Funny, heartwarming, absolutely worth the read. Can’t wait for the second in the series. Free ARC from NetGalley for honest feedback

I love it! Jess Michaels’s books never disappoints!
Lady Marianne has been a wallflower since her disastrous debut, but because since she always had a friend, Claudia, along the wall, she never minded much. But when Claudia dies and leaves her a beautiful jewelry box, and a hidden list of things her friend wanted to do in her life, Marianne begins to question what she knows about herself, her dreams and what could be possible for her future.
Sebastian, Earl of Ramsbury, has been best friends with Marianne’s brother for almost his entire life, and the two men have seen each other through it all. His friend’s edict never to turn his wicked ways on Marianne has always been easy to follow, she’s the only woman he’s ever considered a true friend and not a conquest. But when she starts acting strangely, asking for his help with the most unexpected and shocking things, he begins to see her in a different light…and want her in ways he never could have thought possible.
This is an amazing beginning for a new series! I’m already waiting for the next one. Marianne is a wonderful character. She is strong and resilient. Them being friends was amazing; the way he helps her and it’s there for her is beautiful to see. Sebastian is sweet, and sexy and really loyal. Jess has the ability to break my heart in a million pieces and mend it in the next paragraph. Her stories are full of steamy moments but also aghast, complex characters and meaningful dialogs.
I HIGHLY recommend not only this, but all her books.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Wallflower List (About An Earl #1) by Jess Michaels - 3 stars

I received an ARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I give this book 3 stars because it was a quick, enjoyable read that delivered on the promises of its premise. However, the story didn't leave a lasting impression—the characters felt flat and were ultimately forgettable.
The story follows Lady Marianne, who, after an unsuccessful debut, is content to remain a wallflower as long as she has her friend Claudia by her side. However, we only see their bond in a brief prologue, and after Claudia's death, we only witness Marianne's reaction to her absence. This loss propels the protagonist to take bold steps forward, but I would have loved more glimpses into their shared past to deepen the emotional impact, some stories about them together would have improved the story.
One of the scenes that got stuck to my mind was the scene of Claudia’s funeral. It portrayed how being a "wallflower" affects your social status even after you have left the world – only her family and her best friend graved for her. It not only affected the main female character, but it also made me consider mine social status and relationship. The idea of not leaving anything meaningful and memorable behind scared me - ​passing without a significant impact is haunting.
Lady Marianne receives a secret list with her friends wishes – her wildest desires and unachieved dreams. She is deeply affected and starts plotting how to do some of the stuff from the list. This is when Sebastian comes to play. He is the one who first sees Marianna’s strange behavior and suspects something is wrong. I found the relationship between the main characters a bit strange, I didn’t really feel their connection in romantic aspect. We could feel their physical attraction and the tension between them, but the emotional side was a bit lacking.
Sebastian’s character was also not that well-built. There was more from his story that we could have gotten that would have made his character deeper. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Lady Marianne’s development – how she became more confident in her own skin and started expeiriencing live. It was awesome to see her stand for herself and express her opinions.
The book is good quick read, and I would love to read more books from this author. I already have suspicions about who is going to be the next main character in the series and after reading the prologue sparked my interest.

Overall, a nice read which opens the door for even more interesting books in the future.
Some quotes that I have highlighted:
- "Perfect" he said softly. "Yoy are perfect"
- " I'm sure you have far better things to do than to spend time with me." He blinked at the statement. In this moment he could think of nothing he'd rather do than exactly that. Not one singular thing.

Thanks again to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen LLC for sending me this book and for giving me my first opportunity to review an ARC.

Jess Michaels is a very spicy author. This was a fun read and I look forward to the other titles in this series!

Wallflower Marianne is set on completing her late best friend’s list of scandalous activities and she unwittingly involves her brother’s best friend Sebastian on the scheme. She’s had a longstanding crush on Sebastian, but he has only ever seen her as a friend, especially since he is a huge rake and warned away from her by her brother. Now that Marianne is showcasing a bolder personality, Sebastian is very much drawn to her and trying to resist. However, their connection is more than just physical, and it will take some soul searching for Sebastian to realize he’s in love with her. Pretty straightforward plot here, with plenty of steam.

Lady Marianne has been a wallflower following a disastrous debut. Her best friend is fellow wallflower Lady Claudia.
Sebastian, Earl of Ramsbury has known Lady Marianne since she was a young girl, as he is best friends with her older brother. He is also a bit of a rake.
While it seems unlikely that Marianne and Sebastian will be more than friends, the universe has other plans. The unexpectedly swift death of Lady Claudia serves as the catalyst. A list she leaves behind helps to bind Marianne and Sebastian to each, but the road is not without dips and bumps. Their relationship goes from friendship to love in a most organic way, and it's quite pleasant to read & watch unfold.
This was my first time reading Jess Michaels but it will not be my last. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen for this advanced copy, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

I adored Marianne and Sebastian's story! I loved that she decided to do all the things that her friend had wished to do. I just loved watching these two together!

Marianne lost her best friend, Claudia, a fellow wallflower. Gifted a jewelry box after her death, she finds a concealed note of her friend's list of wishes to do before she dies. Marianne decides to fulfill the list herself with her brother's best friend, Sebastian, the Earl of Ramsbury.
Surprised at her requests, Sebastian is willing to do whatever she asks. But things are changing between them that leaves him confused and constantly thinking about Marianne. She sees the challenges on the list as opportunities to be closer to Sebastian, the man she loves. Will this bring them closer together or destroy their relationship?
A very clever trope with sizzling kisses and explicit sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

As always, Jess Michaels' writing doesn't disappoint and delivers it HOT!
After the death of her friend Claudia and finding Claudia's list lady Marianne realizes she is living a boring life. Even though she is happy to be a wallflower she sees what her future holds and she just wants to live. So she takes her friend's list as a sign and starts crossing things off it. But her brother's best friend Sebastian finds out and he decides to help...
I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author.

I would like to thank Netgalley and The Passionate Pen for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Boring, I didn’t find myself picking it up when I had better books to read.

A beautiful friends-to-lovers romance.

I found this book entertaining. I loved the two main characters, Marianne and Sebastian. I found the progression of their relationship fascinating and unique. The scenes between them have emotional moments. Their romance is adorable and passionate. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A great start to this new series! Marianne had a disastrous coming out years ago and is now just a wallflower with no prospects. After her best friend Claudia dies, she discovers a list Claudia had made a bucket list and she decides to set out and complete them for her friend.

Sebastian is her brother's best friend and she has always been attracted to him and he has always been fond of her as well. After she starts acting different because she is secretly doing the list, he is intrigued and has trouble staying away.

The romance is spicy and sweet and the story is so good. I can't wait for Finn's story!

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

What a sensual story! Marianne has no clue how the list she finds when her friend dies will change her life. It was enjoyable to see how she thought she knew herself, but she realizes there is so much more to her than she originally thought. As she and her friend Sebastian grow closer she lets go of society's opinion. Its wonderful to see Marianne and Sebastian open to each other share their past and find a way forward.

Jewelry box list....

When Marianne's friend and fellow wallflower dies and leaves her with a bucket list hidden in a jewelry box, Marianne gets a much needed kick in the pants and begins to check off Claudia's list.
Marianne enlists the aid of a a rake, Sebastian, her brother's best friend.
I really enjoyed this fast paced read with spice, of course, it is a Jess Michaels.
Recommend.

The Wallflower List is the first book in Jess Michael’s About an Earl series and can be read as a standalone. Lady Marianne, a wallflower since her disastrous debut, finds a hidden bucket list left by her late friend Claudia. Inspired to complete it, she seeks help from Sebastian, Earl of Ramsbury, who has always seen her as just a friend. As they grow closer, unexpected passions ignite between them. But will an old promise to Claudia stand in the way of their connection, or will Marianne's last wish be to fall in love with a charming rake?
It has been a while since I read anything by Jess Michaels but I am reminded why I do enjoy her books so much. This was a well-paced and entertaining read with many of my favourite tropes [rake/wallflower, brother’s best friend etc] all working well together. Marianne and Sebastian were a charming couple and I loved reading their story. Marianne’s relationship with her brother was really sweet.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

I really really really enjoyed this book! I was really glad that Sebastian was all in on Marianne and didn't question her list at all (I was fully expecting an annoying twist where he gets pissed when he finds out about the list, but that doesn't happen!) I liked that this book was pretty short by historical romance standards, so I didn't have time to get bogged down in any details or extraneous plot.

Lady Marianne is a wallflower and never much minded until her friend and fellow wallflower, Claudia dies. Claudia left Marianne a jewelry box and inside she discovers her friends bucket list. Marianne decides to complete the list for her friend but will need some help and gets her brother’s best friend Sebastian to help. What will happen when they begin to fall for each other? Fast-paced read with great characters, plenty of drama and emotion as well as steamy chemistry. This is a great start to a new series, and I am looking forward to more. I loved it.

Lady Marianne, sister to the Earl of Delacourt, was a wallflower who started to enjoy her life after the untimely death of her best friend Claudia. After she finds a list Claudia made for herself in a jewelry box she left to her, Marianne decides to act on the things contained in the list. Sebastian, the Earl of Ramsbury, is a friend of Marianne’s and best friend to her brother. The Wallflower List is a perfect example of what can happen when an assumed spinster lets her hair down and becomes daring with someone she trusts to keep her safe and also keep her secrets.🔥🔥💕💕. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review

The Wallflower List by Jess Michaels
About an Earl #1

An author that never lets me down ~ Great beginning to the series ~ Can’t wait for book two!

What I liked:
* Lady Marianne: quiet, unassuming, wallflower, crush on Sebastian, good friend, loving sister, caring, good listener, grows a lot in this story
* Sebastian: an earl, a rake, best friend to Marianne’s brother Finn, Marianne’s friend, had a difficult childhood, avoids emotional entanglements, grows a lot in this story
* Claudia: Marianne’s best friend, wallflower, dies too young, has dreams, leaves a life changing gift to Marianne
* Finn: Marianne’s older brother, an earl, kind, protective, good friend, caring, seems to have something on his mind, looking forward to his story in book two of this series
* The strong friendships: Marianne and Claudia, Finn and Sebastian, and Sebastian and Marianne
* The open communication between the characters
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* That Marianne was no wilting flower but a bud waiting to open
* That Sebastian needed a key to unlock his emotions and found it in Marianne
* Claudia’s list and how it impacted both Marianne and Sebastian
* Knowing that Finn’s book is next
* Everything except…

What I didn’t like:
* Both main characters’ parents – it wouldn’t be easy growing up with them
* Thinking about how women were relegated to wallflower status and what that meant for their futures

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

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Aww I just loved Marianne, she was just too wonderful. She was caring but not a push over which can be such a fine line for FMC. She has a crush one the one man who always seemed out of reach and ,in her opinion, see her as her brothers kid sister. She has worked hard to be a wallflower and has decided she doesn’t want to blend in anymore. Sebastian was lovely too kind, caring, the correct amount of jealous cause I LOVE that especially on paper. And her brother, I kind of wish we understood him a little more in the context of their relationship, but he was so good to Marianne. I’m smiling and I can’t seem to stop. This just gave me the warm and fuzzies while being very open door and hot. I can’t wait to read the next. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.