“The Earl Not Taken” was a charming debut but not a standout. This historical romance novel tells the tale of Pobby, who swore off marriage due to the ‘extracurricular activities’ of her father and a duke, Rhys, who is trying to redeem himself in the light of his sister's best friend after an awkward encounter years prior. Their journey begins with secret meetings and kisses, heated moments, and a plan to reveal the true intentions of a well off man who is betrothed to a Wallflower. It was an overall pleasant read but it did have tiring back and forth with the couple that got old quick yet… I did enjoy most of their encounters and the process of how they became enemies to lovers. This was an enjoyable read all around.

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The Wallflowers of West Lane are familiar with what has to happen, they are to marry, but they would like to marry well They are haunted by what happened to Aurora, she was married to a man who hurt her, quite literally. Now they want to ensure that none of the rest of them have the same experience.
Poppy knows that she probably has to marry but would prefer not to, her parent's marriage is fraught. Aurora's elder brother Rhys joins forces with Poppy to investigate a man who is promised to one of the others and they find that they're attracted but can Rhys overcome her antipathy to marriage?
It felt like a story that was based on reality of life of the period. Not much happened but I was enchanted with how Rhys wooed Poppy. I would like to read more by this author. ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Earl Not Taken by A.S. Fenichel is the first book in The Wallflowers of West Lane series. The series is about four young women who met as girls at a finishing school in Switzerland and formed a lifelong bond. This book involves Penelope Arrington (Poppy) and Rhys Draper, Earl of Marsden, the older brother of one of the wallflowers. Rhys and Poppy have been at odds since they were children, always sniping at each other, with each taking delight in finding ways to annoy the other. A trip to the country and a storm forcing them to take shelter at someone’s house causes them to spend time together, and sparks of a different type fly between them. Poppy is damaged from her lousy upbringing and her parents' nasty marriage, and she has sworn never to marry. I did enjoy this story of true friendship but was not particularly fond of Poppy, as I felt she took too long to let the past go and remained angry and bitter for most of the book. Medium Steam. Publishing Date March 17, 2020. #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #ASFenichal #HistoricalRomance #bookstagram ( )

Hesitations and investigations in the husband-mart!

Four wallflowers, who'd been "hell-bent on embarrassing [their] families", school friends who'd met when they'd been sent to school in Lucerne to have their behaviour moderated, band together to discover the hidden characters of prospective partners their families might fling them at. One of their number, Lady Faith Landon, is to be married to an unknown duke. Their union having been arranged via letters between her mother and the Duke. Well!! The wallflowers aren't going to take this lying down. After one of their member, Aurora's abusive marriage, the husband now fortunately demised, the sensible plan is to discover all they can about the Duke. Lady Penelope Arrington decides to consult Aurora's brother and longtime family friend for his insights on the proposed bridegroom. The non romance between wallflower Poppy and rake Rhys Draper, Earl of Marsden should have been sublimely hilarious and fraught. It was fraught to the point of annoyance. Rocks kept being thrown into their path, many self induced by the confused, stubborn and frustrating Poppy. I loved Rhys though. He took the star rating up for me. The story had a great basis for being so much more enthralling than it was. Although the four wall flowers, each in their own way, are interesting the writing seemed to surge and fade away at times. I hope the next in the series is stronger.

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley ( )

A.S. Fenichel introduces us to the four ladies who make up the Wallflowers of West Lane in this first book of her new series. These ladies became fast friends when they were each shipped off to Miss Agatha Wormbattle’s School for Young Ladies in Lucerne, Switzerland. Their parents viewed this as punishment, but the girls were all deliriously happy to be away from their misbegotten parents and the mistreatment they endured at home. The set-up for the series and introduction of the ladies who will be featured in future books was nicely done. I came to like each of them and began to root for them to find their HEA. I do have to say though, I was not enamored of Lady Penelope (Poppy) Arrington – the heroine in this book. She just got on my very last nerve and I would have been just as happy if Rhys has just walked away from her. Her ‘issues’ just went on way, way too long for me. Poppy gives a whole new meaning to the word stubborn.

Aurora Draper – now Aurora Sherbourn, new widow of the Earl of Radcliff – was forced into marriage by her parents. It was a miserable, abusive three-year marriage and her three best friends had suffered through all of it with her. None of them were sad at the earl’s passing and Poppy said as much just after the funeral. Rhys Draper, Earl of Marsden, and Aurora’s brother frowned at Poppy when she made her statement. At least he did until he learned what that blackguard had put his much-loved sister through – then he felt guilt – so much guilt – because he hadn’t known and hadn’t protected her.

Poppy and Rhys had met several years ago – just before the girls left for Switzerland and they had bickered and fought ever since then. That certainly hasn’t changed since they have become adults but since Poppy, Mercy, and Faith have come to stay with Aurora to help her in her mourning, Rhys and Poppy are thrown together more and more often. When another of their group is betrothed to a stranger, they all vow – Rhys included – to find out more about the man and to assess whether he is of good character. If he isn’t, they’ll get Faith out of that betrothal one way or another. As Rhys and Poppy spend time investigating, they find that between the bickering, they actually like each other.

Poppy has some very strong views on marriage and men – and they are not favorable to either marriage or men. All she has ever seen are unhappy marriages with domineering, uncaring men who treat their wives and daughters as the chattel they are lawfully considered to be. On top of that, she nursed her friend Aurora back to health each time she was raped, beaten and often left at death’s door and that certainly didn’t endear any male to Poppy’s heart.

Rhys certainly had his work cut out for him once he realized he wanted Poppy for his own. She was unyielding in her opinion of men – even when she could see the evidence that not all men were cut from the same cloth – he was right before her eyes.

I enjoyed this read and am looking forward to the next book in the series – which will feature Faith and Nicholas. I really liked both of them in this book and can’t wait to read their story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )