The Complete FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY This collection contains all three books: Flowers in December, Coming Home and Second Chance. Loss. Hope. Love. Maybe a second chance could change everything. Connor goes home to bury his mother and must somehow reshape his future and face his own mortality. But will he make peace with his past? Mary Ann owns a flourishing small town flower shop and has … little time for anything else. She wasn’t looking for love when a grieving Connor Norton, in town to attend his mother’s funeral, walks into her shop and into her life. Four months later, Connor returns to his hometown. He runs into Alana, the estranged daughter of his next-door neighbor Dottie who’s struggling to come to terms with the devastating secret that tore her family apart. But Connor can’t forget Mary Ann. He knows he never should’ve left her. Is he too late? FLOWERS IN DECEMBER Conner returns home to bury his mother and begin a new life with Tom, the family’s orange tabby cat. COMING HOME Sometimes you have to leave home to find your way back. To one small town. One magical Christmas. SECOND CHANCE Conner thinks he’s lost Mary Ann. Now they meet again. Can he win her back? FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY is a three-book set of uplifting stories with small town relatable characters, hope, love, forgiveness and sweet romance.
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FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen. This is such a good sweet romance trilogy. In Flowers in December we meet Connor who is returning home to bury his mom and live with his mom’s orange tabby cat Tom. When he goes to the Florist to get flowers for the funeral he meets Mary Ann the owner of the Flower shop. Mary Ann is not looking for romance but when she meet Connor sparks fly. Will they be able to make their relationship work between Connor grieving his mom and his past? In Coming Home the story continues to follow Connor and his cat Tom as he returns to his childhood home. He is trying to figure out his life all the while still grieving his mom when he meets Alana his neighbors estranged daughter who is in the midst of a family fall out. In Second Chance we pick back up with Conner and Mary Ann. Conner has a huge crush on her but he is still processing everything and he’s not sure he’s up to a relationship. As he comes back to the small town his mom lived he realizes that’s where he belongs and who he belongs with. Can he win Mary Ann back after leaving town? Read this sweet trilogy you won’t be disappointed!
Jane Suen’s Flowers in December trilogy is a fabulous set of books that I have really loved reading multiple times since the first one came about. I was so excited when I saw these books would be offered in a full set. I love books that do that as a series because they become instantly easier to gift and spread the love. Below you will find my reviews for each book.
Flowers in December: Book #1
“You’re my pride and joy, always remember this.”
“Connor lay crumpled next to her coffin, not willing to get up just yet, not ready to leave. He let his mind wander, thinking abut his mother, himself as a little boy. This was the one time; the one trip Connor had never wanted to take.”
This was such a compelling short read by Jane Suen. We first meet Connor grappled with grief at the casket of his mother. It has been a long time since Connor has come home and now it’s too late to really even call it home. He was the only one left of his small family, besides his mom’s cat Tom. This book is a brief but profound journey of grief. We follow Connor in the year after his mother’s death, and see what grief really does to him. I loved meeting all the characters of the small town where he grew up and how they all played a role in the grieving process.
This book was really wonderful and had a great way of being brief yet covering all the processes of grief that overcomes anyone who has experienced a loss, especially one of a parent. I have not read any other works by Jane Suen but I am really anticipating finding out what other works she has and devouring them. I loved her writing style and that she was able to express so much in such a short book. This was a five-star read for me hands down. There are a few quotes that I just loved and wrote down as I was reading this book that I will close my review with. I think that they really express what it meant for Connor to process the death of his mother and all that it entailed.
“This was the moment when he realized the beauty of it all. At that moment, he put aside the sorrow. For her was here, among all these people, in this sacred place, surrounded by beauty, music, and love… there would be no sorrow. No sorrow would be sent to her along the way where she must go now. They would send music, happiness, and love. For where she was going, there would never be any pain or sadness; there would be only eternal joy. And there, he firmly believed, she would forever rest in peace. The thought of his mother in eternal peace calmed and comforted him…”
“As life was inevitable, so surely was death. He would be her child forever. She would be his mother forever. Nothing would ever change that. Ever.”
“Connor was alone in this world. He let that thought sink in. He had not wanted to face this before. He always had a home to come to. He had never wanted to think about the inevitable, that some day they wouldn’t be here and there would be no one to come home to. Or, that there would be no home at all. An empty house was not a home. It was not even close. Grappling with his thoughts, he focused on what to do now. Grief was pushed aside momentarily as he threw himself back into work.”
“He had to feel the grief, to feel the pain of loss, and the void that could never be filled. There were no words to describe it. It was the way it was, the way it had to be. Nothing he could ever do, no matter how hard he tired, could bring her back. He relived his past, his last moments with her.”
“Nothing in this world could fix the pain. It was too much to bear. Now in the silence of his room, he faced the pain. All of it. Alone.”
Coming Home: Book #2
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this pop up on my feed. I had absolutely adored Flowers in December and was left wanting more, not with loose ends, but still wanting some more of Connor and what would come next for him. This was that and so much more. We just happen to get a lot more than we may have even bargained for. I would highly recommend that you read the first book, Flowers in December before devouring this one, everything will flow and make sense so much more. This one is obviously a holiday/Christmas story but I really feel as if I will be pulling this gem out any time of year, whenever I need an emotional and yet encouraging read. I almost feel as if these two books together would create a great Hallmark Christmas movie. I can’t wait to find out what will come next from Jane Suen! I am sure it will be fantastic whatever it will be, and on my to be read list! Happy reading!
Second Chance: Book #3
Jane Suen’s The Flowers in December Trilogy has been some of my favorite contemporary romance novels that I have read as of late. I enjoy how she manages to hook be deep into the story before I even finish the first few pages of a book she has penned. I loved Second Chance, the third and final book in the series, the most out of all of them. This book really closed the trilogy in a perfect and beautiful way that I just could not get enough of.
I would recommend that you read the first two novels prior to this one if you haven’t. I feel this series has evolved in both writing strength and the characters themselves. I suppose if you really wanted you could read them as stand alones though. This one brings us the conclusion of Connor’s story. He is our main character and really has changed so much from the very first book we read him in. I have probably just fallen in love with his character more and I never thought that was possible after book two. I look forward to finding out what will come next from the ever talented Jane Suen.
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen – Review by Gail Guerrero
Five Stars
As a whole I enjoyed this series. The author brought some amazing characters to life through these pages. A lot of lessons were learned and lives changed. I found that the characters had great moments of growth and understanding. You could feel the characters emotions through the pages. I really think this is a series you could fall in love with. I’ve come to enjoy this authors work. The stories have that filling sensation. That you know you can read the last book and be satisfied. Your left feeling like their HEA was complete. The author has a great flow with words. I love the attention to detail as well. If you haven’t read anything from this author this is a great place to start.
Flowers in December Trilogy
By Jane Suen
5 stars
This is a wonderful trilogy by an author who always intrigues me with her writing! I have read a few books by her now and I really enjoy her unique and creative writing style. She creates really interesting characters and I thoroughly enjoy everything I have read by her.
This trilogy includes three wonderful stories; they are so full of emotion and feeling that I felt like I was right there with the characters. I really felt for Connor and the loss he went through in book 1 in the trilogy – Flowers in December – I really did feel like I was right there with him on his journey of self-discovery.
In Coming Home (book 2) I was really looking forward to seeing how Connor was coping in the second instalment to Flowers in December – book 1 was very emotional following Connor and his grief over losing his mother and again his emotions flowed through this story but in a different way. This story was more about him making his peace with everything and moving on with his life. I loved seeing Mary-Ann back in his life and also some other secondary characters. We got snippets into a few of the other characters too which was nice. Although the story didn’t end up as I thought and maybe wanted I still enjoyed reading about Connor again.
Second Chance (book 3) we get to see more from Connor and just how he is dealing with everything in his life. I love Connor and everything that he has been through. He is genuinely a lovely character and I definitely wouldn’t complain if I had a Connor in my life!
This really is a wonderful trilogy and one that I highly recommend!
5 Star
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen
This is an amazing Trilogy that I absolutely loved reading and had a hard time putting it down. This trilogy is about love,loss, and second chances. Get ready to be taken on quite the emotional rollercoaster ride with these three stories. There are moment that absolutely broke my heart but then there were moments that warmed my heart. This Author does an amazing job with the details and the characters are very well developed and easily relatable. They show us Mary Ann and Carter’s relationship and their struggles. I simply can’t recommend this Trilogy enough. It’s a must read!
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, loneliness 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.
Flowers in December Trilogy by Jane Suen is a great family base story. This trilogy is about raw emotions: hope, loss, love, and second chances. Jane Suen does a wonderful job creating multi layers, fully developed characters. The stories flowed easily from one page to another page to the next book in the series. I found myself in the story with Mary Ann and Connor’s relationship and their life choices and situations. The story does have a roller coaster ride of ups and downs so I would make sure you have kleenex by you. I encourage you to read this trilogy because you will not regret it.
Flowers in December Trilogy By Jane Suen
4 Stars!!!!
I have read this whole series and I really highly recommend it. I find that this author has a very refreshing writing style and she brings the characters and story to life. I also like how she writes and deals with real life issues.
The first book Flowers in December really hit home to me as I had also recently lost my mom. I really could relate to Conner. The author really writes this journey very well. I found that I could really relate to a lot of the emotions he was going through and the regret. I truly was glued to the pages and found that in a way it actually helped me to sort through my own grief.
The second book Coming Home again was another stage of the grief process. I found that I was quite eager to see how Conner would adjust to the new circumstances and how he would adjust. I like how the author starts off the new journey as his grief transforms through the stages. I like how Mary Ann comes into his life but by the end of the book I am on the edge of my seat to see what would happen and the way Conner messes up in the end. I was so eager for the finale book to see how things would unfold.
The third book Second Chance really grabbed me from the get go. I liked the way that the author began the romance slow as it as the title says a second chance. I really like how the author’s writing style isn’t predictable. This third book I felt the chemistry between Conner and Mary Ann and was glad that all ended well in the end. It was such a great ending to the series. I really recommend this author and her books. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen. I love when a series is put in a set because it’s amazing to be able to read them all back to back. This trilogy is a great set about love , loss and hope. The characters are so well written and detailed you can forget you’re reading a story. From start to finish I couldn’t put them down. Each one pulls readers in and won’t let you go. They each are well written and paced nicely never feeling rushed or lacking anything. This author knows how to write wonderful characters and wonderful stories that keep you coming back for more. Five stars all the way and highly recommended!
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Jane Suen’s Flowers in December Trilogy, so it’s great that the three books are now collected into one volume! When I finished the first book, I was eager to find out what happened next so being able to seamlessly segue into the next book (and the one after!) is a big advantage!
It’s a heart-warming wintery romance story that follows Connor as he copes with the grief of losing his mother and re-evaluates his life. His priority so far has been working his way up the business ladder, chasing promotions at the exclusion of all else. Returning home to bury his mother reminds him of everything he missed. It’s a hard journey but, with the help of Tom the cat (who disapproves strongly to city life) Connor figures out what matters most to him.
I particularly like how we see the broader cast of characters develop over the course of the books. It’s particularly seeing how the relationship between Mrs Rainer and her daughter, Alana, unfolds – especially after everything Mrs Rainer has done for Connor!
When I read the books separately, I rated them either four or five stars. The added convenience of having all the books together bumps this up to a five-star collection! I’d recommend it for snuggling up with on cold winter’s days – it would make a great holiday read!
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen
5 +++++++ Stars
This series is an absolute MUST READ..Jane Suen is a master storyteller who quickly became one of my favorite authors. I think I’ve read every single book she has out and will add to that as she does.
Flowers in December Book 1 –
I was able to feel every single feeling that Connor was feeling in this book. I lost my Mom just a few years ago and it changed my life. This story was as real as it gets, there was no added drama and major twists and turns, I did kind of feel like I knew what was going to happen but it was more like it was what I was hoping would happen, and I’ve let my imagination take over the rest.
Coming Home Book 2 –
I loved Flowers in December and at the end knew I needed more because something was happening and being implied and then it was done and my imagination took it from there. Many Thanks to Jane Suen for seeing this, and knowing that her readers needed more and then delivering.
So much was going on in this very short story but you never feel like anything was crammed in or get confused…She touched on many emotions and feelings and I’m just not going to give anything away so you will have to pick this story up, but please don’t start here, you must read Flowers in December first, this is where you will really get to know Connor Norton, and Tom.
Second Chance Book 3 –
Many many thank yous to this author for giving us this book. I loved the first 2 but was a bit sad with the end of the 2nd. I had no idea this one was coming and I was so happy when I saw it. This had to be one of the best book 3’s of a trilogy yet, I’m thinking because I wanted it so much!
I was a bit concerned with going back in time here and there through memories but found that it gave me a better understanding of who Mary Ann was. I loved the small town and this whole story felt so real, along with all the other feels you get from reading this last book in what is a wonderful series. I can’t wait to read it again back to back now that I have all three. 🙂
The one thing you dont do when you read any of this authors books is go in thinking you know how everything is going to go because she will show you the meaning of what a twist and a turn means and have you sitting there at the end going ..What just happened? She shows you that a twist doesn’t have to be explosive or a throw your kindle moment, she does it in a slow crawl where you have no idea it’s even happening.
LOVED THIS SERIES!!!
Flowers in December Trilogy: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance
by Jane Suen
4 Stars
These books show the changes and evolution of Connor which take place within the span of two years approximately. It starts with Flowers in December and the death of his mother. Connor is trying to deal with his grief and regret of not visiting more often. It is more about his inner journey and facing his own mortality.
His story continues in Coming Home. It is a story about love and forgiveness. He returns home for his first Christmas without his mother. It’s rough but being with friends and helping his neighbour aids him in healing. It is a Christmas story with deeper meaning.
In Second Chance, we see more of the relationship between Connor and Mary Ann. Each trying to decide what it is that they really want. It is an easy to read romance. This trilogy flows effortlessly into each other. You feel a range of emotions from grief to acceptance, nervousness to euphoria. These are well written books showing the evolution of one man through a meaningful time in his life.
5 Stars
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY by Jane Suen contains all three books in the Flowers in December series: Flowers in December (Book #1), Coming Home (Book #2), and Second Chance (Book #3). This is a lovely series-
Flowers in December is the first book in the Flowers in December Trilogy and is a beautiful story. I have read a few of Ms. Suen’s books now and enjoyed them all, but I have to say that this one is definitely my favourite so far. Having lost a parent myself, this story touched a cord with me and I could really relate to Connor and what he was going through.
This story may be small when it comes to pages, but doesn’t lack in the content department. Ms. Suen had me hooked quite quickly and held my attention the whole way through. As it is a short story, I finished it in a small amount of time- but because of the way the author infused so much emotional content into the story- it has stayed on my mind even after moving on to other books since finishing it. That is a great sign of a talented author and a wonderful story.
The story deals with and explores quite a lot in a short space- loss, grief, mortality, the passage of time, realization/discovery, learning to let go of the past, being hopeful, embracing life, and making meaningful connections. The story was relatable and entirely believable.
There were some truly beautiful passages throughout this book that lifted the story from being heavy or depressing- giving it some very touching/heart-warming qualities.
Coming Home is the second book in the Flowers in December Trilogy.
We meet back up with Connor, four months after the end of the first book. He has ‘come home’ for the holidays as a way of honouring his mother and his/their memories . This story is a continuation of the first book, with Connor still coming to terms with his mother’s passing, the grieving process, self-realization, forgiveness, finding a way to move forward, mending bridges, hope, love, and emotion- which happens over the course of the story. I loved it even more than the first book.
I really recommend reading the first book before starting on this one, as all the backstory and other relevant information is contained in that book. Ms. Suen had me hooked quite quickly and engaged me the whole way through. It is a short story, and I finished it quite quickly- but as with the first book, the author infused so much emotional content into the story- it has stayed on my mind long after finishing it.
Second Chance is the third and final instalment in the Flowers in December Trilogy. It is everything I could have hoped for as the conclusion to Connor’s story. A lot has happened since we met him back in book one.
This sweet story is all about second chances- with a very realistic and believable storyline. Ms. Suen definitely saved the best till last, as this is my favourite of the three books, for sure.
For such a short story, it definitely leaves an impression.
Looking forward to what ever Ms. Suen decides to do next!
Thank you, Ms. Suen!
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen
Each of these stories got to my feels in a way that I had to process my thoughts and feelings before I could move forward.
Conner deals with a lot of different emotions in each of the books. The first is guilt after losing his Mother. Then of course he goes through all of the phases of grief which is a roller coaster of emotions l. You hit the peaks and valleys of the different feelings sometimes simultaneously, especially when dealing with the loss of a parent or strong a parental figure.
I have lost my Daddy and a close Mother type figure in my life and could relate all too well to his emotions and how there were some days he just made it through on auto pilot.
I enjoyed all of the books but think the last was my favorite. Conner finds happiness in his day to day life which isn’t easy without the additional challenges he faced.
Flowers in December Trilogy by Jane Suen
4 stars
Jane Suen has a unique writing style that always pulls me deep into her books. I really enjoyed this trilogy and I liked the way the different struggles were written in, such as, dealing with grief, loss and second chances at love. Reading through Connor and Mary Ann’s story is frustrating, heartbreaking and beautiful and I would highly recommend this great set of books.
This is a great trilogy about hope, loss, love and second chances. This is a great author that I never hesitate to pick up and have read every one of her books. They are well written, engaging stories that will keep you turning pages to the end. It takes you through Mary Ann and Connor’s relationship and life struggles. I loved watching their relationship grow with each book. They are great characters that are strong and have great chemistry. They bring the story to life and made me feel as if I was part of their story. I highly recommend reading this trilogy, you won’t regret picking it up.
FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen is an emotional series that focuses on grief and self-discovery. Having all three books is a bonus because you don’t have to wait for the next book to be available, they are all right there ready and waiting to go.
Flowers in December is the first book in the series and is a very short tale and is a touching story of one person’s grief. It is a very emotional time for our main character, which sees him going through a myriad of emotions on this journey which also leads to self-discovery. The writing style is easy to follow, but I did find it hard to hold my attention at times, with the overly polite conversations taking place, but Jane did a nice job of dealing with the sensitive issue death. This book will remind you not to take others for granted in your life and suddenly finding your place in the world even through loss.
Coming Home: the sequel to Flowers in December is a story of one man who after the death of his mother is learning to deal with his grief. In order to pull himself out of his funk he has decided to leave his old life behind and start anew where he grew up. With old friends and new he celebrates the season of his first Christmas without his mother. It is a very quick but emotional read. Jane is a master at never doing what you think should be and always leaves me a little frustrated. But having said that she always writes from the heart and that is infused within her words in her stories. Read and enjoy but you need to read the first book Flowers in December first.
Second Chance: The Conclusion of the Flowers in December Trilogy is an emotional journey where my emotions were all over the place. This is a second chance romance story that I read in one sitting. The characters of Mary Ann and Connor Norton are likeable and well developed. There was some going back in time with Mary Ann’s history some helped but Jane is a master at never doing what you think should be and always leaves me a little frustrated. But having said that she always writes from the heart. Connor’s withdrawal from the world after his mother’s death left Mary Ann wondering what was going on. When he recovers enough, he decides that he needs her but is she still there and waiting?
I look forward to what comes next from Jane.
This is a trilogy about grief, hope, and love. There was a lot of description rather than conversation, and it being a trilogy, a lot of explanation that could have been engineered and embedded more subtly, especially since I read all three books in one go. Nevertheless, this was a charming story, there are multiple storylines that all had satisfactory conclusions, and I enjoyed the character development. An easy, emotional read.