A review by blewballoon
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I really enjoyed the idea behind the writing and setting. The breezy nonchalance of the wacky situations reminded me of one of my favorite books, The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall. I don't think it handled the zany adventures and "witty" tone as well as it could have, though. I strongly disliked the romance and found aspects of it uncomfortable to the point it sort of ruined the book for me.
When Cecilia and Ned are first traveling alone together, he encourages her to drink 3+ glasses of wine after he realizes she is getting tipsy after a couple sips and she has no idea she's drunk. He is amused as she makes a fool of herself, and contemplates laying in bed with her because she won't know while she's drunk asleep. She's too drunk to consent to anything. Later when they do have sex, the consent feels a little dubious because Cecilia is apparently so innocent she can't distinguish between foreplay and intercourse. I understand this book doesn't take anything seriously, but I don't think intentionally getting someone so drunk they can't distinguish between what they are thinking and doing is funny. And I think sex scenes where the woman doesn't know what's happening are not sexy.
I also think the characters didn't feel much like people, because the tone of the book was more focused on being satirical and humorous than allowing characters to have much depth. The audiobook narration was great. 
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