Reviews

How to Woo a Wallflower by Christy Carlyle

jcmbank's review against another edition

lighthearted 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

2.5

iskanderjonesiv's review

5.0

An Unconventional Wallflower…

Clarissa Ruthven was born to be a proper lady, but she’s never wanted to live up to the expectations her late father set. Determined to use her inheritance to help the less fortunate women of London, she’s devastated to learn that she won’t be inheriting anything until she marries, a fate she has no interest in. Unwilling to let go of her plans, Clary works at Ruthven Publishing for Gabriel Adamson, a man who’s always hated her. She’s always returned the feeling, but as she begins to turn her family’s publishing company upside down, she finds herself unable to forget her handsome boss.

Never Follows the Rules…

Gabriel Adamson believes in order. He certainly doesn’t believe Clary should be sticking her nose in the publishing company, and she definitely has no business invading his every thought. But Gabe soon finds he can’t resist Clary’s sense of freedom or her passionate kisses and he starts to crave everything she’s willing to give him.

*Especially When It Comes to Love… *

When Gabe’s dark past comes back to haunt him, he’ll do anything to make sure that Clary isn’t hurt…even if it means giving up the only woman he’s ever loved.

**

sassysmutlover's review against another edition

5.0

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review

I was glued from the start and couldn't put it down. There was something there between them from the start and they knew it. I loved how they were with each other because to everyone else it looked like they couldn't stand each other. They were meant for each other and balanced each other out many times. I did not expect his past to come up the way it did or for everything to end the way it did and I loved it.

Clary finds the good in everything and doesn't judge or blink an eye at anything. I loved that she had that childlike innocents about her, but was smarter and more mature than she looked. She never gave up on anything from her ideas to people and could make everyone smile.

Gabe has avoided her at every turn only to be stuck with her every day. I loved that he took such great care of his sister and didn't judge either. He thought his past would be the end of everything in his life, but he was so wrong about many things.

waclements7's review against another edition

3.0

While I enjoyed the final book in this series, it seemed that the romance happened a little too quickly. Although it definitely is the case that sometimes it is the people who annoy each other at first who end up falling for each other. I did have a suspicion in the first book that Clary and Gabriel were going to have some sort of interesting things happen as soon as she started trying to brighten up his office. The backstory of Gabriel’s history in Whitechapel is believable and I liked the way it tied into how he got his position at Ruthven’s. I still didn’t like this one as much as the others. It just felt like things moved a little too quickly.

kittykornerlibrarian's review

4.0

A historical romance set in the world of publishing... yes, please! I enjoyed both the dark, controlling hero Gabriel and the determined Clary, who wants to use her fortune and influence to make the world a better place. I enjoyed their interactions and the story.

beckymmoe's review against another edition

5.0

I loved Clary and Gabe's story--she's probably my favorite of all three of the Ruthven siblings now :)

Clarissa Ruthven's just turned twenty-one is fresh out of school, and she's got plans. Lots of plans. She has a charity school she's dedicated to, a plan to use her share of the family publishing business to help both her charity and women in general, and many, many other grand ideas. Finding out that other than her share of the business, she gets nothing from her father's inheritance until she marries just doesn't work for her. Determined to get at least some of her plans into motion, she agrees to a mentorship at the publishing house, even though she can't stand the manager her father hired.

Gabe Adamson only takes on mentoring Clary because he needs the extra money her brother offers for the job because his sister needs a dowry. He's devoted his life to bringing himself and his sister up from the gutter they grew up in, and is determined that nothing will drag them back down into the muck...until circumstances almost do.

Gabe and Clary together are absolutely wonderful--their enemies-to-lovers story is just so much fun to read. She finds his proper stuffiness is annoying and is convinced he hates her; he's fascinated by her but is sure he'll never deserve her--the push and pull between them is amazing. I had so much fun watching them fall in love, and their grand gesture moment? So, so good. I closed the book with a happy, dreamy smile on my face.

Are we sure there's no more Ruthven siblings hiding in the wings? No? I guess I'll just have to wait for Ms. Carlyle to start a new series, then...

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

choirlady76's review against another edition

5.0

A Dynamite High 5 Stars for How to Woo a Wallflower by Christy Carlyle. This series just gets better and better! Clarissa Ruthven is a proper young lady who’s in quite a pickle, she can’t get her inheritance until she marries. She wants nothing of the sort, she’s an independent and self-disciplined woman who does not need a man in her life… or so she thinks. She spends her spare time volunteering at Miss Fisk’s boarding school for unfortunate girls. This is truly where Clarissa’s heart belongs, she loves these girls and wants to help them become something in society… however, without her inheritance, she can’t help them. In order to help earn money, she works at her family’s publishing company, there’s just one problem, her boss... He’s irresistible but he doesn’t like her… however, she soon changes his mind and he begins to fall for her.

Carlyle’s writing is impeccable, she weaves a tale of such passion and add in interesting twists and turns that keeps one reading long into the wee hours of the morning. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to any historical romance fanatic!