The Last Wallflower • Scandal in Spring

Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
Series: Wallflowers #4
Previous Books: Secrets of a Summer Night, It Happened One Autumn + Devil in Winter
Publisher: Avon Romance
Publication Date: March 17, 2009
Source/Format: Bought || Kindle e-book

After spending three London seasons searching for a husband, Daisy Bowman's father has told her in no uncertain terms that she must find a husband. Now. And if Daisy can't snare an appropriate suitor, she will marry the man he chooses—the ruthless and aloof Matthew Swift.

Daisy is horrified. A Bowman never admits defeat, and she decides to do whatever it takes to marry someone . . . anyone . . . other than Matthew. But she doesn't count on Matthew's unexpected charm . . . or the blazing sensuality that soon flares beyond both their control. And Daisy discovers that the man she has always hated just might turn out to be the man of her dreams. But right at the moment of sweet surrender, a scandalous secret is uncovered . . . one that could destroy both Matthew and a love more passionate and irresistible than Daisy's wildest fantasies. 

The fourth book in the Wallflowers series, Scandal in Spring, was, as all of them were, another charming, lovely tale of romance between a quirky heroine and a mysterious hero. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, seeing how everything wrapped up quite nicely for our four Wallflowers.

Scandal in Spring is obviously about the only unattached Wallflower - Daisy Bowman, Lillian's younger sister and the youngest of the Wallflowers. Daisy is a perfectly lovely young woman, if a dreamer and perfectly content to be reading her books. I adore her personality because I feel, should I have ever met her in real life, she would be just the type of person I would be friends with.

The story basically revolves around the premise that Daisy MUST get married soon. The Wallflowers make a pact to find her someone suitable, but Daisy's father suddenly comes up with his own plan - for Daisy to marry his business protegee Matthew Swift - if they cannot find someone to marry her. From their past encounters with him, especially in Lillian's eyes, Matthew Swift is NOT the ideal person for Daisy to wind up married too - he's too cold, aloof and calculating. In other words, he's too much of a businessman to ever be a good match for Daisy's personality.

But then, the unexpected happens - Matthew Swift turns out to be completely different than what he seems. He's charming, he's got a sense of humor and he also has a soft spot for Daisy, having loved her so long and so well. When the reader discovers his long-lived devotion to Daisy and also how he wants her to be happy (and feels that she deserves better than him), you can't help but swoon. Matthew transforms from the aloof business into a charming guy who loves this girls completely and unconditionally.

I thought that they had a pretty cute love story, despite it's predictability and the lesser amount of drama it contained (as opposed to the book right before it, starring Evie and Sebastian). It was a nice finish to the story of the four Wallflowers, and I liked how each of them got the happy ending they deserved. It was also nice to see the development of their friendship and witness their banter amongst themselves when they were together. Plus, really, I can't resist a good love story - especially one as well-written, charming and cute as this one.