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Summary
Summary
The much anticipated fifth installment in the inventive and original Pink Carnation series ÂPride and Prejudicelives on in Lauren WilligÂs acclaimed Pink Carnation series, which continues with another deliciously lighthearted, romantic, and suspenseful novel. Willig introduces to her series the most elusive spy of all time, whose calling card is the faint whiff of jasmine in the cold night air. After twelve years in India, Robert, duke of Dovedale, returns to his estate in England to avenge the murder of his mentor during the 1803 Battle of Assaye. Robert plans to infiltrate the infamous, secretive Hellfire Club to uncover the murdererÂs identity but he has no idea that an even more difficult challenge awaits himÂone Lady Charlotte Lansdowne. Having cherished a romanticized view of Robert since childhood, Charlotte is thrilled by his return. To Charlotte, Robert is all the knights of the Round Table rolled into one. ThatÂs not exactly the case, but she canÂt help but search for the man she loves inside this less-than-pristine package. And while Robert works to dissuade Charlotte from her delusions, he canÂt help but be drawn to her innocence and inner beauty. When Charlotte is approached by Lady Henrietta Selwick to join her in a bit of espionageÂinvestigating a plot to kidnap the kingÂRobert soon realizes that Charlotte is not only the perfect partner in crime; sheÂs the perfect partner, period. Caught in a dangerous game with deadly flower-named spies and secret members of the Hellfire Club, Robert and Charlotte must work together to reveal the villain and confront their true passion for each other.
Author Notes
Lauren Willig majored in renaissance studies and political science at Yale University, studied English history at Harvard University, and received a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. She started writing the Pink Carnation series during law school. She practiced as a litigation associate at a large New York law firm for a year and a half before deciding to become a full-time writer.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Willig spins another sultry spy tale in her fifth installment of the Pink Carnation series. When Robert, duke of Dovedale, returns after more than a decade abroad, Lady Charlotte Lansdowne hopes the romantic world of her novels will soon come to life in the form of a love story between her and Robert. But the duke has come back from India to track Arthur Wrothan, a spy who killed Robert's mentor, and though his and Charlotte's reunion culminates in a blaze of kisses, he abandons her to track down his nemesis. On the trail, Robert cavorts with the Hellfire Club, which holds opium-fueled orgies that provide cover for Wrothan. In the meantime, Charlotte's efforts to help the king throw her again into Robert's path. The story unfolds within the frame of a contemporary love affair between Eloise, a Harvard graduate student researching spies of the late 18th and early 19th century, and Colin Selwick, descendant of one of the spies who so pique Eloise's interest. The author's conflation of historical fact, quirky observations and nicely rendered romances results in an elegant and grandly entertaining book. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Grad student Eloise Kelly is still on the trail of the elusive Napoleonic-era spy known as the Pink Carnation, but she's a bit distracted by her romance with the Carnation's descendant, handsome Colin Selwick. An encounter with Colin's ex-girlfriend leaves Eloise wondering if Colin himself might be a modern-day spy. While she grapples with the possibility, her research leads her to uncover the story of Robert Dovedale, a dashing heir returned from India at the turn of the nineteenth century bent on revenge against Arthur Wrothan, the man who murdered his mentor. Robert suspects Wrothan is part of a debauched secret society, and he's determined to gain entrance at any cost. Distracting him from his purpose is his charming and completely smitten cousin, Charlotte Lansdowne, who idolizes him. When Robert and Charlotte are drawn into a conspiracy that threatens the king of England, they're forced to confront their feelings for each other. Willig blends the romance and thrills seamlessly, making the fifth entry in the Pink Carnation series a delightfully good romp.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2008 Booklist
Kirkus Review
Honor and romance again take the lead in 19th-century England, as yet another flower-named spy continues this high-spirited and thoroughly enjoyable series (The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, 2008, etc.). The beautiful but bookish Lady Charlotte is thrilled to welcome her cousin, the dashing Robert of Dovedale, home for Christmas to Girdings House. The year is 1803, and Charlotte is finishing her third season still unmarried. But her cousin, the hero of Charlotte's lonely youth, seems distracted by the dissolute young "Eligibles" whom Charlotte's grandmother has invited for the festivitiesand a last chance at matrimony. Could Robert, the true heir of Girdings, be involved with that unseemly crew, or could something more be afoot? As fans of Willig's series will immediately deduct, Duke Robert is as pure-hearted as they come, but the two protagonists will end up romantically confused even as they team up to uncover a plot to kidnap the mad King George III. The discovery of yet another relative involved in espionage could strain credibility, but Willig, a Harvard-educated historian, mixes pitch-perfect period details with lighthearted romance for a fresh take on the genre. If not caught up in the fashions and gossip, what else do patriotic young gentleman have to do, after all, besides defend the honor of their countries, or their more or less innocent female relatives? And, in a nod to modern sensibilities, what else do young noblewomen have to do but save them right back? In a witty acknowledgment of such far-fetched conventions, Willig's modern heroine, narrator Eloise Kelly, finds herself wondering if her romantic mystery man, new boyfriend Colin Selwick, has continued his noble family's tradition. That both stories will end happily is a given, but Willig's lively writing and amiable young characters make the journey great fun. Smart characters of both genders, fast-paced plotting and a dash of self-conscious humor make this installment a winner. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
Willig (The Seduction of the Crimson Rose) here ups the ante in her Napoleonic-era spy series. It is still 2004, and Ph.D. candidate Eloise Kelly continues to conduct research in the archives of Richard Selwick, aka the Purple Gentian, but now she is also involved romantically with Colin Selwick, the executor of the estate. As their relationship blooms, we return to 1803 Sussex. Charlotte Lansdowne, bosom friend to Richard's sister, Henrietta, lives at Girdings with her cantankerous grandmother. A Twelfth Night house party welcomes home the current Duke of Dovedale, Robert Lans-downe, a distant cousin who was Charlotte's emotional rock when she was orphaned at a young age. Turning slightly from France to intrigue in India, where Robert hied off to 12 years earlier, Willig freshens the pot as Robert initially is on a mission of revenge that involves bacchanalian rites. But, with Charlotte's aid, he helps to thwart a plot of royal proportions. Will Charlotte finally let herself love the man? Or can she not accept that her hero has feet of clay? Another well-written chapter in the series that began with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. For romance collections, especially where the other "Flower" titles have taken root. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/08.]-Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
