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thebookishgoddess's review
4.0
Review type: Quick whips + slight character analysis + small spoilers.
Another sweeping story from Ms. Balogh. This was a well-written book with driven characters and a tremendous romance at hand. My only wish was there were more on Duncan’s reason behind his eloping with his supposed bride’s sister. I wanted to know more of his five years with her. Duncan clearly didn’t have to explain that to Meg, but I was really waiting for a more... pressing story on the elopement, at least in Duncan’s third person POV. It just felt a little empty reading so little about him. I merely wish he had been... better developed.
In spite of that, Meg was a wonderful female lead. I definitely commend her for choosing to care for her family out of obligation and willingness rather than to be with Crispin Dew. I admire how she’s so forward with things and that she doesn’t take crap (or lies, in this story) from just about anybody. The fact that she has trust issues, especially during the climax, was certainly understandable. Hell, Crispin Dew left to go to war promising Meg that they would be together once he came back. Alas, Crispin chose to sleep with numerous women during his time at war, married a woman and spawned a child. If that doesn’t hike up anyone’s trust issues, after being promised a solemn life as lovers after a dreadful war, then I don’t know what is. I pity Meg as a person and she most certainly deserved better (thank the stars she did get something better after marrying the Earl of Sheringford a.k.a, Duncan), thus I was delighted to read her as a character. Last of all, I admire her for being accepting and seeing the victim’s views first before the final judgement. It makes me wish that people were more like her.
As mentioned on the first paragraph, Duncan could have been better developed. I think we could have had more of what his character was like if he had elaborated in third person POV how he was during those five years of elopement with Laura. All we got was the fact that he saved her from an abusive husband and treated Toby (Laura’s child, whose father was neither the husband’s nor was it Duncan’s) like his own son. Given, the whole “past is in the past” is concocted on Duncan as a character, but there was just far too many questions that needed to be answered. But despite my hopes for more on his story, I found his intentions not only brave but very selfless. He gave away title, honor and reputation for the sake of saving a woman from an abusive husband. The fact that during the book’s time period where husbands had the right to discipline (which is basically just another word for abuse) his wife made the whole thought extremely repulsive. And despite how no man or anyone outside the toxic relationship had the right to have a say in the abuse makes it more compulsory on Duncan’s end. He practically risked a law in which no one had the right to interfere in a very toxic relationship that clearly needs saving proves that he is more than what meets the eye. I suppose, after writing this paragraph straightly without pause, that this was Balogh’s aim on his being human, being a developed character in her novel. Which is, greatly, a huge applause from me.
Overall, this was a very optimistically romantic book. It had a lovely premise and it was quite the story. Although there were a few dull moments here and there, I am simply to blame and not Balogh merely because I’ve been reading this book in a noisy environment. But what can I say? It’s a rarity to find silence when you live in the city. I’m giving this book a four because it’s not as appealing as the other books Balogh has written. In fact, from the very beginning, it was not my intention to read this book or the other book about Vanessa Huxtable. But I wanted to read more from Balogh and between Vanessa and Meg’s story, Meg’s sounded more interesting. Alas, it was good, but not as good as the others. It’s not a definite recommendation from me, but I can certainly tell you that I highly recommend Mary Balogh for anyone wanting to give regency romance novels a shot.
“Could a love of that magnitude die? If it was true love, could it ever die? Was there such a thing as true love?”
― Mary Balogh, At Last Comes Love
mskyle's review
3.0
turophile's review
3.0
(Ahoy - watch out for spoilers)
So you thought Jasper in Seduction (who married Kate, the sister of our heroine Margaret Huxtable) was a Rakehell. Wait until you meet Duncan. He didn't just sow his wild oats, he left his bride at the altar and ran off with the jilted bride's sister-in-law. Five years later his grandfather's about to cut his funds off unless he marries in two weeks. He literally runs in to Margaret and proposes marriage. Everyone in London, her family, his jilted bride, everyone warns her to stay away from hi. Does she listen? Of course not. As the scandal grows, her family pressures her to back away but she agrees to marry him after learning the true reason for his seemingly bad behavior. So she decides to marry first, then expect her husband to fall in love. (I'll give Ms. Balogh credit, however, Margaret does at least acknowledge how similar it is to her sister's situation - but still).
Let's see what other similaries - in Seduction we had the crotchety old guardian who sees through the evil cousins, here we have the crotchety grandfather who also sees through evil cousin. Did I mention evil cousins plotting against the Huxtables in both books?
And naked swimming - what's a book without the naked swimming? In Seduction we had the sister to protect, here it's the young boy. I'll stop the comparisons.
The other thing that troubled me was that I thought the author went overboard in how the story of Duncan's former lover played out - the contrast of good (Duncan) and bad (jilted bride and brother) was so stark it almost seemed unbelievable.
On the plus side, Balogh does write well and if you don't read her books back to back (or similarities don't drive you crazy) you may love this book. Another strong heroine who can take care of herself but stil finds room in her life for love. Descriptions that paint a vivid picture without going overboard. There is much to admire.
*Rated on my 5 star romance scale
priyastoric's review
3.0
laurla's review
"the pain is caused by the realization that he was never the man i thought him to be."
prgchrqltma's review
3.0
World Building: Continues the family series.
Plot: Largely internal/emotional. Internal mismatch to the perceptions of others.
Sex: Medium. Somewhat offstage.
Read another: Maybe.
kwcook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
crescentmoonfaery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5