i hasn’t read the series previous to this one so i had no expectations, but this was a fairly enjoyable regency romance story and miss venus was positively precious. it delivered a sweet romance and was super entertaining!

A fun Regency romance that I enjoyed from the very first page to the last! I hadn't read the first two books so I went to this one blind and I had great fun! This book hits the spot if you are in the mood for a good-written Regency romance! The main leads were fantastic and the story was a hoot. To sum up, pick up this book to finish up a good series. X

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After her sisters found love with their husbands, Miss Venus Merriwell knows that people are waiting to see her wed. But she's now 23, and though she's waiting nearly a decade for her prince, she's seen disappointment and disappointment, and knows she wants someone nothing like her gambler father. So when the only man to ever catch her eye, American Galahad Sinclair, spends most of his time at his gaming hell, she knows they can't be together. But as he's a cousin to her brother-in-law, they're in company too much for her liking, and she can't convince her heart that he's worth the risk.

I knew when we met Vee and Gal in the previous books that the chemistry between them was going to be special, and by god it was! Both of them thought the other was too stuck up or a risk taker for them to like, but that was just the outside persona that many saw. Because they were so often together, especially when the issue of ownership of the property next door to the orphanage came up, they were able to see what was under the walls they had put up, and be true with each other. I loved the heartfelt moments between them, where they really opened up about their past, and how it had affected them. They may have had bad first impressions of each other, but Vee and Gal were able to start over again, and working together proved they were worth fighting for. Both grew so much, and the inclusion of the orphan boys in particular, showed the hidden sides that they needed to see. A wonderful conclusion to the series, and I'm so happy we got to see all of the Merriwell sisters get the happy ending they deserved!

Spice and sauciness abound in Virginia Heath’s NEVER WAGER WITH A WALLFLOWER. A regency romance that pits two remarkably opposite people together,

Full disclosure: I did not read the other installments of Heath’s Merriwell Sisters series, and I doubt I will, as the final edition tells you all you need to know. Venus’ sisters are happily married, while she’s resorted to trying to win over an incredibly dull older man simply because he also likes to read. (And cue the ensuing tension at the heart of the story.)

Enter Galahad Sinclair — dashingly debonair and charming to boot, no one gets Venus quite up in arms like Galahad does. And yet, he has a fatal flaw, one that Venus can’t overlook: Galahad doesn’t just love to gamble, he runs several gambling dens, which is associated with heavy memories for Venus, thanks to her no-good dad.

Fate throws the two together, and quite suddenly — I bet you already guessed it — they go from playful bantering and longing, heated gazes to full-on making out in the middle of a street. From there, there are scenes peppered in where the two of them play cards, do nice things for orphans, eventually just dropping all pretenses and introducing full nudity. (Needless to say, this book is a lot.)

NEVER WAGER WITH A WALLFLOWER wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it also wasn’t consistently good. It’s a book of contradictions, made complex, thanks to a storyline that doesn’t just toe the line of cliché — it leaps past it:

And yet. if your guilty pleasure is an ol’ fashioned regency storyline — no, I’m definitely not talking about Bridgerton — this one’s for you.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

This entire series has been delightful and super entertaining! I do not know what it was about this book, I didn't find it boring or lacking, but I just kept being distracted from finishing it. This book me took me a lot longer than normal to finish, and I can't exactly out my finger on why. Nonetheless, Venus and Gal stole my heart! It was so great to watch Venus go through the metamorphosis, where she found her own strength and calling in life. And Gal made space to share his heart after being let down time and time again. And once they both put their differences aside and took a gamble on love, it paid out in dividends for them! So sweet, perfect slow burn!

First of all I must say that I skip over the spice in this series in order to fully enjoy it. That being said 'Never Wager with a Wallflower' is a delightful end to the Merriwell Sister's trilogy. I especially appreciated the filling out of the back stories of all the characters, but particularly with Gal and Venus. When one digs into their backgrounds and motivations it is completely fulfilling to jump into the story and anticipates the conclusions of a truly fun and enjoyable storyline. If one can overlook the sexual content it is a highly fun and enjoyable series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I have not read the other two books in this series but wasn’t lost in the story. I feel it can definitely stand alone. After reading Venus and Gals story I will be picking up the other two. I love the authors style of writing. It’s historical but flows easily. The banter between the characters is witty and keeps you engrossed in the story. It’s a slow burn with a few spicy scenes but nothing you can’t skim over if spicy isn’t your thing. Vee and Gal have great chemistry but both have to get over insecurities and past hurts. If you like a historical rom com I highly recommend. Now excuse me while I go download the other two books in the series!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

A fun conclusion to the Merriwell Sisters' Series. This enemies-to-lovers regency romcom has a great mix of witty banter and slow burn angsty vibes.

First book by this author for me. I it was a light, fun read. There were some steamy bits near the end, but easy to skip. I loved the beginning, it grabbed my attention right away but seemed to lag a little in the middle. But still, overall a fun read :)

“What I’ve never let you see before now . . . never even dared admit properly to myself before now because it scares the hell out of me . . .” His index finger found hers and reverently grazed it as he swallowed. “. . . is that I’ve honestly always wanted you in the forever sort of way, Venus.” His reluctant smile was one of resignation. Of fear and uncertainty. Of surrender. “And it turns out I’m just not strong enough to fight that anymore.”

-book three of the Merriwell Sisters series, historical romance, neighbours and mutual pining
-Galahad is such a softy! I loved his character. Venus and Gal made a really great couple and I was rooting for them through each and every turn 🩷
-this was such a cute and easy read and a nice end to the series
-thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

4.2⭐️

This is the third book in the "The Merriwell Sisters" series BUT it can be read as a standalone. This is the first book that I have read in the series and I didn't feel like I couldn't follow along because I hadn't read the previous ones. This book focuses on the youngest sister and her romance trip. The characters were likable and definitely pulled me in.

4/5 stars

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Never Wager with a Wallflower is the third and final book in The Merriwell Sisters trilogy, and it focuses on the youngest sister, Venus. Vee teaches at a local orphanage and does what she can to avoid Galahad, her brother-in-law’s brother. Gal has spent years working toward his dream of opening a pleasure palace, and his dreams are finally realized. However, when he learns he bought property next door to Vee’s orphanage unbeknownst to Vee, and their paths repeatedly cross, both characters must face their changing feelings for each other.

Vee and Gal have a wonderful, slow-building, enemies-to-lovers romance, and their love story was a fabulous conclusion to the series. Each chapter begins with a passage from Vee’s journal, which she’s kept for many years. It was so interesting to see how her thoughts, feelings, and desires changed from her younger teen years to adulthood. I also liked that each journal passage set the tone and offered a bit of foreshadowing for the chapter ahead.

Though they believe they are very different, Vee and Gal have a lot in common, which they learn the more they’re together. Both had difficult and tragic pasts, both have erected pretty strong walls, and they both have feelings for each other that they’re hesitant to reveal. This all makes for some great chemistry and terrific and sometimes antagonistic banter. They have some amazing conversations about books and Shakespeare that are fantastic! Vee and Gal learn that their first impressions of each other are not as accurate as they believed, and it was wonderful seeing their preconceptions change as they learn more about each other.

Vee and Gal have a slow-building love story. Both struggle with their insecurities and fears, as well as deep hurts from the past, and the story delves into these feelings and conflicts. It definitely deepens their connection, and it adds so much to their character development. I found myself so invested in their stories, and I really wanted them both to see how perfect they were for each other. However, between their misgivings, the walls they put up, and their fear (especially Gal) of opening up to others, there are a lot of obstacles in their way. Plus, Gal bought the property Vee thought was for the orphanage, and he isn’t transparent with Vee about it.

I also liked the secondary characters in the novel. The couples from the first two books are also in this one, but the stars of the secondary characters have to be the orphanage boys. I just adored them and how both Vee and Gal connected with them in different ways.

This was a delightful conclusion to the trilogy, and the epilogue was the icing on top of the cake. I loved it! Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Never Wager With A Wallflower is one of those books you pick up and your hooked from the start. After reading it I realized it was part of series and I am so excited to read the other two book. This is a cute book and it will grab the attention of all romance lovers.

Sorry to see this trilogy end but it did indeed on a very good note.

Venus/Vee locks horns with Galahad/Gal Sinclair since the moment they met until things change when they share a kiss. Vee finds there is more to Gal than he lets on.

This is a well-written, fun romance with lots of witty banter between Vee and Gal. Makes for an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Never Wager with a Wallflower" is the third and final book in Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters historical romance series. I've enjoyed all the installments in this series; they are kind of like comedies of error filled with light romance and plenty of historical details and context regarding the struggles and limitations of lower class society in 1800s London. This book follows the youngest Merriwell sister, Venus, and Galahad Sinclair, who is loosely connected to the sisters through marriage. These two have clashed for years and have an often comical antagonistic relationship throughout this book. I wish we had gotten more scenes with just Vee and Gal interacting, because I think it would have added more depth to their burgeoning relationship. My only other qualm is that the pacing was a bit odd; the story heavily follows side characters and stories for the first three-quarters of the book.

While I loved the first two books in this series, this one was a bit of a miss for me. The writing was still that wonderful style, with wholely British sayings and analogies (although I say that as someone from North America, so take it with a grain of salt), and I really loved seeing all the main characters from the previous books. The found family interactions were stellar, and they never ceased to make me laugh. This book delved a little bit deeper into the character's pasts, and how that was impacting their present view of the world, and therefore also interactions with others, which I think is wonderful. I am always team deeper character backstory. But I think there weren't quite enough of the fun silly moments like there have been in the past books to really make those moments pack a punch. I found in the other two books, there were just outrageous in such a fun way, and this one didn't quite have that same.

I think the biggest issue for me was the romance. There was certainly some banter and moments that had potential, but I never really felt the spark between Gal and Vee. The characters had internal moments of pondering on how they felt a spark at the other's touch and whatnot, but I just never found myself really buying into it. For me, their vibe felt more like long-time friends than romantic pining. This might have been in part due to the pacing, with the third act breakup being halfway through. I generally find Im more invested in slow-burn, and prolonged pining romance so this might just be a me thing.

All in all, even though this wasn't my favorite, it wrapped up the series really nicely. The epilogue at the end was really satisfying, and it have everything I needed to wrap it up.

I’m always so happy after I read a Heath book, the Merriwell sisters are great fun. Even though I hated their names, both Venus and Galahad were delightful idiots and the banter was really great. I especially liked the angle of the orphanage and his caring for her orphans, it’s was sweet and well done,

The beginning was a little slow but the story sucked me in about 30% in, I think perhaps if I had read the previous two books in the series I would have been sucked in sooner.

I did NOT appreciate the spicy parts of the book, they felt forced and frankly inappropriate for the timeframe of this book.

I did however enjoy the banter between the MC’s and felt their story was developed nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read an Advanced Copy of Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath!

This was an amazing final chapter for the Merriwell sisters. Each book shined in it's own way, but they also flowed and supported each other so amazing! We finally get to see the dreamy eyed youngest Merriwell sister, Venus, find her happily ever after. I loved seeing her own personal journey about expectations and what she wanted for herself in terms of life and love. This book is a true culmination of "never judge a book by its cover". Because Gal was the lovable playboy - you have expectations for him based on preconceived notions, but then he completely surprises you with his cinnamon roll heart at every turn.

This book can be read as a standalone, but I definitely recommend reading the first two books to this series because the relationship between the three sisters is such a strong theme throughout, and it makes each story so much more meaningful.

Never Wager with a Wallflower is the third and final book in Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters Regency rom-com series. The book follows the story of the youngest Merriwell sister, Minerva, who is determined to never marry. However, when she meets Hugh, a charming and handsome man, she finds herself drawn to him despite her best efforts not to fall in love.

The book is a fun read, with witty dialogue and great characters. The chemistry between Minerva and Hugh is palpable. The supporting characters, including the other Merriwell sisters, Giles, the butler, and the actress, all add depth to the story.

Heath's writing is engaging and immersive, transporting the reader to Regency-era England with ease. The pacing of the story is well-done, with just the right amount of tension and conflict to keep the reader engaged.
Overall, Never Wager with a Wallflower is a satisfying conclusion to the Merriwell Sisters series. Fans of Regency romance will enjoy this book and its charming characters. I highly recommend it.