This book was just okay, in my opinion, but sometimes I can definitely be picky when it comes to books in this era.

The story revolves around Philippa and Tommy, two women. I was drawn to this book because f/f set in this era? YES PLEASE.

Philippa is struggling with the pressure from her mother to marry, something she doesn’t want. Tommy is a master of disguise. The two form a bargain to help find Philippa a man.

The potential was there, but it just fell a little flat for me.

Overall, the book was enjoyable.

4.5 stars, rounded up

I love this book with my entire heart. Three times over.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is a f/nb sapphic Regency romance. Tommy is a master of disguise and wants to be loved for who she is, not the roles she plays. Phillipa has never been interested in guys but her parents are pressuring her to marry a titled man for political gain. When they meet to help a friend, with Tommy in character as Baron Vanderbean, sparks threaten to fly.

The amazing:

- We have a caper - one of Phillipa's friends came up with a cypher that her uncle stole, claimed as his own, and is now receiving a viscountcy for. The Wynchesters won't let that stand and are ready to "borrow" whatever proof necessary to correct the record.

- It's not instalove, and not a slow burn in the usual sense. The flame stays low due to the era and circumstance, but once a bed is introduced watch out!

- The difficulties queer folx faced in the Regency are not overlooked. How did sapphics find each other? What were their options when women were rarely allowed to have legal property? All discussed, along with the idea that sapphics have been around for much longer than society likes to acknowledge.

- The banter is laugh out loud funny, with many of the Wynchesters providing bon mots that made me cackle.

- There are earnest sections, too, about being the protagonist of your own life, being loved unconditionally for who you are, and justice for those who are overlooked by history.

- Tommy a nonbinary RAKE. We watch her cut a swath through a packed ballroom, leaving every woman - eligible, spoken-for, married - in a puddle at her feet. (I am also in that puddle.)

- While there are secrets they aren't kept long because hey, these are adults who communicate! And who don't want to deceive the person they're interested in! Imagine that! I get annoyed when books base a plot on the keeping or outing of a single secret, so this respectful communication is just my thing.

- We have a full exploration of how family is NOT an obligation. If you're an adult there's no rule that says you have to stay in contact with your parents because they're responsible for your birth. If someone isn't looking out for your well being, you have every right to cut them out of your life if you want.

- Needless to say found family is the foundation of this series and the Wynchesters are a sterling example of the trope.

- Phillipa and Tommy's relationship speaks to my heart and reminds me how important it is to be loved for who you are, that we deserve that respect, and we owe it to ourselves to ask for it.

4.5 stars rounded up because I fully expect The Perks of Loving a Wallflower to reach five on a reread. It's a must for any fan of romance.

This is a Wild Wynchester's romance about lesbian love.
As a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester can be a polite young lady—or a bawdy man.
Bluestocking Miss Philippa York doesn’t believe in love. Her 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 decode a centuries-old manuscript to keep a modern-day villain from claiming credit for work that wasn’t his. She’s delighted to discover the clever, charming baron at her side is in fact a woman. But as she and Tommy grow closer and the stakes of their discovery higher, more than just their hearts are at risk.
This is a fun book, funny at times and poignant at others.
Erica Ridley makes it fun to read such a tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Plot: Tommy Wynchester has been pining for Phillipa for a year now. Meanwhile, Phillipa is trying her best to not marry one of the titled gentlemen her parents keep suggesting. When a mutual friend is wronged, the Wild Wynchester family and Phillipa have to team up.

I really loved this one. Also, I think this is the first f/f historical romance I’ve read! Love to see some representation in historicals! Also, it seems like Tommy identifies as nonbinary, but clearly uses she/her pronouns.


Tommy’s arc is all about wanting to be loved for herself since she is constantly in costume and disguises. I loved when she talked about her family loving her for her. Phillipa wants to have the agency to make her own choices which felt very real for a woman in her position.

We also get a tad of fake dating/courting as Phillipa and one of Tommy’s disguises make a pact to court for a bit.

I just love the Wynchester family so much and it was a lot of fun being back in this world.

My only critique was that it felt a bit slow at times, but I think that is just how Erica Ridley’s writing is. It is very descriptive and the plot moves a bit slower than I would like, but it does allow for the characters to develop and grow.

I had a smile on my face throughout this whole read! The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is the sweetest ff historical romance filled with heists, schemes, thieving, disguises, bluestocking wallflowers, rakish eyebrow winks, codes, secret manuscripts, a homing kitten (like a homing pigeon, but an adorable kitten ☺️), and the greatest found family there ever was! It made me laugh so many times and just filled my heart with such joy and fun. While you can read this as a stand-alone, you’ll get more of the family history and characters by reading The Duke Heist first (and I’d even say to read the 2 prequel ebook novellas as well 😉).

Each of the adopted Wynchester siblings possess unique talents that help them to aid the downtrodden and the desperate; disguises, mapmaking, artistic talent, forgery, training animals to assist them, sword fighting…whatever they need for a case, they have the person to fill that role. Thomasina Wynchester (Tommy) is the master of disguises of her family. Their latest case arrives from Philippa and unveils a top secret military cipher that has been stolen from the original creator and is being passed off/credited to someone else. Philippa is there for vengeance, and to get out of a possible betrothal, but finds love along the way in the arms of Tommy…who has been pining over Miss Philippa York for over a year (you get more of their backstory in the previous book/novellas).

I adored Tommy so much in this book, she is such a delight and has fun with her disguises, I was laughing so much with her antics as Great Aunt Wynchester! But at the end of the day when the disguises come off, Tommy wants to just be loved and seen for who she is. Philippa’s character growth was really lovely to see, her parents have been pushing her into a society marriage and she definitely has to overcome her fear of going against society and disappointing her parents. Her connection with Tommy and the rest of the Wynchesters made her see she has to live for herself. I loved Philippa’s reading circle group of fellow bluestocking friends and how she is an avid book lover, her idea to put in small reading libraries in different neighborhoods was so fun. This book was just a delight from start to finish and I cannot recommend it enough!

Thank you to the publisher (Forever) for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The Perks of Loving a Wallflower has a publish date of October 26, 2021.

I voluntarily received a copy of "The Perks to Loving a Wallflower" via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was so unbelievably romantic.

Tommy is a master of disguise. She can become almost anyone and changes identities as the need arrives. However - there is nothing better then becoming herself again. Too bad as herself she is too anxious to talk to the girl shes been admiring from afar. Phillipa. The gorgeous blue stocking/wallflower that takes her breath away. Too bad her parents are intent on her making an advantageous match for their daughter that definitely does not include the notion of love.

Tommy is amazing. I love her. She plays the role of a gentleman rake quite a few times throughout the story and I was fully in love with her. There is no doubt why Phillipa could not help being drawn to her! Even when she thought Tommy was another boring male suitor.

Phillipa thinks there is something wrong with her. That her heart must be cold and dead because she doesn't want to marry a man and shes also never been attracted to one! After a whole lot of flirting though she comes to realise its the men not her thats not right in the situation and the one she wants is Tommy, a charming woman.

This was so great. And I think what I loved the most is that Tommy's family accepts her for who she is and by extension the women she loves. There is awkward scene telling her family or anything. They see that she loves this woman and thats that.

My rating is 4.5 but rounding up to 5!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the series but I think you can completely read it as a standalone and not miss a beat.

CW: discussions of queerphobia, death of a parent (past), grief, neglectful parents, sexism

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f courting of convenience
-historical romance
-friends to lovers
-a caper against the patriarchy
-a slow burrrrn
-a homing cat
-elements of a forbidden relationship
-sex education

I truly enjoyed reading the first book last year and was so pumped when I saw the teaser for this one. It did not disappoint. I love the message that this series has about famiily and about being your authentic self. Both Tommy and Philippa are ultimately looking for someone to love as their true selves. And the boiling sexual tension. It was a slow burn for very real reasons for the plot and the times but dear lord did I want to reach into the book and get those two together.

Tommy is the acting/costume wearing member of the Winchester family. While she identifies as a woman, there as an element of nonbinary and a real story about loving the preson you're with, not for their gender but for who they are. It made the love story even more tender. The adventure plot, the interactions with the Winchester family. This book was fun, exciting, and a gorgeous romance at the heart. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

Rating: 4.5
Steam: 3

"The Perks of Loving a Wallflower" by Erica Ridley
Something a little bit different
Another easy reading Regency Era romance by an author who can keep you entranced with her characters. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this story.. but I loved my time with Tommy & Philippa as they learned to be brave, and honest, with themselves and each other. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley.
This review is my honest opinion.

Gosh this was such a delightful romp! Tommy and her range of costumes and Phillipa and her giant, clever brain were a pair I couldn't help rooting for. This book is funny, charming, clever, and sexy. Loved it and have found a new author to add to my TBR.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower (The Wild Wynchesters #2) by Erica Ridley
Thomasina Wynchester (Thomasina Wynchester) and Miss Philippa York (a bluestocking) this is their story. The whole wonderful Wynchester family is in the story and as always they are great fun. There is angst, a problem or two solve,, schemes, a pushy mother, animals a W/W love story and some steam to get us to a HEA.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic Page-turner Entertaining Action-packed Great world building happily Ever After Funny Easy-to-read Wonderful characters

"As a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester can be a polite young lady - or a bawdy old man. She’ll do whatever it takes to solve the cases her family takes on. But when Tommy’s beautiful new client turns out to be the highborn lady she’s secretly smitten with, more than her mission is at stake...

Bluestocking Miss Philippa York doesn’t believe in love. Her 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 decode a centuries-old manuscript to keep a modern-day villain from claiming credit for work that wasn’t his. She hates that she needs a man’s help to do it - so she’s delighted to discover the clever, charming baron at her side is in fact a woman. But as she and Tommy grow closer and the stakes of their discovery higher, more than just their hearts are at risk."

I am all about the Regency romp lately!

What a sweet, adorable, loving book!

Tommy's pining for Philippa pulled at my heart strings and I felt so much for her. She knows who she is, what she wants, and her struggles to find happiness as herself was well done and I was cheering for her the entire time. Philippa on the other hand drove me nuts sometimes but it was always followed by growth. self-reflection, and acknowledgment that she is wrong and lashing out.

The problem they are trying to solve felt more like a device to drive their romance, it was fine, take it or leave it. There are strong themes of women('s work) being erased, a woman's societal value, and familial duty. Ohhh the familial duty is strong in this one!

I flew through this, my first FF romance.

A great fun regency romp. I enjoyed the escapades of the Tommy and Philippa very much, but was left wanting more to the book. Would recommend for fans of regency romance like myself.

This book two in a series - something not on the cover. As is becoming a regular occurrence for me, I have not read the first. Based on the ending of this one, there's likely a third brewing somewhere. This does serve as a standalone, however, and there aren't many issues with knowing what came before except a few passages that are explained/thought about by the characters.

Philippa York, the daughter of a well off but untitled family, is an intellectual and rapidly reaching her sell by date. Her mother is furious that she failed to marry a duke - this occurred in the last book, and there is enough context given here to understand at least that it didn't go through. What's a mother in Regency England to do? Work on finding her someone else to marry, who has a title and money, of course. For her part, Philippa despairs of finding a man who stirs anything within her.

Tommy (Thomasina) Wynchester is a master of disguises and has been pining for Philippa for at least a year. They apparently met during the previous book, but Tommy didn't have the guts to talk to her. These days, Tommy disguises herself as Aunt Wynchester, a regular attendee at Philippa's salons. Tommy is much braver when dressing up as someone else, and decides to dress up as Lord Vanderbean. While riding in the park, she speaks to Philippa and her mother, charming Philippa and at least not causing her mother to go ballistic.

Successful in the enterprise, Tommy continues to act as Tommy, and enters into a bargain with Philippa: Tommy will help Philippa find a suitable, titled man to marry by pretending that Tommy is wooing Philippa - after all, many people want most what it seems they can't have.

This works about as well as one might think, and eventually the charade breaks down, with Philippa rightfully accusing Tommy of deceiving her and Tommy not able to offer up much of a defense other than she wanted to be close to Philippa because she loved her.

There's a subplot that exists only to scuttle Philippa's engagement to a man with a title her mother approves of, involving the breaking of a cipher, done by one of the members of Philippa's salon and the credit for which is claimed by her cousin, the man to whom Philippa is now engaged. The entire Wynchester family gets involved to help gather the evidence to prove it is not his prize to claim. I'd have liked more on this, but it's a romance primarily, not a mystery.

Readers of Regencies in particular and romances in general will probably like this quite a bit. Ridley is a well-known historical romance author and knows how to weave a tale. My only real quibble is that the Wynchester clan doesn't seem to have a dud among the bunch, and Tommy herself doesn't seem to have many, if any, flaws beyond a crippling sort of stage fright as it relates to speaking to Philippa as herself and not Lord Vanderbean. Other than that, she's confident in everything that doe does.

For those who worry about such things, there are several sex scenes in the book; they are not terribly explicit, but if you like your sex scenes to be off the page, you may want to skip those pages.

Overall, a solid four out of five stars.

Thanks to Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the reading copy.

Philippa is a bluestocking and at 23 an aging wallflower. Her mother insists this is her season to marry a man with a title that can also help her father's political career. Her family is wealthy but with out rank. Tommy (Thomasina Wynchester), can slip into any disguise. She and her adopted siblings help the down trodden and those in need. Tommy poses as foreign Baron Vanderbean (a family title that is real but doesn't belong to anyone) to make Philippa's acquaintance. Philippa's mom sees the Baron's attention as something that will draw other titled men to her daughter. I love that Tommy lets Philippa in on her secret disguise so she isn't 'duped.

Philippa must sort out her mixed feelings. She is above all a dutiful daughter and has always expected to marry as her parents expect. There is a side story about a fellow friend and bluestocking that's idea for a cipher was stolen by her uncle. Getting the credit might also get him a title and Philippa's hand in marriage. This is delightful read. It is much like an Olivia Waite historical f/f romance with a lighter, fun touch. The romantic scenes are well written and the ending is believable for the time period. This is the second in a series involving romances for the Wynchester siblings but easily read as a stand alone. I've read a couple other books by the author and this is first queer romance I've seen from her. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

Tommy and Philippa are both different from other girls and women. If they can just get together then everything would be OK. Except both are female and that makes a difference. The Wild Wynchesters strike again. This is a fun series with some different love stories. If you dislike F/F stories you should skip but know that you are missing out on a entertaining story.

So this book is super fun!! Philippa is a bluestocking from a wealthy family (that's not from the ton) whose weekly book club is the highlight of her existence. Unfortunately her parents are really pushing for her to marry a nobleman, and they've told her she can't have her friends over until she starts really looking! Luckily for her, one of her friends' siblings, Tommy, is happy to enter into a fake relationship with Philippa to raise her (marriage) market value. If you know romance at all, then you know that fake relationships never stay fake. In fact, Tommy's been crushing on Philippa for about a year and is using this "fake" relationship to pursue more of a "real" courtship. So Philippa's got to deal with her real feelings for her completely ineligible suitor who's ALSO not faking any feelings for Philippa. Oh and did we mention? Tommy's not a boy, so there are more issues with "ineligibility" than the traditional Regency trifecta of fortune, family, and face.

It can be really tough to get into a queer historical romance, in particular, because there's just no way for a traditional HEA. The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is hilarious, poignant, sexy, and very fun - and is a true pleasure to read.

Absolutely loved this book!! Erica really can do no wrong. Her books are filled with intriguing plots, wonderfully fleshed out characters, humor and romance…and this one was no exception.

Tommy has been a wonderful character throughout the series and it was great to get her perspective. We knew she was excellent at disguises, funny, clever, and in love with Phillipa. But now we get to see all sides of her - how brave she is, how scared she is, how strong she is.

Phillipa has always been a cool character - very smart and pragmatic, and completely devoted to supporting women. She was always likable but a bit distant…until Tommy sparks something in her. It was great to see a character with a different type of sexuality - not always thinking about who’s attractive or how attractive a person is for their gender. Not everyone is always “on the prowl”.

I really felt for Tommy’s and Phillipa’s struggles - how they work through their own feelings as well as issues of the time. And the Wynchesters are amazing as usual, both in their support and their crazy shenanigans.

This book had a wonderful mystery as well - very centered on supporting women and just the perfect fit for the story!

Loved this book and ready for the next Wild Wynchester adventure!

I received an ARC from netgalley as part of Erica’s Review Crew. Review is my honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this book. It was different to the usual books by Erica Ridley but l wanted to see how Tommy would find a way to be with Phillipa. I was not disappointed and enjoyed the different disguises that Tommy changed into . There was a good storyline and looking forward to the next book.

Tommy Wynchester is secretly in love with Bluestocking Philippa, who is under pressure by her mother. Under the disguise of a. Baron, Tommy is finally able to converse with Philippa.

Their growing romance is handled beautifully. This is a charming, sweet, fun book.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.