FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY by Jane Suen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Flowers in December Trilogy is a collection of Flowers in December, Coming Home and Second Chance by Jane Suen. I have read most of her books, as I really enjoy them. This series started off slow for me, but by the end I was glad to have read it.

Flowers in December by Jane Suen was a good book, with a hard topic. It is about a man who returns home, after his mother’s death, to handle her affairs and estate. He must confront his past, and decide on his future. Does he want to sell his parents house, and continue his life, which is often empty and lonely? Or take a risk and move back to his small home town, that he fled from as soon as he turned 18? The author does a good job of addressing the hard topics, and feelings associated with death of a parent. We can see and feel Connor grieve, and work his way through loss, lonliness and regret. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships, and the small town feel. Connor seemed a little immature to me, but he flowed with the story. The author did a good job developing the town, including businesses and supporting characters.
I have read other works by this author, and while it was not my favorite, I still give it 4 stars and would recommend it to others. While it dealt with some heavy topics, it scratched the surface and kept it mild and cheerful enough for a younger audience to enjoy, and I think that was the intention of the author. I loved the ending, but I wont spoil it.

Coming Home didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but it left it open for the 3rd book. I kept expecting, and hoping for 2 things to happen, that didn’t. I can’t say what, as it is a spoiler, but just be warned, don’t get your hopes up for a sappy romantic ending. I love the part of the story regarding Alana and her mother, but Mary Ann’s story didn’t end as expected. But, anyone who has read any of the authors books knows that’s normal. She always seems to put a twist in at the end which I sometimes love and sometimes want to scream, in a true page turner fashion. The story continues to follow Connor Norton, after he and his cat, Tom return to his childhood home. In the previous book, his mother passed away, and he is still grieving. He has to make some decisions about the next steps for his life, and rekindles some friendships along the way.

Second Chance is the Conclusion of the Flowers in December trilogy. All 3 books are short and sweet. I’m glad for the wrap up and happy ending for Connor and Mary Ann. Connor has been struggling since his mother passed away, trying to find his place in the world. He was left with her house and her cat, and memories, which caused a lot of internal struggle for him. We go into this final book knowing of his crush on Mary Ann, and her struggle with her feelings. Connor thinks he ruined his chances when he went back to the city, and is debating if he should fight to win her back. This was my favorite book in the series, because I could see both characters mature and be strong. Set aside a weekend, cuddle up with a blanket and tea, and knock out the whole series.

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Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy