The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

De: Lauren Willig

Narrado por: 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?

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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

I should have listened sooner

I had this on my wish list for a long time and deleted it and then it came up in my recommendations after I finished another book and finally took the plunge. I believe it was the book description that had me feeling hesitant and now I know I shouldn’t have been. Historical fiction is my preferred genre and the idea of some of this book taking place in the present day just didn’t tickle my fancy so to speak. However the bulk of this book took place in 1803. The book offers mystery, romance, suspense and hidden identities. I would highly recommend this book to other historical fiction lovers and I certainly will be listening to the other books in this series.

Delightful performance!

This book was quite fun to listen to. The voices and language/writing were beautifully executed and captivating. I really enjoyed it and will continue with the series. If you like this historic period and a good romance, reach for this one!

PInk Carnation

I can't recommend this book to my friends, because it is a bit predictable and hokey. I rolled my eyes so many times and could predict what would happen without fail. Having said that I think it could have been great with more editing and the writer has great promise.

Engaging yet mediocre

Premise is absolutley engaging and original. Narration first rate, I thought. Makes a very nice distraction or beach read. It's a lot like Bridget Jones goes to Harvard - which could be bad or good depending on your perspective. I think the author is clearly a fan of Bridget Jones and Jane Austen and every romance where a sweet but somewhat ordinary woman attracts the mysterious, handsome male. Again, not a bad thing. I wish the characters had been a bit more developed, more interesting. Perhaps the historical romance part shortened up in favor of creating modern characters that have more depth. The modern leads were like chapter headings - I knew nothing of him, really - was he just another snobby cute guy. She had this amazing opportunity and I hadn't a clue about her feelings. The historical romance part was entertaining. I thought it went on a bit long. Loved the ending, however. I don't think it was completley true to the period in which it was set. Nevertheless, I wanted to know what happened in the next volume, so I've read that one as well...I suppose I wanted more to happen. Am I correct that there will be 6 (six?) volumes in this series?

This particular narrator is one of my favorites. Really wonderful work here, I thought.

All in all, I'd recommend it for an entertaining read - if you have a long flight or train ride, and as long as you don't expect to be enthralled. But it's fun, moves quickly and is very very light.

What a great time.

This is an easy listen. You can tell the characters apart by the great naration. Funny at times, serious at times, I really enjoyed listening to this one and hope the author writes the next so we can hear of the continuing exploits of the Pink Carnation.