This is the fifth installment in the Ladies Most Scandalous series. We follow Viscount Will after his fathers murder he leaves London to hide in Paris and forget the world but the world comes for him. His steward in charge of his estates while he was away stole most of the money out from under him and now he needs to marry rich to keep the house Gilford from going under. Lucy is our heroine in this tale and while she is tired of the fortune hunters she is happy being a wallflower. Will is the brother of Lucy's best friend Meg and they come together at social gathering and more when one of Lucy's other friends is abducted at a party. While I liked the characters and their chemistry I feel like there were a few plot holes that need work but overall an enjoyable story. Now I need Meg's HEA please and thank you.

A fantastic continuance in a world I already love. This Victorian Era book can be stand alone or if you’re a fan of Mischief and Mayhem you will swoon over the fun banter in this slow burn. A great who done it? That may leave you guessing until the end.

This is book one of A Wallflower's Guide series but it's really an offshoot of the Ladies Most Scandalous series. For instance, Will is the son of the murder victim in book four of the other series, and characters from that series make an appearance. Having said this, it's not strictly necessary to have read the other series before reading this. Now we have Wallflower-by-choice Lucy. An heiress who would rather sit on the sidelines at balls than deal with fawning fortune hunters. One night she witnesses her friend being forcibly shoved into a carriage kicking and screaming. She and Will begin to investigate. Lucy can't seem to stop witnessing kidnappings, stabbings, and murders. They fall in love among the chaos but destitute Will doesn't want Lucy to think he wants her for her money. A little light steam and an unexpected finale make for an entertaining read.

This was a cute mystery. I love the regency setting and the cast of characters that made me want to read all the other books available in the series.

This book exceeded my expectations; it was such an amazing story, and the characters were so memorable. I was totally engaged throughout the entire novel.
The book was full of vivid descriptions and vivid imagery to the point where I felt like I had slipped into the pages.

Lucy Penhallow - a wealthy heiress - finds herself in the middle of solving a mystery when she and her best friend's brother - who just so happens to be Viscount William Gilford - witness a crime. Luckily her lady's book club has prepared her for such a thing, and it helps that Gilford is pretty easy on the eyes.

Gilford, for his part, has come back to London because he is in need of a wife. A wealthy wife specifically or he'll lose his estate. While Lucy is an excellent candidate, he finds himself genuinely falling for her as they both insert themselves into the investigation.

I've enjoyed all of the books in Manda Collins's series thus far and I like that Wallflower's acts as almost a reset. It brings together already familiar characters, but then clearly shows us where the next book will go and which characters will feature.

I thought the mystery was very good with some nice twists and turns I didn't see coming. I wasn't entirely sure how things were going to play out until they did which was a nice change from being able to guess ahead of time.

However, because more emphasis was taken to give us an intriguing mystery I feel like the romance aspect suffered a bit.

Don't get me wrong, I like Lucy and Will, I like them together. I enjoyed seeing them fall for one another. But the setup with Will needing to find an heiress just didn't really go anywhere. It didn't create a conflict between himself and Lucy, and because they were genuinely interested in one another, and she also happens to be a wealthy heiress, Will got what he wanted. I feel like if there's going to be mention of the need for money and it's kind of setup to be a roadblock to their happiness, I feel like it should have been, unless why include it? Honestly, I loved how uncomplicated their romance was. I think Will could have made his way home for a different reason entirely and things still would have worked out.

As it stands, I'm excited for the slightly new direction of the series especially with some tantalizing setup scenes for the other ladies in the book club.

I enjoyed this book a lot! It gave me my Bridgerton fix that I always tend to look to fill in the spring. I highly suggest giving this book a go!

Lucy Penhallow is content with her life as a wallflower and solving crimes of the written variety. But when Lucy and Viscount Gilford witness her friend being abducted, Lucy decides to put her sleuthing instincts to the test. Viscount Gilford needs money to save the family estate his father left in incapable hands, but refuses to be labeled a fortune hunter. As Viscount Gilford’s affections towards Lucy grow, he can’t help but wishing she could be the wealthy heiress to save him. After all, Lucy happens to have a sizable dowry. But before Lucy can even think about a possible future with Viscount Gilford they must track down her friend first.

As expected, Manda Collins concocts a highly
enjoyable read with a mixture of wit, adventure, murder and romance.

It’s the age as old as time you guys! Lucy is a spinster by choice, Viscount Gilford needs a wealthy wife to save his family from financial ruins Lucy is off limits, she’s his sisters best friend! When someone from Lucy’s friend group is abducted, Gilford and Lucy are thrown together to solve a mystery and find her friend. Will they find love along the way too?

This is a spinoff series of Ladies most scandalous with fun cameos! I’ll be honest, I enjoyed this book more than the OG series! The mystery plot was SO good! The characters were super likeable. I sort of felt like the romantix chemistry was a bit lacking in the beginning but it does get better. Manda Collin’s does it again!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Forever publishing and Manda Collins for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions in my review are honest, voluntary and my own.

I really enjoyed Lucy and William's story! It was fun watching these two fall in love while trying to solve the mystery. Such antics!

I didn’t read Collins’ previous series, and it seems many of the characters in this book carried over from those earlier titles. As a result, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and how they were connected, which made it tough to fully engage with the story.

The central romance lacked tension, which surprised me and left the plot feeling a bit flat. The mystery itself was solid, and the twist was well executed, but the characters' reactions to the reveal didn’t feel entirely believable.

It’s clear from the romantic hints between secondary characters that this is the start of a new series. I’m rounding up to 3 stars, but I’m not sure yet if I’ll continue with the next installment.

For me, this book suffered a bit from a focus problem - was it a historical romance or a mystery? In trying to be both, at times it felt like the various strands of each got short shrift. The relationship between the MMC and FMC came off as rushed and not wholly believable. The wrap-up on the mystery was also not quite satisfying as the pieces felt like they came together by coincidence and mostly because the story needed to finish, not because the leads had solved it. However, the writing was solid and the characters were engaging, so this was still a reasonably enjoyable read. I haven’t read anything else in the series, so perhaps being more familiar with the style would have been helpful. As is, I probably won’t seek out any more of these books, but I can see this being a good entry for existing fans.

Ok. I like historical fiction. I like historical fiction mysteries. I like British Aristocracy in the 19th and early 20th century mysteries. This book was entertaining and I listened to it all. I liked the characters generally. But the plot made me crazy because of the speed with which one couple decides they are in love and in general, I thought the mystery was weak. It was such a quick read and I kept hoping to find a little depth. I pick these books to amuse but I want them to be well done and this one did not sell me. 3 stars because that's my minimum if I finish a novel.

Ever since watching Enola Holmes, I’ve been on the hunt for books with smart, independent heroines, broody love interests, and a side of sleuthing — and A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice definitely delivered! It’s the perfect blend of regency mystery and romance, with just a whisper of spice.

I adored Lucy — a clever wallflower who’d rather read detective novels than dance with suitors — and watching her team up with Will, her best friend’s grumpy older brother, was such a treat. The banter, the mutual respect, the growing romantic tension while solving a mystery? Delicious. The central whodunnit kept me intrigued and gave me total Enola vibes.

Now, I did feel like there was a bit too much back-and-forth between POVs within the same chapter, and a few moments didn’t quite make logical sense, which pulled me out a bit. But overall? I had a great time. Lucy is a heroine you root for, Will has that perfect “ugh, fine, I’ll fall in love” vibe. I loved the friendships and the setup for the next book — and I am definitely hoping the couple I think it is gets the spotlight next!

This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a massive fan of historical mysteries, but when you add a dash of romance, I am completely sold! A Wallflower's Guide to Viscounts and Vice is the first book in a new cozy mystery/romance series, and I loved it! Witty, fun, and swoon-worthy, don't miss out on the fun!

A fun witty story. Mystery and romance. Enjoyed it from the start! Several twists and turns and can't wait to read next book in series.

A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice by Manda Collins
A Wallflower’s Guide series #1. Historical cozy mystery. Spin off from the Ladies Most Scandalous series.
Lady Lucy Penhallow isn’t in any hurry to find a husband. She refuses most dance requests and enjoys working on filing at her cousin’s Scotland Yard office hoping to hear some interesting cases. She loves a good mystery story but certainly doesn’t expect to witness a kidnapping! Viscount Gilford is the brother of her best friend and they feel they need to help investigate and are soon asking questions and getting threats advising them to stay out of it. Spending time together leads to a closeness neither expected but both want.

I didn’t expect and adventurous historical but this was fun as they tried to figure things out. Things get steamy too. Very interesting!
I enjoyed this historical mystery romp and can’t wait for the next in the series.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of the book.

Will is back from traveling in Europe and suddenly learns he has to marry an heiress if he wants to escape bankruptcy. Lucy is an heiress and the best friend of Will’s sister. When both suddenly witness Lucy’s friend, Vera, get kidnapped, they cannot help but get dragged into the mystery. As they investigate, it is clear that not only is Vera’s kidnapper stalking their every move but that feelings are developing between the pair.

I really liked the pacing of the book, there was no moment where I thought the plot slowed down and the mystery always felt intriguing. I felt that the romantic development was a bit quick, at least in the beginning. I could not help but think that it felt like insta love. I did grow to love Will and Lucy’s interactions and their romantic development. I also adored the side characters and I am ready to not only continue the series but read the original. If you liked Enola Holmes, you will enjoy this book.

The perfect start to Manda Collins's new series! In "The Wallflower's Guide to Viscounts and Vice" we follow Lucy Penhallow as she works to solve the disappearance of her friend Vera Blackwood. After Lucy and Viscount Will Gilford, Lucy's best friend Meg's brother, witness Vera's kidnapping one night a ball the two are immediately swept into an investigation into Vera's whereabouts alongside Lucy's cousin Detective Eversham. Throughout all their mystery-solving shenanigans, Lucy and Will's relationship begins to turn romantic which just so happens to the perfect opportunity for Will, whose family estate has fallen into despair due to some thieving accountants, to find a rich wife (Lucy just so happens to have a very sizeable inheritance). I'll start by saying this was just a very fun book! The action of the mystery and Vera's disappearance wasn't necessarily anything new, but I still found it exciting to read. And don't get me started on Lucy and Will. Anyone who loves a fast-burn romance with a MMC that falls hard from the start then this book is for you! Will is just so sweet to Lucy, and I liked his openness with her about his financial situation. The big reveal of what happened to Vera at the climax was more shocking than I expected, but I did find the reasoning behind it to be slightly confusing at some points. Overall, this was a solid historical romance read with the perfect touch of mystery and suspense.

He's a fortune hunter...

Will is clueless and vapid and was fleeced blind when he was off cavorting in Europe. Run, Lucy, run!!!
Lucy Penhallow is clever, but not clever enough to elude the fortune hunting clutches of Will, who instead of finding a way out of his money troubles, goes with the super obvious with the least amount of effort, marry an heiress. Any heiress will do and unfortunately, for her, its Lucy.

Lucy. meanwhile, is working and trying to find a killer on the loose. She's in the thick of things with her cousin, a detective inspector and at the police station, ala Miss Scarlett, bucking the rules of society and being single on purpose. Until Will.
Recommend.