Customer Reviews

The Season

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sarah MacLean's THE SEASON has everything a reader could want--a strong, smart heroine who sticks to her guns and saves the day, a romance that will make even the most skeptical heart giddy, a suspenseful mystery that will keep you turning pages right to the end, and a vividly realized historical setting. The writing is a delight, full of humor and tension. I had so much fun with Alex and her friends, and I eagerly look forward to to rejoining them in the sequel (because there had better be one!). Highly recommended to all fans of historical fiction, romance, mystery, and fine stories in general!

As a fan of Jane Austen, mysteries, and strong female characters, this book was the perfect thing for me to read curled up on a snowy day with a cup of tea. All too often I find romances in novels don't move me as I would wish, but I was completely enthralled by the complicated and conflicted relationships in The Season. It was also a very fun read-- I particularly enjoyed the scenes of Alex and her two best friends Vivi and Emma discussing all manner of subjects. I am very much looking forward to visiting with them again!

The Season is a light and charming YA novel set in Regency times. It is a romance with an Austen-like tone, and mystery thrown in for some adventure. It is the kind of book that I used to love as a teenager, and I might have given it 5 stars had I been younger.

It's not a perfect book: the characters have very modern ideas and don't always act in the manner that is believable for the time period (example, a gentleman would never swear in front of a lady--especially if he was trying to impress her); and the mystery part was a little boring (I would have preferred the author skipped it altogether).

But for the most part, it's entertaining. The major and minor characters are interesting. For the author's first novel, it's not bad at all.

The synopsis for this book was intriguing to me because it describes it as a thrilling murder mystery with romance for young adults all set in the Regency era. I haven't ever read a book described like this before, and it sounded really good, but it wasn't. What was disappointing about The Season was the ratio of romance to mystery. It was like a whole pie to a really tiny slice that your mom who is on a diet would order. I was waiting for the clues and the sleuthing but it never really came along until the last hundred pages and by then I was so exasperated I didn't care anymore.

I also found the characters flat. All Alex ever seems to talk/think/dream about is not getting married and not being chased by hotties and not I DON'T CARE ANYMORE I GET IT. Her best friends are pretty boring too, mainly because they're all the same and don't serve any purpose other than to agree with each other. "I hate marriage." "So do I." "Me three!" And not to mention Gavin (who is not `brooding' at all, book jacket), who is so obviously going to cure Alex's aversion to men that its sad.

Overall I would not recommend this book, because its not very good. If you want to read something with mystery and sweet, subtle romance and awesome BFFs, read Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty.

A very romantic novel set in Regency London is not my usual type of read, but Sarah MacLean has such a magical way with words, I'm going to make an effort to change this. I started reading The Season when I really didn't have time to settle in with a book--and was hard pressed to put it down.

The Season is a very engrossing story about a feisty seventeen-year-old, Lady Alexandra Stafford, and her two best friends, Ellie and Vivi, as they prepare for their first season. It's time to get married! No matter how much you don't want to. And Alex? So doesn't want to. She's more set on adventure and not being tied down for the rest of her life. And though she makes it abundantly clear she has no interest whatsoever in snagging a husband and kissing fun goodbye, she still must endure the balls and dinner parties and an ever-growing list of suitors.

More preoccupying than those, however, are the strange new feelings she's developed for her old friend, Gavin. Gavin's father, The Earl of Blackmoor, recently died in an accident that's looking a little less accidental every day, and before she knows it, Alex finds herself caught up in a mystery so dangerous that marriage becomes the least of her problems.

The Season is a clever, engaging, romantic romp. I loved the tension between Alex and Gavin and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see whether the (mis)adventures that befell them would bring them closer together or tear them apart. One of my favourite aspects about this book was that the biggest obstacles facing their complicated relationship were often of their own making. Alex and Gavin question their feelings for each other in a refreshing way that doesn't turn into a frustrating He Said/She Said.

I quite enjoyed the mystery and the way Alex & Co. chose to handle the events that transpired. It felt very realistic to me. The tight friendship between Alex, Vivi and Ellie was one of my favourite dynamics in this story; these are strong women with admirable qualities who complement each other nicely and their banter is snappy and fun.

MacLean's prose is rich and transportive. I loved her attention to detail; from the balls, to who was wearing what. I get lost easily, but I felt like I was there and picturing it all perfectly thanks to her ability to bring the time to life.

A delightful read.

It's About: Alex, Vivi and Ella are all set for their debut Season, but they're far from the poised, proper Regency ladies they're expected to become. Least of all, Alex, whose debut comes first, and somehow (perhaps because she just can't help but meddle) she ends up embroiled in the mystery of the Earl of Blackmoor's unexpected demise.

Even more unexpected, Alex finds herself falling for the new Earl of Blackmoor- a family friend she's known as Gavin all her life. Surrounded by a stable of over-protective brothers, and a society that demands nothing less than propriety, Alex is bound to have the most interesting Season yet.

MacLean has a gift for creating intricate settings- all the fine details that make up this regency world are beautifully drawn, but she never lapses into a place where the setting is more fascinating than the story. Each of her characters are handsomely drawn, from the spirited trio of girls that make up the centerpiece of the story, from the galloping hordes of Alex's brothers, to even the unnamed, but arched-browed ladies of the Ton.

I have to admit a particular fondness for secondary player, Freddie Stanhope- who swears to be a rake and womanizer of the worst sort, but whom I suspect (and I hope I will discover in future installments of this series,) is probably just a sweetheart, deep down inside.

Would I Give This Book to a Teen: The spirited young women in this novel play within the confines of the society in which they live, instead of shamelessly breaking them. Definitely a treat for young women who love Austen, historicals, and sweet romance.

Would I Give This Book to an Adult: Definitely to Regency fans, and to anyone with a taste for something satisfyingly romantic. Because it deals with the first season, and so many novels of the era, and current novels about the era, deal with the same, I think this is a perfect book for adult readers to slip into the YA conception of the Regency world.

My 15 Year Old Son Says: He thinks the brown haired girl on the cover is kind of cute. He refuses to specify which brown haired girl.

a debut that drew me in on so many levels.

i loved the season for maclean's wonderful

way of setting the period / history / culture / politics

for us with utter finesse. i loved it for the

feisty, intelligent heroine, alexandra, and her friends.

their friendship is at the core of the book, and

depicted wonderfully. i loved it for the hero, blackmoor,

who is alexandra's equal in every way. maclean doesn't

make either perfect, but we love them despite their

flaws. and we root that they will love one another too!

and deftly woven between the history and culture,

the friendships and the romantic tension, is political

mystery and danger. the season is a fantastic debut

that offers the reader enjoyment on so many levels!

i can't wait to read the sequel!

Unlike most young ladies from titled families in Regency England, seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford, daughter of the Duke of Worthington, is not looking forward to her debut in London Society. Neither are Alex's two friends, Ella and Vivi. Alex dreads the thought of marriage, as she is an independent thinker and feels most men just want a pretty wife with no thoughts of her own.

Gavin Sewell, their neighbor, is a close friend of Alex's three older brothers and Alex's childhood protector. Gavin's father, the Earl of Blackmoor, recently died under mysterious circumstances, and now Gavin has inherited his title. Gavin has many doubts that his father's death was truly an accident, especially after his home is robbed. Alex has her suspicions too, and wants to help Gavin. But in the process, despite her opposition to marriage, Alex finds herself losing her heart and falling for Gavin, but she is unsure what his feelings for her are.

Even though I am a few years older then the target audience, I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of the historical romances I enjoyed as a teenager, such as the Sunfire and Avon True Romance series. I'd highly recommend this book to teen girls who enjoy historical romances, as well as older readers who still enjoy young adult fiction. It's a light, enjoyable read with a good blend of romance, history, and mystery.

Seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford (a.k.a. Alex) wants nothing to do with the demands of her first London Season in Regency England--in particular she wants nothing of what her mother sees as the primary point of the season: finding a husband. She is sure she will be bored to death by the countless young earls and dukes who care for nothing but her title and her good looks. However, the season turns out to be anything but boring as she faces some dangerous prospects: discovering a traitorous spy, solving a murder, and finding true love.

Sarah MacLean has a clear eye for unfolding both plot and a love story, and The Season was both exciting and romantic. It never felt completely true to the era--the language often seemed modern and the main characters' ideas and ideals at times seemed imposed upon them by a member of the modern world.

However, the intriguing plot and clear voice made the story quite enjoyable--and if you love lush descriptions of period dresses, you should read The Season at least once.

Regency Romance has fallen off recently in popularity, noted by the lack of publishing houses taking on the genre, opting for more intense novels, such as Urban Fantasy. It finds a home again, however, in the YA market with The Season. Certainly aimed at the younger crowd, this novel still holds on to the essence of what makes a regency novel special, a mystery and love story combined.

Alex is a young Society girl, striving for independence in a time where young ladies of the Ton are expected to do nothing other than learn deportment skills and marry well. You find yourself rooting for her as she begins to uncover a mystery surrounding the potential murder of Gavin's father, a long standing friend of the family.

The romance is tied in well with solving the mystery, suspenseful at times and well plotted. MacLean also does a decent job of getting the details right - something that long time fans of regency like to point out when it's done wrong! - even if she takes artistic license with a few things.

I wasn't the target audience for this book (approaching my 30s) but I truly enjoyed every aspect of it. I'd recommend this book not only for teens, but for adults who miss the simplicity of a good Regency tale. I hope to see a sequel in the near future!