When Jack Wilson retired from working at the Chrysler plant, he bought a florist shop. His married daughters Gretta (Margaret) and Livi (Olivia) help Jack and his wife Ida provide flowers for those special events in their town.
The novel flashes back to some twenty years ago, the 60s, as the Wilson children are growing up Catholic. Their older brother, Buddy, gets drafted right out of high school. When the visitors come to the door delivering the news of Buddy's death, Livi loses any faith she had in God. How could He have done this to their family? She believes God has turned His back on her.
Twenty years later Livi struggles with alcoholism as she slyly nips from the beer hiding in the florist shop's cooler. Her anger toward God grows as a baby in the community dies of SIDS. And Gretta is no help as the sisters bicker.
Then their mother, Ida, begins to show signs of Alzheimer's.
Prusik has created a pleasing read. The florist shop is a sort of community gathering place and we get to see the events of the town as flowers are needed for each event. The flashbacks to growing up Catholic in the 60s are a riot. Who can forget Aqua Net?
I learned lots about the florist business too. Who wants to pull an “all nighter” before Mother's Day or Easter to get all the bouquets finished?
Prusik has also represented the dilemma Christians must work through in the face of personal tragedy. Yet, as is the case, there were seasoned Christians who helped Livi finally come to the place of trusting God again.
This is part of a new project from Tyndale House. This book is only available as an ebook.
Author: Diana Prusik has been English instructor on the middle school, high school and community college levels. She left teaching in 2005 to create art, photography, and fiction. Delivery, her debut novel, placed three times in the Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel Award. Learn more about Diana at:
I received an egalley of this book from Tyndale House for the purpose of this review.
1 comment:
Thanks for this positive review, Joan! I've pulled plenty of all-nighters at the florist over the years, and I'm honored to give people a glimpse of that experience through my novel. I'm so glad you found Delivery a pleasing read, and I appreciate your sharing that with others. Please check out my new website at www.dianaprusik.com. Blessings to you!
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