Sally Page can do no wrong in my opinion. She has delivered another book that had me alternating between crying, laughing and sighing. This book was heartwarming and thought-provoking and an inspirational mix between a modern day woman reclaiming her life and coming to terms with her demons and a lady that lived long ago finding out just how important she could be.

I love to learn about all things Titanic and the questions and answers that were asked and answered in this book fascinated me. Who was the florist on the Titanic? I googled it out of curiosity and couldn't find any information myself. I did however look at the articles that the author had and referenced at the back and by doing that, I saw the photo of Violet Jessop. I love the way the author was able to weave a story between fact and her fiction, taking a historical person and writing their backstory and staying as close as possible to the information at hand.

The modern story was written from the perspective of a woman who had severe anxiety and I think quite a few people would have found Emma relatable. The cast of characters around the modern story were full of character and heart. Sally Page wrote quite a community around Emma and she had friends that could relate to her passions all around the world.

I liked the fact that each chapter was titled with a flower, many of which I had never heard of. The entire mystery of flowers and their meanings was something I found intriguing.
Readers who appreciate stories of self-discovery, healing, and the beauty of nature should definitely read this!

Thanks to Netgalley, Sally Page and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I like Sally Page's writing and enjoyed each of the dual storylines in The Secrets of Flowers but I'm not convinced that they worked together; to me they felt a bit contrived. The characters were excellent though, especially Betty and Les who I wish had been given more time.

Told over a dual timeline, we meet Emma and Violet whose lives are interwoven by flowers and pillow post.
Recently widowed Emma decides to leave her job and start afresh in a garden centre.
Violet, after overcoming illness as a child, starts working as a stewardess for The White Star Line and is on the Titanic's maiden voyage.
We follow their lives and meet a wonderful array of characters along the way.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good feeling book. If you are into history, flowers, gardening, Titanic then this is the book for you.

A good cast of characters who all play a part in Emma's life. Surprises come out when you think you know someone but they are not whom they seem to be. Too posh for gardening really?

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

The Secrets of Flowers by Sally Page caught my attention not just because I'd previously read and enjoyed other books by the author, but because of the premise. Despite the enduring fascination with all things Titanic I had never once stopped to think about who was responsible for the floristry on board such a huge and opulent ship. The question caught my attention and while it is not definitively answered there is enough evidence to leave me satisfied. (I would definitely recommend reading the author's note at the end of the book for further historical detail about the real history behind the story she weaves). Through a dual timeline the author tells the story of Violet, a young stewardess aboard the ship and in the current day widowed scientist Emma who is still struggling with her husband' s death a year later.
In the current timeline we see Emma drastically change her life by abandoning her academic career for one as a florist in a local garden centre. Though not formally trained she has always loved gardens and flowers , perhaps because of her close relationship with her father who was a devoted gardener. In her new life she struggles to make friends because of social awkwardness and feelings of inadequacy but when she begins her quest to discover who arranged the flowers on the Titanic she gradually opens up to her work colleagues, finds herself making new friends and finally starts to come to terms with her grief and anger at the death of her husband. Meanwhile in the past we learn Violet's story, from almost dying as a small child in Argentina to emigrating to the U.K. and eventually becoming a stewardess aboard the ill fated ship .
I wish the balance between the two timelines had been just a little more even, I was more interested in Violet's story and so found myself frustrated by the slight chapters from her perspective. While Emma is not a particularly likeable character I have to admit that I was impressed with her development over the course of the book, and I appreciated the believable growth of the character. I also appreciated that the author did not go with the obvious when it came to linking the timelines, it would have been a little too easy.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own .

I had the pleasure of meeting the author and thought I just had to get my hands on this book and what an enjoyable book it is! I never knew so many flowed existed!! I love the way that the author has linked flowers and the Titanic and the way she described being on board made me feel like I was there. The dual point of views were wonderful and they intertwined nicely. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the main character at times but I feel like Sally really showed what grief can do to people and gave a really good insight into the thought processes and why the main character acted the way she did sometimes, in the end I loved her too!! All the characters were fantastic and I connected with all of them. It was such an uplifting and lovely book to read.

One year on from the death of her husband, Emma feels no closer to moving forward with her life. Seeking distraction, she quits her job and begins working at the local garden centre. Here, Emma begins to open up and finds herself attending boss Les' talk on the Titanic. Intrigued, Emma sets out to research who would have arranged the flowers on board. Alongside her story unfolds the tale of a stewardess on the Titanic, who Emma can't help but feel a connection to.

Emma is still struggling to cope, one year after the death of her husband. She quits her job and starts working at the local garden centre. Her father was the person who gave Emma the love of flowers. Her new boss, Les, also has a passion for the Titanic. Emma finds herself at Les' talk about the Titanic, it piqued her interest in who had arranged the flowers on the ship. Emma feels an instant connection to her.

What a beautifully written story, Not having green fingers myself, I never thought I would love a story about flowers, but I did. The story is intriguing, the pace is steady, and the characters are perfect for this book. It tells us how a person struggles with the loss of their husband, gave her the chance to change her career and gave her new interests. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Published 29th August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #SallyPage for my ARC of #TheSecretOfFlowers in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful story.After Emma's husband dies she she goes to work I a garden centre where her love of flowers starts her on a journey to try to discover who did the the flowers of the Titanic. I loved everything about this book how it was written by using flowers, my interest in the Titanic which I have always found fascinating although heartbreaking as well and above all the beautiful characters the friendships which shine through the story. Nothing to dislike about this book its fantastic and I was really emotional at the end. Highly recommend this novel

If you’re looking for heartwarming, sensitively written, feel-good fiction, then look no further. This novel seamlessly blends fiction with historical facts about the Titanic to create a compelling storyline. There’s a delightful cast of colourful, fully fleshed out, memorable characters who are given space to breathe and shine.

Newly widowed Emma is in a vulnerable, reclusive state when she seeks part time employment in a local garden centre. Her skills, both floral and relational, are minimal. All her energy is consumed with coming to terms with being single now rather than half of a happy couple. But it doesn’t take long before the scent of flowers relaxes and captivates her and new skills develop.

Owners Betty and Les are kind, caring and considerate. They do their utmost to take Emma under their wings and nurture her growing interest in flowers and the potential florists on the Titanic, spurred on by knowledge Les has already accrued. Emma begins to open up in every way, especially in the teasing friendship she has with their flower supplier Tamas.

Eventually, Emma’s research pays off as she not only has proof of there being florists on the Titanic, she also has a name and information about one of them called Violet. Emma is drawn to her in a mysterious way that becomes clearer over time.

Violet’s own fascinating life story is told parallel with Emma’s until they unexpectedly converge. This is a joyous, superbly told story,, a beautifully written book I highly recommend. Grateful thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the eARC.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Sally Page's previous books, I was excited to read this one and it definitely didn't disappoint.

The current story follows Emma who, after her husband's death, decides to quit her job and become a florist.

This story then runs alongside one from the past which is driven by stories around flowers.

But what happens when the 2 stories collide.

A story of the power of flowers, laced with tales of the Titanic, this is the perfect book to warm your heart. You can even smell the flowers as you work your way through it :)

Emma and Violet two different women. I struggled with the connection between the two but none the less still enjoyed the story. Flowers for each chapter was a lovely touch and the book was written very well with an obvious amount of research done for accuracy.

At first, I found it hard to get into this novel. I realise that was me and not the book. I let it sit for over a month but, once I picked it back up, I could not stop reading.

What a beautiful array of characters. As different and appealing as the flowers depicted in the story. Sally Page had me crying and laughing. I found some parts so moving that I gasped. At times, I felt I could literally smell the flowers.

A delightful, wonderfully written book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this novel. I am truly grateful.

Lovely book with a wonderful cast of characters, each bringing their own style of wisdom to the story. At first I was more connected to Emma’s story than Violet’s, but before long I was enjoying both strands. Heartwarming, heart rending and addictive, this is as good as the author’s previous books.

An absolutely joy! Sally Page never lets us down and this book is possibly my favourite yet!

Emma is a highly qualified doctor of science but having been recently widowed, she finds herself at a crossroads, with her confidence at an all time low.

Accepting a part time job at a garden centre, Emma meets the owners, Betty and Les, and their flower supplier, Tamas, and the four form an unlikely bond.

In a past timeline, Irish born Violet is raised in Argentina and her young life is literally saved by her love of flowers. Violet returns to the UK and finds herself working as a ship stewardess, on the Titanic.

Emma finds a photograph of Violet when carrying out research into the Titanic, and is inexplicably drawn to her, although she cannot fathom why.

This story is just incredible! The character development is amazingly well done and I can’t even begin to imagine the hard work that the author has put into her research of the Titanic in order to achieve the perfect blend of historical fact and fabulous fiction for us to lose ourselves in. I adored the pillow post!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sally Page and Harper Collins for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Another beautiful story from Sally Page. To across two timelines with two strong female protagonists, violet who is a stewardess on some white star shipping liners, including the Titanic, And Emma are recently bereaved woman who takes a job in a flower shop. This is a lovely story with many relationships taking front and centre, including friendships, love, family, and nostalgic.
It was a delightful

Thanks to #NetGalley For the opportunity to have read this ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC of this book.
I have read The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page and I loved it, so was very excited to begin The Secrets of Flowers.
It's safe to say Sally has a true passion and a huge knowledge of flowers, which shines through throughout the book. I loved that each chapter was named after a different flower.
Personally, I preferred Violets side of the story to Emma's. I appreciate Emma was going through an emotionally tough time, and although she was the main character, I liked Betty more. I thought Betty was the unsung hero in the book, full of wit, wisdom and was the mother Emma needed.
There was a lovely theme of community and unity throughout the book, as always Sally Page highlights the extraordinary within the ordinary. It was a feel good, lovely read that I look forward to reading again in the future.

The Secrets of flowers by Sally Page is the first book from the author that I have read and after hearing good things from her previous books, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
A year ago, Emma’s life fell apart when her husband Will died suddenly not only that, but she also found out that he was had an affair. She works as a scientist but now decides that she needs to follow a new path. She loved being with her father when she was younger who taught her the love of flowers. So, she quits her job as a scientist and gets a job at the local garden centre, with owners Les and Betty.
Les has a love for all things flowers and the Titanic and after telling her what he knows Emma decides to find out who was the florist on the Titanic. Something to get her mind of the death of her husband Will. They found out about a woman called Voilet who is a stewardess on the ship and when Emma sees a photo of her, she feels and instant connection.
This is a beautifully written story of grief and living again. And I did enjoy the two individual characters stories, But I struggled with the connection between the two. 3.5 stars from me.

Really enjoyed this book! I have loved other Sally Page stories and this one didn't disappoint either. The story centres around Emma, a young widow who leaves her job as a scientist and starts working as a florist at a garden centre with the wonderful Betty & Les (wouldn't you love those two as your boss!). When Les does a talk around the Titanic, Emma starts to wonder about who was responsible for the flowers onboard. Her extensive research is helped along the way by a variety of people, all who add something more for her to think about. The alternate chapters of the book are narrated by Violet, a young girl in Argentina, who ends up as a stewardess on the ocean liners (including eventually the Titanic). Emma is sure she recognises the photo she finds of Violet, thinking she is part of her family history. Her research doesn't appear to lead to this, however, although she keeps looking.

Lovely characters and a great story. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

Oh my goodness, this story! Such beautiful words winding through a story entwined with beautiful flowers and the well written characters swept the story along the waves, I cried lovely tears with this and it will stay with me for a long time

This is a charming dual timeline in which the link between the main characters is only revealed at the end.
I found it a thought-provoking read in places, with much to say about grief, the power of friendship to bring healing and hope, and of course the significance of flowers. As one character says, “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.’”
It’s also about the importance of small, easily unnoticed things, the things which hold people together. The main character of Emma isn’t small, in fact she feels self-conscious about her big feet and her height and noticeable hair - but her life has fallen apart and it takes a host of small things, and the support of those around her, to help her rebuild it and face the future.
There are a couple of dramatic events I didn’t foresee while reading, but anyone who knows about the Titanic will probably guess the identity of Violet. The author had clearly done lots of research, and the premise was intriguing. I felt the dual timeline worked well and this was an enjoyable read.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, which I read in exchange for an honest review.