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amgamble's review against another edition
DNF.
The premise (and series setup) is great, and since I loved Possession I thought I'd blah blah blah. But the heroine in this episode of the adventures of the Pink Carnation is my least favorite sort: naive, unobservant, and ready to leap to conclusions.
The premise (and series setup) is great, and since I loved Possession I thought I'd blah blah blah. But the heroine in this episode of the adventures of the Pink Carnation is my least favorite sort: naive, unobservant, and ready to leap to conclusions.
kymargeaux's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. I wanted to like this book and kept putting it down and going back. I like reading things set in the Regency period, but the “main” female this book is about is just too stupid for me to have patience with.
zbmorgan's review against another edition
3.0
More a romance that happens to be a spy novel than a spy novel that happens to be a romance, this story has lots of satisfying detail on Napoleon's cabinet, period clothing, and decor for the curious. Not sure if our heroine Amy was worthy of the Purple Gentian's admiration of her, but her cousin Jane, with nerves of steel, might make me read more in the series.
lostinfrance's review against another edition
4.0
This book was fun...and I enjoyed reading it. I found the "History" behind the stories interesting (like hiding broccoli in the mac and cheese).
kmmorgan618's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Not a fan of the 2004 storyline mixed in with the historical romance plot, but I liked the historical romance plot. It was fun and engaging.
mirandamacfar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sara11_reads's review against another edition
2.0
The reviews are all over the place on this book but a lot them can be summarized as “I thought it would be historical fiction but there’s icky romance”. So I thought it would be fine since I like icky romance. However, the problem isn’t that the cover makes it look like historical fiction and it’s not. The problem is that it reads like a mediocre YA novel but the characters are in their late 20’s. Everyone is immature and the plot is simplistic. They’re supposed to be spies in Paris right after the French Revolution but it’s really cartoony – like let’s leave an “I was here” note on the Chief of Police’s pillow. There's no real tension or sense of stakes. Plus, the end leaves the contemporary story on a cliffhanger (and just how dumb is Eloise to not realize who the Pink Carnation is after reading the first letter?). Unfortunately, I just don't care enough to read any of the other books in this series to find out how that story line ends.
kmthomas06's review against another edition
4.0
I tell all and sundry to read these books - this is the first of Willig's gift to the reader. Granted Amy, compared to the other female leads Willig introduces later, is a bit annoying and outrageous but the book is still brilliant and so much fun!