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esdeecarlson's review against another edition
4.0
[This title was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review]
4 stars
A highly enjoyable regency romance that helped me out of a reading slump, featuring disability representation and some truly likeable main characters.
Harriet, our heroine, is physically disabled; she walks with a heavy limp thanks to an accident in young adulthood, and knows that as a result her pool of suitors is limited mostly to noblemen too deficient in personality to attract ‘perfect’ (able-bodied) wives. Jasper, our hero, is a charming nobleman who cultivates his reputation as a rake to increase business at his gentleman’s club—meaning of course that he will never be fully respectable. The two start an unlikely but genuine friendship, which grows into a lovely romance.
One aspect of the novel I particularly enjoyed was Harriet’s commitment to charity volunteer work at a free medical clinic for impoverished youth. All too often, poor or ill children are pitiable props that romance novels use to make the heroine look saintly, but Harriet doesn’t condescend to the young man she’s coaching through recovery, rather seeing him as an equal going through the same recovery she underwent, and he is allowed his own personality and agency within the novel.
It seemed at first as though the ‘villain’ of the story would be the press or society gossip, but these played relatively minor roles. I found myself detesting Harriet’s thick-headed elder brother, who constantly tried to ‘protect’ her in ways that infantilized and humiliated her, often making her position worse than before his meddling started. That said, his role was also small, and I really enjoyed that the main conflict ended up being interpersonal rather than the work of an external villain. The real problems revolved around Jasper’s misguided attempts at ‘nobility,’ and were solved by allowing Harriet the autonomy she deserved in making her own life choices.
This is a charming romance with two fully realized main characters, both of whom I enjoyed spending my time with, and a rather accessible entry into period romance as a genre.
4 stars
A highly enjoyable regency romance that helped me out of a reading slump, featuring disability representation and some truly likeable main characters.
Harriet, our heroine, is physically disabled; she walks with a heavy limp thanks to an accident in young adulthood, and knows that as a result her pool of suitors is limited mostly to noblemen too deficient in personality to attract ‘perfect’ (able-bodied) wives. Jasper, our hero, is a charming nobleman who cultivates his reputation as a rake to increase business at his gentleman’s club—meaning of course that he will never be fully respectable. The two start an unlikely but genuine friendship, which grows into a lovely romance.
One aspect of the novel I particularly enjoyed was Harriet’s commitment to charity volunteer work at a free medical clinic for impoverished youth. All too often, poor or ill children are pitiable props that romance novels use to make the heroine look saintly, but Harriet doesn’t condescend to the young man she’s coaching through recovery, rather seeing him as an equal going through the same recovery she underwent, and he is allowed his own personality and agency within the novel.
It seemed at first as though the ‘villain’ of the story would be the press or society gossip, but these played relatively minor roles. I found myself detesting Harriet’s thick-headed elder brother, who constantly tried to ‘protect’ her in ways that infantilized and humiliated her, often making her position worse than before his meddling started. That said, his role was also small, and I really enjoyed that the main conflict ended up being interpersonal rather than the work of an external villain. The real problems revolved around Jasper’s misguided attempts at ‘nobility,’ and were solved by allowing Harriet the autonomy she deserved in making her own life choices.
This is a charming romance with two fully realized main characters, both of whom I enjoyed spending my time with, and a rather accessible entry into period romance as a genre.
andrea_author's review against another edition
5.0
Though smart and capable, Harriet has been treated as fragile ever since a serious riding accident left her with a limp. The only one who appreciates her is Jasper, her brother’s best friend. But with his rakish reputation, her family wants him nowhere near her. Can they overcome expectations and fall in love?
I love Virginia Heath, and this book is no exception. Harriet ignores the obstacles others put in front of her and lives her best life. Jasper opened a gambling club to save his noble family from bankruptcy, and feels no remorse for his scandalous reputation. This couple is likeable and a perfect match. The story is engaging and satisfying.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I love Virginia Heath, and this book is no exception. Harriet ignores the obstacles others put in front of her and lives her best life. Jasper opened a gambling club to save his noble family from bankruptcy, and feels no remorse for his scandalous reputation. This couple is likeable and a perfect match. The story is engaging and satisfying.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
5.0
This is a terrific friends-to-lovers/best friend's sister book. There are several obstacles between Hattie and Jasper and their HEA, and I loved seeing them overcome each.
Hattie dreads the upcoming Season. The riding accident that left her with a permanent limp means she cannot dance, which means she will be relegated to the wallflower chairs with the rest of Society's misfits. It doesn't help that her overprotective brother, Freddie, plans to introduce her to as many single men as he can. She's already been subjected to one who is interested in her for her connections and has made it plain that she's lucky to have his attention. Hattie would much rather spend her time at the children's hospital, helping the doctor who saved her life and leg. On the way to one of these visits, she encounters Jasper, her brother's best friend.
Jasper is a man with a scandalous reputation. Jasper opened a gentlemen's gaming club when his family fell into financial straits. The Reprobates' Club has done very well, and Jasper is now a wealthy man. He also has a reputation with the ladies. So much so that Hattie's brother, Freddie, who is Jasper's best friend, warns him to stay away from Hattie for fear of Jasper's reputation ruining her. When Jasper sees Hattie for the first time since her accident, he is stunned by her beauty and kindness. He knows he should stay away from her, as his reputation would do her no good. But when she comes to his rescue after devastating news turns his life upside down, his honor demands that he help her, too. This began a slow-burn romance that started as friendship and grew to be much more.
I loved the development of the relationship between Jasper and Hattie. Both are nurturers/protectors and bond quickly over their efforts to help each other. Their banter is fun, and their chemistry is obvious. One of my favorite things is that Jasper sees Hattie for the beautiful, kind, and intelligent woman that she is. He knows her handicap, but it doesn't define her in his eyes. I enjoyed his growing respect for her as he got to know her. There are multiple scenes where his eyes are opened to situations that he would never have noticed without her pointing them out. I adored his protectiveness toward her and his ways of demonstrating it. Seeing him run interference with men like Lord Boreham was fun, and his formation of the Wallflowers of 1813 Club was inspired. He did mean to keep their relationship to friends, but the more time they spent together, he realized he wanted more. But with the scandal about to break over him, he doesn't want it to rub off on her, so he tries to distance himself from her.
Hattie had a crush on Jasper when she was younger but put it behind her after her accident. Those feelings are resurrected when they meet again, but with her handicap, she doesn't expect anything to come of it. I loved seeing her step in to help the overwhelmed Jasper deal with Izzy's arrival. I loved that she didn't judge him and saw how hard he worked to overcome past mistakes. She sees the caring, intelligent, and honorable man beneath the scandalous reputation and does everything she can to support him in his efforts. I loved the shopping scene with Jasper's cluelessness and Hattie's amusement at his panic. When the expected scandal broke, I laughed out loud when Hattie faced down a pair of gossipy, judgmental women with an excellent rebuttal. She didn't shy away from blunt language, and it was a pleasure to see her lay into them.
I loved the ending and seeing Hattie lay waste to Jasper's attempts to protect her rather than make her part of the solution. Her anger and hurt were understandable, and I loved seeing Jasper realize his mistake. Unfortunately, Freddie's interference created another hurdle, but Jasper overcame that one quickly with his emotional response to Hattie. I also loved their decision to embrace the scandal rather than hide from it. I wish there were an epilogue, but I hope to see more of them in the following books.
I loved how Hattie's family supported her during her recovery after the accident. Unfortunately, they have become overprotective, and it drives her nuts. They also judge Jasper because of his past and don't look past his reputation at the man he is. Freddie was incredibly frustrating, considering he's supposedly Jasper's best friend. There appears to be some scandal attached to his romance/marriage, and I'd love to know if he has his own story.
I loved the two children in this story. Izzy is adorable in her love for Jack and how she took to Hattie immediately. I enjoyed seeing how she brought out the softer side of Jack. Young Jim was just the opposite. In the hospital with the same type of injury, Hattie had, his fear of his future causes him to lash out at everyone. Hattie's determination to help him runs up against his stubbornness and fear. It was interesting to see what broke the stalemate between them. I also loved how Jack's feelings for Hattie spilled over onto Jim and the solution he devised.
#netgalley
Hattie dreads the upcoming Season. The riding accident that left her with a permanent limp means she cannot dance, which means she will be relegated to the wallflower chairs with the rest of Society's misfits. It doesn't help that her overprotective brother, Freddie, plans to introduce her to as many single men as he can. She's already been subjected to one who is interested in her for her connections and has made it plain that she's lucky to have his attention. Hattie would much rather spend her time at the children's hospital, helping the doctor who saved her life and leg. On the way to one of these visits, she encounters Jasper, her brother's best friend.
Jasper is a man with a scandalous reputation. Jasper opened a gentlemen's gaming club when his family fell into financial straits. The Reprobates' Club has done very well, and Jasper is now a wealthy man. He also has a reputation with the ladies. So much so that Hattie's brother, Freddie, who is Jasper's best friend, warns him to stay away from Hattie for fear of Jasper's reputation ruining her. When Jasper sees Hattie for the first time since her accident, he is stunned by her beauty and kindness. He knows he should stay away from her, as his reputation would do her no good. But when she comes to his rescue after devastating news turns his life upside down, his honor demands that he help her, too. This began a slow-burn romance that started as friendship and grew to be much more.
I loved the development of the relationship between Jasper and Hattie. Both are nurturers/protectors and bond quickly over their efforts to help each other. Their banter is fun, and their chemistry is obvious. One of my favorite things is that Jasper sees Hattie for the beautiful, kind, and intelligent woman that she is. He knows her handicap, but it doesn't define her in his eyes. I enjoyed his growing respect for her as he got to know her. There are multiple scenes where his eyes are opened to situations that he would never have noticed without her pointing them out. I adored his protectiveness toward her and his ways of demonstrating it. Seeing him run interference with men like Lord Boreham was fun, and his formation of the Wallflowers of 1813 Club was inspired. He did mean to keep their relationship to friends, but the more time they spent together, he realized he wanted more. But with the scandal about to break over him, he doesn't want it to rub off on her, so he tries to distance himself from her.
Hattie had a crush on Jasper when she was younger but put it behind her after her accident. Those feelings are resurrected when they meet again, but with her handicap, she doesn't expect anything to come of it. I loved seeing her step in to help the overwhelmed Jasper deal with Izzy's arrival. I loved that she didn't judge him and saw how hard he worked to overcome past mistakes. She sees the caring, intelligent, and honorable man beneath the scandalous reputation and does everything she can to support him in his efforts. I loved the shopping scene with Jasper's cluelessness and Hattie's amusement at his panic. When the expected scandal broke, I laughed out loud when Hattie faced down a pair of gossipy, judgmental women with an excellent rebuttal. She didn't shy away from blunt language, and it was a pleasure to see her lay into them.
I loved the ending and seeing Hattie lay waste to Jasper's attempts to protect her rather than make her part of the solution. Her anger and hurt were understandable, and I loved seeing Jasper realize his mistake. Unfortunately, Freddie's interference created another hurdle, but Jasper overcame that one quickly with his emotional response to Hattie. I also loved their decision to embrace the scandal rather than hide from it. I wish there were an epilogue, but I hope to see more of them in the following books.
I loved how Hattie's family supported her during her recovery after the accident. Unfortunately, they have become overprotective, and it drives her nuts. They also judge Jasper because of his past and don't look past his reputation at the man he is. Freddie was incredibly frustrating, considering he's supposedly Jasper's best friend. There appears to be some scandal attached to his romance/marriage, and I'd love to know if he has his own story.
I loved the two children in this story. Izzy is adorable in her love for Jack and how she took to Hattie immediately. I enjoyed seeing how she brought out the softer side of Jack. Young Jim was just the opposite. In the hospital with the same type of injury, Hattie had, his fear of his future causes him to lash out at everyone. Hattie's determination to help him runs up against his stubbornness and fear. It was interesting to see what broke the stalemate between them. I also loved how Jack's feelings for Hattie spilled over onto Jim and the solution he devised.
#netgalley
smithrachaelynn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
glo68's review against another edition
5.0
Virginia Heath did it again! She wrote another wonderful book that kept me captivated through the night, literally! The second half especially was a crescendo of emotions and I couldn’t put it down until the end!
I adored the banter between the characters, both main and side ones. Loved the way the author fleshed them out and brought us to understand their motivations, the way she bared their souls. This can only come from a keen understanding of human nature and relationships. This book was a wonderful mix of funny and moving moments; I particularly enjoyed the non-too-subtle condemnation of the horrid ways of the Ton regarding double standards for women and their reputations. Definitely recommended!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I adored the banter between the characters, both main and side ones. Loved the way the author fleshed them out and brought us to understand their motivations, the way she bared their souls. This can only come from a keen understanding of human nature and relationships. This book was a wonderful mix of funny and moving moments; I particularly enjoyed the non-too-subtle condemnation of the horrid ways of the Ton regarding double standards for women and their reputations. Definitely recommended!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
xlynt's review
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
rosemaryandrue's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Finally making her debut after a long recovery from a horse-riding accident, Hattie is relegated to the wallflower chairs - but at least her brother's rakish best friend, Jasper, is there to keep her company.
This might have been the oldest remnant on my NetGalley shelf that I've yet swept off - while I like this genre and this author, I never seemed to get into the mood for it. I had the idea that this would be a straightforward Regency romance, and the book did not exceed my expectations.
It was a quick, charming read about a pair of characters that I liked as a couple. When an orphaned child, the daughter of a friend, falls into Jasper's lap, Hattie tries to help him be a better father, but as he has a scandalous reputation they cannot associate very openly. I liked how Jasper saw Hattie as the strong, capable person she was when everyone else seemed to write her off due to her disability. I also liked how Hattie's life-altering accident and long recovery was presented in a realistic and unsentimental light.
However, I did feel like the book used a lot of Regency romance tropes, and not always to the best effect - a hero who owns a gentlemen's club, an unexpected child, and the brother's best friend, for example. While these elements are all woven into the hero's background in a convincing manner, I just thought there was too much going on. With so many stock elements thrown together, while the book is well-written and enjoyable, it simply does not have staying power after I've turned the last page.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Ableism
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse
shankl's review against another edition
4.0
How to Woo a Wallflower is an absolutely delectable regency romance. In this friends-to-lover trope, we find Lady Harriet Fitzroy and Jasper, Earl of Beaufort, reunited after many years apart. Harriet (Hattie) has suffered greatly after a fall from her horse, and the Ton pities her because of her life-long injury. Jasper, on the other hand, is the talk of all things scandalous with the Ton.
These love interests are charming, witty and PERFECT for each other. Hattie's beautiful, kind and incredibly intelligent and doesn't let her injury define her person. She works at the local infantry advocating for children, especially those she can relate with the struggles she had to overcome over the past few years.
Jasper's reputation as a rake precedes him. Like Hattie, he doesn't let rumors shake his foundation. Together, this couple simply works with their witty banter, chemistry and strong connection. Jasper truly sees Hattie, and doesn't treat her as incapable. The secondary characters are just as great as well.
I throughly enjoyed this novel, and I don't believe Heath has written anything I haven't devoured from this period! This is an excellent start to a new series - Society's Most Scandalous Series. Looking forward to the next installment.
Thank you Virginia Heath for the complimentary copy of this novel.
These love interests are charming, witty and PERFECT for each other. Hattie's beautiful, kind and incredibly intelligent and doesn't let her injury define her person. She works at the local infantry advocating for children, especially those she can relate with the struggles she had to overcome over the past few years.
Jasper's reputation as a rake precedes him. Like Hattie, he doesn't let rumors shake his foundation. Together, this couple simply works with their witty banter, chemistry and strong connection. Jasper truly sees Hattie, and doesn't treat her as incapable. The secondary characters are just as great as well.
I throughly enjoyed this novel, and I don't believe Heath has written anything I haven't devoured from this period! This is an excellent start to a new series - Society's Most Scandalous Series. Looking forward to the next installment.
Thank you Virginia Heath for the complimentary copy of this novel.
kaydeedickins's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Grief
Minor: Death, Sexism, and Misogyny