Review: The Season

Title: The Season

Author: Sarah MacLean

Publisher: Orchard Books

Date Released: March 2009

Genre: YA/Historical Fiction

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued — in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.

When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!

My Thoughts:
I love historical fiction and romance so obviously I knew I would like this book. However, I liked it even more because of how the female characters were portrayed.

A lot of books in the YA genre have female characters who are whiny and moody and helpless. They pine over their lover the entire book and can't do anything for themselves. However, in The Season, the lead female character and her two best friends are nothing like this. They are strong and brave and sassy. Alex, along with her friends, takes matter into their own hands without waiting for a man to do it for them.

I also loved the relationship between Alex and Gavin. They started out as childhood friends. He is the same age as her brothers and does everything with them. At the beginning of the novel, he sort of treats Alex like a little sister. But gradually this changes into something more. They have a love-hate relationship through much of the book. One minute they are mad at each other and they next they are "almost-kissing". I must have a thing for "angry love" sagas! But Gavin is a perfect gentleman and likes Alex for who she really is.

This book is a perfect blend of mystery, romance, and comedy. The only thing I questioned was near the beginning of the book. The mystery and intrigue part was alluded to only briefly. However, when everything came together at the end, I totally forgot this point. The only thing that would have made it better is for there to be a sequel!

I would recommend this book to both young and adult readers (it is a perfectly clean read.) And I give it 4 stars.