Unfortunately I dnf’d this book at 58% because it began to feel like a chore to read. The cast had such a non-plan for the heist that it’s hard to believe the author had thought out much of a plan either, it takes a suspension of disbelief for something that could've been easily thought out and rationalised, but instead it's something you have zero faith in it working.

Although 'the heist' was supposed to be the main plot of the book it felt very much like a side plot to the romance, which also didn’t feel fully developed enough to be the main plot. Despite this I did find myself enjoying the romance but not enough to see everything explode in their faces with all the dishonesty that served as the foundation of their relationship.

I thought the characters were very two dimensional and the only reason we know so much about Phil’s home life is to add some pressure and reasoning behind them agreeing to the heist in the first place. Chaz is such a let down of a character and he wasn’t done any justice, it’s not till ten chapters in that you find out that he’s implied to be a character of colour by stereotyping and his non nickname being mentioned “They [Chaz’s sisters mentioned just before this by name] often drop in to take the piss out of his lifestyle and fill his freezer with Tupperwares of home-cooked curries and sweet treats from their mum, who (rightly) believes Chaz incapable of taking any interest in feeding himself regular meals.” And “Chaz’s real name is Chathura. He rebranded in primary school. To be more stylish.” Lily is unnecessarily grumpy so she can fit the 'grumpy x sunshine' trope and no other reason.

The reason I picked this book up (it revolving around a heist ) is the reason I put it down because it was poorly planned/formulated by the author and in turn the characters.

A super sweet romantic heist involving an orchid (it does what it says on the tin!)

Great bi/lesbian rep and I loved the gentleness with which it approached addiction. This book was recommended to me because of the queer joy it centres, and I can confirm that it delivers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

This book was interesting enough to hold my attention while I was reading but I didn’t immediately want to keep picking it up!

Overall it was a good read

I requested this because it just sounded fun, and it was queer which is always a bonus. Plus I love heists. That said I really didn’t know what to expect from this. Were we cheering them on in the heist? Did we want it fail? So I walked into this a little apprehensive but still expecting a good time. And it would be more than fair to say that’s exactly what I got!

This is not quite a heist book, or at least the thieves are a little bit incompetent but that’s totally what makes it work. It’s very endearing. Phil def needs a big hug and someone to talk to, as well as to tell her she’s good. Chaz’s varying levels of competence with hacking was mildly concerning for those of us invested in Phil’s stress levels. And Lily is really sweet when she mellows out and I’m glad we got to see some of that.

I really like the ending (and no I won’t hint at how the heist goes, that’s not really the point of the book, ironically) and the implications of everything.

The book isn’t perfect - there’s a lot of self doubt going around, some 2d villainisation, and a lot of miscommunication. But it is fun. And the heist is a great backdrop for a book large about the characters in it.

4 stars.

I absolutely loved this fun (with serious tones) read!

A crime caper, filled with wit, a country house, plants, obnoxious rich guys, dogs, more plants, and romance! I mean what's not to enjoy.

Phil bounces through life, not really finding her feet in jobs nor love until she walks into the pub one night and gets the offer of all offers from Miles and also meets Lily! Are the two connected? Of course not, but fate weaves a complex web, and it's not long until Phil is working at the grand Felborough Hall, alongside Lily and plotting the botanical heist of the century.

I loved the pace of the book and also the tone. It dealt with issues carefully and wittily but didn't make you feel like you were being lectured!

dnf at 30%
i couldn't keep going the writing is cringe and why does the MC have this weird tension/almost romance with a man when it's supposed to be a sapphic romance

Phil is far from a hardened criminal, but with her father's debt and illness hanging over their head, she needs money, fast. So when her hacker friend gets an offer to steal a priceless orchid from a botanical garden, what can she do?

The real shining light of this book for me is Phil and her father's relationship. I really felt the desperation and anxiety of having to be a parent to your parent, of having to be the 'adult' in the room and carry all that weight for them too. And the shame on the part of her father, who also knew this wasn't right. It was a very real and interesting dynamic. Every time when Phil wanted to back out, she stayed in for her father.

Of course, I also loved Phil and Lily's relationship, and as an extension Phil's genuine growing interest in the gardens and their history. Basically, I just think Phil was a great character and her character arc was amazing to read.

The side characters like Chaz and HG also shined, and I'm very fond of them.

I loved the whole thing, it’s a brilliant book. The characters are loveable from the beginning, and the story is both gripping and entertaining. There’s humour from start to finish, but also romance, real life, friendships and a great mystery! Highly recommend!

4.25 stars
This was such a fun read.
I never would have thought that I would have been drawn to a heist sort of story, particularly a heist romance, but this was certainly a fresh take on the romance genre and the sapphic one at that.
It really was charming, with lots of funny moments too. And I was obsessed with the little pup.
Definitely one of the best queer romances that I've read and it should certainly be mentioned in the same sentence or conversation as the likes of Casey McQuiston, Ashley Herring Blake and the likes.
I can't wait to see what Eleanor does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A sapphic rom-com against the backdrop of a botanical heist sounds almost too good to be true, and alongside the beautiful cover I was a little scared this book would disappoint me and fail to deliver on its incredible premise. Luckily it was absolutely amazing! This is such a sweet, witty, compelling read that I really really enjoyed.

Phil is such a great POV character. You completely understand her conflicting motives and why she makes all the choices she does, even when you're mentally screaming at her to stop. Her humour and banter with Lily were also so genuinely funny, and their relationship was developed so well and felt so real. They were both characterised so well and their chemistry was written amazingly. I love how the romance and heist elements were perfectly balanced with each other, and the two plots were interweaved brilliantly to keep the pacing working for both storylines.

I do think that the romance plot was just a little stronger and the characterisation of Lily worked better than any of the characters involved with the heist. I also think the heist plot is quite predictable, but seeing as how this is a romance and not a thriller I don't think it matters that much, and certainly didn't prevent me from absolutely loving this!

This is such a wholesome book with so much heart and character and absolutely one I would recommend for anyone looking for a sapphic romance with a twist!

This was such a fun read. There is something so fun about reading about someone trying to pull off heist and I found myself gripped to know if they were going to pull it off - or rather more accurately - how it was going to all fall apart. It was an enjoyable time getting to that part and then the fallout. Then there was the simmering romance between Lily and Phil that was so sweet and tender and occasionally steamy and was the perfect through line to this narrative and the ending was just perfect.

I love not reminding myself of the blurb right before reading because I went into this thinking, sapphic flower heist, okay, we’re going have two women teaming up for some reason to steal a flower and oops romance ensues, fun! Oh damn did I get excited and curious when I realised how wrong I was!

The whole scenario and heist set up was so good, if not super well organised and bound to lead to disaster, but I loved following Phil along in trying to steal this super rare orchid. I loved all the little moments with her and Lily, I liked how it very much started with bickering and arguing, that’s always my fave!

The main reason I loved this so much was that it was so funny! I just love when you’re reading or watching something and it is 100% your kind of humour and this was that for me! So many little quips and references that had me out loud cackling!

I thought the situation with Phil and her dad was really well written, I didn’t know whether to be mad or just sad about the whole thing, and I think that’s probably realistic for most people living through that.

There is something else going on around the heist and I really thought I’d worked it all out and was donning my detective hat, but wasn’t even really half way there lol. But I was mostly in the right area, so basically I was totally correct.

This was such a fun read with plenty of humour and real emotional parts to keep you hooked! And it’s very gay so what more do you need?

I love a sapphic romance and this book had it all, romance, danger and a heist! Fun, cosy and exciting read overall.

A slow burn, green fingered heist saga. I can honestly say I loved every minute of this. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an opportunity to read this for an honest review. This book was a delight, reading this in a rather chilly February wrapped me up in a coziness that I was not expecting.

A heist to nab a new and rare orchid to the UK, brings an unlikely trio of Phil, Chas and Miles on a quest to steal this but as predicted not all is as it seems. Enter the grumpy Lilly and her dogo Eva who developing show burn friends to something more with Phil is generally lovely and all the guilt Phil has to overcome.

There is some serious notes which included gambling addiction, guilt over parent vs child relationship dynamics and the feeling of being lost that includes what the world perception of you is.

Wonderful read would highly recommend this when this comes out soon!!

The Great Orchid Heist is a sweet, funny, sapphic romance. Phil, desperate for money to save her family from her dad's gambling problem, is convinced into taking a job with the sole purpose of getting close enough to steal a rare orchid. Along the way, of course, things go wrong and heat up and she falls for senior gardener Lily. I really liked this setting of Felborough Botanic Gardens, and I fell for its charm just as Phil did. The heist is pretty low-key and I would've loved more as a fan of criminal heist shenanigans, but the romance was lovely and there was enough mystery to keep me intrigued. A character-driven story that romance fans will enjoy.

Nice little romance with a bit of a convoluted heist plot that I wasn’t entirely sold on - mainly because I thought the romance element was great and would have been happy if the book had been even more about that. Phil and Lily are characters who seem well suited with great chemistry. The secondary gambling plot line and some of the second characters frustrated/annoyed me at times but I understand it was necessary to sort the heist plot and tie it up neatly at the end - which I thought was done quite well! And this book features the sweeeetest little dog character who I adored, which was a bonus.

This book slowly sucked me in, and I ended up really enjoying it. I loved getting to follow along with the planning of the heist, even while I worried for the consequences when Lily learned the truth of what Phil was planning. The evolution of Phil and Lily’s relationship was so lovely to follow.

A sweetly charming queer romcom, Vendrell's debut is an auspicious one, following a disenchanted wannabe thief who finds herself entangled in both a horticultural heist and a sweet romance. Successfully marrying the light-fingered and green-fingered conceits, this is an effervescent read perfect for spring.

What a wonderful book!! Eleanor Vendrell is an author to be watched (and read). Despite not knowing whether I wanted the heist to be successful or not (our main character was rather iffy on that herself), I cared so much about Phil, Lily, and the rest of the gang in this book. Such a great read!

I knew I loved Eleanor’s voice before going in — after all, I read her newsletter religiously, whenever it comes out — but it was such a treat to get to enjoy it for a full-length book. It’s witty and smart and conversational, and pulled me right into this wild story about Phil who finds herself inmidst planning a heist to steal a rare orchid, to clear her dad’s gambling debt.
You know what else this book has? Plant nerds, a budding (ha!) romance, great character development, and a dog called Eva that I’d love to take home, thank you very much. I loved hanging out with Phil and everyone else at Felborough, and see her slowly thaw Lily’s heart, and now I kind of feel like volunteering at a botanical garden, too (though not to steal anything, I swear!).

THE GREAT ORCHID HEIST is out on February 3rd (next week!!), so go grab a copy if you want to brighten up these wet, dreary winter days!