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The Unconventionals #1
Lord Worthing's Wallflower
Miss Juliette Aston is facing a deadline. This is her third London Season and her father has declared it will be her last. If she doesn’t find a husband this year, she can simply retire with him to the country where she can continue as his housekeeper. Juliette would like nothing better than to find a husband and start a family. There’s only one problem: she is simply invisible to the men of London society. She’s never mastered the art of small talk or mindless flirting, and she lacks the golden beauty and musical laughter of her best friend and society’s reigning debutante, Eleanor. It doesn’t help that she would rather discuss a scandalous novel rather than the weather or a gentleman’s new horse. Then there’s her unfortunate sense of humor which seems to shoot right over the heads of the men she does meet.
Jacob Wilding, Baron Worthing, had not thought to marry in the near future. He is not against the institution, rather, he is loathe to settle for one of the indistinguishable young misses that populate London society, for wit and intellect do not seem to be prerequisites for a young lady’s debut into the ton. His father, worried that Jacob is simply not looking hard enough, uses his own failing health to…encourage his son to settle quickly. Jacob’s father pushes him toward Lady Eleanor Chalcroft and loath to disappoint his sire, Jacob sets out to court her, only to discover that he is more interested in her wallflower friend, Juliette Aston.
Jacob Wilding, Baron Worthing, had not thought to marry in the near future. He is not against the institution, rather, he is loathe to settle for one of the indistinguishable young misses that populate London society, for wit and intellect do not seem to be prerequisites for a young lady’s debut into the ton. His father, worried that Jacob is simply not looking hard enough, uses his own failing health to…encourage his son to settle quickly. Jacob’s father pushes him toward Lady Eleanor Chalcroft and loath to disappoint his sire, Jacob sets out to court her, only to discover that he is more interested in her wallflower friend, Juliette Aston.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2016
254 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Morrison
20 books29 followersWriting has always been a part of Michelle's life and it was love of writing that led her to graduate magna cum laude with a degree in Professional Writing which she then used to write and edit technical manuals and reports for Los Alamos National Labs and Sandia National Labs. Needless to say, such writing left her craving something....juicier. After 8 historical romances and one historical fiction novel, she realized there was just as much to explore with characters from the modern world.
Michelle has always enjoyed telling deeply personal stories with characters who are flawed and complex but who grow and change through the course of the book. Her tenth book, The Space Inside, is an intimate and modern exploration of the chasm that grief causes a mother and daughter, and their reconciliation through an inexplicable message from outer space.
Michelle has always enjoyed telling deeply personal stories with characters who are flawed and complex but who grow and change through the course of the book. Her tenth book, The Space Inside, is an intimate and modern exploration of the chasm that grief causes a mother and daughter, and their reconciliation through an inexplicable message from outer space.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 30, 2021
Regency. I learned of this new writer. IMO the first 1/2
was better than the 2nd. This had potential.
Jacob, a baron (& earl's heir) courted beautiful Lady
Eleanor, with encouragement from his sire and her's.
His father (with a secret heart ailment) wanted the
wedding by the end of the season.
Juliette, bookish dtr of a baronet (who had a science
avocation IE insects), was Eleanor's bestie and in her
shadow. The h's Great Aunt Constance assisted her
in wearing more: colorful & flattering clothes. And
learning to talk to men. Mama's boy Theo courted her
for a time. But was accepting him 'just settling?'
Juliette wanted to gain a sweetheart by being herself.
The MCs fought their attraction from the start (push-
pull & up-down). Juliette ran or walked away from him
several times and didn't want to be disloyal to her BFF.
Eleanor acted mostly indifferent toward Jacob. She and
the H needed to talk plainly about their real feelings.
Jacob took entirely too long to make up his mind that
Juliette was his soulmate.
Revised.
was better than the 2nd. This had potential.
Jacob, a baron (& earl's heir) courted beautiful Lady
Eleanor, with encouragement from his sire and her's.
His father (with a secret heart ailment) wanted the
wedding by the end of the season.
Juliette, bookish dtr of a baronet (who had a science
avocation IE insects), was Eleanor's bestie and in her
shadow. The h's Great Aunt Constance assisted her
in wearing more: colorful & flattering clothes. And
learning to talk to men. Mama's boy Theo courted her
for a time. But was accepting him 'just settling?'
Juliette wanted to gain a sweetheart by being herself.
The MCs fought their attraction from the start (push-
pull & up-down). Juliette ran or walked away from him
several times and didn't want to be disloyal to her BFF.
Eleanor acted mostly indifferent toward Jacob. She and
the H needed to talk plainly about their real feelings.
Jacob took entirely too long to make up his mind that
Juliette was his soulmate.
Revised.
May 27, 2017
I don't like giving one star ratings, but this book was infuriating. The H, and I use the term loosely, spent most of this book being an absolute idiot. He had no spine and no thought for himself. At thirty years old. Ugh. And per Regency-ish rules, no one communicated meaningfully and would then become upset because others didn't read between the lines.
The mention of the H's mistresses did nothing except to make me dislike his character more. It did nothing for the story and only seemed to be added in just because the author was checking off a list of must haves. I was actually mad when I read about this brief mention of the H's life. It was inserted late in the story (at around 70%) and took me by surprise since it was completely incongruous with the H's character. I would much rather have had him just be a genuinely nice nobleman, without any mention of paramours and such.
The h was a ninny in her own way. She was such a Debbie Downer and I really couldn't stand her "woe is me" attitude. Her father wasn't great by any means, but at least he was still providing for her. She didn't need to keep herself off the streets as it were. She made the best of her lack of looks and dowry, but I think she must have been secretly repressed and depressed. Too many mentions of how beautiful her friend was and how plain she was started grating very early on in this book. I'm honestly surprised I managed to finish this.
The language was definitely modern, containing idioms and other elements that I'm pretty sure weren't used at the time period of this story. There were also quite a few grammatical and word usage errors that need to be fixed. Overall this is a book to be skipped.
The mention of the H's mistresses did nothing except to make me dislike his character more. It did nothing for the story and only seemed to be added in just because the author was checking off a list of must haves. I was actually mad when I read about this brief mention of the H's life. It was inserted late in the story (at around 70%) and took me by surprise since it was completely incongruous with the H's character. I would much rather have had him just be a genuinely nice nobleman, without any mention of paramours and such.
The h was a ninny in her own way. She was such a Debbie Downer and I really couldn't stand her "woe is me" attitude. Her father wasn't great by any means, but at least he was still providing for her. She didn't need to keep herself off the streets as it were. She made the best of her lack of looks and dowry, but I think she must have been secretly repressed and depressed. Too many mentions of how beautiful her friend was and how plain she was started grating very early on in this book. I'm honestly surprised I managed to finish this.
The language was definitely modern, containing idioms and other elements that I'm pretty sure weren't used at the time period of this story. There were also quite a few grammatical and word usage errors that need to be fixed. Overall this is a book to be skipped.
September 3, 2016
An OK book by a potentially good writer.
I don't actually want to rate this as a 3-star read, as it's better written than most of the HR books I've come across by new writers. She's not a brilliant stylist, but Michelle Morrison can put together a scene and delineate a character very competently. I had no problems in reading to the end of the book. I'm conscious that sounds like damning with faint praise, but compared to many other authors, she knows what she's doing.
Unfortunately, the "plot" is slightly too slight, and certainly too unconvincing to carry a complete story. Her heroine makes some quite outrageous decisions - historically & culturally implausible decisions - that undermine the virtues of the rest of the book. However, I hope Michelle Morrison's next book is more coherent, and I shall be looking out for it.
I don't actually want to rate this as a 3-star read, as it's better written than most of the HR books I've come across by new writers. She's not a brilliant stylist, but Michelle Morrison can put together a scene and delineate a character very competently. I had no problems in reading to the end of the book. I'm conscious that sounds like damning with faint praise, but compared to many other authors, she knows what she's doing.
Unfortunately, the "plot" is slightly too slight, and certainly too unconvincing to carry a complete story. Her heroine makes some quite outrageous decisions - historically & culturally implausible decisions - that undermine the virtues of the rest of the book. However, I hope Michelle Morrison's next book is more coherent, and I shall be looking out for it.
May 24, 2024
I like this writer’s style, word choices, references, and imagination. And I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book. However, something happened midway, and the style of the book changed. There were more errors and too much repetition of the same scenes between characters. The book felt too long to support the plot, so the characters had to repeat their miscommunications and missteps too often. The change in the characters came too late in the book which means that their habitual back-and-forth misunderstandings—and even flirtations—went on endlessly. Nonetheless, I appreciate the writer.
The intelligent and witty Miss Juliette Aston is a wallflower by choice, although she blames Society’s men for her unpopularity. That’s not the truth, of course, something we hope she will come to learn as the story unfolds. Lord Jacob Worthing, heir to the Earl of Beverly, is one of the ton’s perfect bachelors; he is tall, dark haired, handsome, and fit. He’s also intelligent and witty. Both these characters are strong and easy to picture.
The two main characters are joined by many supporting friends, relatives, and others. Lady Eleanor Chalcroft is Juliette’s best friend. Although they are portrayed as very different physical, intellectual, and emotional types, they are actually quite similar. They share a friendship that is well depicted. Joining Eleanor is Juliette’s widowed aunt, Constance Smithsonly. She is the only secondary character to have her own character arc. She has a complete turnaround from a negligent aunt who has little to do with Juliette to becoming her niece’s champion as Juliette struggles to become her own person. Lord Hugh Stalwood is Jacob’s best friend, although he appears to be a lush with a dubious sense of humor. Juliette’s father plays an odd role. He is in the background, a true absentee father, who sees Juliette’s worth as a servant and assistant in his entomologic experiments; he is two-dimensional and used by the writer to show how he contributes to Juliette’s feelings of unworthiness.
Some of the supporting characters’ names are interesting. Lord Elphinstone, for instance. He is ponderous and I found it quite impossible not to think of an elephant when reading his name. Cassandra de Courtney is another good name; the young woman fancies herself a queen at court with a gaggle of ladies in waiting flocking around her. Juliette’s aunt, Constance Smithsonly, becomes a beloved constant in Juliette’s life. Lord Hugh Stalwood is Jacob’s stalwart friend. Our two protagonists, Juliette and Jacob, have names that sound good together, too.
My favorite character in the book is Aunt Constance, who assumes command of Juliette’s final Season in London. She states, “It is time to visit the modiste. One must be suitably armed when preparing for battle, and no captain of mine will be outgunned.” That is the quintessential Aunt Constance.
The plot is simple. Juliette finds Jacob unbearably handsome. Jacob tries hard to forget about Juliette who is wholly inappropriate for him. Everyone—and I mean everyone—around them snaps to the fact that they are made for each other. Juliette and Jacob, however, are horribly slow to realize this. That’s the plot. Comprising the book are scenes that depict them sparring, apologizing, sharing intimate thoughts and personal histories, and creating a relationship that is more than friendship but which neither will pursue, although both wish to.
Ms. Morrison’s Shakespeare references are perfection. When Juliette paraphrases Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing,” it feels so right. (“He is too costly to wear every day.”) Juliette says this upon viewing Lord Jacob Worthing for the first time. It fits him perfectly. Later, when Juliette is defending her friend, Lady Eleanor, she quotes Kate from “Taming of the Shrew.” (“…best beware my sting.”) In the play, this was said to Petruchio and, although Juliette says it to Cassandra de Courtney, it feels like a harbinger of Juliette and Jacob’s relationship. Later in their friendship, Jacob asks Juliette if any more Shakespearean quotations come to mind when she thinks of him. She says yes, “In our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one.” She quotes Beatrice again, and it's an enjoyable scene.
I enjoy Ms. Morrison’s word choices. For instance, Juliette is invisible at assemblies and balls because she makes herself so. She has an inordinately small opinion of herself. The writer tells us, [Juliette] “had not danced with any man more than once last night, had scarcely had conversation with any of them, unless it was as an adjunct to Eleanor.” How awful, but that’s the perfect word, “adjunct,” which is something supplementary and non-essential to something else. In a word, that is how Juliette perceives herself.
Another word choice that made me laugh was “erinaceous.” When he is trying not to think of her, Jacob hears words that Juliette uses and he normally does not. This one comes from Erinaceus, a genus of hedgehog, and it means to resemble a hedgehog. It is another example of wordplay from the writer. Juliette is very much like a hedgehog, certainly prickly as one.
The writer seems to enjoy the phrase, “forbore from” because she uses it a lot. Every writer has a word or phrase that they’re particularly fond of; I think this is hers. Each time I read it, I chuckled; perhaps not the desired reaction, but it is an odd phrase to be reading so often. One problem is that the word, “forbear” (past tense, forbore), does not always require the preposition, “from.” Using the preposition depends on “forbear” being used as a transitive or intransitive verb.
Ms. Morrison makes scenes come to life; however, the number of scenes is excessive. At 78% completion, I was ready for the book to end. And it could have ended easily around chapter 33, I think. The remaining chapters appear to prolong the story with repetitive actions. There are just too many scenes of the characters misunderstanding each other, of failing to ask what the other means, of determining that the other is not appropriate for themselves. Jacob feels that only Lady Eleanor will do for a wife. Juliette feels certain she is unworthy of a husband, overlooked as she is by the men of the ton.
While both characters eventually figure out what readers will have ascertained during the first chapters of the book, it takes entirely too long for them to get there. Juliette is never allowed to blossom, so insistent is she on believing that nobody saw the “real her” before her aunt transformed her into a beauty, even when Eleanor, her best friend, tells her that his “new her” is as real as the old one. I think that should have been developed further. Jacob is pretty clueless throughout, but he is a pretty face.
There are some unusual behaviors that would never have occurred in the Regency era. For example, Lady Eleanor has Jacob smelling (!!!) Juliette when they are first introduced. At least the writer has the good sense to remark on how unlikely and unbecoming this behavior is. Still…it is extraordinarily bad.
There are some errors, most occurring after the first half of the book. For instance:
There is a missing modal verb here: “But Jacob suspected he slowly go insane…” This might be better as, “But Jacob suspected he would slowly go insane…”
There is an unusual turn of phrase: “…they could enjoy a good laugh of it over a drink.” A good laugh of it? I think it would read better as, “…they could enjoy a good laugh about it over a drink.”
The plural form of a noun is used rather than the singular: “This suspicion was further supported by the presences of his father…” This should be, “…the presence of his father…”
Two words are strung together inappropriately: “…rather forward thinking in regardsto women…” That should be, “…in regard to women…”
A comma is missing here: “Come here gel.” A comma is needed to separate the command to “come here” and the person being addressed, “gel.” This should read, “Come here, gel.” The aunt is calling Juliette a girl, or “gel,” in Regency-speak.
The wrong pronoun is used here: “After a moment her retuned his attention to Juliette…” That should be, “…he returned his attention…”
A plural verb is used when its singular form is required: “…just to makes sure I’m perfectly composed.” This should read, “…just to make sure…”
There is an odd indentation that causes the reader to pause:
I like the rhythm of the conversation, but the indentation ("I would like that.") makes me pause. What does it mean? I think it is simply a typo but am not altogether sure.
N.B.: in the book, it is more obvious than what is illustrated here.
Here, there is a paragraph of Jacob speaking and reacting:
This appears to be Jacob speaking, but actually Juliette speaks the last sentence. Juliette should have her own paragraph. It causes a reader to stop and reread to figure out who is really speaking.
I rated this book 3.5 stars and rounded up because it is a better than average 3-star book despite some shortcomings. I enjoy this writer’s style and will definitely look for more of her books in my reading future.
The intelligent and witty Miss Juliette Aston is a wallflower by choice, although she blames Society’s men for her unpopularity. That’s not the truth, of course, something we hope she will come to learn as the story unfolds. Lord Jacob Worthing, heir to the Earl of Beverly, is one of the ton’s perfect bachelors; he is tall, dark haired, handsome, and fit. He’s also intelligent and witty. Both these characters are strong and easy to picture.
The two main characters are joined by many supporting friends, relatives, and others. Lady Eleanor Chalcroft is Juliette’s best friend. Although they are portrayed as very different physical, intellectual, and emotional types, they are actually quite similar. They share a friendship that is well depicted. Joining Eleanor is Juliette’s widowed aunt, Constance Smithsonly. She is the only secondary character to have her own character arc. She has a complete turnaround from a negligent aunt who has little to do with Juliette to becoming her niece’s champion as Juliette struggles to become her own person. Lord Hugh Stalwood is Jacob’s best friend, although he appears to be a lush with a dubious sense of humor. Juliette’s father plays an odd role. He is in the background, a true absentee father, who sees Juliette’s worth as a servant and assistant in his entomologic experiments; he is two-dimensional and used by the writer to show how he contributes to Juliette’s feelings of unworthiness.
Some of the supporting characters’ names are interesting. Lord Elphinstone, for instance. He is ponderous and I found it quite impossible not to think of an elephant when reading his name. Cassandra de Courtney is another good name; the young woman fancies herself a queen at court with a gaggle of ladies in waiting flocking around her. Juliette’s aunt, Constance Smithsonly, becomes a beloved constant in Juliette’s life. Lord Hugh Stalwood is Jacob’s stalwart friend. Our two protagonists, Juliette and Jacob, have names that sound good together, too.
My favorite character in the book is Aunt Constance, who assumes command of Juliette’s final Season in London. She states, “It is time to visit the modiste. One must be suitably armed when preparing for battle, and no captain of mine will be outgunned.” That is the quintessential Aunt Constance.
The plot is simple. Juliette finds Jacob unbearably handsome. Jacob tries hard to forget about Juliette who is wholly inappropriate for him. Everyone—and I mean everyone—around them snaps to the fact that they are made for each other. Juliette and Jacob, however, are horribly slow to realize this. That’s the plot. Comprising the book are scenes that depict them sparring, apologizing, sharing intimate thoughts and personal histories, and creating a relationship that is more than friendship but which neither will pursue, although both wish to.
Ms. Morrison’s Shakespeare references are perfection. When Juliette paraphrases Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing,” it feels so right. (“He is too costly to wear every day.”) Juliette says this upon viewing Lord Jacob Worthing for the first time. It fits him perfectly. Later, when Juliette is defending her friend, Lady Eleanor, she quotes Kate from “Taming of the Shrew.” (“…best beware my sting.”) In the play, this was said to Petruchio and, although Juliette says it to Cassandra de Courtney, it feels like a harbinger of Juliette and Jacob’s relationship. Later in their friendship, Jacob asks Juliette if any more Shakespearean quotations come to mind when she thinks of him. She says yes, “In our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one.” She quotes Beatrice again, and it's an enjoyable scene.
I enjoy Ms. Morrison’s word choices. For instance, Juliette is invisible at assemblies and balls because she makes herself so. She has an inordinately small opinion of herself. The writer tells us, [Juliette] “had not danced with any man more than once last night, had scarcely had conversation with any of them, unless it was as an adjunct to Eleanor.” How awful, but that’s the perfect word, “adjunct,” which is something supplementary and non-essential to something else. In a word, that is how Juliette perceives herself.
Another word choice that made me laugh was “erinaceous.” When he is trying not to think of her, Jacob hears words that Juliette uses and he normally does not. This one comes from Erinaceus, a genus of hedgehog, and it means to resemble a hedgehog. It is another example of wordplay from the writer. Juliette is very much like a hedgehog, certainly prickly as one.
The writer seems to enjoy the phrase, “forbore from” because she uses it a lot. Every writer has a word or phrase that they’re particularly fond of; I think this is hers. Each time I read it, I chuckled; perhaps not the desired reaction, but it is an odd phrase to be reading so often. One problem is that the word, “forbear” (past tense, forbore), does not always require the preposition, “from.” Using the preposition depends on “forbear” being used as a transitive or intransitive verb.
Ms. Morrison makes scenes come to life; however, the number of scenes is excessive. At 78% completion, I was ready for the book to end. And it could have ended easily around chapter 33, I think. The remaining chapters appear to prolong the story with repetitive actions. There are just too many scenes of the characters misunderstanding each other, of failing to ask what the other means, of determining that the other is not appropriate for themselves. Jacob feels that only Lady Eleanor will do for a wife. Juliette feels certain she is unworthy of a husband, overlooked as she is by the men of the ton.
While both characters eventually figure out what readers will have ascertained during the first chapters of the book, it takes entirely too long for them to get there. Juliette is never allowed to blossom, so insistent is she on believing that nobody saw the “real her” before her aunt transformed her into a beauty, even when Eleanor, her best friend, tells her that his “new her” is as real as the old one. I think that should have been developed further. Jacob is pretty clueless throughout, but he is a pretty face.
There are some unusual behaviors that would never have occurred in the Regency era. For example, Lady Eleanor has Jacob smelling (!!!) Juliette when they are first introduced. At least the writer has the good sense to remark on how unlikely and unbecoming this behavior is. Still…it is extraordinarily bad.
There are some errors, most occurring after the first half of the book. For instance:
There is a missing modal verb here: “But Jacob suspected he slowly go insane…” This might be better as, “But Jacob suspected he would slowly go insane…”
There is an unusual turn of phrase: “…they could enjoy a good laugh of it over a drink.” A good laugh of it? I think it would read better as, “…they could enjoy a good laugh about it over a drink.”
The plural form of a noun is used rather than the singular: “This suspicion was further supported by the presences of his father…” This should be, “…the presence of his father…”
Two words are strung together inappropriately: “…rather forward thinking in regardsto women…” That should be, “…in regard to women…”
A comma is missing here: “Come here gel.” A comma is needed to separate the command to “come here” and the person being addressed, “gel.” This should read, “Come here, gel.” The aunt is calling Juliette a girl, or “gel,” in Regency-speak.
The wrong pronoun is used here: “After a moment her retuned his attention to Juliette…” That should be, “…he returned his attention…”
A plural verb is used when its singular form is required: “…just to makes sure I’m perfectly composed.” This should read, “…just to make sure…”
There is an odd indentation that causes the reader to pause:
“Every night?”
“Well, I suppose I could read to you as well.”
“I would like that.”
“Of course you would. I do voices.”
“Voices?” He asked with some confusion.
I like the rhythm of the conversation, but the indentation ("I would like that.") makes me pause. What does it mean? I think it is simply a typo but am not altogether sure.
N.B.: in the book, it is more obvious than what is illustrated here.
Here, there is a paragraph of Jacob speaking and reacting:
“Why is that?” Jacob asked, grinning at the look of pure contentment on her face. “Because my life is so full of happiness and peace.”
This appears to be Jacob speaking, but actually Juliette speaks the last sentence. Juliette should have her own paragraph. It causes a reader to stop and reread to figure out who is really speaking.
I rated this book 3.5 stars and rounded up because it is a better than average 3-star book despite some shortcomings. I enjoy this writer’s style and will definitely look for more of her books in my reading future.
March 8, 2024
Don't these people ever talk to each other? The h and her best friend unfortunately seemed to reinforce each others' weaknesses. The H was his father's clone and worked to please to the extreme. The mother of the H was a strong character and did finally intervene in her son's misconceptions. The h had been ignored by her family until finally an older Aunt came and took her under her guidance. The BF of the h used her to cover her anxieties and lack of depth and could get away with it because she was a beauty. The h did not pursue her feelings for the H because she felt that he only loved her friend...who she would only love and support.
They did finally clarify things and achieve their HEA, but whew it took long enough.
They did finally clarify things and achieve their HEA, but whew it took long enough.
April 24, 2020
Trying to find a worthy replacement to Georgette Heyer and Clare Darcy, I read Lord Worthing's Wallflower. Not witty at all, Morrison uses good dialogue to move her story along, but it is much too long and has no bubbly moments and lots of sex. Much more than most. Although most probably more realistic, Georgette Heyer would be sorely troubled.
July 9, 2024
Confidence...confidence...oh where are you? Miss Juliette Aston is best friends with fellow debutante, Lady Eleanor Chalcroft. They are both in their 3rd season in London and both have been told they must marry this season.
Juliette feels that she is invisible to the Ton while Eleanor is a diamond of the first water. Eleanor always has a large entourage around her and her dance card is always full. She is beautiful, lovely, and has a mesmerizing laugh but seems lacking in intelligence. Juliette is quick witted and very intelligent but a wallflower. Juliette is also very loyal to her friend.
Jacob Wilding, Baron Worthing, is handsome, rich, and his father is an Earl. His father also has a weak heart and his greatest wish is for Jacob to marry. He decides that Jacob should marry Lady Eleanor but Jacob would rather marry for love and there is no spark with Eleanor. Her friend, Juliette, doesn't flatter him or smile like he is exceptional in any way but she invades his thoughts.
At a house, party Jacob gets to know Juliette quite a bit more and he is fascinated by her wit and dry humor. They both enjoy penny dreadfuls and horrids.
Jacob's father has a severe attack and the doctors tell the family he may not recover. Jacob wants to please his father so he dutifully asks permission to court Lady Eleanor. Lady Eleanor does not seem all that interested in him though, but Jacob perseveres.
Jacob and Juliette share a scorching kiss in the garden and he tries again to change his father's mind but his father is fixed on Lady Eleanor.
Only one man has shown any interest in Juliette and he is dull...dull. Juliette's father is surprised when Juliette acquiesces to his request to court her. She has been told by her father that if she doesn't marry by the end of the season she must return home with him and become his housekeeper, hostess, and his assistant in his scientific experiments.
I liked this book very much; however, there were so many grammar mistakes that I deducted a point in my rating. I noticed that the author did not have an editor and she needs one. She may have a degree in writing technical manuals but she needs proofreaders and a good editor.
Here are some examples:
pg. 314 "she though she saw movement"
pg. 218 "after a moment her returned his attention"
pg. 160 " what Lord Worthing made about she and Mr. Pickering"
pg. 123 " they could host an event in a barn and have their guests would depart"
pg. 56 they all attend a ball and the next morning Juliette receives an invitation 4 days later???
pg.74 Lady Eudora Wilding referred to as Lady Chalcroft.
pg. 74 Jacob looked to his. ( his what?)
These are just a few of the mistakes I found but there were many more.
Juliette feels that she is invisible to the Ton while Eleanor is a diamond of the first water. Eleanor always has a large entourage around her and her dance card is always full. She is beautiful, lovely, and has a mesmerizing laugh but seems lacking in intelligence. Juliette is quick witted and very intelligent but a wallflower. Juliette is also very loyal to her friend.
Jacob Wilding, Baron Worthing, is handsome, rich, and his father is an Earl. His father also has a weak heart and his greatest wish is for Jacob to marry. He decides that Jacob should marry Lady Eleanor but Jacob would rather marry for love and there is no spark with Eleanor. Her friend, Juliette, doesn't flatter him or smile like he is exceptional in any way but she invades his thoughts.
At a house, party Jacob gets to know Juliette quite a bit more and he is fascinated by her wit and dry humor. They both enjoy penny dreadfuls and horrids.
Jacob's father has a severe attack and the doctors tell the family he may not recover. Jacob wants to please his father so he dutifully asks permission to court Lady Eleanor. Lady Eleanor does not seem all that interested in him though, but Jacob perseveres.
Jacob and Juliette share a scorching kiss in the garden and he tries again to change his father's mind but his father is fixed on Lady Eleanor.
Only one man has shown any interest in Juliette and he is dull...dull. Juliette's father is surprised when Juliette acquiesces to his request to court her. She has been told by her father that if she doesn't marry by the end of the season she must return home with him and become his housekeeper, hostess, and his assistant in his scientific experiments.
I liked this book very much; however, there were so many grammar mistakes that I deducted a point in my rating. I noticed that the author did not have an editor and she needs one. She may have a degree in writing technical manuals but she needs proofreaders and a good editor.
Here are some examples:
pg. 314 "she though she saw movement"
pg. 218 "after a moment her returned his attention"
pg. 160 " what Lord Worthing made about she and Mr. Pickering"
pg. 123 " they could host an event in a barn and have their guests would depart"
pg. 56 they all attend a ball and the next morning Juliette receives an invitation 4 days later???
pg.74 Lady Eudora Wilding referred to as Lady Chalcroft.
pg. 74 Jacob looked to his. ( his what?)
These are just a few of the mistakes I found but there were many more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2018
I adored this. The romance was super sweet and just perfect. I liked the main characters. Juliette was smart and witty. The back and forth between her and Jacob was hilarious. I really enjoyed that Juliette and Jacob get to know each other. There's no instalove. There's no insta attraction. Instead they talk. To be fair, they mostly fight at the start, but they actually learn things about one another and ask things and build at the very least a friendship. Only once they have laid the groundwork do they then fall in love. But although I felt like it developed slowly and steadily - I think the book moves a lot faster - I'm not sure that's it more than a few weeks. Still there's enough interaction for me to feel content that they honestly like each other and are well suited.
Eleanor while not being the sharpest tool in the shed was endearing and I'm looking forward to picking up her book. I did get a bit annoyed towards the end, there was a lot of umming and aahing over what to do - and it just dragged on a bit too long for me (I really just wanted to bash their heads together and it annoyed me further that neither Eleanor or Lady Wilding or even Constance clearly called them out) to really give this five stars. It's probably a bit under four but not enough for 3.5 more like 3.9. I would've enjoyed this more if instead of the drama we saw more of the secondary characters and the main characters interactions with them - i.e., Jacob's family, Eleanor to really flesh this out. Ignoring that though, the romance was adorable.
Eleanor while not being the sharpest tool in the shed was endearing and I'm looking forward to picking up her book. I did get a bit annoyed towards the end, there was a lot of umming and aahing over what to do - and it just dragged on a bit too long for me (I really just wanted to bash their heads together and it annoyed me further that neither Eleanor or Lady Wilding or even Constance clearly called them out) to really give this five stars. It's probably a bit under four but not enough for 3.5 more like 3.9. I would've enjoyed this more if instead of the drama we saw more of the secondary characters and the main characters interactions with them - i.e., Jacob's family, Eleanor to really flesh this out. Ignoring that though, the romance was adorable.
January 11, 2021
This could have been a five star book. Unfortunately, the hero and the heroine were not very likable. The first reason was that although much was discussed about being different and having higher expectations, they both came down to being very wishy-washy. The second reason this book was not better was, because it was too long. This author should look at the old regencies. The writers of regencies from Jane Austen through Mary Ballogh know enough to keep the book as short as possible in order to tell the story without filler. This book was so repetitious with lengthy conversations that were not in the Regency style or necessary to the plot. The good things about the book was that the plot was fantastic and even though I did not like any of the characters except for maybe Eleanor, they were well developed. So, I will not be reading any more books by this author, I will be checking in periodically to see if she has gotten better at picking more appealing characters and shortening her books to eliminate some of this on and on and on and on which is not even necessary to the plot or the development of characters.
November 19, 2022
What you have is a regency romance so you can be pretty sure that things will turn out all right in the end.
Juliette is a wallflower and is nearing the end of her time in the social 'find a rich husband' scene. Why some men feel pressured to get married is covered. A character named Rose is Jewish and works at a shirt factory.
There is a guy interested in Juliette but he's not much of a prize in the marriage market. The unwanted suitor is pressuring her to get married but her heart is elsewhere.
As usual there are various things going on that block any quick success for Juliette but the nice part above novels like this is they almost always end up with a happy ending and you don't have to worry about major crime, people being murdered or any other things like that.
Juliette is a wallflower and is nearing the end of her time in the social 'find a rich husband' scene. Why some men feel pressured to get married is covered. A character named Rose is Jewish and works at a shirt factory.
There is a guy interested in Juliette but he's not much of a prize in the marriage market. The unwanted suitor is pressuring her to get married but her heart is elsewhere.
As usual there are various things going on that block any quick success for Juliette but the nice part above novels like this is they almost always end up with a happy ending and you don't have to worry about major crime, people being murdered or any other things like that.
October 5, 2020
5 STARS, REGENCY ERA, the TON, MARRIAGE MART
This interesting use of conversations filled with an intellectual & humorous wit with doses of Shakespeare stood out next to long tiresome conversations about fabrics, buttons, gloves, pets, or just a constant giggling that could drive some away with headaches, to drinks of liquor, or all the way to their Club. I loved this read, my 1st M.M. book I don't know how I have missed reading her before but starting with Book 1 of this Series was a thrilling way to experience her and this book will go on my Favorites list. Recommend
This interesting use of conversations filled with an intellectual & humorous wit with doses of Shakespeare stood out next to long tiresome conversations about fabrics, buttons, gloves, pets, or just a constant giggling that could drive some away with headaches, to drinks of liquor, or all the way to their Club. I loved this read, my 1st M.M. book I don't know how I have missed reading her before but starting with Book 1 of this Series was a thrilling way to experience her and this book will go on my Favorites list. Recommend
April 3, 2022
best friends need to talk
I enjoyed this story. The characters are typical, but written with wonderful details that made me care what happens to them. But it is frustrating when half the book could’ve been avoided by one conversation between Juliette and Eleanor. They are best friends and Juliette doesn’t want to poach on Eleanor’s almost fiancée. One conversation and there could have been more between Jacob and Juliette. As the real conflict was between Jacob and his father wishes. It felt artificial, which bothered me because the characters were done so well.
I enjoyed this story. The characters are typical, but written with wonderful details that made me care what happens to them. But it is frustrating when half the book could’ve been avoided by one conversation between Juliette and Eleanor. They are best friends and Juliette doesn’t want to poach on Eleanor’s almost fiancée. One conversation and there could have been more between Jacob and Juliette. As the real conflict was between Jacob and his father wishes. It felt artificial, which bothered me because the characters were done so well.
January 10, 2025
Fresh, New & Exciting
I read many books of these historical, romance, fan fiction genres and it's quite a surprise to run into something so well written with endearing. This had interesting characters that doesn't fall too far from the norm but is fresh enough to keep you interested and involved. I thought this book was delightful, well paced and just a great fun read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
I read many books of these historical, romance, fan fiction genres and it's quite a surprise to run into something so well written with endearing. This had interesting characters that doesn't fall too far from the norm but is fresh enough to keep you interested and involved. I thought this book was delightful, well paced and just a great fun read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
May 4, 2022
lord Worthing’s wallflower book one
I gave a4* rating due to editing errors but it is a5* rating story.author is a very talented story teller with depth of characters and descriptions of background characters and scenery without being overly descriptive .love,true friendship and following your heart ❤️ ❣️💃🏻☺️💔👍🏻🤷🏻♀️🙀HEA ending
I gave a4* rating due to editing errors but it is a5* rating story.author is a very talented story teller with depth of characters and descriptions of background characters and scenery without being overly descriptive .love,true friendship and following your heart ❤️ ❣️💃🏻☺️💔👍🏻🤷🏻♀️🙀HEA ending
July 15, 2024
TOO LONG
While this was a nice plot it was unnecessarily drawn out with days and weeks passing in between intervals while the characters didn’t speak, sabotaged or misread other characters to the point that I skimmed the last few chapters to get to the blasted end. Many long chapters could have easily been removed to move the plot along- while the characterizations were ok they seemed fairly emotionally dense - again, not necessary to get to the forgone conclusion.
While this was a nice plot it was unnecessarily drawn out with days and weeks passing in between intervals while the characters didn’t speak, sabotaged or misread other characters to the point that I skimmed the last few chapters to get to the blasted end. Many long chapters could have easily been removed to move the plot along- while the characterizations were ok they seemed fairly emotionally dense - again, not necessary to get to the forgone conclusion.
October 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this book the characters are well developed and likable. this is a story of a young lady that feels she is not worthy of true love, so she has to settle for any gentleman that show interest.
May 20, 2021
Invest the time, well written.
Excellent regency romance. Not stuffy the story flowed nicely, loved the use of unusual words, only critique was the use of forebode to often.
Jacob and Juliette were very believable in being in love. Good dashes of humor, very pleasant read.
Excellent regency romance. Not stuffy the story flowed nicely, loved the use of unusual words, only critique was the use of forebode to often.
Jacob and Juliette were very believable in being in love. Good dashes of humor, very pleasant read.
October 8, 2021
Best Reading
This is the best book I have read in a long time. It was witty and fun to read. It was written in such a way that I felt like I was present in the story. I can not wait to read more from from this author. She actually made the book come alive in my head.
This is the best book I have read in a long time. It was witty and fun to read. It was written in such a way that I felt like I was present in the story. I can not wait to read more from from this author. She actually made the book come alive in my head.
May 29, 2022
So dry
This book is so very dry and the references to Shakespeare cringeworthy. 45 chapters of characters talking, endlessly talking. James thinks Eleanor is hot, but has far more in common with Juliette.
This book is so very dry and the references to Shakespeare cringeworthy. 45 chapters of characters talking, endlessly talking. James thinks Eleanor is hot, but has far more in common with Juliette.
March 13, 2023
Lord Worthing's wallflower!!!
The love story of Juliet and Jacob was told with great wit. Quite enjoyed from beginning to end. Will look forward to reading more work written by Michelle Morrison.
The love story of Juliet and Jacob was told with great wit. Quite enjoyed from beginning to end. Will look forward to reading more work written by Michelle Morrison.
January 24, 2020
Well written and engaging
Loved the plot, originally scripted and engaging throughout. I will read more books by this author. The series follows a really sweet friendship.
Loved the plot, originally scripted and engaging throughout. I will read more books by this author. The series follows a really sweet friendship.
February 6, 2020
Wallflowers
Thank you for the beautiful story, from a wallflower who sees this story as her own. May all wallflowers find happiness.
Thank you for the beautiful story, from a wallflower who sees this story as her own. May all wallflowers find happiness.
August 22, 2020
Romance
Thank you for sharing these wonderful romance novels series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you
Thank you for sharing these wonderful romance novels series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you
November 14, 2021
I enjoyed this book! I was totally vested in Jacob and Juliette romance. I am going to start book 2. I would recommend this book.
August 24, 2023
Happy Ending
Both leading characters were too slow coming to the point- too much dithering, but it came to a happy end.
Both leading characters were too slow coming to the point- too much dithering, but it came to a happy end.
December 22, 2023
Not captivating enough
It's drawn out for no reason. I feel like the author didn't know how to keep the story together so she fills in additional words just to drag the story out.
It's drawn out for no reason. I feel like the author didn't know how to keep the story together so she fills in additional words just to drag the story out.
February 18, 2017
I loved Juliette and Jacob, and I am particularly partial to historical romances. The story did get a little long winded in the middle but still a lovely read
July 28, 2016
Very good story! 3.5 stars :D
Main characters?
Juliette is simply extraordinary. She says what she wants to say, always speaks her mind, is a wallflower but likes to try things out and she is determined to find someone who will finally see her! Like, really see her. Love that about her.
In the end, though, I can’t say she is a strong female character. There were just too many instances when she pitied herself.
The future Earl? Well, he ignores Juliette when he is with the woman he thinks he is supposed to be his, and that’s just soo wrong and a no go. I mean, seriously? Ignoring her? Sure, he does it deliberately but isn’t that just even meaner?
He embarrassed her multiple times. I didn’t like that. On the other hand, I enjoyed their banter.
And then of course, towards the ending, it’s so clear that he is such a coward!!
I hated that he continuously talks about the most beautiful El. Plus, he is never jealous. So all in all, I didn’t really have the feeling that he was good enough for Juliette.
Writing style?
Good, but soo many mistakes: who’s – whose; quiet – quite; effect – affect; their – they’re… That’s so disappointing and interrupted the reading flow.
Plus, there were some consistency errors. The future Earl tells Juliette about his sister and in a later conversation she’s surprised that he has a sister. Yeah, right…
Plot
It was a good one, there was no real conniving woman which was refreshing.
All in all, good story, good main female character.
Main characters?
Juliette is simply extraordinary. She says what she wants to say, always speaks her mind, is a wallflower but likes to try things out and she is determined to find someone who will finally see her! Like, really see her. Love that about her.
In the end, though, I can’t say she is a strong female character. There were just too many instances when she pitied herself.
The future Earl? Well, he ignores Juliette when he is with the woman he thinks he is supposed to be his, and that’s just soo wrong and a no go. I mean, seriously? Ignoring her? Sure, he does it deliberately but isn’t that just even meaner?
He embarrassed her multiple times. I didn’t like that. On the other hand, I enjoyed their banter.
And then of course, towards the ending, it’s so clear that he is such a coward!!
I hated that he continuously talks about the most beautiful El. Plus, he is never jealous. So all in all, I didn’t really have the feeling that he was good enough for Juliette.
Writing style?
Good, but soo many mistakes: who’s – whose; quiet – quite; effect – affect; their – they’re… That’s so disappointing and interrupted the reading flow.
Plus, there were some consistency errors. The future Earl tells Juliette about his sister and in a later conversation she’s surprised that he has a sister. Yeah, right…
Plot
It was a good one, there was no real conniving woman which was refreshing.
All in all, good story, good main female character.
July 19, 2025
Jacob Wilding, Baron Worthing has a mission. His father's health is declining and the one thing his father wants to see is his son settled. So Jacob ventures into the marriage mart. After making a short list and checking off some names, he decides on Lady Eleanor Chalcroft.
Juliette Aston is Lady Eleanor's best friend. Yet, while Eleanor is so popular, Juliette is a wallflower. Lady Eleanor and she come up with the sobriquet Lady Invisible as the men never seem to see Juliette. It's her third season and her last if her father has anything to say about it.
In Lord Worthing's Wallflower, Juliette's father does not like London. She's in her third season with no prospects so he gives her an ultimatum- find a husband or return home with him to serve as his housekeeper. Jacob meets Juliette at a ball when she and Lady Eleanor are talking. Juliette quotes Shakespeare and that seems to pique Jacob's interest.
While Jacob is slowly falling in love with Juliette, he continues to court Lady Eleanor as his father wants. What will happen? Read the book! It's on Kindle Unlimited.
This was a very entertaining read. While it's the first in a series, I'm not sure how quickly I'll jump to read the next. Although I do want to read it as it's Lady Eleanor's story and hopefully I'Il see Juliette and Jacob some more. I fell in love with these characters, for sure.
Juliette Aston is Lady Eleanor's best friend. Yet, while Eleanor is so popular, Juliette is a wallflower. Lady Eleanor and she come up with the sobriquet Lady Invisible as the men never seem to see Juliette. It's her third season and her last if her father has anything to say about it.
In Lord Worthing's Wallflower, Juliette's father does not like London. She's in her third season with no prospects so he gives her an ultimatum- find a husband or return home with him to serve as his housekeeper. Jacob meets Juliette at a ball when she and Lady Eleanor are talking. Juliette quotes Shakespeare and that seems to pique Jacob's interest.
While Jacob is slowly falling in love with Juliette, he continues to court Lady Eleanor as his father wants. What will happen? Read the book! It's on Kindle Unlimited.
This was a very entertaining read. While it's the first in a series, I'm not sure how quickly I'll jump to read the next. Although I do want to read it as it's Lady Eleanor's story and hopefully I'Il see Juliette and Jacob some more. I fell in love with these characters, for sure.
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