A review by smuttymcbookface
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

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

4.0

Lisa Kleypas beautifully writes women that captivate men to such extremes, they're overwrought with need. This, as always, can be a double-edged sword, and in this particular book, I found the MMC to be too cruel for my taste.

The plot for It Happened One Autumn is straightforward (in a good way); aristocratic MMC falls for headstrong (but common-blooded) FMC, against all his better judgement.

The FMC, Lillian, was enjoyable to read. She was snarky and unrepentant in her ways, never letting anything get the better of her. Although some might consider her too bratty, I personally enjoyed her crass personality.

My biggest issue lies with the MMC, Marcus. Constantly perfect and superior, he has a love-hate relationship with his infatuation for Lillian. Although he does suffer his own body betrayal syndrome (which I don't mind one way or another), Lisa Kleypas unfortunately takes it too far in two instances:
the butterfly house where they start to fool around, before he shames her for being too easy; the post-library scene where she is ridiculously drunk due to his ignoring her, and he takes this opportunity to claim her virginity pre-marriage.


Despite those two instances, I still enjoyed the plot, particularly the introduction of St Vincent who subverted the typical expectations of a rake, and the continued insight into the previous book's still-infatuated couple.
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