The Wallflower Wager by Lana Williams

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Revenge of the Wallflowers, #20  & The Mayfair Literary League

Release Date: July 16, 2024

Wallflower Lady Prudence “Prue” Davies is no stranger to rogues, so when one literally falls at her feet, she knows better than to be charmed by a handsome face. But Silas Hayward, Viscount Windstead, seems different and he clearly loves his grandmother, so maybe she is wrong about him! But that illusion is shattered when she learns he is taking part in the “Wallflower Wager”, a bet made between rogues, the winner will be the first man to dance with 12 different wallflowers at 12 different balls. With her mind set, Prue sets out to unite the wallflowers and teach the rogues a lesson, but that was before she fell for Silas and realizes their only chance of being together would be if he wins. Can she have it all? Or will she have to choose between love and honor?

Silas Hayward, Viscount Windstead, needs money to save his family from financial ruin and his options for gaining that money are limited. He has an idea for a windmill design that he is sure could be successful, but he needs money to make a prototype – thus his participation in the wager. If that fails, he will have to marry an heiress and put his dreams and his heart on the back burner in order to help his family. He had all but resigned himself to a loveless marriage when he meets Prue and is smitten. But when his best chance at an investor is shot down, he realizes how much he cares about Prue and decides it is better to cut ties with her and do his duty. Even if it breaks his heart, but as any romance reader knows, love will find a way and Silas just has to trust his heart but is that a risk he is willing to take?

This was a very sweet novella with ties to the Mayfair Literary League. I really like Prue and Silas; they are both extremely likable and I love how they encouraged and boosted each other. Their road to HEA isn’t easy, but they are clearly “meant to be” and you can’t help but root for them. This book is the twentieth (yes, 20th) book in the Revenge of the Wallflowers series and can easily be read as a standalone title. I really liked this book and would happily recommend it to historical romance readers.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *