Characters This Summer Will Be Different Carley Fortune

Farah: The Practical Heart of In Bloom in This Summer Will Be Different

Overview

Farah is Lucy Ashby’s business partner at the Toronto flower shop In Bloom. She appears primarily as a offscreen voice early in the novel, then steps into a more confrontational role in the final third. Farah functions as a professional conscience: she notices when Lucy overworks herself, calls out her avoidance, and eventually demands the responsibility she deserves. Though she has no romantic subplot or extended backstory, Farah’s presence drives Lucy toward the self-awareness required to balance love, friendship, and ambition. She is the character who most directly forces Lucy to stop running from her problems—both at work and in her personal life.

Plot Role

Farah first appears in Chapter 1 when a customer arrives minutes before closing. She helps the man choose a bouquet, and Lucy observes that Farah speaks with “a tone that manages to sound both resigned and wise.” Later that evening, as Lucy frets about Bridget’s lateness, Farah offers practical concern: “Maybe if you took a day off . . .” When Lucy dismisses the idea, Farah growls and warns her not to stay out late because “You’re trash when you don’t get enough rest.”

During the wedding week, Farah handles the flower auction by phone after Lucy delegates the task from Prince Edward Island. In Chapter 9, Lucy calls Farah from Summer Wind; Farah tells her to stop worrying and says the part-timers are “thrilled to pick up extra shifts.” She also teases Lucy for not having a real date for the wedding, implying Lucy’s work obsession has starved her social life.

The most significant plot intervention occurs in Chapter 37, after Lucy returns from PEI following Bridget’s departure. Farah confronts Lucy about working constantly and never taking time off. She reveals she feels untrusted and wants more responsibility. Lucy initially deflects but eventually admits she has been micromanaging. The chapter ends with both women acknowledging they need room to grow—a turning point that allows Lucy to later delegate In Bloom management and pursue her flower farm dream. By the epilogue, Farah is running the shop while Lucy commutes monthly from Prince Edward Island.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Farah is motivated by a genuine desire to see Lucy succeed without burning out. She is direct, sometimes blunt, but her criticism always aims at Lucy’s well-being. When Lucy calls from PEI, Farah tells her to “leave her the eff alone”—not out of irritation, but because she believes Lucy needs a real vacation. She notices when Lucy looks “like an anal gland” and immediately asks if she’s okay.

Her actions also reveal a hunger for growth. She wants more responsibility and feels hurt when Lucy doesn’t trust her with key tasks. In Chapter 37, Farah explicitly states she wants to be trusted, and Lucy’s eventual delegation becomes a sign of respect. Farah’s neon green nails, her “spiked shell,” and her caramel center are all noted by Lucy, indicating that Farah’s toughness masks loyalty.

Farah is also observant and business-savvy. She counts arrangements, manages customers with a resigned wisdom, and runs the shop smoothly in Lucy’s absence. She claims to be “good at bossing people around” and argues that Lucy should take more vacations. Her competence makes Lucy’s hesitation to delegate all the more revealing of Lucy’s own insecurities.

Chronological Arc

Farah’s arc is minimal but effective. She begins as a background figure in Chapter 1—the reliable partner who keeps the shop running while Lucy obsesses over Bridget’s wedding flowers. Mid-novel, she is primarily a voice on the phone, offering pushback and encouragement from Toronto. During the wedding itself, she attends as Lucy’s date but willingly swaps seats so Felix can sit beside Lucy—a small sacrifice that shows her support for Lucy’s happiness.

After the wedding, as Lucy spirals into overwork and loneliness following Bridget’s move, Farah steps into a more assertive role. In Chapter 37, she forces a conversation about trust and responsibility. This is the climax of her character: she demands to be seen as an equal, not just an employee. Lucy’s acceptance marks the beginning of her healing. In the epilogue, Farah is fully in charge of In Bloom, and Lucy’s ability to commute monthly depends on Farah’s capable management.

Relationships

Lucy Ashby

Farah’s relationship with Lucy is primarily professional but warm. Lucy considers her a friend, though she admits she “love[s] her.” Their dynamic is asymmetrical: Farah gives tough love while Lucy receives it, sometimes grudgingly. Lucy notes that Farah “claims weddings are gross” but still comes as her date. When Lucy finally tells Farah the full story of her summers with Felix, it marks a major step in Lucy’s honesty—Farah becomes the first person besides Bridget to know the truth.

Bridget and Others

Farah has no direct interaction with Bridget or Felix in the narrative. However, she is aware of Bridget through Lucy’s stories. In Chapter 35, after Lucy cries and tells Farah everything, Farah listens without judgment. Her role is that of an outside observer who cares enough to call Lucy out.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Farah makes two critical decisions that affect the plot:

  1. Pressing Lucy to delegate during the wedding week. When Lucy calls from PEI, Farah refuses to let her micromanage from afar. She insists the part-timers can handle extra shifts and that Lucy should take a real break. This allows Lucy to stay on the island and resolve her relationship with Felix without work distraction.

  2. Confronting Lucy about trust and responsibility in Chapter 37. This decision directly leads to Lucy’s shift from controlling owner to trusting partner. The consequence is that Lucy can eventually leave Toronto for the island, knowing In Bloom is in capable hands. Without Farah’s intervention, Lucy might have continued to avoid her burnout and never built the life she wanted.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Farah is closely tied to the theme of secrets and honesty. She is the recipient of Lucy’s full confession about Felix—one of the few times Lucy is completely transparent. She also embodies the theme of self-discovery and growth, as her demand for responsibility forces Lucy to examine her own fears and limits. Farah’s arc also touches on belonging and home: she represents the professional home Lucy built in Toronto, which Lucy must learn to trust enough to leave. Finally, Farah highlights the friendship vs romance theme by showing that supportive platonic relationships are just as crucial as romantic ones for personal fulfillment.

Symbolically, Farah is associated with In Bloom itself—the shop that Lucy pours her identity into. Farah’s gradual takeover of responsibility mirrors Lucy’s willingness to let the shop exist without her constant presence, allowing Lucy to bloom elsewhere.

Five Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does Farah criticize Lucy for working too much?

Farah sees Lucy burning out and neglecting her personal life. She believes that Lucy’s refusal to take time off is unsustainable and that delegating would make both the business and Lucy healthier. The criticism comes from genuine care, not frustration.

2. What does Farah reveal about trust in Chapter 37?

Farah admits she feels untrusted because Lucy never gives her major responsibilities. This forces Lucy to recognize her own micromanaging tendencies and agree to share control—a pivotal step in Lucy’s growth.

3. How does Farah help Lucy during the wedding week?

She manages the flower auction by phone, insists Lucy stay on PEI, and attends the wedding as Lucy’s date. She also willingly swaps seats with Felix, enabling Lucy to sit beside him during the reception.

4. Why does Lucy finally tell Farah about Felix?

After Felix leaves for a breather, Lucy is devastated and feels the weight of keeping secrets. Farah notices her distress and invites her to talk. Lucy decides she is “through with secrets” and tells the entire story, making Farah the first person besides Bridget to know.

5. What is Farah’s role in the epilogue?

Farah manages In Bloom full-time while Lucy lives on Prince Edward Island. Lucy commutes to Toronto monthly, trusting Farah to run the shop. This arrangement is only possible because Farah earned that trust in Chapter 37, and it demonstrates how Lucy has learned to delegate and prioritize her own happiness.