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    Love in the Afternoon
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    Love in the Afternoon
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    Love in the Afternoon
    Audiobook9 hours

    Love in the Afternoon

    Written by Lisa Kleypas

    Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    She harbors a secret yearning.

    As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted…and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man - just to avoid spinsterhood?

    He is a world-weary cynic.

    Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul - and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep…and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love - and a passion that can't be denied…

    "Superbly nuanced characters, simmering chemistry, and wicked wit." - Booklist
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJun 29, 2010
    ISBN9781441847492
    Unavailable
    Love in the Afternoon
    Author

    Lisa Kleypas

    New York Times Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. Her historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction novels are published in forty different languages, and are bestsellers all over the world. Currently she lives in Southern California with her husband Gregory.

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    Reviews for Love in the Afternoon

    4/5

    419 ratings29 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      I was really looking forward to Beatrix's story and I guess perhaps that is why I was a bit disappointed. It was good, and I read it all up till about the last couple chapters and it just didn't give me the "want" to read it.. so it sat there.. I did skim the last to see if it got better but I don't think I missed much.
    • 4/5
      Beatrix's friend, Amanda, has received a letter from a soldier but she's not going to answer it. Beatrix who is always bringing home wounded animals reads the letter and insists on replying to the letter and said she would sign Amanda's name. As the correspondence continues Beatrix is falling in love with Christopher who is falling in love with Amanda. The war ends and Christopher returns as a PTS wounded soldier looking for Amanda. He accidently runs into Beatrix and a volatile relationship begins before he realizes that she's the letter writer.
    • 4/5
      While on the surface this is a light read there are also sparkling moments in it that show that sometimes romance novels can say a lot. This one features a hero who was in the thick of the fighting at Crimea and has come out of it very scarred and sometimes the slightest thing sets him off. He's afraid of this but holds on to the shining memory of letters he was sent by Prudence, letters that were actually written by Beatrix, letters that ended with the two of them falling in love with each other, but can they overcome what they said before, is this just a romance based on letters or an actual romance.I liked it, I liked how it didn't end with all sweetness and light, there was trauma there and it would continue, but he had a place to go to where he would be accepted and where he could rely on at least one person to accept him and his issues. It was all the good things in a romance without many of the bad things. Also he accepted that she was herself, and that was part of what attracted him to her, changing her wouldjn't make the relationship better, in fact it would probably make it worse. It was full of moments that were very heartwarming and I would recommend it as a read.
    • 3/5
      I like Kleypas' contemporary stories better, but "love in the afternoon" is a clever story for Beatrix. Good summer reading.
    • 4/5
      10/30/10 - I had to re-read this after Rowena reviewed it. Not surprisingly I enjoyed it just as much the second time, if not more.



      7/2/10 - I have to be honest and say I wasn't really looking forward to this book until the very end of the last book. Up until that point, Beatrix still seemed very young to me. Even after the last book I still had reservations about her as a heroine.

      I should have had more faith in Kleypas. Both Beatrix and her hero were delightful. I loved the premise behind their romance. The letters they exchanged really set up the romance beautifully.
    • 3/5
      Good setup, good lead characters. First 1/2 - 2/3 of the book was good, except for the overly ditsy romantic rival, but near the middle the plot lost momentum.
    • 5/5
      Ah, Bea finally gets her story!! What a heart wrencher this was!! A fitting end to a delightful series!! I am kinda sad it is over! I could always start at book one again and reread!
    • 3/5
      This book was a bit disappointing. It started out really good, and for the first hundred and fifty pages, I was spellbound. Then it just kind of fell apart. The last half was super boring. There was stuff she could have done to make it interesting, but she didn't. There was no conflict, no drama, just "yay, we're happy, let's get married."

      Soooo disappointing.

      I have friends who are totally convinced Lisa Kleypas is the best romance writer of all time, but I beg to differ. She can write good books, yes, but she also writes a lot that just don't make it. Like most of this series.
    • 5/5
      Oh, what a lovely story.

      I am a huge fan of Kleypas's writing, and I think it's because she seems to just really LIKE people. Does that make sense? She thinks the best of everyone, and no matter what a person has said or done, they are redeemable.

      She also clearly loves women, which is incredibly refreshing. It's such a bummer when a romance author slut-shames, or hates on thin or heavy girls based on her own personal insecurities.

      And the way she handled the issue of soldiers coming home with PTSD, and how war changes people, felt respectful and just...I don't know. It felt right.

      In running out of Kleypas books to read. Such a bummer.
    • 3/5
      This book was a bit disappointing. It started out really good, and for the first hundred and fifty pages, I was spellbound. Then it just kind of fell apart. The last half was super boring. There was stuff she could have done to make it interesting, but she didn't. There was no conflict, no drama, just "yay, we're happy, let's get married."

      Soooo disappointing.

      I have friends who are totally convinced Lisa Kleypas is the best romance writer of all time, but I beg to differ. She can write good books, yes, but she also writes a lot that just don't make it. Like most of this series.
    • 5/5
      Captain Christopher Phelan and Beatrix Hathaway's story is so hot and beautiful; the longing and pain for each other is obvious in every page, and of course there is the whole family to make you laugh. I loved that Christopher loved Bea without even seeing her through her letters, it is so romantic.
    • 4/5
      I didn’t know how Beatrix would find someone (I definitely thought it would be a vet!) so was surprised that she fell for a soldier. But it was a story well told.
    • 5/5
      Oh no! No more Hathaways!
    • 5/5
      Beatrix Hathaway might just be my favorite heroine, and this book is one of my faves (I’ve skim read it multiple times, but this is my first full reread). In hero Christopher, we really see how one grows and changes for the better. There’s just so much here—Albert the terrier, their letters of love, actually telling each other they love each other, and then figuring out how to make it work. I wish that Kleypas gave us bits of the Hathaways in other books as they’re truly the best.
    • 4/5
      Love in the Afternoon
      4 Stars

      Wonderful beginning but sort of fizzles once the "I Love You's" come along.

      The opening sequence with the exchange of letters between Beatrix and Christopher is original and refreshing, and their reunion and subsequent revelations had me tearing up on more than one occasion.

      The characterization is simply excellent. Beatrix is a unique and adorable heroine with a determination and strength of will that set her apart. Throughout the series her hilarious interactions with various animals are exceptionally engaging and her scenes with Albert are no exception. Christopher's evolution from a spoiled and shallow jerk into an intense and sensitive hero is seamless and the descriptions of his PTSD and his reactions to the episodes are heart-wrenching. The fact that remnants of his initial character remain when he is first reunited with Beatrix adds a realistic element to his transition (at this point, he infuriated me and I was convinced the Bea was better off without him).

      The relationship between Christopher and Beatrix is intensely emotional and deeply passionate. The one aspect that disappoints, however, is the fact that once they declare themselves, the story has nowhere to go and the mini-conflict tacked on at the end is completely unnecessary and adds little to the romance.

      All in all, a satisfying ending to a wonderful series that I can recommend wholeheartedly to lovers of well written romance.
    • 2/5
      Another Cyrano story. And while it was cute, I have to admit rolling my eyes at the premise. one bit that *really* annoyed me was the 'twist thrown in at the very end that had *nothing* to do with the story line at all. It was either a poorly added teaser for another book, or just a pointless addition as filler.
    • 5/5
      Beatrix Hathaway has always loved and adored animals, and has studied them throughout the years of her young life. Because of her passion for animals, she doesn’t have many suitors, or lots of friends, but she prefers animals to people most times. When one of her friends, Prudence, gets a letter from Captain Christopher Phelan, she decides to write to him when her friend finds his musings silly, however Beatrix doesn’t believe that, she reaches out to him and they connect in a way that neither of them expected. However as time progresses, Beatrix finds that she is falling in love with Christopher, but that he doesn’t know who the author of the letters really is, so she ends them, knowing how furious he would be if he found out it was her, whom he once referred to as belonging in the stables. But before she does this she switches to letters, one way she writes down some of her feelings, and asks him to come and find her. When Christopher comes back from the war, claimed by England a War Hero, he is reclusive, refusing at first to go out into Society, where Prudence is. He meets his match in Beatrix, although she is very different from when he last saw her, she is now beautiful and vibrant, but despite his attraction to her, he is in love with the woman that wrote to him, Prudence, even though he doesn’t know that Beatrix was the one to truly write the letters. But they keep crossing paths, and find a passion that in each others arms.Love In The Afternoon, although a very good romance, was not my favorite of the series. I was going to wait for this one to be available in paperback in my library, however this came available in audio form, so I decided why not, I like listening to Lisa Kleypas Books audio style, so I did just that, and just loved the narrator of Love In The Afternoon. I found this story to be unique and definitely filled with romance. And even though at the beginning I wanted Beatrix to tell Christopher the truth at first, I wasn’t disappointed when she finally did, it seemed quite perfect, especially his reaction, which I won’t spoil for you, you will just have to read it!! I have always loved Beatrix, she is one of my favorite Hathaways, especially with her special gift toward animals, through the previous books its been quite cute to see her with all of her animals. And I loved getting to know her throughout this one, and Kleypas never disappoints. Love In The Afternoon is filled with witty interactions, passionate fun, and characters that are like a breath of fresh air, this is definitely a 5 in my book!!
    • 5/5
      Oh no! No more Hathaways!
    • 3/5
      The first 200 pages make a wonderful romantic story. If had ended there it would have been 5 star excellent. Unfortunately, no doubt for contractual reasons, there are a further 124 pages to wade through. They also detract from the feelgood factor of the first half.
    • 4/5
      A man off to war. A woman left behind....waiting, hoping, praying. A letter sent and one received. Words on a page....a lifeline for both. Words on a page....windows to their souls."Dear Pru,We're settling in for a long siege. It's uncertain as to when I'll have the chance to write again. This is not my last letter, only the last for a while. Do not doubt that I am coming back to you someday. Until I can hold you in my arms, these worn and ramshackle words are the only way to reach you. What a poor translation of love they are. Words could never do justice to you, or capture what you mean to me. Still...I love you. I swear by the starlight....I will not leave this earth until you hear those words from me."These are the words sent by Captain Christopher Phelan to Prudence Mercer, the woman he thinks he has fallen in love with. Yet little does he know that Prudence is not the one writing to him. The true author of these letters is Pru's eccentric friend, Beatrix Hathaway. Beatrix did not intend to send letters filled with such tender sentiments. But on their way to Christopher, her "words turned into heartbeats on the page". What will happen when Christopher returns, looking to find Pru and express his undying love for her? What would happen when he found out about Beatrix's unforgivable deception? Christopher could never be hers, even if he declared his love for her on paper....those were just words, weren't they?This was a truly romantic read, especially the letter correspondences. Words are the most romantic form of seduction any man can use, and Beatrix becomes truly seduced. She is the youngest and most quirky, non-conforming, and lovable member of the Hathaway sisters. Being such a huge animal lover, she often appeared peculiar, wanting the company of animals more than people. Yet in this book, the author has managed to show her true spirit, her love of life and her ability to accept others for who they are. Beatrix doesn't try to change Christopher, even if the horrors of war have changed him forever...even if he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder...even if he is driven by guilt. She understands him, accepts him and loves him. This, Lisa Kleypas' last in the Hathaways series, is a tale with a more serious undertone, but one that will still make you smile, cry and sigh with contentment. This book is a wonderful end to a wonderfully unique series that touched my heart.
    • 4/5
      Is it just me, or are the Hathaway sisters and easy lot?? Just joking! This was another winner by Lisa Kleypas. It was the last in the Hathaway series. I am sorry to say it was my least favorite of the series. Not that I didn't like it, it was just my least favorite. I liked how the "suspense" in this book was containted within the main character, Christopher. The first part of the book focused on the letters between Beatrix and Christopher while Christopher was at war. I enjoyed this section. The middle dragged a bit to me. The book description described Beatrix's friend Prudence as a friend, but even from the beginning I felt like that was a gross exaggeration. She was terrible! I did however feel like there was a real connection between Beatrix and Christopher. I really enjoyed this book and I felt like it was a nice end to the series.
    • 5/5
      Another fantastic book by Lisa Kleypas, with likeable and intelligent characters. A satisfying end to the Hathaways series. Looks like the epilogue is setting up for another historical that will go on my 'must buy' list.
    • 5/5
      Beatrix Hathaway was more interested in animals and the outdoors than people and their mysterious ways. When she begins to write Captain Christopher Phelan, pretending to be his not-quite-betrothed, she finds herself drawn to a man who may not return the same as he left. Christopher does return, determined to have the woman he loves, only to find deception and darkness. As the two struggle to overcome their false start, they find that love will always light the darkest corners and shine true.I have read all of the Hathaway books and was excited to know that Beatrix's story would come. She stayed true to herself even when faced with the knowledge it would probably cost her the one man she loved, and Christopher, even as the ever-popular "body-sound but soul-wounded in the war" male that is prevalent in romances, grew on me. Kleypas' quick-witted way of writing the Hathaway family continued through this volume, providing a tidy but fulfilling ending to the series.
    • 4/5
      "On their way to you, my words turned into heartbeats on the page." omg...the letters were probably the best part about this book. so poignant. i fell in love between the lines of the letters.
    • 5/5
      Lisa Kleypas ends her wonderful Hathaway series with this charming, passionate tale of unlikely love between free-spirited Beatrix Hathaway and world-weary soldier Captain Christopher Phelan.
    • 4/5
      Book 5 ..... The way this one started with the correspondence was interesting. It was a difficult was to get to know the characters (especially under the false pretense), but in the course of the letters, the true nature of each character showed through with vivid colors. While Beatrix has always seemed so young (she is the youngest of the Hathaways), she finally grew up in this one. So nice to see. While there were a few moments seeing other members of the family, I wish for the final installment of this series that there had been more. So sad to see the Hathaways over and can only hope that I will enjoy some of Lisa Kleypas others series.
    • 4/5
      Beatrix, being the last of the Hathaway siblings to find their man, turned out to be a much more interesting character than I originally expected. She had always been presented as quite childlike so I wasn't sure how believable a sudden ascent into maturity would go over. However, the author did an admirable job in keeping true to the character we were originally introduced to while adding believable dimensions to her personality that made her a fantastic match for the jaded and emotionally damaged Christopher Phelan.I also enjoyed Christopher's character and I thought that how he dealt with the repercussions of service and resulting PTSD rang true. Coming home is most often not an easy thing for people irrevocably changed by the evils of war. The relationship between Beatrix and Christopher was sweet and not overly fraught with misunderstanding. It was more of two people discovering each other and working together to overcome a huge hurtle in Christopher's psychological makeup. I really enjoyed this end of the series and look forward to seeing if Kleypas chooses to do more with other characters introduced via the Wallflower or Hathaway stories.
    • 4/5
      I have not read any of the other books in the series but I did not have a hard time following this one. It was a fun read, Beatrix was a fun, quirky heroine you could not help but like. She has an affinity to animals and has turned her family's house into a menagerie of orphaned animals. Her two favorites being a three legged cat named Lucky and a hedgehog named Marcela. When Christopher went away to war he was a snotty, self-centered rogue but as he had to fight for his life and for the life of the men under him he changed. He told beautiful Penelope that he would write her but when she got his first letter she was turned off by how unromantic he was. Her friend Beatrix was intrigued by his adventures and struggles so she agreed to answer the letter for Penelope. Little did she know how close those letters were going to make her with Christopher. Now he is coming home and will he want the package he was dreaming of or the brains. I love stories with this Cyrano de Bergerac story line. I had a hard time putting this book down, I wanted to see them finally deal with all their issues and get together. Great read, will have to look for the others in the series, some of the other couples made me curious to read their stories.
    • 5/5
      I just finished this yesterday and it's possibly my favorite of the Hathaway books. I loved the main characters and understood how they were attracted to each other. It's simply a lovely read.