What a Wallflower Wants by Maya Rodale Blog Tour

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.

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Prudence’s gaze traitorously settled on Castleton. He was tall, lean, perhaps even lanky, but strong. He dressed informally, with just a waistcoat and the sleeves of his white linen shirt rolled up to the elbows, revealing bare forearms, corded with muscle. She stared at his bare arms during a long moment in which her heart beat hard with a warning.

For once she tried to drown it out and imagine a man’s arms around her affectionately.

But then her heart seized and her breath hitched in her throat. Beside her, Castleton loomed large. She didn’t know him. She did know there were bad men in the world.

“Quite a rainy day,” he remarked, now clasping his hands behind his back, standing at ease.

“Indeed,” Prudence said. She didn’t want to encourage conversation, but she also didn’t want to be rude and make him angry.

“How is your room?” Castleton asked, still looking out the window.

“Dry,” she quipped. She dared a sideways glance and saw him smiling.

“That’s something, isn’t it?”

“Thank you for alerting the innkeeper to my arrival,” she said, and not just to be polite. Prudence was grateful for the consideration, even if it made her wary about what he might expect of her in return.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
I will preface this review by stating that What a Wallflower Wants is darker than most Historical Romance, yet still encompasses the feel-good, puts a smile on your face, level of romanticism.

Rodale gave a 5 Star effort in regards to the emotions behind those assaulted. Book after book, where the heroine's past is violent, the author will write the character 'out of character', actions and reactions belying their inner monologues. Meaning, more often than not, the wounded heroine will be too trusting, too quick to forgive, and a starry-eyed innocent who instantly falls in love.

Maya Rodale shined with the slow, patient trust that was built over time through interaction between the Hero and Heroine of this tale. Prue was skittish, afraid, slow to trust, and this was true to real human behavior of those who have survived a traumatic experience, making the book feel true-to-life.

Prudence was a real heroine: strong, just, intelligent- not putting her needs beneath or above those around her, but as equally important. Prue was courageous and inspiring- a great role model- yet equally flawed.

John was patience personified in a genre of stories where more often than not, the Hero's strength is through domination or status of position, not through the strength of intelligence, integrity, and physicality.

Both the Hero and the Heroine expressed how we should view people through their actions and reactions, instead of by their title or position. It was a refreshing change.

While the trust and love was built slowly, over time, and with great patience, this slowed the book's pacing down considerably. A reader who loves a fast-paced, thrilling read will be slightly bored at times, waiting for the action to start.

What a Wallflower Wants is more character-driven, story-driven, than by exciting conflict. Not that there weren't exciting bursts of action scenes, steamy scenes, and moments of great conflict. But it was interspersed with a slowly evolving storyline.

While above is my glowing review, I only have one gripe. I'm not a fan of 3rd person narration. I'm not lessening the story because it was in 3rd person. However, there were times where I was confused by the multiple POV changed ups on a single page. In the beginning of the story, it was cut and dried, whose mind we were getting a glimpse inside. Nearing the end, it could be a sentence, or a paragraph later, and we would be thrust inside another character while still in 3rd person. (I versus She/He versus Character names) I would have to reread passages to get a handle on whose inner voice I was reading. This was easier when it was just Prue & John (She & He). But when the other Wallflowers, their husbands, Lady Dare, and the villain were all thrust together within pages of one another, it became chaotic and difficult for me to read. Ejecting me from the story itself, forcing me to interpret or decipher who was whom. Especially during the final two pages of the final chapter before the epilogue. It was a just a mangled mess of YESes, intermingling single sentences of what others around town were doing. I was thrown by this, and I hope since this was an un-edited review copy, that this will be changed in the final published edition.

Burning question to the author: What happened to the fiancé? I would have loved to know what happened to him after the highwaymen. While we hear of gossip used against Prue because of his letter to his mother, we never actually find out if he is still alive, where he is, or what happened to him. Why wasn't his mother confused at the appearance of her son's affianced, yet not concerned about her son's whereabouts? This was a story thread left hanging; one I'd like to read its conclusion.

Overall, I enjoyed What a Wallflower Wants. I'd recommend it to Historical Romance fans, especially those who need a bit of darkness, the raw reality of life, to combat the oft sickening sweetness that accompanies the genre.

I will gladly read more by Maya Rodale. Thank you for allowing me to read and review your work.


Jacki – ☆☆☆☆
Prue and John come from very different places in the world. They have both been struggling to get by and hanging on to a glimmer of hope that they may find happiness. A twist of fate lands them together and as they grow closer, they wonder if their relationship can survive the secrets each keeps buried inside. Can they move forward and leave their past lives behind in order to have a bright future, or will the past destroy everything?

I was surprised by this book. Not only did it keep me interested, it stood out. It was darker and deeper than I had expected it to be and really showed the struggle of the victim and how easily memories can be triggered and cause panic. The depth of emotion from both main characters as they work through the struggles was wonderful. This felt like more of a buildup of a love story rather than a "Hello, I love you." type of scenario.

I found this to be a nice change and a quick flowing and entertaining read for me. I will definitely be looking into more books by Maya Rodale. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a genuine romance including hardship and conflict. 

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.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of What a Wallflower Wants (Bad Boys & Wallflowers #3) by Maya Rodale to read and review for this tour.