Must Love Flowers: A Novel

Written by Debbie Macomber

Narrated by Thérèse Plummer

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Two women at different stages of life find themselves on a journey of renewal after undergoing hardships in this uplifting novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

“Wise, warm, witty, and charmingly full of hope, this story celebrates the surprising and unexpected ways that family, friendship, and love can lift us up.”—Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Four Winds

Joan Sample is not living the life she expected. Now a widow and an empty-nester, she has become by her own admission something of a recluse. But after another birthday spent alone, she is finally inclined to listen to her sister, who has been begging Joan to reengage with the world. With Emmie’s support, Joan gathers the courage to take some long-awaited steps: hiring someone to tame her overgrown garden, joining a grief support group, and even renting out a room to a local college student. Before long Joan is starting to feel a little like herself again.

Across town, Maggie Herbert works mornings as a barista, tending to impatient customers before rushing to afternoon nursing classes. She lives with her alcoholic father, ducking his temperamental outbursts and struggling to pay the household bills. But her circumstances brighten when she finds a room for rent in Joan’s home. In the unexpected warmth of her new situation, Maggie finds a glimmer of hope for a better life. But will Maggie’s budding attraction to one of her favorite customers ruin the harmony she’s only recently found with Joan? Meanwhile, what is Joan to make of the mysterious landscaper who’s been revitalizing her garden—a man who seems to harbor a past loss of his own? 

As Maggie and Joan confront difficult life choices, they draw strength from this new friendship in surprising ways—discovering in the process that “found family” is often the very best kind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9780593740088

Debbie Macomber

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author and a leading voice in women’s fiction today. She is a multiple award winner with more than 200 million copies of her books in print. Five of her Christmas titles have been made into Hallmark Channel Original Movies, as well as a series based on her bestselling Cedar Cove stories. For more information, visit her website: www.DebbieMacomber.com.

Reviews for Must Love Flowers

[catz42158aol.com · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A sweet and sometimes sad story of continuing your life after losing someone. I very much enjoyed this story by one of the best romance authors.

[kimberly103164 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book Review: Must Love Flowers
Stars: 4 X 5
Author: Debbie Macomber @debbiemacomber
Publisher: Ballantine Book from Penguin Random House
@penguinrandomhouse
Thank you @netgalley for the ARC

Joan Samples life has not been what she expected. She is now an empty nester who also happens now to be a widow. It has been few years since her husband passed and Joan has been unable to deal with her grief. She has become a recluse.
Her two son’s lives are busy and they forget things like her birthday which she ends up spending alone. After talking with her sister she finally decides to take her life back. Her house and her yard need a lot of TLC. She hires a Gardner for the yard and joins a grief support group.

Since she is an empty nester and she is alone in the house she decides to rent a room out. Along comes Maggie a nursing student who works as a Barista when not in school. Slowly as Maggie and Joan begin to know each other they become friends. Joan learns she can open her heart again. Maggie herself has family problems and finds life can be somewhat abnormal. Maggie and Joan find strength in each other. The both discover as life starts to normalize that they can open their heart to the possibility of love again.
Will these second chances be successful or not?


Debbie Macomber has always been on of my favorite authors. The topic in this book are different as the characters deal with grief, alcoholism, and depression to name a few but Debbie Macomber writes it all with a heart warming and uplifting way. After reading his story, I need to remember that not all family is blood related, family is who and what you want it to be. This book was a wonderful read and I am so happy that Debbie Macomber came out of retirement (after four months) to write it. This is a novel of self discovery, healing and found happiness.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber is a 2023 Ballantine publication.

Joan was widowed four years ago but never found a way to move forward. She finally takes some good advice to heart and agreed to grief counseling. Plus, she is considering taking in a boarder.

Enter Maggie, a nursing student who needs to move out of her alcoholic father’s home. Maggie moves in with Joan and the pair hit it off immediately. But trouble comes knocking when Joan’s son disapproves of his mother’s decision to have Maggie movie in. Meanwhile, Joan hires a landscaper and discovers that he too has suffered a terrible loss in life…

There are several things I loved about this story- I love friendships between women who are from very different generations. I think we need more of these types of relationships between women! So, I really enjoyed the bond between Joan and Maggie.

As a veteran author, Macomber sure knows how to suck you into a story immediately and keep you absorbed in it all the way to the end. These days it’s rare for me to get that involved in a story from start to finish.

I loved the relationship building between Joan and the people in her group counseling meetings, and the mature characters dealing with real life issues, though at times these issues could get pretty heavy and maybe a little uncomfortable.

I love progress and growth in relationships and in this novel, we deal with the decline of parent/child relationships and the difficulties we can have processing loss.

This also just so happened to be a great book to read at the beginning of a new year. It’s all about cleaning out the old and embracing the new, letting go, moving forward, and giving readers a little inspiration in that department.

That said, there were some annoyances as well.

One of the biggest issues was the emotional immaturity of Joan’s sons. In every way, shape, and or form, these grown, adult males were like whiney ten-year-olds. Nick was especially disappointing, and I didn’t like him for Maggie, and never managed to warm up to him. I felt Maggie deserved a rock instead of someone always pouting when they didn’t get their way and jumping to conclusions at every turn.

I also had a little trouble the way these men handled Joan’s reclusiveness, and felt they blamed her, when, in fact, they did little to help, making weak excuses for their lack of involvement in her life.

But, overall, the good outweighed the bad. I enjoyed the book, and had a hard time putting it down, despite some unappealing characterizations. This is a story that would appeal to wide range of readers, young and old alike!

*Content note: Some will list this author in the faith-based category. For some reason the books I’ve read by Macomber have not had an overt Christian message in them. In fact, some of her newer releases have featured some heavy drinking passages by some characters, and this book even had a mild swear word in it. That said, she does mention God’s plans and divine interventions on occasion and the story is very clean as far as sexual content and moral values, which I really appreciate… and it just goes to show, based on how very popular DM is, that all that hard content is not necessary for good storytelling.
I am thankful that Macomber has chosen to continue writing. I had a feeling her retirement would be short-lived… ?

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Joan lost her husband before the pandemic, sold their dental business and utilized the solitary times of Covid to retreat from the world. A letter from her HOA on the state of her yard shakes her awake and before you know it, she has a new haircut, a boarder, a new landscape company and a puppy. A quick heartwarming read about friendship, life and love.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber is a story about grief, starting over, friendship, family, and romance. I always look forward to reading Debbie Macomber’s latest novel. They provide a great escape. The author has a casual writing style that draws the reader in and holds their attention. The characters are friendly, relatable, and realistic. I could certainly understand what Joan was going through. Grief is not something that will go away overnight. Shutting yourself away, though, is not good for you. I like how her family encouraged her to see a therapist and get a boarder. The letter from the HOA about the condition of her yard was actually a good thing. It helped Joan to get interested in gardening again. Must Love Flowers has a couple of intersecting storylines. We get to meet Maggie, a nursing student who is living with her alcoholic father. Her father has not been the same since Maggie’s mother passed. Nick, one of Joan’s sons, worries about his mother. He is not in favor of her taking a boarder. Maggie’s other son is so focused on work, he is missing out on a special woman. Phil, Joan’s landscaper, happens to be in Joan’s grief support group. He knows what Johan is going through. Phil is there to lend a listening ear when Joan needs one and to offer a helping hand. The author captured what it is like to suffer a loss and the long healing process. Must Love Flowers hit all the right notes. I started reading Must Love Flowers and kept going until I turned the last page. Must Love Flowers is more than a romance. We get to see people going outside their comfort zone. They are making changes to their lives and meeting new friends while dealing with their grief. An epilogue nicely wrapped up the character’s storylines. Must Love Flowers is a touching tale with a messy yard, a concerned sister, a nursing student, a workaholic son, a helpful therapist, and a hopeful future.

[mrsmommybooknerd7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Must Love Flowers" by Debbie Macomber is a heartwarming and delightful romance novel that tugs at the heartstrings. As with many of Debbie Macomber's works, the story is infused with warmth, charm, and a genuine portrayal of human emotions.

The novel centers around relatable and lovable characters who are navigating life's ups and downs while searching for love and meaning. The author's writing style is engaging and draws readers into the small-town setting, making it feel like a familiar and comforting place.

The blossoming romance between the main characters is sweet and endearing, and their journey towards finding love is both heartwarming and filled with tender moments. Debbie Macomber's portrayal of love and relationships is authentic, highlighting the importance of communication, trust, and understanding in any partnership.

While "Must Love Flowers" is a love story at its core, it also explores themes of family, friendship, and personal growth, adding depth to the narrative. The book's optimistic and uplifting tone leaves readers with a smile on their faces and a sense of hope for love's possibilities.

Debbie Macomber's talent for crafting relatable characters and engaging storylines shines brightly in "Must Love Flowers." This novel is a delightful escape, perfect for anyone in need of a heartwarming and feel-good read. Whether you're a longtime fan of the author or new to her work, "Must Love Flowers" is sure to captivate your heart and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling. I highly recommend it to romance enthusiasts and anyone seeking a charming and uplifting story.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sweet book about a woman, Joan, who lost her husband 4 years earlier. Her sons are worried about her, as she has let herself and her home go in the 4 years. When her HOA tells her to clean up her property, it spurs her into action. She contacts a landscaper to help with the yard, saying that they must love flowers. She also takes in a boarder, Maggie, a nursing student and barista, against her son's, Nick's, wishes. However, as her son and the boarder get to know each other, they become more than friends. All of this helps Joan to recover from her grief and to welcome love again.
Heartwarming and sweet book.

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Who doesn’t love a book by Debbie Macomber? Always upbeat, some rain but always a rainbow. Characters are well defined and relatable. Loved their journey and growth. Story line is well written.

Joan is an deep in grief and doesn’t know how to get out. She makes some hard decisions, works her way out of the depression and in the process becomes a whole new person. Maggie is a young woman dealing with issues of her own. Can she make the tough choices to make a better life for herself? Fate puts these two together for a reason. Rainbows for sure. Just a feel good story of two strong women.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Readers can always depend on Debbie Macomber to give them a great story with well-written characters along with a happily ever after ending. This one delivered on all fronts but I found it was rather difficult to read about the main character who was dealing with grief. I am going through that now and even though parts of her journey were very sad, her grief was understandable and well written.

Joan has been a widow for four years and she continues to hide from life and live in her memories. She has two sons who are grown up and live on their own and know that she needs help re-joining the world but aren't sure how to help. Her sister continues to encourage her and she finally listens when her sister advises her to rent out a room in her large home because she thinks it will help lessen her loneliness. In fact, she suddenly decides to listen to her sister on several issues - she goes to the salon to get her first haircut in a long time, she joins a grief support group and (because of a nasty letter from her HOA), she decides to hire someone to take care of her yard. With all of these changes going on her life, she begins to feel less lonely and more like the woman she used to be.

Maggie is a nursing student who works as a barista in her free time. Her mother has died and her father is an alcoholic who needs to be taken care of. Every penny she makes goes towards paying household bills. She knows that she needs to get out on her own and is thrilled to be accepted to live in Maggie's house. As the two women get to know each other, they both began to feel less lonely and alone. As they begin to feel better about life, romances for both of them cause even more changes.

Maggie and Joan both find themselves making life choices and leaning on each other for support. What they finally realize is that family is not just blood relatives but can be made up of the people we love and want to help take care of.
Debbie Macomber has given her readers much more than a romance novel - she's given us a book about making changes and challenging life. No matter what age you are or whatever circumstances you're in, you can learn to create a happier life.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book that felt like a warm fuzzy blanket, I've been missing my Debbie Macomber reads, and this one felt like a great hug!
This is a story of love and loss, of death and rebirth, and all the while caring for others. We have widows and widowers, and those who have lost those dear to them. Moving on? Hard to do, but this story gives hope for those who need to put that foot out the door.
Loved how one step led to to so many more. Once they opened their hearts so many blessings came, and through the pen of this amazing writer.
You will be chuckling at how Edison arrives and worms his way into so many hearts! Also you will be giggling at banter that goes on here!
Now I'm waiting for another book!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Ballantine Books, and was not required to give a positive review.