I received a complimentary copy of “Inventing Vivian” direct from the publisher Covenant Communications, Inc. in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Vivian is her own person - in a time and setting women were not seen as strong independently minded individuals as they were confined to being seen only as girls maturing into young women to be wed wherein they would pivot and only provide what their husbands would need. They were not seen as anything substantial in their own right and that is truly what was at the heart of the suffragette movement and the long fight for gender equality. Of course, this wasn't being highlighted in this story's opening as it had with Emmeline's but those truths about how women were both perceived and treated still sting for Vivian when she recognises that men do not like to entertain conversations with women who know either an equal layer of knowledge about a subject or whom can hold their own on topics even the men do not know that much about themselves. It is an interesting situation - both in the Victorian era and in our own modern era, wherein men get it into their heads to feel inferior when they ought to be looking at it differently - seeing our equality and our equal worth in all respects.

Lord Benedict was an interesting choice in character to go against Vivian - he was uniquely different than most of the blokes of the Victorian era as he, too, had taken a diverted path from what was expected of him, same as the women of the Blue Orchid Society. I had a feeling they each in turn would have to find a bloke who either lived differently than society would suspect they ought be allowed or finding the blokes who understood the women even if they lived traditionally themselves. What was alluring here is by having Benedict re-introduced into Vivian's life it afforded a lovely bit of drama to become worked out between the two characters but also, added more layers to how the two have grown and the paths they've pursued as adults. I had a suspicion Vivian wasn't going to forgive the slight Benedict gave her when they were younger as easily as he might hope for her to do so - as I believe for Vivian, that one slight held more weight than he realised in her memories.

Moore highlights the working conditions of factories when children and adults were asked to work well past what was healthy and proper for all of them with limited wages and without any rights to safeguard their time on the clock. It is a hard look at how some industries forsake the health of their workers and worked round the laws which were established to prevent misuse of child labour as well. It was wonderful to see Lord Benedict in that situation with his newfound sense of right and wrong and a determined grit about him to bring needed change. It was a hard sequence to read in many respects but one that is rooted in both history and the timescape in which this story is set. By all rights, Moore was right to showcase it and to show a bit about how far we've come when it comes to factories and how they are run despite knowing that in some countries workers' rights are still absent and conditions are still not where they should be even today.

The patriarchy of unjust prejudice towards women in Science is well displayed - as soon as Vivian started to curate her entry into the exposition of Science and Industry - the warts of the past came out to roost! It clearly shows how hard women have had to fight to stand amongst their male peers and to be taken seriously rather than dismissed out of hand. The mere idea that no woman could possess the ability to understand STEM topics of research is ridiculous (both then and now) and it is wonderful to see how well Moore treated these sections of the novel. I loved how her instincts to show the contradictions in the men's perspectives and the well versed ways her fierce Blue Orchid women fought against those injustices proves well the long fight we've had to be treated and respected as equals.

Moore expertly interweaves Benedict and Zhang Wei's friendship into the plot - they are key assets to the storyline as well. I appreciated how everything from their diet of choice (ie. vegetarianism) to their principled disciplines of study (ie. mediation and kung fu) and their attention to personal growth were all aptly described and attached to their characters' development within the plot itself. Their friendship and the ways in which they interacted with society was a true delight as each man remained true to themselves despite the awkwardness this proposed to others in society. There was a kind scene wherein Vivian gave a kindness to the two gentleman at a dinner party and I felt it was one of the best ways to eclipse her growth as well in remembering not to pre-judge someone simply based on a past experience but to endeavour to let them impress her now in the present.

My heart was full of delight and joy by the time I came to the concluding chapters of Inventing Vivian! As this happily became one of my most cherished #unputdownable reads this year -- for a year that has been fraught with disconnections in my readerly life to claim this as a beloved read is a wonderful moment of joy for me as a reader! I loved how the story was told, the words used and the descriptive narrative as the backdrop for the dramatic story Moore told which united us into the series of the Blue Orchid Society as much as it allowed us to entreat into the lives of Lord Benedict and Vivian! Each page turn led me closer to these characters and they truly became companions I ache to return back too as soon as Ms Moore finishes more installments of this lovely series. I am grateful to have had the pleasure of reading this novel as it was such a wicked celebration of romance, Science and being true to yourself even if only a handful of people accept you just as you are - because whomever understands you and 'gets you' without having to defend yourself - those are your true friends, partners in crime and found family. Family is everything and sisterhood friendships are quite rare - if you have one or both in your life, you're tenfold blessed as much as Vivian is herself. This is a story for all of us who live nonconventional lives and have had the support of family rallying behind us - encouraging us and giving us the freedom to be ourselves.

// This is a quotation of my full review originally shared via jorielovesastory.com

Vivian was nearing "spinsterhood" when the return of her childhood nemesis puts her life in a series of unexpected events. His elder brother died, now it is up to him to learn to be the new Lord Covington. Neither individual is pleased with the new developments. Can anything good become of these new changes?
This is a very entertaining book where the heroine must try to solve a couple of mysteries, both with the help from an unexpected source.
The characters are very well portrayed and feel so real! The scenes are depicted in a way the reader can feel that he/she is actually there.
This is a great story of redemption, change, forgiveness, unselfishness, acceptance, undeserved judgment, inventions, and all with a touch of humor and romance.

*This book was gifted me with no pressure to post a positive review. This is my honest review. ( )

If you’re in search of a book with some fun twists, look no further. Inventing Vivian by Jennifer Moore is a Victorian read with a whip-smart heroine whose inventions are better than those of many of the men in her time and a reluctant heir who has left his adventures in China to return home and assume his role after his brother’s death.

But there is so much more that makes this book such a wonderful read. There are the friendships between the women of the Blue Orchid Society. They not only encourage each other to reach for their dreams, they support each other to make them happen. There’s mystery and suspense in the second half of the book all while Vivian and Lord Benedict get to know each other through some wonderful letters.

In Inventing Vivian, Moore delivers relatable characters and an engaging story you don’t want to miss.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )

I love a leading lady that doesn’t fit a cookie-cutter mold for the time period the story takes place in. That’s the case with Vivian Kirby in Inventing Vivian. She certainly doesn’t fit into the expected and accepted place for a woman in the Victorian Era. Vivian is intelligent, inventive, and incredibly interesting. Watching her growth throughout the story is enjoyable.

Benedict is just as interesting. He’s easy to connect with and the growing chemistry he shares with Vivian is exciting to watch. His caring, vulnerable heart makes him a wonderful and memorable hero.

This is an emotion-filled tale with remarkable characters and interesting elements of science and society. I love how friendship, kinship, and romance is portrayed in this story and era, and though the romance isn’t the most prevalent facet of the story, it’s sweet and gratifying.

Dɪsᴄʟᴏsᴜʀᴇ: I ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ. Mʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ. ( )