Virginia Heath's NEVER WAGER WITH A WALLFLOWER is a pleasant enough read. I had to get a little more than a third into the story before I felt any sort of attachment to the characters, but after that point it was relatively smooth sailing. The banter between Venus and Galahad is amusing enough, but the arc for the tension between them sometimes felt a little off, along with the pacing. That being said, there are plenty of cute moments between them to make up for it. The ending is a satisfying conclusion, and I enjoyed the parts with all the wagers. The mischief the twins caused was hilarious. A good read if you're looking to be entertained.

I enjoyed this book. Venus and Galahad had great chemistry and I loved witnessing the sparks they generated fly. The story has more than enough emotion, drama, tension, humor, heart and poignancy to pull you in and keep you invested.

"Much to my chagrin, and against all my better judgment, it appears that I am finally starting to like you."

Venus Merriwell spent her younger years journaling about her future husband but in her adult years the reality doesn’t live up to childhood dreams. Men love her look and not her heart. She’s too smart and wants too much, the men severely lacking. Instead she throws her energy and love into taking care of orphans and being an all around big hearted saint.

Galahad Sinclair, is a very private person who does a good job of only showing people what he wants them to see, and also has dreams. He started out penniless and has been working hard his whole life and now he wants to build the ultimate gambling hall. The prime location where he wants to build is right next to a rundown building— the orphanage that Venus is dedicated to.

Let the wagers begin.

This is the 3rd and final book in the Merriwell Sister series. It can be read as a stand alone, but characters and couples from the other books do make a showing in the story. This is a historical romance with plenty of comedy and tomfoolery.

Thank you Net Galley book copy for an honest review.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this entire series. Venus and Gal's story is a great enemies to lovers. They are more of irritated with each other enemies than anything, but it's about the chemistry brewing beneath the surface. Each character has to learn to grow to overcome a difficult childhood, and part of that growth is learning to trust. I really liked seeing the introspection in each. Their chemistry is off the charts. Sexy times are on the page, but it's not spot for spot choreography, if you know what I mean. However the scene with the card game is FIRE. The additional characters from the whole series are present, which I appreciate. I love seeing how the sisters continue to interact and their stories are intertwined. There is also great humor throughout the story. I would put this series on my keeper shelf and could easily consider these a favorite comfort reread.

CW: parental abandonment, death of parent in backstory of adult main character

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing for Never Wager with a Wallflower is medium. It could have been done with a faster storyline, especially towards the end. But overall, it worked. There was some slight lag towards the end, but it didn’t affect how I liked the book.

Series: Never Wager with a Wallflower is the 3rd (and last) book in the Merriwell Sisters trilogy. While you could technically read this book as a standalone, I recommend not doing so. I did, and I got turned around references to the other books. I also couldn’t keep the characters straight (other than Vee and Gal) in my head. I plan on reading the other two books as soon as I can.

Trigger/Content Warning: Never Wager with a Wallflower has trigger and content warnings. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Classism (moderate)
Poverty (moderate)
Abandonment (moderate)
Child Abuse (moderate)
Gambling Addiction (moderate)
Alcohol Consumption (minor)
Pregnancy (moderate)
Childbirth (minor)
Chronic Illness (minor)
Death of grandparent (moderate)
Death of parent(s) (minor)
Murder (moderate)
Sexual Content: There is sexual content in Never Wager with a Wallflower. Some are implied, but most were on page. It was not graphic.

Language: There is no swearing in Never Wager with a Wallflower. There is era-appropriate offensive language.

Setting: Never Wager with a Wallflower is set in London, England.

Tropes: Happy Ending, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, The Misunderstanding, Opposites Attract, Rivals, Emotional Scars, Everyone Can See It

Age Range: I recommend Never Wager with a Wallflower to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Miss Venus Merriwell knows what she wants in a husband. She wants someone intellectual, selfless, and who doesn’t have any gambling vices. She also wants a husband who will be passionate about the exact causes as she is like the rundown, overcrowded orphanage she has taught at for the past four years. It badly needs repairs and to be expanded to the building next door. But, if she has to settle, she will. That is why she is trying to catch the eye of London’s dryest, self-involved Lord. Forget a love match; she knows that marrying him will be safe.

Galahad Sinclair is Vee’s enemy. He represents everything that she despises. He runs a gambling hell on the docks of the East End and enjoys needling her every chance he gets. With their clashes fueling family gossip, Vee and Gal are thrown together at every opportunity. When Vee starts to get close to Gal, she sees someone different from the facade he shows everyone. But, when a secret that Gal has comes to the surface, will it kill their blossoming romance?

Main Characters

Venus Merriwell: I liked her, but man, did she have tunnel vision. Her world consisted of her sisters and their families, balls where she would look for prospective suitors, and the orphanage where she tirelessly worked. Her disdain for Gal caught me off because she was sweet with everyone else. There was a point in the book where I wanted to shake her (it was right after she found out Gal had bought the building next door). She was nasty to him, and I couldn’t believe what she said to the boy she had with her. That was almost enough to change my mind about her. But she more than made up for her attitude a few chapters later. I also liked that she loved to read, and Shakespeare was her favorite author. Of course, reading his plays gave her somewhat of an unrealistic view of romance (her journal entries showed that).

Galahad Sinclair: I loved him. Yes, he did some shady things at the beginning of the book. But, I stress this: he had no way of knowing that Vee wanted that building for herself. I liked that the author slowly (and sometimes at a turtle’s pace) had Gal reveal things about himself that saddened and horrified me. Some items, I guessed at, but others shook me. There were points in the book where I did think he made his bed (the whole building fiasco), but he did try to apologize.

My Review:

I enjoyed reading Never Wager with a Wallflower. But I felt a little out of sorts while reading it. This book is the third and last book in the trilogy. I missed a lot of background by not reading the first two books. But I did enjoy Vee and Gal’s very bumpy relationship. That had me on my toes for the entire book.

I loved that the author had journal entries by Vee from 14 to the present day. I liked seeing her thoughts on different situations (from boobs that won’t stop growing to her feelings about Gal). It also gave me good insight into her life growing up, what her father did to her and her sisters, and other storylines that kept popping up in the book.

The main storyline, the love story between Vee and Gal, was well written. As stated above, it was a bumpy enemy to lovers/forced proximity romance. Sometimes, I wondered when the romance would start and Vee’s animosity would end. But that made for a fun read. I also liked that Gal was very much in tune with his feelings for Vee and realized what they were early in the book. On the other hand, Vee fought her feelings until the end of the book.

The orphanage storyline was a little meh to me. While it allowed Gal to explain his formative years to Vee, it didn’t do anything but cause issues between those two. I thought Vee went overboard with her reaction to Gal buying the building next door. The meltdown that she had and the things she said to him was awful.

The end of Never Wager with a Wallflower was okay. It was a little drawn out. I was also weirded out that everyone was okay with what they walked into. I liked the epilogue, but I got confused by it. I had to reread it to understand what was going on.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Virginia Heath for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Never Wager with a Wallflower. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I love this series! This is the final book in the Merriwell Sister series and they can be read alone but should be read in order. She ends the series with the same kind of sass and chemistry that leaps off the pages. Venus is the youngest of the trio of sisters and has had the hardest time finding a trustworthy suitor. This caused many heartaches and put a damper on her many seasons. Gal is the foe she didnt know she needed. Their chemistry has been evident since book 2 and their story delivered all the romantic feels. They're both from less than ideal circumstances and this shaped how they think and feel. This push and pull troupe gives you just the right amount of love and hate, I usually hate these but this was a perfect balance. I hope we get to see them again somehow.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Virginia Heath brings her wonderful trilogy about the Merriwell Sisters to a close with the third and final book in the series, Never Wager with a Wallflower.

As a teenager, Miss Venus Merriwell had once dreamed of falling in love with her own knight in shining armor. As an adult, however, Venus had soon realized that the prince charming she had envisaged for herself wasn’t going to make an appearance in her life anytime soon, so instead she had channeled all of her time, energies and efforts into the orphanage she runs in Covent Garden, which is bursting at the seams and crying out for expansion. Venus has her eye on the vacant building next door which would be absolutely ideal for her orphanage. However, there is just one tiny snag: Galahad Sinclair also has his eye on the building and he is willing to do whatever it takes to secure it.

Venus might loathe and abhor gambling due to her father’s addiction to gaming hells, but for Galahad gambling is his entire life. Having learned everything there is to know about games of hazard in the taverns of the Hudson River, Galahad had been forced by circumstance to come to London where he had set up shop in the East End of London. Galahad has always yearned to have his own pleasure palace in Covent Garden and when a building there becomes vacant, he is determined to move mountains to make it his. However, he hadn’t counted on the redoubtable, infuriating and beautiful Venus Merriwell, the youngest sister of his cousin’s wife, whom he has avoided like the plague since she flattened him five years ago.

There’s no avoiding each other now and with fate – and impish orphans – seeming to conspire to throw the two of them together at every turn, Venus and Galahad find themselves getting closer and closer. But will they find the courage to gamble their hearts on a lifetime of happiness? Or will they continue to let their past history come between them?

Opposites attract in the irrepressible new Regency romantic comedy from Virginia Heath. Never Wager with a Wallflower is a hilarious, uplifting and charming historical romance where the banter zings, the one-liners come thick and fast and the love story will melt every reader’s heart.

Venus and Galahad are simply delightful and readers will be cheering them on to their happy ending and keeping everything crossed for them as they fall head over heels in love with one another.

Enchanting, enjoyable and entertaining, Virginia Heath is at her superb best with her latest Regency romance, Never Wager with a Wallflower.

The third and final installment of the Merriwell sisters from Virginia Heath. This is the story of Galahad Sinclair cousin the Giles Sinclair who is married to Diana the middle Merriwell sister. Galahad owns a gambling den and has high hopes up opening up another once he is able to buy a space for it. He has located a space which contains 3 buildings which he is wanting to buy only he finds out the buildings are in close proximity to an orphanage where Giles sister in law Venus works. Giles and Venus don't have the best of relationships and he wants to improve it before she finds that he is trying to buy the building next door to the orphanage. The story is a slow burn as Venus and Gal get to know each other better; but will they be able to continue exploring their feelings for each other if their secrets are revealed? Venus thinks she has had enough of heartbreak and is no longer looking for love but instead would settle for a decent gentleman who she can have a family with. Gal has secrets from his past that he hasn't even shared with his cousin and is not prepared to open up to anyone. A fantastic end of the series. Looking forward to the next release from this author.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Virginia Heath’s writing makes me want to live in the time of the Merriwell sisters! I already miss these characters. Never Wager with a Wallflower was the perfect read. I love when a book makes me laugh out loud and this one did not disappoint.

A wonderful ending to a charming trio. Vee’s story has been built up through the previous books and it does not disappoint. Though Giles and Diana are my favorite from this series, Galahad and Venus are just as good.. From enemies to friends to enemies again and finally lovers, Heath weaves a tale that is exciting, sexy, and funny by turns. I enjoyed Vee and Sinclair’s banter as well as the riveting whist scenes. This was a fast-paced read that was over before I knew it. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series and look forward to Heath’s next book!

Venus is the youngest of the three Merriwell sisters (her sisters' stories are in the first two books.) It's been four years since Venus had a contentious first meeting with Galahad. They've avoided each other over the years as much as possible. Now, without realizing it, Galahad has purchased the buildings next to the orphanage Venus devotes all her time to. An elderly benefactor verbally left the orphanage one of the buildings next door but Galahad swooped in and bought it from her dishonest nephew. He plans to open an elaborate gambling den as his life-long dream. They both had terrible fathers and terrible childhoods, making it hard for either of them to put their trust in another person. When Venus discovers Galahad's duplicity, she is devastated since was starting to care for him and now she feels tricked. I loved Venus's diary entries at the beginning of each chapter revealing her thoughts as a teen to a twenty-something. As they interact with each other they both realize they need to evolve from their pasts and compromise and make changes if they want to have a future together. There is a very enjoyable epilogue detailing how the three sisters lives changed in the last decade.

This story had main characters that were shown with great depth. As did the people who surrounded them. Venus and Galahad (Gal) were each clever in their own ways. It was like Venus had so much family around her who loved her, even if they interfered from time to time. Where Galahad had almost no one when it came to family. Although it had people with some serious issues and pasts, it also managed to have some humor to it at times too. I just wish that I had liked it more.
It does get points for a good ending and epilogue. I gave it 3.5 Stars because of the parts that I did like.

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

Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath is a story you surely don’t want to miss! I loved everything about this story and seriously didn’t want it to end. This book focuses on the youngest Merriwell sister Venus “Vee” Merriwell and we are reintroduced to Galahad “Gal” Sinclair who is the cousin of Giles Sinclair the hero in book two of this series “Never Rescue a Rogue”. These two MCs have a love hate relationship and their encounters are filled with banter and sniping, there is no love lost … or is there?

Heath is a master at creating a historical romance that is both serious and lighthearted. She is able to blend sadness and comedy in a way that allows the reader to really connect with the story. Not to mention the chemistry and friction she creates between her MCs that leads them on a path to pretty explosive passion …ahem, sex.

I don’t want to spoil this story for anyone so I am not jumping into the details of the plot. I will say that you can get away with reading this as a standalone but I recommend starting with book one, you will have the chance to get to know all the characters better.

Overall another 5 Star story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Heat 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Series Rating 5 Stars | Top 10 contender for 2023 🏆🏆

📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this #book from St. Martin’s Press publishing via #Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review. Reviews are cross-posted to social media, goodreads, and blog. 🦄 @StMartinsPress
⭐️When possible reviews are cross-posted on the following:
✔️Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/jaime-loves-romance
✔️Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/2577266404
✔️IG https://www.instagram.com/alphabookclub/
✔️Twitter @alpha_book_club
#Bookreview #MustRead #ReviewbyJaime #RomanceBooks #TBR
🦄

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Never Wager With A Wallflower is the third and final novel in The Merriwell Sisters trilogy by Virginia Heath. This is by far my favorite book in this series. I instantly fell in love with the larger-than-life, lovable Galahad and Venus!

Galahad is my new book boyfriend! An enigmatic, American gaming he[[ owner? Yes, please! Gal had so many layers and self-protective devices. My heart ached for Gal’s complicated history, yet I found his drive and passion extremely attractive.

Poor Venus! She has the uncanny ability to choose the worst men! When Vee discovers she might have feelings for her enemy, Gal, she doesn’t trust her instincts, which earns her a lot of heartache and trouble.

I felt there was a point in the last third of the book that could have been condensed. The couple’s ironing out of an overblown misunderstanding took too long for me. However, the highly sensual tension and playful competitiveness between Gal and Vee sold the entire book for me. The couple’s dynamic was romance perfection. Virginia Heath’s mastery lies in her extreme talent for weaving an unforgettable romance between two fallible, relatable, organic people. You demand Gal and Vee to get their well-deserved happy ending!

I have utterly enjoyed the Merriwell Sisters, and I am sad to see this delightful series end. I highly recommend the entire series. Galahad and Venus’ journey warmed my heart; I loved watching these lonely, deserving people find their soul mates!

Release Date: November 7, 2023

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the third instalment in the Meriwell sisters series, although I feel that it could also be read as a stand alone novel.

It was cute and well written, I especially chuckled over the entries from Venus’ teenage diaries as she becomes somewhat disenchanted with men.

I enjoyed this book, but wish there were more scenes that illustrated the authors sense of humor (like her previous two books).

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and review.

A being deceived and let down by men multiple times Venus Merriwell has hung up her hat and decided she is no longer looking for a love match. Any intelligent man who listens will do. When Venus runs into Galahad
Sinclair in Covent Garden she does not realize things in her life are about to get turned upside down. Galahad is buying the buildings next to the orphanage where Venus teaches, meaning they will be seeing a lot of each other much to Venus’s chagrin. After a very lively game of cards, Venus begins to realize there is more to Galahad than the charming businessman persona. But unbeknownst to Venus Galahad is planning to buy the orphanage as well. Will he be able to show Venus he is more than just a sly businessman or will Venus end up hating him for displacing her and the orphanage?

With Virginia Heath’s classic wit and charm this story is more than just a romance. It delves into poverty and coping mechanisms people previously and currently endure in order to survive. This gives the main characters so much depth and connectivity. I absolutely adored this third book and look forward to Virginia Heath’s next romance coming soon!

The final book of the Merriwell Sisters trilogy, focused on the youngest of the sisters, Venus. Of the three books, I found this final installment the most challenging to hold my interest. I had high hopes for the Venus - Galahad pairing, but their unfolding story felt a bit lackluster. There were some fun and heartwarming scenes, but I never felt that there was a moment when the story really took off. The first book, <i>Never Fall for Your Fiancee</i> remains my favorite in the series.

Thanks to #netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary ARC e-book.

This is such a cute read I haven’t read the 2 book but I did read the first one but I thought this was a really interesting book. So this is book I believe take place 4 year after the first two ? Not quite sure but Venus is 22 and she has grown a lot since then. But a very good ending for the merriwells . Will have to go back and read book 2 to get a little more information but I like it

This was a delightful read. I didn’t know it was the third book in a series, so I’ll definitely have to go and read the other two!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

'Never Wager with a Wallflower' is the third and final instalment in this series where each book focuses on the life (primarily romantic life) of one of the three Merriwell sisters. I've read all three and feel that each can be read as standalone novels. While I enjoyed the book, it didn't work well as a conclusion to the series for me as I preferred the other two novels to this one.

The author's writing makes reading about this historical time period fun. I really liked that this was a character driven novel focused on the romance of two people who have had life knock them down quite a few times that they're afraid of trusting the other. It has the classic enemies-to-lovers trope (more so on the part of Venus (hehe) than Galahad). The reason I didn't like the book as much as the others was that I felt that plot-wise, more happened in the other two books with each female main character overcoming more than in this novel. Additionally, having seen Vee as a young girl, it was difficult to picture her as the "desirable woman (with glasses)" that the author pushes her to be in order to make Galahad falling for her believable - why couldn't he have just liked the nerdy young woman that she is? It would have been more in line with how she was painted in the previous two books. Galahad, on the other hand, I completely understood.