Cover Image: Never Wager with a Wallflower

Never Wager with a Wallflower

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I dove into Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath, the final installment in the Merriwell Sisters series. I was immediately captivated by Venus Merriwell, the heroine. At twenty-three, she's not your typical Regency romance protagonist. Sure, she dreams of love, but her ideal partner is an intellectual, a far cry from the gambling wastrel her father was.

Venus's dedication to her work at the orphanage quickly won me over. She's fiercely independent and takes charge, which is refreshing. However, her constant disapproval of the roguish Galahad, the hero, grew a little tiresome at times. Their banter, though witty, could veer into repetitive "enemies-to-lovers" territory.

The book shines when it focuses on the slow burn of their relationship. I enjoyed their intellectual sparring and the way they challenged each other's viewpoints. The inclusion of the other Merriwell sisters was a delight for fans of the series, adding warmth and humor to the story.

Overall, Never Wager with a Wallflower is a charming Regency romance with a strong, independent heroine. While the plot might not be the most original, the witty dialogue and the characters' growth make for a delightful read. Venus's dedication to the orphanage adds a layer of social commentary, showcasing her compassion and strength. If you're looking for a lighthearted escape with a relatable heroine on a journey of self-discovery, this book is a perfect choice.

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This was a surprisingly cute historical romance that I really enjoyed! The premise was cute, and I loved the quirky characters and the fun premise with the orphanage.

I will say Venus's overwhelming stubbornness was a bit repetitive, and it was frustrating to see her retread the same situations over and over again without learning from them. I also wish I would have known this was a third book in a series, because there were a lot of references to things that had happened in prior books that were a bit confusing without context.

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This final installment in Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters series is every bit as delightful as the first two books. This time, it's the story of the youngest sister, Venus, a rather prim young woman who can't stand being named after the goddess of love. Four years ago, she first met Galahad Sinclair when she punched him. Since then, their relationship hasn't improved much, although they're often thrown together, as her sister is married to his cousin.

The pair end up locking horns when he buys some buildings to turn into his vision of a new gambling hell. The buildings are next door to the orphanage Venus helps run. I love a good enemies to lovers story, and watching two people who can't stand each other stumble into love is always a hit with me. This whole series is very fun and has more of a rom com vibe than most historical romances. You don't need to read the first two books to read this one, but I think it adds to the story.

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Miss Venus Merriwell has been dreaming of a price charming for as long as she can remember. Her hopes are starting to dwindle as she is reaching the "spinster" age of 23 (lol), but she puts all her efforts into her orphanage. An orphanage that is in major needed of expansion. In comes Galahad Sinclair. He has just bought a the place next door for his new gambling hall. Venus and Galahad dynamic was so fun to read on paper. This story is perfect for any readers of the modern day wallflower stories. The story is fresh and charming, and I was absolutely obsessed with the side characters as well. The orphan boys made for a hilarious side piece.

I loved the Merriwell Sistsers series and I think this was a perfect conclusion to the series. I can't wait for Virgina's next book!

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A delightful conclusion to a charming series! Seeing Venus get her happy ending after watching her grow through her sisters' books was as satisfying as I hoped for.

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Overall, I found Never Wager with a Wallflower to be an interesting read. The plot had its moments of intrigue, and the characters were well-developed. However, I felt that certain aspects of the story could have been fleshed out more, leaving me wanting a bit more depth. Despite this, it was an enjoyable experience, and I would recommend it to those looking for a light read.

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This was the book out of the series that I was most worried about because out of the three sisters, Venus was my least favorite. But I’m glad I gave this book a shot because Venus’s enemy to lover romance was the perfect way to end the series, and you’ll be glad to know I actually kind of like her now.

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Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC of Never Wager With a Wallflower! All opinions in this review are my own.

It is always hard to read the last book in a series that you love, but Heath's Never Wager With a Wallflower is a fantastic end to the series. Venus and Galahad's hate to love story is such a good blend of humor and seriousness. While it can be read as a standalone novel, readers of the previous two books will be rewarded with many appearances of familiar characters. It is difficult to choose, but I think this was my favorite book in the series.

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Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Virginia Heath

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

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And so ends another love saga. I've really enjoyed this trilogy as a whole, though this one wasn't my favorite (Diana and Giles will always hold that space). Venus has grown a great deal from who she was in the first book and it's wonderful to see her come into her own as an adult with her own interests and love story. It was also interesting to see how she's still stubborn and a bit self-important. Less than she was in book one, but still enough to make her a bit annoying. It was certainly true to the character Heath developed initially, but I did want to shake her a few times.

Galahad is charming. I loved his side of the story and that he was, at his core, a good man with big dreams. I'm very interested to see what Heath does next and if she spins off anything else from this universe.

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This was a delightful story about two misfits who discover they fit together. Venus Merriwell is having a difficult time on the marriage mart because of her well endowed curves and one sister marrying a Duke and her other sister marrying an Earl. She's a catch but all the men seem to see is her endowments and her dowry. She can't find one who looks into her eyes instead of lower. She is at odds with Galahad Sinclair instantly as he's owner of several gambling establishments. Her father abandoned them with his addiction to drink and gambling. They keep finding themselves at family events together and she works to avoid him as much as possible.

Galahad Sinclair is cousin to Giles Sinclair who married Vee's sister Diana Merriwell. Galahad has had a hard life growing up in America with a father who abandoned his mother. His grandfather raised him while caring for Gal's mother. Grandpa had a club-inn in New York and Galahad worked there by his grandfather's side until he was shot in a gun fight. The next eight years Gal was on the streets until he reached his majority and could get his grandfather's inheritance. He used it to book passage to England and looked up his cousin Giles. I really liked Galahad. He helped those who he could, was loyal to those he cared about and was determined to succeed. He takes advantage of the death of Mrs Leyton-Brown by offering to purchase three buildings in Covent Garden as her heir, Lord Mallory is about to be eaten alive by his creditors. Unfortunately they are next door to the Covent Garden Asylum for Orphans that Venus runs with Reverend Smyth. She was promised one of the building next door by Mrs Leyton-Brown, their biggest benefactor. Galahad decides he needs to sweeten up to Venus as they're going to be neighbors. Of course hearts get involved and secrets come out that cause all sorts of conflict.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The final story of the Merriwell sisters - this one centers around Venus. Venus has been burned by men in the past so she puts her time and effort into the orphanage where she volunteers. When her nemesis, Galahad, buys the building next door he hatches a plan to charm her into becoming friends. Only to find that their feelings for each other are more than friendship and very real. Such a fun read! I loved Venus and Galahad’s banter. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

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4 stars

An engaging and satisfying conclusion to the Merriwell Sisters stories. I was a little nervous going into this one, because Venus was not my favorite character in the previous books, but I really enjoyed reading her as a protagonist a few years into the future, when she’s matured from the girl she was in the previous titles into a more temperate adult. Her flaws are still present; she’s a self-righteous little hypocrite. But the narrative (for the most part—with one exception) forces her to reevaluate her holier-than-thou judgment of others and admit her own faults.

It's nice seeing an American as our hero in Galahad, and he’s quite fun to root for. A hardworking entrepreneur, he has a very different perspective to the aristocratic Brits who played the hero in the previous two titles, and I really enjoyed seeing him in his element running his entertainment houses. I was worried, briefly, that he was going to throw away his character traits of good sense and square dealing and sacrifice his business goals for Venus when she really didn’t deserve it, just to get in her good graces—but he pleasantly surprised me and stood up for himself, what he’d earned, and what was fair. He didn’t let Venus guilt him, and I like that. He also has great interactions with the orphans Venus works with, which are great fun.

It's typically a pet peeve of mine when the MMC calls the FMC by a name she doesn’t like to be called, but I didn’t mind it in this case, perhaps because Galahad calls Venus by her real name in a way that isn’t the sleazy way others have used it, and partly because he also has a silly name plucked from myth and so he’s laughing with her, not at her.

The one part I wish the novel had addressed has to do with Venus’s hypocritical streak. For a good bit in the middle of the novel she is furious with Galahad because she believes he has seduced her/played with her emotions in order to get something from her. To get her revenge, she… seduces and plays with the feelings of another man in order to make Galahad jealous. This is played as “okay” because the other man is old, ugly, and condescending; but I really wish that the narrative had at some point acknowledged that Venus playing with his emotions with no intention of actually having a romantic relationship with him was unkind and unworthy of her.

These two characters have great chemistry, and I love the scenes where they’re together. When they’re apart, they still both have full characterizations—they exist as people outside of one another, and I enjoy spending time with them. I’d definitely recommend this book to any historical romance reader.

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The final book in this series - and a great ending to the trilogy. This could be read as a standalone. Venus finally gets her romance in this enemies-to-lovers regency romance, and in typical fashion it's filled with great banter.

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A fun jaunt through an enemies to lovers arc in the final Merriwell sister’s story. While Venus and Galahad’s dynamic didn’t grab me quite as much as the other relationships in the series, it was still a cute, fun read—pretty much exactly what you expect and hope for from a historical rom-com!

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Prepare for a charming tale of love, laughter, and unexpected connections. Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath transports readers to the glittering world of Regency London.

Meet Miss Venus Merriwell. She has been waiting for her prince charming since she was fourteen. Her ideal man isn't just any suitor. He must be selfless, scholarly, and free from the vices that plagued her gambler father.

Meet Galahad Sinclair. He’s a man whose life revolves around gambling. Fate brings him to London, where he sets up a successful gaming hell in the East End. When he acquires the perfect building for his dream establishment, he discovers it's right next door to an orphanage… run by none other than Venus's family. Can these two adversaries take the ultimate gamble and learn to love their neighbour?

Heath tells a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance, full of sweet moments, complex characters, and witty banter. This is the third and final installment of the Merriwell Sisters series, and I was unaware of this beforehand, but I was not lost in the story and have not read the other two books in this series.

Heath crafted an engaging historical romance. The story reads like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day: comforting and impossible to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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3.5 stars

This was a cute and fun ending to the Merriwell Sisters series! I loved seeing Vee all grown up and getting her own happy ending.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Never Wager With a Wallflower is the third and final book in The Merriwell Sisters series. Each book was about a different sister and this one was Venus Merriwell's story. Venus is the youngest sister and has no desire to be married. She is the social activist and works with the local vicar running an orphanage. They have survived with the the generosity of their benefactress, who has recently died. She promised them the building next to the house they presently use, but never put it in writing. Upon her death, her nephew who needed money sold it to Galahad Sinclair, who wants to open a Gaming Establishment. This throws Venus into a tizzy, and she vows to do whatever she can to get him to sell them the building. Meanwhile, Galahad finds that he has feelings for the incorrigible Venus. Can these two find their way to each other?

I enjoyed this story, although it was my least favourite of the three. The humor seemed to be lacking a bit. Venus is a bit too righteous and frustrated me at times. Galahad was great. He was honorable, smart, had a great sense of humor and when I learned more about his past, I respected his character a lot more. There were secrets, omissions/lies by omission, romance, arguing, witty banter, orphans, sneakiness, family times and eventually, a Happy Ever After. There are a couple of steamy scenes near the end, but that was it. This book ties together all the sister's stories and there is an epilogue to finish it all. I definitely recommend this series, but also recommend you read it in order.

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I have learned that I just really don't love romances set in this era. Plus I didn't realize this was part of a series!

Despite that it was well written, and I would definitely recommend it to readers of historical romance who enjoy reading stories set in this time period. The romance was sweet!

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The final book in the Merriwell Sisters series is finally here. With sisters Diana and Minerva's love stories already told it is time for the youngest sister, Venus, to meet her match. Venus is settling for a pompous, older man in the gentry, but will she rethink her choice when she runs into an old frienemy, Galahad? I thinknI may have enjoyed this book even more that the others. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced preview.

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