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Studies in Scandal #3
Wallflower Most Wanted
THE PICTURE OF ROMANCE
A dedicated painter, Miss Sophia Hastings is far more concerned with finding the right slant of light than in finding Mr. Right. But when an overhead conversation hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Even it means accepting help from an impossibly good-looking vicar who insists on joining her investigation—and threatens to capture her heart…
Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress. But he won’t allow her to venture into peril alone, either. . .especially since he finds Sophia’s curious, free-spirited nature so alluring. But protecting her from harm is becoming more difficult than the vicar could have expected as he and Sophia confront their fiery mutual passion. Who could have known that the art of love would prove so irresistible?
A dedicated painter, Miss Sophia Hastings is far more concerned with finding the right slant of light than in finding Mr. Right. But when an overhead conversation hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Even it means accepting help from an impossibly good-looking vicar who insists on joining her investigation—and threatens to capture her heart…
Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress. But he won’t allow her to venture into peril alone, either. . .especially since he finds Sophia’s curious, free-spirited nature so alluring. But protecting her from harm is becoming more difficult than the vicar could have expected as he and Sophia confront their fiery mutual passion. Who could have known that the art of love would prove so irresistible?
307 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 30, 2018
60 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
About the author
Manda Collins
37 books1,572 followersManda Collins grew up on a combination of Nancy Drew books and Jane Austen novels, and her own brand of Regency romantic suspense is the result. A former academic librarian, she holds advanced degrees in English Lit and Librarianship. Her books have been favorably reviewed in Entertainment Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Publisher's Weekly, Bookpage, and USA Today. A native of Alabama, she lives on the Gulf Coast with a very stubborn cat and more books than are strictly necessary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
December 27, 2017
My preconceived notions made me hesitate…
I admit I was hesitant to start Wallflower Most Wanted. See, I’m Catholic and priests are seen and treated differently than vicars. Sure, they are looked to for guidance, support and help but they are definitely not looked at desirably or as a marriage prospect. I don’t have an opinion on which is right or wrong, or more precisely, I'm not going to share my thoughts on the subject. It’s just that I struggled to look at a man of the cloth in a sexy or desirable way.
So, I started off a little leery. I got to know Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle and realised that I had to take my Catholic blinkers off and look at the man. Admiring and finding a man of the cloth “sexy” was a little discombobulating. Realising that the man could be serving his community, spreading the good word AND fall in love, be a family man and have desires, was different. I did have a few moments of WHAT THE HECK is he doing having lustful thoughts? But, eventually, I got over it.
I have really enjoyed this series and getting to know the Beauchamp heiresses. It has been interesting to know each of the ladies’ talents and the mountains they must climb for their skills to be acknowledged. I think as ladies of this time, we struggle to understand the extent women were judged, ostracised and condemned for having a brain and using it.
There are times we, as women, face prejudice and sexist judgement even now, but this was extreme. I was gobsmacked that Sophia’s battle was the subject matter she painted. My first thought was that she must be painting nudes or blood and gore. Would you believe a child in his sick bed was considered a dark and disturbing subject matter to paint? The other topic I could maybe (MAYBE) grant as a little more controversial but hardly as bad as they made out.
As like the previous instalments in the series, Sophia is tasked with solving a mystery. I admit I had my suspects picked out and I was convinced I couldn’t be wrong. Once all the puzzle pieces had been laid, I was surprised.
The love story between Sophia and Ben was sweet and very satisfying. Both have to fend off unwanted advances by the ladies and gentlemen of Little Seaford. They are unwanted because these ladies and gentlemen seem only interested in Ben and Sophia’s outward beauty and not the people that they are inside. There is an attraction from the start, but when Sophia accidentally falls at Ben’s feet, the attraction blossoms into more.
Another great instalment of the series and I can’t wait for Gemma’s love story to be dug out.
Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I admit I was hesitant to start Wallflower Most Wanted. See, I’m Catholic and priests are seen and treated differently than vicars. Sure, they are looked to for guidance, support and help but they are definitely not looked at desirably or as a marriage prospect. I don’t have an opinion on which is right or wrong, or more precisely, I'm not going to share my thoughts on the subject. It’s just that I struggled to look at a man of the cloth in a sexy or desirable way.
So, I started off a little leery. I got to know Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle and realised that I had to take my Catholic blinkers off and look at the man. Admiring and finding a man of the cloth “sexy” was a little discombobulating. Realising that the man could be serving his community, spreading the good word AND fall in love, be a family man and have desires, was different. I did have a few moments of WHAT THE HECK is he doing having lustful thoughts? But, eventually, I got over it.
I have really enjoyed this series and getting to know the Beauchamp heiresses. It has been interesting to know each of the ladies’ talents and the mountains they must climb for their skills to be acknowledged. I think as ladies of this time, we struggle to understand the extent women were judged, ostracised and condemned for having a brain and using it.
There are times we, as women, face prejudice and sexist judgement even now, but this was extreme. I was gobsmacked that Sophia’s battle was the subject matter she painted. My first thought was that she must be painting nudes or blood and gore. Would you believe a child in his sick bed was considered a dark and disturbing subject matter to paint? The other topic I could maybe (MAYBE) grant as a little more controversial but hardly as bad as they made out.
As like the previous instalments in the series, Sophia is tasked with solving a mystery. I admit I had my suspects picked out and I was convinced I couldn’t be wrong. Once all the puzzle pieces had been laid, I was surprised.
The love story between Sophia and Ben was sweet and very satisfying. Both have to fend off unwanted advances by the ladies and gentlemen of Little Seaford. They are unwanted because these ladies and gentlemen seem only interested in Ben and Sophia’s outward beauty and not the people that they are inside. There is an attraction from the start, but when Sophia accidentally falls at Ben’s feet, the attraction blossoms into more.
Another great instalment of the series and I can’t wait for Gemma’s love story to be dug out.
Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
January 22, 2018
Add a beautiful young painter and a handsome vicar who's a duke's son, throw in a dash of murder, and a sprinkle of art forgery, a Trumpian faux populist character, and there you have it.
This was enjoyable with clever writing and likable characters, but I felt like I had to keep putting it down. Could be me, with everything going on. I am looking forward to Gemma's story.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine: http://affairedecoeur.com.
This was enjoyable with clever writing and likable characters, but I felt like I had to keep putting it down. Could be me, with everything going on. I am looking forward to Gemma's story.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine: http://affairedecoeur.com.
December 26, 2017
This was a nice romance with likable leads. It is the third in series, and I have not read the previous two. It mostly worked as a standalone, but there were characters featured in other books present that knowing their backstory might be helpful. The premise of the series revolves around four women with special skills or talents who share an inheritance. I imagine the first book gets into the details of the inheritance more, but it seems to be some sort of competition for the inheritance. Despite the competition, they have become good friends. Sophia is a talented artist, and her sister is there as one of the four as a paleontologist.
The hero, Ben, is a Vicar and second son of a Duke. He has been asked by the home office by way of his brother to investigate a series forgeries coming out of Little Seaford, the setting of this novel. To help with his investigation, he seeks counsel from Sophia, since he respects her artistic talent and knowledge. They had met on occasion as members of the same community, but the investigation kindles attraction into romance. Due to the unconventionality of her home, Ben and Sophia are left to consult alone often.
While I think this was mostly a nice, straightforward romance, there was little depth, and it was superficial. I didn't feel much for the characters or their love. It was just nice and not more. The writing and pacing was decent, but there were elements of implausibility in the subplot and the characters that made this difficult at times for me. Ben being the son of a Duke with independent means, not needing a career, seems unlikely to have chosen to be a vicar. He was also a vicar with considerable experience in the bedroom, so he just didn't seem like a vicar. Also the whodunnit was quite implausible
Overall, this is a pleasant story if you can suspend belief. If not, then it's probably not the book for you.
*I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The hero, Ben, is a Vicar and second son of a Duke. He has been asked by the home office by way of his brother to investigate a series forgeries coming out of Little Seaford, the setting of this novel. To help with his investigation, he seeks counsel from Sophia, since he respects her artistic talent and knowledge. They had met on occasion as members of the same community, but the investigation kindles attraction into romance. Due to the unconventionality of her home, Ben and Sophia are left to consult alone often.
While I think this was mostly a nice, straightforward romance, there was little depth, and it was superficial. I didn't feel much for the characters or their love. It was just nice and not more. The writing and pacing was decent, but there were elements of implausibility in the subplot and the characters that made this difficult at times for me. Ben being the son of a Duke with independent means, not needing a career, seems unlikely to have chosen to be a vicar. He was also a vicar with considerable experience in the bedroom, so he just didn't seem like a vicar. Also the whodunnit was quite implausible
Overall, this is a pleasant story if you can suspend belief. If not, then it's probably not the book for you.
*I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2018
In the 3rd book in the Studies in Scandal series, we finally get Sophia's story. Sophia is the one that is an expert in painting and art. So, of course, we have a mystery involving forgery's that are happening in the area. To help her solve this, we meet Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle. After he "catches" Sophia falling from a cliff, they overhear a conversation where it implies that someone's life is in danger. So they begin their investigation and in doing so, they fall in love. I love all these characters so it was no surprise that I liked Sophia's story. I, also, liked Ben--especially that he was a vicar and not another Duke or Earl:) I really felt their love and could see those two together. Another wonderful romance by Manda Collins. I cannot wait to read the final book because I have a feeling that I'm going to love Gemma's story!
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2019
I think this book must have been written by a committee who never saw what anyone else wrote. It certainly never saw an editor, but it absolutely contradicted itself on more than one occasion. Once on the same page. I should have quit early, but evidently I'm one of those people who wants to see a train wreck through to it end. Just to see if it could redeem itself. It couldn't.
January 31, 2018
This is a great series IMHO and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys engagingly written historical romantic suspense. Each story focusses on one of the four blue stocking heirs to Lady Celeste and in this book it is the talented artist, Miss Sophia Hastings, who is the lady who has a mystery to solve and true love to find.
Sophia was out on a clifftop painting the turbulent sea when her enthusiastic brush strokes accidentally caused her to tumble down to the beach near the handsome, single, Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle. As he ensures she isn’t seriously injured, they overhear an intriguing and threatening conversation but can’t identify who is talking. This starts them working together to investigate just what is going on . . . .
It turns into a real page turner, a suspense filled murder mystery with an added element of romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. Characters from the previous stories still play significant roles in this one and it is a great addition to the series. Now I can’t wait to discover the investigation Lady Celeste will have left for Sophia’s sister, which I presume will be the focus for the next story in the series!
I requested and received a copy of this novel. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.
Sophia was out on a clifftop painting the turbulent sea when her enthusiastic brush strokes accidentally caused her to tumble down to the beach near the handsome, single, Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle. As he ensures she isn’t seriously injured, they overhear an intriguing and threatening conversation but can’t identify who is talking. This starts them working together to investigate just what is going on . . . .
It turns into a real page turner, a suspense filled murder mystery with an added element of romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. Characters from the previous stories still play significant roles in this one and it is a great addition to the series. Now I can’t wait to discover the investigation Lady Celeste will have left for Sophia’s sister, which I presume will be the focus for the next story in the series!
I requested and received a copy of this novel. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.
January 19, 2019
Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins is the third story in her Studies in Scandal series, about a group of young ladies, all bluestockings, who inherit a country estate from a mysterious benefactor. Each story in the series has had a mystery to be solved combined with a delightful and entertaining romance. While one might think that having a vicar as the hero would keep the story rather tame, the enterprising and handsome Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle and his sleuthing companion Miss Sophia Hastings find ways to heat things up in a fashion that suits their characters.
Painting is Sophia’s passion and when a cliffside morning session ends with a small tumble onto the beach below, she’s rescued by the always pleasant and devilishly handsome local vicar, Benedick. Out of sight, they overhear a not so private conversation above that leads them to realize something nefarious is afoot. Sophia’s sprained ankle gives Benedick an excuse to visit socially and Sophia uses the visit to insist that they investigate the mystery together.
It turns out that Benedick’s brother has been asked by the Home Office to investigate a forgery ring that’s believed to be operating in their area, and with Sophia’s connections to the local artists colony, she insists on being part of the search. Plus, she’s planning to exhibit her own paintings in an upcoming exhibition, to the consternation of the some of the more conservative members of their village, who could also be involved. As Benedick and Sophia uncover the clues to solve the mystery they also find themselves developing a tendre for each other. Sophia doesn’t believe she is the kind of woman Benedick would want as his wife, and he’s got enough local ladies vying for the job that she can’t imagine he’d consider courting her. Yet all signs point to a mutual affection. When their mystery turns into a more deadly affair, will their chance to have a happy ever after be cut short?
If you love a good regency romance with an intriguing mystery, you’ll definitely want to read this series. Even with the mystery to be solved, and usually a murderer afoot, the stories are low angst and a lovely way to spend a few hours. Because of Benedick’s occupation, the romance between him and Sophia is a slow burn one, though there are some sexy times later in the story once Benedick realizes that Sophia is the woman he wants to marry. Sophia is a virgin but Benedick is not, having been somewhat of a playboy before taking his vows to serve the church . He treats her in a gentle and respectful manner, even while showing her the heights of physical pleasure. He has to do a little convincing to make Sophia consider marrying him, as she worries that her art, which aims to show some of the realities of life for the poor, will be too controversial for a vicar’s wife. But Benedick values Sophia for all of her talents and her generous and forthright character, making him definite hero material.
The mystery plot has some interested twists and turns and while not overly suspenseful, was definitely intriguing. I enjoyed meeting Benedick’s brothers and the camaraderie between Sophia, her sister Gemma, and the other two now married women living in the Beauchamp house. All the women in the series have traits that make them stand out for their time, feminists of their day, and are lucky enough to find men who appreciate them. I’m looking forward to continuing the series, and seeing Sophia’s sister Gemma, a geologist, get her happy ending too.
This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-wal...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Painting is Sophia’s passion and when a cliffside morning session ends with a small tumble onto the beach below, she’s rescued by the always pleasant and devilishly handsome local vicar, Benedick. Out of sight, they overhear a not so private conversation above that leads them to realize something nefarious is afoot. Sophia’s sprained ankle gives Benedick an excuse to visit socially and Sophia uses the visit to insist that they investigate the mystery together.
It turns out that Benedick’s brother has been asked by the Home Office to investigate a forgery ring that’s believed to be operating in their area, and with Sophia’s connections to the local artists colony, she insists on being part of the search. Plus, she’s planning to exhibit her own paintings in an upcoming exhibition, to the consternation of the some of the more conservative members of their village, who could also be involved. As Benedick and Sophia uncover the clues to solve the mystery they also find themselves developing a tendre for each other. Sophia doesn’t believe she is the kind of woman Benedick would want as his wife, and he’s got enough local ladies vying for the job that she can’t imagine he’d consider courting her. Yet all signs point to a mutual affection. When their mystery turns into a more deadly affair, will their chance to have a happy ever after be cut short?
If you love a good regency romance with an intriguing mystery, you’ll definitely want to read this series. Even with the mystery to be solved, and usually a murderer afoot, the stories are low angst and a lovely way to spend a few hours. Because of Benedick’s occupation, the romance between him and Sophia is a slow burn one, though there are some sexy times later in the story once Benedick realizes that Sophia is the woman he wants to marry. Sophia is a virgin but Benedick is not, having been somewhat of a playboy before taking his vows to serve the church . He treats her in a gentle and respectful manner, even while showing her the heights of physical pleasure. He has to do a little convincing to make Sophia consider marrying him, as she worries that her art, which aims to show some of the realities of life for the poor, will be too controversial for a vicar’s wife. But Benedick values Sophia for all of her talents and her generous and forthright character, making him definite hero material.
The mystery plot has some interested twists and turns and while not overly suspenseful, was definitely intriguing. I enjoyed meeting Benedick’s brothers and the camaraderie between Sophia, her sister Gemma, and the other two now married women living in the Beauchamp house. All the women in the series have traits that make them stand out for their time, feminists of their day, and are lucky enough to find men who appreciate them. I’m looking forward to continuing the series, and seeing Sophia’s sister Gemma, a geologist, get her happy ending too.
This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-wal...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
February 1, 2018
3.5 Stars
Full review to come soon.
I enjoyed this for the most part. I'm as big a fan of girl power and strong women doing their thing as you'll find...
...but there's a slight possibility this regency era offering might've taken that just a step too far if believability is your thing. I normally don't need my HRs to follow historical guidelines too closely, but even I had a hard time with the phallic shaped statue placed just so on the mantle. I appreciate the lady balls it took to display it, but really? Vicars and the like normally frown on that kind of thing.
That aside, I've enjoyed Manda Collins writing in the past and this book was no exception.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Full review to come soon.
I enjoyed this for the most part. I'm as big a fan of girl power and strong women doing their thing as you'll find...
...but there's a slight possibility this regency era offering might've taken that just a step too far if believability is your thing. I normally don't need my HRs to follow historical guidelines too closely, but even I had a hard time with the phallic shaped statue placed just so on the mantle. I appreciate the lady balls it took to display it, but really? Vicars and the like normally frown on that kind of thing.
That aside, I've enjoyed Manda Collins writing in the past and this book was no exception.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
December 31, 2017
Wallflower Most Wanted was a fast-paced romance with a compelling plot and a charming group of characters.
Sophia Hastings is a master painter and dedicates herself fully to her craft believing it to be of more importance than her love life. After an unfortunate accident while painting on the cliffs near Beauchamp House leaves her literally falling into Lord Benedick Lisle’s arms, Sophia begins to rethink her position. When the two overhear a plot to kill a local artist, Sophia is determined to get to the bottom of things and Ben insists on helping her. The two quickly find themselves in a dangerous position as the culprit is willing to stop at nothing to see their goals accomplished.
Sophia is incredibly passionate about her work and has found that during her time at Beauchamp House she has created her best works as coming there has allowed her to express herself more freely and has given her the opportunity to discover who she is. In addition to her devotion to painting, Sophia also cares deeply about social issues particularly those dealing with women and children. She incorporates her interest in these issues into her paintings which tends to make the people viewing them uncomfortable. Sophia has a very close relationship with her sister Gemma and I loved seeing more of their sibling relationship than we’ve seen in previous books.
Ben is the vicar at the local church in the town where Beauchamp House resides and arrived in town after events in a previous book left an opening at the church. Ben became a vicar as he knew as a second son he was destined for the church or the army. He has little interest in church politics and instead simply desires to help people. Ben grew up touring his family’s properties with his mother and visiting the tenants. It was during those visits that he learned how to talk to people and offer them comfort. Ben is very close to his family and I enjoyed seeing his interactions with them.
Prior to the start of the book, Ben and Sophia interacted very little and thus their relationship does develop quickly on page. Both of them were physically attracted to one another right away but try to chalk it up to their encounter at the cliffs. However when they begin spending more time together and getting to know each other, they start to connect on a deeper level. Ben felt more sure in his feelings before Sophia did which was a nice change of pace from most romances. When their relationship does progress physically, it’s very steamy and there are several sexy scenes that are quite enjoyable.
Like Ivy and Daphne before her, Sophia was given a mystery to solve by Lady Celeste that was perfectly suited to her area of expertise. While trying to solve her mystery, we learn some new information about Lady Celeste that clarified a few things from previous books and helped tie up a few loose ends. I was surprised to learn who the bad guy was as the author does a great job concealing their identity.
Wallflower Most Wanted was a fantastic installment in the Studies in Scandal series and I’m excited to finally get Gemma’s book, One for the Rogue, soon. I highly recommend these books for fans of historical romances with unconventional heroines.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Sophia Hastings is a master painter and dedicates herself fully to her craft believing it to be of more importance than her love life. After an unfortunate accident while painting on the cliffs near Beauchamp House leaves her literally falling into Lord Benedick Lisle’s arms, Sophia begins to rethink her position. When the two overhear a plot to kill a local artist, Sophia is determined to get to the bottom of things and Ben insists on helping her. The two quickly find themselves in a dangerous position as the culprit is willing to stop at nothing to see their goals accomplished.
Sophia is incredibly passionate about her work and has found that during her time at Beauchamp House she has created her best works as coming there has allowed her to express herself more freely and has given her the opportunity to discover who she is. In addition to her devotion to painting, Sophia also cares deeply about social issues particularly those dealing with women and children. She incorporates her interest in these issues into her paintings which tends to make the people viewing them uncomfortable. Sophia has a very close relationship with her sister Gemma and I loved seeing more of their sibling relationship than we’ve seen in previous books.
Ben is the vicar at the local church in the town where Beauchamp House resides and arrived in town after events in a previous book left an opening at the church. Ben became a vicar as he knew as a second son he was destined for the church or the army. He has little interest in church politics and instead simply desires to help people. Ben grew up touring his family’s properties with his mother and visiting the tenants. It was during those visits that he learned how to talk to people and offer them comfort. Ben is very close to his family and I enjoyed seeing his interactions with them.
Prior to the start of the book, Ben and Sophia interacted very little and thus their relationship does develop quickly on page. Both of them were physically attracted to one another right away but try to chalk it up to their encounter at the cliffs. However when they begin spending more time together and getting to know each other, they start to connect on a deeper level. Ben felt more sure in his feelings before Sophia did which was a nice change of pace from most romances. When their relationship does progress physically, it’s very steamy and there are several sexy scenes that are quite enjoyable.
Like Ivy and Daphne before her, Sophia was given a mystery to solve by Lady Celeste that was perfectly suited to her area of expertise. While trying to solve her mystery, we learn some new information about Lady Celeste that clarified a few things from previous books and helped tie up a few loose ends. I was surprised to learn who the bad guy was as the author does a great job concealing their identity.
Wallflower Most Wanted was a fantastic installment in the Studies in Scandal series and I’m excited to finally get Gemma’s book, One for the Rogue, soon. I highly recommend these books for fans of historical romances with unconventional heroines.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
January 29, 2018
4.5 stars – rounded up to 5
Series: Studies In Scandal #3
Publication Date: 1/30/18
Manda Collins has added a third great book in the Studies In Scandal series. The series is based on the unexpected inheritance of four very gifted young women. The rich, eccentric daughter of a duke leaves her house and fortune to four young women, each of whom is gifted in a different discipline – painting, mathematics, geology, etc. The young ladies have to live in the house for one year and any of them remaining in the house at the end of the year will inherit. Each young lady is also given a puzzle/mystery to solve – including who murdered their benefactor. This book focuses on the painter in the group. The book is well written, the plot flows smoothly and the characters are fully developed and very likable. We also get to meet the hero of the next book as well!
You can read the book as a stand-alone, but if you want to understand the relationships between the ladies of Beauchamp House, their husbands, etc. you really should read the first two books.
Miss Sophia Hastings is a gifted painter – she’s also a very enthusiastic painter. As Sophia is making a particularly enthusiastic stroke on her current painting, she is startled by voices and tumbles off a ten-foot cliff. She manages to twist and land on her feet, but one foot is badly twisted and sprained. Lucky for her, the handsome new vicar, Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle, is taking a walk on the beach and sees her fall. As he is trying to help her, they overhear a conversation from above – someone is plotting the death of someone else. Sophia is, of course, determined to investigate and Benedick (Ben) is determined to keep her safe. However, he knows the ladies of this house and their previous involvements in intrigues, so he agrees to let her help him investigate.
As they investigate further they learn that the Home Office is interested in an art forgery ring in the area. Could it all be related? There are lots of suspects in the area, including an art colony and an industrialist who wants to broaden his influence through being elected to the House of Commons.
Sophia and Ben have been attracted to each other since he first came to their lovely seaside village, Little Seaford, several months ago. However, they are rarely near each other, so they didn’t realize how attracted they were until Ben helped her on the beach. As they work to solve the mystery, the attraction grows to full-blown love.
There is a nasty villain who has no problem causing trouble for Ben and Sophia in any way he can – from spreading rumors to calling in the Bishop to censure Ben. He’s a nasty piece of work and it is fun to watch him get his comeuppance! There is also a major twist that you won’t see coming – it will definitely blindside you! Way-to-go Ms. Collins!
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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Series: Studies In Scandal #3
Publication Date: 1/30/18
Manda Collins has added a third great book in the Studies In Scandal series. The series is based on the unexpected inheritance of four very gifted young women. The rich, eccentric daughter of a duke leaves her house and fortune to four young women, each of whom is gifted in a different discipline – painting, mathematics, geology, etc. The young ladies have to live in the house for one year and any of them remaining in the house at the end of the year will inherit. Each young lady is also given a puzzle/mystery to solve – including who murdered their benefactor. This book focuses on the painter in the group. The book is well written, the plot flows smoothly and the characters are fully developed and very likable. We also get to meet the hero of the next book as well!
You can read the book as a stand-alone, but if you want to understand the relationships between the ladies of Beauchamp House, their husbands, etc. you really should read the first two books.
Miss Sophia Hastings is a gifted painter – she’s also a very enthusiastic painter. As Sophia is making a particularly enthusiastic stroke on her current painting, she is startled by voices and tumbles off a ten-foot cliff. She manages to twist and land on her feet, but one foot is badly twisted and sprained. Lucky for her, the handsome new vicar, Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle, is taking a walk on the beach and sees her fall. As he is trying to help her, they overhear a conversation from above – someone is plotting the death of someone else. Sophia is, of course, determined to investigate and Benedick (Ben) is determined to keep her safe. However, he knows the ladies of this house and their previous involvements in intrigues, so he agrees to let her help him investigate.
As they investigate further they learn that the Home Office is interested in an art forgery ring in the area. Could it all be related? There are lots of suspects in the area, including an art colony and an industrialist who wants to broaden his influence through being elected to the House of Commons.
Sophia and Ben have been attracted to each other since he first came to their lovely seaside village, Little Seaford, several months ago. However, they are rarely near each other, so they didn’t realize how attracted they were until Ben helped her on the beach. As they work to solve the mystery, the attraction grows to full-blown love.
There is a nasty villain who has no problem causing trouble for Ben and Sophia in any way he can – from spreading rumors to calling in the Bishop to censure Ben. He’s a nasty piece of work and it is fun to watch him get his comeuppance! There is also a major twist that you won’t see coming – it will definitely blindside you! Way-to-go Ms. Collins!
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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
November 26, 2017
***I received an ARC of this book for an honest review***
This was a miss for me. It took me a while to get into this one due to the formalistic, nearly prissy writing. I know that I just came off a RomCom and a YA spy novel, and that may have contributed. But the first 20% of this book was an uphill climb. It smoothed out some in the middle, but by then I was exhausted and over it. The end was a rushed blur of all the action - that I would have appreciated earlier on in the story.
"'How can our joy in one another be a sin? We haven't yet wed in the church, but in our hearts we are and have been since that day in your studio.'"
Sophia and Ben know each other from their small town. She's an artist living in a house with other brilliant woman. He's the vicar. A mysterious conversation about murder upon which they both eavesdrop throws them into closer proximity, and they become drawn to one another.
The story lacked the spark that made it worth all the work to read it.
*I'm going to assume that the significant editorial issues will be fixed by the time the book is released. They didn't factor in on my rating decision.
This was a miss for me. It took me a while to get into this one due to the formalistic, nearly prissy writing. I know that I just came off a RomCom and a YA spy novel, and that may have contributed. But the first 20% of this book was an uphill climb. It smoothed out some in the middle, but by then I was exhausted and over it. The end was a rushed blur of all the action - that I would have appreciated earlier on in the story.
"'How can our joy in one another be a sin? We haven't yet wed in the church, but in our hearts we are and have been since that day in your studio.'"
Sophia and Ben know each other from their small town. She's an artist living in a house with other brilliant woman. He's the vicar. A mysterious conversation about murder upon which they both eavesdrop throws them into closer proximity, and they become drawn to one another.
The story lacked the spark that made it worth all the work to read it.
*I'm going to assume that the significant editorial issues will be fixed by the time the book is released. They didn't factor in on my rating decision.
May 7, 2018
I struggled to get into this book. It wasn’t bad, but it was very slow and it took a really long time before I was even remotely interested in either main character, much less a romance between them.
I picked this up because the hero was a vicar and the blurb promised that he and the heroine would “confront their fiery mutual passion.” I mistakenly thought this would be perhaps a forbidden romance, or at a minimum a gentle reserved hero who would be tempted by a passionate woman. Not so much.
This is the third book in Manda Collins’ Studies in Scandal series and I did not read the first two books. Sometimes with historical romance series, that doesn’t matter. Often, they stand alone very well and you barely notice that there may have been stories that came before. Not here. I wasn’t lost, necessarily, but there were plenty of references to the earlier books and with the struggles I already had to care about the main couple, this only made my problem worse.
Anyway, Sophia is one of four women who apparently were bequeathed a house based on skills each of them possessed. Each of the four women get their own book and have their own gifts. One is really smart. One is a math whiz. Sophia is a talented artist. As the story begins, she is painting at the top of a cliff when she is startled by male voices and falls. Obviously, she does not plummet to her death, but she does twist her ankle and lands on Ben the vicar. They overhear two men talking about possibly killing an artist and realize they have a mystery to solve.
Of course, Ben does not want to endanger a fragile lady with what could be a dangerous investigation. Especially once his brother brings word that he needs to help the crown bust a forgery ring, which he realizes is tied into what they overheard. But Sophia is stubborn and forces him to keep his word and work as a team. The story follows their effort to unravel the scheme as they end up falling in love.
I was decidedly underwhelmed. This was a superficial read. It made me feel nothing. In fact, in the first third, I was flat out bored. There was nothing overt that turned me off, I just could not muster any enthusiasm to want to keep reading. I did finish and the ending is largely as you would expect, though with one small twist in the murder mystery. But overall, I found it flat and I do not see myself revisiting the series.
PS — How could Ben keep calling Sophia a wallflower when she had a horde of suitors? Makes no sense.
Rating: C
*ARC provided by St. Martin's Press
I picked this up because the hero was a vicar and the blurb promised that he and the heroine would “confront their fiery mutual passion.” I mistakenly thought this would be perhaps a forbidden romance, or at a minimum a gentle reserved hero who would be tempted by a passionate woman. Not so much.
This is the third book in Manda Collins’ Studies in Scandal series and I did not read the first two books. Sometimes with historical romance series, that doesn’t matter. Often, they stand alone very well and you barely notice that there may have been stories that came before. Not here. I wasn’t lost, necessarily, but there were plenty of references to the earlier books and with the struggles I already had to care about the main couple, this only made my problem worse.
Anyway, Sophia is one of four women who apparently were bequeathed a house based on skills each of them possessed. Each of the four women get their own book and have their own gifts. One is really smart. One is a math whiz. Sophia is a talented artist. As the story begins, she is painting at the top of a cliff when she is startled by male voices and falls. Obviously, she does not plummet to her death, but she does twist her ankle and lands on Ben the vicar. They overhear two men talking about possibly killing an artist and realize they have a mystery to solve.
Of course, Ben does not want to endanger a fragile lady with what could be a dangerous investigation. Especially once his brother brings word that he needs to help the crown bust a forgery ring, which he realizes is tied into what they overheard. But Sophia is stubborn and forces him to keep his word and work as a team. The story follows their effort to unravel the scheme as they end up falling in love.
I was decidedly underwhelmed. This was a superficial read. It made me feel nothing. In fact, in the first third, I was flat out bored. There was nothing overt that turned me off, I just could not muster any enthusiasm to want to keep reading. I did finish and the ending is largely as you would expect, though with one small twist in the murder mystery. But overall, I found it flat and I do not see myself revisiting the series.
PS — How could Ben keep calling Sophia a wallflower when she had a horde of suitors? Makes no sense.
Rating: C
*ARC provided by St. Martin's Press
January 27, 2018
4.5 stars
This installment of the Studies in Scandal series, focuses on Sophia Hastings, artist in her own right and art historian and Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle, the vicar of Little Seaford's parish. They met in the previous book and reconnect in this book. The book opens with Sophia taking a tumble over a cliff and Ben coming to her rescue. While checking her for injuries, they overhear a plot to kill someone. Sophia immediately wants to investigate, but Ben urges caution and insists on returning her to the house. Ben agrees that the plot they overheard warrants investigation and promises to collect her belongings, check for clues and return to share his findings with her.
Even though she is injured, Sophia is determined to attend the ball at the Morgan home that night, for two reasons, one her Aunt Dahlia has asked her to see if rumors about Peter Morgan running for a seat in the commons is true and also to see if she will recognize the voices of the men she heard talking on the cliff that morning. Ben also attend the ball and is surprised to see Sophia in attendance. He helps her escape her admirers and goes to find her sister. He is waylaid by Morgan who asks him to join him in preventing Sophia from exhibiting her art at the upcoming art show, he refuses and knows he has made an enemy.
He returns home to find his brother Freddie there, the Home Office has asked him to see if Ben would look into some allegations of forgery that seem to be coming out of Little Seaford. Ben briefly wonders if Sophia is involved, but after hearing all the details, knows she is not and thinks she might be able to help him.
Morgan makes another visit to Ben and threatens to report him to the Archbishop of Canterbury if he does not stand with him against Sophia, Morgan has his own artist and doesn't want Sophia's work to garner more attention than Thomas Ryder, his man. Again Ben refuses and decides to call on Sophia. He and his brother call on her and discuss the forgery problem, Sophia suggests they visit the Primble's, owners and patrons of an artist colony. There they learn that Morgan's artist, Thomas Ryder could in fact be a forger - he has the talent. Armed with this information, Freddie returns to London. Ben returns Sophia to the house and is surprised that his brother Cameron is there - fighting with Gemma (Sophia's sister). He and Cam leave and return to the vicarage. Ben is given a cryptic message to meet someone at Framingham's art gallery. Restless, Sophia decides to go to the village and see if she can learn anything about the forgeries from Mr. Framingham. She goes to the gallery and is confronted by Thomas Ryder. She enrages him and as he is about to strike her, Ben intervenes. Thomas leaves and Ben and Sophia share a kiss, which is interrupted by a shout from the back room. They find Thomas standing over the dead body of Mr. Framingham.
As with the previous books, the story is well done and interwoven with a delightful mystery. This installment was just as good as the previous books, it is well written, flows nicely, has some steamy love scenes, a nasty villain, a decent mystery that doesn't overshadow the love story, cameos from the other heiresses, several plots twists that will keep you guessing "whodunit" until the very end and finally a very sweet HEA.
This is the third book in the series, but it really could be read as a stand alone title with no problems, I would happily recommend this book and am looking forward to Gemma's story!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*
This installment of the Studies in Scandal series, focuses on Sophia Hastings, artist in her own right and art historian and Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle, the vicar of Little Seaford's parish. They met in the previous book and reconnect in this book. The book opens with Sophia taking a tumble over a cliff and Ben coming to her rescue. While checking her for injuries, they overhear a plot to kill someone. Sophia immediately wants to investigate, but Ben urges caution and insists on returning her to the house. Ben agrees that the plot they overheard warrants investigation and promises to collect her belongings, check for clues and return to share his findings with her.
Even though she is injured, Sophia is determined to attend the ball at the Morgan home that night, for two reasons, one her Aunt Dahlia has asked her to see if rumors about Peter Morgan running for a seat in the commons is true and also to see if she will recognize the voices of the men she heard talking on the cliff that morning. Ben also attend the ball and is surprised to see Sophia in attendance. He helps her escape her admirers and goes to find her sister. He is waylaid by Morgan who asks him to join him in preventing Sophia from exhibiting her art at the upcoming art show, he refuses and knows he has made an enemy.
He returns home to find his brother Freddie there, the Home Office has asked him to see if Ben would look into some allegations of forgery that seem to be coming out of Little Seaford. Ben briefly wonders if Sophia is involved, but after hearing all the details, knows she is not and thinks she might be able to help him.
Morgan makes another visit to Ben and threatens to report him to the Archbishop of Canterbury if he does not stand with him against Sophia, Morgan has his own artist and doesn't want Sophia's work to garner more attention than Thomas Ryder, his man. Again Ben refuses and decides to call on Sophia. He and his brother call on her and discuss the forgery problem, Sophia suggests they visit the Primble's, owners and patrons of an artist colony. There they learn that Morgan's artist, Thomas Ryder could in fact be a forger - he has the talent. Armed with this information, Freddie returns to London. Ben returns Sophia to the house and is surprised that his brother Cameron is there - fighting with Gemma (Sophia's sister). He and Cam leave and return to the vicarage. Ben is given a cryptic message to meet someone at Framingham's art gallery. Restless, Sophia decides to go to the village and see if she can learn anything about the forgeries from Mr. Framingham. She goes to the gallery and is confronted by Thomas Ryder. She enrages him and as he is about to strike her, Ben intervenes. Thomas leaves and Ben and Sophia share a kiss, which is interrupted by a shout from the back room. They find Thomas standing over the dead body of Mr. Framingham.
As with the previous books, the story is well done and interwoven with a delightful mystery. This installment was just as good as the previous books, it is well written, flows nicely, has some steamy love scenes, a nasty villain, a decent mystery that doesn't overshadow the love story, cameos from the other heiresses, several plots twists that will keep you guessing "whodunit" until the very end and finally a very sweet HEA.
This is the third book in the series, but it really could be read as a stand alone title with no problems, I would happily recommend this book and am looking forward to Gemma's story!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*
February 1, 2018
Miss Sophia Hastings is a rare young lady, one with genuine artistic talent. Her art isn’t just flattering portraits or pretty flowers; she paints what she feels, sometimes controversial, always thought-provoking. She has little interest in finding a husband, despite a plethora of suitors, until the day she literally falls off a cliff and lands at the feet of the handsome local vicar. Even then, she might not have taken too much notice, except for the conversation the pair then overhear… two men plotting the murder of another artist.
Drawn into intrigue by what they have overheard, and by the information that a forger in the area is producing replicas of famous works and passing them off as the real thing to sell to the upwardly mobile middle class, Sophia and Benedick discover a mutual attraction even as their investigation heats up.
I really believed in Sophia and Benedick’s romance, and there were just enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me guessing. I’d have liked to see a little more of Sophia actually being active with her art - the only time she actually painted was in the very first chapter of the book, and my experience of artists is that, like writers, they can’t just ‘switch off’. Generally they’re always sketching in a notebook or stopping to gaze at a scene the rest of us mortals would find entirely unremarkable, but in which the artist can discern something special.
I enjoyed the read, but the issue that we’d been constantly ‘told’ Sophia was an artist but not really ‘shown’ her being one kept niggling at me for a couple of days after finishing the book. For this reason, I can’t quite bring myself to give it five stars, yet it’s definitely better than a four. Four and a half, and I’ll round up to five for Amazon and Goodreads.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
Drawn into intrigue by what they have overheard, and by the information that a forger in the area is producing replicas of famous works and passing them off as the real thing to sell to the upwardly mobile middle class, Sophia and Benedick discover a mutual attraction even as their investigation heats up.
I really believed in Sophia and Benedick’s romance, and there were just enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me guessing. I’d have liked to see a little more of Sophia actually being active with her art - the only time she actually painted was in the very first chapter of the book, and my experience of artists is that, like writers, they can’t just ‘switch off’. Generally they’re always sketching in a notebook or stopping to gaze at a scene the rest of us mortals would find entirely unremarkable, but in which the artist can discern something special.
I enjoyed the read, but the issue that we’d been constantly ‘told’ Sophia was an artist but not really ‘shown’ her being one kept niggling at me for a couple of days after finishing the book. For this reason, I can’t quite bring myself to give it five stars, yet it’s definitely better than a four. Four and a half, and I’ll round up to five for Amazon and Goodreads.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
January 30, 2018
Miss Sophia Hastings enjoys painting the views of the sea from a cliff at the edge of the Beauchamp House property. This morning she is so startled at hearing a man’s voice that she falls of the cliff spraining her ankle. Thankfully, it wasn’t a very steep cliff. She looks up to see the handsome Lord Benedict (Ben) Lisle, vicar of Little Seaford. As he examines her ankle, they overhear two men discussing a planned murder.
Sophia is a lovely young woman and one of four Beauchamp House heiresses and scholars who live together and study in their different fields of expertise. Sophia’s main joy is her painting.
Ben knows he will need a wife who will be happy dedicating herself to helping the members of the parish. As much as he attracted to Sophia, he is not sure she would be content in that role.
Even with her injured ankle, Sophia is determined to attend a ball that same evening. Her aunt has told her about a man named Peter Morgan whose political ambitions could be a detriment to the area and the people too. When she learns a few days later that Peter Morgan has protested the paintings that she plans to place in an upcoming show, she and Ben are determined to discover his reasons. The paintings are very moving and depict the suffering of the people employed by the cotton plant that the man owns. However, Sophia still plans on showing her paintings. She also learns that there are believed to be some counterfeit paintings being sold locally and Peter Morgan is alluding that Sophia is the one painting them. Why is the man doing this to her?
This is an interesting story but my difficulty is with it keeping my attention. While the book was well written, it read almost in a monotone way which did not keep me interested. I do enjoy this author’s work, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Sophia is a lovely young woman and one of four Beauchamp House heiresses and scholars who live together and study in their different fields of expertise. Sophia’s main joy is her painting.
Ben knows he will need a wife who will be happy dedicating herself to helping the members of the parish. As much as he attracted to Sophia, he is not sure she would be content in that role.
Even with her injured ankle, Sophia is determined to attend a ball that same evening. Her aunt has told her about a man named Peter Morgan whose political ambitions could be a detriment to the area and the people too. When she learns a few days later that Peter Morgan has protested the paintings that she plans to place in an upcoming show, she and Ben are determined to discover his reasons. The paintings are very moving and depict the suffering of the people employed by the cotton plant that the man owns. However, Sophia still plans on showing her paintings. She also learns that there are believed to be some counterfeit paintings being sold locally and Peter Morgan is alluding that Sophia is the one painting them. Why is the man doing this to her?
This is an interesting story but my difficulty is with it keeping my attention. While the book was well written, it read almost in a monotone way which did not keep me interested. I do enjoy this author’s work, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 7, 2017
Despite some slow spots, this title was still pretty enjoyable.
Miss Sophia Hastings is yet another talented young lady who is co-owner to Beauchamp House. Sophia is a talented painted whose works are considered scandalous by some. Still, she is determined to put them on display in a local art show.
Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle is rather open-minded and is impressed with Sophia's talent...and her beauty. When it becomes clear her controversial artwork has landed her in the middle of trouble, Ben realizes that the last woman he thought he should marry is the only one he wants.
I personally get kind of sick of the "rogue that's slept with EVERY woman who would have him" trope so a vicar was a nice change. Ben is a very sweet man and I enjoyed reading about him. As someone else pointed out, anytime Ben's day-to-day life was brought up it was usually glossed over with "vicarage business" rather than actually telling what he was doing.
I liked Sophia, too. She was a very determined and independent woman. I did find her stubbornness at wanting to be involved with the mystery to her own detriment to be a little off-putting.
In all honesty, the mystery that was the main plot of the novel wasn't that engaging even though I had no clue who the culprit was. All the action regarding the mystery happened near the end of the novel and I skimmed quite a bit to get to it.
I will definitely be checking out the next title in this series.
*I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
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Miss Sophia Hastings is yet another talented young lady who is co-owner to Beauchamp House. Sophia is a talented painted whose works are considered scandalous by some. Still, she is determined to put them on display in a local art show.
Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle is rather open-minded and is impressed with Sophia's talent...and her beauty. When it becomes clear her controversial artwork has landed her in the middle of trouble, Ben realizes that the last woman he thought he should marry is the only one he wants.
I personally get kind of sick of the "rogue that's slept with EVERY woman who would have him" trope so a vicar was a nice change. Ben is a very sweet man and I enjoyed reading about him. As someone else pointed out, anytime Ben's day-to-day life was brought up it was usually glossed over with "vicarage business" rather than actually telling what he was doing.
I liked Sophia, too. She was a very determined and independent woman. I did find her stubbornness at wanting to be involved with the mystery to her own detriment to be a little off-putting.
In all honesty, the mystery that was the main plot of the novel wasn't that engaging even though I had no clue who the culprit was. All the action regarding the mystery happened near the end of the novel and I skimmed quite a bit to get to it.
I will definitely be checking out the next title in this series.
*I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
If you enjoy my reviews, please follow my blog:
http://readerandthebeast.blogspot.com...
November 26, 2017
I received an ARC for an honest review.
I can't begin to say how much I enjoyed this book in the Studies in Scandal series and it has easily become my favorite out of the first three.
This book is about Sophia, the painter of the bluestockings, and the local vicar Ben. The attraction between the two is instant and I enjoyed reading their interactions with each other how they fell in love. The book only takes place over the course of a few days but the pacing only feels slightly rushed between the two. Their love story is believable and I enjoyed that they realized quickly and easily that they wanted to be together.
Even though Ben is the vicar his character isn't bogged down by piousness and he does not deal with a conflict between being attracted to Sophie and being the local vicar. We see a few of his family members in this book, his father and two of his brothers, but Ms. Collins wrote this story in a way that does not make it feel crowded and gives some tie-ins to other series by Ms. Collins.
Something different about this book from the first two is that the other bluestockings do not appear as much as they did previously even though they all live in the same house. They are still present and help the story move along, but I think that putting them more in the background was a good decision and allowed the reader to focus more on Sophia and Ben. We get to see how close Sophia and her sister Gemma are and even get a glimpse at who the hero in Gemma's story could be.
The mystery that Sophia was given to solve wasn't as interesting to me as the mysteries in the previous books were. It added a lot of throw-away characters that were confusing to keep track of at times.
Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars. It is enjoyable and engaging and I cannot wait to read the final book in this series.
I can't begin to say how much I enjoyed this book in the Studies in Scandal series and it has easily become my favorite out of the first three.
This book is about Sophia, the painter of the bluestockings, and the local vicar Ben. The attraction between the two is instant and I enjoyed reading their interactions with each other how they fell in love. The book only takes place over the course of a few days but the pacing only feels slightly rushed between the two. Their love story is believable and I enjoyed that they realized quickly and easily that they wanted to be together.
Even though Ben is the vicar his character isn't bogged down by piousness and he does not deal with a conflict between being attracted to Sophie and being the local vicar. We see a few of his family members in this book, his father and two of his brothers, but Ms. Collins wrote this story in a way that does not make it feel crowded and gives some tie-ins to other series by Ms. Collins.
Something different about this book from the first two is that the other bluestockings do not appear as much as they did previously even though they all live in the same house. They are still present and help the story move along, but I think that putting them more in the background was a good decision and allowed the reader to focus more on Sophia and Ben. We get to see how close Sophia and her sister Gemma are and even get a glimpse at who the hero in Gemma's story could be.
The mystery that Sophia was given to solve wasn't as interesting to me as the mysteries in the previous books were. It added a lot of throw-away characters that were confusing to keep track of at times.
Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars. It is enjoyable and engaging and I cannot wait to read the final book in this series.
January 28, 2018
In Manda Collins's Wallflower Most Wanted, the third installment in the Studies in Scandal historical romance series, get ready to be swept away into a fantastic love story that would make your heart pound. Miss Sophia Hastings is a profound painter and one of the heiresses at the Beauchamp House with her sister and two of their closest friends. It all started when Sophia eavesdropped to hear a disturbing conversation between two men and twisted her ankle in the process. That's when she met Lord Benedick Lisle, a vicar from Little Seaford. From there, the chemistry between them is palpable. Although Sophia became intrigued to the conversation between them, there's a lurking danger out there to do her harm. And for industrialist Peter Morgan, he has a secret to keep and would've preferred that way. For Sophia and Ben, they put the pieces together to discover the root source of the conversation and Morgan's secret ring of art forgers. Morgan would throw them off the tracks and hurl obstacles in their way. Nothing could stop them from solving this puzzle together, nor stop them for becoming betrothed to one another, until they had to follow their noses as Sophia didn't expect someone closest to her to do her harm in the end.
January 24, 2018
Miss Sophia Hastings one of the Beauchamp heiresses is a dedicated & talented, one day whilst painting near the cliff edge she tumbles to the beach below where she is rescued by the local vicar Lord Benedick Lisle. However from the beach they overhear a conversation that hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Ben knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress so they agree to work together to stop a murder.
This is the third book in the series & it could well be read as a stand alone novel but seriously why would you not read the whole series when it is so very good & each book reveals more about Lady Celeste. The characters are very well developed. The plot is a very good pace throughout & the climax certainly had me a little stunned, I wasn’t expecting it. Ben & Sophia are delightful & their attraction has been simmering for a while but it takes a sprained ankle & working closely for them to fall in love. I can’t wait for Gemma’s story hopefully with a certain editor!
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is the third book in the series & it could well be read as a stand alone novel but seriously why would you not read the whole series when it is so very good & each book reveals more about Lady Celeste. The characters are very well developed. The plot is a very good pace throughout & the climax certainly had me a little stunned, I wasn’t expecting it. Ben & Sophia are delightful & their attraction has been simmering for a while but it takes a sprained ankle & working closely for them to fall in love. I can’t wait for Gemma’s story hopefully with a certain editor!
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
November 30, 2017
Wallflower Most Wanted is the third book in Manda Collins series Studies in Scandal. Ready Set Rogue and Duke with Benefits are the first two books. The series is about four heiresses who are left Beauchamp house because they are blue stockings who are pursuing fields that interestedLady Celeste Beauchamp.
I enjoyed this book as much as I did the others and this might be my favorite of the three. I love the heiresses and Sophia was as much fun to read about as the other girls. The hero is Ben the local vicar and I am glad to say he was not held back in his pursuing Sophia due to being the local vicar.
Fans of historical romance will enjoy this book and I enjoyed the added mystery in all the books in the series. Even though it is part of the series, you can read it as a standalone.
I enjoyed this book as much as I did the others and this might be my favorite of the three. I love the heiresses and Sophia was as much fun to read about as the other girls. The hero is Ben the local vicar and I am glad to say he was not held back in his pursuing Sophia due to being the local vicar.
Fans of historical romance will enjoy this book and I enjoyed the added mystery in all the books in the series. Even though it is part of the series, you can read it as a standalone.
November 25, 2017
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review. Wallflower Most Wanted is the third book in Manda Collins series Studies in Scandal. Ready Set Rogue and Duke with benefits being the first two. The series is about a group of four heiresses who are left Beauchamp house because they are blue stockings who are pursuing fields that Lady Celeste Beauchamp was interested in. I do think you will need to read the other books in this series as it is a continuing story with each of the heiresses being set a task by Lady Celeste. Sophia Hastings is the artist in the group of heiresses and although she is affectionately called Wallflower by the hero Benedict Lisle, younger son of a duke and local vicar, she is actually quite beautiful and has a following of the local males. Sophia discovers her task after she accidentally tumbles over a small cliff and while being assisted by our hero overhears 2 men plotting to eliminate a stumbling block. Murder, mystery and mayhem ensue as well as a quite steamy romance. I very much enjoyed this book as well as the other two in the series and look forward to the next one. Publishing Date January 30, 2018.
November 29, 2017
Third in the 'Studies In Scandal' series...and just as wonderful as the first two.
Miss Sophia Hastings is an artist who paints provoking paintings. An accident sees her end up in the arms of handsome Lord Benedick Lyle, the neighborhood vicar. They've overheard something that may be a murder plot, someone is in dangerand they don't know who, so they proactively snoop for clues.
She also finds out she had been left a letter from her benefactor, asking her to complete a task...one that's not easy.
Plenty of clues turn out not to be, but more show there is definitely something going on in the village.....but not enough to act on.
Told with intrigue, humor and sensual romance, this tale is a must read for Historical romance fans.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to my delight.
Miss Sophia Hastings is an artist who paints provoking paintings. An accident sees her end up in the arms of handsome Lord Benedick Lyle, the neighborhood vicar. They've overheard something that may be a murder plot, someone is in dangerand they don't know who, so they proactively snoop for clues.
She also finds out she had been left a letter from her benefactor, asking her to complete a task...one that's not easy.
Plenty of clues turn out not to be, but more show there is definitely something going on in the village.....but not enough to act on.
Told with intrigue, humor and sensual romance, this tale is a must read for Historical romance fans.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to my delight.
January 30, 2018
Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins is a fantastic read. Ms. Collins has given us a book that is well-written. She has loaded the book with amazing, lovable characters. Sophia is an artist and overhears a threatening conversation. The voices startle her and she falls over a small cliff. Benedick is the local vicar and comes to her aid. Their story is loaded with drama, sizzle, intrigue, action and humor. I totally loved reading Wallflower Most Wanted and look forward to reading more from Manda Collins soon. Wallflower Most Wanted is book 3 of the Studies In Scandal Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.
I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.
November 12, 2017
I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Wallflower Most Wanted is the third title in the Studies in Scandal series, but easily works as a stand alone title. Sophia is one of four young ladies selected by Lady Agnes to inherit her estate; each of the young ladies is an expert in a particular area of study. Sophia is a painter and while out painting, she falls and injures her ankle; luckily the local vicar, Benedick Lisle is in the area and comes to her rescue. As he is examining her ankle to determine extent of the injury, the two over hear several men plotting to kill a co-conspirator. After Ben helps her home, she is determined to figure out who the men were so she can warn the intended victim. Ben wants Sophia to leave the investigation to him, but she is determined to assist especially after learning from Ben's brother Lord Freddie that there is a plot in the area to sell forged paintings to unsuspecting buyers. At the top of the list of suspects is new to the area industrialist Peter Morgan who made his fortune on the backs of woman and children in his factories. What follows is a well crafted mystery that I would expect from a Manda Collins book. There is just the right balance of mystery and romance; it almost feels like a historical romance version of a Nancy Drew title. Ben is such as wonderful hero - he's dedicated to his calling as a vicar, supportive of Sophia's art, and recognizes her intelligence. He wants to protect her, but also realizes that she has a long to contribute to the investigation. I like that Sophia is dedicated to her art and independent, but also recognizes the limits woman face during this era. I was able to put together part of the mystery, but there was a shocker that I didn't see coming. Readers of previous series will recognize the Lisle family and will look forward to the next title in the series that features another of the Lisle brothers, Cam paired up with Sophia's sister Gemma.
December 20, 2017
Sorry folks but this one was not for me. I found it to be too slow, and I made myself turn the pages and I hate that, if I get a book I want to be interested but when you kind of make yourself try to get into it, it just kills is for me. It was discombobulated for me, slow then dry then rushed..Hate bad reviews, but sometimes you can't help it.
January 30, 2018
I have enjoyed the two previous books in this series; Duke With Benefits and Ready, Set Rogue. You do not need to have read those to appreciate this standalone novel but an introduction I feel is necessary. Four bluestocking young women have inherited an estate from a woman who believed that each had talents that needed nurturing. The woman who fulfilled her goal at the end of a year would inherit the estate free and clear. The heroine in this book is one of those women, Sophia, an artist. Each book has a mystery and a romance. Benedict is our romantic hero and the local vicar who Is enamored of Sophia and when they, together overhear conversations, and are included in talks of an art forgery ring they both are intent on solving the mystery. Romance blossoms while in the midst of sleuthing.
Once again Manda Collins gives us a page turning romance/mystery. Benedict is a wonderful romantic hero and Sophia is determined to paint her art, we keep reading to find out if marrying Benedict will allow her to continue with the subjects she prefers to paint. Yes this is a bit predictable but the mystery is a good one.
I can recommend this book along with the others in the series.
I received this book free for review from the publisher.
More reviews on my blog: http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
Once again Manda Collins gives us a page turning romance/mystery. Benedict is a wonderful romantic hero and Sophia is determined to paint her art, we keep reading to find out if marrying Benedict will allow her to continue with the subjects she prefers to paint. Yes this is a bit predictable but the mystery is a good one.
I can recommend this book along with the others in the series.
I received this book free for review from the publisher.
More reviews on my blog: http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
December 4, 2017
Sophia Hastings is an artist and fairly well known. She is also one of the four ladies to inherit a mansion and were called Beauchamp House Heiresses. Lord Benedick Lisle, is the second son of a duke and a vicar. He finds Sophia charming.
There is a mystery, that came from Ben's brother, Frederick. There appears to be a forging ring of priceless paintings, occuring in their town of Little Seaford. The home Office was concerned. Since Ben lived there, they hoped he would look into it for them.
Four women inherit land, and each is talented in a different field. As you can tell the characters are exactly that, they are funny, kind, loving and fiesty. There are a couple of surprises, mixed in, but this is a well thought out tale. It is well written and engages your interest thru out the whole book. I enjoyed it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.
There is a mystery, that came from Ben's brother, Frederick. There appears to be a forging ring of priceless paintings, occuring in their town of Little Seaford. The home Office was concerned. Since Ben lived there, they hoped he would look into it for them.
Four women inherit land, and each is talented in a different field. As you can tell the characters are exactly that, they are funny, kind, loving and fiesty. There are a couple of surprises, mixed in, but this is a well thought out tale. It is well written and engages your interest thru out the whole book. I enjoyed it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.
February 8, 2018
The drama begins when Miss Sophia Hastings, one of the Beauchamp heiresses, is painting a landscape canvas and falls over a cliff. Luckily, it's only a ten foot fall and the she is quickly rescued by the handsome and strong Lord Benedick Lisle, the local vicar. He is willing to carry her up from the beach because she has sprained her ankle and he is quite concerned about her health afterward.
They soon become involved in solving a murder of an art dealer and its connection to an art forgery ring. As with two of the other heiresses to the manor, Lady Celeste Beauchamp has left clues in a letter for Sophia to decipher. The mystery of the artist/forger was unexpected and logical.
This is part of a series but it is easily read as a stand alone novel. I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
They soon become involved in solving a murder of an art dealer and its connection to an art forgery ring. As with two of the other heiresses to the manor, Lady Celeste Beauchamp has left clues in a letter for Sophia to decipher. The mystery of the artist/forger was unexpected and logical.
This is part of a series but it is easily read as a stand alone novel. I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
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January 11, 2018Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins is an interesting read. I found that it was a bit slow going in the beginning but it then took off. I think Ben and Sophia are a great match. I loved Sophia's witty nature and Ben's desire to protect her and support her art. Although Ben is a vicar, the story reads like a true historical romance with all the right sexy tones you need. I enjoyed the story and hope to read another book in the Studies in Scandal series.
February 12, 2018
It only took me a month to finish a book! Lord that was a long, arduous book slump. This is the third book in a series, so I was pretty confident, based on my experience with the first two books, that this one could get me out of the slump, and it succeeded!
Check out my full review on my blog For the Love of Words.
Check out my full review on my blog For the Love of Words.
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