Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a recency era YA novel that was a quick and delightful novel. I loved prim and Jacobs might in Vauxhall gardens! Prims mother was nothing short of horrible. Loved Olympia!!! The kisses shares were melt worthy but didn't move beyond that. Great job and will definitely read more!

Cute book for teen romance lovers. Youngest of four daughters, Primrose is tired of being overlooked, left out, and now denied her come out. Defying her mother, she and best friend Olympia sneak out to Vauxhall Gardens for a night of freedom that turns into mayhem but it brings Primrose into contact with Jacob and romance ensues. It is very clear the secret Jacob is hiding and that he will rescue Primrose from the consequences of her rebellion. The story seems unfinished so the characters and relationships aren’t fully fleshed out. The writing is repetitive in spots but the dialog is snappy and the romance, although quick to develop, is believable. Recommended for teens who like romance and historical fiction.

A fun light teen romance set in the Regency period it should engage those budding Austen fans and any girl who's interested in historical novels. Primrose is a frustrated teen desperate for her debut in society and so when her mother tells her outright on her sixteenth birthday that she won't be able to come out into society at all because of her older sister's languishing prospects, she's both depressed and furious. After consulting with her best friend they decide they will have her spend a birthday to remember in disguise at the racy and enticing Vauxhall gardens. It's only when she is at the gardens in a revealing borrowed gown and just a slight mask for disguise that she realizes that such pleasure can have its dangers too. Until a mysterious young man h
named Jacob rescues her and they spend a memorable night facing the dangers and pleasures of Vauxhall together. But will it be just the one night they in which they will spend time together? This is a question Prim wrestles with as she becomes increasingly aware of Jacob's wealthy background, though his true identity is never revealed.

The novel is enjoyable and light and will engage teen girls looking for a romance set in an historic time period, though it's filled with historical inaccuracies. As a historian and lover of Regency romances I balk at the historical inaccuracies but I know that it's common in the genre in recent years and doubt it would inhibit any teen from enjoying this light read.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, perfect for Austen lovers who don't want to reread Emma for the ninth time.

The last of four girls in Regency England, Primrose is used to being overlooked. What she was not expecting, though, was for her mother to tell her *on her birthday!* that she was not going to join the other 16 year old girls and join society. Taking matters into her own hands, Primrose and her best friend, Olympia, decide to have their own night on the town. It doesn't take long for their plans to go astray, and the two are separated. Prim ends up joining forces with a handsome stranger... who is definitely not telling her his entire story.

I'd definitely classify this as , it was an easy and fun read. I was invested in the characters, and really like Sophie Jordan's style of writing. While it is obviously reminiscent of Austen, Jordan brings a new twist with the setting-- the love interests don't even meet at a ball!

Jordan's "Sixteen Scandals" delivers on all the promises of the genre: a marriage-minded mama, a masked escapade, a handsome duke, a daring rescue (or two!), and an ending sequence straight out of teenage dreams (seriously, I feel like the ending could have been something I daydreamed as a teen).
Two things held me back from really enjoying this:
First, most romance novels bring the main characters together by helping them change — the protagonists wouldn't have been a couple at the beginning because of lessons they need to learn/baggage they need to leave behind/etc, and by the end they've grown into the people who can love one another. Neither Prim nor Jacob change at all from beginning to end. So yes — it had a daydream-y quality, but I didn't <feel> their connection beyond teenage fizz.
Second, the one-step-up-from queerbaiting. At the end, two female characters are hinted at being together (and to be fair, we have been hearing how uninterested both of them are in marriage for some time). Unless Jordan intends to write another book about these two characters getting together, it feels like the most cursory kind of "Do I get a cookie for remembering that there were gay people in Regency England?" As a queer reader, honestly, sometimes I would rather authors left out gay characters if that character trait is going to be dropped in 4-5 sentences that have nothing to do with the plot. Like, do better.

All that being said, I did blast through this in one sitting. For teens ready for a slightly-more-steamy Pride and Prejudice, this would be a good fit.

I read a lot of historical fiction, and this one had a different take than many I have read. It is easy for the reader to sympathize with Prim and her predicament as the youngest of four daughters during a time when daughters are seen as an expense and sons are prized. Mirrors Pride and Prejudice in some ways with the parents being a bit irresponsible and favoring certain ones of their children over others based on how well they think they can marry. It was a quick and easy read. Due to mature content (a description of a couple having intercourse in a hedge) I won't be able to purchase this for my middle school library.

**Review will be posted on my blog on 5/3/21 closer to publication date.**
I Liked:
*I’ve read Sophie Jordan’s adult historical romances so I really wanted to see how a young adult romance would work out. I thought the Sixteen Candles twist to it was cute, since it’s one of my most favorite movies of the 80’s.

*Prim definitely takes chances by sneaking out of the house and going to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. I think it’s important to remember in history and historical romances, girls got married at 16+. So Prim sneaking out, really had the risk of being caught in a scandal that could ruin her life.

*Her family life is drama-filled with her sisters and a mom who is laser focused on getting each girl married, except Prim, of course, it’s like she’s too tired to care about Prim, poor girl. Glad Prim doesn’t let that hold her back though.

*The romance is sweet and cute. Prim and Jacob get to know each other all in one night, but the sparks are definitely there by the end.

*It’s a happy ending for Prim, thank goodness because her mom’s plan for her life was pretty harsh.

Random Notes:
*This was a quick read – and it’s meant for teens. As an adult reading it, it wasn’t for me. But this would be definitely perfect for teens – it has a little romance, adventure, and a girl trying to live her young life. I had a hard time trying to stop comparing adult historical romance and this one meant for a younger audience.

*And being a Sixteen Candles fan, where was Farmer Ted?! Haha, I mean Jacob obviously is Jake (the duke). The story takes place all in one night, just like the movie, but I think because of the amazing supporting cast in the movie, Prim and Jacob’s one night escapade in this book fell so short. It had some action, the kind you would get in a pleasure garden haha.

*Everything comes to such a predictable and anti-climatic ending.

FInal Thoughts:
I do wish there was a little more to the Sixteen Candles retelling like having more of a supporting cast like the movie did. Other than that, the story is quick and the romance is sweet. This one is perfect for teen readers who want to read a historical romance story.

In congruence with my campaign to judge books by their covers, I requested this book because of the adorable cover and fun title. I love a Regency romp, and this story had definite YA Jane Austen vibes.

As the title implies, the book follows a similar plot to the 80s Molly Ringwald film, “Sixteen Candles”, except it’s set in 1821 England and doesn’t have an extremely racist portrayal of an Asian person. Basically, youngest child and perpetual rule-follower Primrose Ainsworth decides on her sixteenth birthday to do something rebellious. While her family is out (ignoring her and her special day) she sneaks off to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens with her best friend Olympia for a night of fun. However, a hitch in the plan separates Primrose from Olympia, and she is forced to face the gardens alone, searching for her friend – until she encounters a handsome stranger…hijinks ensue.

This book was fun but was structured in such a way that it felt like not much happened plot-wise, despite a lot of “action” occurring throughout the story. The main romance was cute and had good banter, but it was a little too “at first sight” for my tastes. I enjoyed the between-chapter quotes from “Lady Druthers’s Guide to Perfect Deportment and Etiquette”, as I spent a lot of time researching etiquette guides for my undergrad thesis, and thought that the book contained some good commentary on flouting societal convention. It reminded me in spirit of Cindy Anstey’s books, so if you liked any of those, I would recommend “Sixteen Scandals”.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for access to this ARC!

This book I was not sure where it was going to take me. Some of it I felt was a bit out there. The beginning pulls you in because it is a mystery of where Primrose is and if she will make it out of there alive. The characters were fun and definitely up to no good. Mixed feelings on this one.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Sixteen Scandals is a delightfully silly book; about what you'd expect of a YA centric historical romance. With inspiration taken from the classic 80s movie 16 Candles, Prim wakes up on her 16th birthday and expects that she will be making her debut in society. However, her family family to appreciate the momentous day and tells prim she'll have to wait until her older sister is betrothed before "coming out". Unhappy with this answer, Prim takes it upon herself to have a 16th birthday adventure by sneaking out of her house with her BFF and spending an evening at Vauxhall. Shenanigans ensue which lead to Prim being separated from her friend and rescued by the handsome stranger, Jacob. Prim spends a night to remember with Jacob as one adventure follows the next.

As I said before, this is a silly book. The plot is extremely predictable and the shenanigans a bit out too out there. However, I read this in one sitting and was entertained the whole time.

This was so fun. I love this setting for a romance and it's cool to see it in a YA book. Both characters were really enjoyable.