Description (from cover):'As the co-owner of the Rose in Bloom, Audrey Bloom creates magnificent flower arrangements for brides to be. Though helping to plan a wedding can be stressful, it's nothing compared to the groom turning up dead.
A designer of eye-catching bridal bouquets--many of them based on the Victorian meanings behind each flower--Audrey Bloom is used to celebrations that end with happily ever after. In fact, every couple she's worked with is still together, living in wedded bliss. But her perfect record is about to be broken.
Her childhood friend Jenny Whitney has reeled in the most eligible bachelor in Ramble, Virginia, and she's hired Audrey to desire the bouquet. But before Jenny can walk down the aisle clutching her blend of anemone, scabious, and pussy willow (a floral disaster in Audrey's mind), the groom is found dead--sprinkled with bits of a bouquet. This is bad for business--not to mention for Jenny, who has become the prime suspect. So Audrey decides to do a little digging herself, hoping she won't be the next Ramble resident pushing up daisies...'
My thoughts:
It is very rare that I read a debut mystery book and actually love it. I absolutely adored this book. I found it nearly impossible to put down and I really enjoyed the characters. I never would have thought that a mystery featuring flowers would be interesting, but this one really knocked it out the park. The characters were witty and engaging and it was nice to read something a little different. This book felt like a lot of research went into it because Audrey shares with the readers the meanings of each flower. I know that it took time to discover what each flower meant and it was nice to learn something at the same time.
Audrey and her cousin, Liv, are the owners of Rose in Bloom, a quaint flower shop in a little town called Ramble, Virginia. They specialize in providing the small town with flowers for all sorts of celebrations and Audrey has become well known for her bridal bouquets. Her childhood friend, Jenny, is getting married and comes to Audrey for help with her wedding flowers. Audrey is ecstatic to be doing her friend's wedding, that is until the groom ends up murdered and Jenny is a prime suspect. Audrey knows that her friend is incapable of murdering someone, so she is determined to discover who wanted the groom dead at any cost.
There's something about this book that drew me in at the very first page. Whether it was the characters, the small town feeling, good writing, or all of the above, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I am reading the next in this series, For Whom the Bluebell Tolls, as I simply couldn't get enough of this series. I am amazed at how much I enjoyed this book. I've never really been one for flowers, as a I have horrible allergies, but this book made me really enjoy flowers without the sinus issues. Can't wait to see what happens with these characters in the next installation.
Overall Rating: 5+
Title: Bloom and Doom
Author: Beverly Allen
Series: Bridal Bouquet Shop Mystery #1
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Pages: 304
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Get It: Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Disclaimer: This book was purchased by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.
