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More than a Mistress
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From Publishers Weekly
In her assured hardcover debut, Balogh (One Night for Love) serves up two Regency-era characters determined not to fall in love with each other, despite their shared aesthetic sensibilities, uncontrollable physical attraction and increasingly intimate friendship. The predictability of their predicamentAthey come from different social classesAis compensated for by an authentic London high society setting and the smart, sexy dialogue between Jocelyn Dudley, duke of Tresham, and Jane Ingleby, the two attractive, headstrong protagonists. Jocelyn is an avowed bachelor, rake and accomplished duelist. While preparing to fire his pistol during a duel, he is interrupted by a woman's scream urging him to stop. Jocelyn hesitates and is shot in the leg. Furious, he confronts the disruptive woman, milliner's assistant Jane, who is impudent beyond her station in accusing him of foolishly risking his life. As punishment, he insists she be his nurse for the three weeks he is recuperating. Jane is proud and feisty because, actually, she's not really a common serving girl. She's the orphan Lady Sara Illingsworth, who mistakenly believes she killed a man who was attempting to rape her. She fled her home in Cornwall for London, but without money or protection, her future seems bleak. When Tresham recovers his health, Jane agrees to stay on as his mistress, partly in order to remain hidden, but also because she is falling in love with him. Although some intrigue surfaces when Tresham's previous romantic entanglements make him the target of a husband's vengeance, the real story is the dynamic love-hate relationship between Jane and Tresham, their many obstacles to happiness parried with fiery wit and spirit. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
edition.
From Library Journal
When Jane Ingleby tries to stop a duel, Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham, is wounded. So it's surprising that she ends up employed as his nurseDand ultimately his mistress as well. But as their relationship blossoms, Jocelyn commits the unpardonable sin of falling in love. In this refreshingly unconventional romance, which boasts an outspoken, memorable heroine, the author again pushes the edges of the genre. Her fans will be waiting. Balogh (One Night for Love) is a well-respected writer of historical romance who lives in Canada.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
edition.
01/10/2000
reader "romance-reader" -
I know when I heard that Mary Balogh was going to be published in hardback...You could hear me groan across town! It's almost a given that an author will change their writing style in some way to appeal to a broader audience in hardback. NOT SO HERE! I have to respectfully disaggree with some of the earlier reviews. I was so taken by this book! (I won't repeat the plot because it has been posted) This is not just a love story, it's a true Romance. The main focus is the entrancing interplay between Jane and Jocelyn. If you are a quick reader you may miss so much! One word can make such a difference! The entire relationship developes over several weeks. It is filled with scenes where there is a battle of wills, conflict, passion, discovery, emotional betrayal and hurt, doubt and finally...(smile) I have a couple of my favorites (eg. when she calls him Jocelyn for the first time, the attempt at courtship at Lady Webb's home, the kiss in the dark hallway without a word spoken ..) Balogh has included some wonderful secondary characters. Jocelyn's sister is priceless, and I heard that Jocelyn's brother Ferdinand will have his story told next.If it's in hardback, Mary ..I'm buying. This is a book that pulls you in and makes you feel so involved with the characters.You will cheer them on till the end! Read without interruption and SAVOR this One!
12/09/2000
Jane is on the run from her cousin, an earl who inherited his title (but not the fortune) from Jane's father. The fortune was left to Jane and the new earl wishes to claim it -a duke--when she interrupts his duel with another gentleman in Hyde Park hearted heroine. Sensually, the book has a lot of heat. This author really knows how to draw out a scene and ring it for everything it's worth.
The only reason I didn't give the book a five was because it went on for about 40 pages too many toward the end, using up far too much space wherein Jane punishes Jocelyn for hurting her feelings after he finds out her true identity (and has a negative reaction to her lying about it to him) and, somewhat ludicrously, for "making her fall in love with him".
I appreciate a good dressing down scene or two as much as the next person, but there comes a point when enough is enough...one chapter or two is okay--even three I could have lived with--but Jocelyn's punishment went on for the better part of a hundred pages. I found myself growing exasperated with the heroine Jane and began to find her behavior toward the hero petulant rather than independent. (Especially once she made it clear that he was being punished more so for making her fall in love with him rather than for any of his alleged misdoings.)
Still, the rest of the book was excellent enough to make me overlook the rather lengthy punishment for the most part. And since everything turns out alright in the end, it doesn't detract too much from the enjoyment as a whole. I still can't help but to begrudge a solid 40 pages of Jocelyn's punishment, however. The book would have been 100% perfect without it!
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