The Blue Iris

De: Rachel Stone

Narrado por: Jeannie Sheneman, GM Hakim

A PenCraft Spring '24 Best Book, Feathered Quill Silver Winner, BookLife Editor's Pick, and NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite

SOMETIMES, UPROOTING THE THORN-FILLED PAST IS THE ONLY WAY WE BLOOM...

Tessa Lewis is set to embark on a Big-Time Career and marry Toronto's fastest-rising lawyer, who loves her to pieces. But when a visit to a flower market from her childhood sparks memories of the mother she lost too soon, Tessa puts her bright future on hold to work there, determined to come to terms with her past.

At the Blue Iris Flower Market, everything is blossoming except the rag-tag crew, each hiding deep scars of their own. When Sam, the beloved but troubled man in charge, takes off and leaves the market reeling, Tessa and her unlikely new friends come face-to-face with their most uncomfortable truths, uprooting lives carefully cultivated--and just maybe, unearthing everything they've ever wanted.

Told from multiple perspectives, The Blue Iris is an intricately woven exploration of love tested beyond its limits, chosen family, and the beauty that grows in letting go.

©2023 Rachel Stone (P)2024 Rachel Stone

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Such a unique and heartwarming story about found family...I thoroughly enjoyed diving into each of these well-drawn characters, and watching their fears and hopes converge in a wonderful flower shop I wish I could visit." -Tracey Lange, NYT bestselling author of We Are the Brennans.

Beautiful writing and a terrific plot!

The Blue Iris by Rachel Stone completely captured my heart and will easily be one of my favorite reads of 2025.

This book sucked me in so fast! With multiple POVs it took me a beat to get the flow of the book, but once I got it, I was so invested in this story of a flower market and its lovable cast of tough, quirky, and kind employees.

The word that came to mind throughout this whole book was “intrigue.” At the surface, this book is about a woman wanting to find her “big” purpose the summer before she settles down as a high-profile lawyer’s wife. But as she begins to discover, there are mysteries at the flower market and unexplained connections that need to be figured out, including her role in it all and why she felt so strongly drawn to the store. Every chapter has this sense of intrigue that kept me so engrossed in the story!

Aside from knowing the synopsis, going into this book blind was the best! Since each main character has their own POV, we get to know them on a deep level, with all their trauma, hurts, and joys. Hints about their connections and bits of history are dropped throughout the book, leading up to some truly climatic final chapters. I was cheering, I was gasping, I was crying, and just smiling so big at the end.

This book isn’t light-hearted women’s fiction - the story is emotional and heartbreaking at times, but it also has this wonderful sense of humor. The sarcasm, pranks, camaraderie and caring for each other through it all, was so well written. Stone’s writing is so beautiful to read and listen to. This one is truly found/chosen family at its best!

Anything else I can say feels like a spoiler because of the revelations learned in every chapter. Trust me when I say just give this one a read - you won’t regret it! It’s superb on audio! I know I’ll be thinking about Tessa, Charlie, Tony, and the whole crew for a long time.

a slice of life

A character rich story about finding your past to guide your future. I loved how each chapter started with a plant name. Both its common and official name. It tied in well with the flower shop setting. A miss the days when chapters had titles.

The cast as a whole is a unique group. Deeply rich and all driven by something personal. Not everyone is likable and my thoughts kept shifting on their qualities.

It’s part slice of life, a little romance and a whole lot of dysfunctional drama. I kept wanting to know more about their lives.

Jeannie Sheneman and GM Hakim narrate all of the characters and do a good job bringing all the characters to life. Capturing their unique spirits and the tone of the plot.

A Subtle Twist

I loved that the narration was split between the two narrators. I enjoyed the mysterious plot that kept this listener eagerly waiting for the next twist. The characters were developed well so that they could easily be mentally imagined. I recommend this book especially to thise who have ever worked in a flower shop, or a landscape business.

“The Blue Iris is a poignant, beautifully woven tale of grief, love, and the transforming power of found family.”

Rachel Stone’s debut earned the 2025 International Book Award for General Fiction—and it’s easy to see why.

Tessa’s quiet rediscovery of herself after the mysterious disappearance of Sam, and her connection to the flower shop, is layered and deeply emotional. Told through multiple POVs, this novel captures healing, memory, and the unexpected places where we grow.

I loved listening to this story—it’s immersive, tender, and heartfelt. A perfect summer read.

Favorite quote:
“The Blue Iris blooms with grace, showing that sometimes the best growth happens in unexpected places.”