How to Be a Wallflower
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- Create Date：2022-03-31 08:21:37
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Eloisa James
- ISBN：B0983LCNMN
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Summary
From New York Times bestseller Eloisa James， a new Regency-set novel in which a heiress with the goal of being a wallflower engages a rugged American in a scorchingly sensual， witty wager that tests whether clothing does indeed make the man—or the wallflower！
Miss Cleopatra Lewis is about to be launched in society by her aristocratic grandfather。 But since she has no intention of marrying， she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses guaranteed to put off any prospective suitors。
Powerful and charismatic Jacob Astor Addison is in London， acquiring businesses to add to his theatrical holdings in America—as well as buying an emerald for a young lady back in Boston。 He's furious when a she-devil masquerading as an English lady steals Quimby's Costume Emporium from under his nose。
Jake strikes a devil's bargain， offering to design her “wallflower wardrobe” and giving Cleo the chance to design his。 Cleo can't resist the fun of clothing the rough-hewn American in feathers and flowers。 And somehow in the middle of their lively competition， Jake becomes her closest friend。
It isn't until Cleo becomes the toast of all society that Jake realizes she's stolen his fiercely guarded heart。 But unlike the noblemen at her feet， he doesn't belong in her refined and cultured world。
Caught between the demands of honor and desire， Jake would give up everything to be with the woman he loves—if she'll have him！
Miss Cleopatra Lewis is about to be launched in society by her aristocratic grandfather。 But since she has no intention of marrying， she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses guaranteed to put off any prospective suitors。
Powerful and charismatic Jacob Astor Addison is in London， acquiring businesses to add to his theatrical holdings in America—as well as buying an emerald for a young lady back in Boston。 He's furious when a she-devil masquerading as an English lady steals Quimby's Costume Emporium from under his nose。
Jake strikes a devil's bargain， offering to design her “wallflower wardrobe” and giving Cleo the chance to design his。 Cleo can't resist the fun of clothing the rough-hewn American in feathers and flowers。 And somehow in the middle of their lively competition， Jake becomes her closest friend。
It isn't until Cleo becomes the toast of all society that Jake realizes she's stolen his fiercely guarded heart。 But unlike the noblemen at her feet， he doesn't belong in her refined and cultured world。
Caught between the demands of honor and desire， Jake would give up everything to be with the woman he loves—if she'll have him！
Reviews
Marcia
，
YES！ Another great by EJ。 This book felt different from many of her others。 Characters more mature？ I cannot put my finger on it。 Enjoyed immensely。 Especially - NO mean mothers。 Slutty mothers， strong mothers， but no one with a horrible mean character。 NO mean， uber-angry， vindictive elderly male relatives。 No fathers， grandfathers， uncles， etc etc。 Ditto females in this book。 NO peripheral lecherous attacking male characters。Cleo and Addison just right for one another， even with her reluctance YES！ Another great by EJ。 This book felt different from many of her others。 Characters more mature？ I cannot put my finger on it。 Enjoyed immensely。 Especially - NO mean mothers。 Slutty mothers， strong mothers， but no one with a horrible mean character。 NO mean， uber-angry， vindictive elderly male relatives。 No fathers， grandfathers， uncles， etc etc。 Ditto females in this book。 NO peripheral lecherous attacking male characters。Cleo and Addison just right for one another， even with her reluctance understood。 ？'s - was her mothers "voice" a genuine spirit？who will the next WBW be？ Yasmin？ who is Yasmin's spouse？ why did it take so long for Cleo and Addison to become pregnant？Surprise！ - It took me a long time to realize who Merry is！ Now I have to read THAT book again。。。But first let me dive into my second reading of WBW #1 。。。more
book bruin
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This is my first book by Eloisa James and I really enjoyed her writing style。 There are quite a few of my favorite tropes featured in the book， like enemies to lovers， forced proximity， and a hero that is all in。 The instalove is very strong between Cleo and Jake and I was a little surprised by how quickly things shifted。 Cleo was my favorite character in the book and she was such a fantastic heroine。 I really loved how bold and fearless she was。 It took a bit for Jake to grow on me， but his det This is my first book by Eloisa James and I really enjoyed her writing style。 There are quite a few of my favorite tropes featured in the book， like enemies to lovers， forced proximity， and a hero that is all in。 The instalove is very strong between Cleo and Jake and I was a little surprised by how quickly things shifted。 Cleo was my favorite character in the book and she was such a fantastic heroine。 I really loved how bold and fearless she was。 It took a bit for Jake to grow on me， but his determination and love for Cleo won me over。 I wasn't a fan of the predictable ending drama （moo） and it felt unnecessary。 I also didn't love that Jake never told Cleo about his "arrangement" and his response after blindsiding and embarrassing her left much to be desired （where was the grovel！？） The epilogue set up the next book very well though （lots of hints for the next couple throughout） and I'm looking forward to seeing those sparks fly。Audiobook ReviewOverall 4 starsPerformance 3 starsStory 4 starsI both read and listened to How to Be a Wallflower and though enjoyable， I didn't fully love Susan Duerden's performance。 The narration was fine overall， but I did have problems differentiating between characters and was glad that I had the text to refer to。CW: grief， death of parents （past）， classism， mentions of addiction （opium）*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book* 。。。more
Gladys
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I thought that this book was incredibly fun， seductively cute and totally swoon worthy。 In other words， I absolutely loved it。 The writing was beautifully done， and I found the story engaging and entertaining。 I felt that there was a unique freshness to this tale because while I have certainly seen similar takes on this situation， I've never seen it played out in such a way。 This was a nice twist that I genuinely appreciated。 I found Jake and Cleo easy to like and I fell for them super hard as a I thought that this book was incredibly fun， seductively cute and totally swoon worthy。 In other words， I absolutely loved it。 The writing was beautifully done， and I found the story engaging and entertaining。 I felt that there was a unique freshness to this tale because while I have certainly seen similar takes on this situation， I've never seen it played out in such a way。 This was a nice twist that I genuinely appreciated。 I found Jake and Cleo easy to like and I fell for them super hard as a couple。 All in all， I thought this was an amazing romance。 It was charming， funny and filled with feels。 What a great way to kick-off this enticing new series that I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of。 This is my independent， unbiased review。 。。。more
Tales Of A Bookbug
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Another Eloisa James book that I ended up loving and one with a heroine who's nothing like a wallflower（though she desires to be one to avoid marriage）！❣️✨Cleo， the owner of the successful Lewis Commodes（started by her father） is about to be launched into society by her grandfather， whom she's just met after many years of living a wild and nomadic life with her mother。 But， she has no interest in marrying and as she enjoys her independence she decides to make her wardrobe as boring as possible b Another Eloisa James book that I ended up loving and one with a heroine who's nothing like a wallflower（though she desires to be one to avoid marriage）！❣️✨Cleo， the owner of the successful Lewis Commodes（started by her father） is about to be launched into society by her grandfather， whom she's just met after many years of living a wild and nomadic life with her mother。 But， she has no interest in marrying and as she enjoys her independence she decides to make her wardrobe as boring as possible before her debut， in order to drive away any prospective suitors！While trying to accomplish that she ends up buying Quimby's Costume Emporium with an idea in mind， thwarting the plans of an American businessman - Jake， who had wished to buy it before her。 Their relationship starts off with lively competition and they end up making a bet - with each designing the other's wardrobe。 And as sparks fly， both Jake and Cleo find themselves caring more about each other than their costumes and the bet！"He had to admit that she had a point， but he was playing a double game: he no longer gave a damn about Quimby's。 He needed a reason to see Cleo: a solid reason that would give him the time and space to win a woman who seemed damned near unwinnable-because she couldn't be courted by conventional means。 At the moment， of he had asked her to dance， she would conclude that he was trying to cozen her into giving up Quimby's。"I loved how Jake decided to pursue Cleo from the moment that he realized that he'd fallen for her！ He's determined， cheeky and charismatic。 Cleo is a great match for him with her wit， confidence and bravery。 But， she's also afraid of being like her mother - who spent most of her life going in and out of relationships with various men as she chased her 'passions'。 Though Cleo is level-headed and smart， it doesn't stop her from feeling the attraction between her and Jake。 As she slowly begins to fall for him， she also learns to trust him（and herself） as their relationship deepens。 Their relationship development is so cute！Cleo's grandfather and his friend were so much fun！ And I loved meeting Jake's friend Merry（from My American Duchess） and her Duke again in this one！ They have such a good friendship！This book doesn't have much drama and I don't think we needed that last bit at the end to create some conflict lol 🐮。 Kinda unnecessary 😛Do give this one a try if you're in the mood for a light and humorous romance！ And I think the next book might be Yasmin's？ Very excited to see how it goes！*I was provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*You can also find this review on my blog here。 。。。more
Kimberly
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4。5 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin How to Be a Wallflower is completely charming。 It’s bright， fun， fast-paced， and sweet with a nice dash of spice。 In Jake and Cleo’s romance， author Eloisa James has kicked off her Would-Be Wallflowers series with a love story that will leave you smiling。Cleo Lewis has spent her life following her mother and the broken hearts left in her wake。 Cleo is a sharp， smart businesswoman who is more interested in growing her company， Lewis Commodes， than she i 4。5 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin How to Be a Wallflower is completely charming。 It’s bright， fun， fast-paced， and sweet with a nice dash of spice。 In Jake and Cleo’s romance， author Eloisa James has kicked off her Would-Be Wallflowers series with a love story that will leave you smiling。Cleo Lewis has spent her life following her mother and the broken hearts left in her wake。 Cleo is a sharp， smart businesswoman who is more interested in growing her company， Lewis Commodes， than she is in marrying。 In London for the Season to bond with her grandfather， Cleo is determined to make herself into a wallflower。 She visits a costume emporium， intent on ordering unflattering dresses， but manages to not only invest a new business but thwart a brash American as well！ Jake Addison is furious at having lost a business deal， but that anger is quickly replaced by his fascination with Cleo。 It’s not long before his course has shifted and his new aim is to win the heart of the woman who is his match in every way。Cleo and Jake are too cute for words。 Cleo is unconventional and no-nonsense， which I liked。 Jake is her perfect match; a blunt businessman who appreciates Cleo’s mind as much as he does the rest of her。 Jake made me smile with how quickly he fell head-over-heels for Cleo。 I loved that he didn’t question it， wasn’t bothered by the depth of his affection， and was willing to do what it took to win Cleo over without ever pressuring her。 I’ll leave it to readers to discover how he does， but the interesting sartorial choices， the breakfasts and brandies…all of it was a joy。 Their romance sparkles， the banter between them made me grin， and I loved how straightforward they were about their desires。 I liked that James made them friends as well as lovers， and it was impossible not to be delighted by them as a couple。 How to Be a Wallflower is the first book in a new series but fans of James’s My American Duchess will love revisiting the heroine of that book as Merry is Jake’s best friend （though reading Merry’s book is not a prerequisite to fully enjoy this one）。 James also introduces new potential protagonists in this book that have me incredibly eager to read more Would-Be Wallflowers stories。 Jake and Cleo’s romance is bright， honest， sensual， and sweet – the perfect escape read。FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review。 This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review。 。。。more
Connie
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it。I adored this charming book。 It is the new of a new series that I can't wait to read more of。 This is written in my favorite dual POV format。 Getting that glimpse into the characters' thoughts really help me to better understand the characters。Jake comes to England looking to buy a few businesses that he will bring back to America。 One of those businesses is a clothing emporium， Quimby I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it。I adored this charming book。 It is the new of a new series that I can't wait to read more of。 This is written in my favorite dual POV format。 Getting that glimpse into the characters' thoughts really help me to better understand the characters。Jake comes to England looking to buy a few businesses that he will bring back to America。 One of those businesses is a clothing emporium， Quimby's。 Quimby's will clothe the theaters that he inherited from his father in style。 Jake is a big brute of a man who would never be mistaken for an English autocrat。 He goes to the emporium to discuss the contract with the Martha Quimby to discover that a Miss Cleopatra Lewis stole the business right out in front of him！It was never Cleo's intention to purchase the business but she couldn't stand for the women to be upset。 They had just found out that the business was to leave England for America and they didn't want to go。 Both Cleo and Jake come to an arrangement to see who would actually be able to make the purchase。 Jake is the typical alpha male。 He wants the emporium but he wants Cleo even more！ Cleo has some troubling issues stemming from her mother's behavior while growing up and even though she is drawn to the American， she wants to be a wallflower to be able to avoid marriage。These two are a delight to read。 I love reading historical romances as there are usually a few words that I have to look up to see the definition。 This was no exception。 Learning should never stop。This read had a few sexy scenes but the author does a wonderful job of not going over the top in the details。I hope Yazmin gets a story but I don't know if it would be in this series as I can't really see her as a wallflower！ 。。。more
Jan
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Eloisa James is a master of unusual plot lines in her romance novels， and How to Be a Wallflower is a perfect example。 Cleo is a member of the ton who really wants nothing to do with the social scene in London in Regency England or following the norms of a society marriage - so she makes a plan to turn herself into a wallflower。 Guaranteed to become an independent worman！ Jake is an American， who has come to London to acquire theatrical holdings to add to his successful business in America。 They Eloisa James is a master of unusual plot lines in her romance novels， and How to Be a Wallflower is a perfect example。 Cleo is a member of the ton who really wants nothing to do with the social scene in London in Regency England or following the norms of a society marriage - so she makes a plan to turn herself into a wallflower。 Guaranteed to become an independent worman！ Jake is an American， who has come to London to acquire theatrical holdings to add to his successful business in America。 They encounter each other when both are courting the same costume designer: Cleo wants a new "wallflower" wardrobe， and Jake wants to hire the costumer and take her away to America to work for him。 However， when Cleo meets Jake， the sparks fly instantly！ And all of their plans change。 I simply could not put this book down。 It is a fun， witty romp that you don't want to miss！#netgalley #HowToBeAWallflower 。。。more
Pamela with Dreamer's Books
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Cleopatra is to be launched into society by her grandfather but she has no intention of wedding。 She plans on dressing in unflattering ways to avoid suitors。 Jake is an entrepreneur and looking to acquire businesses。 He is furious when Cleopatra ends up owning a business he wanted for himself。 The two end up becoming friends then more feelings grow between them。 An excellent read。 I received a copy of this book via Netgalley。
Morgan
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Audiobook: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I've been highly anticipating this release and was thoroughly satisfied with the story。 The characters felt real and honest to themselves and each other。 It was such a refreshing take on historical romance。 Highly recommend！ Audiobook: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I've been highly anticipating this release and was thoroughly satisfied with the story。 The characters felt real and honest to themselves and each other。 It was such a refreshing take on historical romance。 Highly recommend！ 。。。more
Simply Love Book Reviews
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How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James is the first in a new series and it is an absolute delightful and entertaining story。 Cleopatra Lewis is about to make her debut into society with her Viscount grandfather and has a plan to keep her single。 Needing a wardrobe， she heads to a costume emporium and before she knew it， she finds herself buying into a new business venture and encountering a hot under the collar American business man， Jake Astor Addison， who is fit to be tied when his purchase fe How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James is the first in a new series and it is an absolute delightful and entertaining story。 Cleopatra Lewis is about to make her debut into society with her Viscount grandfather and has a plan to keep her single。 Needing a wardrobe， she heads to a costume emporium and before she knew it， she finds herself buying into a new business venture and encountering a hot under the collar American business man， Jake Astor Addison， who is fit to be tied when his purchase fell through。 Seeing he was outbid by a British businesswoman， he has to find a way to get her to change her mind。 To try and outwit her he proposes an unconventional wager。 He will design her wallflower clothes and she will design his。 Does the clothing make the man or in this case， the woman？ What it does for both of them is what they least expected but made things far clearer in what he wants。 Cleo and Jake both find that they enjoy each other’s company and slowly become friends。I thoroughly enjoyed this story because the characters were fun and interesting。 Cleo had a past with her mother and father she had to work through to overcome her emotional issues with her feelings on love。 Once Jake made it his mission to win Cleo’s heart and get her to marry him， he showed her daily with flowers， coffee and kippers。 The secondary characters also help to bring this story to life and advance the story to its happy conclusion。 The author’s writing style made it easy to read and it flowed nicely。 I didn’t want it to end because the characters were so enjoyable to get to know and cheer for。 I love the conclusion and how Jake and Cleo worked it out for themselves。 Eloisa James has a hit on her hands and I look forward to reading more in this series。Review copy provided for a voluntary review。 。。。more
Louise
，
Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this advanced copy！Eloisa James was one of the first historical romance authors I dove into when I discovered the romance genre， and this book is just another reason why I love her writing。 You are guaranteed witty， fun heroines and smart， wonderful heroes who meet and fall in love in just the best ways。 And really， what more do you want？Cleo and Jake are such a great couple and while I felt like they had a little too much "insta-love"， I really appreciated ho Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this advanced copy！Eloisa James was one of the first historical romance authors I dove into when I discovered the romance genre， and this book is just another reason why I love her writing。 You are guaranteed witty， fun heroines and smart， wonderful heroes who meet and fall in love in just the best ways。 And really， what more do you want？Cleo and Jake are such a great couple and while I felt like they had a little too much "insta-love"， I really appreciated how James's plot lengthened their courtship into something that was just so lovely。 Instead of having the plot take place over the course of a week or two （which always feels too short to me）， the plot unfurls over a few months， allowing you to understand that when they finally declare their love， they actually know each other and have formed an incredibly wonderful bond。While I loved the central love story， I will say that the plot， especially at the beginning， is a tad ridiculous。 I love the first few chapters， as they start fighting over the costume shop they both want， but then it goes into some sort of competition and I'll be honest， I got a bit lost。 Was the point of the competition to have Jake wear something ridiculous while Cleo looked fabulous？ It felt a bit thin， but also I'm a sucker for a guy who will wear whatever to impress his person， so I was all in any way， very much appreciating when both characters agreed it was silly and should be stopped。Also， it was great to see Merry， Duchess of Trent from James's previous book American Duchess。 That was a fun book and it was nice to see Merry and Jake interact as old friends。Overall， there were a few places where I rolled my eyes， but honestly， I thought this was a lot of fun and I'm excited for more wanna be wallflower adventures！ 。。。more
Deanna
，
This book was a pure delight for me。 I loved it right from the start and continued to love it until the very last page。 The characters and story were so much fun， and the romance was enchanting because of who Cleo and Jake are as strong， vibrant story people。 They differ， sure， but they also align， and that made for some exciting scenes and repartee。 I adored them， and I loved this first in series read。*Full review on Okie Dreams website*
Veronica and Rae
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For the second week in a row， I’ve delved into the world of Regency era London theatre and I’m 100% Here。 For。 It。 You throw in some insta-love on the heroes' part， a touch of enemies to lover， add a dash of female empowerment packed into one Wallflower and you have a Rae’s Favs on your hands， baby。 Like catnip to this very discerning cat， I can easily say that I thoroughly enjoyed Eloisa James’， How to Be a Wallflower。 A Little Bit of PlotAll Jacob Astor Addison wants is a manageable quiet wife For the second week in a row， I’ve delved into the world of Regency era London theatre and I’m 100% Here。 For。 It。 You throw in some insta-love on the heroes' part， a touch of enemies to lover， add a dash of female empowerment packed into one Wallflower and you have a Rae’s Favs on your hands， baby。 Like catnip to this very discerning cat， I can easily say that I thoroughly enjoyed Eloisa James’， How to Be a Wallflower。 A Little Bit of PlotAll Jacob Astor Addison wants is a manageable quiet wife and for his American theatre empire to have the best of the best。 Meaning， world renown talent - including London's best costume designer。 He’s willing to pay top dollar to relocate the operation to the states in order to have the best in the business。 Daughter of a ‘commode baron’， Cleopatra Lewis wishes for the costume emporium to remain in London and clothe not only actors and actresses but the tonne as well。 Jake and Cleo strike up a bargain: they will design wardrobes for each other to thwart their opponents' winning plans。 Except after one fiery exchange， Jake forgets about that quiet boring vision of a wife and turns his sights on Cleo。 Unfortunately for Jake， Cleo is determined to be a wallflower， while living the life of an independent entrepreneur。 Unbeknownst to Cleo， however， is that Jake knows how to play the long game - and excels at it。 The Compliment SandwichThe Top Bun （The Pro）A Sexually Informed HeroineWhile Cleopatra Lewis is a virgin， she’s not an ill-informed one。 Her mother， unfortunately/fortunately， had quite the wandering eye and enjoyed a profuse amount of ‘bed-sport’ with different flavors of the week。 Unfortunately for Cleo， her mother， Julia， would describe her exploits in detail to her teenage daughter and cuckolded husband。 Conversely， Cleo gained a wealth of knowledge about safe sexual practices and independence。 Along with her sexual freedom came the importance of deterring unwanted pregnancy。 Condoms！ Julia commented in Cleo’s head。 I told that boy about french letters years ago and he never listened。We also learn that Julia insisted that Cleo stock her own condoms in the actuality that a man will attempt to forgo his own。 And while her first time is still as shocking as it would be for any virgin at that time， Cleo knows what to expect…somewhat。 “More” didn’t turn out to be a good idea。 “Kiss me again， Jake，” Cleo whispered。 He instantly complied。 “Do you feel gutted， darling？”She couldn’t help a burble of laughter。 “Did you just describe making love as a ‘gutting’？”“I’m trying to imagine it from your point of view， “ he said， his voice strained。 “I’m not a small man。”Cleo wiggled， trying to get comfortable。 “Gutted’ might actually apply。”While I’m certain this character is not as historically accurate as we hoped she’d be， it’s always refreshing to read about a heroine that not only enjoys being sexual but is also fearless when faced with new experiences。 The Meat （The Con）Honestly， there wasn’t much I didn’t care for with this book。 It surpassed my expectations and I’m actually excited to read the next installment。 If I had to pick out one negative， it would be that I guessed what the conflict would be that led to the Act 2 break up， but honestly， it’s not as angsty as I envisioned。 And y’all know I hate angst （see almost every episode of the podcast and about ½ of the reviews I write）。 The Bottom Bun （The Pro）The Fall First， Fall Hard HeroI’m in love with this new trope， guys。 It’s becoming much more popular， and I have to say， it’s addicting。 For my entire life I’ve heard women say “for once， I want to be chased”， well ladies， the historical romance genre is f#$ing delivering！ It’s like John Cusack in Say Anything， but instead of a boombox and trenchcoat， he’s a duke in breeches with a four piece string quartet behind him。 The attraction builds after their first disastrous meeting and grows for Jake。 Quiet conversations where he attempts to build up her irritation spark something in him。 At that moment， he gave in。 Cleopatra Lewis had conquered him without a single come-hither smile。 By doing nothing but leading a strong， independent， and intelligent existence， this woman has enraptured this giant American theatre impresario。 As he knows her plan is to remain a solitary woman， he understands that to win her he has to build up their relationship slowly。 By wooing her - putting。 in。 the。 damn。 work。We also talk on the podcast about putting in the minimum required effort; that the bar is literally on the floor in terms of expectations。 Jake yeets that damn bar into the sun。 In the back of his head， he reshuffled his life goals， and an impetuous， exasperating， utterly desirable British woman stepped to the fore…All those battles faded into insignificance。 Winning Cleopatra？ She held all the cards。 Their kisses took his breath and language， leaving him with an inarticulate wish to growl， pick her up， and find a bed。 Life Goal: Find a man who looks at you the way Jacob Astor Addision stares at Cleopatra Lewis。 Lastly， I would talk about the ungodly ugly clothes that Jake is forced to wear in order to be near Cleo at every social event， but I could go on for pages。 But the fact that he designs beautiful gowns that highlight every one of her curves and physical attributes as he’s forced to parade around town dressed like a foppish nightmare？ Pure perfection。 Cue the Peter Gabriel， I’m about to swoon。 。。。more
Tammy
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Review to come。
Mary
，
This is a fun battle of wills between independent， unconventional heiress Cleo and brash American businessman Jake。 She wants to commission a wardrobe that will keep her in the background and assure she remains unmarried。 He wants to lure the talented costume maker away to America for his theater company。 Just to make it more interesting， they wager that they can design a wardrobe for each other。 If the clothes happen to do just the opposite of what their goals are， so much the better。As Cleo an This is a fun battle of wills between independent， unconventional heiress Cleo and brash American businessman Jake。 She wants to commission a wardrobe that will keep her in the background and assure she remains unmarried。 He wants to lure the talented costume maker away to America for his theater company。 Just to make it more interesting， they wager that they can design a wardrobe for each other。 If the clothes happen to do just the opposite of what their goals are， so much the better。As Cleo and Jake spend more time together， they become friends and bond over their common feelings toward their families， the pressure to get married， their business interests， and kippers。 I like that Cleo and Jake， while weathy， don't really fit in high society so they don't much care about following the rules。 Their attraction grows quickly， and their romance is sizzling。I liked all the secondary characters。 The servants， friends， and family members helped round out the story and created a community for this story and the books to come in this series。 It was great to see Merry and the Duke of Trent from My American Duchess。I think the whole wallflower concept was kind of a stretch。 Cleo was never a wallflower and just didn't have the personality to become one， so I don't think even a dowdy wardrobe would have done the trick。 。。。more
Carole
，
How to be a Wallflower is yet another charming Regency era romance from the pen of author Eloisa James。 Smartly executed， vibrant and engaging I thoroughly enjoyed this excursion into the world of English heiress Cleopatra Lewis and American businessman Jacob Astor Addison。Theirs becomes a battle of wills as Cleopatra outsmarts， outmaneuvers， yet ultimately falls in love with the charismatic American as he does with her。 Along the way the reader is treated to an exceptionally well written narrat How to be a Wallflower is yet another charming Regency era romance from the pen of author Eloisa James。 Smartly executed， vibrant and engaging I thoroughly enjoyed this excursion into the world of English heiress Cleopatra Lewis and American businessman Jacob Astor Addison。Theirs becomes a battle of wills as Cleopatra outsmarts， outmaneuvers， yet ultimately falls in love with the charismatic American as he does with her。 Along the way the reader is treated to an exceptionally well written narrative with many engaging interactions between the two protagonists and a cast of likable characters that aid in bringing the story to life。 I highly recommend for readers who enjoy Regency Romance with a little spice added to the mix！I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review 。。。more
Blodeuedd Finland
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Cleopatra was sure of herself， and did what she wanted。 She was an heiress， even if by a way one should not talk about， toilets！ Jacob is an American looking for investments。 Too rugged and uncut to be a real gentleman according to some of the ton。 Even if he is an Astor。They soon butt heads， and start the silliest competition。 I wish I could have seen it， listening to him looking like a peacock is not the same thing。 He must have looked amazing。He really goes in for what she wants， and who can Cleopatra was sure of herself， and did what she wanted。 She was an heiress， even if by a way one should not talk about， toilets！ Jacob is an American looking for investments。 Too rugged and uncut to be a real gentleman according to some of the ton。 Even if he is an Astor。They soon butt heads， and start the silliest competition。 I wish I could have seen it， listening to him looking like a peacock is not the same thing。 He must have looked amazing。He really goes in for what she wants， and who can say no to that。Good narration that made this into a fun listen。 。。。more
K。
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A great start to a new series！ I loved seeing Merry again， and Lulu the flower seller is the best。 I’m excited to see what comes next！Disclaimer: I received a print copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway。
Kesha
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How to be a Wallflower， a the first in a new series by Eloisa James is a fun， lighthearted book filled with colorful characters。 Cleo's cleverness， stubbornness and individuality provide us with a piece that is both energetic and charming。 The dialogue between our two main characters is witty and engaging and easily draws the reader into the story。 Cleopatra Lewis， an heiress whose fortune comes from commodes， is about to enter London society。 In an effort to satisfy her mother’s dying wish， Cle How to be a Wallflower， a the first in a new series by Eloisa James is a fun， lighthearted book filled with colorful characters。 Cleo's cleverness， stubbornness and individuality provide us with a piece that is both energetic and charming。 The dialogue between our two main characters is witty and engaging and easily draws the reader into the story。 Cleopatra Lewis， an heiress whose fortune comes from commodes， is about to enter London society。 In an effort to satisfy her mother’s dying wish， Cleo will allow her grandfather to introduce her during the season。 The only caveat。。。 she must be launched as a Wallflower。 Under the impression that clothes make the man （well in this case， the woman）， Cleo sets out to find the most outrageous garments available…at least available to someone in half mourning。 While preparing to outfit herself in her wallflower “costume”， Cleo discovers that a brash American man is attempting to buy out and move to America， Quimby’s， a popular costume shop furnishing her wardrobe。 This simply will not do。 Quimby’s belongs exactly where it is， in London。 To ensure that this remains the case， Cleo does what must be done， she moves to thwart his purchase。 This impetuous action pits her against Jacob （Jake） Addison， the brash American financier from New York who does not take kindly to losing。 Jake is a little too much。 Too much personality， too big， and too hard to resist。 In an effort to win Quimby’s back from Cleo， Jacob comes up with the perfect plan…one that will destroy Qyimby’s reputation。 As Jake puts his plan in motion， he starts to form a friendship with his rival and soon falls in love。。。leaving him to fight for something way more valuable than Quimby’s。 He wants Cleo’s heart！ Overall the book was enjoyable。 I would have liked a bit of steam。 There wasn't much， even where there were intimate scenes。 There were times where I felt the book lagged and others where I felt it was unbelievable。。。but what I can I say。。。it's fiction。 。。。more
Alex
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What a lovely book。 How to Be A Wallflower was just what I needed right now。 I've been feeling slumpy lately， but this light hearted， romantic historical romance pulled me right out of my slump。 Eloisa James is a hit or miss author for me， partially because of her very specific writing style。 When I find a hit by her， though， it is a HIT。 So， I'm so glad her newest release hit the spot for me。 Cleo is an independent， clever business woman who has no time for men。 At the start of the book， she is What a lovely book。 How to Be A Wallflower was just what I needed right now。 I've been feeling slumpy lately， but this light hearted， romantic historical romance pulled me right out of my slump。 Eloisa James is a hit or miss author for me， partially because of her very specific writing style。 When I find a hit by her， though， it is a HIT。 So， I'm so glad her newest release hit the spot for me。 Cleo is an independent， clever business woman who has no time for men。 At the start of the book， she is to debut into society at her mother and grandfather's wishes， but Cleo wants nothing to do with a Season。 All Cleo wants is to run her business， Lewis Commodes， in peace without a man dictating her every move。 On a simple trip to the costumers' to buy a new wardrobe， she ends up buying a costume shop at the annoyance of Jake Astor Addison。 Desperate to claim the costumer as his own for his theaters in America， Jake begins a rivalry with Cleo only to find that the two have more in common than business interests。 My favorite thing about this book is the dry， British humor。 Like I said previously， Eloisa James has a specific sort of writing style。 I don't know how else to describe it other than dry， British wit。 All of the characters were so funny and vivacious in this book， from the protagonists to the side characters。 It made this book so fun to read。 I love when side characters shine just as much as the protagonists。 I also loved the romance too。 I loved how Jake and Cleo slowly went from rivals to friends to lovers。 Though Jake was sure that he loved Cleo almost from the beginning， I appreciated how he never tried to rush her feelings。 The two work so well together and definitely stand out to me as a couple。 I haven't loved an Eloisa James couple since When Beauty Tamed the Beast， so I'm delighted to add this pair to the list。 Everyone should pick this book up if they want a fun， humorous and romantic story for the spring。 You should definitely pick this book up if only to experience the amazing Yasmin， who I'm praying will be the heroine in the next book。 She was a delight。 。。。more
Lovely Loveday
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How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James is a very charming romance between the granddaughter of a Viscount and an Heiress to a toilet fortune。 The undeniable chemistry and excellent banter make this story fun and compelling。 The author's writing is well-written and swoonily romantic。 Overall this was a delight to read， sweat， fun， and very charming。 How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James is a very charming romance between the granddaughter of a Viscount and an Heiress to a toilet fortune。 The undeniable chemistry and excellent banter make this story fun and compelling。 The author's writing is well-written and swoonily romantic。 Overall this was a delight to read， sweat， fun， and very charming。 。。。more
SusieQ_Reviews
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How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James is book one in the Would – Be Wallflowers series。 This story has a uniquely creative premise that I’ve not read before。 Jacob Astor Addison， an American financier has a company bought out from under him at the last minute。 His rival Cleopatra Lewis is a successful businesswoman and the granddaughter of a Viscount。 Jacob falls for Cleo rather quickly and goes about wooing her in his American way。 Cleo has a habit of having running conversations with her dece How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James is book one in the Would – Be Wallflowers series。 This story has a uniquely creative premise that I’ve not read before。 Jacob Astor Addison， an American financier has a company bought out from under him at the last minute。 His rival Cleopatra Lewis is a successful businesswoman and the granddaughter of a Viscount。 Jacob falls for Cleo rather quickly and goes about wooing her in his American way。 Cleo has a habit of having running conversations with her deceased mother in her mind， which got old for me。 There are great supporting characters and witty banter， but I found parts of the story repetitive。 As I’m not a fan of fish， I suspect Jacob’s love of kippers may have been part of the issue for me。I received an ARC copy from Net Galley and Avon and this is my honest review。 。。。more
Sissy's Romance Book Review
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HOW TO BE A WALLFLOWER by Eloisa James is the First book in the Would-Be Wallflowers Series。 This is the story of Jacob Astor Addison 'Jake' and Cleopatra Lewis 'Cleo'。 Jake has come to London to visit friends but to more importantly to convince Martha Quimby of Quimby’s Emporium to move her business to the USA。 Jake's father had wanted to be a actor but due to his standing he couldn't do so but that didn't stop him from investing in theaters。 Cleo's father left her the family business when she HOW TO BE A WALLFLOWER by Eloisa James is the First book in the Would-Be Wallflowers Series。 This is the story of Jacob Astor Addison 'Jake' and Cleopatra Lewis 'Cleo'。 Jake has come to London to visit friends but to more importantly to convince Martha Quimby of Quimby’s Emporium to move her business to the USA。 Jake's father had wanted to be a actor but due to his standing he couldn't do so but that didn't stop him from investing in theaters。 Cleo's father left her the family business when she was just a young women and she has been running the Lewis Commodes company since。 Cleo's mother was flighty and couldn't seem to commit to love which has set Cleo on the path to not trust personal relationships。 But she does go forward to meet her Grandfather which in turn has him wanted to give her a season。 Cleo thinks to build a wardrobe of Wallflower dress and goes to the Quimby’s Emporium where she finds everyone upset that they may have to relocate the USA。 So she buys the company wanting to keep England business here。 Jake of course finds out and they have a confrontation which then leads to so much more。 Enjoyed。 。。。more
Anjali
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I am speechless。 Absolutely LOVE the start to the new series。 Eloisa has absolutely upped her game and so fabulous to meet Merry from My American Duchess again。。 actually I just want to gush and keep gushing， about Eloisa， her writing which just keeps getting amazing with each book and series。 Her authentic portrayal of characters and stories in begone years is always on point。 。 This series introduces us to American Royalty of the early 19th century， The Astors and wealthy British industrialist I am speechless。 Absolutely LOVE the start to the new series。 Eloisa has absolutely upped her game and so fabulous to meet Merry from My American Duchess again。。 actually I just want to gush and keep gushing， about Eloisa， her writing which just keeps getting amazing with each book and series。 Her authentic portrayal of characters and stories in begone years is always on point。 。 This series introduces us to American Royalty of the early 19th century， The Astors and wealthy British industrialists and of course the Ton/peerage。 It’s a potent combo。 The introduction to the story， of that of orphaned 22 year old MS Cleopatra Lewis daughter of a self made business and runaway daughter of a Viscount， and her maid Gussie sets the tone for a fun and classy story。 The flirty mother is no more， Ms Cleo is on her own， overseeing a large business empire， which her father entrusted to her at te age of 14; and he has no need to marry and plans to be a Wallflower。 However she is set on reconciling with her grandfather Viscount Falconer。 There is a fun friendship of two old friends， the viscount and his rather fancy dressing friend Elias Stafford or simply Byng to his friends。 So many beautiful nuggets in the story， true EJ touches。 Ms Lewis and Mr Jacob Astor Addison rub each other on the wrong side over a business deal The Quimby’s fashion emporium owned by Martha Quimby and thus the narrative takes off。 There is the relationship rebuild between grand daughter and grandfather。 There is also the almost hostile relationship that Jake Astor and his family whom he finds absolutely abhorrent based on their business ruthlessness， that he drops the Astor surname。 He is good guy who is out to build his own empire。 As Merry， the Duchess of Trent’s friend he lands in London to find some fashion designers for his Expanding Theater company。 Without giving out more， this series is again gonna be a huge hit IMO。 I loved the characters as Ms EJ creates so much brilliant in each one of them。 Just grab and read or enjoy the audio。 I am a huge fan of Ms Susan Duedran’s narration and will surely listen once it is released in audible。 It’s my favorite listening on my drive back from work in rush hour Boston。 。。。more
Maureen Carden
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How to be a Wallflower reminded me of those old-time screwball movie comedies。 The classics。 I could easily see Gable and Lombard playing the parts， or in modern day casting， Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone。 Sorry， can’t go more recent than those two。 （I’m old） I am serious here， this is some funny stuff。Miss Cleopatra Lewis is the granddaughter of Viscount Falconer。 She has also inherited a thriving business， Lewis Commodes， from her father。 Cleo has agreed to her grandfather launching her into soc How to be a Wallflower reminded me of those old-time screwball movie comedies。 The classics。 I could easily see Gable and Lombard playing the parts， or in modern day casting， Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone。 Sorry， can’t go more recent than those two。 （I’m old） I am serious here， this is some funny stuff。Miss Cleopatra Lewis is the granddaughter of Viscount Falconer。 She has also inherited a thriving business， Lewis Commodes， from her father。 Cleo has agreed to her grandfather launching her into society， he has even agreed letting Cleo appear as a wallflower。 This is the grandfather Cleo has never met before thanks to her mother。 Everyone should be so lucky as to have so loving a grandfather。 Cleo has an excellent reason for wanting to remain a wallflower。 The minute she marries， all of her property becomes the property of her husband， leaving Cleo with no say in how Cleo’s property is run or sold。Mr。 Jacob Astor Addison is a seemingly roughhewn， very wealthy American entrepreneur and early theater impresario who encounters Cleo after she has “stolen” Quimby's Costume Design。 Quimby’s is mostly a theatrical costuming business he was planning to buy。 Buy and move to America in aid of his burgeoning theater empire。 To keep the business in London， Cleo decides to buy and expand the business。In the amusing and charming How to be a Wallflower （Would-be Wallflowers #1） Jake and Cleo become frenemies， issuing a challenge to one another， each allowing the other to help Mrs。 Quimby design a wardrobe with the idea of thwarting the other’s goal。 Jake falls so hard， so quickly that he is willing to be the one to make all of the changes in his life。 Cleo， after she fell， had a moment of great hurt resulting from a misunderstanding。 Instead of making Jake grovel， she quickly figured out the problem and acted with total maturity and love。 I do so enjoy grown up characters。This is a bit unusual but the worst character in the book is dead。 Julia’s mother。 She eloped at age 17， cheated on her husband constantly， and never returned to see her mother and father。 I’m only touching on her sins。 Julia made Cleo promise to contact her grandfather。 Cleo's grandmother has already died。 I applaud the Jake’s ethics for adding the name Addison and partially obscuring the Astor because of some of his uncle’s unscrupulous dealings。A slight complaint， but there is a mistake in the book blurb。 Not really one that will go unnoticed。Thanks to this book， kippers will soon be seen THE romantic food。 They will no longer be vilified！ No one but Eloisa James could do this。Eloisa James has written one of my very favorite series， the Desperate Duchesses， I have probably read each book at least five times。 I am hoping that one day I can say the same about the Would-Be Wallflowers series。 I am already looking forward to the next installment。Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for review purposes。 。。。more
Barbara Rogers
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Barbara’s rating: 4。5 of 5 StarsSeries: Would-Be Wallflowers #1Publication Date: 3/29/22Period: RegencyNumber of Pages: 384Goodness – what can I say except – I LOVE it！ This was an excellent introduction to the series and I cannot wait for future books。 I absolutely adored Jacob Astor Addison from the first moment he graced the page and that love just grew and grew as the pages fled by。 Then， there is Cleopatra （Cleo） Lewis， whom I also loved – she was so very likable and strong and self-reliant Barbara’s rating: 4。5 of 5 StarsSeries: Would-Be Wallflowers #1Publication Date: 3/29/22Period: RegencyNumber of Pages: 384Goodness – what can I say except – I LOVE it！ This was an excellent introduction to the series and I cannot wait for future books。 I absolutely adored Jacob Astor Addison from the first moment he graced the page and that love just grew and grew as the pages fled by。 Then， there is Cleopatra （Cleo） Lewis， whom I also loved – she was so very likable and strong and self-reliant and – well – she ran her own company。 We had two outstanding lead characters surrounded by excellent supporting characters – not a clinker in the bunch。 The story is a wonderful romance with wit， humor， and a heroine who has real issues with relationships。 Once you read the book， you’ll understand why。Jake has come to London in search of costumers， actors， actresses， etc。 to relocate to America and work for his several theaters across the country。 He doesn’t even particularly like the theater， but his father’s unfulfilled dream was to be an actor on the stage， and since his position wouldn’t allow that – he bought the theaters instead。 Jake just hasn’t had the heart to divest himself of them， so he has a new business plan for them。 While he’s in London， he’s also visiting with his good friend and fellow American， Merry， Duchess of Trent。 Jake thinks he’s found the perfect costumer， Martha Quimby of Quimby’s Emporium， and her solicitor has her agreement to move her and her business to the US。 Or … does he REALLY have her agreement？ Imagine his shock when he arrives at the emporium to get the final papers signed and discovers that somebody else has just bought the interest right out from under him。 Why – the unmitigated gall of that woman。Cleo is the sole proprietor of Lewis Commodes company。 The company was started by her father who had several inventions – one of which was the valve that allowed commodes to work。 Cleo learned the business at her father’s knee – and inherited it when he passed away when she was only fourteen。 She has actively run the business since then。 Her father deliberately left the business to Cleo rather than her mother because her mother was flighty， undisciplined， and well – more of a free spirit than anyone you’ve read lately。 As you read through the story， you’ll realize what a huge impact her mother’s lifestyle had on Cleo。 It isn’t that Cleo doesn’t exactly trust men – it is that she doesn’t trust any relationship with men。 Her mother’s lifestyle has always haunted Cleo because her mother wasn’t only blatant in her lifestyle， she left Cleo to clean up her messes。 Cleo is terrified she’s like her mother， so she just doesn’t do relationships at all。Cleo is in London to visit her grandfather whom she’s never met。 Her mother eloped and never returned to her family or visited with them。 Not because her family wouldn’t have loved and accepted her – just because her mother doesn’t seem to have had any capacity for love。 So， upon her mother’s death Cleo went to meet him – and even have a bit of a season – although her version of a season was to be a wallflower。 When she accompanied her ‘dresser’ to Quimby’s Emporium to commission a suitable ‘wallflower’ wardrobe， they found everyone in Quimby’s in near hysterics because they thought they were going to have to relocate to the US。 Cleo decided to thwart the brash American who thought he could just come in a do as he liked with a good English company。 She’d just show him！The give and take – and one-upmanship – between Cleo and Jake is priceless。 The wit and humor are outstanding and the HEA – including a wonderful epilogue – is absolutely perfect。 I did， however， think Cleo hung on to her ‘relationship-itis’ a tad too long and there was a bit of needless drama introduced near the end。 I hope you will read and enjoy this book as much as I did。 I can highly recommend the read。I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy （ARC） of this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 。。。more
Alex
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This novel follows Cleopatra Lewis， a young woman about to be introduced into society by her aristocratic grandfather。 But since she doesn't plan to get married （and is completely against the idea for business reasons specifically）， she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses that will dissuade potential suitors。Jacob Astor Addison is also in London （though he's American in just about every way） acquiring companies to add to his theatrical holdings back home in Ameri This novel follows Cleopatra Lewis， a young woman about to be introduced into society by her aristocratic grandfather。 But since she doesn't plan to get married （and is completely against the idea for business reasons specifically）， she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses that will dissuade potential suitors。Jacob Astor Addison is also in London （though he's American in just about every way） acquiring companies to add to his theatrical holdings back home in America。 He is furious when he sees Cleo， someone he at first assumes is a drab English lady， stealing his costume emporium right from under his nose。Jake tries to get the company back by bargaining with the owner as well as Cleo， to no avail。 He then decides to get closer to her （though he is scrupulously honest about his plans） and strikes a bargain: he will design her wardrobe， fit for a wallflower， and Celo will design his。 Along the way， the two become companions， and just a few scenes later Jake realizes he wants her more than he wants the company。My favorite part of this novel was that it was unlike the historical British romance in every way。 The characters were different and quirky， especially compared to the typical regency romance， but James clearly shows how they fit into society （not always well）， making it very realistic。 Cleo is especially lovely - she is certainly one of my favorite regency heroines I've read in quite a while！There were a few issues towards the end for me personally。 Firstly， Jake falls in love far too fast for a businessman。 One moment， he's focused on doing whatever it takes to make his theaters successful， and the next moment he is ready to sell off his theaters （apparently he never liked them anyway？） and move to London to win Cleo。 Secondly， the plot itself had some holes。 Why do they decide to design each other's wardrobes if they're truly intent on winning？ Why does Cleo basically give up on being a wallflower？ Why does Cleo go from being a self-sufficient businesswoman to a shy， insecure girl overnight？ I really loved the beginning （the voices of the characters are just truly amazing） but wished the characters had stayed true to form throughout the novel and that the plot had been less confusing。Cleo's trauma with her mother was so well-done。 I especially loved her strong feelings of loyalty towards her mother warring with the personal issues created by her mother's lifestyle。 Truly a marvelous bit of writing。Overall， I would reread this just for Cleo's character alone。 Her voice is so unique yet I found myself in her thoughts over and over。 I especially liked her strong take on her grandfather and his friend！I voluntarily read and review an advanced copy of this eARC thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley。 All opinions are my own。BOOK BLOG: https://fromthereadingroom。com/review。。。 。。。more
Belinda
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I've always adored Ms Jame's books。 She writes so beautifully with lots of spunky women and the most handsome men。 This is the most exciting read and the start of a series。 Who would want to be a wallflower just to meet their true love？ There is lots of sneaky stuff with two people who take an inch， but get so much more。 The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own。 Cleopatra Lewis is being launched by her grandfather who wants her to be in society and make a match I've always adored Ms Jame's books。 She writes so beautifully with lots of spunky women and the most handsome men。 This is the most exciting read and the start of a series。 Who would want to be a wallflower just to meet their true love？ There is lots of sneaky stuff with two people who take an inch， but get so much more。 The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own。 Cleopatra Lewis is being launched by her grandfather who wants her to be in society and make a match。 But Cleo doesn't want to be turned into some brainless ton chit and get married。 Then she decides to buy a clothing emporium where she can costume to be anyone she wants to be。 There is one man who wanted that business， and now he's upset because some woman beat him to the punch。 Jacob Astor Addison is in London to add to his theatrical holdings in America and when he meets Clo he thinks her masquerading as an English lady。 Then they make a deal to design wardrobes for each other and it gets funny from then on。But Jacob who turns Cleo into into a darling wallflower finds love in the most unexpected times。 He wants Cleo and all her passion for himself。 Is there a happy ending， read and find out for yourself。I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave am honest review。 。。。more
Christie’s
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Great news！ This one publishes tomorrow。 How to Be a Wallflower//Eloisa James3。75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫Hey fellow paper and book lovers！ Today I’m sharing my most recent read。 It was a little slow to start， and it took a bit to pull me completely in。 However， I most certainly appreciated the story background and character development。 How to Be a Wallflower follows Miss Cleopatra Lewis who is about to be launched in society by her aristocratic grandfather。 But since she has no intention of marrying， she visit Great news！ This one publishes tomorrow。 How to Be a Wallflower//Eloisa James3。75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫Hey fellow paper and book lovers！ Today I’m sharing my most recent read。 It was a little slow to start， and it took a bit to pull me completely in。 However， I most certainly appreciated the story background and character development。 How to Be a Wallflower follows Miss Cleopatra Lewis who is about to be launched in society by her aristocratic grandfather。 But since she has no intention of marrying， she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses guaranteed to put off any prospective suitors。Powerful and charismatic Jacob Astor Addison is in London， acquiring businesses to add to his theatrical holdings in America—as well as buying an emerald for a young lady back in Boston。 He’s furious when a she-devil masquerading as an English lady steals Quimby’s Costume Emporium from under his nose。Jake strikes a devil’s bargain， offering to design her “wallflower wardrobe” and giving Cleo the chance to design his。 Cleo can’t resist the fun of clothing the rough-hewn American in feathers and flowers。 And somehow in the middle of their lively competition， Jake becomes her closest friend。It isn’t until Cleo becomes the toast of all society that Jake realizes she’s stolen his fiercely guarded heart。 But unlike the noblemen at her feet， he doesn’t belong in her refined and cultured world。Caught between the demands of honor and desire， Jake would give up everything to be with the woman he loves—if she’ll have him！I gave this one an under 4 rating due to the slow start。 So…Read this book if:✔️you love historical romances✔️you want that happily ever after✔️you love tropes in romance#from-publisher #netgalley #bookstagrammademedoit #recommededread #booksofinstagram #bookobsessed #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #bookish #booklover #bookstagrammer #iread #booklover #booksofig #booknerd #readersofinstagram #harpercollins 。。。more
Anne Morgan
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An entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance， "How To Be a Wallflower" features Cleo， an heiress who promised her grandfather she would submit to a Season- but plans to spend it as a wallflower。 A brief engagement to a fortune hunter taught her not to trust men and she has no plans on changing that。 When she meets Jake it is a case of two strong wills clashing and they instantly can't stand each other。 A competition turns into something more， but Jake is the one who knows where he wants it to end- An entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance， "How To Be a Wallflower" features Cleo， an heiress who promised her grandfather she would submit to a Season- but plans to spend it as a wallflower。 A brief engagement to a fortune hunter taught her not to trust men and she has no plans on changing that。 When she meets Jake it is a case of two strong wills clashing and they instantly can't stand each other。 A competition turns into something more， but Jake is the one who knows where he wants it to end- at the alter！ Going from wanting to marry a boring woman who will blend into the background Cleo has shown him he needs something different- a strong woman who will challenge him and stand up to him。 Full of humor and （purposely） outrageous costumes， romance lovers will definitely enjoy Eloisa James' newest book。 Everyone currently enjoying "Bridgerton' Season 2 but thinking they don't like romance should also take the plunge and give it a try- I think you'll like it！I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=How to Be a Wallflower
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=How to Be a Wallflower&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft