from me. I really enjoyed this frolic around 19th Century Edinburgh. We follow two women: one a courtesan and amateur perfume maker and one a botanical artist and lady's companion. With royal characters, love stories, courtesans who make potions, literary figures and a plant that only flowers once every century, it’s safe to say that I was left wanting more from this book. If you like beautiful language and slow, relaxing books with beautiful botanical details, however, then perhaps this may suit you better.

The cast of compelling characters is led by two charming heroines, Elizabeth and Belle, and include illustrious historical figures you’ll be delighted to meet in Sheridan’s lively portrayals. Just one name for them all, Sir Walter Scott. The whole of Edinburgh waits with baited breath for the American aloe plant to flower. The fate of the characters rests on the successful outcome of the plant. Mr McNab up to his knees in debt is relying on the sale of the aloe’s seeds to feed and clothe his family. Miss Brodie whose current ladies bathing oil is a roaring success at the apothecary; is relying on the aloe’s flowers as the secret ingredient to the success of her new love potion. Elizabeth is relying upon the aloe’s blooms to symbolise and herald hope and happiness for her future. Add into the mix the impending arrival of King George III, everyone pulls together to try to make the visit triumphant and perhaps bring fresh, new and much needed investors to the Botanical Gardens. As the story progressed I found myself being drawn more and more into the story of the characters, they are, as I mentioned a wonderful. Just the right amount and they were easy to remember. Mentions of various historical figures were great and it helped keep me well and truly in the time and setting of the story.One final thing I want to mention is how beautiful the writing was. Sheridan's descriptions are so vivid, and her portrayals of the scenery are stunning. I'd highly recommend The Fair Botanists for any fans of historical fiction, for readers interested in nature, and for readers who enjoy stories depicting strong female characters. When the 23 foot aloe finally flowers – will Mr McNab’s secret dealings be exposed? Will Belle gain the scent she desires? Will Elizabeth find her future fortunes in its golden blooms?

And those she created are, for the most part, just wonderful. The omniscient narrator, who dips in and out of the minds of many characters – reminiscent of narrators from novels of the Regency era – means that we get to know many characters from the inside out. Elizabeth is a compelling lead, and Belle is a riot, from start to finish. Johann is a dashing hero, easily the equal of any Jane Austen hero and I’d even say surpassing some of them with his gentle, kind ways. If you come to The Fair Botanists for the history, or for the names that you recognise, you should be aware that you will come away having fallen completely in love with Elizabeth, Belle and Johann. Meanwhile Belle Brodie, a young woman who has a passion for both men and the dark arts of perfume is determined to take advantage of this rare bloom to create something she plans to sell for perhaps too high a price but only if she can secure something that is truly forbidden as she is learning that being a Courtesan cannot help her become elevated due to other people’s opinions of her... Of the main protagonists, Belle Brodie was my favourite character. Independent minded and ambitious, she is prepared to pursue a life of pleasure without concern for social conventions. Using the knowledge she possesses that others would not want made public, she determinedly pursues her aim of developing a scent that she hopes many will pay a fortune to possess. I really enjoyed the convergence of all of these storylines, and the ramifications of what happens to the flower. The pace was slow but deliciously told, the characters were really interesting and believable, I particularly enjoyed the Edinburgh setting which I could visualise so clearly.Botanist and physician Robert Graham, the 6th Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, attempts to wangle an invite to the big royal soiree and makes some questionable life choices as the plot progresses. The book itself centres around a rare plant that flowers only once in its life – and let’s just say that many of the characters have their own needs and vested interests when it comes to flowers, seeds and the like! Disclosure: If you buy a book via the above link, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

READ MORE: Sara Sheridan on battling deafness, reclaiming Scottish cultural identity and perfecting cosy crime noir Belle’s character in particular is a captivating one and I would have gratefully read more about her. What leads a courtesan to become interested in botany? How did she educate herself? What was the dynamic between her and her half-brother? Much of this is left to the imagination. So too are the many supporting characters, who all start to blend into one another – something which is not helped by the proliferation of Jameses and Jamies. The Fair Botanists transports the reader to 19th century Edinburgh, a city divided into rich and poor areas, and undergoing rapid development with new housing springing up on land formerly given over to farming.It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event which only occurs once in several decades. Sara Sheridan writes the books I love to read. A bland statement, perhaps, but let me list the ways in which I love her writing.

Sara has taken women from history, some real and others reimagined, and given them a voice. Seeing fictional characters walking side by side with real historical figures was magical and it created a wonderful picture of Edinburgh society at that time. The agave americana plant, which only flowers every few decades, is a new edition to the botanical gardens, and is set to flower. Lively and generous-hearted, with an array of utterly engaging characters, this enchanting novel reads like a warm tonic for the soul’ Mary Paulson-Ellis We were so pleased to see you add in your passion for perfume in The Fair Botanists. Can you tell us more about what you love about perfume creation? So many things! I learned a lot about the sex trade in the city during the Georgian period, which was legion! And the way the legal system dealt with (mainly female) sex workers. In that there are echoes that reverberate today into the way women are treated by our culture in the process of rape cases. The patriarchy is still at it!

It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event that only occurs once every few decades. Both women are very different, but drawn to each other through their shared interest in the plants but also perhaps through some instinctive knowledge that each of them were lonely in their own way. Elizabeth is living with relatives she hardly knows, believes she is there through family duty. She has to keep the secret of her unhappy marriage from her husband’s relatives, though more and more is revealed about her life before. Belle is a social outcast, though not without money. The illegitimate child of a peer, she has chosen to live her life as a courtesan, a mistress to two men of wealth. Her position has meant she has never really had friends and she is surprised to find she welcome’s Elizabeth’s company. They are quite differently strong," says Sheridan. "Elizabeth could have just shut the door at Inverleith House and never gone out, but the gardens provided an outlet for her. She had experience with botanical illustration and that was something a lot of women got involved with. I have written lots of things from 1820, 1830 and 1840 – that is a period I know well," she says. "Although, normally, it is more about explorers and adventurers on a physical journey."