The Secret History of the Pink Carnation is the best sort of historically based romance novel. The story features a lot of interesting plot, but not too much over the top romance or sex. It is also a story within a story which I am also fond of as well, it is like getting two stories for the price of one! I like Lauren Willig’s writing style and her characters. I am especially fond of the main character, Eloise, because she is a graduate student and I have been there and done that. I am anxious to read the second book in the series.
Plot: Eloise is a history student doing her dissertation on the effect of the English Nobility upon the French Revolution. Really she is reading and writing about the adventures of the likes of the Scarlett Pimpernel, the Purple Gentian, and an unknown rebel the Pink Carnation. She would really like to know who the Pink Carnation was because that is historical mystery no one has solved. Solving mysteries like the identity of the Pink Carnation is how history academic careers are made. Eloise finds that time period romantic because it is full of men who did noble things. She is currently at the wrong end of a back break up and her last boyfriend was anything but noble.
These days Eloise is feeling like she has the worst sort of luck. She has recently found out that one noble family in England may have the papers to make her dissertation a success. But when she contacted the head of the family, Colin, he very rudely denied her request. But she has found another source, a Mrs. Selwick-Alderly who has some interesting papers that just might make Eloise’s career. Unfortunately, Mrs. Selwick is the Aunt to the gruff Colin and he might get in the way of Eloise using the papers in her dissertation. Either way, Eloise gets to unravel the story of Amy and Richard (the Purple Gentian) which is a great action/romance all its own. Amy and Richard find themselves Englishmen and Women in the middle of Bonaparte’s rule trying to help England by spying in France. Along the way they have many adventures and maybe, just maybe fall in love. And perhaps we will find out who the Pink Carnation is, but you will just have to read and see.
There are several things I love about this book. First, it is written well. It has a solid plot and it is easy to read. I like the characters. I like Eloise and her little downtrodden life, which sounds too much like mine. I like her spunk and her dedication to her work. I like the relationship she is developing with the other characters in the “now” story of the book and it looks as if those relationships will at least span to the second book. I also love the characters in the second more romance driven story of the book. Amy is spunky and it is fun to watch her get in trouble and watch her plans fall apart. I like Richard as well. He is the perfect romantic lead for Amy. Both stories are well written and work well together. I enjoyed every minute of this novel. I also like the fact that even though Eloise is reading journal entries and letters the author does not feel the need to bog us down by making us read journal entries or letters. I hate that and I am glad the author forgoes that here.
If you like romance novels or a good historically based novel with some romance thrown in then you should enjoy The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. I certainly did and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
