An Improbable Season (Unexpected Seasons, 1)
1817, and three young women travel to London for their first season with very mixed feelings. Thalia Aubrey is not looking for a husband but for ‘salons with the brightest ideas’ and for a publisher for her poems, though she does hope to be ‘a little reckless for once.’ Her vivacious younger sister Kalliope looks forward eagerly to parties, social gatherings, and admirers. Uncomfortably aware of her social ineptitude, their cousin Charis is much more interested in science than in social events. How their aspirations are fulfilled or frustrated is presented with both considerable irony and keen insights into the challenges that await the inexperienced. Nor does it take long for disaster to strike, for they are confronted with a highly judgmental society that places a higher value upon appearances than upon reality.
The adverse consequences of their early missteps and subsequent errors in judgement create a rather sobering mood throughout much of the book, but the sympathy and support they receive from friends, parents, and, most importantly, each other help the trio weather the storm. And to recognize that modifying one’s expectations may lead to surprisingly satisfying opportunities.
This coming-of-age Regency romance is marketed for a teenage audience, and the tone does verge on the didactic at times. The lessons, however, remain applicable for a modern audience, especially the need to be honest about one’s feelings, to be ready to make apologies, and to offer forgiveness to others. Recommended.
