ARC Review: A Scoundrel of Her Own (Sinful Wallflowers #3) by Stacy Reid
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Series: Sinful Wallflowers #3
Author: Stacy Reid
Published December 28th 2021 by Entangled: Amara
Goodreads Synopsis
Lady Ophelia Darby exists in two worlds. In one, she is the impudent, willful daughter of a powerful marquess and darling of the ton. In the other, she moves through the underworld’s shadows as songstress Lady Starlight, protected only by the notoriously wealthy scoundrel Devlin Byrne. But when she stumbles upon her beloved father’s darkest secrets, the line between her two worlds quickly blurs. Now she needs the help of the one man a lady should never trust.
Devlin Byrne stands on the edge of London society, knowing he will never be accepted. No one else knows that his obscene wealth and ruthlessness aren’t without purpose. Or that his purpose has golden-brown eyes that shimmer with mischief, the palest of skin, and a lush mouth that beckons to be kissed, and deeply. But having Ophelia is only the beginning of Devlin’s plans.
It’s undeniable that Devlin Byrne is a dangerous temptation—but just as Ophelia begins to trust him, maybe even fall for him, she discovers she’s not the only one with secrets. And his would lead her down more than just the path of scandal…
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Lady Ophelia Darby has had a privileged life, as the only child of a wealthy marquess. The only blip was when she was washed away with the stream and missing for some days aged 9, but she met Niall, a local boy who looked after her, and promised he would one day marry her - but was never seen again. But when her father became ill, and nearly died, she discovered the the estate wasn't doing as well as she thought, and her mother was in fact a singer, whom her father had stolen from as an infant, and not the person she had called mama her whole life. Ophelia wants nothing more than to find her birth mother, and discover what happened to her, and when Devlin Byrne starts to offer her money and help, in return for a song and a dance, she can't say no, can she? Especially not when she realises that her childhood friend and new protector are one in the same, and the feelings that grow between them are definitely not puppy love. Devlin can always remember the words the marquess spoke to him all those years ago, and he's stopped at nothing to become rich and powerful - in order to be good enough for his Fifi. Can they overcome the odds to be together, or is this a scandal even too much for them to face?
This series is phenomenal, and I've been wanting more ever since I read Her Wicked Marquess last year. Though Ophelia is beautiful, wealthy daughter of a marquess, she's hasn't married yet, and finds greater comfort in her friendship with the other 'wallflowers', than on the marriage mart. She wants to marry for love, and has never found anyone who's made her consider losing the freedom she has. And after she finds out the truth about her parentage, and grows bolder in her search for her mother, she can't quite imagine a life as a dutiful wife. With Devlin, she feels things she never has before, and the realisation that he and Niall are one and the same, makes her wish she wasn't Lady Ophelia, but Fifi in reality. Honestly, their romance was perfect, and every moment they were together, I was giddy reading it. I wholeheartedly despised Ophelia's widowed cousin, Effie, who was brought in in be her chaperone after she danced with Devlin in public, and was a stuck up snob every time she appeared on the page. Ophelia was much better off with Devlin, and away from her domineering family, who really showed their true colours across the course of the story, and I nearly cheered at the final scenes. I hope Fanny's book is next, because the little asides and mentions about her own adventure has definitely whet my appetite for more!
Dates Read:
October 17-20, 2021
Rating
4 Stars
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