The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

By: Lauren Willig

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Nothing goes right for Eloise. The one day she wears her new suede boots, it rains cats and dogs. When the subway stops short, she’s always the one thrown into some stranger’s lap. Plus, she’s had more than her share of misfortune in the way of love. In fact, ever since she realized romantic heroes are a thing of the past, she’s decided it’s time for a fresh start.

Setting off for England, Eloise is determined to finish her dissertation on that dashing pair of spies, the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. But what she discovers is something the finest historians have missed: the secret history of the Pink Carnation—the most elusive spy of all time. As she works to unmask this obscure spy, Eloise stumbles across answers to all kinds of questions. Like how did the Pink Carnation save England from Napoleon? What became of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian? And will Eloise Kelly escape her bad luck and find a living, breathing hero all her own?

©2005 Lauren Willig; (P)2005 Penguin Audiobooks and Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Lauren Willig balances her knowledge of English history with a veritable passion for English spies, turning out a deftly hilarious, sexy novel." —Eloisa James, author of Kiss Me, Annabel

"In her swashbuckling debut...Willig reimagines France under Napoleon besieged by a whole bouquet of spying floral foes...Bad news for the Bonapartes but barrels of good-natured fun for the rest of us." —Library Journal

"A juicy mystery...Chick-lit never had it so good!" —Complete Woman

"[A] breezy historical romance... The sparks fly." —Publishers Weekly

"[A] playful romp…effervescent prose... A sexy [and] determined-to-charm historical-romance debut." —Kirkus Reviews

Thoroughly entertaining

I really enjoyed this book. I'm not specifically a history buff, so I didn't notice the liberties the author took with her details. I work the graveyard shift and rely on audiobooks to keep me awake when I'm lacking sleep. I had no problem staying awake while being entertained by this book. In fact, I skipped most of my breaks because I didn't want to stop listening. As soon as I got home I bought the second in the series. Kate Reading is one of the BEST narrators I've heard and in all honesty, I chose this book originally because she narrates it. I was not disappointed. If you don't mind a little 'fluff' and an engaging love story (sure, not realistic at times, but I already have a real life, I don't need to listen to it too) then this book is for you.

Entertaining Start to a Good Series

There is a great deal of wit and humor in the book and in the entire series, although like all series, it eventually gets stale. I enjoyed the historical perspective and the hook of using a fictional foundation as historical fact to build more fiction upon it. I thought the switch between current day and past was handled very well, and by avoiding time travel, which seems to be the current popular way to achieve this result, there was little confusion and limited explanation was necessary. The characters were well developed, sympathetic and likeable. My only complaint on this front was I liked the current day characters a great deal and wished more time was spent on them. That comes in later installments however.

I thought the narrator did a very good job voicing both current day and historical figures.

I heartily recommend this book.

Easy Entertainment

It's fun, silly, and entertaining. Perfect book for a long flight. I'm not after the specifics of an historical period, I want entertainment. Amy is not a mindless young woman trying to find a man, but rather a clever one, hoping to solve a mystery. I enjoyed it and will listen to the second in the series.

Extremely Diverting

I really enjoyed this story. It was very entertaining and the situations that the main characters get into is very entertaining. I have to admit that there were some moments that were a bit predictable. In spite of this, there were places where I laughed out loud. The gem of this audiobook is the reader who switches voices and accents to bring these characters to life with perfection - American, English and French. I would have to say that Ms. Reading is definitely an asset here. This was an overall enjoyable listen.

Nice read if you enjoy historical fiction.

This was a great mix of modern and past romance as two characters intertwine. Leaves you looking for the next part of the story. Well written and the Narrator Kate Reading added to it! Thanks for making it so easy to pass my exercise and housework time with the story going in my ear time flies!