At the very beginning of the book, we are introduced to Aster, a teenage boy who has had a terrible home life. The way his story is set up leaves little hope for his own happy ending. Seriously - he has the kind of childhood that ends up on a Law and Order SVU episode. He befriends a fellow classmate, Susan, and it is clear from early on that the focus of the book will be the relationship between these two characters.One may assume from the title that this is a girlie book, but it isn't. Most of the story is told from the male character's perspective. I love that the reader gets an explanation behind the title early on. It's such a clever one, too!I should note that a little ways into the novel, there is a quite lengthy discussion on Christianity. I can see where this could be a tad off-putting for some readers. I even found myself becoming a bit impatient during this section. Religion is a sensitive topic. Benefield tackles this topic tastefully, though. Once I read through the book completely and found out how the conversations about God between the two main characters plays into the ending, it all fit together. Stand down, everyone. It's ok. A little religion is alright.So if you grew up in a conservative Christian home like I did, the passages about prayer and salvation will feel familiar. If you didn't, don't turn away. There is SO much more in the book aside from the Christian overtones. Instead of simply being a story about a troubled boy and a naive girl trying to turn his life around, the issues run much deeper. Benefield tackles a very sensitive topic in Wildflowers - domestic abuse. Having had a family member of my own go through the pains of abuse, this topic is very close to my heart. I can't even imagine being abused by someone that you love, but I know how it feels to have to watch someone deal with the aftermath. It makes me sick.The end of the novel broke my heart. It's a Nicholas Sparks level of tragic. It makes me angry. It makes me sad. I wanted the story to end a different way. Benefield definitely did an adequate job of getting me as the reader attached to her characters.Even if you're not a young adult any longer, if you're looking for a read that won't break the bank, cash in on this week's deal and grab your copy of Wildflowers. If you do, let me know so that we can talk about it!