Evie Clement's status as a baker's daughter defines her social class at the elite Parisian school she attends, even though the cakes she makes are enjoyed by the queen. However, Evie's real talent (and passion) is dressmaking, and while her designs have piqued the interest of the popular crowd, her suspicions are raised when the school heartthrob, Beau Bellegarde, asks her to the Court of Flowers Ball. She's right to be suspicious au has taken a bet that he can transform Evie into the Bellegarde Bloom, a coveted position among the school's queen bees. This historical take on the makeover trope à la movies like She's All That is packed with drama, romance, and lush descriptions of desserts and dresses that match its light and frothy tone. The mix of historical and modern sensibilities and language will make fans of Bridgerton and Hamilton feel right at home, and references to a range of teen rom-coms from Pretty in Pink to Mean Girls make Lilac's debut a sweet and comfortable read for those looking for some swoon.

Evie Clément unexpectedly finds herself up for the coveted title of Bellegarde Bloom while questioning her growing feelings for the boy who got her there as part of a wager.Each year in Paris, the Court of Flowers selects the Bellegarde Bloom, the most desirable of the marriageable girls at the ball. Seventeen-year-old Evie, the daughter of a baker, is an unlikely candidate. But Beau Bellegarde has accepted a bet from Julien, his half brother, in exchange for Julien's inheritance, which forms the bulk of their family's estate. The challenge: that Beau can make any girl into the Bloom-and thanks to Beau's secret interventions, Evie secures a nomination. What wasn't in the plans? Their growing feelings for one another and the added complications of Beau's dishonesty and a duke's competing interest in Evie. The chapters switch between Evie's and Beau's first-person perspectives, helping readers become aware of feelings and plot points that other characters are not privy to. The pre-revolutionary, early modern setting is cued through mentions of Versailles, carriages, and fashions such as powdered hair. This fun and fluffy story wraps up with a satisfying ending. Most characters present White; Evie's best friend, Josephine, and some other background characters are Black.A familiar plotline delivers exactly what readers want: sweet, romantic fun. (Romance. 13-17)