I found Secrets of a Summer Night incredibly sweet! Although all the real romance is towards the end, once I got there I was like "Oh! God that's so sweet." The main characters have good chemistry and it shows in their dialogue and actions, especially when a certain kind of animal bite is involved. Yeah there were a few plot holes that I wished were filled, ex. Simon's decision to get married but overall I really liked this book. Oh, also the first love scene is again one of the sweetest things I've ever read.

I generally love Kleypas' books. I like her style of writing, I like the character-driven romances. But the hero and heroine in this book were a bit... flat, lacking a certain believable chemistry. I found Anabelle to be somewhat disagreeable, unlikable. A very shallow, snobby creature who seems somewhat insipid compared with Simon. His character had a depth that was lacking in Annabelle. I couldn't see why he was attracted to her in the first place, and maybe that's why I didn't like the book. The secondary characters--the other three Wallflowers and Simon's friends--were better written characters, infinitely more likeable. I'm assuming the next story will be about Lillian and Lord Westcliff, which I am looking forward to reading. But this book was somewhat unforgettable.

If I were a writer, this would have been a book I would have enjoyed writing. I suspect Ms. Kleypas smiled wholeheartedly after writing endearing scenes such as "rounders in knickers", "checkmate" or "champagne from slippers". And these are only three such scenes when there are so many I could mention. Overall the story was creative and novel in that it included funny, sad, tragic, loving and historically educational moments. If all's equal in writing style, these added themes have a far more likely chance of a successful book.

The growing interest and desire between Simon and Annabelle was enjoyable to track and watch unfold. I watched as our hero's grew in admiration and love for this young woman who surprised him in her frolicking playfulness, attempts to fit in where she felt unfamiliar and humbled by his notice. It's no wonder she fell in love with him as Ms. Kleypas drew out his many attractive qualities. He was romantic too. He murmured and whispered to Annabelle throughout the book; he invaded her personal space or locked eyes with hers far across the table. I literally watched Simon make Annabelle fall in love with him. It did help that Annabelle was a warm, empathetic, funny, straight forward, loyal, and an endearing young woman. A character like hers would not fail to realize his fortune was one of his least attributes (as she expressed later on in the story).

Some reviewers didn't like Annabelle's sole interest in marrying a "peer" and her thwarting Simon's ("in trade") attempts at appealing to her. They felt she was cold or spoiled. I didn't see it that way. Simon desired her as his mistress. Readers could have disliked this characterization but no mention was found in disguntled reader opinions. Baffling. Simon ignored and scoffed at most behaviors consistent with the gentry familiar to Annabelle which contributed to her reactions towards Simon, yet it was her character called into question by readers. In my opinion Annabelle's quick repartee with Simon was at times negative, daring definitely, darling certainly--blunt, for sure--but never cold, mean or hateful. I would have liked my daughter to be like her had I had one. If my boys turn out like Simon, oh would I be a happy mom watching the right woman fall in love with him!
On a side note, I completely related to Annabelle's reaction to her first kiss with Simon in the Panorama: I too ran away, as far away as I could--not in proximity but emotionally--from the boy who first kissed me. I was so shocked I couldn't think of him again. It makes sense then that Simon had to slowly maneuver Annabelle to consider outside her comfort zone.

Rent the four part adaption (movie) called, "North and South" by Elizabeth Gaskell. A brilliantly written love story depicting the same time period in history (Industrial Revolution in England) and the conflict between a middle class gentry woman and a misunderstood industrialist. 312 viewers give it a 5 star rating, it's that good! The book is better but see the movie first. I would normally never suggest seeing the movie first but in this instance my friends and I agree. The screenwriter made a couple of significant changes (why?!) that changed my opinion about the movie after I read the novel. Yet prior to reading the book I couldn't have enjoyed a movie more!

I really loved this book. The characters were all wonderful and I was hooked almost immediately. It was very refreshing to have a Hero fall first and boy was he determined. My only complaint was toward the ending. Sex, sex, sex! I'm not a prude but I do read these books for the romance and there was just page after page of sex in the last chapters. After the excessive fornication Lisa Kleypas gave a very solid ending. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Annabelle's family financial standing is in dire straits. As a result for the last couple seasons she has been relegated to wallflower status despite her obvious physical appeal and charm. She's 25 and the clock is ticking as this is the last season she will have to land herself a husband. She and three other wallflowers make a bargain and a plan to help each other find husbands, the oldest first. Not adverse to a little scheming and manipulating, the girls will do whatever it takes to find suitable husbands.

What Annabelle doesn't count on is the affluent Simon Hunt. Rich and successful but not a member of the peerage, Simon is always on the outside of the inner London ton circle. Annabelle has been refusing his attentions for years, but suddenly saying no is getting harder.

I really, really liked this story. The main characters and their chemistry sort of reminded me of Rhett and Scarlett. The banter between Simon and Annabelle is often humorous and I found myself laughing out loud several times while reading. Their passion is titillating and their love affair memorable.

The wallflowers are hilarious and the antics they engage in are outstanding. I look forward to seeing what the four of them come up with next in It Happened One Autumn (The Wallflowers, Book 2). This is a wonderful historical romance, very entertaining.

Cherise Everhard, August 2008