I also enjoyed the feminist history that was woven through the story, and how the story depicted that over time more opportunities have been opened up to women. There seems to be a trend lately, at least in the eyes of a casual observer, for historical novels that shine a light on very niche, long-forgotten subject matter. Whether that’s true or not, The Fair Botanists, the latest in Sara Sheridan’s seriously impressive line-up of work, is exactly that sort of novel. Set in 1822, the story follows Elizabeth Graham, recently widowed, as she moves to Edinburgh to live with her late husband’s aunt.

Unfortunately it doesn't produce many seeds, yet everyone seems to want a piece of the plant for their own. Edinburgh, 1822 Romp and intrigue in Scotland’s Enlightenment City centred around the Royal Botanic Garden in the run up to the visit of George IV.

What a setting and cast of characters! This seductive and sensual novel comes from a writer at the height of her powers. Captured my senses, and my heart She said: “I am often inspired by historical and/or fictional characters, but my images are usually fused with people I know or developments from previous paintings. The cyclical nature of the plants and the seasons mirror the characters well, as they too evolve and change throughout the story. Dazzling, original, full of wonderful characters and so interesting! Anyone who's ever looked at a flower will love it as much as I do. With the trio swiftly encased at one table, Sheridan waxed lyrical about women's history in Edinburgh – "the female artists, scientists, salonnieres, writers, philosophers and sex workers whose legacy has been consistently underplayed" – at the tail end of the Enlightenment.

Sheridan published Where Are The Women? in 2019, bringing together more than 1,200 stories of Scottish women from history whose achievements had been overlooked or forgotten. Some of that research carried into The Fair Botanists. The novel centres on two markedly different women. Elizabeth Rocheid is newly widowed and has arrived in Edinburgh from London to live with her late husband's aunt at Inverleith House, while Isabel "Belle" Brodie is carving a living as the city's most upmarket courtesan.This was such a brilliant book to sit and read, I found a fabulous story that does have historical facts and of course there is the botanical part of the story. I thought this made fascinating reading as did the section at the end where the author gives more details as to her characters. Those who were real and for these, she did give a little more detail. The two female leads in the novel, Belle and Elizabeth – I wish I knew both in real life! Belle Brodie, is a courtesan. She just does her own thing and seeks pleasure where she can despite what society might dictate. Elizabeth has just suffered a bereavement and so is seeking new adventures. /having worked at Kew Gardens, she is keen to work in the new Edinburgh gardens. Sheridan describes The Fair Botanists as "a bit of a romp", adding she wasn't sure initially if the editor who commissioned it would like the finished book.