Hesitations and investigations in the husband-mart!

The Earl Not Taken (The Wallflowers of West Lane #1) 
by A.S. Fenichel             

Four wallflowers, who'd been "hell-bent on embarrassing [their] families", school friends who'd met when they'd been sent to school in Lucerne to have their behaviour moderated, band together to discover the hidden characters of prospective partners their families might fling them at. One of their number, Lady Faith Landon, is to be married to an unknown duke. Their union having been arranged via letters between her mother and the Duke. Well!! The wallflowers aren't going to take this lying down. After one of their member, Aurora's abusive marriage, the husband now fortunately demised, the sensible plan is to discover all they can about the Duke. Lady Penelope Arrington decides to consult Aurora's brother and longtime family friend for his insights on the proposed bridegroom. The non romance between wallflower Poppy and rake Rhys Draper, Earl of Marsden should have been sublimely hilarious and fraught. It was fraught to the point of annoyance. Rocks kept being thrown into their path, many self induced by the confused, stubborn and frustrating Poppy. I loved Rhys though. He took the star rating up for me. The story had a great basis for being so much more enthralling than it was. Although the four wall flowers, each in their own way, are interesting the writing seemed to surge and fade away at times. I hope the next in the series is stronger.

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley 

***