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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Devoured this in mostly one day, despite my best intentions.
The good:
-The central romance is just too good. Their fall in love was so sweet and I was really rooting for them and understood how they cared for each other.
-Beyond their role in the romance, both MCs are great characters. I especially found Annabelle to be multi-faceted and realistic.
-Love that Simon wasn’t a member of the “peerage.” See below.
The less good:
-The writing at times was a bit cheesy for my tastes, especially when the ladies were together. Their dialogue was a bit SJM-adjacent (derogatory)
-First regency era HRM and overall I don’t love how low the stakes are. Big deal, you can’t marry into the exact same class as you. Give me a break.
-The pacing at times was strange, the beginning was so slow with some conversations (again with the wallflowers) taking up too much time. Then it skips time in places I wasn’t expecting.
-I could have used more smut, hehe.
-Not sure I’m super eager to read the next books because of the above, but we’ll see.
The good:
-The central romance is just too good. Their fall in love was so sweet and I was really rooting for them and understood how they cared for each other.
-Beyond their role in the romance, both MCs are great characters. I especially found Annabelle to be multi-faceted and realistic.
-Love that Simon wasn’t a member of the “peerage.” See below.
The less good:
-The writing at times was a bit cheesy for my tastes, especially when the ladies were together. Their dialogue was a bit SJM-adjacent (derogatory)
-First regency era HRM and overall I don’t love how low the stakes are. Big deal, you can’t marry into the exact same class as you. Give me a break.
-The pacing at times was strange, the beginning was so slow with some conversations (again with the wallflowers) taking up too much time. Then it skips time in places I wasn’t expecting.
-I could have used more smut, hehe.
-Not sure I’m super eager to read the next books because of the above, but we’ll see.
My second Kleypas novel and the official first story in the Wallflowers series. I was actually quite surprise by how much I enjoyed this story. It was rather slow moving at first and I was constantly looking ahead to make sure things would pick up in the novel. After the first few chapters, which were setting the scene and cultivating the friendship between the Wallflowers, it became a more enjoyable read. In fact, the best parts seemed to happen after the “rounders-in-knickers” scene. Simon played a wonderful doctor/nurse maid for Annabelle. I had always anticipated Evie’s story to be my favorite of the series, I may be disappointed when I get to her novel though. This story was surprisingly amazing. Kleypas writes lovely stories; I think her endings are probably my favorite things. She writes such lovely “I-love-you” scenes and “happily ever after’s.”
Simon and Annabelle was a lovely couple; they had amazing chemistry and I loved their scenes together. In fact, my favorite scenes with them were their post-wedding ones. Marriage looked good on both of them; I sincerely hope they are very happy in their future, and knowing the romantic novel inclinations, I am quite sure they will be. I am very pleased with this story and I am eagerly waiting to read the rest of the series. I hope they can live up to this first novel. We got glimpses of Marcus and Lillian and their bantering in this story… I am very much eager to get to Evie’s story. I hope my expectations are not too high and they will be dashed when I actually read her book. I can only hope it will be as much of a satisfying read as this one surprisingly was.
Rating: 4.75/5.0—I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. At the risk of sounding like the rest of the populace, Kleypas is quickly becoming a favorite author and one to most certainly keep on my to-watch list. Her stories are of a lovely quality and I think I will be eager to find new books of hers (as well as Garwood or Kaye, which are other fantastic authors I have discovered this year) to read and enjoy.
Simon and Annabelle was a lovely couple; they had amazing chemistry and I loved their scenes together. In fact, my favorite scenes with them were their post-wedding ones. Marriage looked good on both of them; I sincerely hope they are very happy in their future, and knowing the romantic novel inclinations, I am quite sure they will be. I am very pleased with this story and I am eagerly waiting to read the rest of the series. I hope they can live up to this first novel. We got glimpses of Marcus and Lillian and their bantering in this story… I am very much eager to get to Evie’s story. I hope my expectations are not too high and they will be dashed when I actually read her book. I can only hope it will be as much of a satisfying read as this one surprisingly was.
Rating: 4.75/5.0—I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. At the risk of sounding like the rest of the populace, Kleypas is quickly becoming a favorite author and one to most certainly keep on my to-watch list. Her stories are of a lovely quality and I think I will be eager to find new books of hers (as well as Garwood or Kaye, which are other fantastic authors I have discovered this year) to read and enjoy.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5
el romance en sí no es el mejor que he leído (diría que normalito), el tira y afloja ha estado entretenido pero sin más. lo mejor es la amistad de las 4 wallflowers y que el libro da paso al resto de la saga ya sabiendo cómo funciona todo
lo que sí me ha molestado es la importancia que se le da a conseguir un marido con buenos dineros y lo demás da igual (seré yo, que no estoy acostumbrada a estas cosas y me ha chocado el comportamiento de ciertos personajes respecto a esto)
el romance en sí no es el mejor que he leído (diría que normalito), el tira y afloja ha estado entretenido pero sin más. lo mejor es la amistad de las 4 wallflowers y que el libro da paso al resto de la saga ya sabiendo cómo funciona todo
lo que sí me ha molestado es la importancia que se le da a conseguir un marido con buenos dineros y lo demás da igual (seré yo, que no estoy acostumbrada a estas cosas y me ha chocado el comportamiento de ciertos personajes respecto a esto)
I came to this for something to fill the Bridgerton void, but I don't think this was for me and there's so many other books on my TBR that I'd rather be reading.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first in the Wallflowers series. It sets up the premise of their friendship and quest to find each other husbands. The next match of Lillian and Westcliff is set up with them hating each other. It’s the weakest book of the series, and Simon and Annabelle barely feature in the rest of the books.
Annabelle is beautiful but her family is broke. Without a dowry, she has failed to attract a husband after several years. Her family’s financial situation is now so dire, she may have to become a mistress just to keep them afloat if she doesn’t find a husband by the end of the season.
Simon is an industrialist who has made a fortune but can never buy acceptance into the ton. He has set his sights on Annabelle, but not with a marriage offer. She can’t stand his ruthless and unrefined nature. But when they find themselves at the same house party, she sees a different side of him.
The house party makes up the first half of the story. Annabelle is balancing trying to attract Lord Kendall and trying to repel the Lord Hodgeham, before she finally accepts her attraction to Simon. Simon realizes he wants to marry her because he can’t stand anyone else having her.
The second half of the story drags a bit. The conflicts don’t build to the right tension. Annabelle has to adjust to “commoner” life with Simon’s family and friends but that adjustment comes too easily for her. There’s some difficulty for her mother that ought to be explored more. It’s a missed opportunity for the angle of their class differences to add conflict, and make Simon dealing with Hodgeman feel more impactful.
Annabelle has some conflict with Westcliff because he thinks her shallow, only marrying for money, but that is only really used to make Westcliff look like an ass. It’s a missed opportunity for character development. Simon goes from ruthless and cold to sweet and caring - and from wanting her as mistress to wanting her as wife - with almost no explanation. And Annabelle’s interest in the foundry comes out of nowhere. That could all have been tied in with the Westcliff conflict driving the evolution of Annabelle from ornamental to substantial.
The foundry is interesting, as that’s not a historical element usually explored, but it’s also a near death experience trope that is a weak plot way of getting characters to say they love each other. It would have been well done if it was more clearly bringing together the class differences and character growth elements that were glossed over - ie if it was Annabelle embracing his working class life, and Simon seeing her as more than ornamental.
I would love to see this series as a TV series, but to have more depth Simon should be black. Adding the race element to the class element, showing more of how the ton treats him, and his internal conflict in wanting to be part of the world but also have a chip on his shoulder. This would play in to how he pursues Annabelle as a mistress first - a metaphor for his approach to the ton overall. And then in the second half, Annabelle getting exposed to the difficulties of his world, seeing him mistreated by the ton, really opening her eyes to her shallow existence. It would also add an interesting element to Simon’s friendship with Westcliff - to play up the dichotomy of how the Earl is such a prig on the one hand, yet so progressive on the other (for more than just his own economic interests). There’s an opportunity to explore the male friendships as well as the females’.
Above all this needed some Lord St Vincent action.
Annabelle is beautiful but her family is broke. Without a dowry, she has failed to attract a husband after several years. Her family’s financial situation is now so dire, she may have to become a mistress just to keep them afloat if she doesn’t find a husband by the end of the season.
Simon is an industrialist who has made a fortune but can never buy acceptance into the ton. He has set his sights on Annabelle, but not with a marriage offer. She can’t stand his ruthless and unrefined nature. But when they find themselves at the same house party, she sees a different side of him.
The house party makes up the first half of the story. Annabelle is balancing trying to attract Lord Kendall and trying to repel the Lord Hodgeham, before she finally accepts her attraction to Simon. Simon realizes he wants to marry her because he can’t stand anyone else having her.
The second half of the story drags a bit. The conflicts don’t build to the right tension. Annabelle has to adjust to “commoner” life with Simon’s family and friends but that adjustment comes too easily for her. There’s some difficulty for her mother that ought to be explored more. It’s a missed opportunity for the angle of their class differences to add conflict, and make Simon dealing with Hodgeman feel more impactful.
Annabelle has some conflict with Westcliff because he thinks her shallow, only marrying for money, but that is only really used to make Westcliff look like an ass. It’s a missed opportunity for character development. Simon goes from ruthless and cold to sweet and caring - and from wanting her as mistress to wanting her as wife - with almost no explanation. And Annabelle’s interest in the foundry comes out of nowhere. That could all have been tied in with the Westcliff conflict driving the evolution of Annabelle from ornamental to substantial.
The foundry is interesting, as that’s not a historical element usually explored, but it’s also a near death experience trope that is a weak plot way of getting characters to say they love each other. It would have been well done if it was more clearly bringing together the class differences and character growth elements that were glossed over - ie if it was Annabelle embracing his working class life, and Simon seeing her as more than ornamental.
I would love to see this series as a TV series, but to have more depth Simon should be black. Adding the race element to the class element, showing more of how the ton treats him, and his internal conflict in wanting to be part of the world but also have a chip on his shoulder. This would play in to how he pursues Annabelle as a mistress first - a metaphor for his approach to the ton overall. And then in the second half, Annabelle getting exposed to the difficulties of his world, seeing him mistreated by the ton, really opening her eyes to her shallow existence. It would also add an interesting element to Simon’s friendship with Westcliff - to play up the dichotomy of how the Earl is such a prig on the one hand, yet so progressive on the other (for more than just his own economic interests). There’s an opportunity to explore the male friendships as well as the females’.
Above all this needed some Lord St Vincent action.
After discovering Lisa Kleypas through Devil in Spring, I've followed the suggestions of my many historical romance reader friends who were aghast that I had not read her Wallflowers series. Secrets of a Summer Night did not disappoint! Kleypas's lyrical language paints a vivid picture of Victorian England at the time when the landed aristocracy are beginning to feel just how much industrialization is changing their world. I loved the story of Annabelle Peyton, one of the aristocratic poor, and Simon Hunt, the son of a butcher and a self-made millionaire. The setting is captivating; the villain revolting, and the moments when Simon Hunt proves himself to be more hero than gentleman are swoon-worthy.
I have long wanted to try my hand at a historical romance, and Kleypas is great inspiration. One day, when I have more time in my life for research, I'll chase that dream. Until then, I'll be chasing wallflowers.
I have long wanted to try my hand at a historical romance, and Kleypas is great inspiration. One day, when I have more time in my life for research, I'll chase that dream. Until then, I'll be chasing wallflowers.