What do you think?
Rate this book
The Captain's Wallflower
Captain Worthington is injured in the battle of Trafalgar. Blinded by shrapnel, his life goes from being at the forefront of society to being almost cast off. He finds himself sitting with the wallflowers at a ball - something he doesn't take too kindly to.
Miss Amelia Basingstoke has no dowry and enough dreadful relations to ensure that even on her third season, she is unmarried and a confirmed wallflower. Her only friend is a large boisterous dog of dubious character who considers himself too good to chase dead birds.
A chance meeting between the pair frees the Captain in ways that he had never thought possible since his injury.
A stubborn Captain - an opinionated young woman - an unruly dog and Christmas is approaching - what could possibly go wrong?
Miss Amelia Basingstoke has no dowry and enough dreadful relations to ensure that even on her third season, she is unmarried and a confirmed wallflower. Her only friend is a large boisterous dog of dubious character who considers himself too good to chase dead birds.
A chance meeting between the pair frees the Captain in ways that he had never thought possible since his injury.
A stubborn Captain - an opinionated young woman - an unruly dog and Christmas is approaching - what could possibly go wrong?
223 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2015
232 people are currently reading
572 people want to read
About the author
Audrey Harrison
139 books136 followersAudrey Harrison was born about two hundred years too late. She wants to belong to a time when men were men and women were dressed in gowns and could float, simper and sigh.
In the real world she has always longed to write, writing a full manuscript when she was fourteen years old. Work, marriage and children got in the way as they do and it was only when an event at work landed her in hospital that she decided to take stock. One Voluntary Redundancy later, she found that the words and characters came to the forefront and the writing began in earnest.
Her ideal would be to write Regency Romances, but more modern characters are insisting on being heard, hence the release of’ ‘A Very Modern Lord’, a contemporary romance.
So, although at home more these days, the housework is still neglected and tea is still late on the table, but she has an understanding family, who usually shake their heads at her and sigh. That is a sign of understanding, isn’t it?
In the real world she has always longed to write, writing a full manuscript when she was fourteen years old. Work, marriage and children got in the way as they do and it was only when an event at work landed her in hospital that she decided to take stock. One Voluntary Redundancy later, she found that the words and characters came to the forefront and the writing began in earnest.
Her ideal would be to write Regency Romances, but more modern characters are insisting on being heard, hence the release of’ ‘A Very Modern Lord’, a contemporary romance.
So, although at home more these days, the housework is still neglected and tea is still late on the table, but she has an understanding family, who usually shake their heads at her and sigh. That is a sign of understanding, isn’t it?
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
April 4, 2022
The Captain's Wallflower was a relatively sweet, low-drama historical romance. I am always a suckers for a wallflower romance and I think the author did this trope justice. The main characters were likeable but the dog, Samson, was definitely the highlight of the story. Although Samson's role in the story was a bit implausible, I was willing to overlook the creative license the author took.
I think the writing could've been a lot better. It was a bit tedious to read because everything was spelled out for the audience, but in saying that, the author did write a beautiful and heartfelt ending that moved me. Overall, not a bad read!
Rating: 3/5
I think the writing could've been a lot better. It was a bit tedious to read because everything was spelled out for the audience, but in saying that, the author did write a beautiful and heartfelt ending that moved me. Overall, not a bad read!
Rating: 3/5
November 25, 2023
Premise: 4 stars
Writing Level: 2 stars
Editing Level: 2 stars
Proofreading Level: 2 stars
Overall execution: 2.5 stars
This read like a decent first draft written by someone who’s never taken a writing class or attended a writers’ conference. Now, I’m not saying that those things are necessary to being able to write a great story. However, for people who bypass pursuing traditional publishing for self-publishing, that kind of training becomes vitally important. Otherwise, you end up with what this turned out to be---something that reads like a draft by an unpolished, newbie writer.
The Pros:
The premise of this story was good. I enjoyed the idea of the hero being blind, and the author did a pretty good job of getting across his frustration of going from someone who was a Royal Navy captain---active, a leader, independent---to someone who was completely dependent on others just to be able to leave the house.
There were some great interactions in dialogue between the hero and heroine, and while it could have been stronger, she did a decent job of showing a believable relationship building between them.
While at first I questioned the bit about the dog automatically/naturally becoming a guide dog, I did appreciate that she showed them working with/training the dog to help out. And she actually used the fact that this isn’t a professionally trained dog later in the book to somewhat good effect. Then, in her (very long) afterword, it was nice to learn a little more about the history of people training dogs to work with/guide the seeing impaired.
The Cons:
As I already said, this read like a first draft by someone who hasn’t studied the craft---and who obviously didn’t work with a developmental editor, content editor, copy editor, or proofreader who knows what they were doing (and probably not critique partners, either). The biggest issues I had with this, craft-wise, were:
• The head-hopping. The character development in this book could have been so much better---if only the author had written it in limited POV, giving us only the viewpoints of the hero and heroine, not every single minor character around them. POV switched from paragraph to paragraph, usually, and could be very jarring because I could never be quite sure whose viewpoint the narrative in any given passage was in, which kept me from being able to lose myself in the characters/story.
• The poor research. A simple Google search would have netted her the information that in the early 19th century, the London Season ran from approximately January/February through June, the most active part of the Season being from Easter through the end of June. It hadn’t started in November since the mid- to late-1700s. Also---Christmas trees and big family Christmas celebrations were a Victorian introduction, not something that was done in 1806. And there were several details surrounding the Royal Navy that I found errors in---though anyone who hasn’t done extensive research on this would never notice/be bothered by it. I can’t speak to the medical research. It seemed like something that could have been done, given the historical accounts I’ve read of other surgical procedures done (many on ships in the heat of battle) during this era.
• The anachronistic language. Yes, those of us who write historicals find it necessary to modernize the language so that it’s accessible to a modern audience. However, that doesn’t mean that we throw all historical accuracy out the window. Two of the most glaring examples of this that completely pulled me out of the story: at one point, she “screeched to a halt,” something that wouldn’t have happened before the advent of rubber tires or shoe soles, neither of which existed in this era; then there was the use of the word “heck” as a substitute for hell---a quick Google search for the etymology of this word shows its first recorded usage dates to 1865, or 59 years after this book is set. (That would be like having Lady Mary walking around Downton Abbey using terms like “groovy” and “far out” and “totally tubular” or even “cool.”)
• The lack of editing/proofreading. If I were the proofreader who had an “about the proofreader” blurb in the back of this book, I’d be embarrassed. There were so many grammatical errors, so many misused words, so many missing/misused punctuation marks . . . I’d have been fired from my job as an editor if I’d let a manuscript go to print in this condition when I worked at a publishing house. And that’s just the proofreading issues. As mentioned before, it was quite obvious that the author did not work with---nor likely has ever worked with---content and/or developmental editors. Because no editor worth her salt would have let the brain-twister sentence structures, the odd/misused word choices, the anachronistic language, the head-hopping, the over-descriptions, the info-dumps, and the general lack of polish get out into the public sphere.
• The best book I’ve read that realistically deals with having a hero blinded in the war is Mary Balogh’s The Arrangement . (In fact, there were many similarities between that book and this one, including the heroine living with relatives who ill-treat her in order to put their own daughter forward in society.)
• It’s a “sweet” (clean) romance. This is both a pro and a con. It’s a pro because I enjoy reading romance novels that take the old-fashioned approach of not feeling the need for the characters to immediately fall in lust with each other or to have graphic sex scenes---without being religious fiction (not that I, obviously, have a problem with that genre, but it’s nice to see sweet romance in the general market as well). However, I was quite taken aback when, toward the end, when they’re kissing in the sedan chair that he put his hand under her cloak and touched her breast, something that came across as very inappropriate for the tone of this story. It ripped me out of the story when it happened and I started worrying that there would be a very uncomfortable-to-read wedding-night scene. (I assumed from the other issues I had with the writing that it would be very awkwardly written.) But I worried for naught. She kept it sweet.
Because this book is short, I was able to make it through in two sittings---but I think if I hadn’t forced myself to push through the second half all at once, it might have been a DNF for me, due to the technical issues I had with it and my overwhelming desire to critique/edit it as I read.
Writing Level: 2 stars
Editing Level: 2 stars
Proofreading Level: 2 stars
Overall execution: 2.5 stars
This read like a decent first draft written by someone who’s never taken a writing class or attended a writers’ conference. Now, I’m not saying that those things are necessary to being able to write a great story. However, for people who bypass pursuing traditional publishing for self-publishing, that kind of training becomes vitally important. Otherwise, you end up with what this turned out to be---something that reads like a draft by an unpolished, newbie writer.
The Pros:
The premise of this story was good. I enjoyed the idea of the hero being blind, and the author did a pretty good job of getting across his frustration of going from someone who was a Royal Navy captain---active, a leader, independent---to someone who was completely dependent on others just to be able to leave the house.
There were some great interactions in dialogue between the hero and heroine, and while it could have been stronger, she did a decent job of showing a believable relationship building between them.
While at first I questioned the bit about the dog automatically/naturally becoming a guide dog, I did appreciate that she showed them working with/training the dog to help out. And she actually used the fact that this isn’t a professionally trained dog later in the book to somewhat good effect. Then, in her (very long) afterword, it was nice to learn a little more about the history of people training dogs to work with/guide the seeing impaired.
The Cons:
As I already said, this read like a first draft by someone who hasn’t studied the craft---and who obviously didn’t work with a developmental editor, content editor, copy editor, or proofreader who knows what they were doing (and probably not critique partners, either). The biggest issues I had with this, craft-wise, were:
• The head-hopping. The character development in this book could have been so much better---if only the author had written it in limited POV, giving us only the viewpoints of the hero and heroine, not every single minor character around them. POV switched from paragraph to paragraph, usually, and could be very jarring because I could never be quite sure whose viewpoint the narrative in any given passage was in, which kept me from being able to lose myself in the characters/story.
• The poor research. A simple Google search would have netted her the information that in the early 19th century, the London Season ran from approximately January/February through June, the most active part of the Season being from Easter through the end of June. It hadn’t started in November since the mid- to late-1700s. Also---Christmas trees and big family Christmas celebrations were a Victorian introduction, not something that was done in 1806. And there were several details surrounding the Royal Navy that I found errors in---though anyone who hasn’t done extensive research on this would never notice/be bothered by it. I can’t speak to the medical research. It seemed like something that could have been done, given the historical accounts I’ve read of other surgical procedures done (many on ships in the heat of battle) during this era.
• The anachronistic language. Yes, those of us who write historicals find it necessary to modernize the language so that it’s accessible to a modern audience. However, that doesn’t mean that we throw all historical accuracy out the window. Two of the most glaring examples of this that completely pulled me out of the story: at one point, she “screeched to a halt,” something that wouldn’t have happened before the advent of rubber tires or shoe soles, neither of which existed in this era; then there was the use of the word “heck” as a substitute for hell---a quick Google search for the etymology of this word shows its first recorded usage dates to 1865, or 59 years after this book is set. (That would be like having Lady Mary walking around Downton Abbey using terms like “groovy” and “far out” and “totally tubular” or even “cool.”)
• The lack of editing/proofreading. If I were the proofreader who had an “about the proofreader” blurb in the back of this book, I’d be embarrassed. There were so many grammatical errors, so many misused words, so many missing/misused punctuation marks . . . I’d have been fired from my job as an editor if I’d let a manuscript go to print in this condition when I worked at a publishing house. And that’s just the proofreading issues. As mentioned before, it was quite obvious that the author did not work with---nor likely has ever worked with---content and/or developmental editors. Because no editor worth her salt would have let the brain-twister sentence structures, the odd/misused word choices, the anachronistic language, the head-hopping, the over-descriptions, the info-dumps, and the general lack of polish get out into the public sphere.
• The best book I’ve read that realistically deals with having a hero blinded in the war is Mary Balogh’s The Arrangement . (In fact, there were many similarities between that book and this one, including the heroine living with relatives who ill-treat her in order to put their own daughter forward in society.)
• It’s a “sweet” (clean) romance. This is both a pro and a con. It’s a pro because I enjoy reading romance novels that take the old-fashioned approach of not feeling the need for the characters to immediately fall in lust with each other or to have graphic sex scenes---without being religious fiction (not that I, obviously, have a problem with that genre, but it’s nice to see sweet romance in the general market as well). However, I was quite taken aback when, toward the end, when they’re kissing in the sedan chair that he put his hand under her cloak and touched her breast, something that came across as very inappropriate for the tone of this story. It ripped me out of the story when it happened and I started worrying that there would be a very uncomfortable-to-read wedding-night scene. (I assumed from the other issues I had with the writing that it would be very awkwardly written.) But I worried for naught. She kept it sweet.
Because this book is short, I was able to make it through in two sittings---but I think if I hadn’t forced myself to push through the second half all at once, it might have been a DNF for me, due to the technical issues I had with it and my overwhelming desire to critique/edit it as I read.
January 3, 2017
Captain Alexander Worthington and Amelia.
Amelia came to London to look for a husband, but her horrid aunt and cousin have done their best to make sure that doesn't happen. She isn't precisely plain, but she isn't beautiful either. She certainly isn't of the caliber of beauty that Captain Worthington would deign to dance with, or even notice. That is, until he returns from battle blind. Now he is relegated to the side bench along with all the other wallflowers. But when he is at his self pitying lowest, and thinks that fate couldn't be more cruel, he happens to sit by Amelia. She is the first person to not treat him with kid gloves, but with a sense of humour and honesty. They happen upon each other again in a park as Amelia attempts to walk her uncle's very large dog. Somehow they find that the dog is keen to help Alex and Alex begins to see hope of having some independence again. You need to exercise some suspension of disbelief that the dog was so helpful and easy to train. It didn't bother my enjoyment of the story. The author did a lot of research into seeing eye dogs and lists it all at the back of the book. (pretty interesting stuff!).
It's a slow build romance. Amelia of course has had a crush on the handsome captain for 3 years even though he never noticed her when he could see. The captain learns the hard way that the people he associated with before his blindness were not truly friends. You could say it was an 'eye opening' experience for him.
I really enjoyed the story. Even though it was a bit slow to start, it was hard to put down. Nobody believed the Captain could truly care for Amelia and he had to go to great lengths to prove how genuine his affection was. I truly felt he redeemed himself for being oblivious of her in the past. So many chances for miscommunication and misunderstandings, but never taken to the point where story lost momentum.
There is a change in the Captain's fortune that some might think convenient and 'roll yer eyes' worthy, but I loved, because it changed the dynamic of the story so well.
It's a safe read.
Amelia came to London to look for a husband, but her horrid aunt and cousin have done their best to make sure that doesn't happen. She isn't precisely plain, but she isn't beautiful either. She certainly isn't of the caliber of beauty that Captain Worthington would deign to dance with, or even notice. That is, until he returns from battle blind. Now he is relegated to the side bench along with all the other wallflowers. But when he is at his self pitying lowest, and thinks that fate couldn't be more cruel, he happens to sit by Amelia. She is the first person to not treat him with kid gloves, but with a sense of humour and honesty. They happen upon each other again in a park as Amelia attempts to walk her uncle's very large dog. Somehow they find that the dog is keen to help Alex and Alex begins to see hope of having some independence again. You need to exercise some suspension of disbelief that the dog was so helpful and easy to train. It didn't bother my enjoyment of the story. The author did a lot of research into seeing eye dogs and lists it all at the back of the book. (pretty interesting stuff!).
It's a slow build romance. Amelia of course has had a crush on the handsome captain for 3 years even though he never noticed her when he could see. The captain learns the hard way that the people he associated with before his blindness were not truly friends. You could say it was an 'eye opening' experience for him.
I really enjoyed the story. Even though it was a bit slow to start, it was hard to put down. Nobody believed the Captain could truly care for Amelia and he had to go to great lengths to prove how genuine his affection was. I truly felt he redeemed himself for being oblivious of her in the past. So many chances for miscommunication and misunderstandings, but never taken to the point where story lost momentum.
There is a change in the Captain's fortune that some might think convenient and 'roll yer eyes' worthy, but I loved, because it changed the dynamic of the story so well.
It's a safe read.
October 18, 2021
The premise is compelling and the characterizations are to be appreciated but the execution, gradually deteriorates into a documentary style feel about the travails and (mild) romance of the blind naval H and a spunky wallflower h.
May 7, 2017
This is a sweet moving story.
I don't usually read regency novels with the exception of miss Austen and continuations/variations of her work (jaff). I did at one point pick up Heyer book, but didn't manage to finish it.
However this novel was more than I expected, it celebrated the era without falling into the traps, you could tell parts of the story where influenced by miss Austen, but not enough to make the novel boring.
It touches on some interesting subjects and deals with them well. I like that it had the connection to the guide dogs for the blind charity, my farther worked for them and I have seen first hand what a difference a guide dog can make.
I don't usually read regency novels with the exception of miss Austen and continuations/variations of her work (jaff). I did at one point pick up Heyer book, but didn't manage to finish it.
However this novel was more than I expected, it celebrated the era without falling into the traps, you could tell parts of the story where influenced by miss Austen, but not enough to make the novel boring.
It touches on some interesting subjects and deals with them well. I like that it had the connection to the guide dogs for the blind charity, my farther worked for them and I have seen first hand what a difference a guide dog can make.
June 18, 2025
6/18/2025: 5 stars and 5 years later.
This was still an amazing read. I absolutely loved it. I’ve been going through and rereading and relistenjng to some of my favorite books, and I’m so glad I decided to give this one another read. It’s beautifully written, the story is lovely, and once again brought thoughts of P&P to mind. It’s a totally unique story with similar themes.
Safe; they only share a few passionate kisses and he gropes her booby once 🥹 no om/ow drama
6/13/2020: 4.5 stars.
I’m not sure where to begin with my review of this book... except to say that it was extremely sweet and touching. There were a few times when my eyes got a bit misty while reading, and the ending was beautifully done.
To be honest, I’m not usually the greatest fan of “clean” romance - but this story didn’t feel lacking. The story reminds me a bit of pride & prejudice. In general, it’s about a man who learns to value more than just physical beauty & societal standards. Definitely worth the read for fans of HR.
This was still an amazing read. I absolutely loved it. I’ve been going through and rereading and relistenjng to some of my favorite books, and I’m so glad I decided to give this one another read. It’s beautifully written, the story is lovely, and once again brought thoughts of P&P to mind. It’s a totally unique story with similar themes.
Safe; they only share a few passionate kisses and he gropes her booby once 🥹 no om/ow drama
6/13/2020: 4.5 stars.
I’m not sure where to begin with my review of this book... except to say that it was extremely sweet and touching. There were a few times when my eyes got a bit misty while reading, and the ending was beautifully done.
To be honest, I’m not usually the greatest fan of “clean” romance - but this story didn’t feel lacking. The story reminds me a bit of pride & prejudice. In general, it’s about a man who learns to value more than just physical beauty & societal standards. Definitely worth the read for fans of HR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2020
This was exactly the kind of Regency style historical romance that made me fall in love with the genre a looong time ago. Nothing much happens, just the growing romance between two unlikely people, and how they find a way to their HEA. It is all very old fashioned, with a few passionate kisses all the sexy times we get. The heroine is a resolute, intelligent lady with a good sense of humor. She is honest with herself and others and I like her lots.
I listened to this on audio, and the narrator has the voice of an older lady. It did not prevent me from enjoying the book. I finished it in one go.
I listened to this on audio, and the narrator has the voice of an older lady. It did not prevent me from enjoying the book. I finished it in one go.
November 4, 2023
This is a lovely sweet story centered around a dog.
The hero was in the Navy before he was injured and became blind. He has been trying to find his way in the world and having a rough time. He meets the heroine and the dog that she's hanging out with.
This is a pretty low stress book with great pay off. If you enjoy books with dogs, this is a good one!
Safety deets
- no OW/OM
- At the end they get their happily ever after and you get to hear about them and the dog far into the future.
- This has just a few kisses in it.
- I really liked the hero had such a supportive family and friend. The heroine also has an amazing family, at least beyond her aunt and cousin.
The hero was in the Navy before he was injured and became blind. He has been trying to find his way in the world and having a rough time. He meets the heroine and the dog that she's hanging out with.
This is a pretty low stress book with great pay off. If you enjoy books with dogs, this is a good one!
Safety deets
- no OW/OM
- At the end they get their happily ever after and you get to hear about them and the dog far into the future.
- This has just a few kisses in it.
- I really liked the hero had such a supportive family and friend. The heroine also has an amazing family, at least beyond her aunt and cousin.
December 29, 2015
One of the better regency romances I have read in a long time. This had more depth and touched on serious issues of that time. The ending was also sweet and powerful. I had to reach,for the tissue box.
February 28, 2023
I don't read a lot of clean romance because I love the spicy bits of historical romance but I adored The Captain's Wallflower. The chemistry was palpable and the friendship that grew into love was felt so natural and genuine.
The cute dog was the cherry on top.
The cute dog was the cherry on top.
did-not-finish
June 11, 2022The premise was promising. The first encounters were lovely too. But there was something a tiny bit annoying. I got the feeling that there were too many repetitions and that the author explained everything too much. So, after trying a bit longer - I decided to not finish it, especially after reading a review by Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves and by Kaye - they confirmed my suspicions.
February 20, 2016
I would really have enjoyed this book, except for some really glaring errors that could have been avoided with a little research. If you are going to use the London Season as a plot device it is better to know when the Season actually happened. Reading about people being in London for Christmas during the Season made my head hurt. It only took a few keystrokes to learn that the Season ran from January to June.
Muslin is cotton, so saying our heroine was wearing muslin while everyone else was wearing cotton, painful. The same goes for sarcenet which is silk, ouch. These simple errors could have been avoided by the use of a dictionary.
My final complaint about the lack of research is celebrating Christmas. The family would have gathered greens, but not a tree. Trees were a Victorian addition to the celebrations, first introduced by the Queen in honor of her German husband.
All that being said, the characters were charming and the story sweet, if a little unpolished. I am glad I only paid $0.99.
Muslin is cotton, so saying our heroine was wearing muslin while everyone else was wearing cotton, painful. The same goes for sarcenet which is silk, ouch. These simple errors could have been avoided by the use of a dictionary.
My final complaint about the lack of research is celebrating Christmas. The family would have gathered greens, but not a tree. Trees were a Victorian addition to the celebrations, first introduced by the Queen in honor of her German husband.
All that being said, the characters were charming and the story sweet, if a little unpolished. I am glad I only paid $0.99.
September 13, 2017
I liked the beginning but then middle got tedious and then the end more so. Amelia's character was charming and funny initially but ended bland. Alexander was set up to be an interesting character but then also fell flat. I would have liked to have seen a more interesting ending where Alexander is the one to prove and show to her father how he had changed.
November 1, 2021
3.5 stars. I like stories where the main characters aren’t physically perfect. This one was good enough, but it was a mistake on my part to read it simultaneously with the book Work of Art. The two were so similar that I had trouble keeping the storylines straight. I might’ve liked this one more if I’d read it separately from the other one.
August 5, 2021
Sweet book! Sweet story. Took some time getting used to the switch of POVS after paragraphs though. And also don’t really understand how the dog became a perfect seeing eye dog instantly :0.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2016
While not entirely original, this was an interesting romance story. There was very little angst and absolutely no ow/om drama. The author doesn't mention the H's intimate past at all. I don't like hearing about the H's mistresses or many past lovers. Just no thanks. This was completely clean in language and content. I appreciate that a lot.
Unfortunately, the writing was not very good. The author told us many things instead of showing us. I know that there was more difficulty in writing a book where the H is blind, but details could still be revealed through the other senses instead of didactic writing. There were also many grammatical errors that hindered the reading process almost as much as the stilted dialogue. The pov also switched often, without indication, and that detracted from my enjoyment of the story as well.
Overall, this was an interesting idea for a story that was poorly executed.
Unfortunately, the writing was not very good. The author told us many things instead of showing us. I know that there was more difficulty in writing a book where the H is blind, but details could still be revealed through the other senses instead of didactic writing. There were also many grammatical errors that hindered the reading process almost as much as the stilted dialogue. The pov also switched often, without indication, and that detracted from my enjoyment of the story as well.
Overall, this was an interesting idea for a story that was poorly executed.
December 26, 2018
I must be wanting a dog! This is the second book I have read that revolves around one. I enjoyed this story about Captain Alexander Worthington and the impertinent Miss Amelia Basingstoke and the boisterous St. John's hunting dog, Samson, that brings them together.
"He might be blind, but he was single, had a fortune, and was in a very vulnerable position." (quote from the book)
It is a sweet Regency story that warms the heart.
December 6, 2019
Another one by Audrey Harrison..
Since I am still in need of some "lighter" fiction this was the perfect easy read.
Even if it was sometimes a bit too light, I still like the heroine.. the Captain wasn't that bad, too.
I just found it annoying that - even so they named the proof-reader by name and she is obviously proud of her work - even I found quite a few misspellings or right away wrong grammar - and I am a non-native speaker! (happened in the other book, Lord Livesey's.., as well)
Since I am still in need of some "lighter" fiction this was the perfect easy read.
Even if it was sometimes a bit too light, I still like the heroine.. the Captain wasn't that bad, too.
I just found it annoying that - even so they named the proof-reader by name and she is obviously proud of her work - even I found quite a few misspellings or right away wrong grammar - and I am a non-native speaker! (happened in the other book, Lord Livesey's.., as well)
February 15, 2023
It was free (KU), short, had a dog on the cover, and a blurb which promised a HR with a HEA. Mission accomplished.
June 5, 2021
I was really expecting to like this book more than I did. Wallflower plus wounded soldier (in this case, a former captain in the Royal Navy who was blinded by shrapnel) should be a winner for me, but this wasn't.
The thing that bothered me above all else was the constant head hopping. One paragraph would be from Alexander's perspective, the next would be from Amelia's, and then an array of secondary characters (H's friend, H's brother, h's father, h's brothers, he's uncle, etc) would have their own perspectives thrown in, too. I'm surprised the dog (Samson) didn't have his own perspective at some point! It makes it really fatiguing to read.
The historical accuracy was really lacking in this book, which other reviewers have addressed better than I could hope to. The dates of the Season, what exactly muslin dresses are made of (lol it's still cotton, even though some are a cotton blend), proper behavior for this time period (gotten around with the equivalence of "oops, I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm going to anyway"), etc.
But honestly, that didn't bother me as much as the heroine's lack of ANY female friends. She's been riding the wallflower bench pretty hard for two and a half years and she hasn't struck up a friendship with ANY of her fellow wallflowers? She's likely seeing quite a few of the same people over and over and over again. It makes even less sense considering that Amelia is obviously lonely in London. Yet the only other female characters are the "shrew" stereotype (her aunt and cousins are complete caricatures, and Amelia's mother is a more muted version of this). This is highlighted all the more by the fact that even Alexander, who is rather irritable at the beginning, has a dear friend (Richard).
Also, the whole "you never approached me when you were the toast of the ton, only once you were blind" theme was repeated ad nauseum. Yeah, okay, so he didn't notice her. How many times do people pass by others on the street and never notice one another? The fact is they DID meet and they DID like one another once they did so, so why harp on the fact that it took a while for them to be introduced? I doubt they would have hit it off at that point anyway, since the Alexander of old and the post-injury Alexander were so different from one another.
The thing that bothered me above all else was the constant head hopping. One paragraph would be from Alexander's perspective, the next would be from Amelia's, and then an array of secondary characters (H's friend, H's brother, h's father, h's brothers, he's uncle, etc) would have their own perspectives thrown in, too. I'm surprised the dog (Samson) didn't have his own perspective at some point! It makes it really fatiguing to read.
The historical accuracy was really lacking in this book, which other reviewers have addressed better than I could hope to. The dates of the Season, what exactly muslin dresses are made of (lol it's still cotton, even though some are a cotton blend), proper behavior for this time period (gotten around with the equivalence of "oops, I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm going to anyway"), etc.
But honestly, that didn't bother me as much as the heroine's lack of ANY female friends. She's been riding the wallflower bench pretty hard for two and a half years and she hasn't struck up a friendship with ANY of her fellow wallflowers? She's likely seeing quite a few of the same people over and over and over again. It makes even less sense considering that Amelia is obviously lonely in London. Yet the only other female characters are the "shrew" stereotype (her aunt and cousins are complete caricatures, and Amelia's mother is a more muted version of this). This is highlighted all the more by the fact that even Alexander, who is rather irritable at the beginning, has a dear friend (Richard).
Also, the whole "you never approached me when you were the toast of the ton, only once you were blind" theme was repeated ad nauseum. Yeah, okay, so he didn't notice her. How many times do people pass by others on the street and never notice one another? The fact is they DID meet and they DID like one another once they did so, so why harp on the fact that it took a while for them to be introduced? I doubt they would have hit it off at that point anyway, since the Alexander of old and the post-injury Alexander were so different from one another.
April 1, 2020
Surprisingly lovely read.
The heroine is a wallflower as mentioned in the title. She is pretty,but not gorgeous enough to stand out especially as she has no dowry. Plus she is at the mercy of her nasty aunt who doesn’t bother to introduce her to anyone. She is in her third season, and still unmarried.
The Hero is one of the rich, handsome arrogant young gentlemen who troll the balls. He only notices or dances with the cream of high society. He never even notices the heroine gazing at him longingly from the sidelines. In fairness, maybe many other wallflowers stared longingly at him. Especially in his dashing uniform.
Its a year later and the Hero comes back from the war, a true Hero, however he is now blind. His former friends find it awkward hanging out w him, and of course he can no longer dance as a blind man. His one remaining friend brings him to a ball and sits him in the “wallflower” section. This is where the story starts and how he comes to converse with the heroine.
Its a nice story because the Hero has matured emotionally and realizes how shallow his friends and his own attitude used to be. He gets to know the lovely person of the heroine by talking to her.
They spend a lot of time together because she has a dog that is a natural as a seeing eye dog (need to suspend belief here, as the dog basically trained himself 🙄) so the dog helps the Hero get around.
All in all a lovely story, with a satisfying ending.
The heroine is a wallflower as mentioned in the title. She is pretty,but not gorgeous enough to stand out especially as she has no dowry. Plus she is at the mercy of her nasty aunt who doesn’t bother to introduce her to anyone. She is in her third season, and still unmarried.
The Hero is one of the rich, handsome arrogant young gentlemen who troll the balls. He only notices or dances with the cream of high society. He never even notices the heroine gazing at him longingly from the sidelines. In fairness, maybe many other wallflowers stared longingly at him. Especially in his dashing uniform.
Its a year later and the Hero comes back from the war, a true Hero, however he is now blind. His former friends find it awkward hanging out w him, and of course he can no longer dance as a blind man. His one remaining friend brings him to a ball and sits him in the “wallflower” section. This is where the story starts and how he comes to converse with the heroine.
Its a nice story because the Hero has matured emotionally and realizes how shallow his friends and his own attitude used to be. He gets to know the lovely person of the heroine by talking to her.
They spend a lot of time together because she has a dog that is a natural as a seeing eye dog (need to suspend belief here, as the dog basically trained himself 🙄) so the dog helps the Hero get around.
All in all a lovely story, with a satisfying ending.
May 19, 2018
A handsome and wealthy navy captain reenters social life after being blinded in battle. He meets a warm, smart and funny woman after being seated next to her in the wallflower section at a ball. Angry, depressed and fed up he nonetheless is captured by her. He later runs into her at Green Park with her dog. The dog is soon helping him navigate his way without a human guiding him and the H and h develop a relationship though she believes it is her dog not her that appeals to him. Later when it appears he is attracted to her she believes it is because none of the beautiful women are interested in him any longer.
Funny and sweet, I liked this one even if I thought the dog thing was a little far fetched. For once it was obvious to the reader why the H was captured by the h—it was really show not tell.
Harrison is a new author for me—always excited uto find a new author I like.
Funny and sweet, I liked this one even if I thought the dog thing was a little far fetched. For once it was obvious to the reader why the H was captured by the h—it was really show not tell.
Harrison is a new author for me—always excited uto find a new author I like.
June 16, 2020
This was anther one of those Georgian/Victorian era reads. I found this on Kindle Unlimited and was like "yeah, why not." I don't expect much form Kindle Unlimited but this really wasn't all that bad. I read it in like 6 hours cause it was super short and it even included a brain/eye/optic nerve surgery that I have no context for if it was actually historically accurate (probably not) but it was still cool.
Recommended for weirdos like me part 2.
Recommended for weirdos like me part 2.
July 6, 2021
This is a lovely read. The characters are very likeable, it is a bit of a slow burn but when the fire gets going it sizzles. Captain Worthington is blinded in action and is frustrated with the world he now has to navigate. Miss Basingstoke is a strong, intelligent woman who takes him as he is. Their journey together is full of bumps and misunderstandings but has this reader rooting for them.
At 175 pages it is a great little read. Will be reading more from this author.
At 175 pages it is a great little read. Will be reading more from this author.
January 18, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. It was a light and easy romance with some obstacles thrown in. The hero, Captain Alexander Worthington, has been injured at the battle of Trafalgar and has lost his sight. Before his injury, society welcomed him for his status and wealth. Now he is being ignored. When he is seated next a lady on the "wallflower" benches at a ball, he is at first upset. Then he hears a wonderful voice speaking to him like a "normal" person. He strikes up a friendship that leads to him walking with her in Green Park each morning. Her dog, Samson, who usually is a bit of a bad boy, takes to the Captain and starts to guide him about on their walks. I liked reading about how he trained the dog to be his guide with a few tentative training sessions. Things get a bit complicated when Amelia (Miss Basingstoke) returns home from London after three years of failure to find a husband. Alexander must follow her and convince her and her protective family that he is a changed man and truly not his once arrogant self. Also, Amelia needs to fight for her own feelings and convince her family and his friends that their love is real. I have enjoyed several of Ms. Harrison's books and have not been disappointed.
May 10, 2023
2.5+
Not bad but over explained and not that compelling. I skimmed the last chapter because I just wanted to be done. But at the same time, it wasn’t terrible. Just so-so
Not bad but over explained and not that compelling. I skimmed the last chapter because I just wanted to be done. But at the same time, it wasn’t terrible. Just so-so
April 13, 2019
Well how refreshing! A regency where the hero isn’t perfect and the heroine isn’t the most beautiful. I loved the element of the dog as well. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading another by this author.
September 28, 2020
Reading this gave me the same warm and satisfying feeling I get when watching a really good BBC (romantic) period drama. You could tell that the feelings the H developed for the h were deep and true.
Charming and sweet, Kisses only.
Charming and sweet, Kisses only.
January 19, 2021
**3.5**
January 7, 2017
Sweet, entertaining Regency Romance
The Captain's Wallflower was very entertaining. I enjoyed the premise of the story. Captain Alexander Worthington is a decorated naval officer living a charmed life. Rich, handsome, and a privileged member of the ton, he is relegated to obscurity as he returns from battle blind and is shunned by all in his social circle. Amelia Basingstoke is fast approaching spinsterhood as her third London Season does not yield the marriage proposal her family of modest means desires. Alexander and Amelia meet by chance as they are relegated to the sidelines during a ball. I really enjoyed how the author uses Alexander's blindness as a vehicle to drive the plot along; Amelia is caring for her uncle's rejected hunting dog who shows potential to become Alexander's guide dog. I just thought it was sweet how Alexander and Amelia get to know and love each other during time spent training Samson the dog to help guide Alex. Audrey Harrison infuses the story with humor, I found myself laughing with certain exchanges between the characters. Alexander's character shows growth, as we see him evolve from conceited elitist, to embittered war hero, to a young man who understands the things in life that really matter. I liked Amelia; she was a very level headed, strong young woman. She was content in life and understood the blessings of having a loving family in spite of seemingly not being able to attain an eligible match.
The reason I did not give it 5 stars is because the language did not fit the Regency period and it did detract somewhat from the story. It's basically a clean read; there are a few passionate kisses, but nothing too racy.
Overall, it was a lovely, entertaining book! I recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys a clean, sweet Regency Romance.
The Captain's Wallflower was very entertaining. I enjoyed the premise of the story. Captain Alexander Worthington is a decorated naval officer living a charmed life. Rich, handsome, and a privileged member of the ton, he is relegated to obscurity as he returns from battle blind and is shunned by all in his social circle. Amelia Basingstoke is fast approaching spinsterhood as her third London Season does not yield the marriage proposal her family of modest means desires. Alexander and Amelia meet by chance as they are relegated to the sidelines during a ball. I really enjoyed how the author uses Alexander's blindness as a vehicle to drive the plot along; Amelia is caring for her uncle's rejected hunting dog who shows potential to become Alexander's guide dog. I just thought it was sweet how Alexander and Amelia get to know and love each other during time spent training Samson the dog to help guide Alex. Audrey Harrison infuses the story with humor, I found myself laughing with certain exchanges between the characters. Alexander's character shows growth, as we see him evolve from conceited elitist, to embittered war hero, to a young man who understands the things in life that really matter. I liked Amelia; she was a very level headed, strong young woman. She was content in life and understood the blessings of having a loving family in spite of seemingly not being able to attain an eligible match.
The reason I did not give it 5 stars is because the language did not fit the Regency period and it did detract somewhat from the story. It's basically a clean read; there are a few passionate kisses, but nothing too racy.
Overall, it was a lovely, entertaining book! I recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys a clean, sweet Regency Romance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews