Hi y’all and happy April!
Hope you are enjoying warmer weather and fun adventures this spring! We’re on spring break this week and we definitely have some fun adventures planned.
I am so excited to share my review of Discovering Dahlia by Jennifer Moore. I was lucky to read this book as an ARC reader which I have been privileged to do for most of this series. Getting Dahlia’s story was a fantastic ending to a truly lovely historical series.
This is a stand alone novel but I think reading the series in order gives you the best experience with the stories. See my other reviews in the series here:
Solving Sophronia
Inventing Vivian
Healing Hazel
Educating Elizabeth
It has been such a treat to read The Blue Orchid Society and experience these beautiful stories as an ARC reader. I have absolutely loved getting to know these five best friends and seeing them fall in love and become pioneering women in their respective fields.
This book releases today, April 1st 2025!
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.
Book Summary: “Following a painful public humiliation, Dahlia Lancaster was left heartbroken, friendless, and shunned by London Society. But rather than dwelling on the balls she’ll never attend, Dahlia has turned her attentions to her unconventional inheritance—a steamship company. After a year of work, she’s preparing to launch The Aurora, a luxury ocean liner that promises to revolutionize travel. The invitation list is Dahlia’s closest friends—the Blue Orchid Society—as well as a few influential individuals from her old life, whose presence will ensure the success of her endeavor. Unfortunately, not all have the best interests of Dahlia or her shipping line at heart.
Lord Meredith has loved Dahlia since their first meeting. But after her fall from grace, she has evaded his every attempt to see her—until she extends an invitation to join her on The Aurora. Once aboard, Lord Meredith and Dahlia’s tentative rekindling of their friendship is interrupted when things begin to go terribly wrong. Mischievous dealings take on an ominous tone, and it’s clear that someone is intent on humiliating Dahlia again or worse—but she will not be sunk so easily. With Lord Meredith at her side, Dahlia is determined to discover the culprit. So intent, in fact, that she doesn’t recognize another threat looming until it’s too she’s in danger of losing her heart.”
I have been anticipating Dahlia’s story since the beginning of the series and loved getting to know her. In many ways, Dahlia is the reason the Blue Orchid Society comes into existence. When a public announcement of a betrothal does not go as planned, she seeks solitude but finds life altering friendship. Now, she is the president of her family shipping business and has orchestrated a first of it’s kind pleasure cruise on the SS Aurora with her friends and members of the ton. I loved seeing Dahlia thrive as the leader of her company and seeing how she connects with her crew and guests. She has a gift for connection and that is on full display in this novel. I admire her strength, patience, and loyalty. Seeing her let Miles back into her life was also beautiful.
Miles has loved Dahlia longer than anyone has known, and I loved the support he is able to give her. He sees her more clearly than Ruben or the Darling Debs or even the Blue Orchid Society sees her. To Miles, Dahlia is capable, independent, beautiful, and inspiring. I loved seeing how he seeks to reconnect with her and understand how to help her. While their romance feels impossible at times, Miles and Dahlia are truly right for each other. I loved their first kiss on the castle tower, their embrace in the cave, and how their love shines through when things go unexpectedly and repeatably wrong.
One of my favorite elements in this series is the unique time period that allows for such fascinating stories of women in new roles and careers. The Victorian Era offered so many new opportunities for women and I love seeing those on display in this story. Dahlia is the new president of her company because of a new law that allowed women to inherit such titles. I loved seeing her thrive in this role and see her dear Blue Orchid friends on the cruise. Their skills are needed from medical care to investigative journalism. This story (like the others in this series) is exciting and surprising. The mystery surrounding the mishaps on the cruise is engaging; I felt very invested in the story and in figuring out who was sabotaging the cruise. The twists and turns that reveal who is responsible are well developed and surprising. Just when I thought I figured it all out, a new twist surprised me!
Overall, a beautiful novel to finish a beautiful series about achieving big dreams and the power of true friendship!
What are some of your favorite historical time periods?
Which novels celebrating friendship do you love?
Jennifer Moore is a passionate reader & writer of all things romance due to the need to balance the rest of her world that includes a perpetually traveling husband & four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that are anything but romantic. She suffers from an acute addiction to 18th & 19th century military history & literature. Jennifer has a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Utah & is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family, but most of the time wishes she was on board a frigate during the Age of Sail.
greenish bookshelf 