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The Mischief of the Mistletoe (Pink Carnation #4.2)

by Lauren Willig (Goodreads Author)

4.05 · rating details · 1,149 ratings · 258 reviews

Arabella Dempsey’s dear friend Jane Austen warned her against teaching. But Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies seems the perfect place for Arabella to claim her independence while keeping an eye on her younger sisters nearby. Just before Christmas, she accepts a position at the quiet girls’ school in Bath, expecting to face nothing more exciting than conducti...more

Hardcover, 340 pages

Published October 28th 2010 by Dutton Adult

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Aug 30, 2011

Laurel rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, regency-era-fiction, austen-inspired, anthology-authors

Righty-ho! Turnip Fitzhugh gets this own book!

In her six previous novels in the bestselling Pink Carnation series, Lauren Willig has furnished us with an assortment of dashing heroes thwarting Napoleonic spies while romancing clever heroines. There are your alpha heroes and your beta heroes, but none qualify as a vegetable hero except Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh! He is long on looks and short on brains; but it does not signify. From his very first bumbling scene in The Mischief of the M...moreRighty-ho! Turnip Fitzhugh gets this own book!

In her six previous novels in the bestselling Pink Carnation series, Lauren Willig has furnished us with an assortment of dashing heroes thwarting Napoleonic spies while romancing clever heroines. There are your alpha heroes and your beta heroes, but none qualify as a vegetable hero except Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh! He is long on looks and short on brains; but it does not signify. From his very first bumbling scene in The Mischief of the Mistletoe when he knocks down our heroine Arabella Dempsey and literally, but not figuratively, sweeps her off her feet, he will steal your heart. How our unlikely hero will prove to our practical heroine that he is as honorable as he is lucky in deducing espionage is the charm of this Christmas tale brimming with burlesque comedy and romance.

Set in 1803 Bath, Arabella Dempsey’s dear friend Jane Austen thinks her life would make “an excellent premise for a novel.” She certainly sounds like heroine material. Since her mother’s death at age twelve, Arabella has been living in London with her wealthy Aunt Osborne. More a piece of furniture than a companion, the family had high hopes of her becoming her aunt’s heir until she married Captain Musgrave, a fortune-hunter half her age. Thrown back on her family, Arabella is reunited with her ailing father Rev. Dempsey and her three younger sisters Margaret, Olivia and Lavinia, all living in genteel poverty in Bath. Happily her particular friend Jane and the Austen family are residing nearby offering support and the witty advice that she is famous for.

Realizing that she must earn a living, Arabella is fortunate to obtain a junior instructress position at Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies in Bath. At school she does not expect to literally bump into Reginald Fitzhugh, “Turnip” to his friends, in the hallway while he was delivering a Christmas hamper to his younger sister Sally. They had met and danced in London. Awkward, tall and shy, Arabella is not a striking beauty, but she is clever and capable. Turnip is amiable and handsome, but not the “brightest loaf in the breadbox.” He does not remember her, but that was par for the course of her career as a wallflower in London.

Their adventure is set into motion by a Christmas pudding and a mysterious note written in French tied around it. Turnip has had some dealings with spies and espionage having once been accused of being the infamous “Pink Carnation” and he is keen to follow the clues and solve the mystery. Arabella is not so sure, but her charges at Miss Climpson’s: Miss Sally Fitzhugh, Miss Agnes Wooliston, Miss Lizzy Reid and the scandalous Miss Catherine Carruthers are a teenage force of nature and talk a good case. We follow Arabella, Jane and Turnip in a phaeton ride to a frost fair in the picturesque ruins of Farley Castle to encounter more pudding clues placed on stone effigies, experience an hysterical Christmas pageant at Miss Climpson’s that goes terribly wrong, more spy evidence, meet a suspicious French language teacher and an equally doubtful Italian music instructor, and travel to Girdings House, the principal seat of the imposing Dowager Duchess of Dovedail for her famous twelve days of Christmas festivities for more antics. Along the way Turnip and Arabella stumble upon clues, save England, and fall in love.

The Mischief of the Mistletoe takes place after The Seduction of the Crimson Rose but before The Temptation of the Night Jasmine in series order and readers will recognize many characters interlaced in the narrative. I was absolutely delighted in the paring of the kind hearted Turnip, famous for his absurdly embroidered waistcoats and bumbling antics to our sensible and responsible heroine Arabella. Even though Turnip is thought of as the one who is slower on the uptake, he sees what is important and is attracted to wallflower Arabella while she is sidetracked by Christmas puddings, spies and the social chasm she thinks separates them. How they come together (and you know that they will) is a pleasure to discover.

Rivaling the burlesque comedies of Georgette Heyer and the spy thrillers of Baroness Emma Orczy, I can think of no other contemporary author who can handle high comedy, historical accuracy and espionage as brilliantly as Lauren Willig. I hope that her storyline working in Jane Austen and her unfinished novel The Watsons will send readers off to discover or re-read the original. That gentle readers is a Christmas present rivaled only by the receipt of this novel. “Righty-ho”

Laurel Ann, Austenprose(less)

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Jan 11, 2011

Shelli rated it

I don't know if I was just starved for some good, clean romance or what... but this really hit the spot.

When I read Willig's comment that she was writing this book because her readers wanted to know more about Turnip, I honestly thought, "Why? Turnip is a dolt," and I thought, "annoying..." I was too influenced by the other characters who were not always kind in their descriptions of the man.

But it only took about half a page before I was completely i...more

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Aug 31, 2011

Rebecca rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

I've complained about the awkward device in Willig's novels in which she alternates between dashing spy romances and tepid modern day drama. In this book, delightfully, Eloise-the-irritating-historian makes no appearance whatsoever! Instead, the entire book is focused on the adventures of the English spy set, which is a vast improvement.

Willig continues in well-differentiating between the characters of the different books. Previous heroes and heroines show up now and then, but I very...moreI've complained about the awkward device in Willig's novels in which she alternates between dashing spy romances and tepid modern day drama. In this book, delightfully, Eloise-the-irritating-historian makes no appearance whatsoever! Instead, the entire book is focused on the adventures of the English spy set, which is a vast improvement.

Willig continues in well-differentiating between the characters of the different books. Previous heroes and heroines show up now and then, but I very much like the fact that the current hero and heroine do not always like the previous characters. Everyone's a hero in their own story, but they all have flaws and the other characters are quite aware of them. This one thinks that one's priggish, that one thinks the third's a snob, she believes he is untrustworthy, he thinks she's altogether too boring for words.

In this particular story, the male lead has been the buffoon in the previous books. (Willig implies she wrote this one due to popular demand for poor Turnip to get a love story of his own.) He continues to be a complete dolt in this one--he's just kind of dim. But Willig gets well into his head and makes him completely sympathetic while doing doltish things and does a surprisingly good job of not being condescending. He knows he's not very clever and he's doing the best he can. She also does a fantastic job of explaining why a bright enough girl might fall for him--he's genuinely sweet and gallant. He treats her far better than the smarter men do, because he's a genuinely good person who's worthy of being loved. I never would have thought I'd be charmed by someone not very smart--intelligence is absolutely at the top of my personal attraction list. But I genuinely believed in their happy ending--the particular woman values him for the right reasons, and while she'll probably be periodically exasperated with him, I truly believed they would be happy together in the long run. This is probably the sweetest, silliest, and most fun of all the books in the series.

Amusingly enough, this is the most chaste of this series. Both characters are scarcely the type to sleep with someone they cared about before marriage (although it's implied Turnip has come to some mutually beneficial arrangements with some women outside his class in the past). Since the book ends (oh no, spoilers for a romance!) on a proposal, there's simply no time for more than a couple stolen kisses. Apparently fans were very disappointed that Turnip didn't get any action. So Willig obligingly wrote a short story about their wedding night and handed it over to the crew at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books for distribution. (Have to hand it to the woman, she knows how to keep her fans happy.) It's positively adorable.(less)

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Jul 31, 2011

Erin Maynard added it

Perhaps I'm just a sucker old-fashioned tidings of Christmas cheer, but "The Mischief of the Mistletoe" has been, to date, my favorite of Lauren Willig's "Pink Carnation" series. It even manages to eclipse the series' debut, which was not a feat I imagined possible. But how can you not love espionage delivered in a Christmas pudding? And all the rolicking good fun of a traditional English countryside Christmas, replete with Twelfth Night and Epiphany festivities, just adde...morePerhaps I'm just a sucker old-fashioned tidings of Christmas cheer, but "The Mischief of the Mistletoe" has been, to date, my favorite of Lauren Willig's "Pink Carnation" series. It even manages to eclipse the series' debut, which was not a feat I imagined possible. But how can you not love espionage delivered in a Christmas pudding? And all the rolicking good fun of a traditional English countryside Christmas, replete with Twelfth Night and Epiphany festivities, just added to the whimsy. I could fairly smell the pine and mulled cider. Then add in a girls seminary AND Miss Jane Austen, and readers can't help but be captivated. The book works well for those who aren't familiar with the PINK series, in that while a good number of past characters make appearances (and some surely future heroines, likely to include Miss Lizzy Reid) the history of all of the goings-on of the past novels aren't a pre-requesite for understanding this particular novel. Those of us who ARE familiar with the series, and up-to-date with our ever blossoming botanical brethern of spies will appreciate that Turnip Fitzhugh does finally get a girl, and in fact has more than one dimension. Actually, Turnip reminds me slightly of Ms. Willig's inspiration for the entire series, the character of the Scarlet Pimpernel. There is more to Turnip than the surface that one might have guessed at from the first few novels. Perhaps that's why he's a root vegatable? Further, fans of the series will enjoy the inside out view of Christmas at Girdings from "Temptation of the Night Jasmine." Which, while all the same elements of Christmas time were there for Charlotte's story, they took a back seat to her high romance with Robert. I've always said Charlotte was the most traditionally "romantic" of the Pink girls, and as such the Christmas story gets lost a bit. But with "Mistletoe," it's almost as if the Christmas season is a character as much as Turnip and Arabella. OK, maybe not as much as Turnip, he IS rather flamboyant... All in all, a great read. A stocking stuffer for sure!(less)

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Jan 03, 2011

Mackenzie rated it

This is the best book in the Pink series by Lauren Willig. Flawless in its writing, this is one gratifying romance novel that you can sink your teeth into and feel completely happy about once you finish reading it.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book seeing as it appeared more of an 'interlude' rather than a continuation of the Pink storyline. But my worries were completely extinguished by, oh, the second page. The book is so well written, the plot thoughtfully woven and the ...moreThis is the best book in the Pink series by Lauren Willig. Flawless in its writing, this is one gratifying romance novel that you can sink your teeth into and feel completely happy about once you finish reading it.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book seeing as it appeared more of an 'interlude' rather than a continuation of the Pink storyline. But my worries were completely extinguished by, oh, the second page. The book is so well written, the plot thoughtfully woven and the characters absolutely charming that it ends up being better than the last two Pink novels, Temptation of the Night Jasmine and Betrayal of the Blood Lily.

Perhaps because the hero, Reginald 'Turnip' Fitzhugh, is a far more pleasant and charming chap than the heroes of those two books respectively - Robert, Duke of Dovedale, and Alex Reid - combined. In fact, Turnip, who was pretty much the comic relief in the previous four books, is probably Willig's most swoon-worthy hero. He's not only friendly, funny and dashing, but apparently his 'colorful' fashion sense is matched by a very handsome set of features. He's also gallant and brave, which makes him the very definition of knight in shining armor.

Meanwhile, his love interest, Miss Arabella Dempsey, is the perfect foil to him: practical, sensible and strong of character. She may be ordinary and forgettable to others but I won't be forgetting her anytime soon. She's not afraid to speak her mind when the occasion calls for it. There was one particular instance where she and Mary Alsworthy, now Lady Vaughn, had a verbal match and Arabella performed admirably. She's more than a worthy partner for Turnip, who's slightly slow on the uptake on many things, because she's also smart and quick but not overwhelming like Penelope Deveraux (the heroine of Blood Lily). All in all, a very likable and very Austenesque character.

It is no mistake that the famed Jane Austen makes an appearance in this book, too. Mischief of the Mistletoe is based on Austen's unfinished novel, The Watsons, and Arabella is meant to be a counterpart of that novel's leading lady, Emma. But to accuse Willig of ripping off Austen would be completely wrong. The basic premise may be the same but Willig's novel is a different animal altogether.

While it is admittedly rather fluffy (perhaps overly so for some people), the espionage element of the story is nothing to sneer at. In fact, the spy business they need to take care of in this book is a gripping one that will hold your attention from beginning to the end. With the usage of something as traditional as an English Christmas pudding, Willig weaved an intricate tale of unexpected treachery that left me wondering until the very end.

So many Regency romance authors try too hard to sound British, romantic or clever. Some of them do it well, some of them do it badly. But Willig neither does it badly nor well. She does it splendidly. There really is no other author who can write plausibly historically accurate romance espionage fiction the way she does it: effortlessly, admirably, stylishly.(less)

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Dec 23, 2010

Girls Gone Reading rated it

Written in Austen-style, The Mischief of the Mistletoe is a great read. Lauren Willig based this novel on Jane Austen’s The Watsons, and the reference is easily seen. All of these elements together made Mischief a fun addition to my holiday reading.

As a newbie to the Pink Carnation series, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the compilations of Willig’s style. Part mystery, part romance, and a lot of historical fiction Mischief is the best of each genre. I have never read a book befo...more

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Dec 06, 2010

Kendra rated it

I have to admire Lauren Willig's ability to to take side characters that, on the surface, don't seem to be leading role material and make you absolutely love them (or love to hate them) while staying completely true to their already established selves. I was a little wary, to say the least, when I heard Turnip would be the hero of The Mischief of the Mistletoe. I've always found him to be hilarious, with his over-the-top pink carnation adorned waistcoats and all, but he seemed better suited to o...more

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Nov 22, 2010

Julie rated it

It takes an incredibly gifted author to take unimportant people with serious flaws, keep them true to character, and still make the reader sit up and cheer for them. I loved this book. It is so nice to be able to recommend a book without sex, horror, or anything else to qualify how and why I liked it.

In Mischief of the Mistletoe, Reggie "Turnip" Fitzhugh finally gets his romantic turn. He has been a comic foil in most of the other Pink Carnation books. He has been presented ...moreIt takes an incredibly gifted author to take unimportant people with serious flaws, keep them true to character, and still make the reader sit up and cheer for them. I loved this book. It is so nice to be able to recommend a book without sex, horror, or anything else to qualify how and why I liked it.

In Mischief of the Mistletoe, Reggie "Turnip" Fitzhugh finally gets his romantic turn. He has been a comic foil in most of the other Pink Carnation books. He has been presented as a clueless fop, but entirely good natured. He is still a little clueless, and the author doesn't make his a secret genius or change his character, but you do find out that his apparent lack of understanding is more a matter of what he is and isn't interested in remembering, rather than an ability to remember. He has used his bumbling deliberately a time or two to further the cause of the pink Carnation, but he neither takes pride in that, nor finds it particularly important. He is just a completely guileless character who finally runs into (literally) his true love. I like Arabella, the heroine, too. She is a girl whose hair isn't golden, or flaxen, or russet, it is just hair color, and her eyes are not the color of the sky or the sea or anything else romantic, they are just regular blue. She is used to being overlooked, and has no expectations or anxiety about changing her status. But she recognizes what a priceless thing a man without a fake bone in his body is, and stands up for Turnip when others don't even bother to veil their criticisms.

If you like dry British humor, lots of character building, and a little intrigue and a good deal of romance I recommend this book. There are a couple of hot kisses, but no sex scenes (What a relief) and lots of humor. I laughed out loud too many times to count while reading. It takes a lot to do that. But there is no argument that you have to appreciate this particular type of humor, or you won't find it as funny as I did. The humor is totally wrapped up in what is not said outright, but implied in the character development through dialogue and the character's thoughts.(less)

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Nov 06, 2010

Kelly rated it

Shelves: grown-upbooks, historical-romance, spies, jane-austen-related

La! What fun I've had reading this weekend! Or should I say, "fa la la la la," since the book I've just finished reading is Christmas-themed?

Long-time readers know that I am a huge fan of the Pink Carnation books, commencing with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and progressing through The Betrayal of the Blood Lily. The books, for those not yet familiar with them, are a combination of modern-day romance involving Eloise Kelly and Colin Selwick (moving slowly across t...more

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Dec 30, 2010

Jillian rated it

I love Ms. Willig's stories and this one, The Mischief of the Mistletoe is no disappointment. This one is the story of Turnip Fitzhugh, a character that I always enjoyed. I love the wit that flows through Lauren's books and Turnip is a great character. He has had some recurring appearances in the Pink Carnation series and it was great to see him shine in his own book.

This story obviously takes place during the Christmas season and it is absolutely delightful. There seem to be a ple...more

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Dec 21, 2010

Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) rated it

Shelves: authors_i_have_met, 2010_challenge_historical_fiction, jane_austen, lauren_willig, signed_editions

Review to come, but just as awesome the second time around!

Arabella Dempsey has been thrown back onto the bosom of her family. Her Aunt has made a bit of a to-do, marrying a man closer in age to her niece, who might have been a little too close to her niece's heart. Arabella's years being raised as her Aunt's companion and nominal heiress have been brushed aside with one wedding vow. She must now return to her family, whom she barely knows, and be a burden on their already strained i...moreReview to come, but just as awesome the second time around!

Arabella Dempsey has been thrown back onto the bosom of her family. Her Aunt has made a bit of a to-do, marrying a man closer in age to her niece, who might have been a little too close to her niece's heart. Arabella's years being raised as her Aunt's companion and nominal heiress have been brushed aside with one wedding vow. She must now return to her family, whom she barely knows, and be a burden on their already strained income. But Arabella is determined to make her way in the world and not go back to be her Aunt's lapdog while the man she loves can never be hers. She is for teaching. Which, according to her old family friend Jane, should really be reconsidered. Has she ever even seen the inside of an all girls school? But she is hired by Miss Climpson, of Miss Climpson's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, and promptly bowled over by one Mr. Reginald Fitzhugh, Turnip to his friends. Turnip has been at the school visiting his sister Sally and her new very "peculiar" particular friends, Lizzy Reid and Agnes Wooliston, who replace the now shunned Catherine Carruthers, she did take Sally's most favorite ribbons after all. Turnip quickly realizes that being in a small room with three very rambunctious teenagers is the last place he wants to be, let alone in a building full of them. Taking the proffered Christmas Pudding, he walks out the door and straight into Miss Dempsey. Despite having met her many a time on the dance floors of the ton, Turnip has no memory of this slightly bruised girl. But then again, Arabella and him never quite occupied the same side of the dance floor, she being more their to wait on her aunt and balance out the numbers. Turnip, always the cheerful gentleman, profusely apologizes and takes his leave of her and his Christmas Pudding. Arabella rushes after Mr. Fitzhugh with his forgotten Pudding only to be attacked by a man outside the school desperate for the pudding. After Mr. Fitzhugh once again picks Miss Demspey out of the gutter, she does have a talent for falling at his feet, they find the deuced oddest thing. A secret message in the pudding! Well, written on the pudding's muslin wrapper to be precise. The message says to meet at Farley Castle, where there is to be a Frost Fair the next day. In a time of spies and the terrors in France, secret messages in puddings are not to be taken lightly, even in all girls schools. Especially if those messages are written in French!

Couldn't the spies have picked anywhere other than the Frost Fair? The place where Arabella is most likely to run into her Aunt and her new Uncle? But she has to admit, showing up with Mr. Fitzhugh, root vegetable though he may be, he's a root vegetable with 30,000. So with Jane in tow they all head to the castle despite bovine interruptions. Once there they discover yet another pudding! Turnip is all for further investigations, but Arabella puts her foot down. Tomorrow she is for the real world of teaching and papers to grade and ink and not very fashionable grey dresses with pockets. This "spy" business might have been fun but it is over. Good luck telling that to the mischievous pudding thief. Beset by students and mysterious mustachioed men in the night, things look to be getting more and more out of hand, as are Arabella's feelings towards Mr. Fitzhugh. But when she finally puts her foot down, when she finally says enough is enough and they must never see each other again, little does she know they are to spend all of the twelve days of Christmas together at a house party in Norfolk. Twelve days of pudding and long glances, and physical assaults. Because the culprits haven't contained themselves to the hallowed halls of a girls school in Bath, they are now lurking the grand passages of Girdings House. But hopefully with an earnest and loving root vegetable all will turn out just as is should, with a kiss under the mistletoe.

Rarely has a book made me smile from ear to ear and laugh aloud as I have reading The Mischief of the Mistletoe, twice now I must add. Loosely based on the skeleton of the story The Watsons, by Jane Austen, Lauren has taken Austen and amped it up to farce level in the best possible of ways. She has taken Austen, and dare I say, improved it for a modern audience. Austen, while humorous, has a staid and classical voice to her narration, while Willig lets her characters loose, losing hair pins and perhaps their reputations in the process in a hilarious page turner that isn't above adding in a few modern references with Blackadder references. The hero of the hour, while, according to Willig, is based on Bertie Wooster, is perhaps the most lovable root vegetable hero in history, even if this means you start confusing Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent, I can't but help love Turnip more than Bertie and Hugh Laurie has to beat off my Nicholas Rowe with a stick for the part. He may not be smart, he doesn't over think things, but he has the biggest heart to match his big smile, that you will find yourself sporting as your race towards his happy ending.

While fans of Willig will love that Turnip is finally getting the girl, despite his overly florid taste in waistcoats, I have to say, that I think this novel could easily stand alone. While we do have repeating characters, and overlapping plots, there is enough of a distance and enough new characters, that this is literally the perfect Christmas gift for the literary minded who like a little bit of Regency. One reason being that this book is a very clever idea on Lauren and Dutton's part to do a more giftable book, hence the smaller size, which I kind of opine... and here I'm not talking length, but actual book dimensions, I want my books to have the same height dammit! But also the modern interludes of Colin and Eloise, the scholar and the descendant of the spy, The Purple Gentian, have been excised. I agree with Lauren in many regards to their not being present. She could not have done justice to them in a smaller book. The book wouldn't have been as easily read by those unfamiliar with the previous six installments. But more importantly, it made me have an epiphany, a new realization when I read this book and then proceeded to re-read all her previous books. Colin and Eloise are great, and I love their story, but they have become extraneous. I, who have been the most vocal on their staying, can now see that perhaps, their story has run it's course... of course I thought this before reading the next installment, The Orchid Affair, which throws a serious wrench into things, and now I'm desperate for their story line again. In the final analysis, I can't get enough of the world Lauren has created. I want to have young adult novels of the three little sisters. I want to know if Turnip and Arabella ever decided to try some Strawberry jam to replace the standard Raspberry. And I need to know why Sally is scared of chickens. And her ribbons! Are they tying a certain Christmas Pudding? Austen created a memorable world, but each of her six novels are in a rarefied and finite world, whereas, the world is messy. Love has complications and pudding and torn sleeves and missed moments and kisses that could have been. All of this needs mess with the tears and the joy, and Austen might not be messy enough to reflect how life is. Not that we still don't get the fairy tale ending, as Austen was wont to do, but the ride is a little more boisterous. (less)

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Sep 14, 2011

Sandra rated it

I loved this one. It was so funny - both the main character interaction (particularly the scene in school with the intruder and the follow up scene in Arabella's bedroom) and the supporting charaters - Turnip's sister Sally and her friends in particular.

The following particularly tickled my funny bone, possibly as I feel the same way about cupids:
Mr Fithugh squared his shoulders. "The whole thing was dogy, deuced dodgy." [talking about the intruder]
"I wou...more

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Dec 02, 2010

Alana rated it

Shelves: 2010_11_november, reviewed

Mischief of the Mistletoe is the latest adventure in the Secret History of the Pink Carnation series and this time, it's a Christmas romance! For those looking for the usual Lauren Willig fare, you'll find that this installment comes up a bit short, though it's still an amusing holiday read. Normally, Willig bounces between the historical love story that occupies a single book and the modern storyline that ties all the books together, but this time we simply have the love story without cuts to...moreMischief of the Mistletoe is the latest adventure in the Secret History of the Pink Carnation series and this time, it's a Christmas romance! For those looking for the usual Lauren Willig fare, you'll find that this installment comes up a bit short, though it's still an amusing holiday read. Normally, Willig bounces between the historical love story that occupies a single book and the modern storyline that ties all the books together, but this time we simply have the love story without cuts to modern counterparts. Perhaps to make up for that, we have an intense reliance upon characters featured from previous books (and if you're like me, you might need a cheat sheet to remember who is who) coupled with a return to events from previous books to get another perspective on events that have already unfolded and match up some secondary characters.

Arabella Dempsey is used to being a wallflower... she's used to being passed over and ignored, though it still hurts when the young man who had previously been flirting with her shows his true colors and marries her much-older, wealthy aunt. As Arabella had served as her aunt's companion for years, it was always assumed that the aunt might eventually adopt Arabella and so leave the girl her money -- and while Arabella isn't exactly a London debutante, it would certainly help, given her father's poor health and three younger sisters to care for. With financial and romantic dreams crushed, Arabella makes a hard decision -- she is going to teach. She gets herself a position at Miss Climpson's institution for young ladies and accepts that her social position is getting even lower for it, but whatever helps feed the family, right? Of course, what she doesn't count on is running into Reginald (aka "Turnip") Fitzhugh, a young man whose sister attends Miss Climpson's and who literally knocks into her and drops a Christmas pudding on her foot. He doesn't remember that he's already met (and danced with) Miss Dempsey, and probably wouldn't remember this encounter either, except that she chases after him with the forgotten Christmas pudding... and then she nearly has it stolen from her by some ruffian. Turnip helps Arabella to her feet yet again and when they discover that the muslin wrapping has a secret rendezvous time written in French, well... let's just say that Turnip won't be forgetting Arabella's name now as they make plans to figure out what plan is afoot. While Arabella assumes it's a young lady making plans to meet a lover, Turnip thinks there might be secret spy goings-on (after all, he may not be allowed to spy for the Pink Carnation, but he certainly tries to deflect attention with his outrageous wardrobe). They may not think they're getting any closer to solving the mystery, though they themselves seem to develop a certain closeness... but can social circles be overcome by the magic of Christmas puddings?

It's a cute little romance, but quite honestly, the main storyline doesn't touch on the weird part. The thing is, Arabella's best friend is... Jane Austen. Um... yeah. I understand that Mischief of the Mistletoe is influenced by Austen's unfinished manuscript, The Watsons, but it's a little distracting to have Jane Austen as an actual character. I know, I know, fiction can do all kinds of things, but there's something about using Austen that just isn't cricket. It's one thing to attempt to finish an manuscript, it's another to involve the lady herself. Willig is quite delicate in her treatment of Austen, though, and doesn't really do anything out of character. Most of her meatier dialogue is modeled from her letters, and otherwise she's simply being a good friend to Arabella, engaged more in observation than any direct intervention.

Fans of Willig will be amused at this small diversion and I will give Willig immense credit for the fact that her next real novel will be published in January 2011. So if this felt thin, we don't need to wait long for another new read. Quite impressive, really, considering that while this is certainly shorter than the usual book, it's much more than just a silly side story! So Happy Christmas and enjoy the pudding (or don't, as descriptions of it here hardly make it seem like a truly appealing treat).
(less)

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Dec 02, 2010

Christina (Reading Extensively) rated it

Shelves: historical, read2010, romance

Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh finally gets his own adventure when he visits his sister at school and becomes involved in unraveling a mystery surrounding a Christmas pudding with a secret message in the wrapping. Arabella Dempsey has just taken a job as a teacher at the school and together she and Turnip try to foil the plot of a possible French spy while losing their hearts to each other.

Unlike the other titles in the Pink Carnation series, The Mischief of the Mistletoe does n...more

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Feb 07, 2011

Nadine rated it

Shelves: historical-romance

Delightful and charming, like all of Ms Willig's books - how does she do it?? This one includes nothing of the modern romance with Eloise, so it would work just fine as a stand-alone historical romance novel. However, there are rewards for the Willig fan! Some of the scenes in this book also take place in other books (mostly The Temptation of the Night Jasmine - and I only know which one because the author includes a little note in the back about some of the recurring characters), but from di...moreDelightful and charming, like all of Ms Willig's books - how does she do it?? This one includes nothing of the modern romance with Eloise, so it would work just fine as a stand-alone historical romance novel. However, there are rewards for the Willig fan! Some of the scenes in this book also take place in other books (mostly The Temptation of the Night Jasmine - and I only know which one because the author includes a little note in the back about some of the recurring characters), but from different points of view. I always love that little trick! It's been a while since I've read one of the Pink Carnation books, and seeing all the characters pop up again makes me want to sit down and make myself a list of who shows up in which book and who is related to whom.

This book involves a romance between Turnip (Reginald) Fitzhugh and Arabella Dempsey, daughter of a country vicar, impoverished niece of the wealthy, um, well, I can't remember her aunt's name just now. No matter. Backstory: when Arabella's mother died, her aunt took her to London (leaving her sisters behind with their father), so Arabella became familiar with the ways of the ton but yet never quite a part of it. She and Turnip literally run into each other just before she starts teaching at Miss Climpson's school for girls, and they find themselves inexplicably charmed and attracted by the other. (Which is the way these things go, of course). Both Arabella and Turnip, and his annoying little sister Sally (who will most likely have her own romance coming soon), are charming and interesting characters that I'd like to get to know.

I must say, I never really cared much about Turnip when he appears in other books. But he was wonderful as the star of his own book. And I didn't care for the cutesy references to Jane Austen, but she is not a major player in the story, so it was okay.

As in almost all of the Pink Carnation books (well, all that I can think of, but maybe I am forgetting a clunker), the mystery is reasonable and believable, the solution makes sense, and yet I did not guess it at all.(less)

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Dec 30, 2010

Staci rated it

Recommended to Staci by: Dutton Publishing

Shelves: 2010-reads

Lauren Willig is the author of this historical fiction/romance book published in November, 2010. It's about Arabella Dempsey who becomes a teacher at a Young Ladies Seminary. Her aunt marries which leaves Arabella out of the inheritance, so in order to take care of her family she goes into teaching. While there she becomes involved in a mystery filled with intrigue and espionage, that begins with a cryptic message wrapped up in a Christmas pudding. She meets "Turnip" Fitzhugh, a broth...more

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Dec 01, 2010

Carolyn rated it

Well this was my very first book by this author, Lauren Willig, and I received this book as my very first Goodreads book giveaway too. The title suggested that it was a Christmas themed book so I was excited to start reading it around the holidays.

It's a fun, light read. Not quite sure if it was supposed to be a cute love story with a bit of mystery thrown in there, or a little bit of a mystery around a cute love story. Either way, it wasn't quite the complex mystery I thought it ...more

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Nov 15, 2010

Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides rated it

Shelves: romance

Three stars as a mildly amusing read-once thing. More like 2 or 2.5 overall, really.

I actually read this a couple weeks ago, but somehow neglected to add it to Goodreads. That's the reason I am re-reading the series. I was going to re-read this one too, but I ... can't quite bring myself to.

However, I suspect continuity problems. Minor ones that can be handwaved away, but still. Like, Turnip was using a saw and not an axe in Night Jasmine, and there's no indication that ...more

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Jan 05, 2011

JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it

Shelves: nook, 4_stars, author_american, fiction, just_plain_fun, read_in_2010, reviewed, setting_uk, historical_mystery

Arabella Dempsey has just seen all her hopes dashed. She's been a companion to her aunt since she was a child and fully expected to inherit from her. She realizes that isn't going to happen when her aunt marries a much younger man--the very man that Arabella has been fantasizing about. Does it get any crueler? But Arabella is nothing if not determined and she determines to make her own way in the world and goes to work as a teacher in an all-girls school. Her first day there she literally b...moreArabella Dempsey has just seen all her hopes dashed. She's been a companion to her aunt since she was a child and fully expected to inherit from her. She realizes that isn't going to happen when her aunt marries a much younger man--the very man that Arabella has been fantasizing about. Does it get any crueler? But Arabella is nothing if not determined and she determines to make her own way in the world and goes to work as a teacher in an all-girls school. Her first day there she literally bumps into everyone's favorite bumbling idiot, Reginald Fitzhugh. You might know him as Turnip. Turnip because he has the brains of one. But Turnip has a big heart and a younger sister and a secret message in a Christmas pudding, and it all adds up to one very fun book.

I confess that I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to Turnip in the other books, but I did love the big doof in this book. He's handsome, and not the brightest crayon, but he has a gigantic heart. He's wrapped around his younger sister's finger, he's rich but doesn't even think about class as a general rule. Everything he's thinking moves across his face, and he's not afraid to defend a lady's honor. Heck, he's willing to play an even bigger idiot and thus put his life on the line for his country! A gentleman indeed!

The action in this book takes place in between The Seduction of the Crimson Rose and The Temptation of the Night Jasmine. Well, it actually overlaps with Night Jasmine. It was interesting to see some of those events from a different perspective.

Oh, and another thing. Jane Austen as a character. Need I say more?

I always read Lauren Willig's books with a gigantic goofy grin on my face and finish them up satisfied and yet looking for more. I don't know if there's really any bigger praise to give a book. This series might not rock my world, but they are some of my favorite "lighter" books. Just go read them if you haven't, and if you have, make sure you read Turnip and Arabella's story. (less)

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Nov 20, 2010

MB rated it

Recommends it for: Readers who like Julia Quinn or Mary Balogh--without the pathos

Shelves: historical-fiction, mindless-romance-chic-lit, read-in-2010

A very sweet little romance. I enjoyed the break from Colin and Penny as well.

The hero is a type obviously based on Freddy from Heyer's Cotillion--a favorite of mine. (Except Turnip doesn't have Freddy's exquisite sense of taste, to say the least.) I'm inspired to go re-read it again after finishing this one. Frankly, every regency romance is fairly obviously based off of Jane Austen (of course) and then Georgette Heyer--all the Tropes and plots originated there. The hardest t...more

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Dec 22, 2010

Jenn Richard rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Willig's Pink Carnation series is hard to put down once picked up. Like the two I've read before (The Secret of the Pink Carnation and The Masque of the Black Tulip), the mystery and characters are both captivating and enthralling, but in a relaxing way. For better or worse, when I read a book from this series, I can count on some sort of happy ending and a satisfactory wrapping up of whatever intrigue has peppered the pages. I can count on love winning out in the end, even when the societal fra...more

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Dec 08, 2010

Melissa rated it

Nice and fun. Just what I needed since I'm about to pull my hair out with this whole selling-my-house mess that's going on. Turnip Fitzhugh gets a chance to be the hero for once, instead of the fop, although he's still Turnip and Arabella makes a nice heroine in the Letty sense (Letty's my favorite Willig heroine). Several characters from other Pink books make cameos - Mischief is set starting between Seduction of the Crimson Rose and Temptation of the Night Jasmine and ends with the Twelfth ...more

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Dec 21, 2010

Karalee rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction

I love Lauren Willig's books - they are the epitome of enjoyable escapism but without being fluffy or mindless. This book is set at Christmastime (obviously) and has Arabella meeting Turnip Fitzhugh through the introduction of a message mysteriously hidden in a Christmas pudding. I've always had a soft spot for Turnip in Willig's previous books and hoped the right woman would come along who would appreciate him. Arabella is his perfect match (although they don't realize this at first). Inves...more

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Aug 09, 2011

Wendy Soliman rated it

Shelves: regency-romance

A lot of fun. Well written, sharp and witty. The hero was a thick Adonis who could quote Shakespeare. Not sure how that equated and I kept waiting to discover that he was really very clever and only pretending to be daft to hide his spying activities. Anyway, it didn't seem to matter but I couldn't help wondering how the heroine would rub along for the rest of her life with a man less intelligent than her. Obviously there was going to be a happy ending so it was safe to assume that they would ha...more

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Dec 05, 2010

Ron rated it

Shelves: espionage, fun, historical-fiction, prep-school, romance, romantic-comedy

It takes some doing to pull off utterly convincing Wodehouse comedy in the Regency, let alone with an espionage plot layered on top, but Lauren Willig's latest "Pink Carnation" novel succeeds admirably. Not to mention that one-half of its romantic premise is drawn from the depressing novel Jane Austen never finished, and that Austen herself makes some well-turned cameo appearances.

If you haven't read any of Willig's previous novels, don't worry -- you can jump right into this...more

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Dec 08, 2010

Joanne Renaud rated it

This is delightful, frothy, fast-paced fun with a nice twist ending I did not see coming. Also, Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh is one of the most adorable heroes I've read about in a long time-- I just wanted to take him home with me. (I love the idea of a romance hero based on Hugh Laurie's Bertie Wooster and the Prince Regent in Blackadder. There aren't a lot of authors who could pull this off-- or who'd even think of pulling this off.) The heroine, Arabella, is pretty cool too, and her ...more

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May 10, 2011

Annika Hipple rated it

Lauren Willig's books are a guilty pleasure of mine, an always-enjoyable escape into a Regency world of romance and spies. What makes Willig such a good read is that she doesn't take herself too seriously; she clearly knows the history of the period, but she wears her learning lightly, and her stories are lighthearted and fun (often goofy). Although the mystery in this story was not particularly compelling, I loved the hero and heroine and the way they played off each other. Having seen Turnip F...more

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Nov 26, 2011

Nicole rated it

Shelves: frothy-romance, history

This book is a total romp. It is my favorite of the series; I never wanted it to end. It was lovely to see things through Turnip's eyes, and to see him find a smart, kind woman who could appreciate him. Willig did a great job of revealing Arabella's background in a way that showed why Turnip is exactly the kind of guy who is perfect for her.

It was also fun to see some of the events in Night Jasmine from a different perspective.

I will admit, I only noticed at the end that ther...more

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Dec 26, 2010

Debbie Maskus rated it

I have planned on reading Willig's series, but have missed the opportunity. This is a Christmas themed adventure, and I jumped into the fracas. I am a little disappointed. One of the main characters, Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh has a repetition problem with his language. He constantly says "deuced" and "ain't". I felt that "ain't" is not a word employed in 1803 England. The book hints at the problems of Napoleonic War in France, and makes light of beheadings. ...more

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Nov 24, 2010

Jeanne rated it

Shelves: historical, holiday

It has been several years since I read The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. I liked it a lot, but just never got around to reading the next book in the series. Since then, quite a few books have been published in the series. When I saw this Christmas novel at the library, I just could not resist!

Miss Arabella Dempsey has been displaced: since her aunt got married, she is no longer needed as a companion. Needing another occupation, Arabella accepts a teaching position at Mis...more

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About Lauren Willig

A native of New York City, Lauren Willig has been writing romances ever since she got her hands on her first romance novel at the age of six. Three years later, she sent her first novel off to a publishing house—all three hundred hand-written pages. They sent it back. Undaunted, Lauren has continued to generate large piles of paper and walk in front of taxis while thinking about plot ideas.
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“Quite definitely a Bingley” — 8 people liked it

“Hard to believe that so nearby, just across the Channel, such atrocities could still occur in their supposedly civilized world, that one could wake up one morning and find oneself bereft of brothers, parents, friends, all with the slice of an ax.” — 3 people liked it

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The Mischief of the Mistletoe (Pink Carnation #4.2)

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