Secrets of a Summer Night Summary: Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.
Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle's most intriguing--and persistent--admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition . . . but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.
Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon--and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon's passionate embrace and tempting kisses . . . and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.
Secrets of a Summer Night Review:
This is one of my all-time favourite books; I re-read this book almost once a month! The characters are witty and complex, the story is whimsical and the book just leaves you with a joyful feeling in the end. Secrets of a Summer Night is a typical historical romance, which means that all loose ends are tied and it leaves you eagerly awaiting the next book. However, its characters and story make it stand out amongst the cliches.
Secrets of a Summer Night starts off by showing the financial struggles and strong will of Annabeth. It also establishes the alluring and magnetic personality of Simon, when he comes to their aid to pay for the play tickets. The connection between the two is instantaneous after they share a smouldering moment (to borrow a phrase from Ms. Kleypas). From there the romance slowly transformed from lust into love in a spectacular way. And it mirrored the transformation of Annabeth from a toughened, prejudiced noblewomen into a softened, knowledgeable middle-class woman. On the brink of poverty, she is trying to marry a wealthy aristocrat. Having to deal with poverty and the societal implications, especially in a blue-blood family, would toughen anyone up. Annabeth was no exception. And her belief in high society meant that those of the lower classes were generally avoided. Her transformation was a prime example of how to represent growth in a character; it was incredible! I know that a few readers had problems understanding how she could be so ruthless in her pursuit of a husband, but her actions embody those in a similar situation. Annabeth desperately wants to save her family and retain some dignity during the process. While she may not be morally right at all times, her actions are understandable.
Simon's development throughout the story is a bit more subtle. Readers understand that he is very ambitious and is just searching for an unknown that would fill the emptiness in him. While this is an overused trope in Romance, it was well thought in Simon. He was not over-eager in his pursuit. Instead, he relied on honesty and sweetness to win her. He was incredibly self-aware; however, he could still make mistakes, which really opened up his character. And the fact that he would marry her even if she was not a virgin, stood out in this historical piece. Simon's drive made the pursuit of Annabeth so captivating. Instead of it being one-sided, both characters pushed, moved...aggravated each other, setting off fireworks whenever they were together. They broke down each other's walls and formed a genuine connection over time.
Historical romance novels usually stop developing love after marriage, but that doesn't happen here, which is fantastic! There were marital problems that took communication and compromises to change. Was it a bit dramatic? Of course, but there were so many parts of their relationships and marriage that were realistic. There was still growth that needed to happen after this book had ended, but the foundation was there. One thing that really stands out is their chess games. They were some of my favourite scenes; there was so much emotion in those scenes that didn't need to be spelled out for the reader.
Now the Wallflowers. They were a beautiful addition to this book. Each came with their own personality and added to the hilarity of Secrets of a Summer Night. Their rounders scene had me in stitches! And I can't wait for Lillian's and Marcus' book (which is next)!
Overall, a heart-warming, enticing read. A definite 5 star read and highly recommended read for new and old fans of Historical romances!
Secrets of a Summer Night starts off by showing the financial struggles and strong will of Annabeth. It also establishes the alluring and magnetic personality of Simon, when he comes to their aid to pay for the play tickets. The connection between the two is instantaneous after they share a smouldering moment (to borrow a phrase from Ms. Kleypas). From there the romance slowly transformed from lust into love in a spectacular way. And it mirrored the transformation of Annabeth from a toughened, prejudiced noblewomen into a softened, knowledgeable middle-class woman. On the brink of poverty, she is trying to marry a wealthy aristocrat. Having to deal with poverty and the societal implications, especially in a blue-blood family, would toughen anyone up. Annabeth was no exception. And her belief in high society meant that those of the lower classes were generally avoided. Her transformation was a prime example of how to represent growth in a character; it was incredible! I know that a few readers had problems understanding how she could be so ruthless in her pursuit of a husband, but her actions embody those in a similar situation. Annabeth desperately wants to save her family and retain some dignity during the process. While she may not be morally right at all times, her actions are understandable.
Simon's development throughout the story is a bit more subtle. Readers understand that he is very ambitious and is just searching for an unknown that would fill the emptiness in him. While this is an overused trope in Romance, it was well thought in Simon. He was not over-eager in his pursuit. Instead, he relied on honesty and sweetness to win her. He was incredibly self-aware; however, he could still make mistakes, which really opened up his character. And the fact that he would marry her even if she was not a virgin, stood out in this historical piece. Simon's drive made the pursuit of Annabeth so captivating. Instead of it being one-sided, both characters pushed, moved...aggravated each other, setting off fireworks whenever they were together. They broke down each other's walls and formed a genuine connection over time.
Historical romance novels usually stop developing love after marriage, but that doesn't happen here, which is fantastic! There were marital problems that took communication and compromises to change. Was it a bit dramatic? Of course, but there were so many parts of their relationships and marriage that were realistic. There was still growth that needed to happen after this book had ended, but the foundation was there. One thing that really stands out is their chess games. They were some of my favourite scenes; there was so much emotion in those scenes that didn't need to be spelled out for the reader.
Now the Wallflowers. They were a beautiful addition to this book. Each came with their own personality and added to the hilarity of Secrets of a Summer Night. Their rounders scene had me in stitches! And I can't wait for Lillian's and Marcus' book (which is next)!
Overall, a heart-warming, enticing read. A definite 5 star read and highly recommended read for new and old fans of Historical romances!
