I recently read Like a Flower In Bloom by Siri Mitchell for review. It was my first
experience reading a book by this author. It was a little different in that the heroine was a reluctant debutante for the season. She was unaware of her beauty in a refreshing way that made her appealing. If one can dare to compare her to anyone perhaps it would be to Eliza Doolittle for a brief moment only because of her innocence in the social mores of the day. She was a bit more educated than Eliza but she was like her in that Charlotte was outspoken and sometimes spoke her opinion without realizing it isn't often done by young ladies presented in society who are looking for a husband.
She was born to a family of botanists and when her mother died, Charlotte got her father through his loss by helping him with his work by writing, illustrating and managing the household. Brought to task by her uncle the Admiral, her father came to see that he had relied far too long on her and that she should be out in the world, seeking a husband.
About this time, Mr. Trimble, one of her father's correspondents turned up on their steps from New Zealand with some plant specimens. He would suit just fine as Charlotte's replacement on the job, leaving her to her uncle's project including dinners, new gowns and finding that suitor to carry her along to a marriage....but away from her beloved work.
Along the journey, she encounters suitors of course, but also a young friend, and a maddening relationship with the man who took her job, Mr. Trimble. Most important of all though is the self discovery of who she really is. I think this discovery is what sets this book apart from a run of the mill romance. If you want to follow Charlotte on her journey and learn a little about botany, read Like A Flower In Bloom!
