WALLFLOWER GONE WILD
Bad Boys & Wallflowers Series #2
by Maya Rodale
Publisher: Avon (March 25, 2014)
Genre: Historical Romance, Adult
Format: eARC (384 pages)
Source: Free book from publisher (Edelweiss) for honest review
Find It: Goodreads | Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
In the second in Maya Rodale’s delightful Wallflower series, London’s Least Likely to Cause a Scandal is taking Society by storm…
Being good has worked out very badly for Lady Olivia Archer. All she has to show for four seasons on the marriage mart is the nickname Prissy Missy. Her prospects are so bleak that her parents have betrothed her to a stranger with a dire reputation. If Phinneas Cole—aka The Mad Baron—wants a biddable bride, perhaps Olivia can frighten him off by breaking every ladylike rule.
Phinn has admired Olivia’s poise and refinement from afar…qualities that appear to have vanished now that they are officially engaged. This Olivia is flirtatious, provocative, and wickedly irresistible. She’s not at all the woman he bargained for, yet she’s the only one he wants.
He’s determined to woo her. She’s determined to resist. But Olivia is discovering there’s nothing so appealing as a fiancé who’s mad, bad, and dangerously seductive…
At A Glance
The story was fun and interesting but nothing special.
The Good
The concept was really the best part of this book. It was so fun and cute. Olivia tried so hard to show Phinn that she was not a perfect wife. I was cracking up at all her antics, especially when her crazy friends kept encouraging her. For the time period, Olivia did some outrageous things. Phinn was obviously appalled but he could never quite get Olivia out of his mind, even if she wasn’t what he expected. Phinn and Olivia were both naturally reserved by nature but they also had passion hidden deep inside. I think that’s why they were attracted to each other.
I was never bored with Wallflower Gone Wild. It had a good mixture of silliness and seriousness. Rodale did a great job of bringing out each character with detailed backgrounds and emotions. Phinn and Olivia both had their share of past mistakes that still haunted them. Both their friends gave them bad/hilarious romantic advice. But despite all that, they found each other in the end.
The Bad
For some reason the writing style was a bit off for me in the beginning. It took me some time to get use to it.
I found Phinn and Olivia’s relationship to be a bit annoying. I wanted to scream: Just effing talk it out, ask questions, stop assuming. We don’t get enough of them together in a happy, content state.
The ending felt a little rushed as well.
The Snuggly
Phinn and Olivia spent too much time talking themselves into not wanting the other for me to really fall in love with their relationship. The sex was okay but because I wasn’t invested in them as a couple, the sex didn’t mean much.
Final Thoughts
I haven’t read the first book but since each book has a different couple I don’t think I missed anything. I did enjoy myself overall but I was just expecting more. Wallflower Gone Wild was an average good historical romance. Recommended.
Prudence explained: “If perfect ladylike behavior has gotten you practically betrothed against your will to a man who desires you for precisely that quality, then it logically follows that unladylike behavior will get you out of it.”
“She has a point,” Emma said with a growing enthusiasm. “Your parents will never let you out of the match, but he might. Especially if the biddable bride he wanted turns out to be a hysterical, troublesome shrew who constantly plagues him with scandals.”
“They will pressure me into accepting,” Olivia said, seeing the potential of Prue’s plan.
“But they cannot force him to wed me if he decides we don’t suit.”
It went without saying she would do everything in her power to prove to him that they did not suit. Her life and future happiness depended upon it.
“You must break all those ladylike rules of your mother’s,” Prudence confirmed.
Young ladies do not break the rules.
Olivia smiled mischievously. They do now.
Joy @ Thoughts By J
Damn, I agree if gets annoying really quickly when the characters spend too much time debating with themselves rather than TALKING to each other. Definitely not my sort of book unfortunately
Jennifer Bielman
I don’t mind it like in the beginning of a book but not the whole way through.
Brandi Kosiner
Aw, its hard to love a book hard when you aren’t invested in the couple
Jennifer Bielman
Exactly!
sherry fundin
I feel the same way about the failure to communicate. I have come across a lot of books where they debate in their minds instead of talking it out. It does get frustrating. It can be too big a part of the story. Spit it out guys and lets move on. lol
Jennifer Bielman
I understand it’s good for drama but there has to be a limit.
Mia Searles
I love historical romance, definitely the genre that was my first love. I tend to like Native American Historical Romances, Highlander, Vikings/Barbarian, etc. I had my automatic go-to authors when I needed a historical romance fix, but many of them are older now and not producing novels like they used to. It’s really hard to find good ones.
This one definitely sounds a bit generic for me, but I will have to check out the author and see what else she has written. Great review as always!
Mia @ The Muses Circle
Jennifer Bielman
I am totally a Highlander HR reader. You will see a lot of reviews for those kind coming up.
kimbacaffeinate
Darn, I really enjoyed book one, but have no time for nothing special. I had high hopes for this one 🙁
Jennifer Bielman
Hmm, I wonder if you would like this more than me. It might just be me.
Christy @ Love of Books
“Olivia tried so hard to show Phinn that she was not a perfect wife. I was cracking up at all her antics, especially when her crazy friends kept encouraging her.”
This has me curious for sure. I love situations like that! I rarely read HF anymore, but this definitely sounds fun.
Jennifer Bielman
It definitely had it’s fun parts.
Lily B
aww sounds like it just didn’t work for you, i would be annoyed about the assumptions as well!
Jennifer Bielman
I enjoyed reading it but I wouldn’t read it again or recommend it to many people.