Rowena’s review of Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas.
Hero: Mr. Simon Hunt
Heroine: Miss Annabelle Peyton
Grade: 4.5 out of 5
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.
The first time that I read this book, I remembered being annoyed with Annabelle because of her snobby behavior toward Simon. That was the same this time around and even though I understood why she was the one she was (her mother was Queen snob!), it still annoyed me some.
Even though Annabelle got on my nerves in this book, Simon and Annabelle together are one of my favorite couples in this series. I’m still pretty bummed that they don’t get mentioned all that much anymore. The other couples are well represented but not so much Simon and Annabelle. I’d really like to see more of those two. I liked how she learned the error of her ways and the way she stormed into the factory to save Simon….gosh, that was so cute. And then the scene where she finally sees Simon AFTER that incident and he’s with Marcus. And then how she asks him to look at her and he’s all bleeding pissed off at her? SO CUTE! That was my favorite scene in the whole book, the scene where they both finally acknowledge their feelings for each other. It was a long time coming and so worth it because I thought that scene was just perfect!
It was so much fun revisiting this book as part of the Author Spotlight. I zipped right through this book in my quest to remember everything that happened. I had forgotten so many things but my favorite thing still remains:
Simon Hunt.
Goodness, this man is delicious. He was so manly man and male. I loved it, he was the exact right amount of yummy. He had me drooling all over him for the second time around. He was a great hero, one that I respected, admired and just really loved.
All of Annabelle’s eavesdropping was just too funny to me, when she eavesdropped on Simon and his Mother, I was glad to see that Simon stuck up for her and didn’t just brush off his Mother’s words, because that was his wife…I really liked how he was waiting to make her his mistress and then ended up making her his wife. I thought that bit was cute.
The scene where Annabelle tells Simon where she belongs will always make me smile. It was such a cute scene.
Another thing I loved about this book was THE WALLFLOWERS! How cute were they? When they got caught by Lord Westcliff and Simon during their Rounders game had me laughing like a crazy person! I loved the easy way that they were with each other. That’s the way that it should be with friends and these girls were just a riot to read about.
Overall, this book was such a fun way to spend a couple of hours. Getting to know the Wallflowers, cheering Simon and Annabelle on was great fun for me. There were a few times that I wanted to skip over the descriptions of the different places in the book but aside from that, this book was a great deal of fun. I would definitely recommend this book (and series) for anyone looking for a treat of read. This certainly fits the bill.
This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
Yes, I read this! But for the life of me could hardly remember the middle part of the story because it was essential her slow reconciliation with her preconceptions? Love the beginning and end. Love Simon for not being who she thought a decent man should be. I actually search for this book based on their appearances in Seduce Me at Sunrise. Now waiting for Devil in Winters…
I also liked this one much more on rereading… which makes me wish I had time to reread more books. The second of the series is my fav (guess which hero I voted for? 😉 ) — willful
Putting this one on my TBR. Right!Now!
Sounds like one I might be interested in.
I really like Simon and i love his scene in Marcus’ book when Marcus scoffs at the way Simon is all hooked on Annabelle and wants to make love to her everday and Simon tell Marcus – it will be like that for you too. Then Simon barges in a room and finds Marcus on Lilian and instead of being contrite he tells Marcus: I told you so. Lol
i liked this book. simon hunt was a great hero but i don’t know about annabelle. she wasn’t that likeable to me for pretty much most of the book but i agree–she did redeem herself (slightly lol) in the end. all in all, it was an okay read 🙂
I had the same reaction to SOASN. Initial reading, I hated Annabelle, nearly flung the book across the room. Upon reread (several yrs later), taking closer note of all the interplay and nuances of Annabelle & Simon’s relationship I ended up loving it. It is now one of my favorite Kleypas historicals.
Story didn’t change, I guess I matured as a romance reader and really appreciated the honesty of Annabelle the second time around.
I’m just a sucker for the stuffy hero who gets unstuffed! And Marcus is so kind and forward-thinking. And I love the humor in It Happened One Autumn. Though honestly, if I could vote for Sebastian as he was in It Happened One Autumn instead of as he was in Devil in Winter I might! Because I loved him so much more as a villain. — willaful
mph,
I’m reading Seduce Me at Sunrise right now and now that I know these two are in there, I’m going to go home and happily read more! woot!
Willaful,
So you’re a Marcus girl eh? Out of these four heroes, Simon and Matthew are my favorites. Simon for his manly manness and Matthew for his sweetness. *sigh*
Patti and Linda Henderson,
You should definitely read this series. It’s great.
Luci,
I know exactly what scene you’re talking about and I loved it too! =)
Michelle and Jennifer M.,
Yep, I can understand why some wouldn’t like Annabelle because she got on my nerves too but I ended up liking her. Upon rereading the book, I thought I wouldn’t love the book as much as I did before but I think I loved it a little more. They were just too cute together.
This is one of my series favorites, It Happened One Autumn my very fave. I ended up liking Annabelle, and she and Simon as a couple. She was what she was and can you really blame her, what with things as they were in her time.