Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas Series: Wallflowers #1
Published by Avon on October 26, 2004
Genres: Historical Romance
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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.
I read the third book in the series before reading this first book. Oh well. I enjoyed Secrets of a Summer Night immensely anyway and read it in one sitting.
Four rejected and desperate “wallflowers” make a pact to assist each other in finding husbands before their courting season ends. I liked the fact that each woman is unique and has a different approach to solving their mutual problem. Their burgeoning friendship is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the story.
24-year-old Annabelle Peyton has no dowry, and in order to lift her family from poverty, she must find an aristocrat to marry before the fast-approaching end of the season. Although she is beautiful and has no shortage of offers to be a kept woman, no nobleman has proposed due to her lack of a dowry. I admired Annabelle’s spine of steel and her spunk. She manages to avoid a woe is me attitude, always holding her head high, using ingenuity, and maintaining a sense of humor despite her desperate circumstances.
Simon Hunt is an arrogant commoner who has made a fortune for himself in industry and, therefore, has been accepted into aristocratic circles. He has no desire to marry, but he has held a torch for Annabelle and wants to make her his mistress. Unfortunately for him, Annabelle has scruples—and she hates his guts. Their bickering is highly entertaining and their enemies-to-lovers chemistry is sublime. I found their romance to be well-paced, with Annabelle slowly softening her heart towards Simon as he reveals his tender side to her. I understood Annabelle’s reluctance to consider Simon. The missing link for me was understanding why marriage was off the table for him in general. Nonetheless, this delightful story charmed and amused me.
Recommended for fans of:
Historical romance
Enemies to lovers stories
Rogues
Fashion
About Lisa Kleypas
After graduating from Wellesley College with a political science degree, Lisa Kleypas published her first novel at age twenty-one. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She is a RITA award-winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.
I need to pick up her historical romances. I’ve only ever read (and loved) her contemporaries. This one sounds especially good!
This is one of my favorite series and I’m so happy you enjoyed it too, Angela! Annabelle and Simon are so good together!!