A Lovely New YA Historical Romance
An Improbable Season
Teen & Young Adult Historical Romance, Teen & Young Adult Regency Romance
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR
April 25, 2023
ebook, hardcover, audiobook
352
For fans of Bridgerton, a Regency romance by Rosalyn Eves about three young women, their big dreams, and a London Season gone awry.
When Thalia, Kalliope, and Charis set off to Regency London for their first Season, they each have clear goals―few of which include matrimony. Thalia means to make her mark among the intelligentsia and publish her poetry, Charis hopes to earn her place among the scientific elite, and Kalliope aims to take the fashionable ton by storm. But this Season, it doesn't take long for things to fall apart. Kalli finds herself embroiled in scandal and reliant upon an arranged marriage to redeem her reputation, Thalia's dreams of publication are threatened by her attraction to a charming rake, and Charis finds herself an unexpected social hit―and the source of a family scandal that her heart might not survive. Can this roller-coaster Season find its happily ever after?
An Improbable Season is a voicy, swoony regency drama about falling in love―with another person, with new opportunities, and with yourself.
“I believe that what brings us pleasure is good, and that what we valorize as virtue occurs when self-interest coincides with a socially accepted ideal of what is right.”
A lot of times, YA books are ones that are distinctly “young” but in more recent years, I’ve found that YA books are just as enjoyable as a lot of Adult Romances specifically Regency Romances. Rosalyn Eves latest release, An Improbable Season, is now an easy recommendation for readers who enjoy a storytelling style with similarities to Jane Austen, Julia Quinn, and any other heavyweights in the historical romance genre.
“She was not a girl anymore; she refused to care what people who did not care for her thought of her.”
An Improbable Season is unique in its premise as it follows not one, not two, but three lovely young ladies as they traverse their debut season in London whilst juggling society expectations and family honor, the pursuit of their own desires. Thalia and Kalli are sisters who couldn’t be more different. Thalia is the eldest. A headstrong young woman who befriends their neighbor, Adam, and has a love of prose. Kalli, her younger sister, is quiet and reserved, definitely the least likely to warrant a scandal, and is the one best suited to a quiet country life —definitely not one of flashy and fast-paced London. Charis is the cousin who is the studious, scientific student. She’s opinionated, well-spoken, and will not back down from an inquiry. Charis is also the character who would gladly be exploring a garden rather than twirling in a ballgown.
Fans of Jane Austen, as well as readers who enjoy intertwined storylines, will also enjoy the various tropes that Kalli, Thalia, and Charis’ romances follow. I admire the adherence to traditional romance, and I admired that both Thalia and Charis eagerly pursue endeavors such as publishing and scientific study regardless of threat to their reputations.
“This was what she loved, the exchange of ideas, and witty repartee, the sense of being both challenged and challenging.”
While reading, I did enjoy the many references and subtle acknowledgements to Jane Austen’s most classic storylines. An Improbable Season read like a homage to some of the most beloved characters and subsequent drama in Austen’s prolific novels. I believe that Rosalyn Eves has written a beautiful novel that would be perfect to introduce young readers to the genre of Regency Romance and should not be missed as a new go-to for readers of all ages.
Jes is a self-proclaimed bookworm, who recently moved from the PNW back to the Midwest. When her nose isn’t in a book, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and her three fur babies, or exploring the globe. She also firmly believes that you should start the day with coffee, and end the day in bed with a good book.
