Beyond the Sunrise

Title: Beyond the Sunrise
Author: Mary Balogh
Year Printed: 1992 (Currently Out of Print)
Purchase Date: 26th February 2006
Purchase price: $14.00 (£8.24)
Retail price on book: $4.99
Purchased from:



On book cover:

“They played a game of deception – but there was no disguising their desire.”

Jeanne Morisette, the daughter of a French count, first met Robert Blake when she was fifteen, and he was the seventeen-year-old illegitimate son of an English lord. When they meet again they are much older and wiser in the ways of the world. For both had been cast into a sea of intrigue and a storm of violence as England and France fight a ruthless war. But not even lies they are forced to tell each other in their roles as spies can dampen their desire for one another…as this proud and bewitching beauty and this handsome and fearless officer come together in a passion that flares in the shadow of danger – and a love that conquers the forces of hate…

Comments on book:

I have never shunned books with a war background and I was very excited to start on this book after reading recommendations about it on the marybalogh yahoogroup. I paid quite a high price for it and had to actually wait and bid at the last minute to win this book on ebay as somebody else was also determined to get it!

The war in this book is between England’s Wellington and the French in Portugal circa 1810, and the hero and heroine of this book are on the same side (Wellington’s, of course!) although the hero was lead to believe otherwise by the heroine herself, as she was doing some undercover work for England. Thus, he was suspicious of her and had to take her as his prisoner of war even after she appears to have helped him escape from being detained by the French. Their long journey back to the English camp on foot was not uneventful as the French were hot on their heels and while going through all the adventures and dangers together, their forbidden love blossomed again as of course, they were meant for each other.

Although I found Joanna’s character totally wonderful and amusing and very admirable as she was a woman very skillful in the dangerous game of spying, I was a little ticked off by the fact that she let him believe that she was indeed on the French’s side until quite towards the end of the book. I mean, if I were Captain Robert Blake, I would definitely feel like strangling her after I’ve found out the truth! And Robert, he is so adorable and strong and quiet, just how I like ‘em! I cannot believe he decided not to tell her the fact that they were once in love with each other long ago when they were very young and let her believe that the Robert who was her first love was dead! But I suppose he wanted her to think that because essentially he was (now) a different man.

But the ending…is so…good. Whatever loathing I felt for Joanna was diminished by her actions at the end. She completely atoned for the ‘lies’ she told him and what can I say, other than the book in my opinion is a brilliant read and is currently one of my Top 5. Definitely one to keep.

Rating: 9/10 - Enjoyed every minute of it!