A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor - 4 stars

[Ellen]

In the late 1800's, Florrie and Rosie Flynn are two of the hundreds of orphaned flower sellers that roam the streets of London trying to survive by any means necessary. One morning, 4-year-old Rosie disappears from her sister's side and Florrie would spend the rest of her life looking for her beloved Rosie. In 1912, Tilly Harper, just 21-years-old, has arrived in London to begin work as a house mother at the Home of Watercress and Flower Girls. The Home is the creation of wealthy benefactor Mr. Shaw who saw the need to help the city's orphaned flower sellers. Here the girls are housed, fed and taught to make artificial flowers that have been well-received by London society. As Tilly settles into her new room at 'Violet House' she finds a wooden box in the wardrobe that contains several trinkets: a cloth doll with the name Rosie embroidered on it, dried flowers and a diary written by a woman named Flora Flynn. Tilly is mesmerized by Flora's story and is soon caught up in the mystery of Rosie's disappearance all those years ago. Although Flora had died several years before Tilly moved into the same bedroom, Tilly is determined to help 'Florry' find her little sister.

Although Tilly has a sister of her own, a younger sister who lives with their mother in the Lake District, the two have never been close and, in fact, Tilly resents the obvious preference their mother has always shown for the younger child. I think she sees in Florrie and Rosie the sisterly connection that she has missed out on, although it was of her own choosing. Her search for Rosie is intriguing and surprising and certainly makes for a good read.

[Ladyslott]

I plan on reading this and The Girl From the Savoy. I own them both, bought them as a Kindle deal a while ago.