My Darling Duke (The Sinful Wallflowers, 1) Mass Market Paperback – December 31, 2019

I was under the weather and ended up staying in bed reading all day and I've never been happier. I devoured this book and if I hadn't already been sick, I may have invented an illness just so I wouldnt have to put it down. I was so emotionally involved with Kitty and Alexander. Ms Reid wove their highs and lows with such skill that I found myself crying for them. Their romance is so sweet but also heartbreaking at times.There is a hint of a Beauty and the Beast theme here (even interestingly mentioned by the characters), though Alexander was never truly a beast, despite his appearance and troubles. He does snap occasionally but it usually without real bite, and even when he is gruff or brutish it is clearly because of his physical pain or a stoic defensiveness. Most of the time though he is charming and caring and supportive of Kitty, his family and even his servants. The quips and playful barbs between Kitty and Alexander are just adorable, and you can truly feel the friendship and bond that they are forming. I loved how strong and daring Kitty was, but how she was also gentle and thoughtful. The chemistry between them is great and you feel for them so deeply as they deal with some difficult issues and intimate situations.The invent-a-finacee storyline was given a fun and unique twist and was well plotted. Supporting characters were fleshed-out and interesting, leaving you wanting more from them. A great start to the series!

There’s no feeling quite like finally crossing a book off your TBR list after it’s been sitting there forever. I’m so glad I finally picked this book up! I have read a Stacy Reid book in the past, and it was just okay, but I really enjoyed this one.The overall premise of this book was so good. The heroine makes up a fake engagement with a reclusive duke to elevate her family in society thinking he will never find out, but of course he finds out and he’s not angry but rather intrigued. Also, with a bit of a Beauty and the Beast retelling thrown in? Yes, sign me up!I think the heroine is one of the biggest highlights of this book for me. Kitty was wonderful—creative, witty, soft, and as the duke would say, adorably impudent. Alexander was sweet, stoic, and just precious. I wanted to wrap him up in bubble wrap and keep him safe forever. I can’t resist a scarred hero and I think those parts of this book and Alexander’s character were so well done. It wasn’t as if his physical limitations were magically cured or forgotten, they were always present and handled with care, in my opinion.All in all, I was quite impressed with the writing in this book. Reid’s prose is like a breath of fresh air—so vivid and captivating. Ultimately, I settled on four stars; I deducted a star because this was a super slow burn, and because of that I felt that the middle dragged just a little. However, the romance was wonderful and precious, and it’s really unlike any historical romance I’ve read. This book is romantic, sweet, and a little bit heartbreaking. You may need a tissue or two if you pick this one up.

This book kept a smile on my face as I read. I was invested in this couple and couldn't put this book down.

This novel was absolutely beautiful and the writing is so captivating and rich. I think Stacy Reid has such a wonderful way of drawing the reader into her stories and making us care so deeply about her characters. This novel has the lovely undertones of a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I think that Stacy Reid does this with such a gentle and loving hand, that is not over the top but sweetly below the surface of the story.Kitty is a wallflower whose only thoughts are on how she can help her sisters and mother. Alexander is a reclusive duke who has keep himself out of society after a tragic accident that has left him scared with trouble walking with out the aid of a cane or the use of a wheelchair. After Alexander becomes aware that Kitty has claimed to be his fiancee, he becomes intrigued with who this she is and starts to investigate her. I loved watching how Kitty, who many people overlook, shows that she is strong and capable. I love how Kitty and Alexander help each other grow and learn to love. It was so lovely to watch all of their sweet moments alone, it was wonderful watching Alexander slowly learn to hope again and to understand that his abilities should not hold him back from reaching for his dreams.I think Kitty and Alexander learn that through their love they do not have to compromise on their dreams, they learn that their dreams are achievable, just maybe not in the exact way they originally thought. I think this is a beautiful love story in which Alexander learns to grow, and trust Kitty with himself and Kitty learns to fight for her love.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. The story was quite original, and I loved Kitty's daring plot. (And the whole idea of the wallflower club is wonderful). The Duke was very well portrayed as well. My only complaint is that the book is about 50 pages too long. There is SO MUCH ANGST going on in the plot, and I think it's too much. Both Kitty and the Duke ruminate endlessly about their feelings for one another, and much of it really needed to be cut out and tightened up by the author. I ended up skipping over those repetitive parts. But the overall book is worth reading