Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.

From the cover and title, I was expecting some froufrou, willowy, Jane Austin chick fest. Surprising then to find - in the first few pages - some raw, gritty imagery set in modern day San Francisco.  An 18 year old orphan is being turned out of onto the street, having been unsuccessfully placed in several unsavory foster homes during her life.  Callous, spiteful, and mean, she begins her life on the outside with nothing but several layers of clothing, a chip on her shoulder, and a prodigious knowledge of flowers and their Victorian meanings. An amazing story unfolds of her life on the street - confronting her tortured past while forging an uncertain future. An unexpected page turner.