Lisa Kleypas, It Happened One Autumn

It Happened One Autumn

Lisa Kleypas

Avon, Aug 2005, $7.50, 384 pp.

ISBN: 0060562498

In 1843, American heiress Lillian Bowman, a card carrying member of the Wallflowers, sets her sights on marrying the "Ice Prince" Marcus. He rejects her advances, as he sees her and her three Wallflower compatriots as uncouth barbarians, who think nothing about parading in front of him in their undergarments, though he admits only to himself, the colonist looked quite alluring.

With his aloof put downs, Lillian concludes that her beloved is a snob who needs to be yanked down a peg or two, and she, the Yank, will do so. Marcus, in turn thinks her insolence is a case of poor breeding. With all that going on, it is no wonder that Lillian and Marcus are falling in love with one another, but first, must put aside the boxing gloves for a moment; an act neither wants to do first, for fear of a low blow retaliation.

As she did with the first Wallflowers' historical romance (see SECRETS OF A SUMMER NIGHT), Lisa Kleypas provides her audience with a delightful Victorian tale, starring two individuals in this case who detest one another at first sight. The theme is opposites might attract, but also expel, as neither wants to desire the other in a classic case of reaction formation, because deep inside their hearts they know they have met their soul mate, who is not the image of what they thought they wanted. The lead couple keeps the fun storyline brisk as enemy combatants in love.