Of note: sometimes you should not judge a book by a cover

I was sent this ARC and I thought it looked like a cute griefy romcom so I said yes and I was wrong very wrong (the book doesn’t have the : magical realism exploration etc on other apps)

This book follows Fiona, an eco influencer, as she processes the recent death of her boyfriend who was killed during a protest. While it does focus on grief and Fiona thinks her boyfriend got reincarnated as a magical talking plant (I’m still unsure if he did or not) - the book takes a turn and actually becomes a story about fighting climate change in London and the importance of platforms, awareness, and community.

I’m so flabbergasted by this book and have no idea what to rate it or how to feel - somehow it kept my attention the entire time though.

Of note - the narrator did an amazing job and really captured all the wild emotions going on.

I think this author knows how to write a book about the potential impacts of climate change. This book felt very well researched and the authors passion shined! I wanted to read this book because I was fascinated by the idea of a person being reincarnated into a plant and a person perceiving the plant to be sentient. While this was a fascinating idea as the book went along it seemed like that idea because more stagnant. I think the beginning 1/4 of this book was strong and the last 1/4 was strong it just got a bit muddled in the middle to me. I would be interested in Emily’s future books because I think each book will be better and better!

Solid 3 star. This book brings up a multitude of deeper topics. I thought this moving story was very well written and I was very touched. Fiona is such an amazing character to follow, it was so easy to love her, root for her, and want to see her thrive. I feel that this story, with the deeper topics, isn't as widely written about but I enjoyed this one. The writing is very engaging, and the story overall is really easy to get lost into. Solid 3 star read. If you like more lit fic with sad and deeper topics I would grab this one... but make sure you got some tissues for when the sad times come.

The Narrative by Angela Ness was very well done. She was able to display the emotions from paper to narrative.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I did not know what to think when I started Send Flowers by Emily Buchanan. This novel follows Fiona, an environmental influencer, who navigates grief after her boyfriend, Ed, is accidentally killed while at a protest. One day, a houseplant shows up on her doorstep. After she pours Ed's ashes into the plant, the plant begins to thrive, flower, and... talk to her. Fiona begins to believe that Ed has been reincarnated as the plant. She is so convinced that she is willing to lose her job, her friends, and her family in defense of "Ed."
I really enjoyed this book because it offered a fresh perspective on "influencers." So often, we see influencers as self-centered, but often their message is diluted in the social media economy. The characters were imperfect but deeply loveable. The novel tackled some very interesting subjects. Fiona must deal with flawed parents and come to terms with their influence on her life. She tackles others' expectations for being involved in high-visibility, high-risk protesting. And, Fiona tackles what it means to protest against impending climate change and politicians who ignore science. She realizes that each individual has to be true to their own code of ethics and risk-tolerances while protesting. In fact, she realizes that each person needs to be true to their own thoughts and passions in all aspects of life. I felt such deep joy while reading about a community making strides against a corrupt government. I will certainly carry this book in my mind for many years to come.

I was really wishy washy about this one for a while. There was no sugar coating anything from the start. You meet Fiona, Fi, and she's in the middle of grieving. Full on grieving the death of her boyfriend Ed. Her life is in shambles, full on hot mess. Then one day Fi receives a house plant, a house plant that she believes was sent to her by her dead boyfriend? So Fi puts his ashes in the plant pot, waters and takes care of it and then start believing that Ed has been reincarnated into this plant. I mean he sometimes talks to her, fever dream? Delusions based on extreme grief? Anyway, these conversations they end up having bring Fi back to the life she lived before she became an influencer. The life where Fi was an activist.

The redemption of this book, for me anyway, was Fi coming to the realization that while she felt guilt for what happened to Ed, she didn't have to follow his path. She didn't need to be an activist the way Ed was, the way Ed died being. She could forge her own path with activism in a way that was comfortable for her. All in all, this was a pretty entertaining read. So thank you to the publisher & author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Offbeat and enjoyable. A recommended purchase for collections where genre bent women's fiction is popular.

Send Flowers by Emily Buchanan is a charming, feel-good romp that combines humor, heart, and just the right touch of the supernatural. Fiona, aka @FoliageFifi, is totally relatable—a heartbroken eco-influencer who’s been hiding away in her apartment since losing Ed. But everything takes a wild turn when a mysterious houseplant shows up with a note from the afterlife, and suddenly, her world (and her plant’s) gets a whole lot more interesting! The story is adorably kooky—imagine chatting plants, botanical demands, and a heroine slowly rejoining the outside world all wrapped up in an eco-conscious, emotionally resonant package. The plant’s insistence on getting sunlight, water, and of course, some human company, leads Fiona on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and a lot of laughs along the way. Buchanan crafts a witty and heartfelt tale about love, loss, and finding hope in unexpected places. It’s quirky, sweet, and even a little bit magical. Perfect for anyone looking for a lighthearted read that celebrates life’s little surprises—and maybe a few prickly plants too!