[Review] The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale

The Wicked Wallflower
Book One of Wallflower Trilogy
Maya Rodale
October 29th, 2013
Avon


Amazon/Book Depository/B&N


 

Maya Rodale's captivating new series introduces London's Least Likely--three wallflowers who are about to become the toast of the ton . . .


Lady Emma Avery has accidentally announced her engagement--to the most eligible man in England. As soon as it's discovered that Emma has never actually met the infamously attractive Duke of Ashbrooke, she'll no longer be a wallflower; she'll be a laughingstock. And then Ashbrooke does something Emma never expected. He plays along with her charade.


A temporary betrothal to the irreproachable Lady Avery could be just the thing to repair Ashbrooke's tattered reputation. Seducing her is simply a bonus. And then Emma does what he never expected: she refuses his advances. It's unprecedented. Inconceivable. Quite damnably alluring.


London's Least Likely to Misbehave has aroused the curiosity--among other things--of London's most notorious rogue. Now nothing will suffice but to uncover Emma's wanton side and prove there's nothing so satisfying as two perfect strangers . . .being perfectly scandalous together.

 

Charming.  If I had to describe The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale in word it would be charming.  I loved, loved this book about a girl in her fourth season and desperate to the man she has affections for to propose to her.  In a night of drunken stupidity Emma and her friends concoct an engagement announcement for her and the man she dreams of.  Emma only goes along with the plan because they all promise it will never see the light of day. Only her friends think she can do better than the man she has chosen for herself.  Thus begins Emma’s relationship with the notorious but utterly, devastatingly handsome Duke of Ashbrooke because the letter somehow finds its way to the newspaper.  Blake goes along with the scheme because he need the respectable wallflower to better his image and hopefully help him win his eccentric Aunt’s fortune and become the heir to ninety thousand pound in the Fortune Games. 

I loved this book because it had everything I like in a good historical romance novel: witty and amusing dialogue, handsome dukes, and of course, my soft spot, wallflowers.  I love books about wallflowers finding handsome to men to see past the plain shy exterior to the passionate woman beneath.  This book does that quite well.  There were times when I thought I would swoon from the dukes passionate yet tender words myself.  I love that he is able to see past the Emma that she presents to the world to the Emma she wants to be.  I love that she is finally able to past Blake’s libertine ways to the man with his heart on his sleeve who just wants someone to believe in him and his inventions.  I loved the side characters like the aunt and Emma’s fellow wallflower friends.  There parts with the Aunt had me cracking up out loud.  All I will say is read this book for the musicale part if nothing else because it was sweet, hilarious and sexy all rolled into one scene. 

I highly recommend this book, if you are like me and want a good historical romance with sexiness and happy endings.  I love any book that I am racing to the end because I can’t wait to finish it.  I started this book on lunch break at work and had it finished that night when I got home because I could not wait to pick it back up again.  I give The Wicked Wallflower five laser pistols because this book was just that good.  It was a book about the unexpected.  To quote the Rolling Stones this book is about finding out “you can’t always get what you want but if you try sometimes you find that you get what you need.”  I loved this book don’t know how I will make it to March when the next book comes out about Emma’s friend Olivia.