Secrets of a Summer Night
Title: Secrets of a Summer Night
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: The Wallflowers, Book 1 of 4
Publication Info: HarperCollins Publishers, October 2004
Genre: Victorian Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3
The Victorian Era is more fascinating than the Regency Era. Much more. I know, I know - it sounds blasphemous. But it’s true. The world was in upheaval during the Victorian Era: The Industrial Revolution barreled ahead at full steam, turning out technological innovations, upsetting commonly held beliefs, and overthrowing the traditional balance of power between social classes. Thank goodness. Our Regency Lords and Ladies, those pompous, arrogant asses who were responsible for subjugating half the world and its people (including starving my ancestors), who thought themselves morally and racially superior to the rest of us with the bad luck to be born to non-aristocratic parents, and who held a genuine contempt of work, really needed to be booted out on their silver-plated derrières. The Victorian Era saw the rise of a new entrepreneurial class, where intelligence, tenacity, and hard work replaced birth as the primary catalyst for wealth and power.
Lisa Kleypas captures this tumultuous time brilliantly, vibrantly illustrating the conflict between the old landed aristocracy and the rising new capitalists. This conflict is exposed in the tumultuous relationship between the hero and heroine. Our hero, Simon Hunt, is one of these new self-made men who rose from the lowly son of a butcher to be one of the richest men in England and best friend to one of the oldest and most powerful Earldoms in the country. His money buys him grudging entrance to the hallowed social halls of the aristocracy, but can’t overcome their deep seated contempt of his lowly birth. Our heroine, Annabelle Peyton, as a member of the lower aristocracy, shares their contempt, even though her family doesn’t have two cents to rub together. Annabelle has the unfortunate burden of trying to find a rich husband to support her and her impoverished family, but her pride prevents her from accepting the overtures of a member of the lower class. Her desperate state hinders her husband-hunting efforts, as the men wait for her to give up and become available as a mistress. Annabelle enlists the aid of three other awkward young women with whom she has shared the unenviable position of wallflower at balls and parties throughout the season, rich but low-born Evangeline Jenner and the American Soap Heiress’ Lillian and Daisy Bowman, each of whom has her own novel in the remaining three books of the Wallflowers Series. Lillian cracks me up. I love the scene where they play Rounders in their knickers.
In addition to the compelling class conflict, Kleypas imparts to us the awe inspired by the technological innovations of the time - truly a feat in this day and age when innovations are so commonplace as to be dully pedestrian (I can call, surf, photograph, and blog on my iPhone). I particularly enjoyed the prologue descriptions of the interactive theater show with volcanoes and a revolving audience.
Annabelle can’t deny the sparks between her and Simon, and eventually grows to understand and respect his work-ethic, even preferring it to the lazy ennui of men of her class. I can’t help but feel proud of the triumph of this decidedly American ideal - meritocracy over monarchy. The romance was sweet and sexy and completely yummy. I fell in love with Simon myself. I strongly recommend this novel to all romance readers!
Tags: "romance novels", book reviews, Lisa Kleypas, Victorian England, Victorian romance novels
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