TITLE: The Wicked Wallflower
AUTHOR: Tracy Sumner
SERIES: The Duchess Society
SERIES ORDER: 3
PUBLISHED: 04/21/22
GENRE: Regency Romance
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
BLURB:
A slow-burn battle of wills leads to love.
Their biggest secret? Their infatuation with each other.
Independent, impulsive Lady Philippa Darlington guarantees her freedom by playing the role of a wallflower. After two miserable seasons in the ton, she’s vowed to never marry with the help of the most dreaded female enterprise in London—the Duchess Society. But a madcap misadventure will throw her plans off course and put her face-to-face with the most dangerous man she’s ever known.
Common-born Xander Macauley crawled from the slums to rule an empire. And he has secrets. One being that he’s smitten with his best friend’s little sister. Although Pippa Darlington is the last woman in England he’d risk his heart over. However, after a snowstorm forces them together and she lets him see the enchanting woman beneath the bluster, Xander finds he will do everything in his power to possess her.
The risks are undeniable. But so is the chance to find a true, overwhelming love.
MY REVIEW:
DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve been anxiously awaiting Pippa and Xander’s story ever since they appeared in Roan and Helena’s story, The Scandalous Vixen, and Tracy did not disappoint!
This story was absolute perfection! I love a story where the hero doesn’t think he’s good enough for the heroine, and yet he can’t stay away! Pippa and Xander are from two different societal classes; Pippa, the sister of a Duke, and Xander, a businessman from the slums.
Xander reminded me a lot of the brothers Devil and Whit from The Bareknuckle Bastards series by Sarah MacLean; raised in the streets, providing jobs and income to other members of the slums.
Xander and Pippa’s love story was a deliciously hot slow burn that will have you rooting for the couple from Page 1! In addition to their scenes, I really enjoyed the scenes and the comradery with the Leighton Cluster, especially Tobias and Xander. I also can’t wait to read about the other two couples that were teased in this story!
Thank you Tracy and WOLF Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book as an ARC! I can’t wait to see where this series goes!
If you like historical romance, a really good slow burn with plenty of steam and the tropes brother’s best friend, hero doesn’t think he’s good enough for heroine, I highly recommend this book! You do not need to read the series from the beginning in order to understand this book.