The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale (Bad Boys and Wallflowers #1)
Released: October 29, 2013
Historical
Avon

Reviewed by May

This story opens as Lady Emma is coming out into society and discovering that London society is just as cruel as her finishing school. The girl who bullied her there is on the scene and making sure her nickname “the buxom bluestocking” is known to everyone, as well as making sure Emma and her friends quickly get placed as the least likely girls. To get in trouble, make a good match, or otherwise be successful in their matrimonial pursuits. Luckily for Emma there is a very kind man who dances with her, and she promptly falls in love with him.

Four years later and this man still hasn’t proposed, and in fact rumors are that he will have to find a wealthy heiress due to his family’s debts. Oh but wait, he isn’t our hero.

Emma peered up at the horrible, inconsiderate brute and found herself peering at the most breathtakingly handsome man she had ever seen. He could only be the Duke of Ashbrooke, an infamous scoundrel who made frequent appearances in the gossip columns. “My apologies. Didn’t see you there,” the duke said with a smile that was renowned for melting hearts and weakening women’s resolve.

Emma just scowled.

Blake (the Duke of Ashbrooke) is famous for all kinds of bad deeds, wickedly handsome, and rich as anyone could dream isn’t particularly happy. He keeps himself isolated from people outside the ladies he seduces and the gentlemen he drinks and gambles with. He is always in some drama or scandal. In short, he is the exact opposite of anything Lady Emma would ever want. When a notice appears in the paper announcing their engagement – both are taken by surprise. Even more shocking is that the Duke goes to Emma’s home and proposes they pretend it is real.

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a fun read, and I so adored reading about characters who did not particularly like each other at the start find that not only might they fall in love – but that their connection may be far better, richer, and more amazing than either ever thought possible. The author’s writing was so well done. She breathed life into these characters, gave them personality and voice to make them stand out, and really balanced out the humor, lightness, and some deeply romantic and tender moments.

“Are you forgoing my company to read quietly by yourself?” he asked, warily eying the book she clasped firmly to her breasts. For the first time in his life he was jealous of a book. A book! “Are you forgoing the pleasure of a duke’s company for… Miss Darling and the Dreadful Duke?

“It is a rather captivating story,” she said with a shrug.

Upon reflection, the romance is what I loved most about this book. She shows us quite frequently why these two people are falling in love, and she makes Blake work to woo and win Emma. It is clear that most things come easily to Blake, and I liked that it is mentioned that it is precisely because Emma is a challenge and a woman who claims her heart is engaged to another that he stops and takes another look at her. That he works to win her interest.

At the same time, Emma comes to see that there is more to Blake than the reputation he has. She sees how passionately he cares for her, how much he’s willing to do for her, and in time she can see how her first love might be just a pale shadow of what she could really have with Blake.

I can’t say enough good things about this book – it is the most enjoyable historical romance I’ve read in a long time. Each character has some growing and learning to do. Both characters show us how they fell so totally in love with each other, and why. They have some fantastic dialogue and scenes, and the author really did a great job of letting me as a reader get lost in their story and experience this fun, sweet, and utterly delightful love story.

If I have one complaint it would be that the supporting characters were mostly flat. Many seemed to exist just to help the main characters along on their story. Some were just set props, placed to assist but having no real depth or value of their own. I didn’t like that some were too clearly stereotypes and that they were not adding to the story themselves. Considering just how wonderful the main characters (and a select few of the others) were, these characters were the one thing that stood out to me as being not as good as they could have been in this book.

If you’re looking for a historical romance that is big on romance, dialogue, and low on angst or drama then you really should check this one out. I strongly recommend it.

Grade: A-

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