They call him the Duke of Ruin.
To an undaunted wallflower, he’s just the beast next door.
Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even.
Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart.
When her imposing—and attractive—new neighbor demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges, if he can find them loving homes.
Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?
And a two-legged dog.
And a foul-mouthed parrot.
And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . .
Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse. Soon he’s covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him.
Not if he ruins her first.
Title : The Wallflower Wager
Author : Tessa Dare
Series : Girl Meets Duke #3
Format : eARC
Page Count : 368
Genre : Historical Romance
Publisher : Avon
Release Date : August 13, 2019
Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I think I have found a Dare book that has pipped ‘When the Scot Ties the Knot’ to the top spot because THE WALLFLOWER WAGER delighted my reading heart in the best way possible. Gush alert!
This is a novel of wit, with a rich and heart-warming story and characters that I want to read again and again. I was laughing along by a few pages in and the humour really didn’t ebb at all. The story of Penny and Gabe was one literally surrounded by animals – goats, an otter, a parrot, kittens and a disabled dog. It was enchanting and I now feel attached to them all.
This was also a story of insecurities and hearts looking for a home. Penny was a spinster-hermit, she had retreated to her life with animals, content in her small circle of company. The way Gabe and Penny met had me highlighting so many moments in the book and from there, these two were hilarious and full of chemistry. Gabe was a self-made man with a reputation for unscrupulous business dealings. I loved the developing friendship between these two. They had a real platonic connection and as this developed into more, the friendship remained. I adored them and I loved their shared ideals and values.
Now I’ve come to look at all the quotes I’ve highlighted and they’re all either super-racy or spoilery, so I won’t be sharing those but just know that the banter, dialogue and narrative is fun and delicious.
Thank you Ms Dare for bringing this delightful story into my life. I will re-read this without a doubt.
Thank you to Avon Publishing and Edelweiss for the early copy.
A Take from Two Cities 