Thank you to NetGalley and June Rollins for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
When I read the synopsis of this book I thought it had a lot of potential, and then I was mildly worried when I started reading and felt like I was having a hard time connecting to the characters. I should have had more confidence in the book because that desire to connect caused me to just keep reading until I found a connection. Which I am glad I did because I enjoyed this book and these characters – even the ones I hated. Poppy grows into herself, finding strength and confidence that I think can resonate with any wallflower – and yes I am going to lean into the flower references. The characters that the reader is meant to hate are genuinely detestable, continuously acting in ways that prove that they are not worthy of being in the bouquet of Poppy’s life. There were times that her mom truly was a Shrinking Violet but I was proud of her development too, and while Poppy felt thickskulled at times, I just reminded myself that she is a 20-year-old, and most people in their late teens/early 20s are.
At the end of the book I was sad it was over, especially since the ending left so much availability for a sequel (which made me very happy to find out there was one already in the works!), but the story that was being told was complete. There is more to be said in this world, and I am excited to return to it, but it was not a cliffhanger that is going to cause me undue anxiety while I wait, which is lovely.
Overall this is an enjoyable coming-of-age story and I am happy I had the chance to read it. 4.5/5