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!

What do you get when you combine an impossible heist, an ultra-rare orchid, a gambling debt, and a slow-burn romance? You get Eleanor Vendrell’s The Great Orchid Heist, a dazzling, character-driven rom-com that left me completely hooked from start to finish.

Phil’s best friend, Chaz, ropes her into joining a heist team to steal a rare orchid worth £100,000 - a sum that could clear her dad’s gambling debts.

Phil’s role? Infiltrate the grand estate (think Downton Abbey) as a volunteer, gather intel, and pave the way for the heist.

What Phil doesn’t anticipate is Lily, the senior gardener who’s as frosty as she is fascinating.

With her Viking-inspired hairstyles, unmatched plant expertise, and strong, guarded demeanour, Lily is a force to be reckoned with - and Phil is tasked with getting close to her.

The romance between Phil and Lily is the heart of the story, and oh, what a heart it is!

Their chemistry crackles, and watching Lily’s icy exterior thaw as Phil wins her trust was utterly delightful. But with every step closer they grew, my anxiety about the heist soared.

I was completely torn - rooting for the budding romance while dreading the inevitable fallout when Lily learned the truth about Phil’s motives.

The tension was palpable, and at the 50% mark, I was literally biting my nails.

What sets this book apart is how effortlessly Vendrell balances the high-stakes tension of the heist with the emotional depth of the romance.

The plant-based setting was surprisingly fascinating, and the detail about the orchid world added a unique flair to the story.

And somehow, despite all the tension, betrayal, and moral quandaries, Vendrell delivered a satisfying conclusion that felt earned and left me grinning.

If you love character-driven rom-coms with a cool, unconventional setting and a heist twist, The Great Orchid Heist is a must-read. I can’t wait to see what Eleanor Vendrell writes next!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like this author to know I hold her directly responsible for the fate of the orchid I'm about to acquire and fail to keep alive.

Alright, now that that's out of the way, onto the actual book.

Phil is having a bit of a rough time. Her dad seems to have started gambling again and seems likely to lose the house. So when best friend Chaz suggests they steal a rare (and very pricy) orchid from the Felborough Botanic Gardens, she's in. The Great Orchid Heist is a go. Her role is simple: infiltrate the gardens as a volunteer and 'case the joint'. Turns out gardens are kind of cool, and one of the gardeners is pretty cute...

This book slowly sucked me in until I accidentally unlocked a new special interest (unrelated, when is the best time of year to visit the botanic gardens?).
It's delightfully silly, the writing is engaging, and the characters are just so fun (even if the villains are a perhaps tad one-dimensional).
If you're the type of person who'd pick up a queer rom-com about an orchid heist, you're the type of person who'll enjoy this book! I love when judging a book by its cover works out. (That's the whole point of a book cover!!) I had a great time, will now be spending some quality time with Sir David Attenborough as he tells me about cool plants 🌺

Many thanks to Headline and Netgalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this!

A great read I couldn’t put down. I really enjoyed the story and character development/interactions. A beautiful love story and moment that had me laughing out loud in my staff canteen.

4⭐️

The Great Orchid Heist by Eleanor Vendrell is a slow-burn sapphic romcom.

I love how the author organized the heist and how she balanced the heist part with the romance.
Phil and Lily felt very realistic, and I really enjoyed the evolution of their relationship.
I also loved Lily’s relationship with Chaz and the aroace-coded representation.
Additionally, I appreciated how the author dealt with themes such as addiction.

Absolutely LOVED this - easily my romance read of 2025 so far. The voice is so specific but simultaneously easy to read, and Phil feels like a pal gossiping with you at the pub from page one. Add in a heist, which is always a winner in my book, and a grumpy/sunshine love story that feels completely plausible, and The Great Orchid Heist is a proper treat of a book. I didn't want it to end!

This is an unusual heist story as the item being stolen is a rare orchid. Phil is worried that her dad is gambling again after she sees him furtively hiding letters with red writing on. Then her friend Chaz asks her to meet Miles who has an idea to steal a rare orchid for a client and to split the fee. Reluctantly Phil get a job volunteering at the famous gardens hosting the rare orchid. She has no experience but surprises herself with how much she enjoys the task and people that she meets there.
Initially this was a little slow as the scene was set but it began to gather pace. There were twists and turns but the ending was plausible and satisfying.

Eleanor Vendrell's The Great Orchid Heist is a delightful romp blending the high-stakes tension of a heist with the swooning charm of a sapphic romcom. Set against the lush backdrop of Felborough Botanic Gardens, this novel delivers a perfect mix of romance, suspense, and emotional depth.

Phil—never Philippa—is a sharp and resourceful protagonist whose motives for infiltrating Felborough are rooted in the pressures of family obligation and survival. The story captures her internal conflict beautifully: torn between loyalty to her gambling-addicted father and the increasingly undeniable pull of her feelings for Lily, the enigmatic assistant gardener. Vendrell skilfully explores this duality, making Phil both relatable and endearing as she grapples with the morality of her mission.

Lily, on the other hand, is a classic grumpy love interest whose guarded exterior conceals a deep passion for her work. Her banter and slow-burning chemistry with Phil are the beating heart of the story. Their relationship evolves organically, with moments of tension and tenderness that feel earned. The fact that Phil’s entire heist hinges on deceiving Lily adds an undercurrent of delicious angst to their romance, keeping readers hooked on how their story will unfold.

The heist plotline is equally engaging, adding a layer of intrigue to the romance. Vendrell’s descriptions of the rare Splendid Paradise Orchid and the meticulous operations of Felborough Botanic Gardens are vividly detailed, immersing readers in a lush and atmospheric setting. The stakes are high, not just because of the Orchid's rarity but because of what it represents for Phil: the key to saving her family home.

The supporting cast—including Chaz, the bad influence with a heart of gold, and the various quirky garden employees—rounds out the story with humour and warmth. Each character adds to the vibrant atmosphere, making Felborough Botanic Gardens feel like a living, breathing place.

With its witty dialogue, simmering romance, and a dash of nail-biting suspense, The Great Orchid Heist is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Fans of sapphic romcoms will find much to love here, and the central themes of love, loyalty, and self-discovery add depth to this breezy, feel-good story. A must-read for anyone who enjoys a mix of romance and adventure with a healthy dose of botanical beauty.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Phil joins her best friend and a stranger in a heist plan to steal a rare orchid from a research garden in order to solve the money problems caused by her father's gambling. The joy she finds in volunteering at the garden and in a potential relationship with one of the gardeners make her question whether or not she should go through with the plan. The book has elements of both romance and coming-of-age stories, both of which work really well with the characters.

I really enjoyed this story, although I should say that the "heist" of the title is a bit of an exaggeration - fans looking for a queer Leverage story should look elsewhere. Phil is a sympathetic and likeable character, and her problems feel intractable so that you really care how things turn out. The romance between her and Lily is also cute, and I loved the secondary characters and the depth they were given.

My main sticking point was that, at several points, the plot hinges on miscommunications or failure to communicate (e.g., not texting someone with a short explanation). Some of them made sense with the characterisation, but others felt contrived.

On balance, the book is funny and has loveable characters, and should appeal to fans of lighthearted queer romance.

This review is based on an eARC from NetGalley.