Review: Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas.

Rowena’s review of Scandal in Spring (The Wallflowers, Book 4) by Lisa Kleypas.

Hero: Matthew Swift
Heroine: Daisy Bowman

After spending three London seasons searching for a husband, Daisy Bowman’s father has told her in no uncertain terms that she must find a husband. Now. And if Daisy can’t snare an appropriate suitor, she will marry the man he chooses—the ruthless and aloof Matthew Swift.

Daisy is horrified. A Bowman never admits defeat, and she decides to do whatever it takes to marry someone . . . anyone . . . other than Matthew. But she doesn’t count on Matthew’s unexpected charm . . . or the blazing sensuality that soon flares beyond both their control. And Daisy discovers that the man she has always hated just might turn out to be the man of her dreams.

But right at the moment of sweet surrender, a scandalous secret is uncovered . . . one that could destroy both Matthew and a love more passionate and irresistible than Daisy’s wildest fantasies.

Here’s a review that I wrote for my personal blog that I wanted to bring over here, just because I absolutely adore this series and realized I hadn’t reviewed it for this blog. I couldn’t rewrite it any better so I’m just going to re-post this here.

Check it out:

This is my favorite Wallflower book.

Which if you think about it, makes sense since Daisy is my favorite Wallflower. I connected with Daisy because there’s so much about Daisy that I see in myself. The feelings she has, the bookwormishness about her, the way she sees the good in most everything around her, her personality is one that I’m most familiar with. While reading this book, I felt as if I was reading my story, so engrossed in this story was I.

It was a perfect ending to an almost perfect series, IMO. I know this wasn’t the best series in the whole universe, but I think Lisa Kleypas did an extraordinary job with this series. She wrote each book, reflecting on the personality of the heroine and I haven’t been touched by a series in quite a long time, the same way I was touched when reading this series. I fully escaped into Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflower world and I’m so bummed that my journey through her books is over. I honestly felt a part of their world, I felt apart of the “in crowd” while reading this series. I connected with each Wallflower and saw a bit of myself in them, the characters were so warm and rich and so like people that I would surround myself in real life which is one of the big reasons I love this series so much. Great characters! I love really great characters! This series really rocks!

Every once in a while, a writer will write a book that captures every feeling that I’ve ever felt, every insecurity I’ve ever had and bring those feelings to life for me through stories. Daisy Bowman could have been ME, call me silly or whatever, but this book spoke to me on so many different levels. It was strange to see a lot of the things that I struggle with (privately, of course) in one character. Now, it’s easy to see a lot of yourself in MANY different characters, but to see so much of yourself and your feelings in one character makes their book all the more special to you.

And that’s how I felt with this book.

I was so in tune with this book and with Daisy, and even with Matthew that I know this will be one of my most favorite books of all time. Now, it’s not often that I’m so wrapped up in a book that I feel like this could very well be my story.

For me, there were so many things I loved about this book, the main thing, being the hero, Matthew Swift. He has taken Simon Hunt’s top spot as my favorite Wallflower Hero. The power behind his feelings for Daisy was just too sweet and unbearably poignant that I misted over quite a few times.

Here are some of them:

When Daisy locked him in the room with her and she’s telling him how she was flirting with Lord Llandrindon. His response:

“Daisy, you’re too damned innocent to understand the danger you’re in. It’s taking all the self-control I ‘ve got to keep my hands off you. Don’t play games with me, sweetheart. It’s too easy for you to torture me, and I’m at my limit. To put to rest any doubts you might have…I’m jealous of every man who comes within ten feet of you. I’m jealous of the clothes on your skin and the air you breathe. I’m jealous of every moment you spend out of my sight.”

Stunned, Daisy whispered, “You…you certainly haven’t shown any sign of it.”

“Over the years I’ve collected a thousand memories of you, every glimpse, every word you’ve ever said to me. Al those visits to your family’s home, those dinners and holidays-I could hardly wait to walk through the front doors and see you.” The corners of his mouth quirked with reminiscent amusement. “You, in the middle of that brash, bull-headed lot. I love watching you deal with your family. Yo’ve always been everything I thought a woman should be. And I have wanted you every second of my life since we met.”

This is one of those, I’ve loved you from afar storylines that I absolutely adore, and I’m so glad that Daisy got this kind of storyline because it’s my favorite and it suited the kind of story I wanted for my favorite wallflower.

But more then that sweet scene, there was another quote in which Matt tells Daisy about her Father. The Father that called her a parasite, he knew how hurt she was by her Father’s remarks and the way he set about trying to ease her mind on that, stole my breath and made my insides all gooey with joy.

…”Ironically,” she commented, “this will be the first time I’ve ever done anything to please my father.”

His reply:

“You,” he whispered in Daisy’s hair, “are the best thing he’s ever done. Someday he’ll realize that.”

Awwwww…I love how sure of her and his love for her that he was. I loved how he tried to do right by her, I loved how fiercely protective he was of her and I just hella loved him dammit. This book was just off the chains good for me, I loved it that much.

Grade: 5 out of 5

Reading Order:

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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