I love a marriage of convenience, especially between opposites. Bluestocking Tabitha has scholarly ambitions, but needs a husband to get accepted into an intellectual society. She decides that second son and professional gambler Finn fits the bill, especially since he also needs to marry. As long as real feelings don't interfere, it's the perfect arrangement.

I enjoyed this but I wasn't super invested in Tabitha's academic quest. Still, it's a fun series.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I haven’t read a historical romance in a long time, and Eva Leigh has once again reminded me why I love the genre. She writes the sweetest characters, and I always enjoy getting to follow both perspectives throughout her books. Finn and Tabitha were truly perfect for each other and had a healthy, supportive relationship. It was sweet watching them grow closer to each other and communicate in the end about what they wanted after the third-act conflict. This is my fifth book by the author, and I’ll keep reading more!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of How the Wallflower Was Won by Eva Leigh.

Bluestocking meets handsome devil . This is one of my fav tropes , when opposites attract . Eva Leigh did a great job with this light-hearted story and just the right amount of spice.

Finn needs to find a wife within 8 months or his parents cut him off financially. Tabitha needs to find a husband so she can finally get accepted to the Sterling Society. Finn first thought to set her up with Dom his best friend who jilted his sister but he ended up winning her he teaches her about lovemaking and makes her fall for him then he says something that cuts her to the quick can he when her back I love how they fall in love but I think Tabitha should have told Finn about the guy who hurt her I just reviewed How the Wallflower Was Won by Eva Leigh. #HowtheWallflowerWasWon #NetGalley
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3.5 out of 5 ☆’s.

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I would like to thank Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review of the material! :)

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Gosh - I was **so excited** to read Finn and Tabitha’s story and it did not disappoint!

I was enamored with their romance as well as their overall characters! I liked seeing the appreciation that they had for one another not just as partners, but also as people.

I will say that I am not a fan of third act breakups — which is just a matter of personal preference — so I did have some issues with the argument and fallout that happened towards the end of the novel. I’m sure there are others that feel different than me in that regard, though!

I cannot wait to read more of Eva Leigh’s books in the future! :)

Eva Leigh is my historical romance goddess. She can do no wrong. Every book she has written that I have read has stood the test of time.

Eva Leigh's "How the Wallflower was Won" is a Regency romance that effortlessly blends wit, charm, and sizzling chemistry into a delightful tale of love and self-discovery.

Leigh's storytelling prowess shines as she introduces readers to a cast of characters who are not only endearing but also wonderfully complex. The transformation of the wallflower heroine into a confident, empowered woman is a joy to witness, and Leigh navigates this journey with sensitivity and authenticity.

The chemistry between the main characters is palpable from the first encounter, and Leigh skillfully builds the tension throughout the novel. The romantic elements are woven seamlessly into the historical backdrop, creating a world that is both enchanting and authentic.

Leigh's writing style is a true delight. The dialogue is sharp, clever, and infused with humor, making the reading experience thoroughly enjoyable. The pacing is well-executed, with each chapter propelling the story forward while allowing for moments of reflection and introspection.

In addition to the romantic plot, Leigh explores themes of self-acceptance and the power of inner strength. The characters' personal growth adds layers to the story, making it more than just a romance but a tale of resilience and finding one's voice.

This was achingly sweet and overall super soft.

We follow a romance between two characters that are mutually pining after one another, even after they enter their marriage of convenience. Fin needing to marry to get his inheritance and Tabitha needing to married so she can enter this science society thing.

Overall, I really enjoyed Fin and found him to be so sweet and soft and loved how smitten he was with Tabitha. He really was in love with her from first sight but felt like he wasn't good enough because he wasn't a scholar and he never learned how to read. I just love how over the moon he was for her and literally would be like "I simply don't understand why nobody has courted her because she's so amazing". Tabitha fell in love with him because of how sweet he was and caring (even though in the beginning Fin is trying to set Tabitha up with Dom). I also enjoyed the unexpected dirty talk from him during the steamy scenes because he truly was a gentleman in the streets but a freak in the sheets.

However, though I was incredibly bored by this book. There is no tension or angst between the characters and nothing felt high stakes. The middle of this book dragged tremendously and I found myself zoning out at times.

I think if you enjoy really sweet soft romances, you will really enjoy this because the characters were ultimately really cute and soft.

Marriage of Convenience trope! The Wallflower and The Scoundrel. What's not to love?
Our heroine, Tabitha, just wants to get into some society that, of course, won't let her unmarried self in.
Finn needs to get married, and Tabitha is looking like just the thing. Loved seeing these 2 fall in love!

3.5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this one as a whole. I love the opposite's attract dynamic with Tabitha and Finn and how they quickly become each other's biggest cheerleaders.

To be honest -- all you need to know about Finn is HE GIFTS HER A WHOLE LIBRARY EVEN THOUGH HE STRUGGLES WITH READING AND BOOKS GIVE HIM ANXIETY.

I had read the first three chapters of this one months ago and was confused so I set it down until I was able to read the first book in the series. And now after reading the first one it made more sense, but I wish the beginning stood on it's own a bit better because the beginning isn't that strong and it took me a bit to get invested in the story.

Eva Leigh's books are fun and face paced and I had a good time reading this one. This third act conflict was a bit annoying/resolved a bit too quickly for me (which I also thought in the first book) but it's fine.

I weirdly could relate to Tabitha in quite a few ways so that was interesting. She is bookish and passionate, but it was just some of the things she said that made me pause and see pieces of myself in her.

This was okay. Not as great as the previous book in the series. The third-act drama had me annoyed with the main characters - especially the FMC.

In the second installment of the Last Chance Scoundrels series, Finn Ransome, accompanied by his brother and best friend, unintentionally sparks a scandal that results in their families delivering a harsh ultimatum: secure a respectable marriage within a year or face financial estrangement. Meanwhile, Tabitha Seaton, a highly intellectual woman with aspirations to join an esteemed society of intellectuals, faces her own obstacles as the society adamantly excludes women, especially unmarried ones. Finn initially intends to find a suitable match for Tabitha among his acquaintances, but unexpectedly finds himself entangled in a marriage bargain.
This story is a delightful marriage of convenience turned real and heated relationship. The dialogue (and attitudes) were a bit too modern, but that's the case with many of today's historicals.

I really enjoyed the first half or so of this book - Finn trying to set Tabitha up with Dom was delightful, as was their initial attraction and marriage of convenience.

But the third act didn't capture me. Very possibly this is a reader-mood issue, but I wasn't loving the story.

Nonetheless, I remain a devoted Eva Leigh reader and look forward to reading the next in the series.

I received an ARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley, but actually read it months later.

I LOVED the first book in this series, so I was greatly looking forward to book 2, but I did not find it as strong overall as book 1. I felt like the first book in the series broke some new ground in terms of its representation, handling of consent, unique/unusual/surprising situations that the MCs found themselves in. While overall there was nothing wrong with this book, it executed a marriage of convenience well, it didn't capture my heart like other books have at times. The plot felt very predictable in this one to me, and I felt like I always knew exactly what was coming next. There were a few lovely moments, and I enjoyed the couple overall. There is some learning difference representation as well. Good, but not great for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an E-ar c in exchange for my honest opinion.

A new to me author I will definitely be checking out her other books. This was book 2 in the Last Chance Scoundrels series about Finn and Tabitha two opposites who are thrown together in marriage. I loved both characters Finn with his rakish ways and tender heart and Tabitha the intelligent wallflower who just wants to make a difference. This is a romance that is a slow burn that turns into an astute commentary on education and privilege. I highlighted many a quote in this book and found the characters and their interactions great with a surprising amount of smutty talk during the love scenes which delighted me, definitely not boring. My only complaint is the miscommunication between the leads that felt lasted a little too long and overly dramatic after so many scenes of open discussions. This regency romance has a surprisingly modern flavor to it that i found so refreshing compared to others.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the ARC copy for an honest review.

I love this series, and although this was not as good for me as the other two, I loved continuing in this world and their characters

Thank you NetGalley and AvonBooks for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

How the wallflower was won is the 2nd book in Last Chance Scoundrels series by Eva Leigh. The premise of this series is 3 friends (2 brothers and their best friend) who have to find a suitable wife before the end of the year or they will be cut off by their family as punishment for something they did. This book follows the 2nd brother Finn Ransom, a man who is more interested in gambling than in women and who made it his mission to find a suitable wife for his bestfriend Dominic, he thinks he found the right woman for him when a chance encounter reunites him with Tabitha, an intelligent nose in book woman. Tabitha needs a husband to be granted access to a men’s only secret club The Sterling Society, so when Finn suggests she gets to know his friend, she agrees but with time they both discover that Love isn't an exact science and when it comes to attraction all bets are off.

My Opinion :

It took me a while to read and review the book because I needed to be in a right headset while reading How the Wallflower was won. Glimpses of Finn in the first book made me curious to read his book and I'm glad I did. Finn is an MMC who isn't afraid to gamble in everything but matters of the heart, I found Finn to be precious, someone who was misunderstood and undervalued by the closest people in his life. Tabitha is an intelligent self assured woman, ambitious beyond her time, who when set on something, she does all it takes to achieve it and her becoming a member of Sterling Society. I loved everything about Tabitha and Finn. The thing I love most about this book and the first one, is how seemingly two different people share the same feeling of not been heard or appreciated, it makes the other person feel seen and valued and in both books, they find that one person who sees them for how wonderful they are and how amazing they can be despite of what society and family say, for me that's a soulmate.



I can't wait for Dominic's book.

Eva Leigh is one of my favorite romance authors. And I have read all of her books--every one. This series is my least favorite so far, and the tropes in this book just didn't work for me. Usually I love a bluestocking heroine, but I felt pretty meh about these two. Looking forward to book 3 way more.

I very much enjoyed the second installment of Eva Leigh’s Last Chance Scoundrels series. This is a marriage of convenience romance between Tabitha, a wallflower, and Finn, an earl’s second son. Both characters come to the relationship with some vulnerabilities that they are trying to hide, which serve as both sources of conflict and important points of connection and understanding. They’ve both been devalued by their parents and have had to work to find their own paths and self-worth. Because of that backstory, each is what the other needs in a partner because they see and appreciate their respective strengths, even as they both have a strong sense of independence.

I thought the first section of the book moved a bit slow, but once Tabitha and Finn decide that a mutually beneficial marriage is their best plan, the plot moves much faster. Their chemistry is pretty fantastic, and it’s interesting to see how increasing intimacy helps them open up to deeper feelings, even though they agreed at the start that their marriage was practical and not emotional. The communication between Tabitha and Finn is really good too; while they both do try to hide their vulnerabilities from each other, and along the way keep personal secrets, there is a lot of honesty between them, which I found refreshing for the historical romance genre. I also really enjoyed how much Finn is turned on by Tabitha’s intellect and how he gives her books and creates library experiences for her multiple times in the story.

There were a few points both Finn and Tabitha acted out of character that took me out of the story, and I thought the conflict toward the end of the story felt a bit sudden and forced. But overall the romance is really well done, and the resolution is handled as a meeting of equals, which I absolutely loved.

I did read the first book in this series but thought that this is a much stronger book, and I think it can be read as a standalone, without reading the prior book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I didn't realize this was a series. However. I enjoyed the characters story and plot
Great pacing a solid interesting read