Book Review - Orchid Pink - Toni Sands

Demure Adelaide hides a passionate nature beneath her elegant gowns. After hiring a delicious new maid, Daisy, she can’t wait to initiate her into the delights of the orchid house. Though resenting paternal pressure to marry businessman Thomas, Adelaide finds excitement in his touch and his erotic whisperings. Yet, when he reveals his sinister side, she seeks solace elsewhere. Christmas brings snowflakes, also a vivid reminder of a heart-wrenching past. Intrigue and obsession rock this Victorian household as Adelaide’s poignant search for love leads her into storms. Will she ever bask in the sunshine?

Orchid Pink is available from Amazon UK,Amazon US and All Romance eBooks, as well as other good eBook retailers.

***

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. I wasn't sure whether I liked Adelaide in the beginning, as she struck me as quite selfish on one hand, whilst fiercely loyal on the other. 

Unable to resist her attraction to the new maid, she embarks on an illicit affair. When her father's friend, and the man her father wishes her to marry, stumbles upon the two of them pleasuring each other in the greenhouse, Adelaide is relieved. She thinks that Thomas Mercer will simply slink away and she will be spared with having to make to decision.  However, the opposite happens. Thomas starts a determined seduction and Adelaide finds herself agreeing to marry the widower. 

His one condition is that all relations between Adelaide and maid Daisy must cease immediately.

And here is where the author lost me for a while. Adelaide is supposed to have strong feelings for Daisy, and she is supposed to be a Lesbian, something she is struggling with, as her wish to conform to the dictates of society, and in particular her wish to protect and please her father, very much influence her behaviour. Yet, she falls for Thomas's charms a bit too easily.

As the story unfolds and we learn more about Adelaide's backstory and once Thomas shows his true colours, I warmed to Adelaide again.

The one constant throughout the book is Adelaide's love for her father and his obvious affection for him. In fact he is one character I was most impressed with in this book. He does have his daughter's best interests at heart. In fact he ensures that his daughter's heritage is settled on her and not her husband, which was a bit unheard of at that time. I really enjoyed the journey he takes in the book.

And Thomas, well, I just love the comeuppance he gets at the end. The further I got into the story, the faster I clicked the pages and I wished a happy ending for Adelaide.

Does she get it? Well, you will have to read the book. I will say there were some interesting twists towards the end I wasn't expecting.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and the author did a great job at getting the reader emotionally invested in the characters. Especially as I didn't particularly like Adelaide to start with and towards the end she does something, that, whilst in keeping with the time period, really made me not like her much again.


Where the book truly shines is in the amazing descriptions Ms Sands gives. I could visualise every scene very clearly and the attention to detail was amazing. 

The one thing that pulled me out of the story a bit, were the at times abrupt scene changes. A few times I had to double back as there was a jump in the time line, which was a shame. 

However, I would definitely read another book by this author and the story stayed with me for some time. It is an interesting portrayal of one woman's struggle to be true to her sexuality in a time period that frowned upon homosexuality and where women had no rights to speak of.