Mary Balogh 'Slightly Dangerous'

Wow, I liked this book much more than the other book I read by Mary Balogh. It's always slightly dangerous for me to get distracted from my regular life by starting to organize my romance novels (or any bookshelves for that matter). Invariably I end up on the floor with an old book that I can't recall if I ever really read. I'm pretty sure I have read this in the distant past but it was so enjoyable I read it again.

Our effervescent heroine is Christine, widowed, penniless, but happily living with her mother and sister in a small picturesque English village. Her friend, the local landed gentry is giving a house party and convinces her to attend. There she meets the icy imposing Wulfric, Duke of Bewcastle. Wulfric spends most of his time looking down at her through his quizzing glass. Christine spends most of her time laughing and playing with the children in an entirely unsuitable way.

Does this sound ridiculously inane. Yes, but Ms. Balogh pulls it off. Her writing is terrific, and her dialog is (mostly) witty and entertaining. The book isn't short, so she takes her time getting these two together. The only important scene in the book that I thought was entirely unbelievable was when Wulfric dives from a tree branch into his estate's lake in front of his entire family. He supposedly does this to prove that he isn't too toplofty to still have fun. This guy proves he's fun simply by smiling in public, and that was enough for me. The phrase quintessential romance definitely springs to mind.

Historical Romance 2005: 5 of 5 icy stares.

Mary Balogh 'Web of Love'

Ellen is married to Captain Simpson as the English army readies itself for the battle of Waterloo. Captain Simpson is Dominic's mentor and good friend for the last three years. When Captain Simpson dies in the battle of Waterloo, Dominic is wounded but returns to Ellen to give her the news, then collapses on her doorstep.

The first section of the book drove me nuts, all the characters sounded like they were in a 1940's movie, very stilted and overly dramatic without the gorgeous visuals. I was quite sure I was going to have to slog through the book just to be able to review it. But two things saved it for me. I am a bit of a sucker for the opps pregnancy plot device. I know some people don't like it, I fall for it every time; the hero is overcome with the magic of the woman he loves carrying his child, etc. etc. And then the character of Dominic, well he's lovely. And to be fair, this author is Welsh, so her dialog is probably more authentically English than I am used to reading, so that could account for the 'stilted' way I heard it.

My main critique would be Ellen taking two days of rain to process her husband's death and get over it. I mean really. The author could have let a bit more time pass so the heroine had a believable chance of getting over her guilt about loving someone new. Otherwise, sex was good although the plot mandates a definite lack of sexual tension. I ended up genuinely liking the hero and the heroine and the secondary characters are well drawn. Nice read.

Historical Romance 2007: 4 out of 5 stars.