Never Wager with a Wallflower (The Merriwell Sisters, 3)

Written by Virginia Heath
Review by Ray Thompson

Despite (or perhaps because of) her attractiveness, the men in the life of Miss Venus Merriwell have been a serious disappointment, starting with her irresponsible father. Her active support of an orphanage is much more satisfying, until it brings her into conflict with another annoying man, Galahad Sinclair, who has bought the adjoining property. How these two eventually discover that their mutual dislike masks not only simmering attraction, but surprising compatibility, generates a lively and humorous tale.

Insights into the precarious situation of orphans during the nineteenth century remind us of the dangers facing those without responsible protectors, but the primary focus is upon the romance between the protagonists. The debt to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is cheerfully acknowledged, and while Galahad, like his Arthurian prototype, seems a bit too good to be true—especially since he is the owner of a gambling den—a lively cast of characters, orphans included, provides plenty of entertainment.

This is the third and concluding book in the Merriwell Sisters Regency romance series, and those who have enjoyed the earlier books will not be disappointed.