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Secrets of a Summer Night

Book 1 in the series:Wallflowers

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In Lisa Kleypas' 'Secrets of a Summer Night', the story unfolds as Annabelle Peyton, a young woman in genteel poverty, seeks a wealthy husband to secure her family's financial future. Through a pact with other unmarryable young women, they navigate the challenges of societal expectations and class distinctions in their pursuit of love and security. The book delves into themes of old money versus new money, the impact of the industrial revolution in 1840s England, and the complexities of relationships amidst societal changes.

Characters:

The characters are complex and undergo significant development, particularly Annabelle, who evolves from a snobbish debutante to a more accepting individual.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging, blending rich historical detail with relatable humor and character development.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on Annabelle's desperate pursuit of marriage to escape financial hardship, intertwined with the dynamics among the four Wallflower friends as they support one another.

Setting:

The story unfolds in Victorian England, reflecting the societal struggles and complexities of the time.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, starting slow to establish the plot and character relationships but accelerating as the romance intensifies.
Annabelle swung her foot impatiently beneath the frothy white mass of her skirts while she kept her expression composed. During her past three failed seasons, she had become accustomed to being a wall...

Notes:

The book is the first in the Wallflowers series by Lisa Kleypas.
It introduces four young women who are overlooked by suitors.
The main character, Annabelle Peyton, is 25 and without a dowry.
Simon Hunt, a wealthy commoner, is interested in Annabelle but she initially rejects him.
The story explores themes of class and societal expectations in Victorian England.
The relationship between Annabelle and Simon develops slowly throughout the book.
Annabelle's character has a journey of self-discovery and increased compassion.
Secondary characters include Lillian, Evie, and Daisy, each with their own distinct personalities.
The book combines humor and poignant moments, particularly in the interactions of the Wallflowers.
Kleypas's writing blends historical accuracy with modern sensibilities, making her characters relatable.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of social class struggle, desperation for marriage, and references to familial poverty.

Has Romance?

The novel contains a significant romance plot, focusing on the evolving relationship between Annabelle and Simon.

From The Publisher:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Devil in Disguise, the first book in her beloved Wallflowers series.

The Wallflowers: four young ladies at the side of the ballroom make a pact to help each other find husbands . . . no matter what it takes.

Proud and beautiful Annabelle Peyton could have her pick of suitors-if only she had a dowry. Her family is on the brink of disaster, and the only way Annabelle can save them is to marry a wealthy man. Unfortunately her most persistent admirer is the brash Simon Hunt, a handsome and ambitious entrepreneur who wants her as his mistress.

Annabelle is determined to resist Simon's wicked propositions, but she can't deny her attraction to the boldly seductive rogue, any more than he can resist the challenge she presents. As they try to outmaneuver each other, they find themselves surrendering to a love more powerful than they could have ever imagined. But fate may have other plans-and it will take all of Annabelle's courage to face a peril that could destroy everything she holds dear.

Ratings (51)

Incredible (5)
Loved It (14)
Liked It (23)
It Was OK (9)

Reader Stats (90):

Read It (56)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (16)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (16)

3 comment(s)

It Was OK
4 weeks

Eh.

It wasn't that it was bad, but honestly, I liked the rest of the Wallflower gals a whole lot more than I liked Annabelle. She was... too obviously perfect, generally (and the cliche of herds of panting men waiting feverishly to make her a mistress as soon as she is on the shelf... *eyeroll*). She is perfectly beautiful, perfectly innocent, perfectly behaved, perfectly naive... and she would prattle on about shopping and money for pages. I ended up skimming whole swaths as she went on and on about having money, and shopping in London, and OMG we're honeymooning in Paris, and the shopping I can do THERE *gasp*! *eyeroll* And her obsession with the vapid upperclass was irritating at best, while at worst I was hoping poor Simon would just kick her to the curb.

I liked Simon Hunt, though I didn't understand his obsession with Annabelle. I can't comprehend how he found her worthwhile at all.

But I loved the wallflowers. Their chatter was hysterical, and all of the rest of the gals had real personalities that were fun to read about. I am looking forward to reading about Lillian and Westcliff. So onward I go!

Re-read May 2017

This re-read was interesting, because my opinion is totally different than my original review. Most importantly, I like Annabelle quite a bit.

Oh, she's still overly naive at times, but I can't fault her grit in doing what she needs to do to secure safety for her family. I felt a ... brittleness to her, as she strove to keep things perfect on the surface, that I didn't really feel in my first read. I'll admit to skimming some of the bits about shopping, but I had more sympathy for those now - this is a girl who had nothing... she's allowed to be excited and overwhelmed at now having wealth.

Mostly, this re-read made me sad. Because everyone judged Annabelle incredibly harshly. The entire peerage seemed to consider her either a whore already, or a soon-to-be whore. And there was no reason for it, from her behavior. It actually made me like Simon a good bit less - he viewed her the same: like a vapid bit of pretty that he just had to possess. I also greatly disliked Westcliff and his snobbery in this book, but I felt the same before, if I recall. He's on a classic Mr. Darcy arc, really - his horrible snobbery is his thing to overcome.

The book is overt with Simon's loneliness - he doesn't fit with the upper class, nor does he fit with the middle class he was born to anymore, and so he is an outsider everywhere. But it is more subtle with Annabelle's outsider status. She doesn't fit with the upper class - they scorn her for her lack of money, and for being overly beautiful. And then later they scorn her for marrying for money, so she never will fit in with them. Nor does she fit in with the middle class - she's either too finely mannered (her distress at the champagne shoe incident) or they also consider her a vapid, shallow bit of pretty (Simon's mother). Annabelle is honestly the ultimate outsider... Simon makes his way in the world, but as a woman, Annabelle isn't even given that. She's nothing, to everyone, and they treat her that way.

I was happy for Annabelle and Simon... but I was honestly left feeling sad overall.

 
It Was OK
4 weeks

I didn't remember where I left of reading, so I started anew on 3-7-2018; rating 3,5 stars

 
It Was OK
9 months

The lack of genuine chemistry between Simon and Annabelle made the romance feel superficial, and their mutual respect was lacking. The story lacked a compelling reason for them to connect beyond mere proximity. More depth in their interactions, such as collaborating on a plan or solving a mystery, could have improved their relationship. The sudden influx of sex scenes towards the end felt forced and didn't effectively convey a deep emotional connection. Overall, the book didn't live up to its potential, leaving me disappointed despite high expectations and previous enjoyment of the author's works.

 
 
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