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The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

(Pink Carnation #1)

Lauren Willig (Goodreads Author)

3.69 · Rating details · 22,661 ratings · 2,336 reviews

Deciding that true romantic heroes are a thing of the past, Eloise Kelly, an intelligent American who always manages to wear her Jimmy Choo suede boots on the day it rains, leaves Harvard's Widener Library bound for England to finish her dissertation on the dashing pair of spies the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. What she discovers is something the finest histor ...more

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Paperback, 428 pages

Published December 27th 2006 by New American Library (first published October 10th 2004)

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Oct 07, 2011 Cassy rated it it was ok

Shelves: physical-own, event-met-author, fiction-historical, fiction-girlie, region-europe, 2011, flavor-blush-worthy, lawyers-turned-authors

I feel compelled to defend why I read this book in the first place – which is never good. And in this case, it is difficult, because I myself am still trying to understand why. The title, cover, and plot summary were flashing caution lights. A perusal of several reviews was not encouraging. Why, oh why, did I not heed the warnings?

If I am going to be honest, it came down to these two points:

1) I already had plans to attend an event with author, Tasha Alexander. As the date approached, I learned ...more

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May 31, 2009 Bonnie rated it did not like it

Shelves: historical-fiction, romcom

This is what I get for being lulled into a false sense of security by a nice cover and an interesting premise. This book promised to be a historical fiction with a bit of mystery thrown in. Instead, it turned out to be a banal bodice-ripping generically bad Regency romance novel.

I could deal with the fact that the “modern” parts of the book were completely unnecessary. I could even deal with the fact that the way people spoke/acted in the 19th century parts and the modern parts were exactly the This is what I get for being lulled into a false sense of security by a nice cover and an interesting premise. This book promised to be a historical fiction with a bit of mystery thrown in. Instead, it turned out to be a banal bodice-ripping generically bad Regency romance novel.

I could deal with the fact that the “modern” parts of the book were completely unnecessary. I could even deal with the fact that the way people spoke/acted in the 19th century parts and the modern parts were exactly the same (i.e., wildly anachronistic for the Regency parts). I could even deal with the fact that it was impossible to tell how much modern-day scholar Eloise knew of the story the reader learned, considering many of the details would NOT find their way into the diaries/letters that she was supposedly reading (and why oh why did Willig just not do the 19th century bits in letter/diary form?). I could deal with all these things IF the writing, characters, and plot were any good. Unfortunately, those three things were so horribly done that the previous details I mentioned only added insult to injury.

First of all, the two main heroines (present day Eloise and Regency Amy) were Chaotic Stupid. When the main trait of your characters is Too Stupid To Live you know there is something wrong. The love interest, Lord Richard, besides having a lame secret identity name (the Purple Gentian...yeah, I know) was also dumb beyond belief. And this was the man who apparently outwitted the French Secret Service for years. Either the French Secret Service is even more incompetent than the average villainous mook, or Lord Richard survived on sheer luck.

Why do I hate this book? Let me count the ways: Everyone acts like a 12 year old, and not a particularly bright 12 year old. There is so much stomping, foot stamping and door slamming that I almost wanted to keep count to see how many times Willig managed to fit it in. And these are supposed to be grown adults. And they do dumbass things, like Lord Richard and Amy both ending up in the bad guy's room for secret spy reasons and instead of being quiet and stealthy and getting in and out fast...they make out on the bed and then stand around shouting at each other until the bad guy and his guards surround them. SERIOUSLY, HOW IS LORD RICHARD STILL ALIVE?!?!? Especially given the fact that he mostly spends the book whining, leering at the heroine, not being particularly stealthy, allowing himself to be tailed without ever figuring it out, and having the heroine, her cousin and her governess figure out his true identity in about a week. HOW HAS NO ONE ELSE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT THEN?!?!? Truly, I think in this parallel timeline where the Scarlet Pimpernel was a real person, a dreaded Stupidity Epidemic swept through France and Britain, rendering both the Continent and the Isles thick as concrete.

Amy was perhaps one of the most annoying heroines I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. She is the main culprit of the stomping, juvenile behavior. She actually has an argument with Lord Richard that devolves into "I'm not speaking to you!" "How mature!" "Shut up!" "You just spoke to me!" "That doesn't count!" thing I did with my brothers when I was about 8. Plus, she made a point to get a job tutoring Napoleon's stepdaughter in English so she could have an in with the government...and then the entire subplot was dropped as we never saw the stepdaughter again or heard anything of any tutoring. AND she was one of those heroines who despite being a privileged, sheltered girl has no concern for propriety at all and seems to willfully try to ruin her reputation every opportunity she gets, despite the fact that at the time a ruined reputation was actually A Serious Business that could shame not only her but ALSO her family (including her cousins). I mean, this girl nearly loses her virginity on a BOAT with a poor hired guy ROWING HER AND HER PARAMOUR on the Seine. Sex in public with a witness! Does the girl have no shame? You don't think she'd feel at all awkward by the fact that, you know, someone WAS WATCHING HER? I know it's hard to think logically when you're in the middle of getting hot and heavy with a guy you like, but at the very least it should've given her a moment of pause. But, no, it barely registers. Not to mention the scene where her governess upbraids Napoleon as if he's a naughty child and isn't even thrown in jail for what would've been considered treason. The only person who showed ANY intelligence at all was cousin Jane. Basically she was the only one that ever figured anything out without having it dropped in her lap and she used the common sense that God gave her instead of acting like a spoiled, selfish brat.

You'd think that an author who was getting a PhD in history at Harvard could write a decent historical novel. You'd be wrong. This is the epitome of bad writing, idiotic characters, plot contrivances, and no apparent historical research. ...more

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Jul 26, 2007 Tara rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: oversexed and underaged pseudo-history buffs

Shelves: junk

I would rather like my two hours back that I spent on this book. It's not that it was bad, rather, it had an intriguing premise, but the past/future aspects were poorly merged, the part of the story set in present day was absolutely unsatisfying and the Georgian smut felt out of place, perhaps because of the highly formal nature she tried to give the characters.

The lesson to be learned there is you can't do Pride and Prejudice with an R rating. ...more

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May 23, 2008 Loni rated it did not like it

Okay, this book started out so cute! It's a great mix of historical fiction (granted with several liberties taken), chick lit, and a cute little Superman/Lois Lane man-in-a-mask love story. It was just a fun read. Until the sex scene... So I don't recommend it. In hind sight, although it was cute, it also was very shallow to begin with.

I HATE it when fun books turn out to be dirty when you're already half way through. Does anyone know if there's a website out there that gives tv/movie type rati ...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Lisa Kay rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-by-me, genre-romance-historical, zzcover-pink, 2012-in-2012-group-challenge, authors-l, all-time-favorites, authors-w, m-audible-dot-com, character-female-u, character-male-u

a) Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)
b) Pink Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
a) Purple Gentian (Gentiana verna)
d) Pink Champagne! ☺

a) description

b) [image error]

c) description

d)[image error]

★★★★✩ This is a review of the audiobook, narrated by Kate Reading, who did a wonderful job on this charming intro to the Pink Carnation series. I cannot recall hearing her before; but, luckily she reads the rest of the audio series as well, so I certainly look forward to listening to her.

I guess you could call this one an ...more

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Jul 21, 2008 Tina rated it it was ok

Shelves: romance-historical

I was bitterly disappointed in this book. Given the quality hard cover, the lovely cover art and the blurb, I was expecting something that strives to be Heyer or Austen. I would have been happy with something that fell along the lines of Tasha Alexander or Deanna Raybourne. Heck, I would counted myself lucky if the book had been vaguely reminiscent of Mary Balogh or Julia Quinn. Instead I got something that fell far short of all of those.

Instead of sparkling wit of Heyer and the mannered prose o I was bitterly disappointed in this book. Given the quality hard cover, the lovely cover art and the blurb, I was expecting something that strives to be Heyer or Austen. I would have been happy with something that fell along the lines of Tasha Alexander or Deanna Raybourne. Heck, I would counted myself lucky if the book had been vaguely reminiscent of Mary Balogh or Julia Quinn. Instead I got something that fell far short of all of those.

Instead of sparkling wit of Heyer and the mannered prose of Austen, I got a by the numbers, derivative, cliche historical romance novel that (weirdly) also wanted to be modern chick lit and a rollicking spy adventure as well.

The heroine Amy is a firm and permanent resident of the too stupid to live category.

Seriously. This girl did one dumb thing after the other. Just from the glimpse of a black cloak, she believes she has discovered the identity of the Purple Gentian (a famous spy a la the Scarlet Pimpernel). So she sends the man a note to meet her at night in a deserted park. So very smart! The fact that the real Purple Gentian happened to coincidentally have a conversation with the other man (who was a leering jerk) where he learns about the assignation, is what largely saves the stupid twit from being raped.

But Amy is not the only dull knife in the drawer. For a super spy who has eluded capture for years, Richard is also remarkably inept. First he has pretty much told his entire family his secret identity. Isn't that like rule number 1 in the spy handbook? You don't tell anyone your identity especially not your mother and your younger sister. And then there is the scene where he and Amy are in the apartment of the head of Napoleon's secret police to steal papers. Instead of getting in and getting out, they have a conversation on issues of love trust and almost end up making love right then and there. Sigh. There are not words enough...

And there were many more moments where I just rolled my eyes so hard.

There was also a very modern feel to the language that struck me as out of place. While not overtly anachronistic in word usage, the tone was just off. It was too droll, too arch. I got the impression that author was doing this on purpose and trying to let us in on the joke. But imo, it failed miserably.

Also, I could pretty much predict how the H/h were going to act and react to each other. This book was just stuffed with romance novel obviousness. Not one character did anything surprising or unpredictable.

Actually, I retract that last statement a bit. This book was not a total waste. Jane, the heroine's cousin was actually an excellent character. She had all the brains, wit and composure the heroine should have had. Had Jane been the heroine of this novel and been allowed to retain her character this may have been a much different story.

And I do have to admit the book was funny in some places. Toward the end of the novel the scene where Richard's family shows up and wants to meet Amy was a entertaining.

But even with those one or two positive things, the book overall was still a big disappointment.

I can't recommend. ...more

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Jan 28, 2010 Kiersten rated it did not like it

This book was crap. It was just complete and total crap. The thing that made me the most angry is that at the back of the book the author has a "historical note" where she talks about this garbage in light of its place in the "historical fiction" genre. Oh. My. Gosh. THERE WAS NOTHING HISTORICAL ABOUT IT! The Scarlet Letter is historical fiction. Cold Mountain is historical fiction. This, as I have already said, is crap. Mentioning Napoleon and the year 1803 does not make a book historical ficti ...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Allison rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-rating-adult-r, setting-1800s, suspense, series-complete, spies, regency, setting-england, chick-lit, multiple-timelines, historical-romance

If you go into this expecting historical fiction with Napoleonic spy action, you’re likely to be disappointed. I was expecting more of a historical mystery / spy adventure, but soon caught on and was able to adjust and enjoy it for what it is. And what it is, is a fairly typical fluffy Regency Romance, except that it’s set in the French court and does have a dose of spies to make it more interesting. Confirming its status as a Romance series is the fact that the main characters change in each bo ...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Jane rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

Where I got the book: bought retail (yes! full price!) from my local indie bookstore at an author event.

The plot: it's 1803 and Amy, who grew up dreaming of joining the Scarlet Pimpernel's league of daring rescuers, is on her way to France to join her brother. The Scarlet Pimpernel has retired, and now the Purple Gentian stands between England and the machinations of Napoleon, so naturally Amy wants to be on his team. She must not allow herself to be distracted by handsome Lord Richard Selwick.. Where I got the book: bought retail (yes! full price!) from my local indie bookstore at an author event.

The plot: it's 1803 and Amy, who grew up dreaming of joining the Scarlet Pimpernel's league of daring rescuers, is on her way to France to join her brother. The Scarlet Pimpernel has retired, and now the Purple Gentian stands between England and the machinations of Napoleon, so naturally Amy wants to be on his team. She must not allow herself to be distracted by handsome Lord Richard Selwick...meanwhile, in the present day, graduate student Eloise is trying to solve the mystery of the identity of the Pink Carnation, and must not allow herself to be distracted by handsome Colin Selwick...

Can a novel with as much gravitas as a herd of My Little Ponys gamboling amid clouds of pink cotton candy really be classified as historical fiction? I'm not saying that the settings aren't accurate enough and I couldn't catch Ms Willig out in any particular, but the tendency of the 1803 characters to lapse into decidedly 21st century speech with a chick lit flavor (and display some very un-1803 attitudes to sex and marriage) ensured I was kept well aware that this was pure historical-ish fantasy. And great fun at that, strangely enough, even though I had to work hard to keep from getting steamed up about the adverbs. Oh, the adverbs. Characters speak thrillingly, knowingly, bluntly, dourly...you get the picture. And if I had a penny for every clichéd phrase...this is definitely a young author's first go. And then there are the sex scenes (well, one and a half); oh gosh, words fail me.

And darn it, somehow it works. Even the modern-day interjections, which are obviously intended to provide a framework for future books. As long as you're looking for a beach read, go ahead and enjoy; this is the historical fiction equivalent of a very fruity drink with an umbrella in it, and sometimes that just hits the spot. I won't say I loved this book, but it fit nicely into those moments when I wanted to read but was too tired to tax my brain with actual thought. So it gets 3 points for overall quality and about .7 for sheer bloody nerve. ...more

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Apr 17, 2008 Ann rated it it was ok

Shelves: 19th-century, paris, england, london, france, regency, romance, espionage-international-intrigue

Don't be fooled by the cover: this book is a romance novel pretending to be historical fiction. I was completely shocked when the first sex scene started (in a small boat on a river which was currently being rowed by someone else! I kept thinking I had missed something and the rower had left the boat, but no). Along with the requisite sex, there are also the requisite shallow protagonists. I kept thinking there must be more to the characters (because I was duped by the cover!), but they really a ...more

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Dec 28, 2009 Mishelle LaBrash rated it it was amazing

AMAZING.....BLOODY HILARIOUS.....SMART....WITH THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF SMUT, MAKING THIS BOOK A DEFINATE KEEPER...

I ADORED this book... The author had me sold on the rest of the series and any of her future contributions to the book addict cause, within the few pages of the prologue..

A combination of Julia Quinn's wit, and C.S. Harris and Deanna Raybourn's sleuth story talent all rolled up with what is obviously, and originally 100% Lauren Willig...

The characters we're real, perfectly flawed and ...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Jess rated it liked it

Shelves: own-paper, 2022-all, read-before-2011, historical-fiction, 2012-reread, 2012-all, 2022-reread

Cait suggested rereading these maybe and it was a GREAT idea, because it was exactly the level of engagement my brain wanted. This book has always been a hard one to evaluate for me because it's the book where Willig thought she was writing a historical romance vs what she was actually writing, which was basically women's historical fiction. You particularly see that on the back half of the novel, imo, which is where the book falls apart a bit for me--I had been reading along thinking I am usual ...more

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Oct 03, 2015 Tracy rated it liked it

This was a fun, very light hearted and not at all serious read. It's full of ridiculous and ludicrous situations and happenings. If you know that and are in the mood for it, you should enjoy it.

There were parts I really enjoyed and also times where I found myself bored. I did however like the way the book ended with Eloise and Colin. Definitely bodes for another adventure. I also like the way the girl in modern day is reading the story of the past which you as the reader delve into. The concept ...more

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Jan 15, 2008 Cynthia rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Cynthia by: Michelle

I really enjoyed this book. It was humorous and cute. This book follows Amy, a wannabe spy adventurer, who tries to join The Purple Gentian's spy network against France shortly after the French Revolution. Of course nothing goes smoothly for the slightly dizzy heroine. The author combines historical fiction with fun chick lit, mostly focusing on Amy's romance with the Purple Gentian. I like both types of work so I enjoyed the combination.

I read some reviews of this book on Amazon and found peopl I really enjoyed this book. It was humorous and cute. This book follows Amy, a wannabe spy adventurer, who tries to join The Purple Gentian's spy network against France shortly after the French Revolution. Of course nothing goes smoothly for the slightly dizzy heroine. The author combines historical fiction with fun chick lit, mostly focusing on Amy's romance with the Purple Gentian. I like both types of work so I enjoyed the combination.

I read some reviews of this book on Amazon and found people either really liked it or absolutely hated it. Some comments I thought went way overboard included, "Jane Austen would scream, you'd have to be braindead to like this, when I think of this book I throw up a little in my mouth, and my favorite, "chick lit reflects poorly on women's literature, why isn't poorly written books written by men called dude's lit." Of course I had to reply back to some of these reviews with my own comments... like lighten up.

When I think about books, there are two main categories I divide them up in: deep, soulful books usually filled with symbolism and themes and then there's escapism books. Now I am not going to lie, when it comes to the first category I don't always "get" the message of the book. I am disappointed after I read 400 pages of fancy, convoluted sentences that I can't relate to. But a lot of that is a reflection on me as a reader, not necessaily a reflection on the author. I tend to like stories focused on great characters, interesting plots, and unusual places or time periods, like "The History of the Pink Carnation".

Pink Carnation is meant to be a light, fun book. If you don't expect Jane Austen or a historical book full of facts and dates, then I don't think you'll be disappointed. The book isn't perfect, even I noticed a few things that didn't make sense, i.e. when the true identity of the Purple Gentian is discovered and his family helps him escape, don't they all need to get the heck out of France. Also, I think it would have been funnier if the chaperone with the parasol could be the Pink Carnation. ...more

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Oct 10, 2008 Kim rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: fans of historical romance, chick lit, or swashbuckling films

Recommended to Kim by: my friend Becky

This book is hard to categorize, but it's a lot of fun. Eloise Kelly is a klutzy, directionally challenged graduate student in history (not like anybody I know) who is trying to discover the identity of the Pink Carnation, a spy in the mode of the Scarlet Pimpernel. The key, she believes, may lie in Selwick Hall, the estate of another aristocratic spy, the Purple Gentian, aka Richard Selwick. When Mrs. Selwick-Alderly grants her access to a box full of family papers, letters and journals dating This book is hard to categorize, but it's a lot of fun. Eloise Kelly is a klutzy, directionally challenged graduate student in history (not like anybody I know) who is trying to discover the identity of the Pink Carnation, a spy in the mode of the Scarlet Pimpernel. The key, she believes, may lie in Selwick Hall, the estate of another aristocratic spy, the Purple Gentian, aka Richard Selwick. When Mrs. Selwick-Alderly grants her access to a box full of family papers, letters and journals dating from the early 19th century, Eloise discovers the feisty and romantic Amy Balcourt, a wannabe spy in Napoleonic France. Will Amy live out her dream of joining the League of the Purple Gentian? Will Eloise discover the identity of the Pink Carnation? Is there romantic as well as professional fulfillment for either young woman? Clearly you'll have to read the novel to see.
This book combines multiple genres, including historical romance, chick lit, and swashbuckler, with wildly entertaining if somewhat unbalanced results. Amy's story is the one which receives the full treatment here; to find out what happens to Eloise, I suspect we may need to read the other books in the series (I believe there may be three or four). I was a bit surprised, given that Eloise learned Amy's story through letters---there is the mention of a couple diaries as well---that this section of the novel was written as a straight third person narrative, and not in epistolary fashion. It strained my credibility a bit, as did the omniscient narrator, who often gave us Amy and Richard Selwick's perspectives on events at the same time. There were a few times when the dialogue felt a bit anachronistic, though this may have been done for humorous effect and was not overly distracting. Overall, though, this book took me back to the days of my misspent youth, when I loved historical fiction, Zorro, and movies starring Errol Flynn. I love that you can tell that characters like each other because of how rude they are when they first meet, and I love that Willig has peopled Napoleonic France with a plethora of dashing, florally named spies. I particularly love that Eloise has chosen her dissertation topic because of a romantic fascination with men with masks. We historians can be like that sometimes (shhh, don't tell!). ...more

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Jun 14, 2013 Aly is so frigging bored rated it did not like it

Shelves: audiobook, historical, never-ending-aka-never-finished

Bored, bored, bored!
25%

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Mar 24, 2010 Beth rated it liked it

Shelves: chick-lit, 2010, src-spring-2010, mystery, historical-romance

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck it must be a duck, right? Right? Guess again, pal, because this book is no duck. It’s more like a jackelope.

Just take a look at how people have this thing shelved, I dare you. Is it historical fiction? Is it chick lit? Is it a romance novel? Is it a mystery? What is it really? It made me ask myself, “Can a book like this actually exist in the wilds of its reader’s imaginations or is it so mythically unbelievable that it better watch itself for the r ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 ☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, historical-fiction

Good story

As most people know, I'm not a big historical fan but I did enjoy this book. I may continue with the voters in this series to find out what else happens. ...more

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Jun 10, 2015 Christina rated it it was ok

Shelves: misc-riffs

Choosing a light read is a tricky business. It's like icing on a cake - too little, and all you have is cake; too much, and you're overwhelmed with fluff and sugar. I picked up this book because I wanted to read something with no murders in it, and besides, Napoleonic spy capers with women! Fun stuff! Surely this was the right amount of icing. I was even willing to overlook the fact that the contemporary heroine, Eloise, was the type that knew what brand her boots were and just had to mention it Choosing a light read is a tricky business. It's like icing on a cake - too little, and all you have is cake; too much, and you're overwhelmed with fluff and sugar. I picked up this book because I wanted to read something with no murders in it, and besides, Napoleonic spy capers with women! Fun stuff! Surely this was the right amount of icing. I was even willing to overlook the fact that the contemporary heroine, Eloise, was the type that knew what brand her boots were and just had to mention it. I was willing to award this book ALL the breaks, just because I wanted something that would not rip my heart out.
Sadly, as other readers have noticed, there's very little capering in this book. Minimal caper. It's a Regency romance novel, interspersed with a few chapters of a contemporary researcher, who, in spite of being a PhD student smart enough to con a committee into sending her overseas, is the kind of person who will, after a man is rude to her once, be repeatedly rude back, even in the face of his preternatural patience. Have I mentioned this is someone who has something she wants? He is! She will also hate women who are more polished than she is and embarrass herself through repeated clumsiness. In short, she's a familiar romantic comedy type, but I'd have to seriously question Harvard's admission process if she existed in real life.
If it sounds as if I thought the contemporary pieces were the worst part of this book, oh, think again. They were actually a bit of a relief, although both storylines featured proportionately equal amounts of "endearing" clumsiness. I kind of wish I'd done a word count for "ouch," "urgh," and "ow." They were numerous. The historical parts were MUCH worse. My poor husband, reading in the same room with me, was subjected to a lot of moans and groans on my part, sarcastic commentary such as "oh, good, he has piercing green eyes, I was worried he wouldn't," and the moment when I said "no, wrong. WRONG!" That, I'm pretty sure, was when Amy, the nauseating heroine of the historical bits, hears the Purple Gentian reference something she has only told to his alter ego, Richard, and decides that it MUST mean that he's her true love, fated to be with her. Not that he actually is Richard. This was, however, also the scene where I discovered my new favorite line in literature, "the moist thrust of the Purple Gentian's tongue." There was so much bosom-heaving and ass-checking-out that I was rooting really hard for the leads to just do it already so the rest of us could be spared them lusting after each other. Since clearly the author wasn't going to do us all a favor and kill them off, the least she could do was make them stop gazing for a hot second. There were secondary characters I DIDN'T totally hate, but the leads I did. I was very sorry we had to read about them the whole damn time.
The writing was, oh, how do I put this? Bad. The writing was bad. I feel a little harsh saying this, because clearly this author was enjoying herself as she wrote. She liked her characters and I'm sure was chuckling as she wrote some of the lines I found so vomit-worthy. But the writing was really bad. The dialogue in the historical pieces would throw in some era-appropriate terms, but otherwise they talked like the contemporary characters (I can't say they talked or acted like real people at either end). They said "um" a lot. Sometimes when they were speaking French, which I happen to know isn't something you SAY in French (3 semesters of college French speaking, here, she says, buffing nails on shirt).
Why, then, is this book two stars rather than one? Mostly because the packaging is so misleading. It seems unfair to rate the book on what it's being billed as, rather than what it is. If it had been billed as a Regency romance I would never have read it in the first place, but at least I would have known more or less what to expect. But since I DID get conned into reading a Regency romance, it did give me an opportunity to have a think about the genre. Its existence implies that there are in the world women (definitely a genre aimed at women) who get all hot and bothered at the idea of being bossed around and scolded. Women who think it would be sexy as hell to have a guy with piercing eyes (always piercing eyes, or a piercing gaze if you're fancy/a better writer) and a "face like a thunderstorm" demand "what were you thinking, you little fool? Don't you know you could have been hurt?" before sweeping her into his arms and asking brokenly (usually brokenly, sometimes softly or "with sudden and unexpected tenderness") "Don't you know what it would do to me if something happened to you?" Followed, natch, by the passionate kiss as he gives in to his feelings.
Thinking about this stuff now, I am actually really intrigued. I have to admit this does nothing for me - I'm not into being patronized or having my intellect called into question, although I'm also not impetuous and nor do I bounce with frustration so maybe I'm not really a heroine either - but ARE there people who really find this hot escapism? Is being scolded a minor subset of BDSM culture? I WANT TO KNOW! Because I'm so confused by this idea! I can kind of get the idea of fantasizing about being a damsel in distress - because I think most people like the idea of being valued so much by someone who would drop everything to come save you if you needed it. Who doesn't want a guy who has your back? But a guy who saves you and then yells at you about it? Is this really what does it for some people? I AM SO CURIOUS.
Anyway, there's a whole series of these books, so clearly the author got in some more practice and may have improved since then. The book was kind of fun to read, in the spirit of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and if you're into heaving bosoms and male assholes who can't stop staring at your heaving bosoms because they're so in lust/love with you and female assholes who yell at you for maybe making fun of them that one time, well! I have a book for you! But it also contains the phrase "the moist thrust of the Purple Gentian's tongue." I think we can all agree that this is wrong.
...more

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Dec 29, 2021 Sophia rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, historical-mystery-suspense

In a time of revolution and then war, daring-do was called for and sometimes the heroes and heroines had to wear a mask to accomplish what was needed. In the spirit of The Scarlet Pimpernel and Pride & Prejudice comes a series to tantalize historical romantic suspense fans. I eagerly took up this first book in the series having already been a fan of the author’s light and engaging writing.

In an odd twist, I’ve already read three books from the series and two happen to be the last two while the o In a time of revolution and then war, daring-do was called for and sometimes the heroes and heroines had to wear a mask to accomplish what was needed. In the spirit of The Scarlet Pimpernel and Pride & Prejudice comes a series to tantalize historical romantic suspense fans. I eagerly took up this first book in the series having already been a fan of the author’s light and engaging writing.

In an odd twist, I’ve already read three books from the series and two happen to be the last two while the other was somewhere in the middle. So, yes, I know how it all ends, but I was still very curious about how it all began and it has been several years so I was pretty sure it would be almost new to me.

I was happy to take up my now yellowing copy of the first book and discover how modern-day historian Eloise Kelly, working on her dissertation, came to be researching the secret English spies of the Napoleonic Era and what her early encounters with irascible Colin, descendent of The Purple Gentian and family archives holder, were like. Within Eloise’s modern story is the heart of the story which introduces the world, people, and plot as The Pink Carnation began the first unauthorized spy mission in France in 1803 even as The Purple Gentian, the authorized British spy, is working to discover the details for Napoleon’s planned invasion of England.

So, as I’ve indicated, I’ve already read later books in the series. This is a series that I’ve had a hot and cold affair with and mostly because it has a split time line that was iffy for me. I enjoyed the Regency time line, but was only moderately into the modern thread. In truth, I found Eloise a not so good distraction much of the time. This first book confirmed again that she’s rather annoying and distracting. She gets lucky that she inexplicably impresses Colin’s aunt and gets access to the family papers including letters that are the basis for the other timeline story of 1803. She has the attitude that Colin owes her access and she deserves to be the one to write up the Secret Histories, but rarely did she act like a person who should be trusted with archival papers and a few times I cringed at her way of tripping along.

As to the 1803 timeline, in this first book, I was not so captivated as with later ones. Amy was the poster child TSTL type who gets lucky so she thinks she’s rather talented and skilled. In truth, the real talent is her cousin Jane who accompanies her to Paris and slips into the background and gathers lots of intel in the process. The announced reason for the trip is reuniting with Amy’s long lost brother who survived the French Revolution somewhat intact, but a hidden reason being she wanted to track down the clandestine Purple Gentian and his spy network so she could join. I found Amy silly and childish and she could have gotten a lot of good people hurt in her ridiculous tramp around Paris thinking she’s Miss Discreet Superspy. Not that Richard, the Purple Gentian, who works by day as a geeky Egyptologist for Napoleon is much better. I think the lovers’ spat in shouted tones while inside the enemy’s bedchamber was when it really hit me that I was not reading a serious historical mystery.

Rather quickly, I had to adjust my expectations and I recommend others do the same. This is light and loaded with humor. There are some strong and good historical details, but the behavior and dialogue of the characters is modern- and, as I pointed out, not to be taken seriously. This is a romp of espionage and romance, in point of fact. I suspect each book which introduces a new main romance pair will have a slightly different feel to match the personalities involved because the later books didn’t have the frivolity of this one, as far as I can recall.

I quickly read this one and giggled through a lot of it. It was fun and light with a well set background. Amy and Richard had their moments when they weren’t annoying and I loved Richard’s interfering, quirky family and friends. I liked this book as a whole rather than the individual parts, if that makes sense. So, I will continue on to the next installment which features the same modern pair, some of the same historical players, but a reshuffle so that some minor characters take the lead. I’ll recommend this to those who are in the mood for rompish and light historical romantic suspense.
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Jan 17, 2011 The Lit Bitch rated it it was amazing

I feel like I just entered the most interesting florist shop in London. I am surrounded by flowers….the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Purple Gentian, and of course the Pink Carnation….but wait I’m in a book! What the deuce are all these flowers doing in a book?? Granted…it’s decidedly less fragrant in the book than in a florist shop but till what the deuce is going on here? Oh wait….I know, I am reading Lauren Willig’s novel The Secret History of the Pink Carnation!

This book is absolutely brilliant and ...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: hr-georgian-regency, love-hate-relationship, 1st-in-series, family-secrets, loc-england-great-britain, dukes-earls-viscounts-etc, spies-hr, british-boys, loc-europe, library-book

The first in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series. I found this gem in the library. My first by this author and coincidentally the author's first. I was pleasantly pleased with it. I wasn't sure I would be when I opened the first page. I'm not a fan of 1st person POV but I kept on and realized the whole book is not written that way and I came to enjoy the parts that were. This is one of those stories in a story. It starts with a young American woman seeking information for her dissertation on s ...more

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Feb 24, 2010 Sarah MacLean rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, historical, favorites

I love every one of Lauren's books. They're so clever and funny and wonderful...my sister and I buy them on release day every time, and we devour them! ...more

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Feb 14, 2019 Cyndi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was more fun than I expected it to be. A young scholar is one the hunt for information for her thesis on the Pink Carnation, a French revolutionary hero. The book goes back and forth between the past and the present.

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Jul 16, 2011 Nan rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, chick-lit

My original impression of this book was really negative. However, I've grown fonder of it in my memory as the years have passed. Now that I am no longer disappointed that the book was not what I expected, it has gained a full star in my estimation.

Original review: July 21, 2011, two stars:

This is a genre romance novel with pretensions of grandeur.

I was intrigued by this book because of it's duel format. It features a Harvard Ph.D. candidate in history researching the famous (in her world at lea My original impression of this book was really negative. However, I've grown fonder of it in my memory as the years have passed. Now that I am no longer disappointed that the book was not what I expected, it has gained a full star in my estimation.

Original review: July 21, 2011, two stars:

This is a genre romance novel with pretensions of grandeur.

I was intrigued by this book because of it's duel format. It features a Harvard Ph.D. candidate in history researching the famous (in her world at least!) Pink Carnation, a British spy during the Napoleonic Wars. Eloise, the student, travels to London after a bad break up and decides to research primary sources on the Pink Carnation. The novel opens with her in a slight jam--she's crushed in an overcrowded Tube ride, has spilled coffee on herself, and discovers that it's raining and she doesn't have an umbrella. All of this makes her a truly hapless sight when so goes to interview a descendant of the Purple Gentian (a spy that inspired our Carnation).

Her host is a nice old woman and immediately gives Eloise access to private family papers.

And that's where the book goes downhill.

Eloise is apparently reading journals and letters, but that's not what readers see. Instead, we are simply taken into the story of Amy Balcourt and Richard Selwick (who happens to be the Purple Gentian). Their story is a very typical romance novel. Amy is returning to France for the first time since she left it during the Terror. She's been living with her English relatives for the last 15 years, plotting and planning how she could help the famous British spies--the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian--restore the monarchy in France. Or at least expel the Republicans. Or Napoleon. In any event, she wants to help. Her father was killed by the guillotine, and she has a powerful hatred of the current French government. Richard has posing as a French sympathizer, working as their head of antiquities, all the while spying for his native England. Amy, of course, doesn't know this, and is repelled to learn that such an attractive young man could work for the side of the devil. Richard, in turn, is drawn to Amy. He knows her brother is involved in something underhanded, and in his attempt to investigate, he stumbles into Amy late at night. She doesn't know who he is due to the mask, but her hero worship of the Gentian leads to a slightly compromising situation. Cue the rest of a standard romance novel involving mistaken identity.

This novel would have worked so much better if readers had been able to read the same letters and journals Eloise was reading. We could have learned the story as she did. Instead, Eloise has access to different information than the reader. For a novel that's based around the idea of historical research, it doesn't read as being very authentic. Amy and her friends are unrealistic, and the graphic sexual encounters do not read as anything that would appear in a young lady's journal. Considering Richard's dangerous occupation, he would have been unlikely to keep a journal of his encounters with her either.

Further, I would have liked to see more of Eloise. I didn't like her as a character--she was too much the cliched chick lit heroine--but with only roughly four chapters to her credit, she was never able to properly establish her identity as a character or as a researcher. Sadly, the framing device of Eloise's narrative seemed like a pathetic attempt to elevate the book out of it's genre--the historical romance. Both the size of the book--a trade paperback--and the period artwork cover would seem to imply that it is more than a genre romance, but that's simply not the case.

I will admit that I enjoyed Amy & Richard's story. It was fun and trashy, and there were actually a few surprises. Other than the mustache-twirling villain, the supporting characters were delightfully madcap. Unfortunately, all of the characters were smarter than Amy, which didn't work well. They were able to see through Richard's subterfuges before Amy, allowing her to make an ass of herself repeatedly while they looked on knowingly. Gwen the chaperone was perhaps the most inspired character--but she was also almost a caricature.

If you're looking for a fun romance without pretensions, pass this book by. If you just want a trashy book set in the Napoleonic Wars, and you're willing to overlook the Eloise sections, have at it. I picked up the second book in the bookswap at the same time as I grabbed this one. I will probably continue with the series through that book alone. Unless the modern storyline develops further, I simply don't see enough her to elevate it above the usual genre romances and into a permanent place in my library. ...more

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Jul 12, 2017 Mela rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, humor, mystery-adventure, british-literature, historical-romance, historical-period-long-19th-century

It was a good written historical romance, rather for young adults and chick-lit, with a little adventure (mystery). I have enjoyed it.

Nonetheless, I can't say I can't wait to read another book of series. I prefer more realistic historical romances. Here, there were too many too unrealistic scenes (e.g. a love scene on the boat in the Paris, or how they worked as spies).

The best part was a humor. It had a few really funny situations. But, when I want a witty historical romance, not necessary very ...more

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Oct 11, 2007 Nicole rated it liked it

Shelves: 19thcentury

This was one of those books that I found easier to read once I gave up any expectations I started with, and I will confess that it did redeem itself in my eyes by the end. It was a cute but predictable story about the hijinks surrounding the doings and identities of the preposterously-named Purple Gentian and Pink Carnation, not that the names really mattered that much. We mostly follow the dense Amy about as she desperately but naively tries to enter the world of espionage. Both she and her lov ...more

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Apr 14, 2007 Debbie Hates the New Book Page Redesign rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, 2006, dead-tree

I love the Scarlet Pimpernel and Willig has taken the foundation laid by Baroness Orczy and expanded it, creating the Purple Gentian and the Pink Carnation. Two stories in one, the book follows modern day scholar Eloise who is determined to unmask the Pink Carnation as well as Amy, a woman who lived in the time of Napoleon who seeks to join the League of the Purple Gentian. Part historical novel, part romance, and part adventure, this was a surprisingly good read. I will definitely be picking up ...more

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Oct 03, 2014 Amy rated it it was ok

I guess I liked this book enough to finish it, but there are some things that bothered me about this book enough that I couldn't give it three stars. It could possibly be that I simply don't like explicit romance novels. The mystery is what kept me reading past the lame descriptions of how men can't control themselves around women. Perhaps the author believes the modern fallacy that it's impossible to be chaste when you're in love. Or maybe I'm being prudish. Like I said, romance novels aren't m ...more

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Aug 05, 2019 Leona rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-romance

ok. I read this a while ago. As a first attempt, it was good but not noteworthy.

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About Lauren Willig

Lauren Willig

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Lauren Willig is the New York Times bestselling author of nineteen works of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages, awarded the RITA, Booksellers Best and Golden Leaf awards, and chosen for the American Library Association's annual list of the best genre fiction. After graduating from Yale University, she embarked on a PhD in History at Harvard before leavin ...more