The Seduction of the Crimson Rose

From reading other reviews, it seems that a lot of people are disappointed with the leads, Mary and Vaughn, because they aren't immediately sympathetic, in that they don't value romantic, sentimental expression over everything else. As Willig herself notes, these characters draw instead on a different tradition of expression-- that of wit. The exchanges between Vaugn and Mary are sharp and sparkling. Rather than seduce each other by admiring their physical qualities, or their open expression, they seduce each other through barbed flirtations and verbal sparring-- they're excited by trying to get the last word. It's a nice change from the warmer, fuzzier romances of the first three novels, and, IMO, proves that there's more than one way to connect with a potential mate! One of the best aspects of this installment was seeing other characters through Mary and Vaughn's more cynical world view; earlier romantic leads are recast as naive and sentimental, and their obvious expressions of love as overly sweet. Who hasn't felt a little jaded when faced with too many PDAs?! Vaughn and Mary don't discount the virtues of other characters, they just don't value them as highly as the ability to maneuver situations to one's own advantage. This makes it all the more entertaining when they find themselves developing more tender feelings for one another. These are two flawed and self-interested people, who, when they meet their match, realize that sometimes their interests are better served by thinking about what's best for someone else!

I've read all four of Willig's books. When you're in the mood for a light, engaging, diverting read, they are perfect. But this one stood out among the others for me. For one thing, the characterization was uniformly very strong. I liked how both Mary and Vaughn had "dark sides" and pasts ... it made them more complex, more intriguing. And there was no real sex scene in this book either, probably because there wasn't a natural place in the plot where one would fit. I think it's great that the author didn't force it in , but instead used that time to get more deeply inside the characters' heads. Willig also seemed to hit her stride with the dialogue, which was the gripe I had with the earlier books. I always found that her historical characters sounded much too modern; to be honest, it distracted me on numerous occasions ("Come on -- a Regency woman would never say that!"). But in this book, the characters' diction was completely believable. The period detail was lush and engaging, too -- the descriptions of Vaughn's rooms, for example, were an absolute treat to read and savor. And, of course, it was nice to see some promising developments between Eloise and Colin. In a sense, these books are the lemon meringue of fiction: they are light, sweet but tart, and go down easily. They're all enjoyable, but I found that the memory of this one stayed with me far more than the others did ... a credit to the author's realistic characters, engaging plot, and historical detail. I was sorry to say goodbye to Mary and Vaughn but look forward to the next installment.

A great ready - One of my favorite in the Pink Carnation Series. The characters and plot are well developed in Crimson Rose. Extremely entertaining and fun!

This book, the fourth in the series, centers around Lord Vaughn and Mary Alsworthy, the older sister of Letty, the heroine of the last novel. When this book opens, the vain and self-centered Mary is still reeling from being jilted by Geoffrey, a former suitor who ended up marrying Letty. Although not brokenhearted (Mary's interest in Geoffrey was purely financial), Mary is still bitter over the fact that after several seasons, she is remains unmarried. Afraid she is about to end up a spinster, she agrees to help Lord Vaughn, an elusive, sardonic rake who is constantly quoting (and misquoting) Shakespeare, attempt to capture the French spy who calls him/herself The Black Tulip. As the action unfolds-- and there is a lot of suspense in this installment-- Mary and Vaughn are drawn to each other, although they fight against their growing attraction. Many of their exchanges are reminiscent of Rhett/Scarlett or Benedick and Beatrice in that they spar and flirt, while still guarding their feelings. Eventually they fall in love, but their romance is not conventional-- in fact, there isn't even a real love scene between them (my only real disappointment with this book. It was a glaring absence). While I was reading "The Seduction of the Crimson Rose," I thought that it would likely generate a lot of mixed reviews, largely because Mary and Vaughn are not conventional protagonists. Also, although there are romantic scenes, both characters are so pragmatic that they don't get swept away in the manner of the pairings in the other three "Pink Carnation" books. This is not to say, however, that there aren't romantic scenes. They are, and they are sweet, although still in keeping with the characters' more emotionally reticient natures. For me, this installment was the most interesting and satisfying, not only because the writing is the strongest, but because Mary and Vaughn, despite their unconventionality, had what felt like the most real romance. Are Vaughn and Mary likeable? Not as immediately endearing as Henrietta, Amy or Letty or, for that matter Richard, Miles, or Geoffrey, but they are very well drawn, distinctive characters. In the previous books, Vaughn came across as lecherous and a little creepy. It is to Willig's credit that in this one we get a deeper impression of the man as highly flawed, but still sympathetic-- complex, but surprisingly tender. And when Mary falls in love with Vaughn and performs her first unselfish acts, it's hard not to like her. There are many reveals in this novel, and the writing is very crisp. Also, Eloise finally makes progress with Colin. To my mind, the Pink Carnation books are unlike anything else on the market-- a very readable hybrid of historical fiction, romance and suspense. And this installment was, for me, the most compelling of them all so far.

I have read all of the books in this series and enjoyed them all, but none as much as _The Crimson Rose_. Mary and Lord Vaughn make an interesting pair and their verbal repartee reminds me of Beatrice and Benedick, slinging witty insults and always trying to get the upper hand. The additional story line of Eloise, narrator and sometimes PhD researcher, continues to develop her budding relationship with Colin in a satisfying way. All we can do is look forward to the next installment!