Secrets of a Summer Night

I was recommended the Wallflower Series many times here on GR, so I decided to give it a try after reading The Hathaway Series. I was not disappointed. This series seems to be just as addicting as The Hathaway’s.

The Wallflowers consists of four desperate girls looking for husbands. After sitting against the wall for a couple of seasons without any luck Annabelle, Lillian, Diane and Evangeline all decide to pull their resources together by helping each other land a husband. As the oldest in the group Annabelle is first. Annabelle is considered the beauty of the group but her family’s financial problems doesn’t make her attractive. Enter Simon Hunt. This eligible and very wealthy bachelor is highly interested in Annabelle. Annabelle, is physically attracted to Simon despite her saying otherwise, however she keeps turning him down due to his common blood lines and reputation. Together these two have some steamy and funny interactions.

I think this book is a good introduction to the series. The character interactions are pretty funny. It has a pretty good love story; however, the ending became a bit boring and cheesy. I also hated the over use of the word quiver, which is why I gave this book 3 stars.

My roommate is always trying to get me to read Lisa Kleypas books, and I think I see why. This book was sheer fun. Easy to read, enjoyable, mostly realistic and free of obvious anachronisms. I'll read more!

This is a great beginning to a new series. I really loved the concept and the execution of the girls coming together to help each other find someone to love. This story is also a great look into the changes that the industrial revolution wrought on the upper class in England. I quite enjoyed the characters both secondary and primary. There were a number of funny parts and a few hang onto the edge of your seat parts. Overall a pretty good books from a wonderful writer.

London 1841 - Stony Cross, Hampshire 1843The search for a husband is tough enough without having to be the one that has no dowry to help. Annabelle Peyton had family problems and the only asset they had left was her beauty. She needed a good match that could bring her family out of the hole that the death of her father had left. The scheming of four friends (the wallflowers) finally found what they thought would make Annabelle a good match, and the plan was in motion. The rich and powerful businessman Simon Hunt had always been interested in Annabelle, but she wanted a peer, not the son of a butcher. His hope was to take what he wanted, but as he watched and waited, he found he may not ever be happy with just that little bit of her. Another great story by Lisa Kleypas. The introduction of the Wallflowers and their personalities was wonderful, I have heard so much about this series and enjoyed finally getting to know them all. The strength of Annabelle and Lillian are wonderfully contrasted with the comedy of Daisy and the shy timid girl of Evangeline. “Somehow I’ve never thought of husband-hunting as a team sport” has to be what sums up the idea of the Wallflower series. The strength and patience of Simon draws you in, but his passion is the stuff dreams are made of, that is why (I believe) that we read romance novels, to see this kind of passion, to dream of this kind of devotion. Excellent characters and a good story, I found myself laughing and tearing a bit with them. On to the next of the series, (It Happened One Autumn), which I believe is Lillian and Lord Westcliff’s story based on the ending of this one.

Secrets of a Summer Night
4 Stars

Synopsis
Annabelle Peyton is in want of a husband. She doesn't require much only that he be a peer and have sufficient funds to raise her family out of poverty. Simon Hunt is a self made man who has everything he could ever want except the one woman who will never have him - Annabelle. Can these two very different people find a way to overcome their differences for love?

Reviews
Charming and funny read with a very hunky hero but the heroine rubbed me the wrong way.

While Annabelle is in desperate straits and it is difficult not to sympathize with her circumstances, she is nevertheless not a likeable character due to her haughty, mercenary, elitist and selfish personality. She does ultimately redeem herself but it was too late for me. Simon, on the other hand, is simply perfect - honest, intelligent, sexy and sensual, understanding and accepting, loving and determined - I could go on and on but I won't. His only flaw is his attraction to Annabelle as I have no idea what he sees in her.

The plot is an enjoyable yet predictable love/hate romance with some Pride & Prejudice thrown in for good measure. The historical background on Victorian social norms are well researched and interesting, especially the descriptions of the decline of the aristocracy and the rise of the industrialist middle class. The portrayal of the difficult choices faced by women who fall outside the accepted conventions is also very apt.

The writing is good although it does lack a certain flow. I sometimes found myself re-reading lines and even entire paragraphs just to make sure I was following the action.

The real highlight of the book is the hysterically funny banter, machinations and antics of the Wallflowers. The Rounders-in-Knickers scenes still have me smiling.

Overall, an entertaining beginning to a promising series. Lillian and Marcus are up next and I look forward to seeing just how crazy they can drive each other.

I have had all four books from this Wallflower series for a while now. I thought it was time I discover the writing talents of Lisa Kleypas. To me, Secrets of a Summer Night was just a typical historical romance. What I enjoyed most was the characters. I got a kick out of Annabelle and her friends. I’m actually looking forward to reading Lillian’s story; which is the next book in the series, It Happened One Autumn.

Annabelle Peyton's family needs her to marry well. They are relying on the attentions of a man who is using her mother. Her brother is still in school and she needs a good marriage, this she translates as a noble marriage, but Simon Hunt, who is attracted to her and she finds attractive, is a commoner, this will affect her future.Full of lavacious nobles, romance, thoughtful gifts (never have a pair of walking boots been so romantic!) and societal changes. It's an interesting read and I love the wallflowers and want to see what happens to the next one, but I worry about Annabelle and her friendships.

I've enjoyed the wallflowers series immensely (although I did read them a bit out of order). The story of Annabelle, Lillian, Evi & Daisy and their friendship is wonderful. Each girl brings a unique addition to the unusual group. Their antics and plans are hilarious and I especially loved their meadow games in knickers! Several points in this book had me laughing out loud.

Where the story lost a few points for me is in Annabelle's persistent desire to only marry a man of rank (even though she needed wealth) and then her continued obsession over wealth and class. Although a character of the times, I still think Annabelle was a bit too harsh on Simon and his family. Simon's pursuit in Annabelle despite her repeated disinterest amazed me as well. Other than her being pretty and a quickly shared kiss, I do not understand what he saw in her that attracted him so.

Outside of that, the story overall was wonderful and enjoyable and fun. A great book, although not my favorite in the series.

After reading numerous rave reviews, I have been quite anxious to start Lisa Kleypas' Wallflowers series. However, when I first began Secrets of a Summer Night, I found myself wondering if I was going to like it as much as some of Ms. Kleypas' other works. Initially, the story had a much lighter feel than the author's other books I had read to date, with the relationship between the Wallflowers seeming a little like chick-lit (not exactly my favorite genre) in a historical setting. Also, the first third or so of the book is primarily devoted to introducing each of the Wallflowers and their individual situations that have caused them to be passed over by potential suitors, as well as detailing the pact between them to help find husbands for each other and building their collective friendship. During this time, there wasn't much interaction between Simon and Annabelle and in fact, Simon only had two short point-of-view scenes which made it difficult to get to know him or to believe that these two were going to fall madly in love. I shouldn't have worried though, because this is Lisa Kleypas we're talking about, an author who has rarely disappointed me. About 150 page into the story, things really took off, and from there Simon and Annabelle's romance built slowly and believably into a beautiful tender relationship and a dramatic conclusion that really solidified their love for me.During the early parts of the book, I found myself having mixed feelings about Annabelle. I was sympathetic to her plight of being penniless and desperately needing to marry a wealthy suitor to take care of her family, but her lack of a dowry preventing any nobleman from asking for her hand. Not only was she stuck in this endless loop, but she was also rapidly approaching spinsterhood and the prospect of having no other choice but to become the mistress of a peer in order to survive. My only problem with Annabelle was that she had Simon, a man who was wealthier than most aristocrats, doggedly pursuing her for two years after a brief stolen kiss, but she rejected his offers to dance and openly disdained him that whole time, mainly, it seemed, because she didn't view him as a worthy match due to his low birth. I thought this made her appear rather snobbish, a decidedly un-endearing quality. Annabelle also seemed to have the idea that Simon only wanted her as his mistress, but contrary to what the cover blurb stated, I never really got that feeling from him at all and felt that if she had taken the time to get to know him, he might have surprised her with what he had to offer. Annabelle also was prepared to do literally anything it took to win a marriage proposal from a titled gentleman even if he was a poor match for her. Due to these character flaws, I ended up staying on the fence about Anabelle for more than half the story until she finally came to her senses and realized that her actions would be hurting someone else. When she did the honorable thing, I developed a more definite liking for her which only grew as she herself grew and changed throughout the rest of the novel. I loved how she went though some soul-searching and struggled a bit with not quite fitting in her own privileged world anymore, but neither did she fit in Simon's more provincial one. In the end though, her act of heroism and the changes in her attitude convinced me that she would no longer be looking down her nose at anyone else merely because of the circumstances of their birth.As I mentioned earlier, I didn't really feel like I even began to know Simon until over a third of the way into the book. At this point, Simon and Annabelle's first major interaction occurs when she is in the throes of a medical crisis, and his cool head saves the day. Also Annabelle (and the reader) begin to see his kindness and concern show through in his gentle ministrations. From there, the author does the very best thing she could have done for her hero by showing in every word and deed just what a great guy he actually is. Simon is another one of Lisa Kleypas' self-made heroes who had come into a fortune through ingenuity and hard work. He was born the son of a butcher, but is occasionally welcomed into the world of the upper-crust because of his wealth. Simon isn't really tortured like many of Ms. Kleypas' other heroes, but he was rather mysterious and a mischievous flirt. To say that he is quite self-assured just might be an understatement. There were a couple of times that his behavior bordered on being just a wee bit too cocky for my taste, but thankfully it only happened once or twice and the rest of the time his arrogance was rather endearing. Overall, Simon was another wonderful hero to come from Ms. Kleypas' fertile imagination. I just loved how protective he was of Annabelle and her family and how he just simply wanted to spoil her with all the nice things that she had been denied for so many years. It may have taken a little while to learn about Simon's character, but once I did, I totally fell for him just like nearly every other Lisa Kleypas hero I've read to date.The four Wallflower girls, Annabelle, Lillian, Daisy and Evie are all good secondary characters with an interesting relationship dynamic. Lillian and Daisy are sisters and wealthy American débutantes looking for titled husbands who would be worthy of their financial status, but are rather rough around the edges for English society. Lillian is very feisty and seemed to have a bit of a chip on her shoulder, particularly concerning Marcus, Lord Westcliff, her soon-to-be hero. I'm hoping that she will go through a similar transformation as Annabelle in her own story, the next in the series, because out of all the Wallflowers, she seemed to have the least scruples. Daisy seems to be a little bit of a tomboy, being the one most excited about their game of Rounders, an early form of baseball. I'll be interested to see how her character develops as the series goes on, as her book is the fourth one. My absolute favorite Wallflower so far is Evie. She is a shy girl with red hair, freckles and a stutter, who appears to be set upon by controlling relatives, but who also seems to notice and understand far more than most people give her credit for. I can't wait for her book, which is number three in the series.The one other secondary character who plays a strong role in Secrets of a Summer Night is Marcus who is best friends with Simon. I had previously gotten a pretty good feel for his character in two other Lisa Kleypas books that are not a part of the Wallflowers series, Again the Magic and Worth Any Price. In both of those books, as well as this one, he presents himself as rather uptight and arrogant, but he always makes some grand gesture that proves what a good heart he has underneath his blustery facade. I'm really looking forward to reading his and Lillian's book, It Happened One Autumn. It was also nice to get a glimpse of Gideon and Olivia who represented the secondary romance in Again the Magic. While there had been enough of a wrap-up to their story in that book to leave me with the feeling that they would have an HEA, I was pleased to see them quite happy and engaged in Secrets of a Summer Night. Although they didn't play a role in the story, there was brief mention of Lord St. Vincent, the hero of the third Wallflower book, The Devil in Winter, and Harry Rutledge, the hotel magnate who becomes the hero of Tempt Me at Twilight, part of the spin-off Hathaway series. Secrets of a Summer Night may have gotten off to a somewhat slow start for me, but overall, it turned out to be another enjoyable read from Lisa Kleypas with a strong (if not perfect ;-)) hero and heroine. Hopefully, now that the groundwork for the Wallflowers has been laid, there will be earlier and more prominent focus on the romance in the remaining books of the series. For now, Secrets of a Summer Night has earned a spot on my keeper shelf, and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the remaining books in the series, It Happened One Autumn, The Devil in Winter, Scandal in Spring, and A Wallflower Christmas very soon.

This was mentioned on BookRiot as a top example of historical romance. I quite enjoyed it but I didn't find it particularly outstanding. I liked the characters but it was just OK.

I'm being lazy and reviewing the entire series as one. Also many of my thoughts apply to all the books. I've never been a big romance person but I've never been opposed to them either. I discovered this series on a list for top romance series when I needed something for the 2013 Challenge Group Februray Challenge. Spoilers for the series follow:


One thing I didn't like about each book was, with one exception, every single female was a virgin and every single male had had plenty of partners (and in the cases where the male was already attracted to her, he thought of her when with the person). The reason some of the proposals happened was because he had "compromised" her (loved that phrase). Yet the men never had that worry about all the other women they had been with?

Past that these books were fun and I enjoyed each one. I was happy I read Again the Magic first since then I had a prior knowledge of the Westcliffs and in particular Marcus. I was sad that Aline and McKenna never appeared in the rest of the series. McKenna's proposal was probably my favorite of all the couples.

Simon and Annabelle were probably my favorite couple overall. I was surprised that many other reviewers labelled her as snobbish. I understand at the beginning she was hellbent on marrying a peer but primarily for the money for her family. I don't see anything wrong with that. Simon only went after her as a mistress and that was why I felt she ignored him. Once he did actually propose she almost instantly accepted him. Loved that he kept trying to compromise her afterwards in order to make sure she would marry him. After the marriage she did have trouble accepting the change in her life but she never blamed him. I adored the ending with her going after him and Westcliff saving them both and the two of them finally getting along.

Westcliff is probably my favorite male character and I did really like Lillian. Their book was not my favorite because I felt it borrowed too much from Pride and Prejudice, which I adore. The two stubborn lovers with the male as an upper class aristocrat, a bad first proposal, a wedding obsessed mother, and a conniving countess. Loved the ending again with Westcliff beating the shit out of St. Vincent. Hilarious! This book did have my favorite passage:

"You may set your mind at ease with the knowledge that I do not find you desireable in any way whatsoever."
"I understand. Enough said, my lord."
"If the two of us were left alone on a deserted island, I would have absolutely no thought of approaching you."
"I realize that," she said shortly. "You don't have to go on and on about it."
"I just want to make it clear that what I did was a complete aberration. You are not the kind of woman wom I would ever be attracted to."
"All right."
"In fact-"
"You've made yourself quite clear, my lord."

St. Vincent and Evie's story was enjoyable and I thoguht they worked quite well together. I was sad that none of the other wallflowers showed up till over halfway through the book. I also didn't realize that Evie's father appears in an earlier series, so I may have to pick that up next.

Scandal in Spring was my least favorite of the four wallflower series. I liked the concept but I figured out basically what Matthew's secret was from the start and kept getting annoyed that he put off telling her till it was too late. The game between the two of them was interesting and I enjoyed seeing how protective Westcliff had become of Daisy.

Wallflower Christmas was fun but I did not enjoy it as much as the previous five books.

Read this one over the course of a rainy weekend. It was a so-so historical romance, not nearly as good as some I have read, even by this same author. Nevertheless, it was a fun escape for a few hours.

The Wallflowers quartet was among the first books I read for Lisa Kleypas and historical romance in general. I fell madly in love with her style of writing and her characters. Now, I'm rereading the books and viewing them differently.

How I feel sorry for Annabelle. It's very hard to be poor but to be poor and beautiful is the hardest of all. People start assuming horrible things and attacking you, as if your financial statues determines your worth.

Annabelle Peyton is on her fourth season and she must catch a husband this year or she'll be left with the shameful choice of becoming someone's mistress in order to save her family's finances. While at a ball she finally chats with the three other women who have all been condemned to being wallflowers for various reasons. The quartet form a pact to help each other find husbands beginning with Annabelle as the eldest. But while the women work to get Annabelle engaged to eligible Lord Kendall, Annabelle must fight her own growing attraction to the newly rich but entirely unsuitable Simon Hunt.I enjoyed this historical romance thoroughly. Kleypas sets up a lovely premise with the four wallflowers working together to snag a husband in the difficult market of the early Victorian era. Watching Annabelle and Simon's relationship is a thorough delight and the denouement was actually a surprise for me as the final conflict was not what I had anticipated. I'll be picking up the other books in this series and Kleypas has made my list of authors to pick up when I'm in the mood for a historical romance.

As a Kleypas virgin, I had to know what all the fuss was about. I've not read much historical romance so I didn't know what I was getting myself into but I'm very glad I picked this up. I understand now why this author has so many devoted fans.

Four young single ladies come together to help each other find husbands. They decide as a group that Annabelle as the oldest should be the first to be married off.

Simon Hunt as a predator determined to snag his prey (Annabelle) was excellent. I loved the way he looked at his competition, the supposedly superior upper classes who disgusted both me and him when they purposely snubbed the gorgeous and unattached Annabelle so she'd be so desperate when she couldn't find someone decent to marry her she'd be forced to become some dishonourable (and possibly married) man's mistress. When Simon learned she'd most likely go to the highest bidder, I could actually imagine his feral grin as he realised he was the richest man in England and therefore most likely to get her.

Despite being looked down upon for growing up working class and being of "new" money, Simon was a better man for knowing the value of hard work and money earned, as well as a woman with a brain. I was very pleased when he taught Annabelle how to play chess and encouraging her to be interested in his work.

This was a heart-warming and funny story. I will most definitely be reading more from this author.

Lisa Kleypas, where have you been all my life? Holy fucking shit, I love this series.

The series follows four girls (each book telling the story of one) who, for whatever reason, are considered unmarryable. In this novel, the girl is gorgeous and of noble blood, but she has no dowry, so no one has interest in her as a wife. But all the dudes are biding their time until she gives up and is willing to become one of their mistresses.

And the sexiest man ever in the world ever is in love with her.

Simon was one of the best Kleypas heros I've come across - she seems to have a knack for polishing less-than-perfectly-bred men to a shine in historical romances, and he's another example of that. What's really most satisfying about Simon is that he's so unflinchingly devoted - he pursues Annabelle for years, and he is not prone to temper tantrums or fits of masculine cruelty. All that, and he still manages to be tough and properly manly.

No, it's Annabelle that was the big disappointment. Her entire personality is defined by the fact that she is poor, and wishes that she were not; that she is gently-bred, and insists on marrying the same. She tolerates her reduced circumstances with fortitude and some grace; but she is materialistic to a fault, and that soured me on her. Whenever she is happy in the book, it's because she's gotten a present of one kind or another. She refuses to contemplate marrying a non-peer, which seemed rather revoltingly inappropriate in her situation. I didn't find her particularly witty, engaging, intelligent or thoughtful. I don't mind a heroine with flaws, but that's all this girl had.

As far as it goes, it's a decent enough Kleypas. Less action than she's capable of stirring up, but not unpleasant.

I like books that are unpretentious and do not try to be more that they are capable to be. Love story with fun and twist and turns. Interesting thing is that ending is not a wedding but we have a glimpse of how the couple is settled and tries to build a life together. Great book when you want to relax on the beach or on the quiet afternoon.

My roommate is always trying to get me to read Lisa Kleypas books, and I think I see why. This book was sheer fun. Easy to read, enjoyable, mostly realistic and free of obvious anachronisms. I'll read more!

The first half of this book was 4 stars. The second half was only 2 stars, hence the overall 3 star rating. Halfway through this book, I ordered the rest of the series, I was enjoying it so much. Now I wish I hadn't. :(

Kleypas has a nice, fluid writing style, but once the hero and heroine got together, this book really ran out of steam. The wallflowers scenarios with the four friends sets up the series, but there wasn't much of a real plot to carry the book all the way through.

Also, I enjoy a good sex scenes (and hers were pretty good), but the middle of the book is pretty much one after the other. I think a sex scene should move the story forward, not just be a recounting of all the ways they did it.

Since the others are on the way, I will be giving them a try. Fingers crossed! :)

WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK? Seriously? I loved this book a crazy amount and I have so many thoughts so I'm just going to do this in a list format or I might forget things.1. I adored the relationship between the four wallflowers and I'm so excited to read about the other girls.2. Simon was absolute perfection.3. I so enjoyed Annabelle's journey. She grew so much throughout the book. In the beginning I feared I would not like her, but she really was a product of her circumstances and watching her change was truly lovely. Usually it's the hero that makes that journey (because the heroine is already a paragon of kindness and virtue) so this worked out extremely well for me.4. The dialog was stellar! There were some laugh-out-loud moments and some things that were so poignant I wanted to cry.5. I love that this story didn't end with the marriage. We got to see them figuring out their true feelings as a married couple.6. I'm used to reading about titled gentlemen so Simon was a nice change and I really appreciated that Annabelle dealt with marrying into a class beneath her original station in a realistic manner. She still wanted to be part of the aristocracy, which I thought was very believable.Overall, 5 extremely enthusiastic stars!

And with this little book I became one of Miss Kleypas biggest fans.I LOVED IT! LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT!And to think I disliked Annabelle so much in the beginning -she was driving me mad being such a snob- but I learned to love her just as she slowly allowed Simon to enter her heart.This is a quite addictive book, and I literally reached a point where I was completely obsessed with the couple's relationship. I already knew Enemies to Lovers type of love stories were my thing, but this book almost gave it a whole new meaning. I want more Lisa Kleypas, more, more, MORE!

I found this book to be a little more interesting then other historical romance I've read because the leading lady, Annabelle (love that name by the way), was a little more strong willed then most. And our hero of the story, Simon, actually needed her as much as she needed him at times.. It was a rather nice change from the usual "Night in Shining Armor come to rescue his Damsel in Distress".So all in all I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas (Audio Edition)
Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Series: Wallflowers, Book 1

4 stars - I think I enjoyed this more this time than I did the first time I read it. I love when the girls play rounders. I enjoyed how Simon already knew what he wanted and set out about getting it. I think Annabelle was a strong woman and a good match for Simon.

Rosalyn Landor did a fantastic job on narration. Looking forward to listening to the rest of the series.

~Paragraphs and Petticoats~

This book was an enjoyable read, its most appealing aspect being the positive portrayal of genuine, female friendship, a scarcity, in my admittedly rather limited experience, among romance novels. Of course I've come across other romances that provide a cursory attempt at friendship among women, but it's never been so well done as I think it is here. Secrets of a Summer Night introduces "the Wallflowers," four girls who give themselves this title (not without appreciable irony) in their decision to join forces and help each other find husbands. It sounded kind of silly to me at first, but Kleypas managed to avoid most of the clichés I was worried about by showing that the Wallflowers were friends with or without the incentive of their professed mission. Added to which, the presence of friends in the story allows a broadening of perspective, wherein the heroine's life doesn't shrink to encompass solely a life-altering obsession with the hero. (Ideally, at least. Here, that's not so much the case because the friends mostly talk about husbands and how to catch them - but the theory is nice anyway.) Of course, Secrets of a Summer Night is mostly about Annabelle and Simon, but the Wallflowers added something different to the story, a little bit of dimension, that made me care more about the characters than I would have otherwise. As for the romance itself, Secrets of a Summer Night doesn't quite offer all that I would have hoped. Kleypas is mostly concerned with the hierarchies of class and wealth in this book - some might think she's heavy handed with a moral to the story, punishing Annabelle for her initial prejudices against the working class. (Simon is a businessman with everything but a title to recommend him). However this didn't bother me too much, even if it was a bit transparent. I think Kleypas dealt pretty honestly with Annabelle, who was unapologetic and honest in turn about her attraction to wealth and luxury. She didn't have to compromise herself in this regard, for which I was grateful. Other than the melodrama of a final climactic scene, which seemed an external plot contrivance to me and detracted from the romance, I liked this book enough to continue with the series.

Annabelle is desperate to find a way out of financial straights for her family and marry properly to a gentleman of peerage. But, after four years of being a wallflower Annabelle's prospects are dim. No suitable man would propose marriage to a woman with no dowry. Then suddenly Annabelle strikes up a fortuitous friendship with three of her fellow wallflowers and together they plan a way to help Annabelle hunt down and snare an appropriate suitor. This plan firmly excludes the improper entrepreneur Simon Hunt whose interest in Annabelle disconcerts her almost as much as his stolen kiss and smoldering looks. Will Annabelle be able to bag herself a man of station and money before she gives in to the heat blossoming between her and the insufferable Mr. Hunt?I greatly enjoyed reading Secrets of a Summer Night. With each of Lisa Kleypas' stories that I read I understand more and more why she is such an esteemed writer of historical romance. This is the first of her Wallflower Quartet and definitely kicked off the series well. The romance between Simon and Annabelle was built up very well and didn't become stale as the story went on as romances sometimes do. I am very much looking forward to the last book of this series that I haven't read (although it is actually the second book of the set) and plan to continue to seek out other historicals by this gifted writer.

The first in a well-written series by Kleypas. A look into the women who were wallflowers, not popular debutatnes, and the men who fell in love with them.

I was NOT NOT NOT expecting to like this. But I did! I do not usually read historical fiction. Kleypas has lured me in. I am immediately reading the next book in the series and will more than likely read all of Kleypas's books. She is a very good writer. I actually paused over several passages to take note of how eloquent or poignant they were. I am moderately versed in the historical culture of 19th century British life and I found Kleypas mixture of historical fact with modern fancy to be fairly balanced. I will admit that the plot got a bit thin towards the end, but action took over at that point and I was very satisfied with the ending. Though I am not yet sure if I will be adding this book to my Favorites shelf, I would definitely recommend it to friends.

Thus begins a series of four young women who are never asked to dance and are getting desperate to find a husband, each for different reasons. Annabelle's need was financial, as her family was living in genteel poverty and was getting desperate. Simon was a butcher's son but was ruthless and had a gift for making money. In addition, they were like flint and steel with their prejudices coming to the fore! I loved this the first two times I read it and it does stand the test. Rosalyn Landor is exceptional as a narrator and never oversells!

This beautiful book shows up all the craziness of high class society in nineteenth century England, and just what it takes for a person to overcome the rules they've been brought up to believe in. The first book in a series, we meet four young women whose only job in life is to marry well - four women who have little hope of ever achieving that, for one reason or another. Secrets of a Summer Night tells us Annabelle Peyton's story. By the backwards attitudes of the time, she's almost without hope - almost twenty-five, no dowry, and from a family still clinging to upper class British snobbery while the world is changing and 'socially unacceptable' newcomers are finding fortune where the snobs are not. Annabelle's struggle to reconcile her love for a 'nobody' with the terrible expectations placed upon her makes for a wonderful book. Some readers have expressed their difficulty identifying with Annabelle, but the story is so appropriate for the time period and the society she was being to forced to fit herself into. I loved the relationship between Annabelle and Simon Hunt, and I thought it was wonderful how they found their way to each other. Annabelle has no money. She literally cannot afford new shoes, or decent food. Her mother is sleeping with a revolting man just to have some of their bills paid. The British aristocracy is basically crumbling, with debt and huge families meaning often the glamour of their lifestyles is just an illusion. Despite being beautiful and desired, the best offers Annabelle receives are to become a mistress; without a dowry there are no wedding proposals, not even after years of ‘working’ for them. Nobody wants her as a wife. Simon has been in love with her for years, but as a man who made his own money he’s never going to be truly accepted into society – though he’s far richer than just about anybody else. He’s spent the years waiting in the background, knowing Annabelle could be his soon. I loved the way Annabelle and Simon’s relationship developed. I loved the small things he did for her, and the way he allowed her to have a chance at marriage to another man, thinking of what was best for her. I loved the way she finally gave in – even though she was about to get everything she was told she wanted, she couldn’t go through with it because she wanted Simon more. I also appreciated the way Simon’s best friend - Marcus, Lord Westcliff – took his time coming around to see the situation from anybody’s point of view but his own. It was realistic. This titled snob can’t stand any of the unmarried young women he associates with, thinking they’re only out for money. It’s easy for him to be that way – he’s got money and power – and he’s a MAN – he was never going to be in such a terrible position as these women. I think Lisa Kleypas painted a realistic picture of the hypocrisy of British society at the time. I have read that some people had trouble with Annabelle's attitude, but for me the author got it right. So many historical romances just gloss over the class issues to make the 'marrying up or down' story seem like Cinderella or something. The thing is, that's not how it was then and, in certain British circles, that's not how it is now. Just look at how India's caste system still runs Indian society today. Living in a modern egalitarian society it may be hard to picture, but Annabelle was raised to be a self-important snob - as were all the other people she associated with - and the fact she learnt to change her attitudes was an incredible achievement for her character. I especially loved her honeymoon in Paris, where she realised for the first time London wasn't the centre of the universe. I loved how surprised she was to discover French food and arts and everything else, and to discover that the entire world didn't look up to the English aristocracy as the only thing that mattered. Annabelle's learning curve and character transformation was enormous for someone in her position. Lisa Kleypas does an excellent job with intimate relationships between her characters. Annabelle and Simon's wedding night was so good because it was realistic. The experiences aren't idealised - you believe they really could have happened. These scenes should teach you something about the characters, and you should see the way they are changing. I think we definitely saw the story progress through those scenes in this book – each one of them meant something for the story; they weren’t just there for the sake of it. The naughty, naughty author used 'gotten' again. Why does she insist on doing that when she's so careful about accuracy the rest of the time?! The ending took me by surprise, but I liked it. It was a good way for the conflicts between Annabelle and Simon and Marcus and the families to be resolved. I also loved that the story was concluded in a satisfactory way, while also leaving you wanting more for the other ‘Wallflowers’. The antics between Annabelle and her wallflower friends, and between Annabelle and Simon had me smiling and laughing, just as the moments where it seemed like there was no hope made me want to cry. This book was wonderful, and kept me up very late at night!