THE PICTURE OF ROMANCE A dedicated painter, Miss Sophia Hastings is far more concerned with finding the right slant of light than in finding Mr. Right. But when an overheard conversation hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Even if it means accepting help from an impossibly good-looking vicar who insists on joining her investigation–and threatens to … threatens to capture her heart…
Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress. But he won’t allow her to venture into peril alone, either. . .especially since he finds Sophia’s curious, free-spirited nature so alluring. But protecting her from harm is becoming more difficult than the vicar could have expected as he and Sophia confront their fiery mutual passion. Who could have known that the art of love would prove so irresistible?
Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins is a page-turning Regency romance and part of the Studies in Scandal series.
“Plenty of pleasure.”–RT Book Reviews
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4.5 Stars rounded up to 5
Manda Collins has added a third great book in the Studies In Scandal series. The series is based on the unexpected inheritance of four very gifted young women. The rich, eccentric daughter of a duke leaves her house and fortune to four young women, each of whom is gifted in a different discipline – painting, mathematics, geology, etc. The young ladies have to live in the house for one year and any of them remaining in the house at the end of the year will inherit. Each young lady is also given a puzzle/mystery to solve – including who murdered their benefactor. This book focuses on the painter in the group. The book is well written, the plot flows smoothly and the characters are fully developed and very likable. We also get to meet the hero of the next book as well!
You can read the book as a stand-alone, but if you want to understand the relationships between the ladies of Beauchamp House, their husbands, etc. you really should read the first two books.
Miss Sophia Hastings is a gifted painter – she’s also a very enthusiastic painter. As Sophia is making a particularly enthusiastic stroke on her current painting, she is startled by voices and tumbles off a ten-foot cliff. She manages to twist and land on her feet, but one foot is badly twisted and sprained. Lucky for her, the handsome new vicar, Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle, is taking a walk on the beach and sees her fall. As he is trying to help her, they overhear a conversation from above – someone is plotting the death of someone else. Sophia is, of course, determined to investigate and Benedick (Ben) is determined to keep her safe. However, he knows the ladies of this house and their previous involvements in intrigues, so he agrees to let her help him investigate.
As they investigate further they learn that the Home Office is interested in an art forgery ring in the area. Could it all be related? There are lots of suspects in the area, including an art colony and an industrialist who wants to broaden his influence through being elected to the House of Commons.
Sophia and Ben have been attracted to each other since he first came to their lovely seaside village, Little Seaford, several months ago. However, they are rarely near each other, so they didn’t realize how attracted they were until Ben helped her on the beach. As they work to solve the mystery, the attraction grows to full-blown love.
There is a nasty villain who has no problem causing trouble for Ben and Sophia in any way he can – from spreading rumors to calling in the Bishop to censure Ben. He’s a nasty piece of work and it is fun to watch him get his comeuppance! There is also a major twist that you won’t see coming – it will definitely blindside you! Way-to-go Ms. Collins!
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Manda Collins has become one of my favorite Historical Romance authors. She never fails to please. Once again in Wallflower Most Wanted, book #3 in her Studies in Scandal series I have been charmed by her well-developed and “oh-so-lovable” characters. At first glance artist Sophia Hastings and vicar Lord Benedict Lisle seem an unlikely couple. But they find themselves attracted to each other as they attempt to solve a mystery in their village, Little Seaford.
The author’s pace of this storyline of mystery and romance flows well. The plot is laid out such that clues appear along the way as Sophia and Ben follow along, yet there are surprises along the way too.
All in all this is a truly delightful story full of sweet romance and mystery. I highly recommend this book!
I voluntarily read an ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review.
This is the third book in this series of four talented heiresses who stand to inherit Beauchamp House and how they end up solving mysteries. I’ve read the other books and enjoyed them so I was anxious to read Miss Sophia Hastings’s story. Sophia is a talented painter who must overcome prejudice and condemnation of her work which is not considered proper for a young lady to partake in. Throw in a handsome and sexy vicar, Lord Benedick Lisle, who at first rescues Sophia after a fall off a cliff, and the main characters are set. Ben helps Sophia unravel a mystery about art forgery in their community as their attraction for each other heats up.
As much as I wanted to love this book, it was just ok for me. Ben calls Sophia “Wallflower” as an endearing name, but every scene Sophia is at a social event, she is surrounded by a bevy of young men. She is far from a wallflower. The mystery in this story is pretty predictable with a slight twist. This book can be read as a standalone, but it does help to understand the other ladies if you’ve read their stories. I am looking forward to reading the final book of Ms. Gemma Hastings.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Miss Sophia Hastings is one of the blue stocking heiresses, very intelligent women who sometimes find it difficult in this “man’s” world.
She is an artist and is getting her paintings ready for a local exhibition. Not everyone likes her subject matter.
A shock while painting near the cliffs will embroil her in a mystery.
Lord Benedict Lisle is the local vicar. A big hit with all the marriageable young ladies of the town. He never thought a peaceful walk along the shore would put him in the middle of a forgery investigation.
There is an intriguing case for our characters to solve, while doing their best to stay safe and scandal free.
I didn’t guess who the culprit was, there are lots of suspects.
This is the third book in the series. Each book can be read alone, but if like me you want to read all of them it’s best to read them in order or you will get spoilers.
I have read and loved all of them and can’t wait for the next.
Sophia Hastings is a talented painter. She is more concerned with finding the right inspiration for her next art, than finding a husband.
She is very beautiful and friendly enough to make several gentlemen want her company. She is kind to all but gives no hope to any of them.
In fact, the only one who catches her attention is exactly the one she can not have, after all, Lord Benedick Lisle is the son of a duke and vicar, which means being a man of God, and God and Sophia have not been in a lot of contact lately…
Benedick, or Ben, is not yet looking for a fiancee, but he knows he will soon be looking for it.
However, he himself is the target of some machinations of single women wanting to entangle him, since he has a cherub-like appearance.
He may be a vicar but he is not blind, and he has already noticed the qualities of Miss Hastings.
One morning as he walked along the beach, he saw Sophia, distracted while painting, fell from a cliff and twisted her ankle. Ben was promptly helping her to the Beauchamp House.
But Divine Providence wanted the two to be together when they heard a mysterious conversation about someone who needed to be eliminated.
Immediately Sophia’s detective spirit has surfaced despite her bruised ankle, and with that Ben finds himself involved in discovering with her what could hardly happen in Sussex.
Further on, one of Ben’s brothers, Frederick, looks for him with a shocking revelation: the city of Sussex was being targeted by forgeries of famous paintings, and the time that had happened coincided with the permanence of the heiresses of Beauchamp House, and precisely Sophia, among them, was known for being the artist. Was she involved in this devious act?
As the mystery unfolded, the couple who could not be together yielded to the attraction one feels for the other.
But being so different and unlikely, would there be any possibility of being together for good?
Who was the forger? Who was in the gang? Who would be the next victim?
Book 3 in the series Studies in Scandal.
5 stars
Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins is a fantastic read. Ms. Collins has given us a book that is well-written. She has loaded the book with amazing, lovable characters. Sophia is an artist and overhears a threatening conversation. The voices startle her and she falls over a small cliff. Benedick is the local vicar and comes to her aid. Their story is loaded with drama, sizzle, intrigue, action and humor. I totally loved reading Wallflower Most Wanted and look forward to reading more from Manda Collins soon. Wallflower Most Wanted is book 3 of the Studies In Scandal Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley
I wasn’t that impressed with the story of Ben and Sophia. They started out as a cute couple and the story looked to be well written, until a vicar had sex with a woman and they weren’t yet married. It Totally lost me at that point. I read romance and am used to the whole sex before marriage trope, but with a Vicar it lost me right there. 3 stars for the story up until that point. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC, and this is my review of it.
Miss Sophia Hastings one of the Beauchamp heiresses is a dedicated & talented, one day whilst painting near the cliff edge she tumbles to the beach below where she is rescued by the local vicar Lord Benedick Lisle. However from the beach they overhear a conversation that hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Ben knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress so they agree to work together to stop a murder.
This is the third book in the series & it could well be read as a stand alone novel but seriously why would you not read the whole series when it is so very good & each book reveals more about Lady Celeste. The characters are very well developed. The plot is a very good pace throughout & the climax certainly had me a little stunned, I wasn’t expecting it. Ben & Sophia are delightful & their attraction has been simmering for a while but it takes a sprained ankle & working closely for them to fall in love. I can’t wait for Gemma’s story hopefully with a certain editor!
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This book is part of a series “Studies in Scandal” but I have not read the other two. This book read well as a standalone but am sure it would be even better with the other books in the series. Sophia Hastings is one of four heiresses who has inherited Beauchamp house and are all pursuing their individual interest. Sophia is the artist of the four and paints from her heart pictures that are not that popular with the general public. She meets up with Benedict Lisle, the local vicar who she had met before and they overhear a conversation that puts them on the alert. Thinking someone is going to be murdered, they work together to solve the mystery. Of course being thrown together in close proximity, the spark between them comes to life and has a will of its own! An intriguing mystery and love story that takes the reader through many paces to find out who the culprit is in the end. An enjoyable, you ready to pick up the next installment in this delightful series!