The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

In Lauren Willig's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, the first installment in the Pink Carnation historical romance series, this debut will sweep you off your feet and take you on an adventurous journey. For Eloise Kelly, an American who's writing a thesis on the Pink Carnation, a legendary hero that helped saved the English from the French Guillotine along with the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian in the same league.  She would have to go to England to read the manuscript from Lord Selwick's aunt over the span of that fortnight for her research. When she started reading, we're introduced to Amy Balcourt, a 20-year-old French woman who always looking for excitement and adventure, especially to see her brother Eduoard. In order to go there, her cousin Jane and her chaperone, her Aunt Gwen, must come with her on the boat ride. And that's what she met Lord Richard Selwick, an insufferable man who has a secret to hide. At first, they had gotten off on the wrong foot. But later, after Amy surprises her father, she becomes intrigued on the Purple Gentian's identity. And when she plotted to join his league, the Gentian was under her nose and kissed her passionately. That's when things get heated and intense between them, when Richard had to put his foot down. He had been broken-hearted before and didn't want to get his defenses down. But he tried not to get the best of him, when he must be jealous of his alter ego's self.  Instead of being in a compromising position, they both set out to thwart Delaroche by stealing the Swiss gold. And when he unmasked himself, it was up to Amy and Jane to become the Pink Carnation. While Amy fell in love and followed her heart to her greatest passion, she saved Richard and professed her true love for him... leaving a surprise twist on who was the Pink Carnation's true identity for future adventures...

This was a fantastic and excellent historical romance series. No wonder my sister-in-law had devoured her serial books in the past and loved it so much. This has a lot of excellent elements to keeps us from reading: romance, action, suspense, intrigue. I did care for Eloise who loves to dig into her research and needs to lighten her load a bit. But I did thik Colin Selwick is insufferable and could be her greatest adversial match.  I also have found Amy and Richard both daring and dashing, compelling and amazing, that they found their soul mate into each other. I loved the English and French dual locations with fascinating and eye-popping scenic scenes. This would make you swoon and sway, fan yourself, drink a tall glass of water, and become hooked from start to finish with non-stop action and adventure, plenty of romance, suspense and intrigue on every page.

Will you be swept away in the Secret History of the Pink Carnation today?