Never A Wallflower #1
“You look like a drowned rat.”
Edward, Duke of Thornfield
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book never really drew me in. The plot is straightforward, as two people from different classes and with drastically different personalities are thrust together and come to love each other. I found it hard to stay engaged due to an excessive number of adjectives, abrupt time shifts, and disappearing items.
My biggest issue with this book was the author’s writing style. Especially the first part of the book is loaded with adjectives. Every other noun it felt like had a descriptor. There is also a jarring disconnect between some scenes that make it seem like both scenes are happening simultaneously, or there is no time between them. In one continuity error, an article of clothing is mentioned explicitly but is gone a little while later when the character had no chance to change clothes. ( I read an ARC, so some of these issues may be gone from the book’s final version.) I was entertained by the word flibbertigibbet cropping up. I haven’t heard or seen that in a long time.
The protagonists have unique personalities. Edward appears to have Aspergers or a mild form of Autism. He fails miserably with social cues but, with hard work, can function in society. Georgiana doesn’t seem to pick up on these clues, giving her a flashpoint temper, sometimes to the point of unreasonableness. Aunt Agatha is the only one with a stable temperament throughout the book.
The plot wasn’t complicated, and it also didn’t bring anything new to the genre. It’s a simple story of two souls spiraling towards each other and a happy ending.
If you’re looking for an easy, mostly sweet read, this book is worth checking out. It didn’t strike my fancy, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth reading.
This book arrives in bookstores February 9th, 2021.
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