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The Wolf and the Wallflower
Lord Jasper Thorne is the most eligible bachelor of the season, but he chafes against the expectation to marry a suitable lady and forge a strong alliance for his pack. Acting polite and proper at balls makes him want to take his wolf form and flee into the woods. Then he meets shy wallflower Ambrose and suddenly social events are much more tolerable.
Ambrose Linfield is hopelessly smitten the moment he meets handsome, charming Jasper. They discuss books they aren’t supposed to be reading, chat with each other at balls when Jasper should be dancing with ladies, even shift together under the full moon.
When Ambrose takes a bold chance and Jasper discovers the truth of his own feelings, everything changes. Secret kisses and stolen moments consume them, but the end of the season draws closer. Soon Jasper will have to do his duty, unless both of them are willing to defy their parents, their packs, and all of society.
Ambrose Linfield is hopelessly smitten the moment he meets handsome, charming Jasper. They discuss books they aren’t supposed to be reading, chat with each other at balls when Jasper should be dancing with ladies, even shift together under the full moon.
When Ambrose takes a bold chance and Jasper discovers the truth of his own feelings, everything changes. Secret kisses and stolen moments consume them, but the end of the season draws closer. Soon Jasper will have to do his duty, unless both of them are willing to defy their parents, their packs, and all of society.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2023
37 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Devin Harnois
27 books82 followersDevin Harnois has several published novels and he’d have more if he spent less time on Twitter and playing Dragon Age. Most of his books involve magic, monsters, and hope. They're also getting progressively more queer. He collects skull items and only a strong will prevents his apartment from being overrun by them.
In second grade he wrote his first story, a romance about two mice falling in love. He still has the original draft.
Devin lives in Minneapolis.
In second grade he wrote his first story, a romance about two mice falling in love. He still has the original draft.
Devin lives in Minneapolis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 12, 2023
Aww, this was a cute book and I wish it were enough for it to be a good book but unfortunately it isn’t. They’ve called it “Bridgerton with shifters” but it wasn’t even close . The characters were sweet but everything else was unconvincing and far-fetched (and I’m not talking about the shifters part) . The world building was totally absent, the (frequently ) mentioned pack was nowhere to be found, we don’t see the actual shifter’s world or …anything at all and on top of all that we have LGBTQ advocation - totally unbelievable for that supposedly historical period. Also the speech was a mix between modern and historical formality and it was taking me out of the story constantly. It dragged ,it was mostly boring and towards the end it got too OTT. The parents were, at first, awful and mean and towards the end they had a sudden 180 degrees turn and they were oh, so supportive 🙄
I wanted to be over already to start something else . I could have DNF but I really wanted to see those poor bastards with a HEA.
I wanted to be over already to start something else . I could have DNF but I really wanted to see those poor bastards with a HEA.
January 12, 2023
3.5*
This MM shifter take on the whole Bridgerton Regency historical romance is quite a sweet story but I have to admit that it didn't grip me quite as much as I had hoped.
That's not to say that there's anything wrong with the storytelling. Devin weaves a really good historical alternative romance in which the men of the Ton are paraded and shown off in the same way as young women used to be in the Regency period.
The setting is fictional, no London escapades, but it's a thinly disguised version of the usual fare of the period I'd expect, there are men's clubs, a great reading library, parks, social gatherings etc.
Both Ambrose and Jasper are sweethearts, they compliment each other well and their difference in status isn't played into a huge amount. Jasper is the son of a Duke (ruler of a wolf territory and pack) while Ambrose is the grandson of a minor Baron without their own lands.
The female characters in this were a very pleasant surprise, strong women with character who didn't kowtow to societal pressures in the main, although adhering to pack hierarchy and I very much loved Louisa, Jasper's childhood friend.
As for the romance itself, the conclusion does involve a little bit of suspend disbelief but overall I liked the slow build up to Jasper realising the feelings he had for Ambrose were more than just friendship.
The first time they have penetrative sex was excellently done, with all the nervous tension of two young men who didn't really know what they were doing. It was incredibly sweet and very emotionally connected.
Overall this was a good, solid introduction to this new series and I'm looking forward to seeing what's coming next.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
This MM shifter take on the whole Bridgerton Regency historical romance is quite a sweet story but I have to admit that it didn't grip me quite as much as I had hoped.
That's not to say that there's anything wrong with the storytelling. Devin weaves a really good historical alternative romance in which the men of the Ton are paraded and shown off in the same way as young women used to be in the Regency period.
The setting is fictional, no London escapades, but it's a thinly disguised version of the usual fare of the period I'd expect, there are men's clubs, a great reading library, parks, social gatherings etc.
Both Ambrose and Jasper are sweethearts, they compliment each other well and their difference in status isn't played into a huge amount. Jasper is the son of a Duke (ruler of a wolf territory and pack) while Ambrose is the grandson of a minor Baron without their own lands.
The female characters in this were a very pleasant surprise, strong women with character who didn't kowtow to societal pressures in the main, although adhering to pack hierarchy and I very much loved Louisa, Jasper's childhood friend.
As for the romance itself, the conclusion does involve a little bit of suspend disbelief but overall I liked the slow build up to Jasper realising the feelings he had for Ambrose were more than just friendship.
The first time they have penetrative sex was excellently done, with all the nervous tension of two young men who didn't really know what they were doing. It was incredibly sweet and very emotionally connected.
Overall this was a good, solid introduction to this new series and I'm looking forward to seeing what's coming next.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
March 11, 2023
I enjoyed falling into the world of this novel - a historical England where shifter society and the ton overlap. There are two social hierarchies to navigate and for Jasper, heir to a duke, it means extra pressure to marry well for the sake of the pack. Untitled Ambrose is also being pressured to marry, but knows that no woman will ever catch his fancy. The two become inseparable after meeting at the Debut Ball and we watch events follow from there.
The first part of the story is fun as we get to know the world and see the contrast between the characters' human and wolf selves. It's also lovely to watch these two slowly fall for each other, with Jasper taking a while to realize it's something more than a platonic friendship.
On the other hand, the second part was disappointing. Once Jasper and Ambrose decide to be together, to hell with the consequences, the vibe changes. They set out to change society and make it acceptable for men to fancy men and women women, but it comes off as preachy to me. I'm also admittedly sore because there's a big fight set up so these two can win the right to be open about their relationship, but the battle is thwarted just as it begins.
I'm also personally uncomfortable with how close the relationship strays close to "gay for you". Thankfully there's no bi-erasure, as Jasper clearly states he likes both men and women, but some exchanges still put me off.
He has reasons for distrusting women:
But the same time we see him thinking,
It doesn't help that Jasper spends little time reckoning with the fact that he likes guys, something society has told him is unacceptable and "unnatural". He works through his feelings in a single night, which feels fast when it's a possibility he's never entertained before. I get that Harnois may have wanted to keep questioning to a minimum because it can flirt with denial of one's true self, but 'who, men?' to 'yes THIS man' in 24 hours is too abrupt for me.
I'm open to discussion on this point because I haven't read many "gay for you" romances and may be missing something. I also want to shout out 'Nathan Burgoine's amazing blog post titled For You for pointing out aspects that I haven't considered before.
That's a lot of words to say I enjoyed the beginning of this book and was disappointed on how the ending was handled. I'm still planning on reading on in the series, especially as it looks like the next book focus on . At least that's what I hope.
The first part of the story is fun as we get to know the world and see the contrast between the characters' human and wolf selves. It's also lovely to watch these two slowly fall for each other, with Jasper taking a while to realize it's something more than a platonic friendship.
On the other hand, the second part was disappointing. Once Jasper and Ambrose decide to be together, to hell with the consequences, the vibe changes. They set out to change society and make it acceptable for men to fancy men and women women, but it comes off as preachy to me. I'm also admittedly sore because there's a big fight set up so these two can win the right to be open about their relationship, but the battle is thwarted just as it begins.
I'm also personally uncomfortable with how close the relationship strays close to "gay for you". Thankfully there's no bi-erasure, as Jasper clearly states he likes both men and women, but some exchanges still put me off.
"I thought you liked women?"
"What? Oh, you mean - I do."
"So you like men as well then?" He'd heard of such things mostly from books that he definitely wasn't supposed to be reading.
Jasper snorted a laugh. "I suppose I do."
"You mean you didn't know?"
..."I know I like you, and you're a man so... here we are."
He has reasons for distrusting women:
"But surely a number of [women] must have shown interest."
"Yes. And I've been interested, but..." He shrugged. "It never felt right. I was worried they only wanted me because of my status or that they acted interested because they thought that's what I wanted and they were afraid to deny me."
But the same time we see him thinking,
The idea of spending an afternoon socializing or an evening out at the opera with one of them was a pleasant thought, but that was far from the same thing as wanting to bind himself to a lady for the rest of his life.
It doesn't help that Jasper spends little time reckoning with the fact that he likes guys, something society has told him is unacceptable and "unnatural". He works through his feelings in a single night, which feels fast when it's a possibility he's never entertained before. I get that Harnois may have wanted to keep questioning to a minimum because it can flirt with denial of one's true self, but 'who, men?' to 'yes THIS man' in 24 hours is too abrupt for me.
I'm open to discussion on this point because I haven't read many "gay for you" romances and may be missing something. I also want to shout out 'Nathan Burgoine's amazing blog post titled For You for pointing out aspects that I haven't considered before.
That's a lot of words to say I enjoyed the beginning of this book and was disappointed on how the ending was handled. I'm still planning on reading on in the series, especially as it looks like the next book focus on . At least that's what I hope.
February 25, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
The Wolf and the Wallflower is the first book in Devin Harnois’ Wolves of the Ton series. This is an alternative world historical with a paranormal twist. Much of the story reads very much like a typical historical, but it takes place in a fictitious country. Then, overlaying the traditional ton and aristocracy, we have the addition of a pack society made up of shifters. This unique combination is what drew me to pick up this story and I think overall Harnois does a nice job melding the two genres. We learn some of the history of the wolves and how they came to be and get to see some of the shifting and various rituals they engage in during the full moon. So, I think it was a fun twist on the historical genre. That said, I think the book feels about 90% like a traditional historical and much of the time I could forget they were even supposed to be wolves. So I think some more integration between the historical and paranormal sides would have been helpful.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
The Wolf and the Wallflower is the first book in Devin Harnois’ Wolves of the Ton series. This is an alternative world historical with a paranormal twist. Much of the story reads very much like a typical historical, but it takes place in a fictitious country. Then, overlaying the traditional ton and aristocracy, we have the addition of a pack society made up of shifters. This unique combination is what drew me to pick up this story and I think overall Harnois does a nice job melding the two genres. We learn some of the history of the wolves and how they came to be and get to see some of the shifting and various rituals they engage in during the full moon. So, I think it was a fun twist on the historical genre. That said, I think the book feels about 90% like a traditional historical and much of the time I could forget they were even supposed to be wolves. So I think some more integration between the historical and paranormal sides would have been helpful.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
April 26, 2025
Aug 2024 - 4 stars
Hit the spot: fluffy, regency-esque, solid friends, enjoyable moments shifted together, touch, understanding each other. Yes, the climax is OTT, but I liked the MCs so much that this remains a very enjoyable bit of fluff.
Apr 2023 - 4 stars
Super sweet shifter romance that kind of lost the plot about 80% in.
Jasper - Lord Jasper, that is - is being pressured by his parents to find a wife in his first season on the ton. His pack's reputation was sullied by his grandfather's poor decisions and Jasper's father is desperate to make things right again. While trying to avoid an awful acquaintance, Jasper meets Ambrose and they strike up an immediate friendship. They grow closer and closer until Ambrose can no longer deny his attraction to Jasper, and he makes the first move...
This was leaning into a 5-star read up until around 80% where it all became too convenient and cheesy for my liking.
There were a lot of things I liked:
~ believable romance: they really have a lot in common
~ easy sexual awakening
~ all the scenting and wolf aspects
~ Jasper being so soft and tactile with Ambrose
~ Jasper defending Ambrose against his family
~ strong female characters
~ Regency-esque setting (I am being very historically open-minded here but whatever, I liked it)
But still some that didn't work for me:
~ overbearing families
~ caught in the act
~ super convenient and abrupt resolution
Even though it didn't end like I would've preferred, I'll definitely read more books from this author and I would also recommend this book!
Sexual content: Explicit.
Hit the spot: fluffy, regency-esque, solid friends, enjoyable moments shifted together, touch, understanding each other. Yes, the climax is OTT, but I liked the MCs so much that this remains a very enjoyable bit of fluff.
Apr 2023 - 4 stars
Super sweet shifter romance that kind of lost the plot about 80% in.
Jasper - Lord Jasper, that is - is being pressured by his parents to find a wife in his first season on the ton. His pack's reputation was sullied by his grandfather's poor decisions and Jasper's father is desperate to make things right again. While trying to avoid an awful acquaintance, Jasper meets Ambrose and they strike up an immediate friendship. They grow closer and closer until Ambrose can no longer deny his attraction to Jasper, and he makes the first move...
This was leaning into a 5-star read up until around 80% where it all became too convenient and cheesy for my liking.
There were a lot of things I liked:
~ believable romance: they really have a lot in common
~ easy sexual awakening
~ all the scenting and wolf aspects
~ Jasper being so soft and tactile with Ambrose
~ Jasper defending Ambrose against his family
~ strong female characters
~ Regency-esque setting (I am being very historically open-minded here but whatever, I liked it)
But still some that didn't work for me:
~ overbearing families
~ caught in the act
~ super convenient and abrupt resolution
Even though it didn't end like I would've preferred, I'll definitely read more books from this author and I would also recommend this book!
Sexual content: Explicit.
February 27, 2023
The parents were lame and I hated them
Took me until 20% to get into it
It’s cute. There are some funny lines.
I like Jaspers cluelessness about why he just loves spending time with Ambrose
The world building was not my favorite. The carbon copy regency England but with werewolves? Too much was unaffected by the existence of the supernatural, why is nothing else different?
I’ll probably read the next one
Took me until 20% to get into it
It’s cute. There are some funny lines.
I like Jaspers cluelessness about why he just loves spending time with Ambrose
The world building was not my favorite. The carbon copy regency England but with werewolves? Too much was unaffected by the existence of the supernatural, why is nothing else different?
I’ll probably read the next one
May 11, 2023
*I received this book for free*
This book was so very cute! It was not a perfect book, but very enjoyable. The Wolf and the Wallflower takes place in a fictionalized version of Regency era Europe in a country called Sylvan (I think?). It involves two young men, both werewolves, during their season. It is Jasper’s first season and he is under a lot of pressure to make a good match. Ambrose, shy and a bit awkward, has been quietly waiting in the wings for a few seasons. They meet and slowly develop a friendship that leads to a romance.
The good:
-This book was very well-written and well-edited which I don’t always see… So yay!
-The romance seemed authentic. Part of me wants to say that Ambrose fell too fast but what is the gay experience if not falling head over heels for the first person who is ever nice to you?
- I liked the main couple a lot. Jasper and Ambrose were both so genuine it was hard not to enjoy them exploring their romance.
- The sex scenes were pretty cute. I always enjoy when two people go “but what do we do?” and one pulls out a textbook and goes “oh don’t worry, I’ve been STUDYING.” It is just a very funny realistic thing.
What could be better:
- this book was set up with the tagline of being just like Bridgerton but with gay werewolves. It really is not like Bridgerton at all save for it being a Regency romance that takes place during a single season. I understand that Bridgerton is very popular right now, but I really dislike when books that are not similar to it at all try to ride those coattails. WatW stands just fine on its own.
- the romance was a bit too fast for me. I mentioned the authenticity of the romance in the good and I still think that is applicable, I just personally enjoy more drawn-out and slow-burn sort of romances.
- The world-building was interesting, but very incomplete. I had the feeling that the author had created a very large world behind the story and I’m unsure why they chose not to share it with the reader. This is not Regency England so more information needs to be given. Honestly, a few times while I was reading I forgot they were even werewolves until they smelled each other or something.
- a few times throughout the book the perspective changed mid-chapter. This is very much a personal dislike as I prefer perspective to be fixed within a chapter. As it only happened rarely it also made it feel like a noticeable mistake.
My finally verdict is a high 3 stars so rounding to 4 stars. I can see myself reading this book again and I can see myself seeking out more by the author. It is not perfect, not like Bridgerton at all, but a lot of fun nonetheless.
This book was so very cute! It was not a perfect book, but very enjoyable. The Wolf and the Wallflower takes place in a fictionalized version of Regency era Europe in a country called Sylvan (I think?). It involves two young men, both werewolves, during their season. It is Jasper’s first season and he is under a lot of pressure to make a good match. Ambrose, shy and a bit awkward, has been quietly waiting in the wings for a few seasons. They meet and slowly develop a friendship that leads to a romance.
The good:
-This book was very well-written and well-edited which I don’t always see… So yay!
-The romance seemed authentic. Part of me wants to say that Ambrose fell too fast but what is the gay experience if not falling head over heels for the first person who is ever nice to you?
- I liked the main couple a lot. Jasper and Ambrose were both so genuine it was hard not to enjoy them exploring their romance.
- The sex scenes were pretty cute. I always enjoy when two people go “but what do we do?” and one pulls out a textbook and goes “oh don’t worry, I’ve been STUDYING.” It is just a very funny realistic thing.
What could be better:
- this book was set up with the tagline of being just like Bridgerton but with gay werewolves. It really is not like Bridgerton at all save for it being a Regency romance that takes place during a single season. I understand that Bridgerton is very popular right now, but I really dislike when books that are not similar to it at all try to ride those coattails. WatW stands just fine on its own.
- the romance was a bit too fast for me. I mentioned the authenticity of the romance in the good and I still think that is applicable, I just personally enjoy more drawn-out and slow-burn sort of romances.
- The world-building was interesting, but very incomplete. I had the feeling that the author had created a very large world behind the story and I’m unsure why they chose not to share it with the reader. This is not Regency England so more information needs to be given. Honestly, a few times while I was reading I forgot they were even werewolves until they smelled each other or something.
- a few times throughout the book the perspective changed mid-chapter. This is very much a personal dislike as I prefer perspective to be fixed within a chapter. As it only happened rarely it also made it feel like a noticeable mistake.
My finally verdict is a high 3 stars so rounding to 4 stars. I can see myself reading this book again and I can see myself seeking out more by the author. It is not perfect, not like Bridgerton at all, but a lot of fun nonetheless.
February 22, 2023
This book was delightful, cozy, and fun. The Regency-style wolf society was an interesting mix of historical and paranormal elements to form a unique world. I particularly like that the shifting was considered a religious gift and an important spiritual element in their lives rather than any kind of curse or the like. Ambrose and Jasper were wonderfully sweet, soft boys, and I just wanted to hug them throughout the entire book. A cast of great side characters rounds out the ensemble nicely. I was a particular fan of the ending, and how it turned the feral alpha wolf convention on its head. I had a hard time putting this one down, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a shifter world that breaks some of the more problematic tendencies.
December 13, 2023
This is one of those books that was mildly entertaining and a year from now I won’t remember any of the details. I liked the MCs and I wanted them to have their HEA, but the middle part of the book just dragged along. The big event that is going to change everything was a little anticlimactic.
April 22, 2025
The fact that they are werewolves and they shift during full moon 🌕 helps them fall in love. Oh and one makes hot chocolate for the other. Wink wink Flowers from the Storm. 3.5 ⭐️
November 9, 2023
This one was just . . . odd. For me, there was zero chemistry between the MC's, much less actual passion. It took forever for Jasper to even consider Ambrose sexually, which felt strange to say the least. Both MC's are portrayed as sexual virgins and how the sex scenes played out felt awkward if not downright strange. It just felt like the entire relationship was sort of candy-coated in an unappealing way. Lord knows I appreciate a book where the MC's aren't mentally humping each other and body parts aren't stirring/twitching/reacting within the first few pages, but this went too far in the other direction.
I honestly don't recall either character flat out stating "I love you" which, in a story like this, feels like a glaring omission. In fact, I felt like Ambrose was still holding back even at the end - his discomfort was extremely palpable throughout the book and it didn't feel resolved by story's end.
The resolution between Jasper and his family felt really phony. Here's a reaction from Jasper's mother:
“And if you have to be a man-lover, at least you managed to bag a duke’s heir.”
I was caught between a gigantic eye roll and a fit of gagging after I read that. It made me feel distinctly uncomfortable as a reader. ("man-lover"? I mean, what the hell??) It's like the author just didn't want this story to have any sharp edges anywhere. Personally, I think it could have really benefited from having some true emotions somewhere.
I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other about this being a mash-up with werewolves - it didn't really enhance the plot, but it didn't derail it either.
There were also a number of times when the author threw in language that felt jarringly out of place with the time period.
Overall, not a great experience. Not even a good experience. Two stars because I don't actually hate it, but I definitely wouldn't recommend.
I honestly don't recall either character flat out stating "I love you" which, in a story like this, feels like a glaring omission. In fact, I felt like Ambrose was still holding back even at the end - his discomfort was extremely palpable throughout the book and it didn't feel resolved by story's end.
The resolution between Jasper and his family felt really phony. Here's a reaction from Jasper's mother:
“And if you have to be a man-lover, at least you managed to bag a duke’s heir.”
I was caught between a gigantic eye roll and a fit of gagging after I read that. It made me feel distinctly uncomfortable as a reader. ("man-lover"? I mean, what the hell??) It's like the author just didn't want this story to have any sharp edges anywhere. Personally, I think it could have really benefited from having some true emotions somewhere.
I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other about this being a mash-up with werewolves - it didn't really enhance the plot, but it didn't derail it either.
There were also a number of times when the author threw in language that felt jarringly out of place with the time period.
Overall, not a great experience. Not even a good experience. Two stars because I don't actually hate it, but I definitely wouldn't recommend.
February 22, 2023
Imagine Ballrooms, Lords, Dukes, Duchesses, a quite rigid royal society in a world of wolf shifters and pack. Bachelors who needed to court women. What if you are an exception?
The ladies have been waiting for Lord Jasper Thorne to attend his Debut Ball. He’s the most wanted bachelor this year. He hates it, thank goodness for the shy wallflower, he was so kind to be his safe space, to shake off the ladies. Ambrose Linfield isn’t as highly ranked as Jasper but they seemed to enjoy each other’s company very much.
It’s all for appearance, to make his father and the pack’s reputation look good. Ugh.
He is supposed to choose a woman at the end of the season. Ugh again.
Jasper prefers Ambrose’s company. They are sweethearts. They met again and again and developed a fine friendship. Jasper had the bright idea to help each other find a wife. Ambrose has no ambition to find a wife, and can’t explain to Jasper why. Jasper would be disgusted and it would mean the end of their friendship.
Jasper invited Ambrose to spend the full moon with him. Ambrose is anxious, in wolf form, he can’t lie or disguise his true feelings for Jasper.
Both men are utterly sweet and endearing together, with all the stress in their life about matching, they found strength and courage with the other, to enjoy their firsts.
It got tougher and tougher to find time together.
The story got, nearing the end, an unexpected turn, I love to be surprised!
I loved this Regency historical romance, and the combination of pack and authority was well done.
The emphasis on the matching part was a bit too dominant in this story. It was almost only about that, it was dragging on, so the development was slight. After Ambrose behaved boldly, the story turned more forward. I loved the shifting parts.
The characters are decent, polite, and modest. Their first sexual experience was quite sweet and endearing.
The writing was clear and captivating, a bit on the slow side, and the period it took place felt valid.
Overall an enjoyable experience.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
The ladies have been waiting for Lord Jasper Thorne to attend his Debut Ball. He’s the most wanted bachelor this year. He hates it, thank goodness for the shy wallflower, he was so kind to be his safe space, to shake off the ladies. Ambrose Linfield isn’t as highly ranked as Jasper but they seemed to enjoy each other’s company very much.
It’s all for appearance, to make his father and the pack’s reputation look good. Ugh.
He is supposed to choose a woman at the end of the season. Ugh again.
Jasper prefers Ambrose’s company. They are sweethearts. They met again and again and developed a fine friendship. Jasper had the bright idea to help each other find a wife. Ambrose has no ambition to find a wife, and can’t explain to Jasper why. Jasper would be disgusted and it would mean the end of their friendship.
Jasper invited Ambrose to spend the full moon with him. Ambrose is anxious, in wolf form, he can’t lie or disguise his true feelings for Jasper.
Both men are utterly sweet and endearing together, with all the stress in their life about matching, they found strength and courage with the other, to enjoy their firsts.
It got tougher and tougher to find time together.
The story got, nearing the end, an unexpected turn, I love to be surprised!
I loved this Regency historical romance, and the combination of pack and authority was well done.
The emphasis on the matching part was a bit too dominant in this story. It was almost only about that, it was dragging on, so the development was slight. After Ambrose behaved boldly, the story turned more forward. I loved the shifting parts.
The characters are decent, polite, and modest. Their first sexual experience was quite sweet and endearing.
The writing was clear and captivating, a bit on the slow side, and the period it took place felt valid.
Overall an enjoyable experience.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
January 14, 2023
I received an ARC from the author for my honest opinion.
3.5 (ish?) stars, rounded up
I think this is a super sweet and adorable historically flavoured werewolf romance (all of these things come together to make a wonderful whole)! The world is well fleshed out, making it seem like a less strange combination (again, I love the combo of histrom and werewolves, it is delightful). The characters are adorable, the romance develops in a way that feels possible, and I am always a sucker for friends to lovers.
I did find it kind of annoying that in my mind, Jasper and Ambrose feel Too Perfect. Like, both of these characters are kind, understanding, open-minded, and neither seem to have any real traumas, flaws, or dirtiness to their shine. This isn't really a problem-problem, but I like it when characters work through something or have very specific insecurities or need to overcome a prejudice or some such. And these ones don't! Ambrose thinks he is boring, Jasper doesn't gamble. Good for them! I think they are both good characters, with personalities, and their pasts do definitely affect their actions, I just wish they were a bit more fleshed out and thorny. Maybe I read too many books about traumatised people finding love (lol).
Ok, got another thing. I don't like the word "bottom" in a sex scene (when what is meant is butt, ass, etc. Say ass! (I know this fits Ambrose's character, I just thought it kind of spoiled the mood a little bit)
Finally, I thought that the last quarter was a little ridiculously dramatic and didn't really fit, but I did appreciate that there were no stupid lasting miscommunications. Just some people feeling more emotions than I would think the situation suggested. And of course, the ending was sickeningly sweet, but so were Ambrose and Jasper so I didn't mind it too much.
I absolutely recommend if you want something cute, historical ish, and of course, werewolves!
3.5 (ish?) stars, rounded up
I think this is a super sweet and adorable historically flavoured werewolf romance (all of these things come together to make a wonderful whole)! The world is well fleshed out, making it seem like a less strange combination (again, I love the combo of histrom and werewolves, it is delightful). The characters are adorable, the romance develops in a way that feels possible, and I am always a sucker for friends to lovers.
I did find it kind of annoying that in my mind, Jasper and Ambrose feel Too Perfect. Like, both of these characters are kind, understanding, open-minded, and neither seem to have any real traumas, flaws, or dirtiness to their shine. This isn't really a problem-problem, but I like it when characters work through something or have very specific insecurities or need to overcome a prejudice or some such. And these ones don't! Ambrose thinks he is boring, Jasper doesn't gamble. Good for them! I think they are both good characters, with personalities, and their pasts do definitely affect their actions, I just wish they were a bit more fleshed out and thorny. Maybe I read too many books about traumatised people finding love (lol).
Ok, got another thing. I don't like the word "bottom" in a sex scene (when what is meant is butt, ass, etc. Say ass! (I know this fits Ambrose's character, I just thought it kind of spoiled the mood a little bit)
Finally, I thought that the last quarter was a little ridiculously dramatic and didn't really fit, but I did appreciate that there were no stupid lasting miscommunications. Just some people feeling more emotions than I would think the situation suggested. And of course, the ending was sickeningly sweet, but so were Ambrose and Jasper so I didn't mind it too much.
I absolutely recommend if you want something cute, historical ish, and of course, werewolves!
February 23, 2023
As one who grew up on Georgette Heyer and Barbara Cartland, I couldn't wait to read this version of those stories combined with the paranormal, shifter elements and I was definitely not disappointed. Devin Harnois has captured everything I loved about those books that got me into romance, the innocent friendship that becomes so much more, characters getting to know each other by talking about books and more substantive things while attending balls and the typical coming out events of the season, the well developed world of shifters and their packs who have expectations of what Jasper and Ambrose "should" be doing and the fact that the women in this book were handled well - strong, competent, not all evil and scheming a nice change from some m/m books and even those m/f books from Cartland in the old days. Cannot wait to read more in this series and to check out this author that is a new one for me. Always delightful to discover you have a new author with a backlist to catch up on.
February 16, 2023
The Wolf and the Wallflower by Devin Harnois is a thoroughly enjoyable paranormal take on the English Regency ton. I usually don’t care for traditional books set in this time due to the stifling patriarchy, but using it as a setting for introducing same-sex relationships in the context of werewolf society convincingly upends said patriarchy. Part of what I liked about the story was the role of strong female characters who supported the lovers Jasper, the titled wolf, and Ambrose, the wallflower. It was interesting to view the various entertainments of the ton through the lens of someone who was not looking for marriage. I thought how the author resolved the issue of same-sex relationships was clever. I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 22, 2023
This story is a sweet, charming answer to a question I hadn’t thought to ask: what if there was a regency romance, but make it MM and add werewolves. I liked Jasper and Ambrose, as individuals and as a pairing. I loved the unexpectedness of the historical and paranormal elements, the depth of the world building, and the majority of the interactions between the characters, although there are occasional moments that left me shaking my head (but never quite wringing my hands, so there’s a definite plus). Overall, an interesting and enjoyable read– well worth checking out.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
March 27, 2023
This was kind of bonkers - regency romance with shifters and a bit more gender parity. Both young men and women debut and have seasons, but women still aren't equals in terms of status and leadership. It was a bit thin in regards to the world and side characters, but the two main characters are charming and sweet. The ending seemed too easy - his parents were fairly horrible through most of the book but then become almost instantly supportive. Still, I thought it was enjoyable and I'll read more by this author.
May 3, 2025
First of all, this book is dull. The characters are paint by number and their interactions are not particularly well written. The book is supposed to be Regency, but it is deeply inaccurate and at times quite jarring. It seems that the only research the author did was to watch Bridgerton. There are also apparently werewolves but I’m not sure why. Literally every single character seems to be a werewolf and only superficially so. What does pack even mean in this world? It feels like the least possible effort has been put into making this a shifter book.
January 3, 2023
I honestly didn't expect to like this as much as I did. It's a historical but it doesn't necessarily read like one. It did get kind of confusing at times because while the dialogue was somewhere in between the 1800s and now there were times it was one or the other.
I liked the premise of this book but a lot of reality had to be suspended. Especially at the end. Everything was very nicely resolved, there's a HEA, and the couple is accepted(ish) by everyone important to them. Which is what I expect out of my romance novels. Except for in historicals. That's a me thing though.
I liked the premise of this book but a lot of reality had to be suspended. Especially at the end. Everything was very nicely resolved, there's a HEA, and the couple is accepted(ish) by everyone important to them. Which is what I expect out of my romance novels. Except for in historicals. That's a me thing though.
February 23, 2023
4.5 stars
This is an adorable friends to lovers double first times romance. It's AU and they are wolf shifters which just serves to heighten the stakes of their romance. I loved how oblivious Jasper was to Ambrose's feelings for him and it finally just clicks. It's clear that once he catches on that he'll do anything for his love. That was really inspiring to read. I would highly recommend this to those that like fantasy settings and first time romances.
This is an adorable friends to lovers double first times romance. It's AU and they are wolf shifters which just serves to heighten the stakes of their romance. I loved how oblivious Jasper was to Ambrose's feelings for him and it finally just clicks. It's clear that once he catches on that he'll do anything for his love. That was really inspiring to read. I would highly recommend this to those that like fantasy settings and first time romances.
Read
November 21, 2024Okay I came to read this because I just finished The Wolf and the Wildflower (Duke is lost for 10 years surviving amongst wolves before getting home to the Ton and thought it was almost omegaverse-y) and come on, in this one there’s a wolf duke who doesn’t like crowds and the love interest’s name is Linfield, like the Marquess friend in The Wolf and the Wildflower?? This can’t be a coincidence.
But anyway, didn’t capture my attention so I DNfd
But anyway, didn’t capture my attention so I DNfd
February 25, 2023
A fun regency era paranormal romance. Jasper and Ambrose were wonderful characters (their first meeting had me wanting a house to drop in a certain someone), and enjoyed seeing shifter society in a historical setting. I'm looking for to the rest of the series.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
Read
March 15, 2023This was cute, I'd read another from the series. It was pretty light and relatively low angst till the ending, so perhaps could have been a bit shorter since a lot of the scenes were similar, at balls or at the club. I liked the wolf culture but wished it could have been delved into deeper, especially how wolves and humans fit together.
January 17, 2025
Tenkte jeg skulle begynne å dele bøkene jeg leser igjen da, selv om bøkene jeg nå leser er litt… alternative. He he.
Bok fått gratis via «stuff your kindle day»!
Denne ble beskrevet som «Bridgertong med varulver» eller noe sånt. Som jo stemmer, men gud så kjedelig. Og litt for treigt for min smak. Null drama, knapt noe spenning. Kjedelig start på bokåret.
Bok fått gratis via «stuff your kindle day»!
Denne ble beskrevet som «Bridgertong med varulver» eller noe sånt. Som jo stemmer, men gud så kjedelig. Og litt for treigt for min smak. Null drama, knapt noe spenning. Kjedelig start på bokåret.
March 1, 2023
Lovely story, nice blend of Regency, MM, shifters and more than a touch of Bridgerton
Jasper and Ambrose and are great together and the world building is detailed and lots of fun. Looking forward to more in this series.
Jasper and Ambrose and are great together and the world building is detailed and lots of fun. Looking forward to more in this series.
March 8, 2023
loved it
I felt like this was the gay version of bridgerton which was really nice since as part of the community I always see hetero movies and to read a book and live through it hence go watching it is also amazing. I need more now :)
I felt like this was the gay version of bridgerton which was really nice since as part of the community I always see hetero movies and to read a book and live through it hence go watching it is also amazing. I need more now :)
February 26, 2023
This was a delight! I’m glad they got a happy ending, it could have gone very differently.
Read
March 6, 2023Courtney Milan recommended this one in her newsletter recently and it’s in KU. I don’t think shifter romance is for me, though? Or maybe just not werewolves? I was always #teamedward…
Read
March 14, 2023DNF at some percent
It was definitely a me thing! Sometimes I get tempted but only end up re-confirming that I'm just not into m/m Regency (or Regency-like) stories.
It was definitely a me thing! Sometimes I get tempted but only end up re-confirming that I'm just not into m/m Regency (or Regency-like) stories.
dnf
March 18, 2023Last week when I started, I thought it was cute and sweet and it still is, but my moods change more than the weather and I’m over it. DNF @50%
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