Loved this - it snuck up on me. Daniel and Claire, the Roma doctor and the snobbish debutante.

I agree with the comment that there is a modern sensibility but - after the Bridgeton phenomenon - I feel I don't get to make that complaint. This is a new genre - the modern sensibility historical romance. It's surprising and shocking and against my fastidious devotion to the period drama.

But once I opened myself to the fun of it, I haven't looked back. ( )

Well, I did enjoy this, but I was slightly annoyed at the modernity of what should be a historical novel. But I liked the characters and development of the romance, so I will look into the next part. ( )

Diary of an Accidental Wallflower
2 Stars

Miss Clare Westmore is well on her way to becoming the Season’s sensation and landing herself a duke, when she ends up on the sidelines with a twisted ankle. Her one consolation, however unsuitable, is the devastatingly handsome Dr. Daniel Merial. Soon Clare and Daniel find their inappropriate attraction growing into something more. Will they be able to get past their social differences to be together?

A wonderful premise. Unfortunately, mine seems to be the minority view when it comes to appreciating Ms. McQuiston’s writing as her style is drawn out and her characterization unappealing.

Clare’s preoccupation with her social standing and that of others does not make for a particularly engaging heroine, and the fact that she conceals her intelligence from others to make an impression on the boorish members of the ton only add to her lack of appeal. Her behavior is somewhat reminiscent of Annabelle Peyton in Secrets of a Summer Night, but unlike Klepas’s heroine, there is no legitimate excuse for her self-interest and snobbery.

Being both a commoner and of Roma descent, Daniel is a more attractive hero. However, even he cannot compensate for the poor plotting and tedious writing. To begin with, there is very little foundation to the revelations of Clare’s paternity and all that evolves from this, and the lives of the secondary characters overshadow the romance. Speaking of, Clare and Daniel’s chemistry is non-existent and their relationship is devoid of emotional and sexual tension. Finally, the numerous anachronistic actions and references make it difficult for the reader to become immersed in the time period.

All in all, a disappointing read and I am unlikely to read another of this author’s works as the other book of hers that I attempted What Happens in Scotland was a DNF. ( )

‘Diary of an Accidental Wallflower’ is the first story in Ms. McQuiston’s new Seduction Diaries series and I loved it!

As soon as we meet the heroine of this piece, we know we’re in for a treat. She is outspoken, determined and a wee bit spoiled, yet I knew that I’d end up liking her because there was a lot of potential of growth in that character. It was hard to accept her actions at first, but the author made sure to fully develop her and with that, I could understand where she was coming from.

And as for the hero? I loved him right off the bat! Daniel was such a good man and had patience of a Saint when it came to our heroine.

When it comes to addressing social issues within the romance, I always find it hard not only on an author or a reader, but on the characters themselves and this story’s no different. The slow progression of their romance was a delight to read and vastly entertaining. It actually made the story feel more real.

I highly recommend this well written, very fun and sweet romance.

Melanie for b2b

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher ( )

I can't recall if I've ever read anything by McQuiston, but I quite liked her writing style here. By the end of the book I was in love with the whole family so I want to keep reading the series. There were definitely a few spots in the story that I felt required some big leaps of trust regarding the time period (aka some of the conversations, and the interesting issues that were raised considering legitimacy), but nothing too egregious. Daniel and Clare were adorbs and I liked that there wasn't any unnecessary drama in their relationship.


Looking forward to reading the other two books in the series now. ( )