Diary of an Accidental Wallflower

December 8, 2014
The solid first installment of the Seduction Diaries Regency series introduces strong characters but sometimes struggles to maintain momentum. Clare Westmore is the darling of the debutantes: properly coiffed, surreptitiously bookish, and all but certain to marry well. When a sprained ankle renders Clare homebound, she’s frustrated at missing the all-important social engagements intended to secure her future. Bored, she spends her time sparring with Dr. Daniel Merial, her handsome and brilliant physician, who is well below her socially. Problems begin to brew as Daniel and Clare reluctantly yield to their mutual attraction. Clare’s carefully scripted brainless, snobby persona begins to crack when her so-called friends begin scheming, family dysfunction is revealed, and “life-altering secrets” become society gossip. As events unfold, Clare discovers that her feelings about love, marriage, and class have changed, completing a coming-of-age transformation. McQuiston capably provides surprises to make sense of the family disorder, but the novel begins to stall with the couple’s denials and indecisiveness. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

January 15, 2015
Clare Westmore's season is going swimmingly until she injures her ankle and meets a handsome doctor who makes her question everything.Considered a prize catch of the season, Clare is determined to land a duke, and things seem to be going well. After all, Mr. Alban, the future Duke of Harrington, is paying special attention to her. But when she hurts her ankle and meets Dr. Daniel Merial, everything changes. Fighting her physical and intellectual attraction is hard enough, but when Daniel becomes emotionally connected to her family and her siblings respond positively to his presence, it becomes even harder to disengage, even as she and Daniel begin to spend more time together and learn secrets they're not sure they want to know. Worse, Clare's family has secrets even she doesn't know, and apparently her social rise is enough of a threat that some of her rivals-some she believed to be friends-will seek any opportunity to besmirch her. Meanwhile, the more she learns about Daniel-including his problematic background, professional brilliance and highly tuned social conscience-the more she realizes her social aspirations mean nothing compared to the feelings she has for him. Apparently, though, the time has come for her family to face their many secrets, and as Clare navigates the fallout, good and bad, she lets go of society's rigid expectations to find her true self, a self who obviously belongs with Daniel. McQuiston explores class, friendship and family ties in this refreshing romance that follows Daniel's and Clare's journeys to self-enlightenment and love. A charming romance with a unique, entertaining storyline that makes us cheer for the doctor hero, his broad-minded heroine and their eclectic supporting cast.

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March 1, 2015
On the eve of the season's biggest social event, Clare Westmore has the misfortune to suffer a twisted ankle, which lands her on the dreaded wallflower line. A visit from Dr. Daniel Merial results in the order to rest for two weeks. During her absence from the scene, Clare frets about keeping her place in the ton and finding a suitable husband. Dr. Merial's visits become the highlight of Clare's days, as well as those of her siblings, Geoffrey and Lucy, who adore the handsome doctor. Clare and Daniel both know their social standings make it impossible for them to be together, yet the time away from her peers gives Clare a chance to reflect and realize that she wants more out of a marriage then a title. Family secrets threaten to derail Clare's reach for love, but with Daniel by her side and a newly found sense of confidence, she weathers the scandal. McQuiston has created characters with self-awareness, intellect, and heart in the opening title in her Seduction Diaries series, a romance Regency fans will adore.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)