The Spitfire is the fifth and final book in Christi Caldwell's Wicked Wallflowers series and, while I haven't read the other books, I thoroughly enjoyed this installment. Caldwell grabbed my attention from the first chapter and didn't let go.

Henry March, the Earl of Waterson and a member of Parliament, is attacked while researching London's most dangerous areas to bolster his push for a universal constable force. He is anticipating death when he is rescued by an "angel."

Clara Winters is a former courtesan and madam who has not let her past deter her from changing her future. When she comes upon two thugs dragging Henry, her past experience tells her not to get involved in another person's affairs. Instead, she saves Henry from certain death, stitches him up, and takes care of him in her home.

Clara is truly a spitfire, full of sass, and not afraid to let her opinions be known. Henry has never met anyone like her but is focused on his political ambitions and securing the votes for his constable force, not realizing the impact he will have on Clara's ambitions

While I really liked Clara, I needed time to warm up to Henry. He was willing to "sell himself" and forge an alliance with Lord Peerson to secure his political victory and lies to Clara about the status of her music hall. Everything was always black and white with no shades in between for Henry until Clara brings color into his life. He spectacularly redeems himself and gains a HEA.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book but it's not one of my favorites. It flows well and has some really high points.
I liked the characters but I never truly connected with them.

It's a little bittersweet to see this series come to an end. I only started reading Ms. Caldwell less than a year ago and I've already binged all of the Sinful Brides and read every one of the Wicked Wallflowers. I was hoping that Stephen, the youngest of the Killorans, would be getting a book, but maybe we'll be gifted with that later in the Lost Lords of London series. The Spitfire is about Clara (Broderick's former madam and Reggie's business partner) and Henry March, Earl of Waterson. Henry is friends with the Marquess of Waverly from To Love a Lord. So if you're a fan of the couple from that novel, they do make a minor appearance! It's always nice to get some bonus time after the HEA to catch up on how things are going.

We got to know Clara Winters a little bit in The Governess when she became Reggie's business partner and close friend. After years of being used by men during her years as a prostitute and madam, the only thing she wants from them is her freedom. The music hall venture she's planning is her chance to not only start a new independent life, but to give a respectable living to others in St. Giles. One that would enable them to entertain on stage and do what makes them happy when no one else is willing to provide the opportunity. She has a true passion for music, and a determination to succeed no matter what the cost. Because of that single-minded drive, they've been able to overcome every obstacle thrown in their path.

One of Clara's faults is probably her stubborn pride, and her inability to share her burdens with her friends. She finds it hard to confide in Reggie, or agree to any assistance from Broderick, but I understand where she's coming from. Even though her pride gets in the way sometimes, I can understand her wanting to achieve her goals without any outside help. To feel as if she has accomplished her dreams without giving up any of the power she's trying to reclaim. Her life plan is to own her own business with Reggie, and marriage and children have no part in that. She's not afraid to let her feelings be known on that either, or anything else for that matter. If words didn't get the message across, she wouldn't hesitate to make her point with her fist. I enjoyed her fire and spirit which I think balanced out Henry's calm, cool demeanor really nicely.

Henry is an MP who spends his entire waking existence creating laws and networking with other politicians in order to reach his end goal. He's a man who has built his life around family, duty, and honor, and that doesn't leave any time for any distractions in his personal life. Believing that he failed his sister years ago when a traumatic event occurred, his heart and soul is poured into enacting legislation that would establish a police force to protect the public. He has the best of intentions, but in working so hard for the benefit of his family and the rest of the general public, he has lost sight of what's important. Finding joy in the every day, making time for his mother and sisters, and finding a woman to share his life with. There is a small amount of guilt on his part for neglecting his duties in begetting an heir, but he comforts himself in the knowledge that he's provided for everyone financially. That is, until Clara steps into his life and makes him reexamine his priorities and opens his eyes to things his privileged life has shielded him from.

Henry has always been stuffy, proper, and pompous his entire life, but after being rescued by Clara during a vicious attack, she has an immediate effect on him. Suddenly he's loosening up, making jokes, and becoming someone his family almost doesn't recognize anymore.

In turn, he helps Clara to see that not all men are out to harm or dishonor. However, just as she's starting to build a fragile trust in him, he has an impossible choice to make. Fulfill his promise to save the music hall, or finally have his legislation passed that he's been fighting so long for. He's torn between family and his budding feelings for this woman he greatly admires.

I did enjoy these two together, but I felt that there was something missing. I would've liked to have seen them spend more quality time together and building their feelings for one another. They didn't see each other for much of the book, and their relationship felt somewhat rushed at the end in my opinion. It caused me to feel a bit of a disconnect to their romance, but I did appreciate this opposites attract couple overall. Henry's skill in instantly pleasing Clara when they became physical was an issue for me. After reaching the advanced age of forty-one and remaining celibate, I would expect Clara to have to give him some advice in that department. In fact, I would have enjoyed seeing that! Oddly, he knew exactly what to do and she didn't even realize his inexperience until he told her after their first time. That's just not plausible when you have zero experience to learn from. I was also hoping to see more of the Killorans since this was the last book in the series, but Reggie was the only established character to get page time.

One of my favorite things in the book was Henry's sweet relationship with his sister Lila. I'm really hoping we get to see her find her own healing and HEA in the future. I feel like she was developed exceptionally well with an intriguing backstory, and her story could be a beautiful addition in a future series.

In summary, this wasn't my favorite in the series, but it was still an enjoyable read. Christi Caldwell's books are always a must read for me now, and her books are added to my to be read pile. No synopsis needed.

At last we have the fifth installment of the Wicked Wallflowers and I'm thrilled to get to read Clara's book. This book is not a fluffy upper-class book, this is a book about an ex-prostitute finding her own happiness, and for Clara, that means starting her own music hall! A place where she can be safe and her own boss. But that all changed in an instant when she saves a man from being murdered and she possibly destroys her own future.

Henry March, Earl of Waterson is a Member of Parliament, is determined to get the New Police force approved by parliament, in order to protect everyone in England, something that he couldn't do for his own sister, but when he is attacked he thinks that his life is over, until Clara saves him and evokes than just gratitude.

I really enjoyed The Spitfire, it has such a refreshing take on a regency romance. I have really enjoyed the author Christi Caldwell Wallflower series, where she focused on the not so glamorous part of regency life, reinforcing the stance that everyone deserves their Happy Ever After.

The Spitfire by Christi Caldwell is truly a gem of a story. To be honest, when I first learned that we were going to have a story about a former madam and an Earl, I was wondering if it would be a story that I could get interested in. I had met Clara a few different times in Caldwell's universe, and I just wasn't really sure how I felt about her. After this story, I am a Clara fan through and through.. She has had a very hard life, but she hasn't let it make her cold. Sure, she is cautious and doesn't trust easily, but her heart is big and she cares deeply about those in her circle. When she meets Henry, it is a testament to her character that she would risk her life for someone she doesn't even know.

Henry is very proper. He is always trying to do the right thing and keep his name out of any scandal. When one of Henry's bills effects Clara's lively hood, sparks fly. There couldn't have been more polar opposites than she and Henry, but these two characters compliment each other so well. Through their journey, there are lots of a disagreement, but they both learn how to love and forgive. Mrs. Caldwell with Henry and Clara help us all remember that our past does not define us. So make sure you pick up this book today and get to know Clara and Henry.

Christi Caldwell ends her Wicked Wallflowers series with an unexpected treasure. In The Spitfire, the hero and heroine are a bit older. While Clara Winters has seen a lot of pain and torment in her 30 years, Henry, Earl of Waterson has lead a calm, dutiful life.
They meet by accident when she finds him near dead in the streeets of Seven Dials. She takes him home and cares for his wounds. This is the first he's seen of how the other half lives. After taking care of him she is shocked when a ceast and desist order comes to shut down her soon to be opened Dance Hall and the name of the complainant is the Earl of Waterson.
This strangers, to friends, to lovers, to enemies and finally back to lovers story is happy and sad - sometimes at the same time.Will Henry put aside what he considers his duty for love? Will Clara let someone help her pursue her dream?
Before the Happily Ever After, true evil makes itself known and helps cement the relationship between the two.
I received an advanced copy of this book

A victim's journey!

A well tuned story about a young woman's strength and ability to reverse her role from that of victim to entrepreneur.
Having rebuffed the advances of a wealthy patron Clara Winters, daughter of a famous London actress, had subsequently been refused employment as an actress or singer. Clara's only way forward was to become a courtesan then a Madame. Now she's part owner of a proposed music hall where maltreated women could regain there self respect. Her partner is Regina (Reggie) Killoran whom we met in The Governess.
A chance witness to a stranger being beaten and stabbed in an alley in St. Giles has Clara tending the injured man, only to discover he's a peer, Henry March, the Earl of Waterson. Henry is a, "leading MP, determined to see a universal constable force throughout the whole of England." He has been researching some of the more dangerous parts of London. But for Clara, he'd have end his days face down in a puddle in such a place.
Well lines of course are crossed and recrossed. When the Music Hall is deemed to be in violation of the Morality Act, Clara finds herself assisting Henry's sister Lilia, a victim of the Peterloo Massacres, in exchange for his political help to ensure the opening of the venue. However nothing runs smoothly.
An enjoyable addition to series that does keep one guessing, although I had trouble seeing Clara as a Wallflower. A Phoenix maybe! Meanwhile, I feel there's more to come from Lila some day.

A Montlake Romance ARC via NetGalley

I don't think there has ever been a book by Christi Caldwell that I didn't like. The Spitfire is no exception. She does a wonderful job of bringing characters to life. Definitely recommend.

The Madam and the Earl.
When Clara Winters rescues Henry March from the sewers of St Giles she is dismayed to find out that he is an Earl. If he dies or is found in her care, she will be lucky to keep her neck; Society does not trust women with her background. After a couple of days Henry is recovered enough to return to his home but their lives are entwined again when Henry unwittingly closes down her fledgling music hall business. In order to help his sister, Henry deceives Clara into believing he can save her business but all hell breaks out when she discovers the truth. An enjoyable story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was definitely a different feeling from Christi's other books! Not in a bad way, just had a vibe that felt a bit unfamiliar to me. As always, the book was splendid, the characters exciting and unique, and the story brought up so many emotions. The difference, I feel, is that the two main characters seem to diverge from Christi's typical male/female roles. In this book, the heroine was much stronger than the hero in many ways, and as well, the hero was much older than Christi's typical hero - 41! I enjoyed seeing this side of nobility during that time period, because typically, men of that age in romance books are married, have multiple children, and maybe even some grandchildren already. Things moved fast back then! Instead, our hero has never been married and has no kids, and he has an air of naivete about him. Unusual but also brilliant.

The last thing Clara Winters needs in her life is a bleeding man on her bed. And not just a man - a nobleman. She is trying to establish a safe place of employment for people in the Dials, where women are often forced into prostitution just to survive. She has no time to be a savior. When Henry March, the Earl of Waterson, awakens, he thinks she's an angel. But she's no angel - Clara is a former courtesan and madam, the last person Henry should be associating himself with. Even though they must part ways, life keeps bringing them together, and they find company with each other more and more. As their relationship builds from friendship to something more intimate, they must decide where their loyalties lie, or else their lives will be torn apart.

Clara was a strong, independent woman, and I admired her so much for schooling Henry on what it meant to be a woman in those times. She had gone through so much, fought so hard to get where she was, and she wouldn't let anyone take that from her. It didn't matter what station they had in life - she would go toe-to-toe with them if she must. Henry was, as I mentioned above, a bit naive. He was an MP, so he had seen much of the world, but he didn't really understand it. He looked at things in terms of black and white, and there are always shades of grey. Clara was really good for him, and although he disappointed her on several occasions, he truly did have a kind and generous heart. While I felt his reaction at finding out her past was not as big as I was expecting, it just goes to show that some men truly don't care what you were and care more about who you are now.

Always enjoy Christi Caldwell's writing! I'm excited to read her next book.

Christi Caldwell is a hit or miss for me; she’s the type of author who throws everything but the kitchen sink into her books—tons of plot, tons of characters, etc. This sometimes makes her books too busy for me, but The Spitfire was an exception. I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The main characters were wonderful, and I was touched by their love story.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This final installment of the Wicked Wallflower series was my favorite. I loved the role reversal in experience with our hero and heroine. It was a refreshing change. Clara has been waiting in the wings for her HEA since she was in Ryker Black’s book and dare I say she was one of those most deserving. I just loved everything that she was and stood for. The exact opposite of Henry, but they fit so perfectly together. Another think I loved about this story was that the characters were a bit older. They were very relatable and easy to connect to. There was also a perfect balance between romance and suspense. A fantastic read from beginning to end!

The Spitfire by Christi Caldwell is book 5 in the Wicked Wallflowers Series. This is the story of Clara Winters and Henry March, Earl of Waterson. I have read (and Loved) the previous books but feel you could make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Clara has had to pull herself up from nothing to become a Madam and a Courtesan but now in her current time she plans to have a Music Hall in St. Giles to help others like her move forward with their lives without have just the option to sell themselves or do worse. One day Clara happens upon a injured man who she doesn't know but goes forward to help him recover but she soon learns he is Henry March the Earl of Waterson a very important nobleman, which she knows is not a good thing. Henry parts from his blond angel to return to his life and that of the Parliament. Henry grew up with parents that married as most noblemen do to make a advance marriage...not a love on. In addition to not seeing the love between his parents he also felt guilt for not being their for his sister when she suffered through a traumatic situation. So these feelings he is having toward Clara who is a Spitfire when she is trying to fight for her cause is unsettling and unknown.
I am such a fan of Ms. Caldwell's writing I couldn't put enough into words about her books. If you want a story that takes you through different emotions and puts you in to the story she is your author for sure.

The Spitfire is the fifth and final book in author Christi Caldwell’s “Wicked Wallflowers” series. I do believe this story could easily work as a standalone, but Ms. Caldwell’s books are a joy to read and I highly recommend you read the entire series! :-)

Henry March the Earl of Waterson is known to be rather stodgy and always proper. At nearly forty-two years old he lives a well-ordered existence until he almost dies on the streets of St. Giles. Waking up in an unknown apartment he realizes he has been rescued and taken care of by an unexpected angel, Clara Winters.

Clara Winters is no angel! She’s the daughter of a famed actress who angered the wrong man and found herself without options long ago. After spending her young life as a courtesan and then a madam, she now has left the business and is working to rebuild her life and help young women like herself.

What a fantastic couple! I absolutely adored these two, they are total opposites but yet absolutely perfect for each other. Clara brought out a side of Henry that was missing and I loved the banter and the chemistry between them. Clara has not had an easy life, but I respected and admired her for trying to make a better life for herself and for the women who also found themselves in similar situations. She was a fabulous heroine, strong, determined and intelligent but yet there’s still a vulnerability to her that thinks she’s not worthy of someone like Henry.  As for Henry, Oh my! He’s so serious, focused, and driven that he lives a black and white only life, with no shades in between, until Clara. I loved his devotion to his family and that he never treated Clara differently because of her past, he treated her as an equal. The relationship between Henry and his family was fun to watch as they notice the changes in him. There were some wonderful secondary characters in this story and the writing was as always excellent! Although this series is now coming to an end, I do hope we get to see these characters again in some of Ms. Caldwell’s future books. This was a fabulous read and one I highly recommend!

Another very good book by Christi Caldwell. Clara Winters is a woman struggling to overcome her past and build a good life for her and other similar men and women. A former courtesan and madam, she is determined to build a music hall in the worst area of London. One night she rescues an injured man and her life is irrevocably changed. Henry March, Earl of Waterson, is hard-working Member of Parliament, determined to create a national police force. Little did they both know, their goals would be in direct conflict.

The main characters had a lot to overcome in this story. Henry, in particular, was required to reevaluate his thinking about his personal life and the status of classes of people. Clara needed to open her eyes and her heart to new possibilities.I thoroughly enjoyed their story and I enjoyed reconnecting with other "Wicked Wallflowers." A solid historical romance.

ARC provided through Netgalley.

Wow! I absolutely LOVED this final book in the Wicked Wallflowers series. I have read the previous four books and, even though I loved The Bluestocking, this one was better. My favourite of the series which surprised me.
I didn't particularly care for Clara, a former courtesan and madam, in The Governess (book 3) so was hesitant to read a whole book with her as the heroine. Well I'm glad I did. Clara was determined to open a music hall with her friend Reggie (heroine of book 3). She wanted to be independent and not have to depend on a man ever again. She had been used and hurt in the past and was not going to let it happen again.
On her way home one evening she finds a man being beaten by two thugs in an alley. Going against her feelings, she rescues him. Once she has him safe and cleaned up in her rooms does she discover he’s Henry March, Earl of Waterson. A nobleman.
Henry wakes to find Clara, a beautiful blonde taking care of him. Henry, who is a very orderly and controlled man, instantly feels attraction to her.
Unfortunately, they will end up having to deal with each other in unexpected ways throughout the story. Will Henry ease his tightly woven strings in his life? Will he give up his dream of a police force for a woman not of his class? Will Clara have her dream of a music hall? Will she learn to trust a man again?
Some of my favourite aspects of this book was the ages of the characters (Clara in her 30's and Henry in his early 40's), the setting in both ends of London (East End London and Mayfair), and learning about the Peterloo Massacre.
Definitely read this book, the whole series if you haven't already done so.
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

The Spitfire is the fifth and final installment in Christi Caldwell’s Wicked Wallflowers series and it is an absolutely delicious treat! And guess what? It can totally be read as a standalone! I know this comes as a surprise because most of Caldwell’s books are so intricately connected with one another that they usually can’t be read as standalone. But this one can definitely be read as a standalone! And you’re lucky because, in my humble opinion, The Spitfire is by far the best book in this series. In fact, I will go so far as to declare that The Spitfire is probably my favourite historical romance released in 2019 and that’s saying a lot coming from me.

The Spitfire is one of the most emotionally intense books I’ve read, but it is not devoid of humour. In fact, Caldwell masters the perfect blend of emotional intensity, humour, and steam in The Spitfire. This book is steamier than the previous books and it also carries the kind of emotional intensity that I usually only find in Meredith Duran and Sherry Thomas books, maybe a few Lisa Kleypas and Kerrigan Byrne books. And by emotional intensity, I don’t necessarily mean angst. I mean, the kind of love story that punches you in the gut, sweeps you off your feet, and consumes your every thought and emotion. The kind of book that you don’t want to finish reading because you don’t want to let go of the characters. The kind of love story that you love with every fibre of your being. Well, at least, that's how it was for me.

Clara is a former courtesan and madam who has worked hard to start anew and build a theatre in the Dials, along with her business partner (the heroine from The Governess, which I wasn't a fan of, unfortunately). Her life is temporarily thrown upside down when she saves an injured man from the streets and nurses him back to health. The two connect with each other in an authentic way and strike up an unlikely friendship, even though the man, Henry, is a nobleman. Months later, Clara receives a cease and desist weeks before her theatre's opening. Imagine her fury and disappointment when she finds out that Henry, the Earl of Waterson, is the one who’s directly responsible for the cease and desist. And Henry is about to learn that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I know that my little summary here is making Henry seem like the enemy, but there’s a lot more to the story that I’m keeping out because I don’t want to ruin it for everyone.

My God. The anticipation level in this book was just off the charts. I was literally dying for Clara and Henry to meet again after she saved his life. The fucking chemistry was electrifying. Clara and Henry are such vivid characters – they leaped off the pages and grabbed hold of my heart and haven’t quite let go of me. Henry is by all means a stuffy, prim, and proper lord (she calls him Lord Proper lol). Meanwhile, Clara is a passionate, fierce, and unstoppable woman. When these two clash, Clara is determined to make the proper lord lose his cool and the tension between them is just sizzling. And the best thing about Henry and Clara is that they are both so darn likable. They are also pretty unconventional for a historical romance hero and heroine: Henry is almost 42 years old, while Clara herself is not only a former courtesan, but 33 years old at that. Henry is genuinely honourable and I empathized when he found himself in a difficult and impossible political situation, even if he did make some wrong choices. Clara is such an admirable heroine and I couldn’t help but appreciate her strength and determination to achieve her dreams. If you read a lot historical romance like I do, then you know that the businesswoman trope that has taken over this genre is not always well executed. But this trope works so damn well in The Spitfire. The author authentically depicts the struggles and challenges women like Clara face when they try to rise and lead a different path in life. These challenges are true to Clara’s station, to the women who are just like her, and to her time period. This is no 21st century woman wearing period clothes who’s stuck in a wallpaper historical romance.

I loved everything about this book. Caldwell did a fantastic job bringing these two characters together, no matter how unconventional it is to pair up a former courtesan with a proper Earl. The ending is a bit rushed and the mystery is rather conveniently solved, but the romance in itself is satisfying. An epilogue is not needed, but I would love one regardless because I just love Henry and Clara so much. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to move on to another book.

The Spitfire is one of my favorite reads this year! Clara and Waterson's story natural and they oozed chemistry off the page. From the first meeting, you knew these two were what each other needed and I was excited to see how their story unfolded!

Clara was such a bad** heroine who was full of strength and determination. She was abused and used for years as a courtesan that would have destroyed most women, but she found a way not to be a victim of her circumstances. She learned to not let her past define who she was but instead was determined to rise above her circumstances a find a way to support herself and not to rely on the fancies of fickle men.

Waterson was the hero I never knew I needed! A true epitome of a good guy who desperately wanted to make the world a safer place. He was driven by his past failures to protect those he loved but put his own life on hold trying to rectify his mistakes. Waterson lost what it meant to feel and live and was really just a shell of man

Clara and Waterson were each others saving grace. Waterson was the first man to see Clara, not as a piece of flesh to be used but as a woman deserving of respect and love. He never once judged her life and allowed her to be real and vulnerable. Clara was the first women to bring color and vibrancy to Waterson's life. She opened is eyes to the world he was trying to save and allowed him to be free and to enjoy life. Clara also appreciated that Waterson was the good guy and wasn't trying to change him but just him to see the world fully and not through narrow eyes.

It was great fun watching these two people come alive. They each were the healing balm to old dark wounds. Clara and Waterson had an emotional journey to their HEA and it's a journey well worth taking.

*********REceived and ARC via Netgalley*********

The Spitfire is Clara Winters and Henry March, the Earl of Waterson's story, 5th and last in the Wicked Wallflower Series. This is a standalone, no cheating, happily ever after historical romance with lots of sizzle.
This story has well developed characters, danger, intrigue and sizzling chemistry between Clara and Henry.
Christi has taken a character without a good reputation, and as you see the world through her(Clara’s) eyes, transforms her into a strong heroine that is likeable and one of whom we want to see have a happy ending. Henry, who exudes everything that is quality, becomes an unlikely hero; he is dazzled by Clara, his angel, when he was dying. With twist and turns, Clara and Henry, opposites in many ways, find that they are better together.
I love Christi’s writing style and always look forward to her next book.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review.

Although this is the last book in the Wicked Wallflower series it can still be read as a stand alone novel.
It has all the elements we have come to expect from Christie Caldwell an attractive lord and a lowly women with a doubtful reputation but as we all know love has no boundaries.
Evil villains and underhand actions are all here with a fantastic love story so just sit back and relax and jump in.you won’t be able to put it down.