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Sweetness and Light #1
Bed of Flowers
Bonny Reed is beautiful, inside and out.
A loyal friend and loving daughter, she's newly engaged to her small town's most eligible bachelor. She's happy for herself--but mostly for her family, who need the security her marriage will bring.
An old enemy shatters her illusions.
First Baron Loel cost Bonny's family her fortune. Now he's insisting that her fiancé has hidden flaws, secrets so dark that--if she believed him--she'd have to call off the wedding.
How will she choose?
When the truth comes out, Bonny will have to choose between doing what's right and what's easy. Between her family and her best friend. And hardest of all--between her honor and the love of a man who everyone wants her to hate.
A loyal friend and loving daughter, she's newly engaged to her small town's most eligible bachelor. She's happy for herself--but mostly for her family, who need the security her marriage will bring.
An old enemy shatters her illusions.
First Baron Loel cost Bonny's family her fortune. Now he's insisting that her fiancé has hidden flaws, secrets so dark that--if she believed him--she'd have to call off the wedding.
How will she choose?
When the truth comes out, Bonny will have to choose between doing what's right and what's easy. Between her family and her best friend. And hardest of all--between her honor and the love of a man who everyone wants her to hate.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 19, 2019
68 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
June 18, 2018
This is just a fantastic book. I loved every second of it. I honestly did not want to put my kindle down once.
Bonny Reed grew up wealthy, as her father owned many warehouses down by the dock in their town of New Quay, just south of Liverpool. But when a fire breaks out, it destroys the Reed's future. Their name is still in good standing, and they keep their fancy house, but there isn't much left inside of it. This book starts eight years after this fire. Bonny, the eldest daughter, needs to marry well, to get her family back on track. She is a beauty, and attracts the attention of a handsome and wealthy man in town, named Gavin. He eventually proposes, and Bonny is thrilled to be able to make this match, and provide for her family and give her younger sister a chance at a season.
Our hero is Baron Orson Loel. Eight years ago, Loel, a wealthy young lad, tripped with his lantern, and accidentally started the fire that destroyed the docks and Bonny's wealth. Loel felt horrible, and tried to make amends. He went to the Reed household to apologize, and when Bonny opened the door, she said horrible things to him. Blaming him for all the terrible things that her family suffered. He left London, and Bonny never told her parents that he attempted to apologize, cementing their hatred of him.
Loel found himself at sea, traveling the world, and started to collect rare orchid species, which eventually becomes his passion. During this time on the boat, something horrible happens, which causes his family to disown him. He comes back, his parents dead, and he is written out of the will. He can live in their grand estate, but can't sell or trade a single item in the house. No investment money is his. Over the years, the house starts to fall apart, and Loel earns a living selling orchids at auction, as a sailing buddy still travels the world and brings him back different species. Loel literally lives in his greenhouse, tending finicky orchids 24 hours a day. He is hated by the town for setting the fire, and is a recluse.
Bonny has a best friend named Cordelia and their friendship in this book is outstanding. While Bonny is a beauty, and eager, and a little naive, Cordelia is contemplative and deliberate - a thinker who has a slow burning passion against those that wrong others. I LOVE her. They start a little circulating library in town to encourage women to read. They fill their basket with books, and knock on doors, allowing women to take a book for a few weeks, and then return it for a new one. They don't have the money to buy new books, so Bonny tentatively, and secretly, walks down the long path to Loel's broken estate, knowing he once had an extensive library, in hope for a book donation.
But Loel hates Bonny for reasons!! (like the fact she said horrible things, making him leave on a boat where more horrible things happened). He is gruff, and cruel and cold to her. It made my heart pitter-patter knowing he was the hero. He tells her that her fiance is a horrible man, which causes Bonny to start to wonder if he really is. And while there is cold, hard feelings between them, he also has moments where his hero status shines through. When she is roughly manhandled by her fiance, Loel shows her what it should be like between lovers:
He shifted his grip, so that her hand lay cradled in his larger one, both palms up. Then, with his free hand, he began to unbutton her glove, folding the soft leather over itself, a move that served two purposes: It bared her wrist and bound her fingers.
Instead of lifting her hand to his mouth, he bent to kiss the bared sliver of flesh at her wrist, inhaling the scent of her skin like the finest perfume.
Then he looked up to meet her eyes, because she needed to see the truth he’d wanted to hide—even from himself. Especially from himself. He burned with desire when he saw her. He burned with desire when she came close. Everything about her made him burn. And still he touched his lips to her wrist as lightly as a down feather falling onto a rose petal.
Eventually things happen between them (I can't give away all the good stuff!!!) and they are forced into close proximity and they start to fall in love. It's so swoony and romantic! It's not the easiest journey, I will say that. People can be truly cruel. Cruel to Loel, cruel to Bonny. This book is not all rainbows and sunshine. And when you think there is going to be a turn, and Bonny and Loel are on a true path to love, more things happen. But it's all wonderfully written and totally engaging. So much happens - and you will just have to read to find out about it.
Things that really stood out:
Bonny is a fantastic heroine. She has faults, as Cordelia says, she is "a lamb with a lion's heart." She isn't afraid to speak the truth. She isn't afraid to make waves and fight for what she thinks is right. She refused to be wed to a man who shirks all responsibility and didn't treat women well. She admits to using her beauty to an advantage and she learns that using that beauty doesn't always get the best results. She never admits defeat and I will remember her fondly.
Cordelia, Bonny's best friend gets unwrapped layer by layer, and by the end you will be dying for her to get a HEA in life. Their friendship is fierce and unwavering:
“What do you see in her?” Loel asked. “She’s… difficult. Judgmental and—” Bonny interrupted.
“Not another word.”
Loel fell silent, eyebrows rising.
“She has more courage in her pinky finger than most people have in their whole bodies,” said Bonny. “She is fiercely intelligent, scrupulously honest, industrious, principled—”
Loel showed her his palms in surrender. “Point taken."
Loel isn't perfect. Before he really has a relationship with Bonny, he looks upon her beauty and her smile as though she is a goddess out of reach:
What if he could have her? What if he could be the man on his knees, thanking God every day until he couldn’t stand? Even as he chided himself for concocting such a fanciful image, a thread of fantasy spooled out: Bonny Reed in his bed, Bonny Reed with his baby…
He snipped it. If it hadn’t been for the fire, she would be wealthy and beyond his reach. And so she would remain, to him at least, because he would take no benefit from the harm he had caused.
But I also found it fascinating that once they were in a relationship, he realized she isn't perfect, and he lashes out a bit when her flaws come out. I wanted to shake him and make him realize he had put her on a pedestal and I wanted grand romantic gestures, rather than his ire at times. But it also made him real and made their relationship more cemented in honesty and love.
Erin Satie has a beautiful voice. She writes a terrific grumpy, cold, recluse hero who will win your heart. And she gives us a heroine who refuses to give up on him. Throw in a great female friendship and a lovely romance and I can't recommend this one enough.
Grade: A
Bonny Reed grew up wealthy, as her father owned many warehouses down by the dock in their town of New Quay, just south of Liverpool. But when a fire breaks out, it destroys the Reed's future. Their name is still in good standing, and they keep their fancy house, but there isn't much left inside of it. This book starts eight years after this fire. Bonny, the eldest daughter, needs to marry well, to get her family back on track. She is a beauty, and attracts the attention of a handsome and wealthy man in town, named Gavin. He eventually proposes, and Bonny is thrilled to be able to make this match, and provide for her family and give her younger sister a chance at a season.
Our hero is Baron Orson Loel. Eight years ago, Loel, a wealthy young lad, tripped with his lantern, and accidentally started the fire that destroyed the docks and Bonny's wealth. Loel felt horrible, and tried to make amends. He went to the Reed household to apologize, and when Bonny opened the door, she said horrible things to him. Blaming him for all the terrible things that her family suffered. He left London, and Bonny never told her parents that he attempted to apologize, cementing their hatred of him.
Loel found himself at sea, traveling the world, and started to collect rare orchid species, which eventually becomes his passion. During this time on the boat, something horrible happens, which causes his family to disown him. He comes back, his parents dead, and he is written out of the will. He can live in their grand estate, but can't sell or trade a single item in the house. No investment money is his. Over the years, the house starts to fall apart, and Loel earns a living selling orchids at auction, as a sailing buddy still travels the world and brings him back different species. Loel literally lives in his greenhouse, tending finicky orchids 24 hours a day. He is hated by the town for setting the fire, and is a recluse.
Bonny has a best friend named Cordelia and their friendship in this book is outstanding. While Bonny is a beauty, and eager, and a little naive, Cordelia is contemplative and deliberate - a thinker who has a slow burning passion against those that wrong others. I LOVE her. They start a little circulating library in town to encourage women to read. They fill their basket with books, and knock on doors, allowing women to take a book for a few weeks, and then return it for a new one. They don't have the money to buy new books, so Bonny tentatively, and secretly, walks down the long path to Loel's broken estate, knowing he once had an extensive library, in hope for a book donation.
But Loel hates Bonny for reasons!! (like the fact she said horrible things, making him leave on a boat where more horrible things happened). He is gruff, and cruel and cold to her. It made my heart pitter-patter knowing he was the hero. He tells her that her fiance is a horrible man, which causes Bonny to start to wonder if he really is. And while there is cold, hard feelings between them, he also has moments where his hero status shines through. When she is roughly manhandled by her fiance, Loel shows her what it should be like between lovers:
He shifted his grip, so that her hand lay cradled in his larger one, both palms up. Then, with his free hand, he began to unbutton her glove, folding the soft leather over itself, a move that served two purposes: It bared her wrist and bound her fingers.
Instead of lifting her hand to his mouth, he bent to kiss the bared sliver of flesh at her wrist, inhaling the scent of her skin like the finest perfume.
Then he looked up to meet her eyes, because she needed to see the truth he’d wanted to hide—even from himself. Especially from himself. He burned with desire when he saw her. He burned with desire when she came close. Everything about her made him burn. And still he touched his lips to her wrist as lightly as a down feather falling onto a rose petal.
Eventually things happen between them (I can't give away all the good stuff!!!) and they are forced into close proximity and they start to fall in love. It's so swoony and romantic! It's not the easiest journey, I will say that. People can be truly cruel. Cruel to Loel, cruel to Bonny. This book is not all rainbows and sunshine. And when you think there is going to be a turn, and Bonny and Loel are on a true path to love, more things happen. But it's all wonderfully written and totally engaging. So much happens - and you will just have to read to find out about it.
Things that really stood out:
Bonny is a fantastic heroine. She has faults, as Cordelia says, she is "a lamb with a lion's heart." She isn't afraid to speak the truth. She isn't afraid to make waves and fight for what she thinks is right. She refused to be wed to a man who shirks all responsibility and didn't treat women well. She admits to using her beauty to an advantage and she learns that using that beauty doesn't always get the best results. She never admits defeat and I will remember her fondly.
Cordelia, Bonny's best friend gets unwrapped layer by layer, and by the end you will be dying for her to get a HEA in life. Their friendship is fierce and unwavering:
“What do you see in her?” Loel asked. “She’s… difficult. Judgmental and—” Bonny interrupted.
“Not another word.”
Loel fell silent, eyebrows rising.
“She has more courage in her pinky finger than most people have in their whole bodies,” said Bonny. “She is fiercely intelligent, scrupulously honest, industrious, principled—”
Loel showed her his palms in surrender. “Point taken."
Loel isn't perfect. Before he really has a relationship with Bonny, he looks upon her beauty and her smile as though she is a goddess out of reach:
What if he could have her? What if he could be the man on his knees, thanking God every day until he couldn’t stand? Even as he chided himself for concocting such a fanciful image, a thread of fantasy spooled out: Bonny Reed in his bed, Bonny Reed with his baby…
He snipped it. If it hadn’t been for the fire, she would be wealthy and beyond his reach. And so she would remain, to him at least, because he would take no benefit from the harm he had caused.
But I also found it fascinating that once they were in a relationship, he realized she isn't perfect, and he lashes out a bit when her flaws come out. I wanted to shake him and make him realize he had put her on a pedestal and I wanted grand romantic gestures, rather than his ire at times. But it also made him real and made their relationship more cemented in honesty and love.
Erin Satie has a beautiful voice. She writes a terrific grumpy, cold, recluse hero who will win your heart. And she gives us a heroine who refuses to give up on him. Throw in a great female friendship and a lovely romance and I can't recommend this one enough.
Grade: A
June 22, 2018
A new Erin Satie HR is a true cause for celebration. This is her fifth HR and the first of her latest series, Sweetness and Light. It is, Satie tells us, inspired by Beauty and the Beast. That would not have occurred to dense me while reading the book, but now in retrospect I can see the subtle use of the theme.
Once upon a time in Victorian England there was a charming seaside village called New Quay. This town had three great and influential families: (1) The Loels ( a baron and his family), who owned much of the land, with quarries, dairies, pastures, etc. (2) the Reeds, a prosperous middle-class family influential in the local shipping trade, and (3) the Gavins, owners of the town's real estate on the main streets. The town was prosperous and the three families very rich.
Then, some years ago, in 1845, 18-year-old Orson Loel, son of the baron, accidentally caused a fire which destroyed much of the town and its shipping enterprises. The Loels went bankrupt in the attempt to make monetary retribution. The Reeds never recovered and lost their business. The only family to recover and prosper was the Gavins and they are now extremely wealthy.
After the fire, Orson Loel left town in shame, but he has now returned and lives a reclusive life. He's our Beast in this story; although handsome on the outside he's troubled on the inside and is shunned by all the townspeople who have not forgiven him. Unbeknownst to anyone, he is making his living by raising and selling rare orchids brought to him by an explorer friend.
Meanwhile, we have the down-on-their-luck Reed family. They scrape by on the employee salary earned by the father. Their only hope is their beautiful daughter Bonny, our Beauty of this tale. She is so very beautiful that she is expected to marry Charles Gavin (our "Gaston"), handsome son of the wealthy Gavin family. When that happens, it will improve the Reeds' financial situation and lead the way for Bonny's younger sister Margot to marry well also. Much rides upon Bonny's marriage to Charles.
When Charles finally proposes, she accepts gladly and everyone is delighted. Except...except...when Charles kisses her the earth doesn't move. Instead she feels uneasiness. And then Bonny meets up again with Orson Loel. There's something unexpected in the way he makes her feel. Even when he's being beastly and grumpy, as, for example, when she accidentally knocks over the most prized and rare orchid in his greenhouse. Even when he warns her about her new fiance's character.
What's a good, family-oriented girl to do? She wants to make her family happy, but will she be sacrificing her happiness for theirs? Well, there's a lovely story here to read to find out. And there's a great cast of characters. Besides the heroine and her perfect imperfect hero, there are many secondaries, from townspeople to friends to new acquaintances Bonny meets on a visit to London. Three of these, her dear friend Cordelia Kelly of New Quay, fellow founder of their lending library, and two new London friends will be the ones to have future romances. I'm looking forward to the next book, which is about Cordelia.
In addition to the romance of Bonny and Loel, we have entertaining subplots about Bonny and Cordelia's lending library, Loel's greenhouse and orchid cultivation, and general observations on societal norms, forgiveness, snobbishness, and biases. One thing I find very satisfying about the romance here is that it does not rely just on sexual attraction. This is slow-burn, thinking-person romance. As a matter of fact, there is something the hero muses about towards the end of the story that most romance novelists don't seem to take into consideration. He says, at one point, about Bonny, "What she didn't understand was that sex could solve almost any problem two sufficiently lusty people had with one another...but only temporarily." Many romances I read leave me feeling that the HEA love is only temporary. Not this one.
Once upon a time in Victorian England there was a charming seaside village called New Quay. This town had three great and influential families: (1) The Loels ( a baron and his family), who owned much of the land, with quarries, dairies, pastures, etc. (2) the Reeds, a prosperous middle-class family influential in the local shipping trade, and (3) the Gavins, owners of the town's real estate on the main streets. The town was prosperous and the three families very rich.
Then, some years ago, in 1845, 18-year-old Orson Loel, son of the baron, accidentally caused a fire which destroyed much of the town and its shipping enterprises. The Loels went bankrupt in the attempt to make monetary retribution. The Reeds never recovered and lost their business. The only family to recover and prosper was the Gavins and they are now extremely wealthy.
After the fire, Orson Loel left town in shame, but he has now returned and lives a reclusive life. He's our Beast in this story; although handsome on the outside he's troubled on the inside and is shunned by all the townspeople who have not forgiven him. Unbeknownst to anyone, he is making his living by raising and selling rare orchids brought to him by an explorer friend.
Meanwhile, we have the down-on-their-luck Reed family. They scrape by on the employee salary earned by the father. Their only hope is their beautiful daughter Bonny, our Beauty of this tale. She is so very beautiful that she is expected to marry Charles Gavin (our "Gaston"), handsome son of the wealthy Gavin family. When that happens, it will improve the Reeds' financial situation and lead the way for Bonny's younger sister Margot to marry well also. Much rides upon Bonny's marriage to Charles.
When Charles finally proposes, she accepts gladly and everyone is delighted. Except...except...when Charles kisses her the earth doesn't move. Instead she feels uneasiness. And then Bonny meets up again with Orson Loel. There's something unexpected in the way he makes her feel. Even when he's being beastly and grumpy, as, for example, when she accidentally knocks over the most prized and rare orchid in his greenhouse. Even when he warns her about her new fiance's character.
What's a good, family-oriented girl to do? She wants to make her family happy, but will she be sacrificing her happiness for theirs? Well, there's a lovely story here to read to find out. And there's a great cast of characters. Besides the heroine and her perfect imperfect hero, there are many secondaries, from townspeople to friends to new acquaintances Bonny meets on a visit to London. Three of these, her dear friend Cordelia Kelly of New Quay, fellow founder of their lending library, and two new London friends will be the ones to have future romances. I'm looking forward to the next book, which is about Cordelia.
In addition to the romance of Bonny and Loel, we have entertaining subplots about Bonny and Cordelia's lending library, Loel's greenhouse and orchid cultivation, and general observations on societal norms, forgiveness, snobbishness, and biases. One thing I find very satisfying about the romance here is that it does not rely just on sexual attraction. This is slow-burn, thinking-person romance. As a matter of fact, there is something the hero muses about towards the end of the story that most romance novelists don't seem to take into consideration. He says, at one point, about Bonny, "What she didn't understand was that sex could solve almost any problem two sufficiently lusty people had with one another...but only temporarily." Many romances I read leave me feeling that the HEA love is only temporary. Not this one.
June 25, 2018
I really enjoyed Erin Satie’s previous series No Better Angels, specially the last installment The Young Blood. So, maybe my expectations are to blame but her newest novel turned out to be just an average read for me.
The concept was definitely an interesting one: echoes of Beauty and the Beast theme combining with an interesting world of growers and collectors of orchids.
The execution though was uneven with some beautiful passages intermingled with plot holes and the heroine’s characterization and some of her actions that didn’t really endured her to me.
The concept was definitely an interesting one: echoes of Beauty and the Beast theme combining with an interesting world of growers and collectors of orchids.
The execution though was uneven with some beautiful passages intermingled with plot holes and the heroine’s characterization and some of her actions that didn’t really endured her to me.
July 9, 2018
Bed of Flowers by Erin Satie is an evocative and sensual historical romance, the first in the Sweetness and Light series. It’s the story of two people who through accident and misfortune end up together, discovering that sometimes things that go wrong can turn out right in the end.
When an accidental fire caused immense damage to a small town and its residents, there were a number of people who suffered as a result. The young man at fault, 18 year old Orson Loel, became a pariah to his parents and the town. He left shortly after the accident, sailing for several years before coming home when his parents died. Denied his inheritance in his father’s will, he lives as a tenant on the family property and has a greenhouse where he painstakingly grows orchids to sell for his livelihood.
One of those affected by the fire is Bonny Reed, whose family lost most of their wealth and social status. Bonny is a beautiful young woman but with little in the way of a dowry her chances of a good marriage rest solely on her looks. Eight years after the fire, she’s engaged to Gavin, a wealthy man from a well-respected family. Gavin’s always been circumspect around her, though the one time he tried to kiss her was a rather unpleasant event. Still, her family is counting on her marriage to help the family fortunes, and enable her younger sister to be introduced properly to society and find her own suitable husband.
Things start to go awry when Bonny, who helps her friend Cordelia with a travelling library, decides to go to Loel’s estate to see if he would be willing to donate any books to their cause. To her surprise she discovers that the house is for all intents and purposes a mausoleum and that the only activity is the rich and earthy world of flowering orchids in Loel’s greenhouse. Loel isn’t pleased by the visit, especially when she almost ruins a new and valuable plant he’s just received. And on a future visit when she comes to apologize, he tells her something about her husband- to- be that she doesn’t want to hear. Bonny soon comes to realize that she’ll have to make some serious choices, between what’s expected of her and what she really wants, and no matter what there will be consequences. Will she choose the right path that will lead to a happy ending?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-bed...
A copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
When an accidental fire caused immense damage to a small town and its residents, there were a number of people who suffered as a result. The young man at fault, 18 year old Orson Loel, became a pariah to his parents and the town. He left shortly after the accident, sailing for several years before coming home when his parents died. Denied his inheritance in his father’s will, he lives as a tenant on the family property and has a greenhouse where he painstakingly grows orchids to sell for his livelihood.
One of those affected by the fire is Bonny Reed, whose family lost most of their wealth and social status. Bonny is a beautiful young woman but with little in the way of a dowry her chances of a good marriage rest solely on her looks. Eight years after the fire, she’s engaged to Gavin, a wealthy man from a well-respected family. Gavin’s always been circumspect around her, though the one time he tried to kiss her was a rather unpleasant event. Still, her family is counting on her marriage to help the family fortunes, and enable her younger sister to be introduced properly to society and find her own suitable husband.
Things start to go awry when Bonny, who helps her friend Cordelia with a travelling library, decides to go to Loel’s estate to see if he would be willing to donate any books to their cause. To her surprise she discovers that the house is for all intents and purposes a mausoleum and that the only activity is the rich and earthy world of flowering orchids in Loel’s greenhouse. Loel isn’t pleased by the visit, especially when she almost ruins a new and valuable plant he’s just received. And on a future visit when she comes to apologize, he tells her something about her husband- to- be that she doesn’t want to hear. Bonny soon comes to realize that she’ll have to make some serious choices, between what’s expected of her and what she really wants, and no matter what there will be consequences. Will she choose the right path that will lead to a happy ending?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-bed...
A copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
December 1, 2022
It took me a while to warm up to the main characters in this book. They felt a little under-drawn. As the book went on, they became more appealing, and the later part of the book was a 3.5, I guess.
I did like Bonny and Loel together. I also found Gavin's character and past believable. This was an interesting aspect of the story.
Not a bad read, but I enjoyed the sequel to this book better, Book of Love (which I read first LOL).
I did like Bonny and Loel together. I also found Gavin's character and past believable. This was an interesting aspect of the story.
Not a bad read, but I enjoyed the sequel to this book better, Book of Love (which I read first LOL).
May 14, 2021
Victorian England. Stopped @ 62%.
I'm unclear if I'm choosing average or less books (not
intentional), or the stories are uneven or I just want
something to spark my interest? Or having read
thousands of HR books the stories start to blend
together?
Bonny discovered that her wealthy intended Charles
fathered a 'natural child.' He didn't financially support
this child or connect this boy to stability or a future
trade. He blamed the servant for enticing him-natch.
Her parents calmly received this info.
Bonny was attracted to reclusive Orson Loel (a baron)
who grew greenhouse orchids. He accidently started
a fire 8 yrs prior which destroyed many businesses
on the quay.
I waited for something/ anything to happen with Bon
& Or. Sexually or otherwise. I felt this more than capable
author took too long to deliver the emotional reward
of this couple finding real-deal love.
I'm unclear if I'm choosing average or less books (not
intentional), or the stories are uneven or I just want
something to spark my interest? Or having read
thousands of HR books the stories start to blend
together?
Bonny discovered that her wealthy intended Charles
fathered a 'natural child.' He didn't financially support
this child or connect this boy to stability or a future
trade. He blamed the servant for enticing him-natch.
Her parents calmly received this info.
Bonny was attracted to reclusive Orson Loel (a baron)
who grew greenhouse orchids. He accidently started
a fire 8 yrs prior which destroyed many businesses
on the quay.
I waited for something/ anything to happen with Bon
& Or. Sexually or otherwise. I felt this more than capable
author took too long to deliver the emotional reward
of this couple finding real-deal love.
December 25, 2018
One of the finest Beauty and the Beast retellings I've read so far.
Even though both protagonists could've easily fallen into the "so good they're boring", they're not. They have flaws and there's a learning curve to their wary and later tender relationship that felt very grounded and just real. I believed it. I believed in them and knowing there's a HEA, didn't lessen my enjoyment one bit.
The writing style goes down like chocolate, Erin Satie certainly knows how to write including pacing, characterisation, plot and just the right amount of nerdiness to get me hooked on orchids.
Highly recommended.
Even though both protagonists could've easily fallen into the "so good they're boring", they're not. They have flaws and there's a learning curve to their wary and later tender relationship that felt very grounded and just real. I believed it. I believed in them and knowing there's a HEA, didn't lessen my enjoyment one bit.
The writing style goes down like chocolate, Erin Satie certainly knows how to write including pacing, characterisation, plot and just the right amount of nerdiness to get me hooked on orchids.
Highly recommended.
March 21, 2021
A view of small town values and judgement. The H left his family due to being held accountable for a terrible accident. He's now lives on the family estate, in poverty when they meet by accident. She's very righteous in telling him the result of his actions, to her and her family. In his anger he tells her something, and changes everything. They are compromised and her loving family cast her out. A terrible and wonderful book. Beautifully written.
July 14, 2021
I found this on the brilliant OLT's bookshelves. It is first for me by this author.
If I was greedy - which I am, I would wish that the forced marriage came earlier in the book and maybe less of the heroine going to London to find a husband, but still I enjoyed it completely and there was plenty of chemistry and romance so you were hooked. Mature writing, the heroine and hero were attractive and attracted hugely to each other but the romance element was them learning to communicate and trust each other. The attraction was the easy bit, they had to work the rest out.
...He hadn’t instigated the embrace, but he’d been a willing participant. He’d had an opportunity—however brief—to push Miss Reed away before they were discovered. Instead of taking it, he’d sucked on her tongue. That last consideration proved decisive. Whatever his wishes, in this case he couldn’t put them first. He’d propose.
This gesture precipitated the single most gratifying moment of her life. Because Loel looked as though… as though a thousand gas lamps had been lit right before his eyes, as though he’d been standing between two canons as a volley was fired… quite frankly, as though he’d been witness to a miracle.
If I was greedy - which I am, I would wish that the forced marriage came earlier in the book and maybe less of the heroine going to London to find a husband, but still I enjoyed it completely and there was plenty of chemistry and romance so you were hooked. Mature writing, the heroine and hero were attractive and attracted hugely to each other but the romance element was them learning to communicate and trust each other. The attraction was the easy bit, they had to work the rest out.
...He hadn’t instigated the embrace, but he’d been a willing participant. He’d had an opportunity—however brief—to push Miss Reed away before they were discovered. Instead of taking it, he’d sucked on her tongue. That last consideration proved decisive. Whatever his wishes, in this case he couldn’t put them first. He’d propose.
This gesture precipitated the single most gratifying moment of her life. Because Loel looked as though… as though a thousand gas lamps had been lit right before his eyes, as though he’d been standing between two canons as a volley was fired… quite frankly, as though he’d been witness to a miracle.
March 12, 2021
For a regency romance, this novel deviates quite a bit from the classics of the genre. First of all, it's not set on the Ton and then it's also very sad although the orchids provide a beautiful backdrop, as does the walking library. I'm glad I got the ARC for the next book, because Cornelia is also a nice character.
Per essere un regency romance, questo romanzo si discosta parecchio dai classici del genere. Innanzitutto non ha come protagonisti la nobiltá londinese e poi é anche molto triste per quanto le orchidee forniscano un bellissimo sfondo, come anche la biblioteca ambulante. Sono contenta di aver ottenuto l'ARC del libro seguente, perché anche Cornelia é un bel personaggio.
Per essere un regency romance, questo romanzo si discosta parecchio dai classici del genere. Innanzitutto non ha come protagonisti la nobiltá londinese e poi é anche molto triste per quanto le orchidee forniscano un bellissimo sfondo, come anche la biblioteca ambulante. Sono contenta di aver ottenuto l'ARC del libro seguente, perché anche Cornelia é un bel personaggio.
December 23, 2021
This book, what a mess.
So, I started the book vaguely remembering that I got the ebook because there was some hype about it some years ago, so I didn't know and, at first, was gladly surprised by the Beauty and the Beast retelling element.
And at first I liked the book, Bonny was charming (and even if she acted childish, she had momments in which she tried to find out the truth by herself, that gave me a glimmer of hope for her characterization to be more than what we ended up with "goody two-shoes that is used by everybody" plus "TSTL" at times).
So, the book was going well until
So, I started the book vaguely remembering that I got the ebook because there was some hype about it some years ago, so I didn't know and, at first, was gladly surprised by the Beauty and the Beast retelling element.
And at first I liked the book, Bonny was charming (and even if she acted childish, she had momments in which she tried to find out the truth by herself, that gave me a glimmer of hope for her characterization to be more than what we ended up with "goody two-shoes that is used by everybody" plus "TSTL" at times).
So, the book was going well until
May 11, 2019
This was a serviceable historical romance. The story was strongest when dealing with anything orchid-related, from Bonnie learning about their care to the way Loel built his business from the ground up. Orchids have appeared in other historical romances I've read but this was the first time I felt like I learned about their form and function and the role they played for the wealthy. It was fascinating and I only wanted more.
Satie is a great writer. There was some gorgeous prose. Bonnie and her best friend Cordelia started a circulating library for their town and I loved how this featured into the story. I particularly enjoyed Cordelia and the two women they meet later.
However, I struggled with both Bonnie and Loel. Bonnie, for her inability to see Gavin's true colors until it's almost too late and for the way she's willing to essentially martyr herself for her awful family. And frankly, I didn't have much sympathy for her regarding being too pretty. Loel, for the way he villainizes Bonnie and all of his double standards. He could be so sanctimonious, especially while overlooking the fact that he would have died if not for her.
Sometimes I could understand their actions but often I wanted to shake both of them. I do believe they'll be happy together and they were certainly well suited for one another, once they got past their animosity. But many of the roadblocks and misunderstandings seemed unnecessary to me. However, I'm very much looking forward to Cordelia's book as she's my kind of heroine.
CW: sexism, sexual harassment, parental abandonment, references to past fire, abuse of power, reference to past hanging
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review.
Satie is a great writer. There was some gorgeous prose. Bonnie and her best friend Cordelia started a circulating library for their town and I loved how this featured into the story. I particularly enjoyed Cordelia and the two women they meet later.
However, I struggled with both Bonnie and Loel. Bonnie, for her inability to see Gavin's true colors until it's almost too late and for the way she's willing to essentially martyr herself for her awful family. And frankly, I didn't have much sympathy for her regarding being too pretty. Loel, for the way he villainizes Bonnie and all of his double standards. He could be so sanctimonious, especially while overlooking the fact that he would have died if not for her.
Sometimes I could understand their actions but often I wanted to shake both of them. I do believe they'll be happy together and they were certainly well suited for one another, once they got past their animosity. But many of the roadblocks and misunderstandings seemed unnecessary to me. However, I'm very much looking forward to Cordelia's book as she's my kind of heroine.
CW: sexism, sexual harassment, parental abandonment, references to past fire, abuse of power, reference to past hanging
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2018
I absolutely loved the couple in The Young Blood, which was weird because the spinster/rake trope is not my jam. So I thought this would be a winner too - bookish Pretty in Pink type and the misunderstood botanist/recluse who loves her. But sadly I didn't like these two at all, or the horrible townsfolk, or the sassy rich friends that seemed shoehorned in for series bait.
June 13, 2018
4.5 Stars
***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review***
I've been looking into period romances for a while and when I had the chance to review this Victorian romance, I had to take it! I'm so glad I did! Sadly, I would never have heard of this book had it not been for the publisher reaching out to me and I hate that! This is such a good book that I wish it was known more!
The author said that this story has some beauty and the beast feels and it really does! The love interest hides away in his house and our heroine is stunning and loves to read. She's also very strong willed and I love that about her. This story is so adorable and fun! I hope everyone will read it.
The writing is flawless, gives the perfect amount of details and the character development is superb! I don't really know what else to say other than this book is a must read!
***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review***
I've been looking into period romances for a while and when I had the chance to review this Victorian romance, I had to take it! I'm so glad I did! Sadly, I would never have heard of this book had it not been for the publisher reaching out to me and I hate that! This is such a good book that I wish it was known more!
The author said that this story has some beauty and the beast feels and it really does! The love interest hides away in his house and our heroine is stunning and loves to read. She's also very strong willed and I love that about her. This story is so adorable and fun! I hope everyone will read it.
The writing is flawless, gives the perfect amount of details and the character development is superb! I don't really know what else to say other than this book is a must read!
July 1, 2018
3.5 stars. This is my second book by this author and until around the 50% mark, I thought it was going to be a five star read. Then things started unraveling a bit for me. At that point, the heroine, Bonny, abruptly took off for London with her BFF Cordelia. There she met two other young women, Tess and Olympia, who I can only imagine were introduced because they too will have their own stories one day. I was more interested in the story when it centered on Bonny and Lord Loel, the hero. Bonny does get back to her little hometown and back to Loel, but their story does not exactly play out like I thought it might. They get their HEA, but both Bonny and Loel say and do some things that left me shaking my head at times.
I do like Erin Satie's writing and I will certainly check out the next book in the series which is supposed to feature Cordelia.
I do like Erin Satie's writing and I will certainly check out the next book in the series which is supposed to feature Cordelia.
August 7, 2018
Bonnie Reed's family's fortunes changed the day a fire destroyed the warehouses round her small town's port. Her father owned several of them, and even though they didn't end up in the streets, it's been a steep comedown. Whereas they were one of the richest families in town, they are now living in what can best be described as genteel poverty. Before the fire, Bonnie's prospects were very high. She's beautiful, and with a nice dowry she would have expected a great marriage. These days, she's been half-heartedly courted by a rich man in town, who clearly can't quite bring himself to propose to someone so clearly beneath him.
The fire changed the lives of many people in town, and that includes that of the man who caused it. Until that day, Orson, now Baron Loel, didn't have a care in the world. He was the spoiled son of the local nobility. And then a simple stumble when mooring his yacht overturned a lamp and whoosh! That was it. A lot of the family fortune went in trying to compensate the town's losses, and his parents blamed him so pointedly that they tied up the estate in such a way that he could take no advantage of it when he inherited. He still lives there, and has found a way to make a living while fulfilling the terms of his parents' will (he has become a sort of orchid grower/dealer, which is a huge part of the book -see below), but it's a difficult life.
As the book starts, Bonnie's suitor has finally decided to propose (think Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth, but if you were to imagine Darcy as cruel and careless). She agrees, but then circumstances lead her to come into contact with Loel more often (he's a bit of a pariah, so she's barely seen him since the fire), and he ends up sharing some very worrying information about what her fiancé gets up to in his spare time. And now Bonnie needs to decide whether restoring her family's social position is worth her unhappiness.
I enjoyed this one very much. Satie's writing is beautiful. It's vivid and evocative without veering into purple territory. In her first couple of books I thought that, for all its beauty, the writing was maybe a bit self-conscious and on-the-nose, but that's resolved itself with experience. No such problem with this book.
I also like that Satie creates characters and relationships that feel fresh and are never clichéd. In this particular book, I was particularly taken with Bonnie's complex relationship with her family. It's clear that her parents love her, but at the same time, they don't take well her doubts about her fiancé. Their fall in social position has taken a toll on them, and when certain of Bonnie's actions threaten to have an even more negative impact on them, they're not particularly forgiving, in a way that I must say felt understandable.
I was also quite intrigued by Bonnie's friends (Bed of Flowers starts a series, and I expect the next books will be about them) and enjoyed their relationships. They've got super interesting backstories (e.g. one seems to be inspired by Sara Forbes Bonetta), and I'm looking forward to their books.
The other thing I loved was all the orchid stuff. This is set at the time of what's known as the Orchidelirium, a sort of English version of the Tulip Mania. People were going gaga over orchids, and new or particularly exotic varieties sold for huge amounts. There was a lot of money to be made in dealing in them, but also a lot of risk, because very little was known about how to grow them and keep them alive, so keeping new ones from dying on the way back to England was almost as hard as finding them. Anyway, in addition to the topic being fascinating, Loel's venture importing, nurturing and selling orchids plays a big role in the relationship between him and Bonnie, both in setting up the circumstances in which it gets started and in developing it. And by the way, in one of those lovely coincidences that life sometimes throws your way, the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast had an episode about the Orchidelirium at the same time I was reading the book. Worth a listen.
So, lots of good stuff here. Unfortunately, what didn't really work for me that well was the romance itself. I just didn't feel the connection between Bonnie and Loel. My reaction to their realisation that they were in love was that I just didn't feel they knew each other well enough for that. It's not that there was something wrong with the concept of these two being together, it's just that it all felt a bit uninteresting compared to the other stuff going on.
I also had some issues with the way Satie set up a conflict between them. There's a point when Bonnie does something that Loel gets extremely angry about, and I genuinely did not get why he a) would think that of her and not believe her (really, what she explained was a lot more believable than what he assumed about her actions), and b) why he'd be so incandescently angry about it anyway.
You'd think that since this is a romance novel the main romance not quite working would ruin it, but for some reason, that just wasn't the case here. Plenty other stuff that I enjoyed, so I didn't mind not getting excited about what's supposed to be the main course. Oh well.
To finish, I'm usually annoyed about those "several years later" epilogues (oh, look how many adorable kids they have!), but this was one book where I did genuinely want to see how the main characters would get on, not so much in their relationship, but how they'd get on in a more material sense. I guess we might catch glimpses of how they're doing in future books, and I will look forward to that.
MY GRADE: A B.
The fire changed the lives of many people in town, and that includes that of the man who caused it. Until that day, Orson, now Baron Loel, didn't have a care in the world. He was the spoiled son of the local nobility. And then a simple stumble when mooring his yacht overturned a lamp and whoosh! That was it. A lot of the family fortune went in trying to compensate the town's losses, and his parents blamed him so pointedly that they tied up the estate in such a way that he could take no advantage of it when he inherited. He still lives there, and has found a way to make a living while fulfilling the terms of his parents' will (he has become a sort of orchid grower/dealer, which is a huge part of the book -see below), but it's a difficult life.
As the book starts, Bonnie's suitor has finally decided to propose (think Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth, but if you were to imagine Darcy as cruel and careless). She agrees, but then circumstances lead her to come into contact with Loel more often (he's a bit of a pariah, so she's barely seen him since the fire), and he ends up sharing some very worrying information about what her fiancé gets up to in his spare time. And now Bonnie needs to decide whether restoring her family's social position is worth her unhappiness.
I enjoyed this one very much. Satie's writing is beautiful. It's vivid and evocative without veering into purple territory. In her first couple of books I thought that, for all its beauty, the writing was maybe a bit self-conscious and on-the-nose, but that's resolved itself with experience. No such problem with this book.
I also like that Satie creates characters and relationships that feel fresh and are never clichéd. In this particular book, I was particularly taken with Bonnie's complex relationship with her family. It's clear that her parents love her, but at the same time, they don't take well her doubts about her fiancé. Their fall in social position has taken a toll on them, and when certain of Bonnie's actions threaten to have an even more negative impact on them, they're not particularly forgiving, in a way that I must say felt understandable.
I was also quite intrigued by Bonnie's friends (Bed of Flowers starts a series, and I expect the next books will be about them) and enjoyed their relationships. They've got super interesting backstories (e.g. one seems to be inspired by Sara Forbes Bonetta), and I'm looking forward to their books.
The other thing I loved was all the orchid stuff. This is set at the time of what's known as the Orchidelirium, a sort of English version of the Tulip Mania. People were going gaga over orchids, and new or particularly exotic varieties sold for huge amounts. There was a lot of money to be made in dealing in them, but also a lot of risk, because very little was known about how to grow them and keep them alive, so keeping new ones from dying on the way back to England was almost as hard as finding them. Anyway, in addition to the topic being fascinating, Loel's venture importing, nurturing and selling orchids plays a big role in the relationship between him and Bonnie, both in setting up the circumstances in which it gets started and in developing it. And by the way, in one of those lovely coincidences that life sometimes throws your way, the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast had an episode about the Orchidelirium at the same time I was reading the book. Worth a listen.
So, lots of good stuff here. Unfortunately, what didn't really work for me that well was the romance itself. I just didn't feel the connection between Bonnie and Loel. My reaction to their realisation that they were in love was that I just didn't feel they knew each other well enough for that. It's not that there was something wrong with the concept of these two being together, it's just that it all felt a bit uninteresting compared to the other stuff going on.
I also had some issues with the way Satie set up a conflict between them. There's a point when Bonnie does something that Loel gets extremely angry about, and I genuinely did not get why he a) would think that of her and not believe her (really, what she explained was a lot more believable than what he assumed about her actions), and b) why he'd be so incandescently angry about it anyway.
You'd think that since this is a romance novel the main romance not quite working would ruin it, but for some reason, that just wasn't the case here. Plenty other stuff that I enjoyed, so I didn't mind not getting excited about what's supposed to be the main course. Oh well.
To finish, I'm usually annoyed about those "several years later" epilogues (oh, look how many adorable kids they have!), but this was one book where I did genuinely want to see how the main characters would get on, not so much in their relationship, but how they'd get on in a more material sense. I guess we might catch glimpses of how they're doing in future books, and I will look forward to that.
MY GRADE: A B.
July 1, 2018
The Young Blood was my favourite historical romance in 2016 and I've re-read it once since then. To have similar expectations from Bed of Flowers was really unreasonable of you, Jo! Serves you right that it didn't live up. It wasn't even as bad as you've been making it out to be. In fact, the first half was some of the best in historical romance writing that you've read, wasn't it? So what if the second half started going all over the place with random characters getting screen time, the main plot losing steam, and the hero's big secret turning out to just be a useless add-on that never contributed to the story? Chin, up. The next one will be great, I'm sure of it. Wait, no, I'm giving you high expectations again, aren't I? I'll just see myself out. Oh, and stop talking to yourself. It's creeping everyone out!
June 21, 2018
***Received an Advanced Readers Copy through a blog tour by ANovelTakePR in exchange for an honest review***
Who doesn't love a good Historical Romance with one of my favorite tropes - enemies to lovers? I mean heck, I will give it any time or day just for the swoonage. This was definitely a great dynamic, once I got started I couldn't put my tablet down, I HAD to know where the romance was going to lead.... I needed answers!
The main characters were perfection. There. I admitted it.
Loel is a man of title but by title only. He is still suffering from an accident he caused which has turned him into a poor titled man with nothing to show. He is grumpy, he is stern, he is cruel and with a cold-heart at times, but can you blame him? Though he caused a massive fire in his younger years by an accident, he tries to make amends with the understanding that no one would ever accept him. He was the true angst hero I have been dying to read. You cannot help but fall head over heels for his personality, the sympathy for him left me swooning. Bonny on the other spectrum annoyed me yet I adored her. She is sweet, very sheltered innocent young woman. She annoyed me simply because I wanted her to take a chance, LIVE DAMNIT! But again I had to pull myself back in, the timeframe she lived in just prevented her from doing so. She was a woman with breeding that needed to marry with title, her reputation was everything and her beauty is constantly hovered over her as a fault and not a blessing. So every time I found myself battling my internal hatred I couldn't help but want to help her grow.
The romance between Bonny and Loel was beautifully paced. Obviously Loel would not pursue Bonny as she has been spoken for so there is a sort of forbidden attraction between them as they start this friendship. I enjoyed their progression, the start of Bonny helping Loel with his orchids, learning about their conflicts, really growing together. Once Bonny took that plunge I was holding my breath just waiting.... oh my lanta Loel and Bonny together was romantically scrumptious. This is what I love for in Historical Romance. Those butterfly secret moments to the all consuming romance that leaves me melting off my seat - perfection.
I definitely enjoyed the friendship between Cordelia. They had this diehard bond that I found really empowering and refreshing. Where Bonny was refined, very naive personality, Cordelia was definitely more calculated, really a fierce of a woman. I liked how they were with one another, they supported one another and wanted to see other woman of society grow as they did. It was powerful connection. Cordelia was probably my favorite secondary character because she was one of the only ones with a certain level of depth. Other characters however, at times the substance just feels rushed, the friendships and dynamics of the drama with Bonny and Loel just did not flow properly.
Unfortunately in the midst of all this amazing comments I have a slight issue that affected my ability to connect with the characters. With Historical Romance I pine over my books for extensive details of the surroundings. Though the details I gained throughout, I could imagine this world but I couldn't touch it. Enough description to aid the plot but not enough to see the characters.
Erin Satie has blown me away. Her writing style is absolutely captivating, stunningly beautiful. I say this regardless of my personal pet peeves, this did not deter from my overall enjoyment of this read. I was transported into this time and I couldn't help but swoon every moment Loel and Bonny were together. Satie has such a creative and unique ability to create these character dynamics; rough, cold, callously rude hero that makes your heart pound while the heroine is this beautiful damsel hell bent on bringing him to her. Just an amazing romance that leaves you breathless.
Who doesn't love a good Historical Romance with one of my favorite tropes - enemies to lovers? I mean heck, I will give it any time or day just for the swoonage. This was definitely a great dynamic, once I got started I couldn't put my tablet down, I HAD to know where the romance was going to lead.... I needed answers!
The main characters were perfection. There. I admitted it.
Loel is a man of title but by title only. He is still suffering from an accident he caused which has turned him into a poor titled man with nothing to show. He is grumpy, he is stern, he is cruel and with a cold-heart at times, but can you blame him? Though he caused a massive fire in his younger years by an accident, he tries to make amends with the understanding that no one would ever accept him. He was the true angst hero I have been dying to read. You cannot help but fall head over heels for his personality, the sympathy for him left me swooning. Bonny on the other spectrum annoyed me yet I adored her. She is sweet, very sheltered innocent young woman. She annoyed me simply because I wanted her to take a chance, LIVE DAMNIT! But again I had to pull myself back in, the timeframe she lived in just prevented her from doing so. She was a woman with breeding that needed to marry with title, her reputation was everything and her beauty is constantly hovered over her as a fault and not a blessing. So every time I found myself battling my internal hatred I couldn't help but want to help her grow.
The romance between Bonny and Loel was beautifully paced. Obviously Loel would not pursue Bonny as she has been spoken for so there is a sort of forbidden attraction between them as they start this friendship. I enjoyed their progression, the start of Bonny helping Loel with his orchids, learning about their conflicts, really growing together. Once Bonny took that plunge I was holding my breath just waiting.... oh my lanta Loel and Bonny together was romantically scrumptious. This is what I love for in Historical Romance. Those butterfly secret moments to the all consuming romance that leaves me melting off my seat - perfection.
I definitely enjoyed the friendship between Cordelia. They had this diehard bond that I found really empowering and refreshing. Where Bonny was refined, very naive personality, Cordelia was definitely more calculated, really a fierce of a woman. I liked how they were with one another, they supported one another and wanted to see other woman of society grow as they did. It was powerful connection. Cordelia was probably my favorite secondary character because she was one of the only ones with a certain level of depth. Other characters however, at times the substance just feels rushed, the friendships and dynamics of the drama with Bonny and Loel just did not flow properly.
Unfortunately in the midst of all this amazing comments I have a slight issue that affected my ability to connect with the characters. With Historical Romance I pine over my books for extensive details of the surroundings. Though the details I gained throughout, I could imagine this world but I couldn't touch it. Enough description to aid the plot but not enough to see the characters.
Erin Satie has blown me away. Her writing style is absolutely captivating, stunningly beautiful. I say this regardless of my personal pet peeves, this did not deter from my overall enjoyment of this read. I was transported into this time and I couldn't help but swoon every moment Loel and Bonny were together. Satie has such a creative and unique ability to create these character dynamics; rough, cold, callously rude hero that makes your heart pound while the heroine is this beautiful damsel hell bent on bringing him to her. Just an amazing romance that leaves you breathless.
June 11, 2018
This story is one of the best Victorian romances I've ever read. It has a deep, multi-layered plot filled with unique and interesting characters, yet it doesn't take the easy way out or quick fix approach to solving life's very realistic problems.
Lord Orson Loel is an unusual hero in that he's the town pariah as the result of an accident from his youth. Bonny is the eldest daughter of the family hurt the most by the accident, so her initial feelings towards him feel entirely reasonable. But as the story unfolds, we see that the true villains of the story are not so obvious, and the trappings of polite society become more restrictive and less morally defensible.
The romance itself is beautifully done, with Loel rising above his past to show his true depth of character, transforming him into an unexpected man of honor and integrity as well as a suitor who can light Bonny's heart on fire. Bonny learns that doing the right thing isn't easy, expedient, or even respectable, yet it's worth every risk imaginable. Together these two find a love that transcends time and society, an intimacy that insulates them from the failings of the world in which they live.
The HEA is refreshingly honest, more like an historical account rather than a fairy tale, leaving the reader with the unshakable feeling that these might have actually been real people. I highly recommend this book for all historical romance fans. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Lord Orson Loel is an unusual hero in that he's the town pariah as the result of an accident from his youth. Bonny is the eldest daughter of the family hurt the most by the accident, so her initial feelings towards him feel entirely reasonable. But as the story unfolds, we see that the true villains of the story are not so obvious, and the trappings of polite society become more restrictive and less morally defensible.
The romance itself is beautifully done, with Loel rising above his past to show his true depth of character, transforming him into an unexpected man of honor and integrity as well as a suitor who can light Bonny's heart on fire. Bonny learns that doing the right thing isn't easy, expedient, or even respectable, yet it's worth every risk imaginable. Together these two find a love that transcends time and society, an intimacy that insulates them from the failings of the world in which they live.
The HEA is refreshingly honest, more like an historical account rather than a fairy tale, leaving the reader with the unshakable feeling that these might have actually been real people. I highly recommend this book for all historical romance fans. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
December 2, 2018
I am kind of obsessed with this book and how beautiful it is. It's got gorgeous writing, a unique setting (most of the book happens in an orchid greenhouse), fascinating and complex characters, casual but plentiful diversity, and a surprisingly compelling story about trying to bring a plant back to life. There's also a climactic scene that just had me absolutely spellbound and on the edge of my seat with how high the stakes were for both of the protagonists in so many ways.
This was one of my favorite reads of 2018 (also, can we all just stare at that beautiful cover for a few minutes?) and I. Cannot. Wait. for more in this series.
This was one of my favorite reads of 2018 (also, can we all just stare at that beautiful cover for a few minutes?) and I. Cannot. Wait. for more in this series.
February 23, 2025
One of the trickiest things to navigate in historical romances is agency and I question how much Bonnie, the main character here, had throughout the story. One of the ways that this common problem is resolved is either with modern temperaments or the male protagonist providing its means. Sadly I don't think either found it's footing in the book, and the way money seems to have solved many of the problems also didn't sit right with me. I still enjoyed the writing and I do think the story was interesting but I wish for more!
February 4, 2020
Such a beautiful book. You cannot put it down. It does have a HEA but not completely so. Or at least not as complete as one would expect from a romance book with a HEA..if that makes sense :)
Loel, he made me so mad at times, especially after he married her. He didn't trust her because she kissed him while engaged to another man. Really??? like it takes one person to share and reciprocate!
Great 2ry characters too
I highly recommend it.
Loel, he made me so mad at times, especially after he married her. He didn't trust her because she kissed him while engaged to another man. Really??? like it takes one person to share and reciprocate!
Great 2ry characters too
I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2018
Truly a beautiful book. I can't wait for Cordelia's story!
May 3, 2021
I have Erin Satie's backlist and have not read it yet (hoarding problem - mine). I am interested in reading the second book in this series so I dove into number 1. I'm giving a three because Satie is quite a good writer. Smooth, effortless and a lot of erotic in the mundane.
However - I felt the h/h were kept apart for a large part of the book, which made me question their connection. Though I know this is a light retelling/inspo of Beauty and the Beast, some, what I would call, fairy tale elements are to be expected, but too much went past my belief. The way characters just walked out on their families la-di-da with few repercussions. The way some of the tertiary characters in London lived in what amounted to fantasy zoos. I just had some problems.
However - I felt the h/h were kept apart for a large part of the book, which made me question their connection. Though I know this is a light retelling/inspo of Beauty and the Beast, some, what I would call, fairy tale elements are to be expected, but too much went past my belief. The way characters just walked out on their families la-di-da with few repercussions. The way some of the tertiary characters in London lived in what amounted to fantasy zoos. I just had some problems.
June 18, 2018
Erin Satie is a new-to-me author, and I am so excited that I found her because I absolutely loved Bed of Flowers.
On the surface, the book is about the relationship between an unsuitable pair but by no means is it a fluffy bonnet drama. Instead, what we get is a thoughtful, insightful and perceptive book filled with some really interesting characters as well as a narrative that brings to life the restrictions and limitations of living in these early Victorian times.
I loved both the main characters. Orson Loel may be titled, but even he understands his role as the town pariah is warranted. He is not so much resigned, as he is prepared to accept the verdict of the townspeople, and to live his life within set boundaries. To make ends meet, he grows and sells rare orchids. The descriptions of his flowers and greenhouse provide some wonderful moments in the book. I often felt like I was in that space with him as he cared for and nursed his orchids.
Bonny Reed, our heroine, is fascinating. She is well aware of societal expectations and her place in that society, yet there’s a part of her that fails to realise that as much as those expectations protect her, they can also expose her to harm if she steps outside the constraints. It’s an indictment of the life single women had during those times; they are treated as innocents, told very little about the ways of the world, yet they are expected to recognise these dangers to themselves and their reputation. The results of her deeds impact more than just her, but I found it hard to blame her.
Of the supporting characters, I very early on developed a liking for Cordelia. She is fierce! I was so happy to read that hers will be the next book in the Sweetness and Light series. But she’s not the only one, there are several others who particularly shine in the book, but I’ll let other readers discover them on their own.
I highly recommend this book. It will likely become one of my favourite reads of 2018
On the surface, the book is about the relationship between an unsuitable pair but by no means is it a fluffy bonnet drama. Instead, what we get is a thoughtful, insightful and perceptive book filled with some really interesting characters as well as a narrative that brings to life the restrictions and limitations of living in these early Victorian times.
I loved both the main characters. Orson Loel may be titled, but even he understands his role as the town pariah is warranted. He is not so much resigned, as he is prepared to accept the verdict of the townspeople, and to live his life within set boundaries. To make ends meet, he grows and sells rare orchids. The descriptions of his flowers and greenhouse provide some wonderful moments in the book. I often felt like I was in that space with him as he cared for and nursed his orchids.
Bonny Reed, our heroine, is fascinating. She is well aware of societal expectations and her place in that society, yet there’s a part of her that fails to realise that as much as those expectations protect her, they can also expose her to harm if she steps outside the constraints. It’s an indictment of the life single women had during those times; they are treated as innocents, told very little about the ways of the world, yet they are expected to recognise these dangers to themselves and their reputation. The results of her deeds impact more than just her, but I found it hard to blame her.
Of the supporting characters, I very early on developed a liking for Cordelia. She is fierce! I was so happy to read that hers will be the next book in the Sweetness and Light series. But she’s not the only one, there are several others who particularly shine in the book, but I’ll let other readers discover them on their own.
I highly recommend this book. It will likely become one of my favourite reads of 2018
June 22, 2018
4 Stars!
Bed of Flowers is book 1 in the Sweetness & Light series, but make no mistake, this book isn't all sweetness and light, as a matter of fact, it shows us the not-so-pretty side of the people Lord Joel and Bonny deal with.
I liked Lord Joel very much. He was nice and tried to do his best to make amends for the accident that made Bonny's family lose most of their money. It took me a good while to warm up to Bonny, though. I found her vapid and if I had to read one more time how exceptionally beautiful she was, I was going to scream. I'll give her that she was hard-working and compassionate, and at least for the last 30% or so, I didn't want to strangle her with her own bonnet. I'll have to give her credit that she stood behind her husband and her best friend when they needed her, even if a big part of why they were in trouble, was because of Bonny.
Lord Joel and Bonny's relationship had its foundation in a healthy dose of lust, mostly on Bonny's part, and it's undeniable that they nearly set my kindle on fire with the passionate scenes between them.
The secondary characters were interesting and I wouldn't mind reading Cordelia's story.
The story was entertaining and I have to give props to the author for not pulling any punches. She showed us a darker side of the small-town mentality and didn't make everything automatically alright for the main characters. Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Bed of Flowers is book 1 in the Sweetness & Light series, but make no mistake, this book isn't all sweetness and light, as a matter of fact, it shows us the not-so-pretty side of the people Lord Joel and Bonny deal with.
I liked Lord Joel very much. He was nice and tried to do his best to make amends for the accident that made Bonny's family lose most of their money. It took me a good while to warm up to Bonny, though. I found her vapid and if I had to read one more time how exceptionally beautiful she was, I was going to scream. I'll give her that she was hard-working and compassionate, and at least for the last 30% or so, I didn't want to strangle her with her own bonnet. I'll have to give her credit that she stood behind her husband and her best friend when they needed her, even if a big part of why they were in trouble, was because of Bonny.
Lord Joel and Bonny's relationship had its foundation in a healthy dose of lust, mostly on Bonny's part, and it's undeniable that they nearly set my kindle on fire with the passionate scenes between them.
The secondary characters were interesting and I wouldn't mind reading Cordelia's story.
The story was entertaining and I have to give props to the author for not pulling any punches. She showed us a darker side of the small-town mentality and didn't make everything automatically alright for the main characters. Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
May 14, 2021
This book kept frustrating me. The overemphasis of Bonny being beautiful, to the point that even Lord Loel saw it as a character flaw, was...weird. She seemed kindhearted, but everyone (except her friend) seemed to overlook it. She saved Loel's life, and he never really even thanked her for it - he just saw it as a way to manipulate him, and Bonny seemed to see her beauty that way as well. Loel was pretty rude to her for most of the book, but she seemed to think that was fine because he didn't assault her, like her (ex-)fiance did, which is a low bar. But there wasn't really a moment where he was like "whew, I sure was a jerk about that" or that she realized that she had redeeming characteristics other than how she looked, so it just sort of felt meh to me. They seemed to like each other by the end of the book, but it honestly wasn't clear to me why his opinion changed. I hated how harsh her family was to her. Also, a kind of unimportant plot hole but it bugged me anyway, Bonny kept opening up more and more of the house and Loel didn't seem to mind...but he had good reason to leave it all closed, and the change was never addressed. Honestly, my favorite part of the book was the orchids! I did like Cordelia, probably the most of any of the characters, so I am looking forward to her book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2018
Trigger warnings:
I’m not sure what it is about me reading relevant books lately (maybe it’s just my frame of mind), but this is a timely lesson about doing what’s right versus doing what’s socially acceptable, about making mistakes and redemption, and, as Dumbledore puts it, “the choice between what is right and what is easy.” We’ve also got a fire, orchids, an African princess, an eccentric heiress, a lending library, caviar, and a mutiny, all set in the Victorian time period.
As the son of a privileged aristocratic family, Loel was raised to do what’s best for his family, over his own needs or those of others. As a young man, he accidentally knocked over a lantern on the docks one night, burning down the docks and warehouse district in New Quay and ruining the fortunes of many of the families, including Bonnie’s, making him a pariah in the town and with his family. Now her family’s only hopes of returning to their previous lifestyle are for her to marry well – specifically, for her to marry Mr. Gavin, the son of the only wealthy family that escaped the fire with their money intact. Bonny knows she’s beautiful – sometimes she feels beautiful but useless, like the butterfly in her favorite painting – and she’s known him since she was a child, so while she doesn’t exactly love him, she’s anticipating the wedding with glee, if only for the benefit to her parents and younger sister. Then her fiancée openly admits, during his proposal no less, to resigning himself to settling for someone who’s merely kind and beautiful (but not rich). It’s the first crack in Bonnie’s vision of what marriage to Mr. Gavin will be like, and after comments from Loel, who she meets while soliciting donations for the women’s lending library she runs with her best friend, she finds more evidence that Mr. Gavin is not the gentleman he’s presented himself to be. Bonnie is torn between her happiness and fulfilling what her family sees as her obligation to lift them out of poverty. Alongside that, as reparation for knocking over one of Loel’s prized orchids the first day she visited him, she’s been visiting him nearly every day to care for the orchid, and her feelings for him are… complicated.
I loved how Bonnie is unflaggingly optimistic, even in the worst circumstances. Bonnie has her own “burning down the docks” mistake, and while that shakes her somewhat, she’s still able to recover and keep going. I loved her best friend Cordelia – she was a great foil, fierce and outspoken where Bonnie is quiet and kind – and their lending library for women. My favorite part, though, was Loel’s greenhouse and his orchids. It felt like they were a secondary character of their own, and I was particularly interested in the fate of “Bonnie’s” orchid. Loel, the town pariah, though initially rude to Bonnie, slowly shows himself to be the opposite of the town’s golden boy Mr. Gavin – a man who always does the right thing, even at great cost to himself, and someone who thinks of others, not just himself. Their relationship starts off slow, but is quite satisfying – they both realize how impossible even something like a friendship between the two of them would be because of the history between their families.
There’s a lot more external conflict than I was expecting, to the point where it felt like every time Bonny regained her equilibrium, literally a new worst possible thing would happen. It was a bit anxiety-inducing for me, and I did have to put the book down and walk away more than once. It felt like there was a bit too much going on, especially with the trip to London and the two new characters we meet there. While there was plenty of internal conflict, as well, it almost felt like, with all the other stuff being thrown at them constantly, Bonnie and Loel didn’t have the mental bandwidth to fully come to grips with how they felt about their relationship.
But, even with all that, the book boils down to a lovely story of mistakes, and how we make recompense for our own mistakes and forgive others for theirs. From how Loel handles the disastrous fire to how Mr. Gavin handles a much more private indiscretion, to the many and varied mistakes Bonnie makes, it’s watching how each character takes responsibility – or not – that moves the plot along. Without getting too spoileriffic, there’s a particular choice Bonny makes while she’s in London, a choice that is extremely unladylike and opens her up to a world of gossip and ridicule, but quite literally saves people’s lives. It’s an interesting exploration of how one mistake can permanently alter everyone else’s perception of you, despite a lifetime of other actions before or after. And it’s not just mistakes written large across the sphere of society or the town of New Quay, but also the ones that two people make in a relationship, and how dealing with those mistakes can either lead to resentment and disdain or to a closer harmony.
Overall, though I found it a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, I very much enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to Cordelia’s book!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I’m not sure what it is about me reading relevant books lately (maybe it’s just my frame of mind), but this is a timely lesson about doing what’s right versus doing what’s socially acceptable, about making mistakes and redemption, and, as Dumbledore puts it, “the choice between what is right and what is easy.” We’ve also got a fire, orchids, an African princess, an eccentric heiress, a lending library, caviar, and a mutiny, all set in the Victorian time period.
“No doubt it’s your gift for flattery that has made you beloved from one end of New Quay to the other.”
“I’m an honest person who looks for the best in people.” Miss Reed clucked her tongue. “It’s unfortunate that you give me so little to work with.”
As the son of a privileged aristocratic family, Loel was raised to do what’s best for his family, over his own needs or those of others. As a young man, he accidentally knocked over a lantern on the docks one night, burning down the docks and warehouse district in New Quay and ruining the fortunes of many of the families, including Bonnie’s, making him a pariah in the town and with his family. Now her family’s only hopes of returning to their previous lifestyle are for her to marry well – specifically, for her to marry Mr. Gavin, the son of the only wealthy family that escaped the fire with their money intact. Bonny knows she’s beautiful – sometimes she feels beautiful but useless, like the butterfly in her favorite painting – and she’s known him since she was a child, so while she doesn’t exactly love him, she’s anticipating the wedding with glee, if only for the benefit to her parents and younger sister. Then her fiancée openly admits, during his proposal no less, to resigning himself to settling for someone who’s merely kind and beautiful (but not rich). It’s the first crack in Bonnie’s vision of what marriage to Mr. Gavin will be like, and after comments from Loel, who she meets while soliciting donations for the women’s lending library she runs with her best friend, she finds more evidence that Mr. Gavin is not the gentleman he’s presented himself to be. Bonnie is torn between her happiness and fulfilling what her family sees as her obligation to lift them out of poverty. Alongside that, as reparation for knocking over one of Loel’s prized orchids the first day she visited him, she’s been visiting him nearly every day to care for the orchid, and her feelings for him are… complicated.
“Her optimism wasn’t a delusion. It was a choice. She had enough experience of misfortune—as he well knew—to justify a repellant, gloomy outlook on life.
But she preferred not to make herself, and everyone around her, utterly miserable.”
I loved how Bonnie is unflaggingly optimistic, even in the worst circumstances. Bonnie has her own “burning down the docks” mistake, and while that shakes her somewhat, she’s still able to recover and keep going. I loved her best friend Cordelia – she was a great foil, fierce and outspoken where Bonnie is quiet and kind – and their lending library for women. My favorite part, though, was Loel’s greenhouse and his orchids. It felt like they were a secondary character of their own, and I was particularly interested in the fate of “Bonnie’s” orchid. Loel, the town pariah, though initially rude to Bonnie, slowly shows himself to be the opposite of the town’s golden boy Mr. Gavin – a man who always does the right thing, even at great cost to himself, and someone who thinks of others, not just himself. Their relationship starts off slow, but is quite satisfying – they both realize how impossible even something like a friendship between the two of them would be because of the history between their families.
“On the contrary,” Cordelia returned. “That’s why I must leave my family.”
“You love your parents.”
“I do love them, but they’re wrong,” said Cordelia. “And I’d rather make my own mistakes than theirs.”
There’s a lot more external conflict than I was expecting, to the point where it felt like every time Bonny regained her equilibrium, literally a new worst possible thing would happen. It was a bit anxiety-inducing for me, and I did have to put the book down and walk away more than once. It felt like there was a bit too much going on, especially with the trip to London and the two new characters we meet there. While there was plenty of internal conflict, as well, it almost felt like, with all the other stuff being thrown at them constantly, Bonnie and Loel didn’t have the mental bandwidth to fully come to grips with how they felt about their relationship.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Bonny silenced her friend with an abrupt wave. “Besides, it’s years too late to change my mind.”
“Let us be exact.” Cordelia’s voice sharpened on the last word. “It’s too late for you to change your mind without upsetting anyone. It’s too late for a change of mind to be easy or painless. But”—Cordelia narrowed her eyes—“it is not too late.”
But, even with all that, the book boils down to a lovely story of mistakes, and how we make recompense for our own mistakes and forgive others for theirs. From how Loel handles the disastrous fire to how Mr. Gavin handles a much more private indiscretion, to the many and varied mistakes Bonnie makes, it’s watching how each character takes responsibility – or not – that moves the plot along. Without getting too spoileriffic, there’s a particular choice Bonny makes while she’s in London, a choice that is extremely unladylike and opens her up to a world of gossip and ridicule, but quite literally saves people’s lives. It’s an interesting exploration of how one mistake can permanently alter everyone else’s perception of you, despite a lifetime of other actions before or after. And it’s not just mistakes written large across the sphere of society or the town of New Quay, but also the ones that two people make in a relationship, and how dealing with those mistakes can either lead to resentment and disdain or to a closer harmony.
Overall, though I found it a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, I very much enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to Cordelia’s book!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 10, 2019
Ok this was a good story but I felt like it left A LOT of loose ends. Like whatever happened to Charles Gavin? I thought for sure he would play a stronger villian. Like he goes and beats on Loel with his cronies for speaking to Bonny but then Bonny betrays him, calls off their engagement and... Nothing? He just disappears into the ether? I thought for sure he'd kick up some mischief while Loel sold the painting in London and Bonny was alone at the house but nothing.
It also annoyed me that Bonny & Loel were constantly apologizing to one another.
I was also thrown off by Loel telling Bonny that he didn't know if he could trust her because she made out with him while engaged to another man. Excuse me what? She's been telling you for the last week's that she has reservations for this marriage. She even went to London to find ANOTHER husband. But sure you think she's betraying her fiance in this act.
Anyways, it was a good story, definitely something I might reread in the future. So it gets 4 stars.
It also annoyed me that Bonny & Loel were constantly apologizing to one another.
I was also thrown off by Loel telling Bonny that he didn't know if he could trust her because she made out with him while engaged to another man. Excuse me what? She's been telling you for the last week's that she has reservations for this marriage. She even went to London to find ANOTHER husband. But sure you think she's betraying her fiance in this act.
Anyways, it was a good story, definitely something I might reread in the future. So it gets 4 stars.
June 27, 2018
I have been a fan of Satie since her Better Angels series with the emotionally challenged characters. Bed of Flowers is in a very different style. It is a riff on Disney's Beauty and the Beast, with beautiful, book loving Bonny (Belle) engaged to handsome but villainous Mr. Garvin (Gascon), who both live in a small town that fears and loathes Lord Loel (the Beast). There is even a dying flower which Bonny revives. Of course there is angst--Bonny must overcome her need to feel that she deserves all the bad things that happen to her, even if they are not her fault, and Loel constantly flagellates himself for an accident that occurred years ago. The description of orchid growing is fascinating, and the secondary characters are interesting. Except for some explicit sex scenes, this feels like a YA novel.
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