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Delivery
Livi finds new purpose in her troubled life when she joins her family’s small-town florist shop. There, the strong and wacky Wilson’s Florist gang monitors the pulse of Mount Helicon, where customers carry stories even the local newspaper does not contain. Tales of birth and death, sickness and sorrow, love and betrayal, and even forgiveness—Livi hears them all. Privy to some of the community’s deepest secrets, she sometimes wishes she didn't know so much, especially when news arrives that a dear family friend is dead. Faced with servicing his funeral, she is blasted with painful memories she’s struggled for decades to ignore. Soon, guilt and grief over childhood and adult tragedies close in. Instead of turning to loved ones or God for comfort, she leans on alcohol, her long-time clandestine companion—but secrets rarely escape the close-knit flower shop crew, who makes Livi’s business its own. Fumbling through life’s challenges together, the Wilson gang often delivers more than flowers, yet when Livi needs delivery, can the bonds of faith and friendship dissolve her defenses?
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2011
49 people are currently reading
790 people want to read
About the author
Diana Prusik
1 book5 followersDiana Prusik holds a bachelor's degree in English, graduating summa cum laude as an honors scholar in English, and a master's degree in secondary education. She served as a Parents as First Teachers parent educator and an English instructor on the middle school, high school, and community college levels. In 2005, she departed from her education career in order to create art, photography, and fiction. A happily married mother of four, she lives in her native Sullivan, Missouri, where she draws and paints in her in-home studio, searches for God's beauty with her camera lens, and writes with every opportunity the Lord grants her. She is a member of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and American Christian Fiction Writers. Her debut novel, Delivery, placed three times in the Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest: 2008 finalist, 2009 semifinalist, and 2010 finalist. Diana's first place of employment, a small-town floristry rich with story ideas, inspired Delivery. She is blessed to still work there part-time as a floral designer, a position she has held since 1981.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 30, 2025
I read this book when it first came out years ago, and I revisited it this week. After keeping the characters straight, I found myself sucked into the storyline once again. There is so much beauty within the pages of this novel.
August 5, 2011
I'm not much of a reviewer. You can probably tell that by the number of reviews I've posted, but when a book touches me, I have no problem letting people know it.
Delivery by Diana Prusik is one of those books.
You will cry unless you have a heart of stone.
You will hurt if you've ever loved and lost.
You will laugh over passages that evoke memories.
And you will feel hope when you close this book.
Delivery by Diana Prusik is one of those books.
You will cry unless you have a heart of stone.
You will hurt if you've ever loved and lost.
You will laugh over passages that evoke memories.
And you will feel hope when you close this book.
November 17, 2021
This is a read that really highlights life, the good and bad, and the daily struggles.
When the last page was turned, I still had some questions with no answers. We deal with some tough subjects here, along with untimely death, alcoholism, and Alzheimers, SIDs, along with a wonderfully caring community.
Many here live their faith, and share their love. You will enjoy the banter that goes on between this group, especially at the flower shop! Never knew how really busy they become on those big flower holidays!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale, and was not required to give a positive review.
When the last page was turned, I still had some questions with no answers. We deal with some tough subjects here, along with untimely death, alcoholism, and Alzheimers, SIDs, along with a wonderfully caring community.
Many here live their faith, and share their love. You will enjoy the banter that goes on between this group, especially at the flower shop! Never knew how really busy they become on those big flower holidays!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale, and was not required to give a positive review.
did-not-finish
June 16, 2024DNF at 5%.
The writing was shallow, and the tone was inconsistent. The main character was supposed to be so sad the she felt annoyance that someone had their baby on the same day as the deceased character's visitation and she wanted to get drunk to forget her feelings, but then there a weird scene where she and her sister use gum to remove flower petals that fell into his casket and it gets stuck in his ear hair.
The writing was shallow, and the tone was inconsistent. The main character was supposed to be so sad the she felt annoyance that someone had their baby on the same day as the deceased character's visitation and she wanted to get drunk to forget her feelings, but then there a weird scene where she and her sister use gum to remove flower petals that fell into his casket and it gets stuck in his ear hair.
December 4, 2016
Not my cup of tea - it jumped around a lot and the main character was so whiny I just wanted to shake her. All the tragedies in her life were terrible . . . but she made them all about HER. This went on and on and on, and then the ending was sudden and a bit too tidy for my taste.
December 11, 2022
I wanted to like this book. It’s not the worst book I’ve read, but it took me a long while to get through this one. I found most of the characters kind of one dimensional and boring and there were too many loose ends and incomplete story lines.
March 6, 2019
Delivery
This was a good book how ever I do wish the author had done more to make it more interesting.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
This was a good book how ever I do wish the author had done more to make it more interesting.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
January 29, 2020
I felt like this story was all over the place. I don't think I ever knew what the book was supposed to be about. This one was kind of a dissappointment.
dnf
June 1, 2024DNF’d at 12%. I couldn’t bring myself to read any further. The unlikable MC. The drinking. The all about me attitude. I was bored. No. Just no.
September 7, 2024
A florist is bitter until she accepts Jesus. It's trite, hackneyed, and cliched. Don't like the protagonist or anyone in the town. Oh, well.
December 8, 2011
When Olivia Wilson Jarvis agreed to help her daddy start Wilson's Florist, she knew she'd sometimes face servicing the funerals of loved ones. But why now?
Miss Ellie nodded. "After forty years, I've learned a few things about this job. Flower shop folks know what a dead man wears on his feet beneath the coffin lid, but we rarely get to file past the casket to say our final good-byes. We watch life pass through this town from the inside and outside all at once, closer than anyone and not as close as others at all." Her gaze meet Livi's. "It isn't always easy." She should know.
Delivery by Diana Prusik, is a delightful and at times serious novel about the staff that work and interact with those at Wilson's Florist in Mount Helicon. The book opens with the death of a beloved resident of the town, Robert "Bink" Carter as the florists are busy with all the floral arrangements that almost every single resident in town has ordered. While they are working and having conversations, the story flashes back to their individual pasts so the reader gets an inside look at why they are the people they are today. Why Livi pauses during hectic times to have a bottle of beer or two, why Miss Ellie is busy searching for husband number five and even why Livi and her sister Gretta remains at odds with one another.
Tales of birth and death, sickness and sorrow, love and betrayal, and even forgiveness. And yet, privy to some of the community's deepest secrets, Livi sometimes wishes she didn't know so much--and that is just what the reader will discover through the pages of this delightful story.
I received this eBook compliments of Tyndale House Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review. If you look for books with very different characters who's lives overlap one another, then this is the book for you! I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars simply due to the fact that all the stories can get a bit confusing. At one point, I had to grab a notebook to jot down how they were all related and that was during 1/3 of the way into the book for me.
Miss Ellie nodded. "After forty years, I've learned a few things about this job. Flower shop folks know what a dead man wears on his feet beneath the coffin lid, but we rarely get to file past the casket to say our final good-byes. We watch life pass through this town from the inside and outside all at once, closer than anyone and not as close as others at all." Her gaze meet Livi's. "It isn't always easy." She should know.
Delivery by Diana Prusik, is a delightful and at times serious novel about the staff that work and interact with those at Wilson's Florist in Mount Helicon. The book opens with the death of a beloved resident of the town, Robert "Bink" Carter as the florists are busy with all the floral arrangements that almost every single resident in town has ordered. While they are working and having conversations, the story flashes back to their individual pasts so the reader gets an inside look at why they are the people they are today. Why Livi pauses during hectic times to have a bottle of beer or two, why Miss Ellie is busy searching for husband number five and even why Livi and her sister Gretta remains at odds with one another.
Tales of birth and death, sickness and sorrow, love and betrayal, and even forgiveness. And yet, privy to some of the community's deepest secrets, Livi sometimes wishes she didn't know so much--and that is just what the reader will discover through the pages of this delightful story.
I received this eBook compliments of Tyndale House Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review. If you look for books with very different characters who's lives overlap one another, then this is the book for you! I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars simply due to the fact that all the stories can get a bit confusing. At one point, I had to grab a notebook to jot down how they were all related and that was during 1/3 of the way into the book for me.
December 26, 2012
I loved this book. Diana Prusik's debut novel Delivery touched on tough subjects many people hide under the carpet, yet she doesn't let it overpower the storyline. Humor and love are intertwined keeping a realistic tone.
It begins in a local, small town flowers shop. A dear friend of the family has passed and Livi Wilson's past demons start to rear their head; Instead of reaching out to God or loved ones for help, she retreats into a bottle suppressing her anger, hurt and denial.
Working in her family's small floral shop, Livy and her tight-knit group of co-workers (dubbed the "Wilson Gang") are privy to the goings-on in the small town - whether they want to be or not. As trials start to mount, Livy reinforces her protective wall yet numbs the pain and guilt she feels with alcohol.
Prusik does a wonderful job of portraying the progression of time without the need to divulge every minute detail along the way. She also does a wonderful job of endearing the characters to your heart. When Ida is diagnosed with an illness, it hit home on a scale I didn't even imagine and I cried. I knew what Livi and her family were about to face, and I wanted to protect them from it.
My favorite character, hands down, is Mom Robinson. Based on a real person*, Prusik is able to lovingly portray Mom's unconditional love to her town and her willingness to be a vessel for God. [*listen to my interview with Diana on [...]]
Prusik does an excellent job pulling you into the lives of this small town and reminding us it is God who sustains us, through the peaks and valleys of our lives.
I highly recommend this book with one caution: you will need a box of Kleenex.
It begins in a local, small town flowers shop. A dear friend of the family has passed and Livi Wilson's past demons start to rear their head; Instead of reaching out to God or loved ones for help, she retreats into a bottle suppressing her anger, hurt and denial.
Working in her family's small floral shop, Livy and her tight-knit group of co-workers (dubbed the "Wilson Gang") are privy to the goings-on in the small town - whether they want to be or not. As trials start to mount, Livy reinforces her protective wall yet numbs the pain and guilt she feels with alcohol.
Prusik does a wonderful job of portraying the progression of time without the need to divulge every minute detail along the way. She also does a wonderful job of endearing the characters to your heart. When Ida is diagnosed with an illness, it hit home on a scale I didn't even imagine and I cried. I knew what Livi and her family were about to face, and I wanted to protect them from it.
My favorite character, hands down, is Mom Robinson. Based on a real person*, Prusik is able to lovingly portray Mom's unconditional love to her town and her willingness to be a vessel for God. [*listen to my interview with Diana on [...]]
Prusik does an excellent job pulling you into the lives of this small town and reminding us it is God who sustains us, through the peaks and valleys of our lives.
I highly recommend this book with one caution: you will need a box of Kleenex.
August 23, 2011
Delivery was one of the better books I’ve read this year, presenting the perfect balance of light-hearted humor and intensity. The characters were unique enough to prevent predictability, without hindering my attachment to them or ability to empathize with them. Initially, I was drawn to Livi, a confused and hurting young woman struggling to make sense of her world and the loss of her brother. However, by the end of the novel, I’d fallen in love with Jake, a man who embodied true, forever-love.
After the loss of her brother, Livi slips into a world of alcoholism, distrust, and bitterness. For much of the novel, she runs from God and withdraws from the love of her co-workers. Yet, no matter how hard Livi tries to free herself from their love, they remain constant and by her side. The close-knit atmosphere Diana created in the flower shop most of the story is centered in evoked a warm feeling of nostalgia within me and reminded me of the effectiveness of committed friendship.
I also enjoyed the frequent change of tones throughout the novel. Just when I thought my heart would break, Diana Prusik plunged me into a lighter scene that managed to produce a few authentic laugh-out-loud moments. Then, when I least expected it—Bam!—the intensity changed, and I found myself fighting tears once again.
This novel was one that will stay with me on many levels, reminding me to cherish the relationships I have, refusing to let them go without a fight.
After the loss of her brother, Livi slips into a world of alcoholism, distrust, and bitterness. For much of the novel, she runs from God and withdraws from the love of her co-workers. Yet, no matter how hard Livi tries to free herself from their love, they remain constant and by her side. The close-knit atmosphere Diana created in the flower shop most of the story is centered in evoked a warm feeling of nostalgia within me and reminded me of the effectiveness of committed friendship.
I also enjoyed the frequent change of tones throughout the novel. Just when I thought my heart would break, Diana Prusik plunged me into a lighter scene that managed to produce a few authentic laugh-out-loud moments. Then, when I least expected it—Bam!—the intensity changed, and I found myself fighting tears once again.
This novel was one that will stay with me on many levels, reminding me to cherish the relationships I have, refusing to let them go without a fight.
July 30, 2011
Delivery by Diana Prusik published June 2011 by Tyndale House Publishers is thirty-five chapters of inspiration that tug your heartstrings. At times, you'll hold your breath, laugh, or cry. It'll evoke emotions with character depth and vivid description, I can just picture the heart-warming characters who come to life on the page right down from one woman's Dr. Scholl's shoes to the beautiful ending and special meaning of red carnations.
From the hub of a small-town flower shop, Livi watches the world go by as she attempts to drown life's problems with alcohol. She's lost too many loved ones too young in life to death, but even the alcohol can't offer enough comfort. It only numbs for a short time. Faith and friends prove to deliver more than the bottle, as she learns to cope and appreciate the time she has left with her mother.
I loved this novel and found the author quite adept at rounding out her characters and providing her readers with a few laughs along with the heartache and pain. It's a novel worth reading, and you don't want to miss it. I didn't want to put it down until I finished, yet I wanted to savor it. Though I read most of it quickly, I slowed down to savor those last chapters because I hated to see it come to an end. Grab a copy from those virtual bookshelves and start your reading adventure.
From the hub of a small-town flower shop, Livi watches the world go by as she attempts to drown life's problems with alcohol. She's lost too many loved ones too young in life to death, but even the alcohol can't offer enough comfort. It only numbs for a short time. Faith and friends prove to deliver more than the bottle, as she learns to cope and appreciate the time she has left with her mother.
I loved this novel and found the author quite adept at rounding out her characters and providing her readers with a few laughs along with the heartache and pain. It's a novel worth reading, and you don't want to miss it. I didn't want to put it down until I finished, yet I wanted to savor it. Though I read most of it quickly, I slowed down to savor those last chapters because I hated to see it come to an end. Grab a copy from those virtual bookshelves and start your reading adventure.
July 12, 2011
Debut novel,Delivery is a story about a family that owns a florist shop in a small Missouri town and their friends. When one of those friends dies unexpectedly, it rips the scab off an old wound that has festered with guilt and resentment, for oldest daughter Livi and she finds comfort (and has for years) in the bottle.
The sibliing rivalry between Livi and her sister Greta is amusing, fun, and downright hilarious at times. Each unique character weaved their way into my heart with every page.
While some of the scenes and antics were humorous, the subject of the book was deep. Delivery covered a wide array of sorrowful topics, showing God's grace in the worst of circumstances and why we should trust Him when everything falls apart.
The blend of smiles and tears made Delivery a wonderful and satisfying read. This book was compliments of Tyndale Publishers through Netgalley, for review. All opinions are mine alone!
The sibliing rivalry between Livi and her sister Greta is amusing, fun, and downright hilarious at times. Each unique character weaved their way into my heart with every page.
While some of the scenes and antics were humorous, the subject of the book was deep. Delivery covered a wide array of sorrowful topics, showing God's grace in the worst of circumstances and why we should trust Him when everything falls apart.
The blend of smiles and tears made Delivery a wonderful and satisfying read. This book was compliments of Tyndale Publishers through Netgalley, for review. All opinions are mine alone!
February 10, 2012
A great book it was slow at first but still interesting and then about half way through and it was really good. A book I'm glad I read.
Working in a family owned florist Livi experiences the pain of deal of friends and loved ones. Her biggest loss is watching her mother's mind deteriorate from Alzheimer. Instead of turning to others or God Livi gives up hope and turns to alcohol to numb the pain. After escaping an accident that could have killed innocent children Livi breaks down and some of her co-workers confront her about her drinking. Livi doesn't feel that she can be forgiven. God uses the letters of her deceased brother and the wisdom of a family friend to bring Livi around.
Read this great story of love, faith and forgiveness.
Working in a family owned florist Livi experiences the pain of deal of friends and loved ones. Her biggest loss is watching her mother's mind deteriorate from Alzheimer. Instead of turning to others or God Livi gives up hope and turns to alcohol to numb the pain. After escaping an accident that could have killed innocent children Livi breaks down and some of her co-workers confront her about her drinking. Livi doesn't feel that she can be forgiven. God uses the letters of her deceased brother and the wisdom of a family friend to bring Livi around.
Read this great story of love, faith and forgiveness.
August 20, 2011
This book was a good read - I liked the small town scenery and the characters were well developed. Something feels a bit off, though, and I can't quite figure out what it is. Maybe it's that the narrator switches from various characters, or that the story flashes back and forth between present-day (well, 1988-ish) and the 60s/70s.
Or maybe it's the religious themes toward the end of the book. The other mentions of religion (and Livi's skepticism towards it) didn't bother me at all, but something about the last few chapters seemed off - that's when I realized "oh, this is Christian fiction!"
Or maybe it's the religious themes toward the end of the book. The other mentions of religion (and Livi's skepticism towards it) didn't bother me at all, but something about the last few chapters seemed off - that's when I realized "oh, this is Christian fiction!"
July 16, 2014
Delivery is a very engaging book. I loved all the flower details having to do with the shop and the wonderful characters in the town. It makes you feel like you could step right in and smell the roses. The story deals with deep topics. Kind of heavy, almost like a biography. I could relate to a lot of the issues from the Vietnam War. The pain of loss and grief can certainly last a long time. But I'm so happy to know Jesus can bring joy to our hearts even in the midst of suffering; I'm thankful the author touched on that in the end.
October 23, 2011
What an enjoyable book! It realistically deals with a woman questioning God and her faith. She lived her life on a journey that all Christians take. While each individual journey is different, it's one we all understand. Livi is challenged at a young age by events that make it hard for her to believe that a loving, ever forgiving God exists. It takes decades for her to finally come to realize what she believes and how she wants to live out her life.
November 18, 2011
I thought this book was a little stupid at first. Some chick who can't face her past and is an alcoholic and the people she works with don't see it. Also, her family is either in denial or can't face the death of their son, the main character's brother. Then, I kept reading it. Her co-workers (and some friends) call her out on her behavior. I actually really enjoyed the book and how it turns out in the epilogue. I will not ruin it, for those of you who have not yet read it.
April 28, 2015
Hard to believe this was a debut novel by Diana Prusik. It was very well written and held my interest to the end. The only problem I had with the story was that Ms Prusik used what I call flashbacks, separated by chapters. So one chapter would be present time and the next chapter would be a previous time in Livi's memory. All in all, the story itself was very good for those who enjoy reading Christian fiction.
August 3, 2011
I am reading this book by a friend. It's her first published book and I am so excited for her. She lives in the same town I live in, and altthough I haven't finished the book, I can see that Mount Helicon where the story is set, is modeled after our town. It's about a small town florist shop and the women who work there and their familial ties and friendship with each other.
lend-me
July 26, 2011Available to lend through B&N "Lend Me" - see link below for info and reviews. Leave a comment if you are interested in borrowing.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Deli...
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Deli...
August 12, 2011
It was a hard book to keep reading. The last 1/3rd of the book was the best. I almost put it down and didn't finish several times. It had lots of flashbacks and covered lots of characters for a small book.
July 29, 2011
Glad it was free. ;)
July 31, 2011
Cute book with a good message.
July 31, 2011
Didn't realize it was a Christian novel until I was halfway through. It was decent I suppose, but mainly, it was free.
August 28, 2011
Liked how not everything worked out "perfectly" just like real life but how as a family and friends you live through those moments in life. Nicely written and entertaining.
August 19, 2011
Of the free books I've downloaded, this is one of the better ones. It's still Christian fiction, but doesn't beat you over the head with morals and scripture. Also more realistic and authentic.
August 17, 2011
Easy read but too preachy for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews