In the third novel in Maya Rodale’s charming Wallflower series, London’s Least Likely to Be Caught in a Compromising Position finds temptation in a devilishly handsome stranger . . .
Miss Prudence Merryweather Payton has a secret.
Everyone knows that she’s the only graduate from her finishing school to remain unwed on her fourth season-but no one knows why. With her romantic illusions shattered after being compromised against her will, Prudence accepts a proposal even though her betrothed is not exactly a knight in shining armor. When he cowardly pushes her out of their stagecoach to divert a highwayman, she vows never to trust another man again.
John Roark, Viscount Castleton, is nobody’s hero.
He’s a blue-eyed charmer with a mysterious past and ambitious plans for his future-that do not include a wife. When he finds himself stranded at a country inn with a captivating young woman, a delicate dance of seduction ensues. He knows he should keep his distance. And he definitely shouldn’t start falling in love with her.
When Prudence’s dark past comes back to haunt her, John must protect her-even though he risks revealing his own secrets that could destroy his future.
With her back against the wall where that hurtful thing had just happened, Prue finally let her knees give out. She slid down to sit on the floor, knees up against her chest. Sobs were stuck in her throat. What had just happened? Snatches of it flashed across her brain, hurting her anew. She thought she might be sick. Then she felt the stickiness between her legs and remembered and then she was sick, right on the floor in Lord and Lady Blackburn’s corridor. Faintly, she heard the sounds of the orchestra and the voices of hundreds of the haute ton chattering and laughing as if Prudence’s innocence hadn’t just been stolen from her. She did her best to stitch together the events of the evening, trying to understand how this bad thing had happened. To her. How could this have happened to her? Ladies did not refuse invitations to dance and Prudence had been raised to be a proper lady. When Lord Dudley invited her to waltz, she had no choice but to accept. It was the height of bad manners to refuse a man. People would talk and say cruel things about her if she did (who does that Miss Payton think she is?). Dudley would be angry, and embarrassed and might spread vicious rumors about her, which would devastate her already dim marital prospects. Rumors alone could wreck a girl’s reputation. Then no one would ask her to dance and she would become a dried up old spinster, which, up until an hour ago, was the worst fate she could imagine. Besides, a few weeks into their first season and it was becoming swiftly apparent that she, Emma and Olivia would not be taking the ton by storm as planned. Instead, they languished with the other wallflowers. The romances they had hoped for did not materialize. She was in no position to refuse an invitation to dance.
About the Author:
Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and it wasn’t long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.
Jennifer’s Review of What A Wallflower Wants
Review (4.75 Stars): In What A Wallflower Wants, Prudence Merryweather Payton has been hiding a devastating secret that has prevented her from finding happiness because she believes that she doesn’t deserve it. She has decided to marry a man that doesn’t love her but when he pushes her out of a carriage to stop a robbery one night, she promises herself to never trust another man. With nowhere else to go, she travels by foot and discovers a country inn that is the perfect place to rest her weary bones and decide what to do next. There she meets dashing John Roark, who has plans of becoming the first manufacturer of a revolutionary new engine and finds herself entertaining the ideas of romance, which she had once thought were too far out of her reach. John is captivated by this mysterious young woman but sees the haunted look in her eyes and gives her the space and patience that she needs to start to trust him. But when Prudence’s past suddenly comes back to haunt her, she is afraid that she will lose her only chance for a future.
I was very impressed with What A Wallflower Wants and it brought tears to my eyes reading about Prudence’s emotional journey dealing with her difficult past. Prue was a victim of sexual assault and she believed that because of that horrible event, she wouldn’t be able to find love since she was no longer considered a “lady.” Victims of sexual assault are forever changed and I couldn’t imagine how Prudence dealt with this all alone and still be the person that she was. Her story broke my heart because I wanted to reach into the book to give her a hug and then break the “Beast’s” neck for what he did to her. She was very brave woman and showed amazing inner strength throughout this book which made me love her all the more.
I was so glad that John walked into her life. He understood exactly what she went through and was so patient and gentle with her because he wanted her to know that she could trust him. He would have done anything to protect her and I was actually cheering for John during one of the scenes in this story where he actually proved that. Prudence deserved a happy ending after everything that she went through and I wish there were more men in the world like John.
What A Wallflower Wants is a captivating romance that will take readers on an emotional journey with these courageous characters. Ms. Rodale did a wonderful job dealing with this dark subject matter and has created a couple that many will fall in love with. I’m sad to see that this is the last book in the Wallflower series but I’m glad that Ms. Rodale saved the best for last.
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