ABOUT THE BOOK

Lady Ophelia Darby exists in two worlds. In one, she is the impudent, willful daughter of a powerful marquess and darling of the ton. In the other, she moves through the underworld’s shadows as songstress Lady Starlight, protected only by the notoriously wealthy scoundrel Devlin Byrne. But when she stumbles upon her beloved father’s darkest secrets, the line between her two worlds quickly blurs. Now she needs the help of the one man a lady should never trust.

Devlin Byrne stands on the edge of London society, knowing he will never be accepted. No one else knows that his obscene wealth and ruthlessness aren’t without purpose. Or that his purpose has golden-brown eyes that shimmer with mischief, the palest of skin, and a lush mouth that beckons to be kissed, and deeply. But having Ophelia is only the beginning of Devlin’s plans.

It’s undeniable that Devlin Byrne is a dangerous temptation—but just as Ophelia begins to trust him, maybe even fall for him, she discovers she’s not the only one with secrets. And his would lead her down more than just the path of scandal…

MY REVIEW

A Scoundrel of Her Own is Book 3 in The Sinful Wallflower series which introduces us to Lady Ophelia “Fifi” Darby and Mr. Devlin Niall Byrne. Their lives are worlds apart but just for a few months as young children, they are thrown together as survivors and friends only to be wrenched away by their social status.

Ophelia is rebellious and uninhibited. She’s 24 years old and considered a long-in-the-tooth wallflower. Her parents have given her the freedom to choose the man she wants to marry just as long as he has wealth and a title. Unbeknownst to her, she has a champion and protector in a man who asked her to wait for him so many years ago. When her father tells her a secret that changes her life she needs to tread carefully to track down someone she has never met. The man who has vowed to keep her safe has connections and can help her with her quest.

Devlin is a driven man who has gone through hell to remake himself and marry the beautiful and daring woman for which he would walk through fire. He is a wealthy rogue and scoundrel who pulled himself from the gutter and can now buy many of the titled gentry many times over. He feels undeserving of someone with her prestige, but his heart feels differently.

Devlin and Ophelia meet under covert circumstances and reminisce about their short time together as children, become lovers knowing their affair will eventually come to an end and hide from the judgment and consequences of getting caught. However, when their decision to “not yet” be in love shatters for him and crumbles for her there is no turning back. Devlin is a lovely book boyfriend who is an enigma. He has a notorious and dangerous reputation in London where when his name is mentioned men shake in their boots. Yet, he is a huge advocate for prison reform, notably imprisoning children, and he also builds boarding schools for poor uneducated children. But most importantly the man is utterly and completely devoted to Ophelia as he promises to put back her pieces when she falls apart and gives her an unforgettable birthday gift. His declaration of what love means to him is beautiful and memorable. Ophelia is bold and reckless and she trusts Devlin completely. Her unraveling by Devlin is sensual and divine. And her determination to obtain closure on a dark and regrettable secret that is bittersweet but necessary for her peace of mind shows her growth as a woman who loves her family with all of their faults. It was worth the slow burn to read Devlin and Ophelia’s HEA. 

I’ll add that Devlin’s Bullmastiff Conan is adorable and Barbosa the charming goat is so cute.

One pet peeve I have is with artwork on book covers actually matching the characters and, unfortunately, this one does not.

This love story gave me the feels with the sacrifices and unrequited love the main characters endure to be together. I highly recommend you pick up this book and please meet the other wallflowers in My Darling Duke and Her Wicked Marquess which are standalone books 1 and 2 in The Sinful Wallflowers series.

Thank you to Ms. Reid for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (aloud). She has a warrior way “Never give up on dreams!” When she’s not writing, Stacy spends a copious amount of time binge-watching series like The Walking Dead, Homeland, Altered Carbon, watching Japanese Anime and playing video games with her love. She also has a weakness for ice cream and will have it as her main course.

Follow Stacy on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads.