It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

The second of The Wallflower series that started with Secrets of a Summer Night, this book is the story of Lillian Bowman and Marcus, Lord Westcliff.

Four young ladies enter London society with one necessary goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So they band together, and a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.

It Happened at the Ball...

Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing." And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London's most eligible aristocrat.

It Happened in the Garden

When Marcus shockingly -- and dangerously swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn't even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed, thank goodness they weren't caught very nearly in the act!

It Happened One Autumn...

Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable as his bride?

Having read several Lisa Kleypas books in quick succession, I was prepared to really love this book once again. Whilst it was enjoyable, it didn't draw me in as much as the others did.

There were a couple of things that I didn't like about it. Firstly, there was the whole dramatic ending with Marcus' disapproving mother. Without giving away too much information it was way over the top as a course of action..trying too hard to be dramatic in my opinion.

Secondly, there was the Prologue and the Epilogue. In the prologLillianlian goes to a perfume shop where she has a special perfume made for her, which the perfumier tells her has a special secret ingredient in it. I was a bit worried about where this was going but in the end it was handled in a fun way, but not silly! However, the epilogue goes back to the perfume. The second half of the epilogue is in effect the opening scene of the next book...and then there is an excerpt as well. I guess the point is that in this case, the epilogue was actually really unnecessary. It was a nice change from a lovely scene with at least one baby already have blessed the blissful union of the happy couple that you usually get though!

Now for the things I did like about this book. I liked the gradual unveiling of the real Marcus, from a cold and stuff aristocrat to a man who likes to play rounders, who makes up butterfly names to save Lillian from discomfort, who comes to the self realisation that he needs someone to save him from becoming the ultimate stuffed shirt, stiff upper lipped man like his despised father was.

There were scenes in this book that were laugh out loud funny, in a way that I don't think the other books I have read by Kleypas have been. During the scenes where we saw Annabelle Hunt, the heroine from the last book, she absolutely stole the show.

Overall I did enjoy this book, but not as much as others. I am looking forward to Devil in Winter which I am hoping to get from the library shortly.

Rating 4/5