I loved this book! I loved the banter between Blake and Emma and Blake's dialogue with his Aunt Agatha and others. I felt for the most part the progression between Blake and Emma and most of their reactions/perspectives made sense (even if I didn't agree with some of them). I really enjoyed watching Blake's transformation as a character to wanting to seduce Emma because she was a challenge to really seeing her and loving her. It also had some humorous bits but nothing over-the-top, which I prefer.

Some of my favorite dialogues/scenes:
If he were patient and lucky, he would be able to show her and to make her know that she was beautiful and wonderful and worthy of love. Even if she ended up running off with lover boy, at least she'd know that she was an amazing woman.

Blake: "I have known a lot of women. But I have never known a woman like you. I'm done, Emma. You are it for me. You are the one."

The scene where they were writing love letters after embellishing how they were betrothed.
Blake: What's done is done. Now I must learn the blasted flute and let it be known that I wept while proposing to you.

Blake: Yes, I am thinking of ravishing you because you are a female and we are on a bed. But I promise to keep my hands to myself and focus on composing odes to our secret love affair....
(begins writing) "Dear Emily," Blake began to narrate as he wrote.

I did have a few issues - which is why I didn't end up giving this 5 stars but I still really enjoyed this book (and very few books are absolutely perfect) and hope the next one in this series is just as engaging.
1. There are some historical inaccuracies (most glaring is Emma and Blake traveling in a coach with no chaperone) and several modern words. I was aware of both but gave a bit of a pass because I still thought the dialogue and tension between the two was well written.

2. Blake's actions near the end. He wants to give them a fresh start and to do that requires he do something painful and then hopes to start anew but then he doesn't do anything (can't say more or it would spoil it). His inaction is what was not satisfying.

3. the love triangle with Benedict. I had several issues with how this was handled but my biggest problem is that Emma basically cheated on Benedict and never told him. Yes, it was a fake engagement with Blake and I could forgive her kissing him but she did a bit more than that and never confesses. I get that Emma is torn between the two men and the high temptation factor and Blake is amazingly hot -- but she never feels too guilty about what she does with Blake and never tells Benedict (I think if he knew he might have acted differently). I have another issue that could be seen as a spoiler so it's down below (don't read if you're at all concerned about spoilers)

POTENTIAL SPOILERS
Unless I missed something, we never find out who told the newspaper the engagement was a sham. It apparently didn't matter but it was mentioned and questioned so many times it would have been nice to know who.

My other issues with Benedict are that he's supposedly loved Emma for 3 years but NEVER proposed to her or done anything with her beyond light kisses. I was waiting for him to have an ulterior motive or something but he's just lazy apparently and I don't think he ever actually loved her because he literally jumps into an engagement after hearing Emma's betrothal ONE day before. If the author had written him to realize he likely never really loved her (more an infatuation) I'd understand and accept his character more.

The Wicked Wallflower - Likewise Book Reviews

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