Name: Secrets of a Summer Night
Rating: 3.736842105263158 (114 reviews)
ISBN: 9780061259340

Lisa Kleypas

Secrets of a Summer Night

From the New York Times bestselling author of Devil in Disguise, the first book in her beloved Wallflowers series. The Wallflowers: 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.

Seo L

London, 1843. Dual POV (mainly FMC). Slow burn. Good chemistry between MCs. [+⭐️⭐️] Good side characters (MCs in other books within the series). [+⭐️⭐️] Four Wallflowers, deemed unmarriageable and bound by shared circumstances, forge an unlikely friendship. Lillian proposes a plan to help each woman find a husband, beginning with the eldest, Annabelle. First kiss at 64%. Married at 75%. ∞ Annabelle Peyton, 25 ∞ Six years ago, her dad's death plunged the family into financial ruin, leading to three failed seasons of marriage prospects due to their lack of a dowry. Desperate for money, she received three proposals from married men seeking mistresses, yet she maintained just enough pride to deny Simon a dance when he displayed poor manners. Though her standards for a husband have lowered, she remains proud, quick-witted, strong-willed and mischievous. [+⭐️] The situation grew dire when her mother secretly slept with a repulsive Lord to alleviate their debts, an arrangement Annabelle deeply disapproved of. This same Lord has now attempted to coerce Annabelle into selling her own body. ∞ Simon "Hunt" Hunt, 33 ∞ He embodies a rugged, unrefined masculinity—domineering and ruthless. The son of a butcher and one of six siblings, he left home at 21 to seek his fortune. Though society deems him an unfavorable match, his recent entrepreneurial success has amassed him undeniable wealth, even if high society remains indifferent. He fell in love at first sight with Annabelle two years ago, captivated by her charm and striking beauty. He views her current desperation not with pity, but as a fortunate opportunity to make her his wife. ∞ Lillian Bowman ∞ A New York brunette socialite and heiress who struggles to fit in. Outgoing and mischievous, she shows generosity toward Annabelle by gifting her luxurious gowns. ∞ Daisy Bowman ∞ A petite, younger version of Lillian. ∞ Evangeline “Evie” Jenner, 23 ∞ Born into a family with a common background, her family amassed extraordinary wealth through gambling. Extremely shy and prone to stuttering, she remains unconcerned by the prospect of remaining unmarried and considers Annabelle the most beautiful woman in society.

I regret nothing. And also everything. I asked for fluff, I got fluff. All is good.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Devil in Disguise, the first book in her beloved Wallflowers series. The Wallflowers: 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.

Not my favourite. I read it bc the main character shares my name

Annabella

Kathy Jedrzejczyk

This was a fun book to read. It was my first romance novel. I love historical fiction, so that definitely added to my liking of this book. However, since it was written by a contemporary author sometimes I wondered at the authenticity of the situations. I mean, I wasn't sure if the characters would really have acted the way they did. It was a fun read and I expect I will read more similar books.

Like every good regency romance should, it makes we wish for the power of wit and eloquent dialogue. It was an enjoyable read and definitely the page-turner. The characters, especially the wallflowers, were fun to read about and get to know. Their shenanigans made me laugh more than once. I almost wish there had been more scheming, but then it would’ve taken away from the main plot. There are a few points this modern reader takes issue with, specifically when the MC is berated for refusing to obey her husband when he was in danger, but luckily that doesn’t seem to stop her from ignoring his wishes. The romance itself, I think, was perfectly balanced. Tantalizing and sensual without being overwhelming. I’m looking forward to reading more books from this series. 

Adelia French

Arianna M

My favourite Wallflowers novel I've read so far!

Connor 

Kelly Casey

Well I read this series out of order. I had already read books 2 through 4 before finally reading the first book, and therefore I had a general idea of what would take place in this book. However, I was still quite surprised. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but I honestly just fell for the way Simon would do anything for Annabelle from the moment she fell ill. Up till that point he was very unlikable. I kept expecting the story to go in directions I dislike, and was pleasantly surprised when they didn't. It was quite an interesting story and romance, and I absolutely loved the ending.

"I love you, dammit." "How much?" "Without limit. Beyond forever".

I would 100% recommend this series because Devil in Winter is my favorite historical romance, and this book was quite good as well. The reason this didn't get a five star was just a general feeling of something unnameable being off, as well as some slightly off-putting statements and contexts within the book.

Content Warning: Mild sexual assault (not perpetuated by the hero)

From the New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas comes Secrets of a Summer Night, the first title in the beloved romance series The Wallflowers - perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. 'Lisa Kleypas is the best' Sarah MacLean The Wallflowers: 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 very 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 outmanoeuvre 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. 'Kleypas can make you laugh and cry - on the same page' Julia Quinn The Wallflowers: Secrets of a Summer Night It Happened One Autumn The Devil in Winter Scandal in Spring A Wallflower Christmas Praise for Lisa Kleypas: 'Lushly sexy and thoroughly romantic . . . superbly crafted characters and an intriguing plot blend together brilliantly in this splendid romance' Booklist 'Intricately and elegantly crafted, intensely romantic . . . from a not-to-be-missed romance author' Kirkus Reviews 'Witty, often hilarious, and delightfully passionate' Library Journal, starred review 'An unforgettable story peopled with remarkable characters and a depth of emotion that will leave you breathless' Romantic Times BOOKreviews 'Is it possible to give a book 6 stars? . . . [This] story has all of the forbidden romance, witty banter, and sigh-inducing declarations of love that you deserve' That's Normal

Becky

This book never gets old. It doesn’t matter how many times I read it, I’m still swooning at Simon and Annabelle’s romance and their slow realisation how deeply in love they are. I love this whole series so much and now I might be descending into a nice long Lisa Kleypas reread. 

I love seeing Annabelle going from vocal disdain for Simon to a reluctant attraction and tentative friendship and then she rushes headlong into being in love. All while Simon is in lust with her before realising he was actually deeply in love without even realising. 

It’s the perfect opening to the Wallflowers series. It perfectly captures what makes these women great. Although, it also shows that they might think they know what they want but they really really don’t when it comes to love. I can’t wait to start rereading the next book. Who needs to read new books when I can reread old ones?

Francesca G

3.5 stars

I don't usually like slowburn romances and this wasn't a particular exception, but I liked the book nonetheless

laura

Overall, I really enjoyed the wallflower concept of this read. But i really stuggled with the pacing and the length. The first half was super well done, but the second half dragged and was not that captivating. I really lost interest and found it it be a bit boring but I will prob check it out the others through audio in the future.

Amanda J 

It was excellent!

I've been putting this one off bc of the whole mistress thing, but I'm glad I've read it now! This is such a lush read. Not a surprise, it seems with the exceptions of the Hathaways (imo) that Kleypas writes lush worlds. The introduction of all the Wallflowers is well done!
I can't wait to read this one again to enjoy all the little details now that I know how the plot points play out. 
I like Annabel and Simon. They have a few conversations, outside of lust, where I could see a basis of friendship. I wish we could have had some snippets of their interactions over the past two years. (view spoiler)[ While it isn't a surprise that Simon offers marriage, it seemed like an about-face since all he offered previously was mistress. More pov from him might've helped. But still, swoon (hide spoiler)]

Re-read Yes!! Continue on? Oh for sure

Renee Delcourt

I think this is my least favorite Lisa Kleypas I've read as of yet. There were elements I still enjoyed like the fact that Kleypas is really good at adding in real life trou Les from the time and real life dangers that were prevalent for the working class. This one has a work place fire and feels so real and terrifying. 

However the way the love story builds and develops doesn't feel natural and then once they are together everything else feels so rushed through that it feels unnatural. Oh and the main issue of the story kind of feels anticlimactic... There was just a lot of telling not showing in the end and I didn't care for it.

I highly recommend avoiding the audiobook and physically reading it. There was a lot that didn't match up from the audiobook and the physical book which made it hard to go from one form to the other. I spent so much time attempting to find where I was in that it was insane.

Samantha Emery

Check out this and my other reviews at My Blog


★Book Basics★ 


  Genre
: - Historical Romance 

  Series
: - 1st in the series

  Love triangle?
 - (view spoiler)[No (hide spoiler)]

  Cheating?
 - (view spoiler)[No (hide spoiler)]

  HEA? -
 (view spoiler)[Yes (hide spoiler)]

  Would I read more by this author/or in this series? 
- Yes

  Rating 
- 4


★Review★

Another read from LK that is just a little bit different from the usual in the historical romance genre.

The heroine here is definitely different. At times I struggled to like her, she was quite mercenary and determined to "marry a peer" by any means possible. Yet, I also admired her for it. While it did not make her come across as a particularly sympathetic character, she was doing the only thing she COULD do, given her circumstances and the time she lived in, to try and secure not only her future, but the future of her mother and little Brother. What other choice did she have? other then some very unsavoury offers. She could not just sit and wait and hope, she had to be pro active and maybe be a bit underhanded as time was not on her side.

The hero, Simon was great, again a man who had gone a different path and forged his own way, making himself something more. 

If nothing else, it just worked to highlight the difference between men and women then - Simon a man born a commoner, decided his own future, forged his own path, made it to a position of power and privilege, yet Annabelle supposedly born into privilege, and being quite intelligent herself, had no option other than to be wife or mistress - who could blame her for being so mercenary and ambitious in trying to find a husband. 

And I loved loved loved it once they were married. Annabelle learned and grew, and saw outside her narrow world of the Ton, to what life was like for others not in the small narrow view. And she grew as a person due to it. 

Chock full or passion and romance, another excellent historical by LK.

Helena Cristina Nogueira Pereira

I loved Simon! He was absolutely amazing. Anabelle anoyed me a little bit, but i endend up warming up to her. Simon and Anabelle had an of the charts chemistry, that made me hot and bothered. It was interesting to get to know about their relationship after marriage.
I'm definitly curious to read about ther rest of the girls.

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads
.

As I mentioned in my review yesterday for Again the Magic, I have quickly become a historical romance AND Lisa Kleypas addict. I can't even tell you just how much I'm enjoying her Wallflowers series (which, just in case you're curious, I'm currently on the fourth book) but I'm going to try. 

While I loved the way Again the Magic kicked off, in a way, the Wallflowers series, the real magic was to be found in this second book, when these four ladies make each others acquaintance and form their plan. I love swooning over sexy men in books as much as the next reader, but I get just as much pleasure from strong female characters. Annabelle, Lillian, Evie and Daisy are all just that. I loved the friendship they forged when they could've easily been considered competition. Their banter was brilliant. Each of them had their quirks, but together they made a fantastic team. There was no "girlfriends behaving badly" here either. These ladies had a GREAT, strong friendship and I really enjoyed watching it happen. 

The romance, of course, was all kinds of swoony and fantastic because what else would you expect from Lisa's books? Annabelle, as the oldest, is the first to find her match. It was an unlikely one at that. Annabelle was looking for love with a peer but found it instead with the self-made butcher's son, Simon. Annabelle had the tendency to be (more than) a little snobby, but I didn't mind much because I understood where she was coming from. Simon was wonderful. I'm a big fan of when a man relentlessly (and in a non-creepy) way pursues a woman once he's interested. I was rooting for them so hard. 

This book, and the series so far, is just fantastic. I'm completely enthralled with the characters, romance and overall story. It's sexy, swoony and has its fair share of humor and feels. I can't ask for anything more. If you're new to historical romance like me, this series is a fantastic place to start. But, be warned, you will likely decide to chuck your entire reading list aside and binge on these. I am. :) #noregrets

Secrets of a Summer Night

Reviews

Highlights