A review by grace_b_3
The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley

lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I thought this was a good sapphic Regency romance (not that there’s many of those floating around!).

I enjoyed the characters, including our two leads, Tommy and Philippa. I loved the development of their romance, including their ending. I didn’t expect this to end the way it did, but I really was happy that Ridley made that choice.
I thought this book would end with Tommy marrying Philippa as Baron Vanderbean, but I appreciated how Tommy stood up for herself and refused to live a lie. That was just an excellent conclusion to their romance.


I also thought it was interesting to see
a depiction of a non-binary lesbian in a period romance, as I haven’t seen that very much in contemporary romances, much less period romances. I like the way Tommy was able to describe their gender to Philippa and express it through her disguises throughout the book and how important it was for her to be seen as herself in all of her complexities.


Similarly to the first book, I enjoyed the little heist elements sprinkled throughout. 

Overall, this is a fun romance series and I would recommend checking it out if you want to read a period romance that still has diverse characters.  
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