REVIEW: Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston

Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuistonI had heard about Jennifer McQuiston on FaceBook, and after having learned about her work with Ebola education in Sierra Leone, and I was excited to read one of her historical romance novels. Since Jennifer McQuiston is a veterinarian and an infectious disease researcher, I was not surprised that her novel features a doctor and an injury that provides the impetus of the novel.

Clare Westmore is ready to marry her duke, or at least, duke-to-be, since Charles Alban had recently been named heir to the Duke of Harrington. On an outing with her younger siblings Lucy and Geoffrey, both rather incorrigible, she trips and badly sprains her ankle. Although she can barely walk, she keeps the truth from her parents, because that night was Lady Austerley’s annual ball, and she was hoping for a proposal from Charles Alban, who had waltzed with her three times and paid a call. Hobbling her way into the ball, she discovers many things: that her two supposed bosom friends were really rather dreadful, that ignoring an injury only results in becoming a wallflower, and that wallflowers do not get attention from dukes-to-be. However, she does gain the attention of the very handsome, very ineligible Doctor Daniel Merial, personal physician to Lady Austerley. Despite all her many troubles, Clare finds him handsome and beguiling:

…he laughed, and Clare found herself unable to look away from the resulting flash of white teeth. Surely the man had some physical flaw? But no, there was not a scar to be seen on that smoothly shaven cheek, nor a single misaligned tooth to fix the eye and ease the mind. She was struck by the disloyal notion that, lurker or no, the man was objectively as handsome as her future duke. Possibly even more so.

Intelligent and hardworking, Daniel has worked hard to be one of the best in his profession. However, he never realized how one turned ankle on a lovely young woman could capture his heart, or how enjoyable it would be to spend time with Clare and her siblings, who are in need of a good male role model. Eventually, the thought that Clare could end up married to someone else becomes nearly too much for him.

Daniel blinked. Clare wished to marry a duke? The pronouncement shouldn’t have surprised him, but there was no denying his body’s reaction to the thought. Bloody hell, his fist was clenching around the slick handle of his umbrella.

How these two different people, the doctor and the debutant, find love and happiness despite class and all the troubles around them is the basis of the story. Clare works hard at being the perfect aristocrat’s daughter; she is suitably vapid and vain. However, Daniel is able to see beyond her veneer of “well-bred young lady” and view the intelligent, vivacious woman beneath. Clare is fascinated by Daniel’s kindness, knowledge of medicine, and his ability to see the real “Clare” beneath what society expects in order to catch the right husband. I really enjoyed this book, despite the fact that the denouement seemed somewhat forced, because the characters and the dialogue brought the book to vibrant life.

Diary of an Accidental Wallflower is the first book of a new series; the next features Clare’s sister Lucy. Simply a delight to read, this book is your chance to get into a new series on the first floor, so to speak.

Get it, read it, and then join me in waiting with much anticipation for the second novel!

Book Info:

Published February 24th 2015 by Avon

The first irresistible installment in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer McQuiston’s Seduction Diaries series proves that some secrets are too delicious to hide.

Pretty and popular, Miss Clare Westmore knows exactly what (or rather, who) she wants: the next Duke of Harrington. But when she twists her ankle on the eve of the Season’s most touted event, Clare is left standing in the wallflower line watching her best friend dance away with her duke.

Dr. Daniel Merial is tempted to deliver more than a diagnosis to London’s most unlikely wallflower, but he doesn’t have time for distractions, even one so delectable. Besides, she’s clearly got her sights on more promising prey. So why can’t he stop thinking about her?

All Clare wants to do is return to the dance floor. But as her former friends try to knock her permanently out of place, she realizes with horror she is falling for her doctor instead of her duke. When her ankle finally heals and she faces her old life again, will she throw herself back into the game?

Or will her time in the wallflower line have given her a glimpse of who she was really meant to be?