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ipomoea's review
5.0
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review... and I know the author.
This book is basically made up of my two catnips: the secret genteel writer lady and the stifled vicar. He's an earl's younger son sent into London to unmask the infamous erotic writer A Lady Of Dubious Quality. She's a duke's daughter, a wallflower only recommended by her hefty dowry. But when the wallflower meets the vicar, the sexual tension is thick, and they find themselves drawn together despite what society thinks of them.
This book should come with a fan and a glass of ice, because it is off-the-charts explicit and steamy. I loved that Jeremy could be both a caring vicar and a man who had filthy thoughts about his wife, and I loved that Sarah was both an unsure innocent as well as writing the most scandalous prose in town. Definitely recommended to those who like romances that don't fade to black in the bedroom.
This book is basically made up of my two catnips: the secret genteel writer lady and the stifled vicar. He's an earl's younger son sent into London to unmask the infamous erotic writer A Lady Of Dubious Quality. She's a duke's daughter, a wallflower only recommended by her hefty dowry. But when the wallflower meets the vicar, the sexual tension is thick, and they find themselves drawn together despite what society thinks of them.
This book should come with a fan and a glass of ice, because it is off-the-charts explicit and steamy. I loved that Jeremy could be both a caring vicar and a man who had filthy thoughts about his wife, and I loved that Sarah was both an unsure innocent as well as writing the most scandalous prose in town. Definitely recommended to those who like romances that don't fade to black in the bedroom.
balletbookworm's review
5.0
I missed this final installment in the Wicked Quills of London series so I decided to pick it up (turns out there's a thread of connection to the new series, London Underground). This is a bit less cross-class than the previous two books and more "figuring out your life". Jeremy has to come to terms with being his dad's lackey and Sarah has to try and trust Jeremy with her secret. In the middle Leigh wrote one of the best defenses of women's work, women's writing, and feeling that one is valued for one's self that I've ever read in a novel. I loved it.
tessanne's review
1.0
DNFed at 57%. I forced myself this far and am still so utterly bored.
These two have nothing going on, zero chemistry, just inner thoughts about wanting each other. You’d think that the secret author of sexy times books would be slightly more interesting, but in the case of this book, you’d be completely wrong.
This book follows the current trend of books that seem phoned in by popular authors. There’s so little content filling 300-400 pages that you can easily skim most of it and miss almost nothing. But there’s also nothing to recommend.
These two have nothing going on, zero chemistry, just inner thoughts about wanting each other. You’d think that the secret author of sexy times books would be slightly more interesting, but in the case of this book, you’d be completely wrong.
This book follows the current trend of books that seem phoned in by popular authors. There’s so little content filling 300-400 pages that you can easily skim most of it and miss almost nothing. But there’s also nothing to recommend.
allymarciewrites's review
5.0
I have never related to a heroine more than Lady Sarah. My goodness. Eva Leigh nails the urge of all writers/creatives to create, and how we see the spectacular in the mundane. I just wish Sarah had been able to tell Eleanor and Maggie about her work as the Lady!!! Maybe another one at some point.
tales_of_a_bookbug's review
3.0
Temptations of a Wallflower is the last book in the Wicked Quills of London series by @evaleigh and when I read it two years back I fell for it just because of the cover alone! Isn't it so pretty?
But it has an amazing plot too! This book features Lady Sarah Frampton, who is a duke's daughter and wallflower! But, what no-one knows is that she's also the Lady of Dubious Quality, and author who writes erotic novels!
And then we have Jeremy Cleland, vicar and third son of an earl. Can you see where this is going?
But it has an amazing plot too! This book features Lady Sarah Frampton, who is a duke's daughter and wallflower! But, what no-one knows is that she's also the Lady of Dubious Quality, and author who writes erotic novels!
And then we have Jeremy Cleland, vicar and third son of an earl. Can you see where this is going?
labyrinth_witch's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting tale exploring the start of romance novels and why they were written by women, how they benefited couples and society, and the danger they put themselves in to express this creative part of themselves.
Leigh also seems to be exploring a motif of both the husband and wife being “virgins” in the sense of little sexual experience, which is not commonly seen.
There is a graphological component to the tale where the husband figures out the mystery by identifying his wife handwriting and inferring a sensuality to her handwriting that is indicative of that time period.
More than any of her other novels, this one felt very autobiographical where I felt Leigh was exploring why she wrote romance, the choices presented to her (writing or love), and how she found her own voice by writing “salacious” tales.
As always, her female empowerment and superb word choice makes Leigh a delight to read.
Leigh also seems to be exploring a motif of both the husband and wife being “virgins” in the sense of little sexual experience, which is not commonly seen.
There is a graphological component to the tale where the husband figures out the mystery by identifying his wife handwriting and inferring a sensuality to her handwriting that is indicative of that time period.
More than any of her other novels, this one felt very autobiographical where I felt Leigh was exploring why she wrote romance, the choices presented to her (writing or love), and how she found her own voice by writing “salacious” tales.
As always, her female empowerment and superb word choice makes Leigh a delight to read.
rebeccacider's review
Jeremy is a hunky small-town vicar chafing under society's rules. Sarah is a mild-mannered noblewoman who secretly writes erotic fiction under a pen name. What follows is some very engaging slow burn romance.
Leigh knows her genre. This book EXUDES chemistry and has all the contrived meetings, tense will-they-won't-theys, and steamy interludes you could ask for from a Regency romance. I also really liked Sarah, an isolated young woman who throws herself into escapist fiction in order to carve out an identity for herself.
I wasn't as compelled by the plot, which involves Jeremy attempting to unmask the mysterious author of Sarah's novels on the orders of his clergyman father. Jeremy's father is bananapants, but the book doesn't really lean into how ridiculous the situation is. As a result, Jeremy doesn't come off well and there's some inconsistency in tone.
Just as Jeremy's motivations are fuzzy, I wasn't sold on Sarah as a loner. She's not shy and seems at ease in social situations. Her lack of social success is pinned on the fact that she doesn't fit in with other young women, but at times this becomes a "Sarah's not like the other girls" vibe that I didn't care for.
That said, I am a choosy connoisseur of romance fiction, and I read this one to the end. Also, Leigh's most recent book is a friends-to-lovers Regency romance with a lady scientist and an anthropologist, which sounds entirely like my thing.
Leigh knows her genre. This book EXUDES chemistry and has all the contrived meetings, tense will-they-won't-theys, and steamy interludes you could ask for from a Regency romance. I also really liked Sarah, an isolated young woman who throws herself into escapist fiction in order to carve out an identity for herself.
I wasn't as compelled by the plot, which involves Jeremy attempting to unmask the mysterious author of Sarah's novels on the orders of his clergyman father. Jeremy's father is bananapants, but the book doesn't really lean into how ridiculous the situation is. As a result, Jeremy doesn't come off well and there's some inconsistency in tone.
Just as Jeremy's motivations are fuzzy, I wasn't sold on Sarah as a loner. She's not shy and seems at ease in social situations. Her lack of social success is pinned on the fact that she doesn't fit in with other young women, but at times this becomes a "Sarah's not like the other girls" vibe that I didn't care for.
That said, I am a choosy connoisseur of romance fiction, and I read this one to the end. Also, Leigh's most recent book is a friends-to-lovers Regency romance with a lady scientist and an anthropologist, which sounds entirely like my thing.
readerpants's review
3.0
Well, that was some pleasant silliness! The premise was satisfyingly ridiculous and made me laugh out loud more than once. I'm afraid I haven't really loved this series - a little too clunky and the writing style doesn't work for me - but this had many fun moments and things that made me laugh.