New Top-Ten Favorite Author

What made the experience of listening to Wicked Wallflower the most enjoyable?
Maya Rodale is now one of my favorite authors. The combination of the really good story and a excellent narrator made this a most enjoyable read and listen. Emma is a wallflower who put her trust into the first fellow (the wrong one) who noticed her and mistook what should have been friendship for "love". Due to some coincidences involving sherry, a letter, a marriage-minded mama and a duke in need of money she becomes fraudulently engaged to the Duke of Ashbrooke. And the fun begins.

What did you like best about this story?
Ms Rodale writes a very humorous story. Emma may be a wallflower but she is clever and very witty. Ashbrooke may be a charming rake, but he also thoughtful and considerate and very witty.The verbal duals between them are great fun. Aunt Agatha's Fortune Games were hilarious. What I thought was going to be the usual plot with maybe a twist was actually a fresh approach to the Regency Romance genre. I think she read some of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. It is in the same vein.

What does Carolyn Morris bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
The narrator, Carolyn Morris, added just the right pop! She really does voice characterization well, whether male or female. Her Ashbrooke was so smooth and charming. At times you couldn't tell a woman reading a man's lines.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I laughed all the way through the book. There were some sad moments (a couple of tears were shed, too), when Ashbrooke's past was revealed and another tragic lost, but on the whole ... very, very funny.

Any additional comments?
I do suggest Ms. Rodale read Lisa Kleypas or Stephanie Laurens to learn how to properly pen a love/sexual scene. The few scenes she added were a little lackluster and could have been more interesting and imaginative. It didn't detract much from the story, but, it would have made it stronger. #tagsgiving #sweepstakes #Funny #HappyEnding

12 people found this helpful

An Adorable Relief!

I've been listening to a lot of HR's with a darker mystery component lately, and they're making me anxious when I want to relax! I've really enjoyed them, but lately I've been thinking about uploading my Lisa Kleypas collection for a change of pace. I still might, but Maya Rodale has given me exactly what I needed in this one.

The plot of Wicked Wallflower is clever, amusing and very well written, without the heavy drama or scary villains. The characters are original and the HEA is satisfying in a sweet and sexy way. I'm enjoying this respite from the tension of the darker books immensely, and plan to work my way through this fun series and anything else this author has to offer.

Carolyn Morris is awesome, as always.

Highly recommended.



FYI: for anyone who is interested, my rating system is based purely on whether or not I feel I've wasted my time and/or money. My Audible books are my Dragon Hoard, and I like to find the GOLD!

5 STAR: Happy dance!!! Goes in the vault so I can listen to it again and again. Love the author and the reader! (Highly recommended.)

4 STAR: Great read for it's genre, but no fireworks. Maybe the reader takes away from the enjoyment? Will re-listen and may enjoy it more the second time. (Recommended.)

3 STAR: OK read, but unlikely to re-listen unless plot inspires me or it's part of a good series. Or it could be a good book with a really bad reader. (Just OK Dog.)

2 STAR: Waste of my time. Usually a bad reader or silly plot. (You've Been Warned.)

1 STAR: This may as well be a 0 stars. Bad plot, silly TSTL Character(s) and/or a really bad reader. Usually returned for a refund, though I may keep just to review it, if it really inspires me to rant. (I'm disgusted.)

9 people found this helpful

What a fun read!

I totally enjoyed this book. The hero and heroine were fantastic. Loved all the wonderful witty dialogue, there was so much of it! The Fortune Games theme was great. Loved Aunt Agatha!

Great chemistry between Blake and Emma, with a couple very nicely written sex scenes.
Loved the story line.

I really like this authors writing style. I have read\listened to all her books in The Writing Girls Series.


The narrator did a great job. I really like listening to Carolyn Morris, she is relaxing to listen too and she does give all the characters their own distinct voice and does the men's voices well.

9 people found this helpful

Great characters, cute story

It seemed to me that the Duke was more wicked than the heroine, but then ... I was especially fond of the proposal scene after the Duke of Ashbrooke discovers his betrothal posting in the gossip magazine. I liked this book and the only disappointing part was the bit of mind rambling by the author. Certain thoughts were repetitive and exhausting but overall the story was very interesting. Loved how a rake was transformed. Not a likely romance especially since the Duke had ruined a set of twins prior to this escapade but still an interesting read.

6 people found this helpful

Laugh out loud funny romance

I totally enjoyed this.

It may not have been completely accurate in its historical aspects but this was a totally entertaining book. I laughed a lot. The main characters were great. Blake has become one of my favorites. The Wallflowers will provide some great stories. Emma's story starts the series off well in this book when The Letter gets sent. That gets her into a situation that's delightful to watch unfold.

Great narration. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

5 people found this helpful

Wallflower wins the day!

Any additional comments?

First of all, Carolyn Morris does an excellent job (as always). An engaging narrator who really captures the characters' personalities, Morris is #1 with me.The story is quite good fun. A wallflower with a plucky heart who comes to believe in herself, a handsome hero who finds out what love is really about, and a good supporting cast all come together to provide good entertainment.

4 people found this helpful

2nd listen & still love it!

I have loved every Maya Rodale book I've listened to, and that is every one Audible has!
They are fun, heart-stoppingly romantic, and dramatic. Historical romance at its finest.

NARRATOR : Carolyn Morris is definitely not one of my favored narrators. She seems to have a limited range of voices..... you know who is speaking but sometimes a voice is over acted to be it's own. Her ability to subtlety differentiate between the characters is lacking. However I do listen to her .with.?

HEAT FACTOR. A 2. Very steamy moments oonly.

3 people found this helpful

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!

Perfect story, Perfect Narration! My favorite audiobook by far! Can't wait to read the next books in the series!

3 people found this helpful

I don't normally write reviews

That being said I adored this book !! The bantering back and forth kept me enthralled ! It was a very sweet and sexy romance . I just loved the characters

2 people found this helpful

More Swindling Spinster than Wicked Wallflower

It doesn’t quite have the humor of Tessa Dare or the clever dialogue of Lisa Kleypas, and the nooky was tamer than Julia Quinn, but as a sale purchase, this was a fun, mostly lighthearted listen. Morris has a great voice for regency romance and manages to deliver a decently dashing rendition of Blake. The only downside for me was her voicing for Emma and her two fellow wallflowers, who all sounded the same. The contrived accidental engagement started off great, got endearingly absurd in the middle with Aunt Agatha’s Fortune Game, and stalled at the end with overblown conflict and far too many ping-ponging chapters back and forth between H/h’s POV and their endless doubts as to the other’s true feelings. Finally, the hanky-panky was decidedly not “wicked” as the title suggests, but was instead kind of awkward, with two oral interludes at once vague and explicit, and a lackluster close considering the slow burn to get there. Still, this was good enough for me to wishlist the next two books to await a sale.

1 person found this helpful