The Season

Let me admit to something straight off the bat--if your character’s name is Alexandra Elizabeth and she’s a brunette, you’ve already got yourself an interested reader in me. If your book is also set in Regency England, you’ve just made a sale. No questions asked. If you then make the book so interesting and captivating, with lively characters, attention to detail and gorgeous gowns described--well you just earned yourself a dedicated reader until you stop writing.

The book begins with the start of the Season--the height of the ton’s social gatherings for four months of glittering balls, strolls through the park and social call after social call (not to mention dinner parties, al frescos, lunch get togethers, rides in show more carriages…) and Lady Alexandra’s debut into the society. She doesn’t hold much hope for excitement for the Season--she much prefers books and spending time with her two closest friends Ella and Vivi. Both of whom share her passion for the intellectual pursuits and wariness of formal gatherings.

The strength of the book relies on those three and their interactions with each other and the world at large. They each view the world differently, but look to each other for support and guidance. Just how many crazy schemes those three got into as children isn’t said, but from the plans they make in this book one can only imagine (with horror and humor equally)!

Our romantic leads--Alex and Blackmoor (Gavin)--follow a typical romance storyline, that of old friends who see each other differently as adults, but thankfully neither of them is blind. Alex doesn’t suddenly become a simpering miss, determined to behave differently in order to win him and Gavin doesn’t suddenly start treating her like a delicate flower. Neither do they admit to harboring feelings for years, they both recognize that it wasn't until recently they began to see each other in a romantic light.

The mystery, that of Blackmoor Senior’s death, is fairly easy to guess at, but its not a primary focus of the story. Not till closer to the end when things begin to heat up. Many chapters begin with a person’s thoughts--sinister thoughts that serve to advance the mystery plot without needlessly having the characters run around.

A highly recommended read for young adults who enjoy romance, fashion and a little bit of intrigue and for adult fans of the regency genre! show less

Judging this book by it's cover I thought it would be a lot like Gossip Girl set in Regency England but as I got only a few pages into it I realized this was a novel that held it's own. There was just enough history in the book without being overwhelming period based and I loved looking up the different dress styles on google to see what they looked like! Clearly, MacLean had a great understanding of Regency England and wove it into the story flawlessly.

The book was written brilliantly, as well. Pages and pages flew past me while I was reading. I was completely drawn into the tale. MacLean adopted some of the writing characteristics and the sayings of the time period she was writing in which made her writing pop! I can't express enough show more how well written this book is!

The love story between Gavin and Alex was heartfelt. I found myself giggling when Alex did during their encounters and feeling my heart melt at their realistic and romantic love for each other. I was completely envious of Alex! I also adored the friendship of Alex, Vivi, and Ella and really appreciated how each character had their own vivid personality!

Lastly, as if all of that wasn't enough to rush to the library to pick up a copy to read, this novel was filled with adventure and intrigue! Also, completely well woven into the tale. Who doesn't love a good romantice and adventure story? This novel had me gushing and biting my nails at the same time! I adored it! show less

Newcomer Sarah Maclean evokes the age-old tales of marriage games and romance in her debut novel, The Season. Following a formula reminiscent of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The Season is a YA historical romance novel that tells the story of Alex, a headstrong, intelligent young woman who has no interest in marriage and finds her impending introduction into the London social season to be nothing more than a time for her mother to parade her in front of prospective suitors. Along with her close friends Emma and Vivi, Alex must navigate the London social scene while avoiding a marriage match. However, as the story unfolds, Alex finds herself developing feelings for friend Gavin, and a mystery starts to take shape.

Told in the show more tradition of Regency romances, The Season is a well-paced, enjoyable read with a wonderful lead character. Though somewhat predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed Maclean's writing style and well-woven, classy romance (no bodice-ripping here folks). Something about the simplicity of this novel was really enjoyable, and the lush descriptions of London high society didn't hurt either.

Basically, The Season is a modern version of a Jane Austen-style romance (heck, the characters even blatantly discuss Austen's books!) that will appeal to fans of Regency romances, YA historical romance and Austen herself. I particularly liked seeing this book floating somewhat alone in the sea of YA urban fantasy/paranormal romance flooding the market right now. It made The Season feel more unique and, in my opinion, gave it an edge over the currently overdone teen vampire romance novel. show less

Can I just say that I LOVED this book! Yes another fangirly moment brought to you by TSS! I just want to snuggle it while I’m sleeping and pet it’s shiny, pretty cover. I love a historical fiction, especially the ones that are set in the regency period, there’s just something about it that utterly captivates me. And I shouldn’t fail to mention that I’m a huge fan of romance, nothing feels better than being in love. So already this novel had two things going for it before I even cracked it open. And then when I started reading, well I was just blown away! Sarah MacLean say hello to your number one fan!! I adored Alex’s character. She posses all the fine qualities, that I think a “real lady” should! Smart, honest, witty, show more confident, and she’s obviously not afraid to do what she think is right, despite how it may appear to others, it was very refreshing to see that in a regency setting! I was intrigued by the mystery and although I had the killer pegged from the beginning, I was still surprised by the revelations that unraveled soon after he was outed, now that I did not see coming. MacLean’s writing as I mentioned before really blew me away. It’s always an adventure for me when I read a new author, because you never really know what to expect, and I can tell you that I will happily continue reader her novels! The Season was beautifully written without being superfluous in unwanted descriptions. MacLean painted a perfect portrait of her world that included even the finest details that really made the story one of a kind. I usually get lost in an ample description, and I find myself even skipping over the mundane details, but with MacLean, I was to perfectly imagine what she set out to portray in her writing. I felt like I was there dancing and gossiping! My most absolute favorite aspect of the novel was the relationship between Gavin and Alex and how their life long friendship grew into something else. The Season was such a fun read! Smooth writing, enthralling characters, intriguing mystery! Recommended! show less

Did someone say perfect? Well I did! This is the most enjoyable, fun, and romantic book I've read in a good long while! And I suggest you read it RIGHT NOW!

I don't usually go for historical books, there are usually all sorts of things I haven't got a clue about (what are they riding in, what is this weird hobby etc, remember I remember nothing from history class) but in The Season but I didn't have to put up with that frustration and what was left were the beautiful clothes, traditions, and manners of Regency England. It was seriously so much fun and instantly put me in a good mood when reading.

The characters were absolutely wonderful, each with their own personality and vibrancy. Of course Alex was a wonderful character accompanied by show more her two friends Ella and Vivi, they made a great team be it out at a ball or doing detective work! I love the balance in the book between the trio of girls and Alex's three brothers and their family friend Gavin. A lot of great teasing and conversation going on! They all brought something to the table! Gavin was a brilliant character, and could make any girl swoon, good lord! It's impossible to not be memorized by him!

I wasn't sure exactly how the mystery would fit into the rest of the plot when I started reading and I think it worked in perfectly. While the mystery wasn't very hard to solve it provided a great element of suspense to the book! And brought certain characters closer together! And speaking of bringing certain character closer together, I felt like everything I wanted to happen did. While I was reading I would think to myself "Oh my gosh, what if this happened what if that happened" and then they did time after time! It was like the author was reading my mind or something! Very satisfying to read.

I really cannot say enough good things about this book. All I have to say is there better be more where this came from, I'm waiting! show less

Lately I’ve read a few books with romances that troubled me. I’m kind of a sappy, romantic person, but there are a lot of books when two good-looking people are thrown together and fall in love and I don’t really see why. This is not one of those books. Alex and Gavin’s is a romance I can believe in.
MacLean has obviously been influenced heavily by Jane Austen, which she writes in the “About the Author” portion at the back of the book, but is seen throughout the story. The Season has the very best parts of Austen, but it is told in a twenty-first century voice, making it more accessible. Because this is a period different than our own, often authors will allow the story to get weighed down with explanations of how society show more functioned or the details of the clothes. There is just enough description in this book to paint a complete picture of the events, not giving an exhaustive history of a fabric’s origin and journey to the wearer. Because of that, I think the story moves along quickly while still staying firmly rooted in the world of Regency London.
Vivi and Ella, as well as Alex’s brother and her friend Freddie, are entertaining secondary characters. The girls provide a good sounding board for Alex’s confusing emotions about and experiences with Gavin, while her brothers are the exact opposite for Gavin. I liked Freddie because he could have easily been written as nothing but arrogant, but there was something about him that made me believe he really was good at heart.
It’s obvious from the beginning that Alex and Gavin are going to end up together. What isn’t obvious is how the story is going to unfold to bring them together. I want to compare their relationship to that of Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightly, but with a little bit of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy thrown into the mix. It’s got more heat than Woodhouse and Knightly, but is not quite as tension-filled as Bennet and Darcy. Alex and Gavin had a history; they had meaningful conversations with one another; they squabbled; they kissed; they pretended they didn’t kiss. And on top of all that, Gavin doubts that his father’s death was accidental and Alex is determined to not only help him prove it, but to also figure out who is behind it. Overall, the mystery element of the story wasn’t outstanding, but it served its purpose adequately and allowed for more than just a straight “Does he love me, I don’t know” story. Their relationship is far from being just about looking good.
This is a fun, lively, enchanting read, and it provided just the boost I needed in the literary-romance department. show less

Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Stafford, along with her friends Vivi and Ella, are about to enter their first season amidst the “ton”—the most eligible of the eligible, the best and the brightest of London. Only Alex and her friends are not your average pretty-girl gigglies, however. They’d rather stay out of the whole flirting and courting business, away from men who prefer women with vacant minds…women unlike them.

With high-status parents, however, Alex is unable to stay completely out of society. Instead, her circle consists mostly of her three older brothers and their best friend, Gavin Sewell, the new Earl of Blackmoor, whose father died in a mysterious accident that’s beginning to not look like an accident at all. Alex show more expected many things out of the season—boring balls, an overabundance of boring and drooling suitors—but she never expected to feel for Gavin things that she has never felt before. Someone’s out for Gavin’s blood, however, to make sure that he doesn’t discover the truth about his father’s death, and it may be up to Alex to save the life of her beloved.

On one level, Alex’s world seems great: the glamour, the scintillating company, the witty banter between siblings and friends. But that’s just it; all of these things only occur on one level. I couldn’t help but feel like the characters were merely putting on a role, saying lines dictated to them without really meaning it.

With so many characters packed into this book, it was hard for me to keep track of who is who, what their personalities were like. I disliked how Vivi and Ella were shallowly portrayed mostly as Alex’s “ladies-in-waiting,” always just reacting to Alex’s crises and never, seemingly, having desires or even opinions of their own. I would’ve loved to see all the secondary characters change more through the book. THE SEASON centers around Alex and Gavin’s relationship, yes, but for a book that depends so much on the characters’ interactions with one another, shouldn’t equal care be put into developing the others’ personalities as well?

Another thing that led to me being unable to get into this book was the pacing. For some reason, I had thought that the mystery behind the earl’s death, and the impending danger on Gavin and Alex, would have been given more time and explanation. However, the murder mystery ended up feeling like one great big plot device. Nothing really happened until more than halfway into the book, which was where the relationship between Gavin and Alex intensified, and things started to pick up with the murder mystery. But if it takes a book half its length to get the ball rolling, I’m not sure if I’d be willing to stick it out until then. Unless it gets really, really good at the end. Which it doesn’t. Anyone can spot the hasty, picture-perfect ending from a mile off. It’s sad if I feel like I don’t need to read most of the book in order to understand what’s going on.

I understand the appeal of a Regency-era girl who doesn’t conform to the social norms of her time of wanting the rich husband, the best status, etc. I have no doubt that those who enjoy Anna Godbersen’s LUXE series—frothy, light guilty pleasures—will enjoy THE SEASON. While it lacked the substance for my taste, I will still read Sarah MacLean’s future works, because I do believe she has the talent to create three-dimensional characters that we’ll end up liking and caring about. show less