Cover Image: Once Upon a Wallflower

Once Upon a Wallflower

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Member Reviews

This is a really good Gothic romance and mystery! I would rank Mira as one of my favorite historical romance heroines, as she is smart and courageous and she overcomes the lack of support from her family to make the best of what she is presented with. She also prides herself on her application of logic to all situations, including her search for her truth of the mysterious deaths of the three women surrounding her fiance, which is unique in itself. The mystery proceeds at a fast pace that had me finishing the story in one sitting. I also liked Nicholas, who despite being feared and thought to be a murderer, hasn't let it make him hardened and bitter.

I received a complementary copy of this book for honest review through NetGalley and the publisher.

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No words peeps, no words...

This was a phenomenal read. The perfect mix of pace, writing, storyline, world...add in the amazing characters and you have this lovely treasure. I loved it all, from start to finish...well, maybe not so much the finish - I just wasn’t ready for it to be over. But, all good things must come to an end. I highly recommend Once Upon A Wallflower by Wendy Lyn Watson.

Please note that an ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.

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I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is one of the rare times when I will not be able to finish a book. I get a lot of ARC’s so I know that most of the time the version I have will have errors in spelling and grammar. However, this version had an error almost every other word sometimes I couldn’t even make out what the word was supposed to have been. This is sadly going in my did not finish pile just because I couldn’t understand what was going on.

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This is the first time I have read a story from this author and it will not be my last, this was absolutely brilliant and I could not put this down.

I received a copy from Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion

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This book is a little confusing, but it is supposed to be. Let me explain. To gain an inheritance from their father, both Fitzhenry brothers named their daughters Mirabella. That way if the inheritance was left in name to one, they both would inherit. With me so far? It is because these two are both named Mirabella that the surviving Fitzhenry brother is able to fulfill his gambling debt by offering his niece’s hand in marriage instead of his much prettier daughter. So, Mira is off to marry a man she’s never met. A man who has been accused of murdering his last fiancé and two other women.

Nicholas, Viscount Ashfield, is scarred and expecting to scare his fiancé away within five minutes. He is a very solitary sort, but Mira is an unexpected delight he welcomes into his life. The two keep saying to themselves one or the other will call the whole marriage off, but as the days go by and they try to figure out the mystery of the slain women, they fall in love.

Watson has a great gift for storytelling and weaves a brilliant mystery in the love story of Mira and Nicholas. I loved that I was guessing who the villain was throughout the story. I was sure five different people were the murderer at different points, but in the end only one was finally revealed.

While this story was released in 2013 and I don’t see any follow up written by this author, I truly hope she will give her readers another wonderful historical romance mystery in the future.

I received Once Upon A Wallflower for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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What's not to love about a Gothic romance with a brooding hero and mystery of murders thought to be by his own hand? Not much and this one embodied it all around! An arranged engagement to a lord of the peerage, Mira hopes that he will call off the wedding. Nicholas really does not want to marry, after all, why would she want to marry a man accused of murder? Surely she will call it off herself.
But as fate would have it, they find they actually like spending time in each others company and start feeling attraction. So as the wedding draws near, neither call it off. Mira is determined to stop the rumors and innuendo that has been circulating the Ton and prove him innocent. But will she end up in the same manner?
This was an enjoyable romance with the mystery underlying and I really like these two characters!
This is the first book I have read by this author, but hope to read more!!

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I really enjoyed this story. It's well-written and interesting. I loved all the characters and the mystery part of the story had me intrigued since the very beginning, all in all, it's an amazing read.

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Description
A Perennial Wallflower… When Mira Fitzhenry’s guardian arranges her engagement to one of the most scandalous lords to ever grace the peerage, all of society is abuzz. After all, the man has left a trio of dead young women in his wake, including his first fiancée. But Mira doesn’t see a killer in Nicholas’s moonlight eyes, and she resolves to find the real murderer before the wedding.
A Gothic Villain… Expecting to scare the chit away within five minutes of meeting him, scarred and brooding Nicholas, the Viscount Ashfield, is intrigued by Mira’s tenacious resolve to prove his innocence. She’s not put off by his imposing appearance, but his family’s dark secrets mean he cannot let her get close. As the wedding approaches, Nicholas and Mira grow ever closer, yet so does the danger.Will the truth bring Nicholas and Mira together or tear their love apart?

I received this as a second look title. i.don't know how I missed this book before but I was very happy to get it now.
This well written historical mystery/romance is a winner. The characters are engaging and the scenario is engrossing.
I couldn't put it down once I got started.
I am almost certain that the author is new to.me. I will look for other titles to read by her.
I have this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization.
I re complimentary copy of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

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Orphaned at 6yrs, Mirabelle Fitzhenry (Mira) has been living with her Uncle, Aunt & younger cousin who bears the same name Mirabelle Fitzhenry (Belle). A little bit of a Cinderella story, Mira's aunt is always putting her down declaring her to be plain compared to the picture perfect, blond Belle. When Mira's uncle incurs a huge gambling debt, he trades "Mirabelle's" hand to settle the debt but forces Mira instead of his precious daughter to be wed to the notorious Nicholas Ellerby,Viscount Ashfi�eld, widely rumoured to have done away with 3 women; one of which was his almost betrothed.

I loved the characters of Mira & Nicholas. Mira, who is hardly plain but rather, a voluptuous redhead is intelligent & lively. She & Nicholas have a wonderful chemistry. The scenes btwn them are amazing, breathtaking & full of suppressed emotion. Nicholas is sarcastic, witty, he calls Mira "Mira-mine" - yeah that kinda made me melt. I couldn't put down the book!

Love the part where Mira & Nicholas go for a ride in the park (for the 1st time) & she tells him the story behind the identical names of the 2 cousins:
"Nicholas completely lost his composure, erupting in deep, rusty laughter. He had to steer the phaeton to the side of the path until he could recover himself. Mira was utterly delighted by the
sight of him shaking with laughter. And the fact she had been the one to make him laugh gave her an unaccountable rush of pleasure."
At that point I fell in love with both characters who became very real and warm.

This is the 1st book I've read from this author & I'm definitely looking forward to reading more. Wonderful writing, wonderful story!

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