About the Book:
Title: A Scoundrel of Her Own
Author: Stacy Reid
Series: Sinful Wallflowers #3
Page Length: 400
Publication Date: Dec. 28, 2021
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Synopsis: 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…
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.
My Review:
A Scoundrel of Her Own is the third book in Stacy Reid’s Sinful Wallflowers series! With layered and interesting characters, great messages, and an epic love story, there’s a lot to love. The story focuses on Lady Ophelia Darby, the daughter of a marquess, and Devlin Byrne, an enigmatic man who lives on the dangerous fringes of society.
The couple first meets when they are children, and Devlin, then known as Niall, rescues Ophelia, who he nicknames Fifi, from drowning. Niall and Fifi must seek shelter together for a week before being rescued and returned to their families. During that week, a wonderful relationship develops between Niall and Fifi that neither has forgotten about. The young pair become fast friends and promise to marry each other before they are rescued and separated. Though most of the story takes place sixteen years later, when they are in their twenties and happen to meet again, these flashbacks to their time together as kids are so sweet and charming.
Ophelia and Devlin are complex and compelling protagonists, and neither really seems to fit into society. Ophelia often disguises herself as a singer called Lady Starlight and wows audiences with her stunning voice. She also secretly tries to find out more about her past and the shocking revelations her father revealed while on his death bed. When out as Lady Starlight, Ophelia has a mysterious protector, someone who ensures her safety, though they’ve never met. Ophelia learns that her protector is none other than her childhood savior Niall, now called Devlin.
Devlin’s reputation as a dangerous and foreboding man is quite different from the boy she remembers. Devlin is a delightfully swoon-worthy romantic hero, and he and Olivia have an epic love story! Olivia is Devlin’s forever and only love. He’s loved her his entire life, and everything he’s done, he’s done to be worthy of her. Since he is from a lower class than Olivia, her family has never approved of him, and they hurtfully reject and insult him on more than one occasion. However, Devlin and Olivia love each other unconditionally and without reservations. They have such a strong bond, and their connection only grows as they reunite and grow closer. This makes for some sweet, some intense, and many swoon-worthy moments between the pair. They have an amazing life-long love story, and I loved every minute of it.
Between Ophelia disguising herself and sneaking out, Devlin’s mysterious life, and the secrets in Ophelia’s family and her attempt to unravel the truth, there is a lot of intrigue in the story. There are also interesting messages about social class and prejudice, which is especially noticeable in how Ophelia’s family treats Devlin, both when he is a young boy and as an adult. Because of his station, her family deems Devlin unworthy, when in actuality, he is the most noble and honorable of them all.
I thought this was a great addition to the Sinful Wallflowers Series, and I adored Ophelia and Devlin’s sweet, passionate, and beautiful love story. Thanks so much to Entangled: Amara, Netgalley, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance.
- The intrigue.
Favorite Lines:
It felt as if he were simply drifting through life, with little compelling him to live.
We all have a bit of madness in our hearts; we’ve just learned how to hide it.
The emotions that had been awakened were real and tangible. His life before tonight had been nothing but feeling hollow, as if his existence was already exhausted with nothing new to inspire wonder. Then her.
Sometimes it was not the outcome that made the man, but the journey.
One thought on “Book Review: A Scoundrel of Her Own by Stacy Reid”