Wallflowers and rakes do seldom mix well. Miss Chloe Larkin is completely assured of that. Especially when said rake is a member of the Waverly family—the people responsible for a feud that has been ongoing since practically the dawn of time.But he comes offering a deal… solved. Now. His ageing father cannot take much more of the stress and he’s determined the problem shall be resolved before he comes to inherit.
So he needs her help…
Chloe is distrustful of Mr.Waverly—and rightly so. Not only is he her lifelong enemy but he has a reputation that would make the most experienced of women blush. And boy does he make this wallflower blush! However, she has little interest in continuing the silly feud and, with her little brother set to inherit one day and her father’s failing health, the sooner it is all over, the better.
Working with the handsome, and far too charming Mr.Waverly to get their fathers to come to an agreement is…interesting. Especially when he seems to be less concerned with ending the feud and more interested in her. Can she really trust him or is this just another way for his family to get their revenge on hers?
If you love enemies to lovers and rakes with a heart of gold, buy Married to the Rake today!
more
Book one of a new series called The Wallflower Brides and I know I want to read the next book. Miss Chloe Larkin and Brook Waverly’s families have been in a centuries-old feud between the Larkins and the Waverlys families and both of them would like to know why it started. Will the diary Chloe finds help the two of them as they try to get their happy ending? I enjoyed reading and was not putting it down until I finished reading it. I recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A delightful, engaging story that I was drawn to on the first page as the heroine, Chloe, “closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, drawing in the musty scent of pages bound with leather.” She was sitting in the bookstore talking with her two friends, Joanna and Augusta. Then he came into the store and she tried to hide. Brook Waverly, her neighbor, who in her opinion was a rake and a rogue and the enemy! Plus he made her feel so unattractive.
This was such a fun story and a classic Samantha Holt that always brings me joy and many smiles and sighs as the story unfolds.
Chloe’s family has been in a feud with the neighbors, mainly Brook’s father for years. “I believe we have hated them since around the thirteenth century. And every few decades we get into another argument about something else.”
I truly just want to quote the entire book it was so humorous but Chloe and Brook make a deal to help stop the feud. His father is stressed about the arguments and her brother is set to inherit one day and her father has failing health also.
Prepare to be enchanted as these two try to trust each other and an attraction seems to spark, which is totally unexpected.. Cannot wait to read the next books in this series!! Do not miss this one!
Married to the Rake is the first book in the Wallflower Brides series and was a great way to start the series. The characters were so charming and the book was well written. Chloe Larkin and Brook Waverly’s family have feuded for as long as they knew. Due to his father’s health, Brook is determined to end the feud. He persuades Chloe to help him get their fathers together and let them talk it out. Chloe and Brook thought the feud was about the land that is between the two family’s estate, but once it is discovered that there are other factors contributing to feud, they are more determined to end it. They meet to make plans by “patrolling” the ever-moving fence. I laughed myself silly when I read that and all the conversations regarding the fence. There was so much humor in the book. I can’t wait for the next book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a wonderful love story between two young people whose fathers are bitter enemies. As they work together to end the feud, they come to realize they love each other. It is a well written and entertaining book and I would highly recommend it as a clean romance that is a great read.
The centuries-old feud between the Larkins and the Waverlys has taken its toll. Brook Waverly wants this fight solved. Now. His ageing father cannot take much more of the stress and he’s determined the problem shall be resolved before he comes to inherit.
Miss Chloe Larkin is a wallflower who would rather lose herself in a book than dance at a ball.
Chloe is distrustful of Brook as not only is he her lifelong enemy but he has a reputation that often makes the scandal sheets. However, she has little interest in continuing the silly feud and, with her little brother set to inherit one day and her father’s failing health, the sooner it is all over, the better.
Working together to get their fathers to come to an agreement means spending time together & getting to know each other.
An engaging fun read that I read in a sitting, I love enemies to lovers as I think this trope lends itself to the best dialogue, Brook & Chloe certainly had some witty, verbal spats. Chloe has pretty low self esteem & thinks herself too curvy whereas Brook loves her curves. The road to their HEA is highly entertaining & as they saw when a rake fells he fells hard & Brook certainly did. I would have liked an epilogue but as this is the first in a new series hopefully we’ll catch up with them in subsequent books.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
His wild wallflower…
Samantha Holt has developed complex and intriguing characters and a story line that keeps you engaged. Chloe is the wallflower that doesn’t feel attractive to men so she stays on the sideline, accepting that she will be a spinster. The family’s enemy is handsome (and he knows it) Brook. Brook is a rake and when he begins paying attention to her he is surprised at how much fun it is to tease her, . And Chloe doubts and enjoys the attention and honesty behind it but, she fights right back. The back and forth is fun and adds lightness to the war that their families are occupied with… While this is the a literal turf war that began in the 12th century they are expected to participate in support of their Fathers’s, the war is not theirs. They hatch a plan to end the war which adds an interesting element to the story. The supporting characters (Chloe’s BFFs: Joanna & Augusta) are so captivating that they deserve stories of their own.
Well done and recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thought this read was quite enjoyable and had a lot of charm. The base story brings to mind The Hatfield and McCoy fued of legend an turns it into a enemies to lovers romance. I really liked the main characters, Chloe and Brook. Chloe was very relatable with her “I’d rather be reading” attitude, great love of books and body image insecurities. Brook is in many ways Chloe’s opposite, very much a man about town, he has quite the reputation that proceeds him. What starts as a simple agreement to ease tensions and make everyone’s life easier, soon turns into something more. With sparkling chemistry, clever banter, drama, humor, sweet romance and lots of emotions, this book is a very fun read.
Bookish wallflower Chloe Larkin is much happier in the library than the ballroom and has given no real thought to ever marrying. She has enough to deal with managing her father’s temper over the constantly-moving border between their family’s land and that of the Waverleys, the neighbors with whom the Larkins have been feuding since Medieval times. The frivolous feud is taking its toll on the health of both patriarchs and Brook Waverley wants to put an end to it and see his father’s last days lived out in peace. To do that he enlists Chloe’s help.
Chloe distrusts the rake with a poor reputation, not to mention that he is the enemy. However, she also wants peace with their families so she agrees to work with Brook to get their fathers together. Soon, however, Brook seems more concerned with spending time with Chloe than ending the feud and she begins to wonder if she can trust the feelings he professes or if this is all a plot to get more revenge on her family.
This book employed some plot devices that I just don’t really care for but, of course, it all worked out in the end in rather romantic and dramatic fashion. I’ve read several books by this author and while this is not my favorite, I liked the characters and I’ll still likely follow this new series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m with Chloe, I’d rather be reading a book in a library instead of attending a ball! lol She really is a gal after my own heart!! This was such a delightful story which involves Miss Chloe Larkin and Mr. Brook Waverley trying to figure out how to end a feud between their families that have been going on for ages.
Both their fathers absolutely hate each other and it’s all due to disputed land between their properties AND due to a woman from their past!! I did have to laugh every time the border fencing kept being moved, I could just picture it all:) Two grown men acting like children!!
As Chloe and Brook try to think up of a plan to get the two fathers together, their attraction to each other gets in the way! Brook is known as a rake and Chloe is known as a wallflower so she doesn’t trust his attention, never dreaming that he could actually be attracted to her.
I found the story even paced and I loved the banter between Chloe and Brook:) I now look forward to the next book in the Wallflower Brides series!!
I was given an ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Book one in the Wallflower Brides series. Can be read and enjoyed as stand-alone. Novella length told in dual POV with HEA. Chloe a wallflower would rather be in the library than a ballroom. She much prefers the country to London and is glad when the season is over. Her family’s country home borders with Brook’s, but their families are not friends and have had a centuries old land dispute between them. Brook is a known rake but Chloe teams up with him to help solve the rift between their families. I loved this sweet historical romance. Chloe and Brook have great dialogue and a sizzling attraction! I wish it had an epilogue, maybe they’ll make an appearance in the next Wallflower Brides book!