The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren WilligMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
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 book.
It's also very light on historical accuracy, but that didn't stop me from having fun reading it. It's purposely silly and far-fetched, and I do enjoy silly. So instead of being horrified at the liberties taken with the time period, I found it mostly fun.
There were times when I found it a bit long-winded, though. And I still could have done with less of the romance, especially the sex scenes. I always feel that those scenes are out of place in a Regency novel - they drag something too modern into the historical setting.
There’s also a second story-line set in the present day about a woman who is researching the Pink Carnation for her dissertation. It looks like it will span the sequels as she discovers more about the past. It also looks like there will be a romance in her future. I thought the framing story was OK, but could have done without it. It made the book longer, and I'm not sure I liked being pulled out of the other story for this one. But I think it might grow on me as the series progresses. We’ll see.
I do intend to continue reading when I’m in the mood for something silly, light and fluffy, with a bit of derring-do in the court of Napoleon.
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