Slightly Scandalous

Title: Slightly Scandalous
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 2003
Purchase Date: 6th January 2006
Purchase price: £4.97
Retail price: $6.99
Purchased from:




On book cover:

Growing up four unruly brothers has made Freja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom. Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Fryja’s room and entreats her to hide him. His name si Josgua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. Sointrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fiancee and help thwart his family’s match-making schemes. For two people determined to be free, it’s the perfect plan…until pasion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart…

Comments on book:

I will not comment on this book due to reasons I have mentioned in my comments for Slightly Dangerous.

Slightly Tempted

Title: Slightly Tempted
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 2004
Purchase Date: 6th January 2006
Purchase price: £4.75
Retail price: $5.99
Purchased from: Amazon.co.uk

On book cover:

Young. Ravishing. Exquisitely marriageable. From the moment he spies Lady Morgan Bedwyn across the glittering ballroom, Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn, knows he has found the perfect instrument of his revenge. But wedlock is not on the mind of the continent’s most notorious rake. Nor is it of interest to the fiercely independent Lady Morgan Bedwyn herself…until one night of shocking intinacy erupts ina scandal that could make Gervase’s vengeance all the sweeter. There is only one thing standing in his way: Morgan, who has achieved the impossible – she’s melted his cooly guarded heart. For Gervase, only the marriage bed will do, but Morgan simply will not have him. Thus begins a sizzling courtship where two wary hearts are about to be undone by the most scandalous passion of all: glorious, all consuming love.

Comments on book:

I will not comment on this book due to reasons I have mentioned in my comments for Slightly Dangerous.

Slightly Married

Title: Slightly Married
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 2003
Purchase Date: 17th December 2005
Purchase price: £3.76
Retail price: $5.99
Purchased from: Amazon.co.uk

On book cover:

Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart – and it is this fierce loyalty that has brought Colonel Lord Aidan to Ringwood Manor to honor a dying soldier’s request. Having promised to comfort and protect the man’s sister, Aidan never expected to find a headstrong, fiercely independent woman who wants nopart of his protection…nor did he expect the feelings this beguiling creature would ignite in his guarded heart. And when a relative threatens to turn Eve out of her home, Aidan gallantly makes her an offer she can’t refuse: marry him…if only to save her home. And now, as all of London breathlessly awaits the the transformation of the new Lady Aidan Bedwyn, the strangest thing happens: With one touch, one searing embrace, Aidan and Eve’s “business arrangement” is about to be transformed…into something slightly surprising…

Comments on book:

I thought this book was wonderful beyond words. Aidan, I feel is such a ‘manly’ hero – just like a normal man who does not really know his own feelings, what more to express them? And his sense of honour itself was just heroic. He will remain as one of my top 5 heroes of all time.

Rating: 8/10 - A real romance!

Slightly Wicked

Title: Slightly Wicked
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 1991
Purchase Date: 9th January 2006
Purchase price: £5.99
Retail price: £5.99
Purchased from: Borders bookshop

On book cover:

With his laughing eyes and wild, rakish good looks, Lord Rannulf Bedwyn is a hard man to resist. To Judith Law, a woman in need of rescue when her stagecoach iver-turns, Rannulf is simply her saviour, a heroic stranger she will reward with one night of reckless passion before she must become a companion to her wealthy aunt. Imagine Judith’s shock when the same stranger turns out to be among England’s most eligible bachelors…and when he arrives at harewood Grange to woo her cousin. Certainly, they had made no vows, no promises, but Rannulf never did forget his uninhibited lover…nor did she forget that one delicious night. And as scandal sets the household abuzz, Rannulf proposes a solution…but when Judith refuses to have him 0 in love or wedlock – Rannulf has only one choice: to wage a campaign ofpure pleasure to capture the heart of the woman who has already captured his…

Comments on book:

This was my second book of the Slightly series, so I didn't have any aversions to the Bedwyns and in fact loved them. All I can say is that the story gets better in this book after I read Slightly Married, even though when I was reading SM, I would have never thought that to be possible. I truly do recommend this book to all romance lovers.

Rating: 8/10 - A wonderful read!

Slightly Dangerous

Title: Slightly Dangerous
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 2004
Purchase Date: 2nd February 2006
Purchase price: £4.75
Retail price: $6.99
Purchased from: Amazon.co.uk

On book cover:

All of London is abuzz over the immenent arrival of Wulfric Bedwyn, the cold as ice Duke of Bewcastle, ast the most glittering social event of the season. But on this dazzling afternoon, only one woman would capture his attention – and she was the only female in the room who wasn’t even trying. Christine Derrick is intrigued by the handsome duke…all the more so when he invites her to become his mistress. What red blooded woman wouldn’t enjoy a tumble in the bedsheets with a consummate lover – with no questions asked. An independent beauty, Christine confounds Wulfric at every turn. Yet even as he vows to seduce her, something strange and wonderful is happening. Now for a man who thought he’d never lose his heart,nothing less than love will do…

Comments on book:

The last of the Slightly/ Bedwyn's series - many have commented on the similarity of this book’s story line to Austen’s Pride and Prejudice but I must confess that although I have read the latter a few times (for I was supposed to summarise it for my English class a long time ago), I did not really remember any similarities until somebody pointed it out to me. However, I did notice that somehow Mrs Balogh’s style was a little different in the book – she usually expresses the emotions of her characters clearly and well , but in this book, the emotions were subtled and hidden in between lines – very similar to Jo Beverley’s style, I feel. I must also admit, that the books in this series was the first few books of hers that I discovered and read quickly and like a child who ate too much chocolate, I got a little sick.

And so, although many people rave about this book and this series, I thought they are good, but not as good as they say and I blame it to too much Balogh in too short a time. I will never spoil my enjoyment of reading a good author doing that again. I might revisit the series in future when I can to acquire my own unbiased opinion of the books – when I’m not ready to barf at the mention fo Bedwyns.

Rating: 7.5/10 - Wulfric's story - a must read to followers of the series.

A Masked Deception

Title: A Masked Deception
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 1985
Purchase Date: 13th March 2006
Purchase price: £4.27
Retail price: $3.50
Purchased from:



On book cover:

The handsome, dashing, wealthy Richard Adair, the seventh Earl of Brampton, was caught in a most devilishly difficult tug of war.

Claiming his hand was shy and demure Margaret Wells, who became his bride in an icily arranged marriage designed to produce an heir in a boringly proper alliance. Claiming his heart was a nameless charmer who concealed her face behind a mask and displayed her body in a daring gown as she made the Earl give himself over to a scandalously improper passion.
Both of them desperately wanted Richard Adair – and both dreaded to think what would happen should he discover that they were one and the same two faced young lady.

Comments on book:

This is the author’s first Signet Regency Romance and it is also the first Signet book of hers that I read. Incidentally, it is also her first published book. It is thin, only 224 pages and may be finished in one sitting if you’re a fast reader.

I thought the storyline was ok but perhaps the story could have been elaborated longer and explained further – especially on the side of Richard Adair. But it was her first book, so exceptions must be allowed and the limit in the number of pages have also limited the creativity of the author in writing the book. In a thicker book perhaps, the earl would have a history and a well explained reason for his unpleasant behaviour but sadly, in a thin signet book like this one, the readers must simply accept changes in behaviour with short and simple explanations.

Rating: 6/10 - Ok read

The Plumed Bonnet

Title: The Plumed Bonnet
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 1996
Purchase Date: 13th March 2006
Purchase price: £5.52
Retail price: $4.99
Purchased from:



On book cover:

There was no reason for a lord as handsome and high and mighty as the Duke of Bridgewater even to glance at a humble vicar’s daughter like Miss Stephanie Gray. No reason except that the Duke was in need of amorous amusement, and that he was mistakenly convinced that Stephanie was precisely the kind of woman that she most decidedly was not.

It was one thing for Stephanie to be grateful to the Duke for rescuing her from a horrific highway mishap. It was quite another, however, to repay him by accepting what she long had been told was a fate worse than death. So when the Duke stooped to conquer, Stephanie rose to defend her virtue – only to find that even the most proper young lady on the brink of the deepest of dangers could nonetheless fall in love…

Comments on book:

I enjoyed this book from the beginning and I thought the emotional part of the story unravelled very well. I thought that it was really funny and equally believeable that the Duke could mistake Miss Gray as a less than respectable lady because of her outrageous dressing. As usual, Mrs Balogh’s understanding of the human emotions as portrayed in this book is completely awe-inspiring. This is the last of the series of 4 books which started with ‘Dark Angel’ also published by Signet.

Rating: 6.5/10 - A good read.

The Secret Pearl

Title: The Secret Pearl
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printing: 1991
Purchase Date: 9th January 2006
Purchase price: £5.09
Retail price: $6.99
Purchased from: Amazon.co.uk

On book cover:

He first spies her in the shadows outside a London theatre, a ravishing creature forced to barter her body to survive.

To the woman known simply as Fleur, the well-dressed gentleman with the mesmerising eyes is an unlikely saviour. And when she takes the stranger to her bed, she never expects to see him again. But then Fleur accepts a position as a governess to a young girl…and is stunned to discover that her midnight lover is a powerful nobleman. As two wary hearts ignites – and the threat of scandal hovers over them – one question remains: will she be mistress or wife?

Comments on book:

I have long stalled to write my commentary on this book because I was so afraid that I would not do justice to it. And I still am. The truth is, this book is filled with emotions and feelings of the characters that the author has successfully described and portrayed in her brilliant writing style that I was truly amazed at the depth of her understanding of the characters – it is almost as if these characters were alive and told her of their feelings - and yet we know that too many people cannot even begin to explain how they feel inside. But the author delved into the hearts and mind of the characters and did it. It is simply amazing.

This is the first ever romance book I have read that actually made me cry. The plot is not unfamiliar but not completely predictable. The hero and heroine are honourable characters who share a love for each other that is forbidden and so they did not pursue it, no matter dire their situation – and that’s why I love this story. Mostly for the fact that the hero honoured his marriage which was already doomed from the start. And the heroine who loves the man with her whole heart but lets him return to his wife who despises him because he honours his marriage. I have always thought elements of pride, honour and sacrifice combined make the best of love stories and this book proves this wonderfully.

A true gem.

Rating: 10/10. Brilliant.

Indiscreet

Title: Indiscreet
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printed: 1997
Purchase Date: 21st February 2006
Purchase price: £5.14
Retail price: $5.99
Purchased from:



On book cover:

A beautiful young widow seemed like easy prey for the Viscount Rawleigh. In the country visiting his twin brother, Rex longed for a little diversion. But Catherine Winters was a lady of virtue and she roundly rejected his improper proposal to become his mistress. Since the handsome lord would not be daunted, Catherine fought the feelings he aroused – feelings that brought to life a past she had sought to escape. One kiss could bring her to ruin. But temptation proved a worthy foe – and Catherine could not ignore the beating of her treacherous heart.

Comments on book:

All in all, this book was good. It was really good in the beginning but towards the end, somehow it just became a little slow and tedious. This was my first ‘horsemen’ book and I thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to the Four Horsemen and getting to know them. The first part of the book was glorious, when Rex and Catherine first met and their attraction for each other bloomed while she was living in the small cottage in the village of Bodley-on-the-Water. But in the second part after they were married, Catherine’s character appeared weak and somehow her story did not really gnaw at my heartstrings. Rex’s character also was a little subdued to me. Granted he was feeling guilty and they just realised that they loved each other but did not want to express this fact for fear of being rebuffed by the other but still, the communication between them at this point (they were husband and wife) somehow was not elaborated satisfactorily.

Saying this, it did not stop me from having the need to find out the story of the rest of the horsemen and I went on to buy the next on that was reasonably priced i.e. Irresistible, which was brilliant. I have yet to read the 2nd of the series which is Unforgiven but I’m keeping my eyes and ears open for it!

Rating: 7/10. An OK read overall. Started extremely well but could not hold my interest towards the end.

Irresistible

Title: Irresistible
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printed: 1998
Purchase Date: 25th February 2006
Purchase price: £4.73
Retail price: $6.99
Purchased from: Amazon.co.uk
On book cover:

Sophia Armitage was a friend indeed. She had agreed to help Sir Nathaniel Gascoigne find a husband for his cousin Lavinia in the glittering city of London – only half hoping that she’d find one herself. Sophia knew the odds were against her. Men simply did not seem attracted to her – not that way. Even her late husband had treated Sophia more like a companion than a lover. But then something shocking happened in London – Sophia found herself in the arms of Nathaniel himself! Not only did this act of indiscretion threaten their lifelong friendship, it revealed a depth of passion that defied everything Sophia believed about herself.

Comments on book:

Wow. I just loved this book. The hero, Nathaniel is not some rakehell but a wonderful man who is more ‘real’ and down to earth. I dreaded this book because I knew that it’s about friends who become lovers and I shuddered at this thought because friendship is a wonderful and simple thing that can be ruined and complicated by sex. However, the author knows how to make something that sounds a little unpalatable and unpromising into a brilliant and wonderful romance.

The heroine, Sophia, is wonderful and independent and the author’s description didn’t really make her look like a gorgeous beauty in my mind. But she has strength of character and a maturity that is very welcome in this genre. I really started to root for her and I was astonished at some of her actions! The appearance of the other ‘horsemen’ of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is truly delightful as I love their camaraderie and true friendship and not to mention their oh so wonderful characters. I’ve used that word ‘wonderful’ too many times already in this comment but I couldn’t help it because this book is truly, truly that!

Rating: 8.5/10 Truly wonderful!

No Man's Mistress

Title: No Man’s Mstress
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printed: 2001
Purchase Date: 13th March 2006
Purchase price: £1.75
Retail price: $5.99
Purchased from:



On book cover:

Lord Ferdinand Dudley is accustomed to getting what he wants…that is, until he appears at the door of pinewood Manor, attempting to claim his rightful estate, and is met by the bewitching fury of Lady Viola Thornhill. She refuses to cede him the home she calls her own. He refuses to leave. So the contest begins. Each day under the same roof brings its share of frustrations…and temptation. But Viola knows that it is a battle she cannot afford to lose. Marriage is out of the question and she will be no man’s mistress even as Dudley’s unnerving presence threatened to melt her resolve. Against his better judgement, Lord Ferdinand Dudley is beguiled. This maddening beauty has stirred him as no woman had before. And now he is bound and determined to make her his own.

Comments on book:

I was not very impressed with this book. Apart from the fact that Ferdinand is Tresham’s little brother and I was hoping to get another glimpse of him in this book, it was a book that I hesitated to pick up because the hero did not impress me in its prequel, ‘More than a Mistress’ and also considering the other books in the long ‘To Be Read’ list that I have. But it was selling quite cheap on Ebay one day and so I bought it. The reviews on this book are not that great and unfortunately after reading it, I have to agree. Ferdinand is just not as brilliant a character as Tresham and one cannot help comparing the two and coming to the conclusion that the hero of this book is a ‘lesser’ personality to his brother. As usual for this author, book is well written and I suppose a fairly good read if you’ve not read its prequel plus maybe I’m a tad fanatic of Tresham’s but all things considered, I still think it disappointed me a little.

Rating: 5.5/10 Not a bad read but a little disappointing.

A Summer to Remember

Title: A Summer to Remember
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printed: 2002
Purchase Date: n/a
Purchase price: £5.99
Retail price: £5.99
Purchased from: Borders Bookshop

On book cover:

Kit Butler is cool, dangerous, one of London’s most infamous bachelors – marriage is the last thing on his mind. But Kit’s family has other plans. Desperate to thwart his father’s matchmaking, kit needs a bride…fast. Enter Miss Lauren Edgeworth.

A year after being abandoned at the altar, Lauren has determined that marriage is not for her. When these two fiercely independent souls meet, sparks fly – and a deal is hatched. Lauren will masquerade as Kit’s intended if he aggress to provide a passionate, adventurous unforgettable summer. When summer ends, she will break off the engagement, rendering herself unmarriageable and leaving them both free. Everything is going perfectly – until Kit does the unthinkable: He begins to fall in love. A summer to remember is not enough for him. But how can he convince Lauren to be his, for better, for worse, for the rest of their lives?

Comments on book:

A good read but nothing spectacular about it. Still worth it if you're a fan of Mrs Balogh's writing. Some human complexities involved that makes it a little different but otherwise predictable.

Rating: 7/10. A little too predictable for my taste.

More Than A Mistress

Title: More Than A Mistress
Author: Mary Balogh
First Printed: 2000
Purchase Date: 12th December 2005
Purchase price: £3.50
Retail price: $6.50
Purchased from: Amazon.co.uk

On book cover:

She raced onto the green, desperate to stop a duel. In the melee, Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham, was shot. To his astonishment, Tresham found himself hiring the servant as his nurse. Jane Ingleby was far too bold for her own good. Her blue eyes were the sort a man could drown in – were it not for her impudence. She questioned his every move, breached his secrets, touched his soul. When he offered to set her up in his London town house, love was the last thing on his mind…

Jane tried to pretend it was strictly business, an arrangement she was forced to accept in order to conceal a dangerous secret. Surely there was nothing more perilous than being the lover of such a man. Yet as she got past his devilish façade and saw the noble heart within, she knew the greatest jeopardy of all, a passion that drove her to risk everything on one perfect month with the improper gentleman who thought love was for fools.

Comments on book:

This was my first Mary Balogh book and like all first books from your favourite authors, you tend to never forget them, as they will always have a special place in your heart being the first ever book from the author that so impressed you. Although this genre that we read is called ‘romance’, it was only after reading this book that I actually sighed aloud and said, ‘Oh! How romantic!’ because after all the attraction, lust, love making, duelling, wooing in all the other books that I’ve read, this book somehow captured the essence of romance. And I really can’t explain how. All I can say is that from this book, which gave me my first impression of this writer, I knew that she is indeed a cut above the rest.

Jocelyn Dudley, the Duke of Tresham is a character that is so beautifully created, so wonderfully witty and talented that I fell in love with him in the first few pages of the book. His actions, his words, even his retorts really amazed me that I just fell in love with this character and did not think twice about forgiving his cruel behaviour towards the heroine near the end, even though in truth, I really think she deserved it. After all, he had his problems too which he shared with Jane, the heroine, but she did not in turn open up to him about her problems and secrets when she should have told him the truth if she had trusted him. Too late he found out about it himself. I simply could not accept her reasoning that she was ‘giving’ and not ‘taking’ from him and that he should thank her for it. This is, to me, irrational and impractical of her as her secret was a life and death situation and thus, she should have trusted Tresham with it if she really loved him, at least to make him understand her predicament. No wonder he was mad at her after he found out about it.

The ending was not really all that great because I think there should be a little bit more happiness after they’ve found out and accepted the truth about her situation i.e. she's not guilty after all and her pregnancy, but it was cut short with their surprise wedding announcement at the ball and that was basically the end(!) A much better story with a similar plot from Mary Balogh would be The Secret Pearl which I have read and will review soon in this blog. Overall, this book was a great read but only because of a truly wonderful hero who saved this book from a mediocre rating. Also, the ending could have been better.

Rating: 7.5/10 Tresham is the heart and soul of this book. I will keep this book for him!