Reading on the Dark Side: Wallflowers

 

Wallflowers

by Lisa Kleypas

This series has a special place in the hearts of all of us at UTC and we want to share that love with you all by dedicating our special feature this Historical Romance month to the one and only Lisa Kleypas!  If you haven't read this series, you must!! 

Name: Simon Hunt
Book: Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers #1)
Appearance: Tall and powerful body, with black slightly wavy hair and dark eyes.
Breeding: Simon Hunt is extremely rich, but he is a self-made man, he spent his early years working in his fathers butcher shop
Favourite Quote:
“Where are we going?” Annabelle asked, resisting his hold on her wrist.
“To the house. If they’re not willing to be witnesses, then it seems I’ll have to debauch you in front of someone else.”
Fantasy Cast: Hugh Jackman

Name: Annabelle Peyton
Book: Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers #1)
Appearance: Very beautiful with fine brown/gold hair, blue eyes
Breeding: Annabelle is living in genteel poverty with her mother and her younger brother.
Favourite Quote:
“How sweet," Annabelle mumbled sickly her eyes closed. "Every woman dreams of being told that she's preferable to a dead cow.”
Fantasy Cast: Claire Folani

OUR REVIEW 

Name: Marcus, Lord Westcliff
Book: It Happened One Autumn (Wallflowers #2)
Breeding: Marcus is he ninth Earl of Westcliff, a very old and respected name.
Appearance: Not overly tall, but fit with a lean muscled body, dark brown eyes and hair.
Favourite Quote:
“There is nothing on earth more beautiful to me than your smile...no sound sweeter than your laughter...no pleasure greater than holding you in my arms. I realized today that I could never live without you, stubborn little hellion that you are. In this life and the next, you’re my only hope of happiness. Tell me, Lillian, dearest love...how can you have reached so far inside my heart?”
Fantasy Cast: Colin Firth

Name: Lillian Bowman
Book: It Happened One Autumn (Wallflowers #2)
Breeding: Lilian is an American heiress, her father has made a lot of money in the soap business and he now wants his daughters to marry a titled aristocrat.
Appearance: Long, thick chocolate coloured hair, pale creamy skin, with a tall and lithe figure
Favourite Quote:
“There is something about you that makes me feel terribly wicked. You make me want to do shocking things.
Maybe it’s because you’re so proper. Your necktie is never crooked, and your shoes are always shiny. And your shirts are so starchy. Sometimes when I look at you, I want to tear off all your buttons. Or set your trousers on fire.”
Fantasy Cast: Kristin Kreuk

OUR REVIEW

Name: Sebastian, Lord St.Vincent
Book: Devil in Winter (Wallflowers #3)
Breeding: St. Vincent is the son an impoverished Duke.
Appearance: Extremely handsome, he is tall and lean with amber and gold hair and icy blue eyes.
Favourite Quote:
“It's a mistake, you know. You have no idea what you'll be exposed to...the obscenities and lewd comments, the lecherous gazes, the groping and pinching...and that's just my house. Imagine what it would be like here.”
Fantasy Cast: Gabriel Aubry

Name: Evangeline Jenner, Evie to her friends.
Book: Devil in Winter (Wallflowers #3)
Breeding: Her mother was from a good family, but her father is Ivo Jenner the notorious owner of a gambling club.
Appearance: Fiery red hair, pale slightly freckled skin and blue eyes.
Favourite Quote:
"I won't apologize for my past. A man is supposed to have experience."
"From all indications, you've acquired enough for ten men."
Fantasy Cast: Rachel Hurwood

OUR REVIEW
 

Name: Matthew Swift
Book: Scandal in Spring (Wallflowers #4)
Breeding: Matthew works for, and is second in command to Daisy's father. Supposedly from an old Boston family, but who knows...
Appearance: Tall and brawny, very attractive with rich sky blue eyes and dark brown hair.
Favourite Quote:
She let a teasing tone enter her voice. "Is there any emergency for which you are not prepared, Mr Swift?"
"Miss Bowman, if I had enough pockets I could save the world.”
Fantasy Cast: Tom Welling

Name: Daisy Bowman
Book: Scandal in Spring (Wallflowers #4)
Breeding: Daisy is the daughter of a very rich American businessman, and like Lillian, has been brought to England to marry a titled gentleman.
Appearance: Petite, with thick dark hair and dark brown eyes and pale creamy skin.
Favourite Quote:
"Father, wouldn't it be wonderful if hummingbirds had tea parties and we were small enough to be invited?"
Fantasy Cast: Gillian Goodwin

OUR REVIEW

Review: Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas

Scandal in Spring

by Lisa Kleypas

Wallflowers #4

Miss Annabelle Payton, Miss Lillian Bowman, Miss Evangeline Jenner and Miss Daisy Bowman used to be regular sights at the peripheral of a ballroom. This was before they formed an unlikely friendship each vowing to help the others out to find a husband by means fair and foul. Daisy Bowman is the last of the wallflowers to be wed and now her father has issued her with the ultimatum of finding a husband in the next few months...or he will pick someone for her.

This is the last full length book in the Wallflowers quartet and I can’t give it anything but 5 feathers, although maybe not my favourite in the series I still think it was brilliant, fantastic, amazing and any other synonyms you can think of. After having gotton to know Daisy over the previous three books I am delighted that she has finally gotten her HEA, although I don’t think this book has the passionate and turbulent emotions that the other books seem to possess, this seemed to be more of a sweet love story. Not that they weren’t passionate and this book does have its steamy moments, but I don’t believe Matthew Swift is quite as memorable as Simon Hunt’s ruthless and piratical edge, Westcliffe’s arrogance and unexpected passion and St. Vincent’s cold sensuality. He is however perfect for Daisy and one thing I will remember from this book is the button.

Like the others in this series it also has its funny moments, in particular a vicious game of bowls and of course ever present wit, humour and banter that permeates the whole series. This book also gives you the opportunity to see the other wallflowers and peeks into how their HEAs are working out, and also further demonstrates the friendship between the four women and the sisterly affection between Lillian and Daisy.

So I am sad to ending such a brilliant series and a cast of characters that are warm, funny and showcase some of the best that historical romance and indeed romance has to offer. Luckily for us Lisa Kleypas has written a load more books all of which are of a very high standard, but the Wallflower Quartet holds a special place for me and I already look forward to a reread.

My favourite Daisy Quote:

”Father, wouldn’t it be wonderful if hummingbirds had tea parties and we were small enough to be invited?”

My favourite Matthew Quote:

"Is there any emergency for which you are not prepared, Mr Swift?"
"Miss Bowman, if I had enough pockets I could save the world.”

Review: The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

The Devil in Winter

by Lisa Kleypas

Wallflowers #3

Devil in Winter is easily my favourite Wallflowers book!

Under desperate circumstances, Evie appears at St. Vincent’s home to offer him a proposal that solves both their problems. With marriage, St. Vincent can have access to Evie’s accounts and Evie can gain protection and freedom from her cruel and crazy family.

In the first two books, I never really thought much about Evie. She was just always present among the group, but until now I didn’t realize how much she endured at the hands of her wicked family. No wonder she has a stutter and is afraid to stand up for herself! She is constantly put down and abused by her family. I adored her quiet strength and came to love Evie so much so that she’s become my favourite Wallflower!

Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent captured my heart in It Happened One Autumn. Even after his attempt at kidnapping Lillian, I found myself captivated by the notorious rake! Sebastian makes himself look like a villain, when in fact he’s not. He makes mistakes, but he realizes his faults and after his transformation, he isn’t afraid to apologize for his rash decisions.

Several instances in this book showcase his ability to love and his potential to be a man of intelligence, talent and wit. I loved the moment where he shows respect and kindness to Evie’s ill father, Ivo as he shaved him. Also, when he brought that heated brick to warm Evie’s feet for the long journey to Scotland. Little things like that showcase his growth as a character and I can’t help but love him more!

I think this quote really sums it up well:

“The situation was extraordinary. How someone like Evangeline Jenner could have wrought such a change in St. Vincent, the most worldly of men, was difficult to understand. However, Westcliff had learned that the mysteries of attraction could not always be explained through logic. Sometimes the fractures in two separate souls became the very hinges that held them together.”

The love between St. Vincent and Evie is transformative. There’s no doubt about it! The notorious rake becomes monogamous and in love while the stuttering wallflower becomes an elegant strong woman. I loved every moment of it!

I have to mention that scene between Cam and Daisy, I’m so envious of her! This was one of my favourite scenes. The Cam in this book is very serious and dependable, but in this particular scene we get a glimpse of Cam’s dark seduction that is very much evident in his own book (in a separate series) Mine Till Midnight. Loved it!

Favourite Quote:

In their shared excitement, the three young women continued to exclaim and scream, until someone burst into the room.
It was Cam, his eyes wide, his breathing fast, as if he had come at a dead run. His alert gaze flashed across the room, taking in the situation. Slowly his lean frame relaxed.
“Damn,” he muttered. “I thought something was wrong.”
“Everything in fine, Cam,” Evie said with a smile, while Annabelle kept an arm around her shoulders. “My friends are here, that’s all.”
Glancing at Sebastian, Cam remarked sourly, “I’ve heard less noise from the hogs at slaughter time.”
There was a sudden suspicious tension around Sebastian’s jaw, as if he were fighting to suppress a grin.

Review: It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

It Happened One Autumn

by Lisa Kleypas

Wallflowers #2

Another amazing story by Lisa Kleypas! I cannot express enough how much I L.O.V.E. her writing. I felt like I was there!

Lillian Bowman is a strong heroine. She has come to London from America with her parents and been instructed to marry a peer to give some respectability to her families fortune. At times she can come across as a bit of a bitch, but I loved her! I especially enjoyed perfume and scents storyline. I don't know why but I love to read about old times when there were actually people dedicated to making fragrances instead of the big corporate businesses.

It starts with Lillian walking into a perfume shop and is offered a special Love Spell perfume. Meant to make a man be completely bespelled by her and her charms. Of course it is just her luck that the one man who seems to show interest in her when wearing the perfume is one she can't tolerate. Marcus, Lord Westcliff.

Lord Westcliff is the most eligible bachelor! He is a business man, he is rich, he IS high society, and for all intents and purposes he should be everything Lillian Bowman would want. But his continuous disdain for her "American ways" and his apparent arrogance makes him the last person she would want to tangle with.

Is it just the perfume that is now making him come to her when he wouldn't bother to be around her before? But the more he seeks her out, the more she realizes that maybe she has judged him harshly and finds his company...agreeable, very agreeable.

Their romance was a lot more explosive than the previous book, mainly I think because they are both very strong, and stubborn, characters! They both fight their attraction as they think they could never be happy with each other. But they will soon realize that nobody else would measure!

This book has so many very memorable humorous scenes, I absolutely loved the part where Lillian gets drunk in Westcliff's library, the whole thing was hysterical and where that leads was even better! Westcliff rescuing the Bowman sisters from a disgusting English dinner by making up a strange new butterfly, so cute. And LK isn't afraid it add in a bit of a twist with Westcliff's best friend, Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, courting Ms. Bowman as well. This book has a great mixture of lighthearted moments, romantic tension and family drama, together it makes the perfect chemistry for a great book!

Review: Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

Secrets of a Summer Night

by Lisa Kleypas

Wallflowers #1

Miss Annabelle Payton, Miss Lillian Bowman, Miss Evangeline Jenner and Miss Daisy Bowman are regular sights at the peripheral of a ballroom. With each young lady having oddities and foibles that make them untenable to the bachelors of the ton. However, they strike up an unlikely friendship each vowing to help the others out to find a husband by means fair and foul. With the beautiful and spirited Annabelle being the first...

Miss Annabelle Payton’s family are on the knife edge of poverty, to stop these dire straits Annabelle must marry and marry well. However, with no dowry to speak and it approaching her fourth season it is becoming nigh on impossible to catch a husband, let alone a peer of the realm. Instead she is starting to receive more dishonourable offers of becoming a mistress, offers that it seems she may have to consider if things don't change soon. One of these men is a Mr Simon Hunt, who has been longing for Annabelle for two long years, despite her repeated rebuffs, but he soon sees his opportunity when they are both invited to the country for a house party. However the Wallflowers also see the same opportunity for Annabelle to find a suitable husband. Let the games begin...

This is one of my favourite series, and Mr Simon Hunt is one of my favourite heroes. He is a self made man, a son of a butcher who has made his fortune in financial speculation and then on the blossoming trade of the railway. However, no matter how rich he is, he still will never fit in with the upper echelons of society, something that bothers him not at all. He is blunt, honest and very sure of himself (aka arrogant), how could you not love him? He also has some very dishonourable intentions toward Annabelle...to begin with, I love that as the book goes on his feelings towards Annabelle deepen; in this book it is more a case of lust at first sight rather than love. That is why I loved that Annabelle was such a strong heroine, I think if she was a weaker person and gave in to Simon at the beginning then this story would have been vastly different, and not so happily resolved. The love story between these two was very passionate and there were some hot sex scenes in the book (one in a linen closet, which is most definately my favourite!) which added nicely to the couples growing affection for each other.

I also liked the introduction to the other Wallflowers, each having their own very distinct personalities and I look forward to reading Lillian’s book next. One of my favourite parts of the book was when the girls were playing rounders-in-knickers, it was a very funny scene that never fails to have me in fits of giggles.

This book is very polished and well written, especially the dialogue, the interactions between the characters are really good, sometimes funny, sometimes intense and other times romantic. The conversations and banter between the wallflowers especially Lillian and Daisy Bowman shows their relationship of teasing and close sisters perfectly, and the conversations between Annabelle and Simon are equally sharp and witty. As well as this the language is elegant and seems very much in keeping with the language of the day, this isn’t a contemporary book dressed in a historical setting. LK gets her setting very well with enough detail to keep it interesting but not bogging you down in details about that historical period.

I have read this book many times and it is one of my favourite series a must read for those who love romance, especially Historical Romance. 

Review: Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas

Again the Magic

by Lisa Kleypas

Wallfowers #0.5

Lady Aline Marsden, sister of Marcus, Lord Westcliff, has been friends withe John McKenna since they were children and as they have gotten older the friendship has grown in to love and pasion. However, it is not to be, McKenna is just a stable boy, a servant where as Aline is a Lady. When her father finds out Aline is forced to make him hate her and send him away. Twelve years later McKenna comes back to Stony Cross much changed with revenge on his mind, unaware of the secrets that Aline holds.

This is definitely one of my favourite LK books, Aline and McKenna are just a fabulous couple, you could feel the pull they have for each other right through the pages of the book. The passion and love that they have, first of all when they are younger and then the helpless, reckless love that still remains 12 years later, is almost tangible. The only thing that niggled me with this book was Aline's stubborn refusal to tell McKenna the truth, of course that would have made this a very short book and I understand her reluctance initially but after a while I think it was just silly. But that was the only thing that irritated me. I must also mention the part at the end at he lake when McKenna is exposing his feelings, that scene was so wonderfully heartbreaking and it is my favourite part of the book, and one of the most heart wrenching scenes, here's a taster:

He came to her, dropped to his haunches, and took one of her cold, pespiring hands in his own. The heat of his flesh was startling. "Aline" he said with difficulty. "I love you enough for the bother of us. And there must be something about me worth loving. If you would just try...

Anyone who has already read LK's Wallflower series is bound to recognize a couple of characters, like Westcliff, we get to see him here as the caring, if a little overbearing elder brother, and well it just made me love him even more! We also get a secondary romance through Livia, Aline and Westcliff's sister and Gideon Shaw, a friend of McKenna's. Although these two don't receive lots of page time, there love story is just as powerful and interesting as Aline and McKenna, and is another reason why I rate this book so highly.

Although this is a prequel to the Wallflowes quartet it can be read anytime before or after and as a standalone. I highly recommend this book, it is a great complement to the Wallflowers but also a touching, poignant and fantastic book in its own right.

Here some of the quotes that made me love this book:

She was not the girl he had once loved, he reminded himself grimly. That girl had neer really existed. And yet it didn't seem to matter. Aline was his curse, his fate, his consuming desire. He would never stop wanting her, no matter what she did, no matter how many oceans and continents he managed to put between them.

~

"Then what are you thinking?"
"That everything I learn about you makes me love you more."
Livia stopped breathing for a second, stunned by the admission. It took her long time for her to speak. "Gideon..."
"You don't have to say it back," he murmured "For once I want to have the pleasure of loving someone withot asking anything in return."