I believe this was my first Lenora Bell book and I chose it because of its class difference trope, with the hero being the one untitled, which I find fascinating. However, I didn't enjoy the writing very much. It felt very stiff to me and I wasn't able to get in the proper mood for a historical romance.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review.

Lady Beatrice Bentley is the sister of a duke. She was born with a palsy of the face, so she is unable to move the left side of her face. When she was in school, she would be teased and called "Beastly Beatrice." Beatrice has no interest in getting married. Her main goal is to create an etymological dictionary. However, she cannot focus on writing the dictionary because she is constantly distracted by Stamford "Ford" Wright, the carpenter that is renovating Thornhill House. When Beatrice's aunt dies, Beatrice discovers that she has inherited her aunt's book shop and all of the books and manuscripts in its inventory. Beatrice hires Ford to renovate the book shop, and the attraction between them grows. I enjoyed the characters in this book and look forward to reading the other books in this Wallflowers vs. Rogues series. The ending of this book felt a little cliché, but it did bring closure to the characters. I liked how this historical romance featured a man who was of a lower social class than the woman; it felt like a spin on an old romance trope. For fans of [a:Eva Leigh|8886093|Eva Leigh|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1439934306p2/8886093.jpg].

This book was fun but it did feel like it dragged a little and I have to say I prefer The Devil's Own Duke. Nonetheless, Ford and Beatrice were fun to read about I just wasn't as in love with the story as a whole unfortunately although their chemistry was great.

Review to come on smittenbybooks.com

I loved this book! I enjoyed seeing the female friends trying to succeed in the things they are passionate about but make society denies them & their support for one another.
I loved how Ford supported Beatrice.

unfortunately found this a bit boring and didn't have the same spark as the other historical romances I've read.

Beatrice has palsy as a result of tools used on her during the birthing process and has not been treated kindly by her parents, or society. As a result, she has retreated into herself and decided to live her life as a scholarly spinster. Ford’s father is the carpenter at Beatrice’s family estate. Ford is currently filling in for his father and is doing nothing but distracting Beatrice from writing her dictionary. Beatrice believes Ford is the very worst of rogues, but is confused by the unfamiliar feelings he ignites within her. Ford knows Beatrice is the last person he should become involved with, but he just can’t seem to stay away!

I was hooked on this book from the moment Beatrice calls Ford a “malapert rapscallion”! Beatrice is such a great heroine. She is completely fine with who she is, but she is also willing to play her mother’s game to get what she wants – to live a life of a scholar. Ford’s total acceptance of Beatrice gives her the confidence she needs to finally just be who she is in society and with her mother. Ford, being a typical alpha hero, has to learn how to be vulnerable and willing to love.

I love the direction many historical romance authors are taking the genre. I love that Lenora Bell wrote an unlikely class pairing that many authors tend to avoid in historical romance. Or, if they write it, the hero is written in a way that he is wealthy, or inherits a title, so it is able to compensate him in the eyes of society. There was no “fixing” their difference of class in this book and I greatly admire Bell for taking what some might see as a risk, but it is exactly what I want to read!