have a relationship with God and that others did, but no one ever followed through to help her find God. To me, that was a missed opportunity. In the end, though, this book was a delightful read and full of so many surprises and chuckles that I could not put it down. I highly recommend it! I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley for my honest review. Reviewer: Adriann Harris
Holly Varni, who debuted last year with a very sweet contemporary Christian romance, returns us to Moonberry Lake with a delightful, heartwarming sequel, The Blooming of Delphinium, which can be read as a standalone. This exceptional story centers around Delphinium, with a unique gift, the ability to determine a person’s personality by their botanical scent. She is surrounded by a cast of invigorating seniors who will tug at your heartstrings. They take over the walk-in cooler and back room of Delphinium’s flower shop to play poker, stage a protest against the manager of their extended living facility, and engage in matchmaking. One cannot help but fall in love with these endearing seniors, and laugh-out-loud at their antics. Author Holly Varni, whose writing is awe-inspiring and endearing, reminds us that our older generations, given the opportunity, still have a lot to offer. I was totally captivated throughout this story following Delphinium and her journey, as she dealt with grief, found an endearing unconventional family, and love along the way. The Blooming of Delphinium, a story filled with love and compassion for others, will leave you with lasting, exhilarated spirits. This invigorating story is my number one feel-good story of the year! A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own. Leave a Reply. |
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