AN IMPROBABLE SEASON follows a set of three girls--two sisters and their cousin--as they embark on their London season, searching for love--at least, in some cases. I enjoyed seeing each girl's perspective; I didn't feel super connected to any of them, unfortunately, but I did like following each perspective. While they all had distinct interests, they all kind of ran together at some point, as did their love interests. There was also one plot line that ran through much of the book that didn't really seem to be resolved, and I wish it had. I don't have too much to say about this one; the story was fairly predictable, but it was overall a fun, very light-hearted story if you're looking for a YA historical romance.

An Improbable Season follows sisters Thalia and Kalliope and their cousin Charis during their first season in London. While each hopes for something different, it is far from the season they expect to have almost from the beginning.

I liked that this novel was told from Thalia, Kalli, and Charis' perspectives so there were three storylines to follow instead of just one. I was hoping for more of a relationship between the sisters and their cousin, but do not feel like those relationships were very well developed. As I continued reading, I really only cared to follow Kalli and Adam's story, but didn't feel like I got as much as I wanted. Overall, it was enjoyable!

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thebookedcookie
An Improbable Season

This is a quick, fun young adult regency romance. There are three main characters, two are sisters and their cousin. All three of them are distinct and want different things from their lives. They each learn to value their own strengths.

Every chapter alternates the POV. It’s interesting to see the story through each of their eyes. Their storylines and POVs are woven together skillfully.

The three girls embark on a London season and pure chaos erupts. I felt so anxious reading this because I had no idea how this would end. Would they each get a happily ever after?

I was rooting for some of the love interests and not for others. I definitely had my favorite characters. I wanted each person to get what they deserved, and ultimately, I was left satisfied.

This is a true young adult book that is clean with only kisses (although a bit descriptive.)

An Improbable Season is the first Regency from author Rosalyn Eves, who previously wrote YA fantasy, and I really liked it. I particularly liked Eves’ awareness of the social issues of the era, colonialism and race relations,, which is something that is still rather lacking in much adult historical romance, especially in the mainstream and by majority white cishet writers.
The story follows three girls making their debut, two sisters and their cousin, as they are all being hosted by their cousin’s much more well-off family. Each of the girls is fairly well-defined and given their own time to shine. Each has their own interests, and their personal desires and romantic journeys play into some familiar tropes, like being a bluestocking trying to make their mark, dealing with unrequited love, or making the choice between different suitors. The romantic drama was intriguing, and I truly felt for them, especially Kalli.
This is a fun read, and I hope it’s just the first of many historicals from Rosalyn Eves (many sites suggest this is the first of a series). If you’re a fan of historical romance, especially of the Bridgerton (show) variety, I’d recommend this book!

An Improbable Season by Rosalyn Eves is my 60th book of 2023 and 131st book of the school year. A huge thanks to #NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for allowing me to read a digital ARC of this YA historical romance novel which is set to be published April 24, 2023. All opinions are my own.

Thalia, Kalliope, and Charis are off to Regency London to debut in society. Thalia dreams of being a published poet, Charis longs to be a scientist and couldn’t care less about society event, and Kalli is excited for balls and courtship. Within two weeks of their arrival their season goes awry and they all begin to question what it is they want.

I love Regency romance stories. There is just something about the time period, the rules of society, and the elaborate parties that pulls me in. I enjoyed that this story was told from alternating perspectives. My favorite character is Charis. She’s unique and not the usual Regency romance character. I feel like Thalia was meant to be the main protagonist as it starts and ends with her, and I believe she is the character depicted on the cover but I found her very unlikable. Because of this, I struggled connecting with her and often found myself rushing through her chapters. I enjoyed the structure and pacing and think this is a great YA Regency romance.

#2023Reads #2023ReadingGoal #AnImprobableSeason #RosalynEves #YA #YoungAdult #YoungAdultReads #YALit #HighSchoolReads #TeacherReader

Sisters Thalia and Kalli, alongside their cousin Charis, are heading to London for their first season. Thalia and Charis both have intellectual pursuits in mind, but Kalli longs to go to balls, meet people, and make a love match. However, the three of them soon find their plans going awry - Thalia becomes enamored of a worldly, rakish man and loses sight of her poetic ambitions; Charis unexpectedly wins the attention of a man of fashion and taste who encourages her scientific mind; and Kalli's first ball ends in disaster when she is caught in a compromising situation and forced into an engagement to save her reputation. By the end of the season, none of these young ladies will end up where they thought to find themselves.

I feel like this novel does a decent job creating a teen Regency romance that can speak to a modern audience. The dynamic between Thalia, Charis, and Kalli feels both realistic for the time period and something contemporary readers will be able to identify within their own sibling and friend relationships. The triple POV storyline can at times be a little confusing with time - Eves goes back within each POV to show what was going on for each girl at the same time, even if the preceding chapter moves forward a few days - but it lets the reader gain insight into what each one is feeling and experiencing, which is especially helpful when it covers the same events. However, the split POV does sometimes make it feel like we aren't getting to know Thalia, Charis, and Kalli as fully as we might if the story were told from one perspective, truncating character development a bit. That being said, it is easier to follow the three of them and how they are developing alongside each other in this format than it would be if Eves had chosen to go a more traditional Regency romance route and give each girl her own book. It is also refreshing that the girls are not falling in love with dukes and earls and other such lofty titles, but gentlemen without titles. The author's note at the end is also a good addition since it provides some additional context for Eves' narrative setting. Fun and light.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read An Improbable Season early in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this YA regency romance! Personally, I liked Charis and Kalli the most; I could have lived without Thalia’s POV simply because I got so frustrated with her! However, I think this is perfect for teens who want a taste of Bridgerton without the mature themes or for general fans of Austen.

It was easy to get absorbed in the drama and lives of these teen girls, even as a 23 year old. I thought each girl had a unique personality with important and valuable dreams. Thalia and Charis were a mix of Jo and Amy March & Kalli was a Meg, if you want to make those comparisons.

Overall, I highly recommend this one to historical romance lovers! thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and rosalyn eves for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun read! I loved the regency romance vibes and it was so nice to read about three female leads who each had their own interests, dreams and distinct personalities. The multi-POV format of each main character lent a lot to the story and I felt like I got to know each of them so much better.
Out of the three couples, there was definitely one I was rooting for the most as it felt the most genuine to me. The other two romances were a little lacking in their connection. I still had a good time reading about each storyline but some definitely felt stronger than others.
I was so surprised to find out this book was the first historical by this author! It felt like this was written by a regency romance veteran. I also thought the author’s note was a great inclusion and I’m glad she brought up the historical context of the novel there. I’ll be checking out more of hers in the future!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange, for an honest review.

While certainly a tempting read for readers who need something a little tamer than the classic adult Regency romance, and featuring decent writing and some well-differentiated characters with different but equally strong goals, it did feel somewhat lacking in terms of actually having a plot. Try handing to readers who enjoy the relationship dynamics of American Royals.

This book was so much fun! I loved that there are three stories interwoven into one book and that we get three POVs. Was it perfect? No, but I enjoyed this book so much that I just had to give it five stars.

Things I loved:
- Multiple POVs
- Charis, Kalli, and Thalia
- the love interests (of two of the girls, iykyk)
- All the twists
- The sweet epilogue

This was such a great introduction to this author. I hope we get more regency books from her in the future!

With the launch of the popular Bridgerton tv series, I feel like regency romance has been pretty popular recently. It’s always been a genre I enjoy, so I jumped at the chance to read #animprobableseason
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This is a YA take on regency romance. An Improbable Season has three POVs. We follow Thalia and Kalliope who are sisters and their cousin Charis who are making their society debut. Each of the teenage girls has her own embarrassing situations and struggles on the journey to finding love.
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🫖garden scandal
🫖arranged marriage
🫖 enemies to lovers
🫖banter
🫖girls in STEM
🫖clean romance
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This book has a little bit of everything and all the tropes we love in regency romance. I would compare this book to the series, A League of Extraordinary Women by Evie Dunmore. It has the strong female characters and the swoony male leads.
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I think is would be a good read for a beginner YA reader in the regency romance. Adorable cover too!
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Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Thoughts

At the end of the day, this book is just fun. It has all the right regency trappings to make it perfectly escapist, even if some of the little details wouldn't hold up under harsh scrutiny. It's made for regency romance fans, and it does its job well.

Pros
Bumbling: The very first thing that I love about this book is just how awkward the characters are in their social interactions. They are teenagers after all, and that young-adult-trying-to-flirt energy comes through strong. The first few interactions with suitable gentlemen are utterly embarrassing (but not so much in a secondhand embarrassment way), and I love that. These little social foibles are terrible in hindsight and are part of the character growth.

All the Tropes: Are you tired of regency romances picking just one or two of your favorite archetypes? Well, Roslyn Eves has your back! This book contains a bit of it all--in a good way. There's an aspiring young (woman) poet who wants to make her mark in the world. There's a rather aloof (and incredibly wealthy) eligible gentleman who finds himself unexpectedly attracted to an unusual woman. There are nighttime garden scandals. People are caught in innocent situations that don't look so innocent from the outside, and every little bit of a good Regency romp makes its way into these pages. It's fun.

No Mr. Right Guy: Eves offers several good potential matches, not just one "right" guy and several wrong ones. While it was obvious, to me, who would end up with whom, I didn't find myself rooting for any particular match along the way. It was nice to have plenty of good matches in the mix here.


Cons
Vicar's Daughters: This isn't really a book meant to be picked apart, so this isn't really a problem. But some of the little details felt... off. It's nice that these girls have the wealthy connections to get them to London for the Season, but these smart, educated vicar's daughters might not fit in with the Ton as well as this book makes it appear. They're just not quite the same archetype. Sure, they're not mingling with dukes and landed gentry, but it still seems a little odd. Where are their funds coming from? The new dresses, the plentiful invites, the social confidence to buck against the perceived rules all have to come from somewhere, right? These questions can be put aside for the romp of it all, but there are several little needling questions that persist if you stop to think.

Indiscretion: I know we're writing backwards here--writing history for a modern audience--but all of these girls seem so willing to throw caution to the wind. They're all quite willing to kiss people when they get the chance, and that feels unlikely. I get it. It's part of our modern expectation for romance literature, but still. Would these girls be so willing to risk their whole reputation for alleyway kisses?

Mr. Perfects: While there wasn't necessarily a "right" guy versus a "wrong" guy, there were still very obvious "good" guys versus "bad" guys. The Perfect matches were all great options, options that any of these girls could have been happy with. But the bad eggs are really rotten, and that's abundantly clear. And it just made me sad to see one particular educated, smart character falling for such an obviously bad choice in this book because, unlike the more ambiguous good matches, he was clearly wrong, wrong, wrong. The right choices are interchangeable. The wrong choices are obvious. And that's unfortunate, reader-experience-wise.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10

Fans of Sophie Jordan's Sixteen Scandals will love this new regency romp. Those who enjoyed Sophie Irwin's A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting will appreciate these independent young regency ladies.

I love historical romances, but this one missed the mark for me. Centering the story around three ladies finding love in their first season, it became a lot to juggled throughout the story and made it harder to give each lady's romance the depth it deserved. I know this is a YA novel, but the characters were very bratty to each other at times that made them unbearable to read about. For most of the book, I was only interested in Charis who appeared to be the only likable character for me which made me pretty checked out for about 2/3rds of the book.

AN IMPROBABLE SEASON

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Read this book if you like:
•Enemies to lovers
•Forced proximity
•Elopements
•Bluestocking FMCs
•Clean romance

One of my favorite things about this book was having three points of view. Each main character is developed so well that you feel like you are reading three separate love stories. But the author also successfully blends the stories into one book! This book also has some fun twists that kept me guessing until the end. The youthful tone makes it a great introductory read to the Regency genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the eARC!

*Will post review on Bookstagram before April 25, 2023*

"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 am here for all things Regency!

A sweet set of 3 braided YA love stories set in Regency era London. One girl gets trapped in an unwanted marriage after being caught in a garden alone with a young man, but maybe there's more to her intended husband than she first thought. A second girl gets seduced by a rake with questionable intentions, and needs to rethink what she really wants out of love. A third finds herself butting heads with a social paragon whose excellent sense of fashion hides an intellect that equals her own. All three girls have goals of their London season, not all of which are about the young gentlemen they meet, but romance readers will be delighted with how much the story focuses on the romantic relationships the girls form, with their stolen kisses, fluttery glances, and well-chosen dance partners at each successive ball. Eves weaves the three stories together through the tight bonds the girls have with one another--2 are sisters and 1 a close cousin--balancing the desire for romantic love with the complications and support of female friendship. There are fun nods to Bridgerton and Austen that fans will recognize immediately, but the stories that unfold have a tone and style all their own, with lots of flirty banter, balls, garden parties, intellectual symposia, artistic salons, and carriage rides. The novel is also sprinkled with poetry, scientific observations, and domestic quotes of the era, fleshing out the sense of setting without impeding the momentum of the story. And Eves will keep you guessing about precisely how the 3 stories will play out, with just enough suitors to keep pages turning until the girls get their HEAs. A joyful look at the complications of young love, female friendship, and how to reach for the things that bring happiness.

This book had such a delightful voice!
Three young ladies are entering society, when they all find themselves in different situations. (In different tangles with different people.)
In this book they work together to find their happily ever afters.
This book is YA friendly, but still has plenty of humor and entertainment to be a thrilling read for all ages!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!!

2/9 - 3/5
DNF 33%

I am a very fast reader. The more I like the book, the faster I will finish. I’ve read 3 books in a day before (300 pages each). If it isn’t fantasy or sci-fi, I will read it faster just because of writing styles and worldbuilding and other stuff. If it’s an ebook I’m reading on my phone, I get through it faster due to being able to read it anywhere. This book fits 2 out of the 3 categories. So why did it take me almost a month to get through the first 85 pages?

Most DNF books get 1 star. I gave this 2. There was nothing in the book that I had any big issues with, it’s just that I noticed I never reached for the book, I never wanted to read it. I didn’t feel connected enough with the characters or the world, I didn’t really care enough to want to know what happens to them next. I chose to dnf because I don’t want to read a book I don’t care about that much, I want to move on to a different one.

The premise of this sounds interesting. 3 family members go to London to become a part of society, but misfortunes come for all of them. It had great worldbuilding, I liked the author’s writing, but there was just one problem for me:

I couldn’t tell the characters apart. In a book with multiple povs, it is necessary to understand the differences between characters. It was hard for me to remember the relationships to other characters, and the individual plots that happened to them. Maybe that’s the fault of me taking so long to read it, I don’t know, but they weren’t distinct enough for me. Mostly, I had trouble with Thalia and Kalli, and then I honestly had no idea who Mr. Darby was.

Overall, if you are looking for a sweet ya historical fiction novel, I would still suggest you could read this one. I just had a few problems remembering plots and characters, but maybe if I chose to continue this things would be clearer. This book wasn’t for me, but it might be for you.

An Improbable Season, which is set in 1817 London, introduces sisters Thalia and Kalliope, who join their cousin Charis for their first season. In alternating third-person narration Thalia's love of poetry, Kalli's of home and family and Charis's of natural science are revealed. With all of society's rules and regulations for debutantes, scandal immediately erupts, and Kalli finds herself engaged to childhood friend Adam to avoid family ruin. Adam has always been in love with Thalia, who is looking for a more intellectual match, which she thinks she's found in James. Meanwhile Charis, who wants to connect with the scientific community, finds a kindred soul in Mark, who delights in her quirky interest in bugs and birds. Although all of the girls' initial plans are thwarted by unexpected predicaments, the three band together to navigate societal expectations and find unpredictable happy endings

An Improbable Season is a fun beginner entry into the world of historical regency romance for teens who have been enchanted by the Bridgerton series on Netflix. As a fan of both that series and adult historical romance, this was an enjoyable read. It takes time to introduce/define concepts that will be more common when the reader ages up into adult romance (which often assumes you already know the historical lingo). This book also offers several different heroines to root for, all unique and engaging in their own ways. Wholeheartedly recommend for school libraries and beginner romance readers.