Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Some spoilers…but I did try to keep the spoilers away:)

Synopsis:

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 design 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…

Review:

I want to say first off, I like reading cozy mysteries.  They make me think while reading, in a good way. A really good cozy mystery keeps the reader guessing until the very end. This book accomplished that!  This is the first novel by Beverly Allen that I have read (and in fact the first she has written in this wedding themed series).  I must say that I have now found a new cozy writer that has caught my reading interest so much, I want her to hurry up and write more in the series so I can continue on with Audrey’s sleuthing life.

Audrey is a likeable, intelligent and hardworking business owner in business with her cousin Liz.  I found the characterization of Audrey as a “regular” person, which is all too often not the case. Thus in my mind, Audrey was relatable. Audrey and Liz, along with Liz’s husband, Eric and various other flower shop employees, set about the task of preparing the arrangements for Derrick’s funeral as well as a society wedding.  And of course – solving the mystery of who killed Derrick.  Audrey is not at all convinced that the fiancée (Jenny – her old time best buddy and newest employee at the shop) did indeed kill Derrick.

As we quickly learn, not all is as it seems in Ramble.  I really enjoyed the methodical way Audrey went through the cast of characters in this small town and one by one, narrowed down the suspects until the end when the real killer was identified (a surprise to me).  I have left out quite a bit of the story, so as to avoid spoilers.

I really enjoyed reading about the discussions regarding the meanings of the flowers and foliage. This brought a certain amount of depth to the story, which was a pleasant surprise.  I giggled immensely at the wedding when Audrey dances with Little Joe, the mad mortician.  This is because mayhem ensues … you will chuckle as well, of that I am certain.

We were introduced to a possible love interest for Audrey, the cupcake baker Nick Maxwell. This romance should provide some intrigue and we will just have to wait and see how this plays out in future books.

I must say … there is not much I do not like about this book.  It was well written, an enjoyable cozy read which kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to the continuation of this series.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*