A Wallflower's Folly

Fated for a Rogue #1

by Amanda Mariel

A headstrong wallflower...

Lady Olivia Montague's betrothed has ignored her and their contract for years. In the meantime, she has decided to remain unwed, embracing the life of a spinster. The last thing she expects is for her betrothed to come storming back into her life.

A Determined Duke...

Following the death of his parents, William Breckenridge finds himself as the Duke of Thorne and in charge of his three younger sisters. He needs help in the form of a mother and guide for his siblings. Lucky for William, he's already betrothed. All he need do is collect his future duchess.

An unstoppable love...

William and Olivia engage in a battle of wills, but the more she resists and he pursues, the more their passions flare. Once the heart is engaged, resistance becomes difficult, but will they give into happily ever after? 

Genres: Historical Romance, Novella, Regency

160 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2019

About the author

Amanda Mariel, an accomplished wordsmith, holds dual master's degrees in liberal arts and education, specializing in the captivating realms of history and literature. Beyond her academic pursuits, she embraces the joyful chaos of motherhood, tending to both her cherished teenagers and her trio of adored fur babies. Among them, a noble Bernese Mountain Dog named Blaze, and two cats of distinct character, Ezra and Puff, share their home.

A USA Today Bestselling luminary, Amanda Mariel conjures vivid tapestries of eras long past, drawing inspiration from the languid cadence of days gone by. With pen poised and imagination unfurled, she traverses the annals of time, weaving tales that illuminate historical landscapes with finesse and flair. Her creative spirit finds respite in reading, traversing new horizons through travel, and capturing moments through the lenses of both her camera and artistic endeavors. Yet, it is in the embrace of family that she finds her truest sanctuary.

To delve deeper into Amanda's captivating world visit www.amandamariel.com. While there, an invitation to join her newsletter promises a gateway to the latest from Amanda Mariel's literary treasury, and an opportunity to claim a complimentary eBook.

Amanda's passion extends to her readers, welcoming their voices and stories into her narrative realm. Engage with her through email at amanda@amandamariel.com, or connect via her social Media channels.

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Amidst the prose and parchment, Amanda Mariel etches a profound connection, bridging eras, hearts, and minds, creating a legacy that resonates through the corridors of time.

Reviews

[Sadie Forsythe]

This book and I had problems, the most grievous of which was the fact that I was indignant on Olivia's behalf for the entire book. Their marriage was arranged when they were children. Then, he disappeared for 15 years without so much as a word. But when he needed a woman to do womanly things in his life, he showed up—a perfect stranger—to take the tool off the shelf and demands she honor the agreement (because she's convenient). Until that point he hadn't honored it, but despite her protests that she did not wish to marry him, he demanded she would.

Given these circumstances I was even more indignant that he liked and was attracted to her. He got to ignore her for as long as he liked (injuring her in the process) and then gets a pretty and amusing wife out of the deal. While she got ignored and then forced into a marriage she didn't want. Oh, how men always get their cake and to eat it too, while women eat crow, apparently. The fact that she gave in as soon as he said the magic three words enraged me further still, if you'd believe that possible. As if all it takes to make a woman who doesn't desire marriage desirous of it is to be chosen by a man. Seriously, fuck off.

Also, the whole premise of the book is how long the Duke 'left her on the shelf' before coming to claim her (and she's meant to mother a 19 and 20-year-old.) So, she must be above average age for a marriageable woman. Yet, neither of her BFFS appear to be married either and she acts like a complete child.

Lastly, a comment on the editing/narration. Since I had an audio copy I don't know where the errors originated (from the author or the narrator) but there were several misused words/grammar errors. And while as an American I'm no expert on English accents, I rather suspect this narrator's accent (with her Vs for Th, for example) did not even approximate an aristocratic English accent. Rather like hearing a book set in the Bronx read in a Southern accent, for us Americans. Not bad, but a little jarringly out of place. Presumably more so for those from that part of the world.

I'd likely give this author another chance. But this book was a bust.

[Elaine]

A quick, light read. It was o.k., but if the book had been longer, it would have had more content, obviously, and more enjoyable. However, saying that, I sincerely do adore reading this author.
3☆

[Carole Burant]

This was a delightful quick read and although the main characters don't really have a chance to fully develop, it's still worth the read.

Lady Olivia Montague has been betrothed to the Duke of Thorne, William Breckenridge, since they were children but it's taken him 15 years to come and collect on that contract. She will do anything not to marry him because she'd rather become a spinster than be caught in a loveless marriage. When she finally meets him again after 15 years, she discovers he's turned out to be quite handsome and when he decides to woo her to make up for ignoring her for so long, she has a hard time resisting!

William needs a wife to guide his sisters into their first season and figures Olivia would be perfect for the job. What he doesn't expect is to find that she's become quite the beauty and he feels a deep attraction to her, even when she pretends to be a hoyden and does everything to make him change his mind about marrying her. He takes it all in stride, though, and before he knows it, his heart is involved.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Sandra]

Light read with moments of sparkle!!

I'm in two minds about this as overall I enjoyed being swept away in this quick, sweet read yet the usual connection I feel to Mariel's characters appeared lacking somehow - perhaps the depth that her characters usually project from having more developed back stories or the need for a deeper romantic connection with the addition of more chapters I'm not sure,  or maybe it was simply the fact that I can't help but feel frustrated at the lack of proof reading - an issue I don't normally like to highlight when I'm no editing genius myself - yet the annoyingly obvious spelling errors and misplaced words really started to effect fluency,  which couldn't help but spoil what had potential to be a really great read.That said there were moments I really loved and started to see a spark developing between William and Olivia where their encounters really gripped my interest with witty banter, elements of sensual teasing and heartfelt musings where just a few more romantic scenes like those would of tipped the connection scale considerably. The subcharacters have great scope too as Emma and Juliet (Olivia's best friends) appear to have really strong personalities as do William's siblings, which despite only getting to know briefly, seem to shine brightly already. A likeable read that had the potential to be fabulous - will be seeking out Mariel's connecting series nevertheless!

[Zaxs Yacs]

A headstrong wallflower...Lady Olivia Montague's betrothed has ignored her and their contract for years. In the meantime, she has decided to remain unwed, embracing the life of a spinster. The last thing she expects is for her betrothed to come storming back into her life.A Determined Duke...Following the death of his parents, William Breckenridge finds himself as the Duke of Thorne and in charge of his three younger sisters. He needs help in the form of a mother and guide for his siblings. Lucky for William, he's already betrothed. All he need do is collect his future duchess.An unstoppable love...William and Olivia engage in a battle of wills, but the more she resists and he pursues, the more their passions flare. Once the heart is engaged, resistance becomes difficult, but will they give into happily ever after?

[Lisa H]

He’s ignored her for fifteen years, now he’s wants to marry her. Because she’s convenient.

William Breckinridge, the Duke of Thorne was bethrothed to Lady Olivia as children. Neither one has a favorable opinion of their younger selves.

Now, fifteen years later, he’s the guardian to his three teenage sisters and wants a wife to deal with them. So, while resentful of their agreement, he’s here to collect.

Lady Olivia has no plans to marry a man who completely and totally ignored her for fifteen years. She doesn’t want to marry him, but would want to marry for love.

That’s the one thing William doesn’t offer her. So she devises a plan to behave poorly to get out of their contract.

Will it work or will William fall for the feisty Olivia?
Recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anna]

One of the more delightful books about wallflowers. Good story. Grabbed my interest quickly!

[BROWN2]

Sweet

This is a sweet, quick read which is what I needed today. That doesn't mean there isn't some angst involved. Looking forward to the rest of this series.

[Tabetha Waite]

I enjoyed the writing style very much and loved the MC’s. I only wish that it had been a bit longer to enjoy the romance a bit more. The side characters were enchanting!

[Jamie Bee]

I love a good Regency Romance—it is my favorite sub-genre of historical romance—but unfortunately, this is not one of them. The book is very short and suffers from a malady common to novellas: the dreaded information dump. And this happened not just once but twice. First, there was a data dump from the heroine and then a data dump from the hero. Despite this excessive and repetitive information, I still didn't feel like I got to know these characters. The book is full of so many errors with grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage that it was exceedingly distracting. Did the heroine have “ill-manors”? The wrong form of too/to was used on more than one occasion. Words like “deuce” were misspelled (duce... really??). I could go on for paragraphs at how many things were just wrong, wrong, wrong. The book ended very abruptly as well.

I actually thought this was a good premise for a Regency romance (and was even looking forward to reading it), but it was so poorly executed that I cannot recommend it at all.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

==============================

LOL ... I enjoyed it much more as an audiobook 4 years later, except for the narrator. I guess it helps when you can see all the misspellings!

Enjoyable Regency Romp, Except For…

I've read, and now listened to, this author for a long time. While I always enjoy some aspect of each tale, some have other aspects that kept me from complete enjoyment. Except for one thing that had nothing to do with the story, I thoroughly enjoyed this heartfelt yet playful Regency romp. Our poor heroine has been betrothed to a future duke since her childhood, but he has steadfastly ignored her for a decade. Now that he is assuming the dukedom, he wants to acquire that wife so she can help bring his sisters into society as well as provide the necessary heir. Though her friends know her to be quite retiring, something within her rebels against his treatment. She doesn't appreciate that she's been set aside for so long … and now he's interested. Let's just say she's going to make him earn it! She even decides to act against her normal character, acting the hoyden—riding astride and dressing casually in his presence. She actually hopes this will dissuade him so she can live her life as she chooses. But, of course, her actions and attitude actually endear her to him even more. He actually comes to appreciate that he has done her a grave disservice in the way he's treated her these past years. I loved listening to the interaction between them, and the book is quite humorous at times. Even though he's “done her wrong” until this point, it's wonderful to watch how he reacts to her now.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the narrator. She had some sort of British Isles accent I couldn't quite place (Irish? lower-class London?) that made her mispronounce many words, so much as to be distracting. The heroine's name is Olivia, but this narrator pronounces it like the deceased actor Olivier’s name (o-liv-ee-AY). As the heroine's name is used so often, it's weird to have it so poorly mispronounced every time! As this is an audiobook, I actually checked the book blurb to double-check the heroine’s name, as I thought that “Olivier” was a very odd name for a heroine! The narrator also mispronounces words with “th,” pronouncing them like an F, so “thought” sounds like “fought” and “strength” sounds like “strenf.” My inner ear did not like this at all, and I felt a little jarred each time these weird F sounds showed up. It did decrease my enjoyment of the book even though I liked the story and characters.

5 stars for the enjoyable Regency story, and 1 star for the narration.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Emily Pennington]

Winning Their Battle . . .

Being betrothed to marry each other when they were still children is not uncommon in that period. But the current Duke of Thorne, William Breckenridge, never made contact with Olivia until his parents died and he had to care for his 3 younger teenage sisters. So with marriage probably seeming a simpler choice than hiring a governess, he is now ready to announce his intentions to marry Olivia so she can be an instant mother and deal with his sisters who will need preparation for their upcoming Season. As for Lady Olivia Montague, she would prefer to become a spinster rather than accept a 15-year-old marriage contract he has steadfastly ignored when it seems obvious what her role in his life will be. Both of them are strong-willed personalities, so prepare for a spirited battle of wills.

The characters are what make-or-break a story. Both at first glance have valid reasons for not being enthused about this marriage. But Olivia leaned toward pure stubbornness (not really “spirited”) in not even trying to get to know him. (I could envision her stomping her foot and saying she wanted nothing to do with him… especially when the choice was not a real option for the lady legally bound by contract.) And William’s sudden brusque appearance at the door was certainly not romantic, but he was honest about the circumstances. Will the two of them be willing to talk things over and work this out together to find a HEA? Or will both of them remain stubborn and selfish, insisting on getting their own way no matter what?

[Slwd]

William and Olivia

“A Wallflower’s Folly” is a short novella by Amanda Mariel. It is book one in the series Fated for a Rogue. I do know that William is a duke, but I don’t know if he is a rogue. For fifteen years a marriage contract has been in place and he has not done a thing about it. That is until he needed a duchess. Not wanted, needed. So he decided to get his bride. Olivia was shocked that the duke would press his suit after all the time that had passed. She was against the marriage from the moment William was in the same room with her. Since this is a novella, Ms. Mariel dives right into the story. The reader gets to know these two characters as they get to know one another. The banter is witty, the wooing is romantic. William and Olivia definitely have chemistry. Olivia wants more than passion, she desires love. A wonderful heartwarming story about making more out of a marriage contract than just convenience. Definitely recommended, can be read in an afternoon or so.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review, my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

[Tiffany P]

A short novella about a couple that were betrothed as children by their families. However, Olivia never heard from William for fifteen years so she had settled for life as a spinster. When he showed up to get married, she was against the marriage. I liked the plot, but Olivia seemed erratic at times. Her feelings didn’t coincide with her actions for me. She never stated the real reasons for her hesitation after she developed feelings. William, on the other hand, showed his feelings and intentions through his actions, but he was also straightforward and honest with his words. Olivia just purposefully denied all his actions or tried to find some fault in them. It was actually really annoying. In the end, William’s willingness to think of her first and openly express his feelings led to their HEA. I enjoyed the book and the banter between the characters was entertaining, but I would have enjoyed it more if the heroine wasn’t so annoying.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[April]

A Wallflower's Folly
Fortunes of Fate Series, Book 6
By: Amanda Mariel



This is a short, clean historical fiction.

Lady Olivia Montague and William Breckenridge were contracted to wed, when they were children. He however never showed up in 15 years, until after his parents died. He has three younger sisters that need a mother figure. However, by this time Olivia has made up her mind to become a spinster and live life her way. The more they try to get their own way, the more things change. I liked it but would have liked some deeper character building. I'll keep an eye out for more in this series.




The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed. Kelley Ann Hill brought the story to life.



I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Sandy]

This was just an ok read and really didn't live up to the interesting description. I hate books when the hero is gone for years and started to realize he'd ignored her for FIFTEEN years! I did cut a little slack though because they were children when they first met (although it was pretty absurd that both the hero and heroine had bad memories of meeting clouding their judgement - they were all of 8-10 at the time, come on!).

His reason for coming back to claim her was also ridiculous and flimsy. He wanted someone to raise his siblings. Unless I am misremembering, I think the heroine was about 22-23 and the eldest of his siblings was 19. Not enough of an age gap to think she'd be good at being a mother. And if he really wanted someone to raise his siblings, why wouldn't he just hire a governess?

I was feeling generous and gave it 3 stars because it was a decent read.

[Anne]

A Wallflower’s Folly by Amanda Mariel is a short Regency romance in which William and Olivia had been betrothed as children, then she had not heard from him for fifteen years. In that time, as a woman already spoken for, she got used to being single and she found she liked it. She had no desire to marry. Then, all of a sudden, William appeared, ready to marry. He was now a duke and not at all what she remembered. To be fair, she was not as he remembered, either. The novel, somewhat predictable, but entertaining followed their relationship until they were both on the same page. Good characters. Entertaining narrative. If one had a couple of hours free this is the perfect way to fill them.

I was invited to read A Wallflower’s Folly by Booksprout. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Booksprout #AmandaMariel #AWallflowersFolly

[Julia]

I have loved the Meara Platt books and this one was given a brief introduction at one of the ends of Meara's novels/novellas. I thought that if Meara was introducing it that it would be similar to those she writes. I don't feel like it was worth the price at all. It was written in a very immature style as though this was some 15 year old's view of what love is all about. I'm not sure whether it was just this particular story that was such a turn off or whether this author's other stories are similar. We shall see. Apparently I must have bought 4 others somewhere along the way that the various book clubs I belong to recommended since I like Regency Romances, but I definitely did not like this one!

[Rose Seals]

Well written, full of drama, love, misunderstandings, family and society. Fast paced read. Lady Olivia has been promised to marry William , who now is a Duke, for 15 years. They had been children together when this betrothal was agreed on by each of their parents. Now there has been no contact between for a very long time. When he shows up to marry her, she refuses. So he tries to win her over but she tries to change his mind her own way. Has lots of action and twists between them. She finally runs the day before the wedding as to not marry him. Both are looking for love but not being able to say what they feel. Would recommend to others.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jayne Butcher]

Olivia and William, Duke of Thorne
Betrothed as children, it was fifteen years before William, the Duke of Thorne, showed up to make twenty-three year old Olivia his wife. She was furious! Since he had ignored her for all those years, she had thought she was free to live her life as she chose, and she chose not to marry at all. He wanted a marriage of convenience and she didn’t want to marry at all, but if she did so, it would only be for love. So now there was a battle of wills. He tried to woo her and she tried outrageous behavior to deter him. It took a drastic measure for them to see the light. This is delightful and creative, with emotional outbursts and a lovely ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jini]

I agree with another reviewer. I was also far too angry on behalf of the h. I also hate it when I am not fully convinced even by the end of the story that the H really loves h.

Also, should 15 years be made a big deal of if the h is only 23? Basically she has only gone through 5/6 years of being out in society but not courted by another suitor.

And one more thing which bugged me is that we aren't clear on who lives where. We aren't given any info on the fact that the duke came to live with h LOL. There is no mention of bags, valet etc. I was actually shocked when they are talking over breakfast. Same goes for the other two girls. They were mentioned as friends and not as neighbours when they are introduced.

Lazy IMO.

[Star-Book Reviewer]

An arranged marriage from childhood that he has left unattended for fifteen years and she has felt neglected, then safe from marriage settling on never marrying until he suddenly reappears expecting her to marry him. Lady Olivia Montague is determined to do whatever it takes to not marry and especially not if there is no love while William Breckenridge has decided it’s time he did marry and will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Be it fate or folly!
This delight has Olivia pretending to be a hoyden to throw William off and lends both comical and charming elements to the book. This one has some steamy thoughts and one love scene at the end with kisses in between.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fabiola]

A captivating and thrilling Regency romance brimming with pride, duty and destiny!
Lady Olivia Montague, a determined and free-spirited woman who has decided to embrace single life and put an old childhood engagement behind her. However, her peace of mind is shattered when William Breckenridge, the new Duke of Thorne, reappears. Having tragically lost his parents, William finds himself overwhelmed by his title and the responsibility of raising his three younger sisters, leading him to seek out his former fiancée in the hope of finding a partner to help him with the family burden. What neither of them expected was that this reunion would spark a battle of wills as intense as the attraction that arises between them.

[Dotty M]

A Wallflower’s Folly
Fate - events beyond a persons control. Folly - a foolish act or idea.
Little did Lady Olivia know that her foolishness would lead her right to her fate. Something she was trying to escape. William, the Duke of Thorne had came to collect his betrothed was a bit at a loss as why Olivia was against it. It had only been fifteen years since they had last spoke. He also informed her he needed a mother figure for his three younger sisters. Olivia should have jumped at that. Once William discovered he was in love with her he really worked hard to prove his love for her. I liked when he said to her at the wedding “We can do as we please”

[Sabrina (Soter) Sally]

"Quella donna aveva provato di poter fare dispetti nelle ultime due settimane e lui doveva ammettere di trovare le sue stranezze eccitanti. Era come se lui possedesse una versione segreta di Olivia. Un’Olivia che era solo sua"

Breve ma dolce e divertente, vedere Olivia cercare (con scarso successo) di scandalizzare il suo futuro marito mi ha divertita tanto quanto a William, anche perché per fortuna non supera mai il limite dando stupidamente vita a veri scandali o prendendo iniziative esagerate, è una battaglia privata tra loro due fatta di battibecchi e passione! Adorabile la famiglia di William, che purtroppo possiamo conoscere brevemente solo sul finale, e le amiche di Olivia, molto diverse tra loro ma sempre di supporto!

[Riley]

This sweet quick-read was about opening the heart, trust, hope, perseverance, forgiveness and love. And included an HEA, of course, despite Olivia’s intentions otherwise.

Just for the record, photography as we know it didn’t get going until the 1850’s, making it impossible for the duke to see a photograph in 1810 from Olivia’s childhood. Even the oldest known photograph, which took several days to expose, is from 1824.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie Bourgery]

Lady Olivia was funny with her hoydenish antics to dissuade the Duke of Thorne, William from marrying her. But she was foolish to run away thinking she could easily get a job as a governess or companion without references and little money. She also thought her time would be her own, which would not be the case if she went into service. Despite his stubbornness over their arranged marriage William was starting to care for her and he enjoyed her company even with her antics. She should have talked to him before running away.

[Mary]

This is a fun, romantic and heartwarming story. William and Olivia have been betrothed since they were children, but Willam has ignored Olivia for the past 15 years, so she thought that she was free. Then he shows up demanding to be married immediately, Olivia adamantly says no, and when he refuses to accept that answer, she sets out to scare him away by being the most inappropriate lady ever. Unfortunately for her, he finds it amusing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

[Zena]

This is a short love story where Lady Olivia, because she has been totally ignored by her betrothed, William, Duke of Thorne, decides that she wants to get him to break the betrothal and tries to concoct ways of disgusting him so that he does so.
I must admit that there is a bit of underlying sense of humor showing through and of course William only realizes that he in fact loves her and can't do without her in his life when it is almost too late.
I listened to the audiobook version and my review above is voluntary and unbiased.

[Sandy]

This story is also in book form. The narrator did a great job with the story. She brought the story to life for me. Lady Olivia has been waiting for betrothed to come and get her. When Williams finely does come to see her. She is not happy to see him because she has decided to stay a spinster for life. William is not happy with her decision so he decide to pursue her. I enjoyed this lovely story of Olivia and William. It was a cute short story.


I was given a complimentary copy from the author. This is my honest unbiased opinion.

[Donise]

Why would she want to marry someone who has ignored her for 15 years, especially when he claims that he mainly needs her to help launch and mentor his sisters and he needs an heir. Olivia has decided that she wants to be free and do her own thing and she definitely will only marry for love. Shortly after being reacquainted with Olivia, the Duke soon realizes his mistake and decides to try wooing his betrothed. Read to see if Olivia will heed the fortuneteller's advice and to see if the Duke is successful in winning his betrothed's affections.