Book Review
Jul. 29th, 2023 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariA Wallflower Christmas
by Lisa Kleypas
This novella is something of an addendum to the Wallflowers series. Rafe Bowman, rakish brother of Daisy and Lillian, is set to arrive at the Westcliff manor for a Christmas time house party. The Bowman patriarch is pressuring him to marry Lady Natalie Blandford, a beautiful paragon of the British aristocracy. However, Rafe meets Hannah Appleton first. Hannah is the poor cousin of and companion to Natalie. Rafe finds himself oddly attracted to Hannah, and she feels herself a bit drawn to him as well, even if he puts her off at first. A house party and a bit of holiday festivity clarify their feelings for each other.
Unfortunately, I was surprisingly disappointed with this story, largely because Rafe is a jerk most of the time. Soon after he meets Hannah, he forcibly kisses her a couple of times, despite her being pretty clear that she doesn't want the contact. Plus, he makes a few remarks that may have been intended as teasing but convey further disregard for consent. Alas, while Rafe provides some nice romantic moments later on, he never fully apologizes for or acknowledges his early rapey behavior. Hannah was pretty cool, although she succumbs to the insta-love too quickly.
by Lisa Kleypas
This novella is something of an addendum to the Wallflowers series. Rafe Bowman, rakish brother of Daisy and Lillian, is set to arrive at the Westcliff manor for a Christmas time house party. The Bowman patriarch is pressuring him to marry Lady Natalie Blandford, a beautiful paragon of the British aristocracy. However, Rafe meets Hannah Appleton first. Hannah is the poor cousin of and companion to Natalie. Rafe finds himself oddly attracted to Hannah, and she feels herself a bit drawn to him as well, even if he puts her off at first. A house party and a bit of holiday festivity clarify their feelings for each other.
Unfortunately, I was surprisingly disappointed with this story, largely because Rafe is a jerk most of the time. Soon after he meets Hannah, he forcibly kisses her a couple of times, despite her being pretty clear that she doesn't want the contact. Plus, he makes a few remarks that may have been intended as teasing but convey further disregard for consent. Alas, while Rafe provides some nice romantic moments later on, he never fully apologizes for or acknowledges his early rapey behavior. Hannah was pretty cool, although she succumbs to the insta-love too quickly.
