Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

The Blue Iris by Rachel Stone is a fascinating novel that follows a young woman’s story as she faces her past and discovers a new future. Tessa is forced to return to the street in Toronto where she grew up to attend a friend’s engagement luncheon. When she gets to the street, everything around her reminds her of her deceased mother. When she sees The Blue Iris Flower Market, memories of the time she spent with her mother there come flooding back. Though she had promised to join her boyfriend’s thriving law firm after graduate school and become his right-hand person, she is not certain now that is the direction she wants to take. Tessa returns to the flower shop later and accepts a job, convincing herself it will be a temporary summer position. As she spends more time at The Blue Iris, her colleagues, who are also fighting their own battles, become her family.

The Blue Iris is a wonderfully crafted story with an intriguing main character forced to confront a past she had left behind. Other characters are equally captivating, including her boyfriend’s family and the people she meets at the shop. I enjoyed the unexpected twists in the novel and loved that the romantic relationships feel authentic and involve flawed, believable characters. Young adult readers will relate to Tessa’s journey as she navigates the post-graduate world and tries to determine which path she wants to follow. I appreciated that the account includes an in-depth backstory of each character which helped me understand and connect with each of them. Rachel Stone has penned an incredible work with complex, unique characters and an absorbing love story. Readers will love its engrossing storyline and unexpected ending.