*4.25 stars*

Erica Ridley outdid herself with this Sapphic historical romance. I couldn't get enough of Tommy and Phillipa, and I think that Erica Ridley should switch to writing *all* queer books (just saying... please....).

If I had to classify this book, I'd say it was a F/NB romance as Tommy doesn't really identify as male or female, though uses she/her pronouns. I wish SO HARD that the cover models would have reflected these characters more closely. Phillipa is plumper and bustier, and Tommy has shorter hair and prefers trousers and comfortable clothes. However, the cover is admittedly beautiful, even though it doesn't represent these lovely characters at all.

I think it helps if you'd read the first book in The Wild Wynchesters series, though it isn't a requirement. It gives some background information on the Wynchester family, and I think it helps readers to understand the dynamics there. I appreciated my background knowledge of Tommy, and I think it helped me understand both MCs much better.

Erica Ridley really wrote her pants off with this series. Sometimes, this author writes tame, less descriptive romances, but here we get complicated, multi-dimensional characters and some deliciously steamy love scenes, and I ATE IT UP. I really enjoyed how Tommy and Phillipa's relationship had no easy solutions, and that everything was hard-fought and more complex than it seemed. I enjoyed the slow-burn of them together, and I liked how Phillipa slowly realized her sexuality (which may fall on the asexual spectrum- like demi).

Tommy's personality really shone for me. She was so confident and so bold, but really, underneath, she was a brave former orphan who was terrified to put her heart out there. I loved Tommy, and I was excited for her to have Phillipa return her feelings, even if it took a bit longer for Phillipa to get there.

My one complaint about this book is that the plot gets a bit convoluted in the middle and towards the end (and the cover of the book, natch), but the rest of the book was so wonderful that I was able to overlook any minor plot and pacing issues.

Erica Ridley, I'm so happy with this series, you don't even know. I hope we get more queer characters (more queer Wynchesters?!?!) from this author, and more of this same, high quality romances.


*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Tommy, Thomasina, Wynchester can be whatever she needs to be, a young man, an old man, a sassy old lady, or a debutante. What she wants to be is herself, just Tommy. Phillipa York is a bluestocking from a wealthy family. Her mother wants nothing more than for her to marry a titled man. Phillipa doesn’t want to marry at all. Tommy fell in love with Phillipa at first sight, but it may take a bit longer for Phillipa to reciprocate. Phillipa has only seen Tommy in disguise. When she reveals her true identity, Phillipa show interest, but the romance is a slow burn.

At the same time Tommy and Phillipa are discovering love, there is a mystery to solve and an injustice to correct. Damaris’s uncle is about to take credit and receive honors for work she did. This is just the thing the Wynchesters love to be involved in. If the record can be set straight, they can do it.

The Wild Wynchesters is a wonderful series, and this story is a great addition. The story, and the series, is an excellent example of family love and acceptance. Phillipa discovers both, something she has never felt before. She and Tommy are a sweet couple. Reading about the siblings is sheer delight. They are smart, funny, and totally devoted to each other and the latest addition to their family. Cute story, fantastic characters, and a pleasant narration by Moira Quirk. I recommend it.

I received and ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Tommy plays many people when she goes out in public. It is when she goes out as Baron Vanderbean that she finds her true love, Phillipa. Phillipa's parents are in search of the best marriage possible for Phillipa to enhance their standing in society and a foreign Baron is not it.
The Winchester's have also set out to prove Northrup does not deserve the accolades that he has acquired. With the help of Phillipa, Tommy and the rest of the siblings seek to prove Northrup did not do what he claims.
Opinion
I love Erica Ridley books and was excited, yet hesitant, to read this one. F/F books are not my typical genre to read. While I found the story very interesting, it was not a book I would choose to reread. The book was absolutely well written and full of fun. I, personally, did not like the F/F pairing. I did know this going in and did skip some of the intimate parts and truly enjoyed the rest of the story. I would definitely recommed this book to anyone who is interested in F/F books (or the Wynchesters series.)
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This book is a treat! There is so much love and laughter in it. Phillipa is your typical bluestocking whose parents want her to make an advantageous match. Phillipa would love to find love and marriage but the problem is that she hasn't experienced any of the feelings that she hears others talk about. Not even a peep. That is, until, she meets what she thinks might be the first person to set her heart racing only to find out that the Baron is, in fact, Tommy Winchester - a woman.

I adored the way that Tommy loved Phillipa. The Wynchesters are a fun and wonderful family full of love and support and this spills out in the ways that Tommy did all she could for Phillipa. I loved how caring she was as Phillips discovered this new side to herself and re-imagined what love could look like. While there have been so many fake dating romances, this one had the added aspect of really not knowing what it would look. like in the end. I loved all the antics in the book and the way that all the Wynchesters accept one another unconditionally. I cannot get enough of this family.

The relationship that grows between Tommy and Phillipa is sweet at times and steamy at others. Their chemistry was great! The adventure aspect to this series is fun and whimsical. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series. I would recommend this to any romance lover looking for a story about accepting and loving others for who they are...not despite it.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is a lovely historical romance with two female main characters. This is the second in The Wild Wynchesters series, but I do not think the first (The Duke Heist) is necessary to enjoy this one. I would recommend The Duke Heist, however, and reading it first may give the reader some additional context which could make this installment more enjoyable.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower stars Thomasina (known as Tommy) Wynchester, and Philippa York. Both characters were prominent in The Duke Heist, Philippa especially as the former fiance of the titular duke. I feel the description of Loving a Wallflower is a bit misleading – the issue Philippa is dealing with is that a member of her reading circle has created a cipher that was used by the military, and now that member’s uncle is receiving credit for it, including a title and land. Philippa wants to ensure that the correct person receives credit (the young woman in her reading circle) and Tommy, and the rest of the Wynchesters, step in to assist.

By the beginning of Loving a Wallflower, Tommy has admired Philippa for a year, but only interacted with her as “Great-Aunt Wynchester” and one disastrous occasion as Thomasina, when Tommy froze and ran away instead of speaking to Philippa at a ball. Tommy’s talents lie toward disguising herself as many different kinds of people, and so she disguises herself as the “heir” of the late Baron who took Tommy and all of her siblings in, as an excuse to get close to Philippa.

One of my favorite things about Loving a Wallflower is that Tommy tells Philippa right away that she’s not Baron Vanderbean, but instead that she’s Tommy, or rather Thomasina, and that she’s a woman. (Though it is noted multiple times that Tommy feels like “both and neither” with regards to being a man or a woman, which I took to mean nonbinary in today’s terms, but that is only my reading of it. Also, Tommy uses female pronouns throughout.) I appreciated this reveal of the “big secret” early on because it makes me much less stressed reading the book, and it really felt like Philippa and Tommy were “partners in crime,” instead of Tommy having to hide who she was from Philippa.

Philippa had concerns that she wasn’t able to feel love the same way that other people did, because she never felt those kinds of feelings about the men that courted her. However, by Tommy telling Philippa early that Tommy was playing the part of the Baron, it allowed Philippa to explore those feelings she starts having for Tommy, and begin to understand why she may not have felt them for the men in her life before. I very much enjoyed this character progression and the way that storyline played out.

The additional plot of the cipher and the books was fun, but it certainly did not take as much of a center stage as the heist plotline in The Duke Heist, and on occasion felt like a bit of an afterthought. I felt this book had a lot more focus on the couple, in this case Tommy and Philippa, and I loved every minute of it. These two are adorably sweet together, and also have a ridiculous amount of chemistry. As they work to resolve the issue of the credit-stealing uncle and the further mystery around the books that the cipher is based off of, they make a great team, and Philippa learns a lot about herself and expands her view of what is possible for her life. My only complaint about the characters is that I feel Philippa ends up compromising more than Tommy with regards to what she thought her life would be like. I think they do a good job overall of coming to see each others’ points of view, but the solution at the end is rather sudden and I wasn’t sure I was totally convinced of Phillipa’s quick change of heart involved.

Loving a Wallflower also feels lower stakes than The Duke Heist. For example, at the end, Philippa’s parents, who have been trying to marry her off the whole book, and have a somewhat adversarial relationship with her, are partially redeemed and their conflict is resolved with what feels like fairly little drama. And while there’s nothing wrong with lower stakes, I do think it may have contributed to my feeling that the book dragged a bit at times. There were certainly parts which I thought could maybe have been tightened up some to maintain momentum.

Overall, however, I really enjoyed The Perks of Loving a Wallflower, and if the epilogue is any indication, there is more to come of the Wynchesters, which I am looking forward to!

Grade: B+

“I am done trying to be someone I am not for people I can never please. You and I can be exactly who we are, and please each other.”

THE PERKS OF LOVING A WALLFLOWER is a queer historical romance about Philippa, a bookish woman pressured by her parents to marry well, and Tommy, the gender-fluid master-of-disguise rebel she falls for. The plot is centered around a cipher with misattributed authorship and a curious manuscript with a secret message. It’s the second in a series following a found family of misfits and rebels, but you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one.

I picked this up because (1) it sounded extremely gay, (2) I’m vibing with romance lately, and (3) I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance novel with actual people on the cover which seems like some weird internalized shit I have against this kind of branding, and I wanna get over it. I’m so glad I did, because this book turned out to be way more than I expected!

What to know & things to love:
- Regency-era setting
- Philippa York: book lover, aspiring librarian, intellectual, charitable, disinterested in marriage - or is it men?
- Tommy Wynchester: roguish, excellent with acting & disguises, confident, daring, utterly weak for a certain Miss York
- Fake courting
- Deeply feminist
- Swoony romance & some steam
- Book club!
- Libraries!
- HEISTS! (For a good cause!)
- Just the BEST little found family of quirky, talented humans who embark on illegal yet philanthropic escapades
- Mysterious messages painted on book edges
- Queer ancestors!
- Secret sword sticks!
- Homing kittens!
- Giving the patriarchy a good hard slap across the face
- Defying social norms for the sake of love and to live fully as yourself
- Side character disability rep (physical & hard of hearing), some POC side characters
- Generally charming & hilarious

I have two issues with the cover: (1) Philippa is supposed to be very curvy and (2) Tommy doesn’t like dressing femme, even to play a part, and defaults to a more androgynous or masc-of-center style. Also, I want to note that there’s some interesting discussion regarding Philippa figuring out her sexuality and Tommy’s feelings about her gender presentation that may have benefited from a more nuanced touch.

Overall this was such a fun and romantic read! I’m definitely interested in the rest of the series since I loved the Wynchesters so much. Thanks to Forever Books for the review copy!

Content warnings: death of a loved one, period-typical homophobia/patriarchy/etc., possibly gender dysphoria

I really like the Wynchester family. This is Thomasina's story also known as Tommy. It's about unrequited love finally getting a chance. And about writing wrongs done to women in the past and present. Those stories I really enjoy. This is the first time I have read two women's love story and I'm still on the fence about that. The other difficulty I had with this book is this is the second book in a row by Erica who has made the heroine's mother the bad guy. This story rang truer for me than the last one. Otherwise I found the story highly entertaining with the sifting through evidence to prove Damaris' uncle, Captain Northrup, was taking credit for Damaris' work. I thought that part of the story was done well.

Miss Philippa York is the only child of a rich MP father of the merchant class and her social climbing mother. Her father and mother don't seem to have much of a relationship and little interest in their daughter. He mother is determined Philippa will marry a title to bring status in the Ton for their family on the fringes. Philippa is all about books and research and has never found any man who's ever sparked any kind of interest in her after having five seasons. She lives for her charitable reading circle who are her only friends. Her mother pushes her constantly and hates the reading circle. When the ladies there discover Damaris' cipher she created & they were using is essentially stolen by her uncle, they determine to bring him down and see credit is given to Damaris. This is when Chloe & Great Aunt Wynchester get involved.

Great Aunt Wynchester is Thomy in disguise. She is one of the six Wynchester orphans adopted off the streets by Baron Wynchester. He's passed now but they still all live together in his great house helping those in distress with whatever they need. Tommy is a master of disguise and she's been in love from afar with Philippa for over a year. She ends up aiding Philippa & the ladies of the reading circle dressed as the Baron's heir, his nephew Horace. She eventually confesses her disguise to Philippa and their love affair progresses as they did up evidence on the cipher & the illuminated manuscripts it's based on. This causes Philippa to finally have to choose between being a dutiful daughter to her parents and the love of her heart.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It was okay. Very long and slow feeling. I liked Tommy and Philippa's relationship and how open and accepting Tommy's family was.

Tommy and Phillipia were two characters that were equally enjoyable to read about and easy to root for through the entire novel. I really enjoyed their dynamic as friends and eventually their romantic relationship. They suited each other well and brought the best out in each other.

Tommy's siblings were also super fun to read about. I loved the sibling banter and the way they were all super comfortable with each other. It's always nice to read about close families that are supportive and love each other for who they are.

I also really enjoyed the strong friendship group that Phillipia had. They were all women who knew what they wanted and went after it. That's something that I love to read about and support one-hundred percent.

I had a hard time getting into this novel at the beginning. Once I hit the 50% mark, I really started to get into it. I felt that the first half of the book was slow and at some points I felt the finding of the manuscripts took away from Tommy and Phillipia's relationship growth, though I completely understand why the adventures and tasks were put in the book. I totally respect the choice of the author on that aspect of the book.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading sapphic romance with adventure and strong female leads. I am so excited for Graham's love story coming up next!

This book was such a treat. This was new for me - a regency romance with a female/non-binary romance. Tommy is a member of the Wynchester family which is a nontraditional as several of them were orphans and taken in by the family patriarch. Phillipa is a high society lady whose parents are pressuring her to marry a titled man for political gain, even though she has no interest in the men they present to her. She lives life for their approval and society's approval. She secretly thinks there is something wrong with her because she feels indifferent towards men. When she meets Tommy, who is a master of disguise, in character as a Baron, they concoct a plan that benefits them both. There is a slow burn romance with passionate well written intimate scenes, a mystery caper that needs solving by the Wynchester family, an interesting and strong set of characters, and found family that is at the heart of the story. One thing that bothers me is the cover of the book. It does not suit the characters. Phillippa is describes as a curvy woman and Tommy has shorter hair and most comfortable to pants. The cover should have been more representative of the characters.

Thank you @NetGalley and @ReadForever for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 Stars. This was a really cute, historical-fiction romance. I’m a big fan of queer Regency romances so I was happy that this was as fun as I hoped. It had a great cast of characters, a strong romance, and a fun side story that kept me turning the pages. While this is the second book in the series, I did not read the first book and I don’t feel like I missed anything. Ridley fills in the few holes that I needed to know so it really is fine if you start here.

I really liked that this was a female/non-binary romance. Tommy, -pronoun her- is a master of disguise and enjoys playing the role or both men and women. The other main is Philippa, a highborn Lady, who would rather read her books than be shopped around for a husband. When Tommy and her family are asked to help one of Philippa’s friends, Philippa wants in on all the scheming too. The more her and Tommy are together the more feels start to develop, but everyone knows Philippa must marry a man with a title so how could they ever actually be together?

The characters are very enjoyable and I liked Tommy’s whole family. Her sword swinging sister Elizabeth especially was a really fun secondary character. While I have a feeling that this book would be the only queer romance of the series, I would still consider reading Elizabeth’s story. The main characters were great, with the one exception that I thought Tommy got a little whinny near the end. While this is a HEA romance, I wasn’t completely crazy about how the actual ending happened, as it didn’t seem as in tune with the time period and I felt like everything fell on one characters shoulders instead of more compromise. But besides that one issue, I really thought all the characters were well done.

The romance itself is very well written and enjoyable. I would not call it slow burn or insta love, instead it had a good medium pace. The chemistry really builds up nicely between the characters and the sex scenes themselves were well done and feel very passionate which is what one wants in a Regency romance. This book also has a bit of a heist feel as Tommy’s family are trying to take down a bad-guy so you had a good balance between the romance and the bit of heist fun.

Lastly, I do have to mention, like Leah did in her review, that the cover does not fit the characters. Philippa, is described as having beautiful curves and Tommy is the most comfortable in trousers and a plain shirt. It just does not feel like a true representation of the characters to me –even though it is a nice cover.

TLDR: This was a super cute, yet steamy, Regency romance. The whole cast of characters are great and the book is very fun to read. There is a small heist element to give the book a little excitement, and a chemistry filled romance to take up the rest of the pages. I would easily recommend this to historical-fiction romance fans and queer Regency romance fans.

I am quite torn in this book! There were aspects I loved - namely, the Wynchester family in general, Erica Ridley’s skill at wit and great dialogue in her books, and a pretty great romance. The plot was a little bit convoluted for me and I found myself skimming through the plot to get to the romance. This is second in the series and while I don’t think you had to have read the first to understand this one book, I do think they are better read in order.

4.5 Stars

This was a completely delightful sapphic f/nb historical romance.

Philippa York is a highborn, bluestocking lady who is happiest surrounded by her books and her weekly reading group. When a member of her group’s work is stolen, she gets help from the Wynchester family in righting the wrongs against her friend. Tommy Wynchester works with her adopted siblings against social injustices. They each have a job to do and Tommy’s talent is becoming whoever she needs to be to get the job done regardless of age or gender.

Philippa’s mother is trying to marry her off to a member of the ton to raise their ranking so they use Tommy’s disguise as Baron Vanderbean to pacify her mother and to pass along information on their quest. Tommy is non-binary and feels like both a man and woman or neither. She’s had a long-lasting crush on Philippa and uses her time as the baron to get closer to her in a way that’s allowed.

It’s described as a romp and I have to agree with that description. It’s got some very light-hearted and over the top moments that had me laughing out loud. Philippa and Tommy are silly together and have ongoing conversations like what their horses read and the languages they speak. It was charming and their chemistry was off the charts. I loved how obvious it was that these two are meant to be, even if they don’t see a way for it to happen. This is filled with pining and yearning and is done so well that I wanted to read this in one sitting to get to the payoff as quickly as I could.

This is the second in the ‘Wild Wynchesters’ series by Ridley but can be read as a standalone. There are mentions about the previous book that fills any holes so I never felt like I was missing anything. Tommy’s siblings all are fleshed out and they brought their own talents and personalities to the plot as they are all deeply involved in each other’s lives.

I think I really only had two complaints. Philippa’s mother is awful and has a lot of space in their story. Her personality got tedious to me after a while. Luckily, Tommy and Philippa were worth it. The other complaint is the cover. While it is absolutely gorgeous and I love that the models are actually married in real life, the model for Tommy just doesn’t fit. She would never be comfortable in that type of dress and she is written with much shorter hair.

All in all, I loved this and highly recommend it. I think Regency fans will also appreciate the details Ridley uses. Sadly, this looks to be her only sapphic romance but I would certainly read more of them from her.

I received an ARC from Forever/Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As always, this author's writing is wonderful & full of lovable, kind characters. I have been interested in Thomasina Wynchester (Tommy) since being introduced to her & loved her disguises (particularly Great Aunt Wynchester). She does whatever it takes to help in whatever mystery, caper or wrongdoing the adopted Winchester siblings are involved in, but she secretly has given her heart to one person.

Miss Philippa York is being pushed into society by her Mother & Philippa doesn't want society, she wants to build libraries, read books with her reading circle but she feels like she will never break away & will always do what other people want of her. Until one of the members of Philippa's reading group is wronged & now the group want revenge.

The Wynchester's next case is revealed when Philippa shows them a top-secret military cipher. She explains that it was stolen from the original creator & the person who has stolen it plans to present it for recognition, a title & a marriage. This case also brings Tommy & Philippa together & their feelings bloom & the romance grows to a lovely HEA. I highly recommend this book & the previous books in the series; however, this can be easily read as a stand-alone. I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Wonderful and funny F/F romcom.

Miss York is supposed to snag herself a duke. She doesn't want a duke. She wants to find a missing manuscript and solve its mystery to catch a villain. She doesn't want a man's help. Yet, when she finds out the baron helping her is actually a Wynchester sister in disguise, she's very happy she asked for help.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley.

This is a lovely romance. Tommy has been pining after Philippa and finally gathers the courage to talk to her. Their attraction grows as they spend time together to solve a mystery. I loved how the relationship between the two characters develops over the course of the story. Philippa has some struggles as she comes to terms with her true self versus expectations from her parents and society. The ending was wonderful.

It was great to see the Wynchester’s appear together again and I look forward to seeing the rest get their own story.

This is the romance between a Wynchester sibling and a character that appeared in the first full book of this series. Tommy has had a crush on Lady Philippa, whom ends up being the new client for the Wynchester. As the story progresses, the two become closer and fall in love. How will they get their happy ending when they are faced with obstacles?

This is a solid addition to The Wild Wynchesters series. The author's distinctive style is prevalent throughout the book. I enjoyed the strong familial bond that the Wynchester siblings and in-law shared in this book. Tommy and Philippa were strong characters and they really were made for each other. This book has some parts that needed more details but it also has parts that could have been shorter. Overall, it's an enjoyable read and I look forward to more Wynchester books in the future.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower was such a beautiful, sweet, sexy, interesting story. It falls in London circa the mid 1800's so the story being told is a bit taboo but it is so well done that all I want is more! Erica Ridley has written a beautiful story with wonderfully developed characters and a desire for more story.

This story is Bridgerton meets Tipping the Velvet meets a modern day fairy tale romance. Its familiar yet something that is new and exciting and a clear must-read.

Tommy and Pippa make their relationship look perfect and impossible and yet things work.

Use the work ethic of Tommy and the charms of Pippa to find out what happens.

I usually don’t pick historical romances but the description on this one was intriguing. I am happy to say I made a good decision, it was wonderful. I loved this group of adopted siblings and their unorthodox lives set in Victorian London. Tommy and Philippa had such great chemistry and the other Winchester siblings made me laugh out loud more than a few times. Their mission to expose a fraudulent hero taking advantage of the women in his life was a great undertaking and their methods were very entertaining. I’ve been trying the eyebrow wink myself but I’m afraid I look more like Philippa than Tommy.

I had high hopes for this sapphic f/nb historical and it was such a delight! The description of both this book and the series really called to me. I adored book one in this series, The Duke Heist, and that only amped up my expectations for this book!
Tommy Wynchester is a master of disguise (gender, age, you name it), and she has fallen for Philippa from afar. Tommy’s siblings encourage her to actually talk to Philippa and see what happens.
Philippa’s parents expect her to land a title via marriage. She is beautiful and has money, and it should be easy enough, but Philippa has never been tempted by any man. She would be perfectly happy to remain a spinster and spend her time with her bluestocking reading circle ladies. (Over the course of the book, I would consider Philippa demisexual by modern definition.)
Tommy first interacts with Philippa while appearing as the more appropriate suitor Baron Wynchester, and their mutual attraction is immediate.
It was warm and lovely to see these two get comfortable with each other and find happiness, companionship, and mutual respect despite numerous challenges. Philippa loves to read and wishes for adventure, and she wants to solve a mystery of sorts to defend a friend. If you like underappreciated women of history getting their brilliance recognized, you will enjoy this subplot!
They way Tommy and Philippa both long for each other and share the truest parts of themselves is beautiful. Both fight for their happiness in a way that is honest and vulnerable, and while mistakes are made, the writing handles everything with such care. I highlighted so many quotes throughout this book!
It’s hard to put my emotions about this story into words, but I can tell you this has romance, humor, research, heist action, some steam, and a bit of social commentary as well. I loved it, and while there is some hard fought angst, it is such a comforting story about love and acceptance. I’m sure I will reread it.
We do get to see more of the other Wynchester siblings, and of Chloe and Faircliffe from book one. The Duke Heist served this up quite nicely, but this book could definitely be read as a stand-alone. I don’t read a ton of historical but I am absolutely hooked on this series and will be seeking out more from Erica Ridley’s backlist! Don’t miss this one!