May 27, 2024
Varni takes readers back to the small-town Minnesota setting of On Moonberry Lake in this chipper tale of unexpected love. Like her grandmother Annie, florist Delphinium Hayes has the ability to literally sniff out a person’s “true character” and match them to the right bouquet—a skill that hasn’t failed until flirty, and unreadable, Mason McCormack walks into her shop. She has bigger problems than the handsome attorney, though, having fallen so far behind on her mortgage payments that her bank is threatening foreclosure. What’s more, the meddlesome residents of the nursing home across the street, bored by the monotony of life at the facility, keep wandering into her shop. When the residents hatch a plan to sue the nursing home over their dismal living conditions, Mason volunteers to be their lawyer, though his true motivations are murky. Then, facility director Elliot Sturgis shows up to meet with Delphinium looking “neat as a pin” and smelling of violets—which reveals his “loyalty and devotion” and makes Delphinium sure he’s a man of faith who’s meant to be in her life. Will Elliot and Delphinium be able to keep the residents happy and prevent her shop’s foreclosure, all while giving their attraction a chance to blossom? Though the profusion of subplots threatens to overwhelm the romantic story line, plucky Delphinium’s an irresistible heroine, and the sweet ending will leave readers satisfied. Varni’s fans will be thoroughly charmed.
September 15, 2024
In her second Minnesota tale, following On Moonberry Lake (2023), Varni introduces Delphinium "Delphi'' Hayes, the owner of Delphinium's Flora Emporium, who has a singular talent--she senses each person's floral scent. A whiff of poppies indicates a natural storyteller, while liars emit oleander. Generosity smells like lilies, kindness like pink azaleas. But Delphi is in danger of losing her business when her elderly accountant, Henry, turns her back room into a refuge for denizens of the Gardens Senior Care Facility. Delphi lays down the law. If they want to play poker in her cooler, they have to help around the shop. When Elliot Sturgis, the director of the senior home, charges in, demanding that the residents return, the lines are drawn. But stuffy Elliot turns out to have a soft spot for quirky Delphi, and affection begins to bloom. There's an It's a Wonderful Life-feel about Varni's story as Delphi becomes involved in the seniors' lives, and they band together to save the Flora Emporium. This is for readers who enjoy small-town tales and sweet romance.
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