The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley
The Wild Wynchesters #2

The Wynchester family are not blood relatives but closer than most siblings connected by blood. They were adopted by Baron Vanderbean and became a family that has a purpose. Eccentric, wealthy, skilled in a variety of arts and abilities…they are enchanting and intriguing, and this book is the story of Tommy Wynchester and the woman she loves.

What I liked:
* Thomasina “Tommy” Wynchester: chameleon ability to take on characters, comfortable in her own skin as Tommy, loves Phillipa, cartographer, tongue-tied at times, her own person, able to state what she wants.
* Phillipa York: only child, lonely, raised with the expectation of elevating her family by marrying a titled gentleman, bluestocking, not interested in men, wants to do “the right thing” to the disadvantage of herself.
* The Wynchesters: Jacob with his affinity to animals, Graham with acrobatic and a desire for information, Marjorie with her skills as an artist and forger, Elizabeth and her penchant for swords and wanting to use them, and Chloe who is now settled with the man she loves
* That I laughed many times during the story
* The story spoke to me
* The topic of sapphic love in the early 1800’s and how difficult it must have been with social expectations as they were
* The costumes and cpers
* Phillipa’s reading group
* The comeuppance of Northrup
* The love story as it played out
* The awareness of what was important that was arrived at by both Phillipa and Tommy
* That even though it took me a few chapters to get into the story…once INTO it, I was hooked
* Knowing that Graham is probably up next and looking forward to him “finding the parcel”

What I didn’t like:
* Phillipa’s mother: controlling, self-centered, impolite, social climber, annoying
* Phillipa’s father: aloof, self-contained, probably hiding out from his wife…but perhaps more aware of his daughter’s needs than his wife was
* Northrup…

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC – this is my honest review.

5 Stars

I thought that the book, was such a page turner. A great read. I loved the book. The plot was very well written and I cannot wait to read another book by this author. This author really draws the reader into the story.

Erica Ridley is my favorite historical romance writer. I loved this book. I love the characters and the witty banter. Very sexy, very flirty. Erica does such a great job of writing relatable characters. Also, really fun and unique plots. I just adore her and can't wait to see what she writes next.

I enjoyed this read. It kept my attention and I really found myself connecting with the characters. Make sure you read this one!

The slow-burn romance is such that you can feel the emotions of both of these characters flowing off of the page. It is light-hearted, it is intriguing and it is beautiful. The Wynchester family unit has such a wonderful dynamic. I love each and every one of them. Even though the story is mostly about Philippa, it really comes down to Tommy wanting to be loved for herself. Can you blame her? No disguises, just her. At first I thought Tommy was too strong to be emotional but no, she doesn’t want to live her entire life in disguise. Erica writes with such sensitivity in her stories. Fantastic.

Another super fun installment of Wild Wynchesters. Tommy was great in book 1, and I really loved getting her story. Seeing her vulnerable side and how much she longs to be loved for herself really made me root for her. Phillipa was smart and sweet, but I did get a bit annoyed with how insistent she was on conforming to her (awful) mother's wishes. Near the end I felt it delved a little bit more into the 'why' of this, but I would have liked more of that earlier. Still, it's a minor complaint in a fun, sweet, and sexy book.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower
Book 2 in The Wild Wynchesters series
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower brought us the love story of Tommy and Phillipa. We are again invited to the grand adventures of the eccentric Wynchesters where each sibling has a specialty in which they help those that are in need. In this second installment we have Tommy Wynchester helping out Phillipa. Phillipa wants to help one of her friends and therefore the Wynchesters join in to help her uncover the truth so her friend, Damaris, can get the credit for the work that she did. Tommy sees this as her chance to get close to Phillipa and her family then decides to play matchmakers with them.
Why the 3 stars? I liked it, but I was just hoping to have enjoyed it more. To be honest I was a little bored with the whole plot of helping out Damaris. Unrequited love is one of my favorite tropes and Tommy sure had feelings for Phillipa for a while. I wished the romance would of been played out more. I really liked Tommy's character. We really see her gain the courage to finally demonstrate and tell Phillipa how she really felt about her. Phillipa was an okay character. There were times that I felt bad for her because though she had an easy life (economically), she really was alone. The scenes when they outwit her mother were very entertaining and clever.
I'm glad they both found what they were looking with each other.

I look forwards to the next one!

This historical is charming, feminist, and adorably queer. I loved this couple so much! They each brought amazing things to the table of their relationship, and I had a great time with this one!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It is so well done. My only regret is that I cannot read it again for the first time.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly October New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

I have to say I had a hard time when offered this book by Net Galley. I have read the first book in this series and loved it. Who in their right mind would not want to be a Wynchester ! With brothers like Graham and Jacob and sister Chloe, Marjorie and Thomasina(Tommy). After giving it much thought and having read most of Erica's book I went for it. Am so glad I did. Tommy Wynchester is master of disguise. He can be anyone, from a loved by batty Great Aunt or the dashing Baron Vanderbean.
She has been fascinated with one Miss Philippa York since last season. Tommy has come up with different disguises just to be close to her. After a bet with Jacob and Marjorie she dons the disguise of one Baron Vanderbean as Philippa mother will only let her talk to men of title. The witty, silly banter between Tommy and Philippa is wonderful. Philippa has had many seasons and never found any man that made her sigh or wish to spend more time with them. Till she meets the Baron. All Tommy has ever wanted was to be accepted and love for herself. As these two meets and learn of their secrets the romance is very special. What these two have to fight against, overcome and find love is a fast read that will keep you turning the pages. Am surprised I liked this book as much as I did. However, the cover is all wrong, Tommy should be dressed like she is most comfortable in an open coat and flock with her short hair...
I received an ARC from Net Galley and wish to thank them, this is my honest opinion and am freely giving it. This is steamy love story for those who like to know.

As a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester can be a proper young lady—or a bawdy old man. Anything to solve the case. Her latest assignment unveils a top-secret military cipher covering up an enigma that goes back centuries. But when Tommy’s beautiful new client turns out to be the highborn lady she’s secretly smitten with, more than the mission is at stake. Bluestocking Miss Philippa York doesn’t believe in love. Her cold heart didn't pitter-patter when she was betrothed to a duke, nor did it break when he married someone else. All Philippa desires is to rescue her priceless manuscript and decode its clues to defeat a powerful enemy. She hates that she needs a man's help—and she’s delighted to discover the clever, charming baron at her side is in fact a woman.
The second in the series & another very well written book, which is very different for the author as it’s a lovely romance between two women. The characters are well portrayed with plenty of depth. I loved Tommy, a mistress of disguise & also Philippa the bluestocking, Tommy had been in love with Philippa for a while & it was a joy to see their relationship grow & change. Tommy is priceless as Great Aunt Wynchester. I’m loving the Wynchester family & look forward to their stories
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A master of disguise who wants to be loved for their true self finds love with a bluestocking society miss who years for more in The Perks of Loving a Wallflower. I’ve been waiting for Tommy Wynchester to get the happily ever after they yearn for ever since they first gazed longingly at Philippa York in The Duke Heist and Erica Ridley delivered.

Philippa is a bluestocking who has never felt love or desire, so she is less than thrilled her mother is absolutely determined to see her married off. Her mother is so overbearing she takes up more page time than I would like but it definitely highlights what Philippa is up against. After turning down a duke her mother is threatening to disallow Philippa’s bluestocking club which is the only thing that brings her joy. Then a mystery falls into her lap and she and her friends need the help of the scandalous Wynchester family. Philippa has long envied the Wynchesters their freedom and adventures and I wanted her to have that for herself. Philippa is smart and determined but she has blind spots that cause her to not see the damage she can do. I liked that she was imperfect and I liked even more that she eventually learned from her mistakes.

Tommy can don any guise and enjoys getting lost in a character, but what they really long for is to be loved for their true self. Tommy is a rake who gave up their flirtatious ways the minute they first saw Philippa. Tommy is so head-over-heels for Phillipa they’ll do anything for her, but even so it broke my heart to think that Tommy would give up what they want for someone else. There is so much to love about Tommy, whose heart is as big as the ocean and who is clever, funny, and incredibly interesting. Tommy didn’t have as big a personal journey as Philippa but I liked that they learned to not accept less than they deserve.

The romance between Tommy and Philippa is slow burn but it worked exceptionally well. Philippa is demisexual and I liked how her passions slowly awakened as she fell for Tommy. And Tommy, who so easily flirts with women, struggles due to being so far gone over Philippa, eventually finds their footing. It’s not an easy road for the two of them between Mrs. York’s interference and Philippa being unwilling to see outside the roadmap of her life that was laid for her. Every obstacle in their path was worth fighting to overcome and I was rooting for Philippa and Tommy every step of the way.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is the second book in the Wild Wynchesters series but it can easily be read as a standalone. I adore the close-knit, wildly unique Wynchester family and how much they love one another. I also really enjoyed Philippa’s bluestocking friends and hope to see more of them. All in all, I greatly enjoyed Tommy and Philippa’s story and I cannot wait to see what Ridley has planned for Graham Wynchester!

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Holy crap what a great book! I stayed up all night to finish this one in one setting.

I was so happy to learn that we were getting another Wynchester sibling story. The entire group of siblings is full of great personalities that I look forward to exploring all their characters. That this particular sister is in love with another woman and that Ridley went ahead and wrote a sweet and uplifting story about them is incredible.
Thomasina "Tommy" Wynchester fell in love with Miss Philippa York at first sight when she met her in disguise while helping her siblings in The Duke Heist. They apparently have nothing in common beyond a desire to see that a woman's hard work doesn't get credited to an unscrupulous man, but the more time they spend together, the more they find themselves incapable of fighting the attraction between them. It's more than just physical, they understand each other as no one else does.
But the story isn't just about two women figuring out how to be together. It's a great caper where books must be liberated and a wronged group of women must get justice before a man takes credit for something he had nothing to do with. It makes for great fun scenes in between sweetly romantic ones. And we get to know more about the rest of the Wynchester siblings, which I'll always consider a plus.
I'm so happy to see such a well-written Sapphic historical romance that I'm willing to forgive the fact that Ridley dug a little too deep into the woe-is-me well for almost every scene in which both Tommy and Philippa are pinning for the other. The obstacles they face before they can get their HEA are serious and major, but their Debbie-Downer moments tended to be bumps in an otherwise super fun and positive story. That's the only negative thing I can possibly say about this one.
Overall, it's an expertly played romance with a positive twist. Highly recommended.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the sweet read!

I received a copy from NetGalley via the author; this is my honest review.
-If you haven't catch on from the blurb, this is a FF regency romance. The first from this author from what I can tell (I possess all her books but haven't read 6 of them).
-The FF part is written with taste and no more details than when the scene is MF.
-I wasn't surprised by the blurb. Thomasina has shown herself in other books but subtly. It just gained full force in this one with no way to misinterpret what's going on.
-So sad: "the reading circle continued ... because Lady Eunice wished it ... not because it brought happiness or comfort" to her own daughter. I dearly hope Philippa's mother is not like all the other mothers in her time.
-A bit of repeats, like the fact that every Winchester sat in the same place at the table.
-I'm confused. Where were Philippa's parents while Northrup's circle of admirers dispersed or even when Philippa started talking with Captain N.? They could not have missed all the people surrounding them.
-I loved Sybil and her schedules; I do hope we see her again. In particular when she wants to make one for the carriage rides. That was the cherry on top.
-I really love it when I see all the Winchesters partake in the happiness of others, be it finding who wrote the code or who's in love with whom; it doesn't matter. Philippa and Faircliffe are even working together.
-I love it when the author brings us to the next book.

OMG I love this fabulous family so much! I was hooked by page 20 with this one and couldn't stop. We get all the trying to solve problems, plans, costume, taking down the patriarchy, figuring out who you love, a homing kitten!!!, and a group of super nerdy ladies aka bluestockings! This f/f romance is just so on point it will bring you joy. Tommy we know from book one and you can't not laugh at her antics but also just feel for her and just hoping she get the love she deserves. Philippa grows so much in this book and will have your nerdy heart wish you could join her group of bluestockings so much.

This one is just so full of love, laughter, joy, it will having you laughing out loud and happy. I can NOT wait for the rest of this series so much! I can't want for this found family and for each of them to get their HEA- they are all so fun with their talents that make the family whole and amazing.

5 stars
3.5 steam

Thanks to forever for a copy of this book!

This is the first book I have read by Erica Ridley, and will most definitely not be my last. Philipa is a self proclaimed wallflower, who would prefer to read books while her mother is trying to match her to a titled gentleman. Thomasina (Tommy) is a sibling in the adventurous Wynchester family, and dresses up in a variety of disguises for capers. Philipa and Tommy fall in love while finding justice for a friend who was slighted by an uncle, who stole her idea for a military cipher. This is a sapphic, regency romance, and is full of delight and fun. I loved the slow burn of Philipa and Tommy’s romance, and their chemistry is worth the wait. I also think that Ridley handled the LGBTQ+ regency aspect really well. Tommy could be non-binary in how she’s represented, and the story doesn’t gloss over the challenges that would have been faced by two women choosing to love eachother in the early 1800s. I highly recommend this book for fans of fast paced, sapphic, regency romances. I will definitely be continuing this series and going back to read the first in the series.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is the second in Erica Ridley’s Wild Wynchesters series. It works as a stand-alone, but I absolutely adored book one (as well as the prequel novella) and the quirky family dynamics of the series thus far, so I would recommend reading all of the available books. This one is equally charming and I can enthusiastically say I read this one with as big a smile on my face as I did the first.

Tommy was one of the standout supporting characters from the prior book, so I loved getting to know her here. She’s such a fun character, what with all the masquerading she does when her family’s needs call for it. I also love how that parallels her articulation of her identity. She stares at one point, “Sometimes I feel more like a man, and sometimes I’m more like a woman. What you’re seeing are cosmetics…I couldn’t grow a beard if my life depended on it. I’ve always been more comfortable in men’s attire, but beneath these pantaloons, I’ve the same parts you do.” I loved the way she articulated it, as well as her later expression of wanting to be accepted for herself, not some disguise she could no longer remove that would make her coupling with Philippa “acceptable” to Society.

I really liked Philippa too, especially as she goes through some personal growth. At the outset, she feels pressured to conform to the “respectable marriage and family” mold imposed by high Society, but she doesn’t feel drawn to it. Yet, she feels obligated to attempt to conform, even as her attempts at rebellion lead to her prospects diminishing. I rooted for her as she slowly came to the realization that she should grasp what she wants. I respected the balance between discussing the risks of being queer during the Regency more broadly, while also providing a believable path to an HEA.

I also appreciated the portrayal of Philippa’s parents. I fully expected them to reject her after she articulated her desire for something different, given how hard-ass her mother in particular was about conforming. But I was pleased that it went in an opposite direction, going against the toxic parent trope.

I did feel there were some issues with the pacing of the caper/heist elements in this one, as I wasn’t as consistently invested. But I really liked the general vibe of “women supporting women” and taking down the patriarchy.

This is a delightful Regency read, and perfect for those who want something that is fairly lighthearted and doesn’t take itself too seriously, while also knowing when more serious emotion is called for.

Will she be able to get free from the ties holding her back …

I was more than a little curious about this book, I have read now for some years Mrs Ridely’s work, but this is as much as I know her first foray in homosexuality. And while I have read a few gay romances, never did I came upon a female lovers tale.
The historical setting adds a spice of danger to this romance, as male homosexuality was facing death sentences, I wondered if there was a similar penalty for women, even if sapphism was in some way not really acknowledged unlike gayness, as women were seen as nun, wife or whore but nothing in between. After all, as they were only property passed from father to brother to husband then son, how could they manage a lasting relationship with an other woman without getting fished.

Tommy despite her many disguises, knows who she is and what she wants. She can play games and impersonate many entities, still at the end of the day, she is Tommy. Why she denies longing for someone to see her, cheer her, want her, love her, her soul bleeds for a long lasting embrace, something more permanent than her few hours stolen with lovers in very closely guarded houses.
Philippa, on the contrary, only follows her parents leads, contenting with her books, bluestockings afternoon teas and wondering what is broken in her as no man has not once awakened even a tiny spark of interest and awareness in her. She makes do even with each new slight handed by her mother for not reaching her lofty expectations, never really wondering what might lie her outside the confines of her sheltered existence.

Both are in the same predicament, they want to be noticed and appreciated for who they are.
In many way Tommy is much more lucky as she has all her siblings to bath her in their warming love while Philippa has no one, despite still having her parents, she is just a means to an end to them, at best her father ignore her completely as she deceived him by failing to marry a Duke when her mother only focuses on her for the title she is to bring into the family with a potential husband.
But Tommy is invisible to the outside world, passing mostly her time masquerading as other beings, and being a Winchester is a no go among the ton. Philippa is only seen for the wealth she will bring upon her marriage, when she only wants to put her mark to the world. Longing to be free like a Winchester.

I wondered after how many contempts Philippa would endure before realizing her family might have raised her, they do not own her, that they have no real right to ask her to sacrifice her future for their own gain. They might be loving her, but she is no one tool, even it is the way of society to use their daughters to advance their rank and status.

Seing again all the Winchesters working together, rubbing elbows and bickering was of course the cherry on top, they are part of the enjoyment of this story and series. To add to the fun was watching Tommy cross ballrooms and with one gaze bewitch many of the women, when at the same time many spurned her for being Baron Vanderbean’s heir, the eccentric who adopted a motley crew of street urchins.

And … Oh my!
Their first kiss, I do not remember having read a more sensual scorching embrace about a mere caress of the lips.

With talent Mrs Riley offers us a moving tale of unconventional lovers who only long to be themselves.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.