What do you think?
Rate this book
Waite #2
Iubirea e un joc periculos
Lady Sophia Bryant nu are de gând să se mărite vreodată. Parinții ei, Marcus și Olivia, sunt înstrăinați de paisprezece ani, de când Marcus a făcut o greșeală prostească pe care Olivia nu a putut s-o ierte. Acum, dorința cea mai mare a Sophiei, de a-i aduce din nou împreună – și de a-i face să reaprindă pasiunea și dragostea care i-au unit odinioară –, poate în sfârșit să se materializeze. Iar o metodă sigură ar fi sa-și anunțe logodna – chiar și una falsă – în speranța că astfel parinții ei vor fi nevoiți să se revadă, în sfarșit. Lord Francis Sutton este perfect pentru această înșelătorie. Diavolesc de chipeș și un crai notoriu, i-au plăcut întotdeauna jocurile pasiunii, mai ales cele în care nu are nimic de care să se teamă și nimic de pierdut. Și astfel capcana e întinsă. Spre satisfacția Sophiei, planul ei pare să dea roadele așteptate. Însă tot ce mai trebuie este să reușească să își ferească inima nesabuită să cadă în cursa pregatitaă cu atata măiestrie pentru alții.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 1992
14 people are currently reading
697 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,337 followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
April 29, 2013
Other reviews may point out there are two relationships in this novel, one involving a daughter of estranged parents, who schemes to reunite them by undertaking a counterfeit betrothal to a rakish young man she's known since childhood (he was always stranding her to shake her off and go have fun with friends); and a more complicated relationship between the parents, who parted badly over his one-time drunken betrayal of her with a whore during revelries prior to a friend's marriage. (BTW, the husband and wife are 36/40 yrs old respectively, so not old, and very attractive.)
The 'older' couple's relationship is far more fraught and emotional than the younger twosome's. It also gets more coverage, page-wise. I didn't mind this, nor did I mind that the fraught relationship was played out in the heads of the two characters trying to navigate their emotions, their frustrations, their pride, their mistakes, etc. They yearn for each other and dare not make themselves vulnerable to yet more pain. They misinterpret each other in their anxiety, natch. I found it involving and very touching. And frustrating, as these sorts of stories can be. Why doesn't she unbend? Why doesn't either one 'fess up that they have only loved the other? What will it take to let the past go and carry on? But people are like that. Not just in novels, in life.
For some, the wife's remoteness/pride and seeming lack of forgiveness may be too much; for me, the author's skill at depicting the complex emotions warring within each is not needless churning but a moving portrayal of the deep wounds caused by betrayal and their struggles to gain perspective, finally, before it's too late. In other words, I am glad the younger couple's funny squabbling took a backseat to the more challenging romance featured.
4.5 stars, it's a great story for the category, but Balogh has even better, so must save room for those.
The 'older' couple's relationship is far more fraught and emotional than the younger twosome's. It also gets more coverage, page-wise. I didn't mind this, nor did I mind that the fraught relationship was played out in the heads of the two characters trying to navigate their emotions, their frustrations, their pride, their mistakes, etc. They yearn for each other and dare not make themselves vulnerable to yet more pain. They misinterpret each other in their anxiety, natch. I found it involving and very touching. And frustrating, as these sorts of stories can be. Why doesn't she unbend? Why doesn't either one 'fess up that they have only loved the other? What will it take to let the past go and carry on? But people are like that. Not just in novels, in life.
For some, the wife's remoteness/pride and seeming lack of forgiveness may be too much; for me, the author's skill at depicting the complex emotions warring within each is not needless churning but a moving portrayal of the deep wounds caused by betrayal and their struggles to gain perspective, finally, before it's too late. In other words, I am glad the younger couple's funny squabbling took a backseat to the more challenging romance featured.
4.5 stars, it's a great story for the category, but Balogh has even better, so must save room for those.
March 22, 2023
Reread 2023 (from 5 stars to 2) I ignored the daughters story completely. SPOILERS below.
Sigh. I really need to stop rereading my old favorites, because I end up hating them.
Over 15 years ago, when I was a young woman with no taste, I thought this book was the best cheating book ever, but re-reading it now, I found it simply irritating.
The MC married young 17/21. (they were both virgins, first everything together, just to show you how innocent they were)
So five years later, H ends up cheating on his soulmate/wife/h.
Not due to lust, attraction, or from any problems between the couple.
The cheating happened due to his immaturity.
He went to a bachelor party with a group of his old school chums, and his friends egged him on to sleep with a barmaid.
He wanted to show them that he was a man and not pussy whipped boy, so he did it.
He was stupid drunk when it happened, and he hated every moment of it.
He hated it so much that he ran outside to throw up.
And in the morning, he could barely remember the barmaid's face or anything about the encounter.
The angst was amazing.
Few days later, he went home.
The guilt ate at him, so he stayed away from the h for 4 days, even sleeping in another room.
Then this dumb boy confessed to the h what had happened.
The h is shattered, and couldn’t forgive him, so they became estranged for 14yrs.
Problem:
My old ass self had problems with him having mistresses for 14 years, while the h remained completely celibate. Not even a shared kiss with om.
The H even admitted to have gotten over her over the years, he had moved on, although he says he still loved her. (whatever)
Since this is a regency romance, I can’t say the author is being sexist, this was the norm, women were doormats back then..(hell most romance authors these days still think we are one!)
But I still hated reading about it, hence the reason for my lowered rating!
And I hated how the author kept trying to blame the h for their estrangement.
Like if she had just forgiven him, they would be happy now. (nope)
If she had not put him on a pedestal they would’ve gotten passed it.
It’s all her fault. This point is shoved down your throat.
It’s all her fault that H went on to fuck around on her, and why she’s so alone and unhappy.
This just pissed me the F off!
After he left the h for not forgiving him, he got himself a sexually experienced mistress, set her up for a year, and learned all sorts of sexual tricks with her, while the h remained completely alone raising their daughter in the country’s also annoyed me.
Yeah this was normal back then, I get it.
This is why I need to not read regency romance. I am too old for this bullshit.
I still believe that this cheating book is decent (and this coming from someone who is 100% against staying with a cheater),
because the cause of his cheating wasn’t due to him lusting after or preferring another women.
And this man regretted it. He truly did, and he groveled.
But I hated the message that this author was trying to convey with this book, that I missed in my first read when I was an idiot.
Author's message to you the reader is that - if she had just forgiven the cheater, she would be happy.
No fucking way. If she had forgiving him, he would’ve cheated again.🙄
But since it took her 14 years to take him back, maybe he had learned his lesson now.
Note to self
Never, NEVER read it again.
some examples of the author trying to blame their unhappiness on the h below.
“How foolish—how indescribably foolish—she had been fourteen years ago. Imagining that she could no longer love him because he had fallen off his pedestal. She had loved him anyway all those years, but had deprived them both of the chance of a mended marriage. She had deprived all three of them of the chance for a happy family life.” 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
More preaching to forgive cheaters...
“She wished she had not seen Marc again. For now, having seen him, she knew with a new pain all that she had missed in those empty years. And all through her own fault. Not Marc’s, really. All people make mistakes and have the right to be forgiven—once at least. But she had refused to forgive. She had been afraid to forgive, afraid that their relationship would have changed. She had been too young and inexperienced to know that relationships are always changing, that they must change in order to grow and survive.”
———————————————————————————————————————-
I'm simply amazed at how much I ended up liking this book because it had a cheating hero. This book clearly shows what a gifted author can do to a story with a cheating theme. Just fyi, the cheating here is pretty unoffensive and the hero is so regretful that you actually start feeling sorry for him....
Sigh. I really need to stop rereading my old favorites, because I end up hating them.
Over 15 years ago, when I was a young woman with no taste, I thought this book was the best cheating book ever, but re-reading it now, I found it simply irritating.
The MC married young 17/21. (they were both virgins, first everything together, just to show you how innocent they were)
So five years later, H ends up cheating on his soulmate/wife/h.
Not due to lust, attraction, or from any problems between the couple.
The cheating happened due to his immaturity.
He went to a bachelor party with a group of his old school chums, and his friends egged him on to sleep with a barmaid.
He wanted to show them that he was a man and not pussy whipped boy, so he did it.
He was stupid drunk when it happened, and he hated every moment of it.
He hated it so much that he ran outside to throw up.
And in the morning, he could barely remember the barmaid's face or anything about the encounter.
The angst was amazing.
Few days later, he went home.
The guilt ate at him, so he stayed away from the h for 4 days, even sleeping in another room.
Then this dumb boy confessed to the h what had happened.
The h is shattered, and couldn’t forgive him, so they became estranged for 14yrs.
Problem:
My old ass self had problems with him having mistresses for 14 years, while the h remained completely celibate. Not even a shared kiss with om.
The H even admitted to have gotten over her over the years, he had moved on, although he says he still loved her. (whatever)
Since this is a regency romance, I can’t say the author is being sexist, this was the norm, women were doormats back then..(hell most romance authors these days still think we are one!)
But I still hated reading about it, hence the reason for my lowered rating!
And I hated how the author kept trying to blame the h for their estrangement.
Like if she had just forgiven him, they would be happy now. (nope)
If she had not put him on a pedestal they would’ve gotten passed it.
It’s all her fault. This point is shoved down your throat.
It’s all her fault that H went on to fuck around on her, and why she’s so alone and unhappy.
This just pissed me the F off!
After he left the h for not forgiving him, he got himself a sexually experienced mistress, set her up for a year, and learned all sorts of sexual tricks with her, while the h remained completely alone raising their daughter in the country’s also annoyed me.
Yeah this was normal back then, I get it.
This is why I need to not read regency romance. I am too old for this bullshit.
I still believe that this cheating book is decent (and this coming from someone who is 100% against staying with a cheater),
because the cause of his cheating wasn’t due to him lusting after or preferring another women.
And this man regretted it. He truly did, and he groveled.
But I hated the message that this author was trying to convey with this book, that I missed in my first read when I was an idiot.
Author's message to you the reader is that - if she had just forgiven the cheater, she would be happy.
No fucking way. If she had forgiving him, he would’ve cheated again.🙄
But since it took her 14 years to take him back, maybe he had learned his lesson now.
Note to self
Never, NEVER read it again.
some examples of the author trying to blame their unhappiness on the h below.
“How foolish—how indescribably foolish—she had been fourteen years ago. Imagining that she could no longer love him because he had fallen off his pedestal. She had loved him anyway all those years, but had deprived them both of the chance of a mended marriage. She had deprived all three of them of the chance for a happy family life.” 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
More preaching to forgive cheaters...
“She wished she had not seen Marc again. For now, having seen him, she knew with a new pain all that she had missed in those empty years. And all through her own fault. Not Marc’s, really. All people make mistakes and have the right to be forgiven—once at least. But she had refused to forgive. She had been afraid to forgive, afraid that their relationship would have changed. She had been too young and inexperienced to know that relationships are always changing, that they must change in order to grow and survive.”
———————————————————————————————————————-
I'm simply amazed at how much I ended up liking this book because it had a cheating hero. This book clearly shows what a gifted author can do to a story with a cheating theme. Just fyi, the cheating here is pretty unoffensive and the hero is so regretful that you actually start feeling sorry for him....
July 12, 2021
Lady Sophia Bryant este hotărâtă să își facă părinții să se împace după ce, timp de 14 ani au stat despărțiți. Este atât de hotărâtă încât, împreună cu prietenii, hotărăște să simuleze o logodnă...
Vă întrebați cine oare este logodnicul? Patima și dezastrul copilăriei ei: lordul Francis Sutton, fiul cel mic al prietenului tatălui ei.
Trecem prin multe situații tensionate, unele amuzante, altele pline de emoții — de la tristețe la speranță, de la dezamăgire la bucurie.
Observăm că tânărul cuplu este potrivit, sunt perfecti unul pentru celălalt. În același timp, urmărim cu real interes părinții: pe Marcus și Olivia, amândoi fiind circumspecți, ușor temători de a încerca cu adevărat să discute. Totuși iubirea și pasiunea dintre ei se reaprinde instant, de îndată ce se revăd unul pe celălat.
“Iubirea e un joc periculos” a fost o lectură frumoasă, cu două povești de dragoste interesante: o iubire exuberantă și tânără, dar și o iubire adultă, matură.
Mary Balogh ne-a oferit o interesantă galerie de personaje, o poveste ușoară și relaxantă, chiar dacă a fost puțin cam scurtă.
Vă întrebați cine oare este logodnicul? Patima și dezastrul copilăriei ei: lordul Francis Sutton, fiul cel mic al prietenului tatălui ei.
Trecem prin multe situații tensionate, unele amuzante, altele pline de emoții — de la tristețe la speranță, de la dezamăgire la bucurie.
Observăm că tânărul cuplu este potrivit, sunt perfecti unul pentru celălalt. În același timp, urmărim cu real interes părinții: pe Marcus și Olivia, amândoi fiind circumspecți, ușor temători de a încerca cu adevărat să discute. Totuși iubirea și pasiunea dintre ei se reaprinde instant, de îndată ce se revăd unul pe celălat.
“Iubirea e un joc periculos” a fost o lectură frumoasă, cu două povești de dragoste interesante: o iubire exuberantă și tânără, dar și o iubire adultă, matură.
Mary Balogh ne-a oferit o interesantă galerie de personaje, o poveste ușoară și relaxantă, chiar dacă a fost puțin cam scurtă.
August 6, 2016
2/5; 2 stars; C-
A few years ago I started on a project to find and read all of this author's backlist. My sister Joan had quite a few but not this one. I am thankful that Mary Balogh is re-issuing some of these older books but they tend to be 'hit and miss' for me. This one is a miss.
This could have been quite a sweet story about the counterfeit betrothal between Lady Sophia and Lord Francis but the couple that took over the story and completely ruined it for me was Lady Sophia's parents, Marcus and Olivia. They wasted 20 years of their lives, still in love with each other but never having the honesty or backbone to deal with their misunderstandings and sort out their issues. Balogh is a favorite author of mine but sometimes in her books she pulls the martyr card. I really don't like it. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Sophia and Francis, it was cute, but I really can't recommend this book.
A few years ago I started on a project to find and read all of this author's backlist. My sister Joan had quite a few but not this one. I am thankful that Mary Balogh is re-issuing some of these older books but they tend to be 'hit and miss' for me. This one is a miss.
This could have been quite a sweet story about the counterfeit betrothal between Lady Sophia and Lord Francis but the couple that took over the story and completely ruined it for me was Lady Sophia's parents, Marcus and Olivia. They wasted 20 years of their lives, still in love with each other but never having the honesty or backbone to deal with their misunderstandings and sort out their issues. Balogh is a favorite author of mine but sometimes in her books she pulls the martyr card. I really don't like it. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Sophia and Francis, it was cute, but I really can't recommend this book.
April 7, 2023
A unique, unexpected, emotional, sensual, satisfying and quite profound second chance romance with undertones of regret and longing that are palpable. A truly beautiful story. An absolute classic.
April 23, 2016
4 solid stars for Sophia and Francis story. She did belong in bethlem as Francis put it many times in the book. Their relationship was sweet and funny. I enjoyed their characters and all the mischief they did as children and adult.
2 Stars for Marcus and Olivia. Marcus and Olivia were very young when they married and each others first They were very much in love and each others best friend and partner in managing the estate they were living. I wanted to shake both Marcus and Olivia many times in this story. They were both idiots and I didn't care for them.
2 Stars for Marcus and Olivia. Marcus and Olivia were very young when they married and each others first They were very much in love and each others best friend and partner in managing the estate they were living. I wanted to shake both Marcus and Olivia many times in this story. They were both idiots and I didn't care for them.
January 5, 2022
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I never really know how to rate these ones – there are 3 scenes but they are very short and vague. They are open door though, so I’ll give 1 flame
Humor: Yes
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
Should I read in order?
I didn’t read Waite #1 – I actually read book 3 first then went back to book 2. It’s probably better in order, as like many of her series, there’s the flow of relationships over the course of the series. This book has some brief mentions of the heroine of book 3, though she’s a pretty big plot point of their relationship. That said, I was fine reading out of order for this series (Just depends how much of a stickler you are for that!)
Basic plot
Sophia’s parents have been estranged for most of her life (14 years). She comes up with a plan with her friends to create a false betrothal to pull her parents together and Francis is ready and willing to play the game with her.
Give this a try if you want:
- Dual story line – we have Sophie and Francis (Sophie is 18, Francis in his 20s, I assume) who are putting on the fake betrothal and we have Marcus and Livy, that have been married 19 years but estranged for 14 of those. (Livy is 36 and Marcus is 40)
- Enemies to lovers feel – lots of banter between Francis and Sophie – and also fake relationship
- Second chance romance between Marcus and Livy
- Not a lot of action here – the focus is on the relationship development of the couples
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed parts of this book and really disliked parts of this book. I did enjoy Sophie and Francis a lot. It was just funny and cute and sweet. We didn’t get time in Francis’ head (which would have given away his feelings) but the whole thing was just a hoot that I quite enjoyed.
My frustration came from Livy and Marcus. Their story is heartbreaking – Marcus makes a mistake fairly early in their marriage and they have both paid for it dearly for a decade. They are brought together by their daughter’s (fake) engagement, and spend time together for the first time since the incident. The story flips between the two couples, working on a HEA for both of them.
Spoilers regarding the story below for some more thoughts!
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: (I read the combined book of Waite 2 and 3 so pages could be off)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I never really know how to rate these ones – there are 3 scenes but they are very short and vague. They are open door though, so I’ll give 1 flame
Humor: Yes
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
Should I read in order?
I didn’t read Waite #1 – I actually read book 3 first then went back to book 2. It’s probably better in order, as like many of her series, there’s the flow of relationships over the course of the series. This book has some brief mentions of the heroine of book 3, though she’s a pretty big plot point of their relationship. That said, I was fine reading out of order for this series (Just depends how much of a stickler you are for that!)
Basic plot
Sophia’s parents have been estranged for most of her life (14 years). She comes up with a plan with her friends to create a false betrothal to pull her parents together and Francis is ready and willing to play the game with her.
Give this a try if you want:
- Dual story line – we have Sophie and Francis (Sophie is 18, Francis in his 20s, I assume) who are putting on the fake betrothal and we have Marcus and Livy, that have been married 19 years but estranged for 14 of those. (Livy is 36 and Marcus is 40)
- Enemies to lovers feel – lots of banter between Francis and Sophie – and also fake relationship
- Second chance romance between Marcus and Livy
- Not a lot of action here – the focus is on the relationship development of the couples
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed parts of this book and really disliked parts of this book. I did enjoy Sophie and Francis a lot. It was just funny and cute and sweet. We didn’t get time in Francis’ head (which would have given away his feelings) but the whole thing was just a hoot that I quite enjoyed.
My frustration came from Livy and Marcus. Their story is heartbreaking – Marcus makes a mistake fairly early in their marriage and they have both paid for it dearly for a decade. They are brought together by their daughter’s (fake) engagement, and spend time together for the first time since the incident. The story flips between the two couples, working on a HEA for both of them.
Spoilers regarding the story below for some more thoughts!
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: (I read the combined book of Waite 2 and 3 so pages could be off)
April 17, 2011
My rating for this story is influenced by the fact that I really don't like 2nd chance at love stories. And in this one they let the misunderstanding go on for about 20 years. That's just too much for me. I can't help thinking that someone should have tried harder years ago. But they were both so long suffering. Another thing that diluted the power of the story for me is that it contained two romances neither of which was given precedence so neither had as much page time as they really deserved. I sometimes reread the end of this one but it is not one of my favorite MBs which I reread all the time.
July 21, 2017
This could have been a very boring novel if not for the banter between H and h. This one had two stories going on, One of H n h and equal space was written for h's parent's reunion , I am rating this only for H n h , I didn't like her parents for they were cheating husband and a cold unforgiving wife.
January 22, 2024
WOW. 4.5 stars. I own this and decided to read it after I reread some parts of other Balogh Signets.
Two concurrent love stories - a second chance with 35+ year old MC and a fake engagement with the other MC.
There were a couple of choices that I didn’t agree with but overall I really loved this.
Two concurrent love stories - a second chance with 35+ year old MC and a fake engagement with the other MC.
There were a couple of choices that I didn’t agree with but overall I really loved this.
August 1, 2016
THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN.
Girl enters a pretend betrothal to get her parents back together and, well, you can see where this is going, right?
I can't get into the whole thing, but this is now one of my favorite fake dating stories ever ever ever.
The parents were maybe a bit angsty for my tastes, but I liked that it addressed one of the things that bugs me about second chance romances, namely ALL THAT TIME they could've been together.
Anyway, you should read it or at least Kris should, so she can write an awesome review to convince the rest of you to read it.
PS: You'll probably find this as A Counterfeit Betrothal/The Notorious Rake
Re-read July 2016
Nothing really to add, other than the parents DO drag it down!
Girl enters a pretend betrothal to get her parents back together and, well, you can see where this is going, right?
I can't get into the whole thing, but this is now one of my favorite fake dating stories ever ever ever.
The parents were maybe a bit angsty for my tastes, but I liked that it addressed one of the things that bugs me about second chance romances, namely ALL THAT TIME they could've been together.
Anyway, you should read it or at least Kris should, so she can write an awesome review to convince the rest of you to read it.
PS: You'll probably find this as A Counterfeit Betrothal/The Notorious Rake
Re-read July 2016
Nothing really to add, other than the parents DO drag it down!
August 7, 2020
Well I really liked this one, despite there being triggers I normally avoid.
Despite what the blurb says. The main romance is the reconciliation story of the estranged parents. They married at a young age and had been very much in love. They had an almost idyllic relationship and were a happy family for 5 years with a little girl when one incident brings it all crashing down. The husband had attended a stag party for a friend, he got very drunk and was being chided and dared by his friends to go to a brothel. Since he was very young himself, he fell to peer pressure and went w a girl that night. He felt very very badly after and was so remorseful that he confesses to his wife. Of course she feels hurt and betrayed and sends him away.
They have been estranged for 14 yrs. The daughter is now 18yrs old and wants to get them back together. She gets into a counterfeit betrothal with her friend who is 22 yrs old and a bit of a rake, to force her parents into contact with each other. The story starts from here.
The parents story is poignant in that they both still love each other very much, but circumstances and misunderstandings still get in the way. The wife has finally forgiven her husband but doesn’t know how they can move on as a couple since so much time has passed.
Though there was cheating, it was handled well by the author, and I still appreciated the story. My only issue is that they had wasted too many years, and were it not for the actions of the daughter, they still may never have confronted each other.
The secondary romance is actually the one of the daughter and her friend/ childhood nemesis, which was cute.
Despite what the blurb says. The main romance is the reconciliation story of the estranged parents. They married at a young age and had been very much in love. They had an almost idyllic relationship and were a happy family for 5 years with a little girl when one incident brings it all crashing down. The husband had attended a stag party for a friend, he got very drunk and was being chided and dared by his friends to go to a brothel. Since he was very young himself, he fell to peer pressure and went w a girl that night. He felt very very badly after and was so remorseful that he confesses to his wife. Of course she feels hurt and betrayed and sends him away.
They have been estranged for 14 yrs. The daughter is now 18yrs old and wants to get them back together. She gets into a counterfeit betrothal with her friend who is 22 yrs old and a bit of a rake, to force her parents into contact with each other. The story starts from here.
The parents story is poignant in that they both still love each other very much, but circumstances and misunderstandings still get in the way. The wife has finally forgiven her husband but doesn’t know how they can move on as a couple since so much time has passed.
Though there was cheating, it was handled well by the author, and I still appreciated the story. My only issue is that they had wasted too many years, and were it not for the actions of the daughter, they still may never have confronted each other.
The secondary romance is actually the one of the daughter and her friend/ childhood nemesis, which was cute.
June 26, 2011
This is really what I think of as a classic older Mary Balogh book. Like so many of her books, it seems to start with the author pondering a question: what might happen to a couple who have never learned to handle any problems when the man commits adultery (once, because he's young and is pressured to by his friends.) If they have lived apart for 14 years afterwards, what might bring them together? And, how would their only child be affected emotionally by their separation? And she works out the answer, beautifully and convincingly. She both persuades us that they could, very easily, never have gotten back together, and that the thing that brings them back together is the one thing that is capable of doing that. No deus ex machinas here!
I'm absolutely convinced that for Balogh, the central couple is the parents, but that the publisher insisted on marketing it as if the younger couple were the heart of the book.
I loved both the hero and heroine. The younger couple didnt' work as well for me--the daughter seems a little old to be so focused on her parents' separation (and a little too oblivious to how close she is dancing to the brink of matrimony.)And I'm not completely sold that they are really in love.
But the older couple will linger with me for a long long time, and the two scenes at the end--where he declares his persistant love and where we see them together as a couple--ring really true.
I bought this on Alibris--its not on her current list of books to be republished. But I sure hope it gets there.
I'm absolutely convinced that for Balogh, the central couple is the parents, but that the publisher insisted on marketing it as if the younger couple were the heart of the book.
I loved both the hero and heroine. The younger couple didnt' work as well for me--the daughter seems a little old to be so focused on her parents' separation (and a little too oblivious to how close she is dancing to the brink of matrimony.)And I'm not completely sold that they are really in love.
But the older couple will linger with me for a long long time, and the two scenes at the end--where he declares his persistant love and where we see them together as a couple--ring really true.
I bought this on Alibris--its not on her current list of books to be republished. But I sure hope it gets there.
November 23, 2017
It's a cheating book but somehow I like it, well it's a Mary Balogh's book.
There is parallel two romances story in here between the girl who made the title came from and her parents who separated for 14 years because of infidelity and stubbornness.
She tried to make her parents back together, it wasn't easy tho.
Their love story remained me to Sherry Thomas's Not Quite a Husband.
He was the one who cheated but the way the heroine handled it made me feel sorry more to the hero than heroine, he love her terribly and tried but couldn't stop loving her.
It's a good read with some angst but not heavy and some humour in it too.
Btw, I think this story more about the parents's story than the girl.
For me the father here is the hero and her mum is the heroine.
More their POV than the girl and her fiancé in this book.
There is parallel two romances story in here between the girl who made the title came from and her parents who separated for 14 years because of infidelity and stubbornness.
She tried to make her parents back together, it wasn't easy tho.
Their love story remained me to Sherry Thomas's Not Quite a Husband.
He was the one who cheated but the way the heroine handled it made me feel sorry more to the hero than heroine, he love her terribly and tried but couldn't stop loving her.
It's a good read with some angst but not heavy and some humour in it too.
Btw, I think this story more about the parents's story than the girl.
For me the father here is the hero and her mum is the heroine.
More their POV than the girl and her fiancé in this book.
July 27, 2020
I do not understand how Balogh managed to tell two fully developed love stories in the space of a very short category romance. One was very funny and farcical (childhood frenemies + fake engagement where both pretend to hate each other but actually don't) ; the second was THE second chance romance to end all romances (happily married couple has a falling out and don't see each other for 14 years).
I really wish other authors wrote like this. Hell, I wish Mary Balogh still wrote like this.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
I really wish other authors wrote like this. Hell, I wish Mary Balogh still wrote like this.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
January 19, 2009
Again not your typical Regency romance, this book follows two romances, one a marriage gone wrong and the other a marriage in the making and each couple's vastly different aproach in each case. Ms. Balogh raises interesting questions. What can you forgive? What will destroy a marriage and what strengthen it? How are children affected by an estrangement? How important is love versus trust? Since many of us have had or are facing some of these same issues ourselves, this book is a good read.
September 21, 2023
Blazed through this on a plane!
It was a no plot Balogh and I had fun! The younger couple was insipid, but I was still charmed by them. Loved the angst of the older couple! I can’t think of another Balogh cheating book??
Recommendation warning: fucked up discussion of sex work and sex workers! Just this is very qualified 4 stars.
It was a no plot Balogh and I had fun! The younger couple was insipid, but I was still charmed by them. Loved the angst of the older couple! I can’t think of another Balogh cheating book??
Recommendation warning: fucked up discussion of sex work and sex workers! Just this is very qualified 4 stars.
January 19, 2024
3 stars
Often slightly absurd and repetitive, but I enjoyed it.
Often slightly absurd and repetitive, but I enjoyed it.
December 3, 2020
2.75 stars
Olivia and Marcus married nineteen years ago, when she was seventeen and he twenty-one. It was a love match, and they were joyous when their daughter was born. A few years passed with no more children, but they remained very much in love, until little Sophia’s illness prevented Olivia from attending the wedding of Marcus’ good friend.
At Olivia’s insistence, Marcus went without her, but at a party before the wedding, he and his friends from his university days got drunk. Marcus’ friends mocked his stodginess as a married man and dared him to go to “a tavern of low repute” with them. In his drunkenness, Marcus slept with a girl he didn’t know.
Afterward, Marcus’ conscience made it hard for him to spend time with his wife and to make love to her. Olivia kept asking him what was wrong, and finally, Marcus confessed all. A horrified Olivia could not forgive her husband, and so, after five years of marriage, they separated and spent the next fifteen years apart.
Marcus and Olivia’s daughter Sophia is now eighteen and at the prodding of her friends, she decides to enter into a counterfeit betrothal with Francis, the youngest son of a duke and duchess who were close friends to her parents. Francis used to tease Sophia and play pranks on her when they were children, but he’s willing to go along with the scheme that may just reunite Sophia’s parents.
At first Marcus and Olivia both want to prevent their daughter from marrying at such a young age. Their own youthful marriage failed, and Francis has a rakish reputation. To this end, Olivia travels to Clifton Court and she and her estranged husband join forces.
The years have been kind to Olivia and Marcus, and each still finds the other attractive—perhaps even more attractive than in the past. They treat each other with courtesy and honor, and when Sophia tells them how happy she is to have them both at the same place at the same time, they resolve to spend more time together to ensure her continued happiness.
Rumors of Marcus’ affair with Mary Gregg, Lady Mornington, have reached Olivia’s ears, and she believes Marcus to be an insatiable philanderer. In reality, Mary is only a friend to Marcus, but he has in fact had a few encounters with prostitutes, in addition to keeping a mistress in the year immediately following his separation from Olivia.
None of these encounters satisfy Marcus. He has never forgotten his love for Olivia or his guilt for hurting her badly. And so, one day, when he finds her in the walled and hidden garden that used to be their special meeting place, one thing leads to another.
Marcus finds Olivia more responsive than she’s ever been in the past and assumes the worst—that another lover, most likely her friend Sir Clarence, has taught her a greater degree of passion than he himself ever had. In reality, Olivia has remained faithful to Marcus for all the years of their separation.
Jealousy still rears its ugly head, and Marcus, in his anger, treats Olivia coldly after their encounter. Olivia wishes she could just go back to her peaceful home, but for Sophia’s sake, she remains at Clifton Court and tries to pretend that she and Marcus aren’t lashing out at each other.
Meanwhile, Sophia and Francis put on their charade, which Francis insists requires kisses, and kisses that involve tongue at that. As Sophia’s parents grant their consent to the marriage and wedding preparations begin, Francis begins to worry that he’ll be trapped into marriage. Sophia reassures him that she would rather marry a snake, an eel, or a rat, and in the next breath, talks about how to get her parents to come visit them together after the marriage takes place.
Will Francis and Sophia indeed be trapped? And will Olivia and Marcus resolve their differences and make Sophia’s counterfeit betrothal scheme worthwhile?
I had mixed feelings about A Counterfeit Betrothal because I liked the Francis/Sophia subplot much better than Olivia/Marcus main romance. I didn’t feel sufficient motive was given for Marcus’ initial infidelity. If he and Olivia were so blissfully happy (they both insisted this was the case in their thoughts) then why did he allow himself to be tempted into such a betrayal?
There are some lovely moments early on in the Olivia/Marcus part of the plot, including their first meeting at the secret garden and the caring way Marcus initially treats Olivia. But the misunderstandings between them drag on, and on, and on, to a point where I didn’t feel at all sure of their happy ending.
This is a partial review. The complete review can be found at Dear Author, here:
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/o...
Olivia and Marcus married nineteen years ago, when she was seventeen and he twenty-one. It was a love match, and they were joyous when their daughter was born. A few years passed with no more children, but they remained very much in love, until little Sophia’s illness prevented Olivia from attending the wedding of Marcus’ good friend.
At Olivia’s insistence, Marcus went without her, but at a party before the wedding, he and his friends from his university days got drunk. Marcus’ friends mocked his stodginess as a married man and dared him to go to “a tavern of low repute” with them. In his drunkenness, Marcus slept with a girl he didn’t know.
Afterward, Marcus’ conscience made it hard for him to spend time with his wife and to make love to her. Olivia kept asking him what was wrong, and finally, Marcus confessed all. A horrified Olivia could not forgive her husband, and so, after five years of marriage, they separated and spent the next fifteen years apart.
Marcus and Olivia’s daughter Sophia is now eighteen and at the prodding of her friends, she decides to enter into a counterfeit betrothal with Francis, the youngest son of a duke and duchess who were close friends to her parents. Francis used to tease Sophia and play pranks on her when they were children, but he’s willing to go along with the scheme that may just reunite Sophia’s parents.
At first Marcus and Olivia both want to prevent their daughter from marrying at such a young age. Their own youthful marriage failed, and Francis has a rakish reputation. To this end, Olivia travels to Clifton Court and she and her estranged husband join forces.
The years have been kind to Olivia and Marcus, and each still finds the other attractive—perhaps even more attractive than in the past. They treat each other with courtesy and honor, and when Sophia tells them how happy she is to have them both at the same place at the same time, they resolve to spend more time together to ensure her continued happiness.
Rumors of Marcus’ affair with Mary Gregg, Lady Mornington, have reached Olivia’s ears, and she believes Marcus to be an insatiable philanderer. In reality, Mary is only a friend to Marcus, but he has in fact had a few encounters with prostitutes, in addition to keeping a mistress in the year immediately following his separation from Olivia.
None of these encounters satisfy Marcus. He has never forgotten his love for Olivia or his guilt for hurting her badly. And so, one day, when he finds her in the walled and hidden garden that used to be their special meeting place, one thing leads to another.
Marcus finds Olivia more responsive than she’s ever been in the past and assumes the worst—that another lover, most likely her friend Sir Clarence, has taught her a greater degree of passion than he himself ever had. In reality, Olivia has remained faithful to Marcus for all the years of their separation.
Jealousy still rears its ugly head, and Marcus, in his anger, treats Olivia coldly after their encounter. Olivia wishes she could just go back to her peaceful home, but for Sophia’s sake, she remains at Clifton Court and tries to pretend that she and Marcus aren’t lashing out at each other.
Meanwhile, Sophia and Francis put on their charade, which Francis insists requires kisses, and kisses that involve tongue at that. As Sophia’s parents grant their consent to the marriage and wedding preparations begin, Francis begins to worry that he’ll be trapped into marriage. Sophia reassures him that she would rather marry a snake, an eel, or a rat, and in the next breath, talks about how to get her parents to come visit them together after the marriage takes place.
Will Francis and Sophia indeed be trapped? And will Olivia and Marcus resolve their differences and make Sophia’s counterfeit betrothal scheme worthwhile?
I had mixed feelings about A Counterfeit Betrothal because I liked the Francis/Sophia subplot much better than Olivia/Marcus main romance. I didn’t feel sufficient motive was given for Marcus’ initial infidelity. If he and Olivia were so blissfully happy (they both insisted this was the case in their thoughts) then why did he allow himself to be tempted into such a betrayal?
There are some lovely moments early on in the Olivia/Marcus part of the plot, including their first meeting at the secret garden and the caring way Marcus initially treats Olivia. But the misunderstandings between them drag on, and on, and on, to a point where I didn’t feel at all sure of their happy ending.
This is a partial review. The complete review can be found at Dear Author, here:
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/o...
April 13, 2010
After reading The Trysting Place I wasn't sure that I wanted to read the other books in the so called Waite trilogy, but the reviews were good and the plots were interesting so I decided to try them. Last weekend I finished the Counterfeit Betrothal and I have to say that this was a very enjoyable story.
Lady Sophia Bryant's parents separated when she was four years old. Since that time she has lived with her mother in the country and she spends her holidays one or two weeks a year with her father. This has left her with no wish to marry but one day, on an outing with friends, she concocts a mad scheme... she and her friend Lord Francis Sutton, a perfectly eligible gentleman but with a rakish reputation, will pretend to be engaged so that her parents will be forced to meet to speak of her future and maybe that will bring about a reconciliation.
So this is a story about two couples, Sophia and Francis and her parents. Sophia's parents were madly in love with each other but when her father did something very wrong her mother was unable to continue living with him. A betrayal is not easy to forget and she felt that she would never be able to live with her husband and trust him the way she did before. While Sophia's idea might seem a bit mad at first the truth is that it works perfectly. Unable to say no to the daughter he loves but with serious misgivings about Lord Francis, Sophia's father asks for her mother's help in convincing her that the she should not go ahead with the betrothal.
I thought it all rather funny, that Sophia's parents were so concerned with her when she was equally concerned about them and determined to keep with her bogus engagement till they are brought together. And the best thing is the witty dialogue between Sophia and Francis, they met as toddlers when Sophia was always chasing Francis and he was always playing pranks on her, now that they are grownups they are both decided to remain single but this counterfeit betrothal makes them spend a lot of time in each others company and the dialogues between these two are absolutely hilarious. I loved Ms Balogh twist for these characters...
Regarding Sophia's parents I liked their storyline a bit less. It was obvious from the beginning that they still loved each other and while I could understand what had happened in the past I think they should have been much quicker in talking about their feelings and who was important to them. As it was they are only made to talk about what they feel due to an outside event. All the time they were together they were assuming wrong things about one another and I thought that was a shame as "marriage in trouble" is one of my favourite storylines in romance.
Still they were both pretty good, it takes a good author to write two such different stories in the same book. One filled with carefree moments and funny lines and the other full of angst and poignant moments, one lighter and the other a more complex relationship. I closed the book with a happy sigh!
Grade: 4.5/5
Lady Sophia Bryant's parents separated when she was four years old. Since that time she has lived with her mother in the country and she spends her holidays one or two weeks a year with her father. This has left her with no wish to marry but one day, on an outing with friends, she concocts a mad scheme... she and her friend Lord Francis Sutton, a perfectly eligible gentleman but with a rakish reputation, will pretend to be engaged so that her parents will be forced to meet to speak of her future and maybe that will bring about a reconciliation.
So this is a story about two couples, Sophia and Francis and her parents. Sophia's parents were madly in love with each other but when her father did something very wrong her mother was unable to continue living with him. A betrayal is not easy to forget and she felt that she would never be able to live with her husband and trust him the way she did before. While Sophia's idea might seem a bit mad at first the truth is that it works perfectly. Unable to say no to the daughter he loves but with serious misgivings about Lord Francis, Sophia's father asks for her mother's help in convincing her that the she should not go ahead with the betrothal.
I thought it all rather funny, that Sophia's parents were so concerned with her when she was equally concerned about them and determined to keep with her bogus engagement till they are brought together. And the best thing is the witty dialogue between Sophia and Francis, they met as toddlers when Sophia was always chasing Francis and he was always playing pranks on her, now that they are grownups they are both decided to remain single but this counterfeit betrothal makes them spend a lot of time in each others company and the dialogues between these two are absolutely hilarious. I loved Ms Balogh twist for these characters...
Regarding Sophia's parents I liked their storyline a bit less. It was obvious from the beginning that they still loved each other and while I could understand what had happened in the past I think they should have been much quicker in talking about their feelings and who was important to them. As it was they are only made to talk about what they feel due to an outside event. All the time they were together they were assuming wrong things about one another and I thought that was a shame as "marriage in trouble" is one of my favourite storylines in romance.
Still they were both pretty good, it takes a good author to write two such different stories in the same book. One filled with carefree moments and funny lines and the other full of angst and poignant moments, one lighter and the other a more complex relationship. I closed the book with a happy sigh!
Grade: 4.5/5
May 19, 2013
Wonderful story with a double romance.
Lady Sophia Bryant grew up in a situation where her parents had been separated and not seen each other for 14 years. This had disillusioned her about marriage but also made her desperate for their reconciliation. During her childhood Sophia had been tormented by Lord Francis Sutton and the two continue to bicker between each other till the cows come home. They decide to have a counterfeit betrothal in order to bring her parents Olivia and Marcus back together.
Olivia and Marcus' story is beyond poignant . They were a love match but in a moment of drunken weakness he had a tryst with a whore and then confessed to his wife, who felt that she could not forgive him. They have both continued to love each other over the past 14 years but Marcus had given up hope that his wife would see him or take him back. Their coming together again after the damage they have inflicted on one another is emotional and passionate and full of misunderstandings but ultimately is a story of redemption.
Sophia and Francis provide light relief in a way that reminded me very much of Heyer and by half way through , the reader starts to get the distinct impression that Francis is not so sleepy after all and may well have a very good idea of what he is doing ...
By the time I finished reading I had a cheesy grin all over my face.
Lovely read
April 21, 2014
Another book from Mary Balogh full of useless anguish, miscommunication, lengthy separation...
2 stories were intertwined - that of a young couple counterfeiting a proposal to bring back together the fake fiancee's parents. The harebrained plot was luckily described as such and later on I understood . It anyway meant that my eyes were rolling like crazy every time we read about the youngsters' couple and that I wondered at the infinite stupidity of at least one of them. What the other could see in that person, I could not fathom. Some just like having a brainless Barbie/Ken in their life probably - good looking, entertaining but just dumber than dumb.
The parents' couple was not much better. They almost deserved their fate of 14 years unhappiness.
The storytelling is rife with repetitions, with small new disclosures that felt like making the story longer though not more enthralling. And the characters' development was either very slow and limited or even totally non-existent.
I cannot recommend this book, though hardcore fans of Balogh might want to read it nonetheless.
2 stories were intertwined - that of a young couple counterfeiting a proposal to bring back together the fake fiancee's parents. The harebrained plot was luckily described as such and later on I understood . It anyway meant that my eyes were rolling like crazy every time we read about the youngsters' couple and that I wondered at the infinite stupidity of at least one of them. What the other could see in that person, I could not fathom. Some just like having a brainless Barbie/Ken in their life probably - good looking, entertaining but just dumber than dumb.
The parents' couple was not much better. They almost deserved their fate of 14 years unhappiness.
The storytelling is rife with repetitions, with small new disclosures that felt like making the story longer though not more enthralling. And the characters' development was either very slow and limited or even totally non-existent.
I cannot recommend this book, though hardcore fans of Balogh might want to read it nonetheless.
March 6, 2018
For me, this book is more about the humor than the romance. Sophie and Francis have amazing conversations. They don't make much sense, but they are great fun and Bedlam. Not that these two don't have possibilities.
Marcus and Olivia's story is more of the romance in this book. But it is not the most attractive one MB ever wrote. For one thing, they are Sophie's estranged parents. (Almost no one gets divorced in Regency England.) Any secret behind their story is revealed relatively early. Their angst and lack of verbal communication go on and on, way too long. Marcus has a touch of meanness at times with Livy and Livy hides too much.
There is a background theme of forgiveness, which is one of MB's favorites. This time it is flavored with a touch of not expecting your lover to be perfect.
I didn't think there was much of a story, certainly not with any surprises. No, even the ending didn't surprise me. Like I said, anything good about this book was the humor.
There is about the normal amount of steam for MB books and the almost trademark punch in the nose.
I'm not sure if this is 3 stars. It dragged too much. But other than that, it's not bad.
Marcus and Olivia's story is more of the romance in this book. But it is not the most attractive one MB ever wrote. For one thing, they are Sophie's estranged parents. (Almost no one gets divorced in Regency England.) Any secret behind their story is revealed relatively early. Their angst and lack of verbal communication go on and on, way too long. Marcus has a touch of meanness at times with Livy and Livy hides too much.
There is a background theme of forgiveness, which is one of MB's favorites. This time it is flavored with a touch of not expecting your lover to be perfect.
I didn't think there was much of a story, certainly not with any surprises. No, even the ending didn't surprise me. Like I said, anything good about this book was the humor.
There is about the normal amount of steam for MB books and the almost trademark punch in the nose.
I'm not sure if this is 3 stars. It dragged too much. But other than that, it's not bad.
do-not-read
November 27, 2015h's parents broke up because of the father's infidelity. While the h's mother remained celibate for their years apart, he didn't.
He had done as she asked. And a month after her letter arrived he had set up Patty, a young dancer, as his mistress. He had found a measure of forgetfulness with her for the year after that—a very small measure. The girl had been a very experienced young courtesan. But it had not been experience he had been in search of. It had been a substitute for Livy. After a year he had paid her off and never repeated the experiment, though he had occasionally—rarely—hired a woman for a single night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2013
This book is now available as part of a two volume set, A Counterfeit Betrothal/The Notorious Rake.
See my review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
See my review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
June 14, 2020
The heroine engages in a fake betrothal so she can parent trap her parents who have been separated for 15 years. The fake engagement is super cute (constant arguing banter), and the parents' romance is decent, despite the constant lack of communication.
October 16, 2025
Both stars are for Francis and Sophia who were especially funny. I hated the h by midway through. She’s so miserable and seems to love her misery. I can’t believe she made me feel bad for the cheater in the story. Urgh
November 9, 2021
3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2010
When reading the blurb of this book, I was led to believe that the hero and heroine of the story are Sophia and Francis. And indeed the story starts off with the lovely young Sophia claiming that she has no plans to marry, ever, with the gorgeous young Francis looking on.
However, as the story goes on, Sophia and Francis are relegated to the background as the B-story. The main couple in the book, and indeed the most compelling and interesting story, is that of Sophia's parents, Marcus and Olivia.
Marcus and Olivia married young (she was only 17 and he not much older). They were both virgins and they were madly, passionately, devotedly in love. But as the story begins, they have been estranged for 14 years, having not seen each other in that time and only sharing time with their young daughter very much as modern day divorced couples do. The reason for their estrangement is revealed in the course of the story. But it is clear that neither one of them is very happy.
Sophia's proclamation about never marrying is all because of the state of her parents' marriage. They are her example of how marriage is and she is loathe to enter into such a relationship herself. At the goading of her friends she comes upon a scheme to throw her parents into each other's company in the hopes they will reconcile. To that effect, she and Francis enter into a fake betrothal with the hopes that the ensuing house party and arrangements will force her parents into close proximity for an extended time where they will realize they really should be together again.
Of course things don't work out exactly as planned. Sophia and Frances, who have planned this largely as a lark and who assure themselves they can extricate themselves from this fake engagement whenever they need do, completely underestimate how quickly and totally things can spiral out of their control.
And Olivia and Marcus don't easily fall into Sophia's plans either. These are two people who are nursing hurts (and a very deep and overwhelming love) who simply can't communicate with each other.
I must say I found the story of Olivia and Marcus compulsively readable. It is a testament to Balogh's skill that she takes my most hated of all story cliche's, the Grand Misunderstanding, and makes it work somehow. Although to be fair, with Olivia and Marcus it isn't really a misunderstanding. In their case each is exactly aware of why the other feels as he/she does. Their problem is they simply don't know how to communicate. And as Balogh so wonderfully illustrates, they didn't know how to be married. They were so much in love and had placed each other on such high pedestals that they were unprepared for coping with any adversity. Their struggle to come back together is the meat of the book.
And if Olivia and Marcus are the meat, then Sophia and Francis are the sweet trifle. They too have a romance though they don't really realize it or recognize it. They are played for much needed comic relief with their bickering and constant harassment of each other. Sophia is sweet in her concern for her parents, but I must admit I really liked Francis. He was very witty and had some really fun, laugh-out-loud lines.
Great book.
However, as the story goes on, Sophia and Francis are relegated to the background as the B-story. The main couple in the book, and indeed the most compelling and interesting story, is that of Sophia's parents, Marcus and Olivia.
Marcus and Olivia married young (she was only 17 and he not much older). They were both virgins and they were madly, passionately, devotedly in love. But as the story begins, they have been estranged for 14 years, having not seen each other in that time and only sharing time with their young daughter very much as modern day divorced couples do. The reason for their estrangement is revealed in the course of the story. But it is clear that neither one of them is very happy.
Sophia's proclamation about never marrying is all because of the state of her parents' marriage. They are her example of how marriage is and she is loathe to enter into such a relationship herself. At the goading of her friends she comes upon a scheme to throw her parents into each other's company in the hopes they will reconcile. To that effect, she and Francis enter into a fake betrothal with the hopes that the ensuing house party and arrangements will force her parents into close proximity for an extended time where they will realize they really should be together again.
Of course things don't work out exactly as planned. Sophia and Frances, who have planned this largely as a lark and who assure themselves they can extricate themselves from this fake engagement whenever they need do, completely underestimate how quickly and totally things can spiral out of their control.
And Olivia and Marcus don't easily fall into Sophia's plans either. These are two people who are nursing hurts (and a very deep and overwhelming love) who simply can't communicate with each other.
I must say I found the story of Olivia and Marcus compulsively readable. It is a testament to Balogh's skill that she takes my most hated of all story cliche's, the Grand Misunderstanding, and makes it work somehow. Although to be fair, with Olivia and Marcus it isn't really a misunderstanding. In their case each is exactly aware of why the other feels as he/she does. Their problem is they simply don't know how to communicate. And as Balogh so wonderfully illustrates, they didn't know how to be married. They were so much in love and had placed each other on such high pedestals that they were unprepared for coping with any adversity. Their struggle to come back together is the meat of the book.
And if Olivia and Marcus are the meat, then Sophia and Francis are the sweet trifle. They too have a romance though they don't really realize it or recognize it. They are played for much needed comic relief with their bickering and constant harassment of each other. Sophia is sweet in her concern for her parents, but I must admit I really liked Francis. He was very witty and had some really fun, laugh-out-loud lines.
Great book.
June 21, 2015
This story is a great Mary Balogh's one entertwining two beautiful love stories; one funny and sweet, the second so much deeper and moving.
Sophia wants nothing more than to finally see her estranged parents reunited after having been appart for fourteen years. She is ready to do anything to achieve her goal and so, she launches herself in a counterfeit betrothal with the man she knew since her childhood Lord Francis. She is certain her parents will not be pleased with her desire to marry Francis with his stained reputation and so they will have to meet together to find a solution. The naive and romantic young woman feels deeply in her heart that when her parents will be face-to-face again their love will burst into flame anew and they will not be able to part again. The only thing she hadn't thought of is that she will find herself deeply involved in her betrothal, wishing to become Francis's wife for real. And while she thinks she is the one trapping Francis in a unwanted wedding she finds herself becoming the real "victim" of this scheme as her childhood foe wanted nothing more than to become her husband for real.
Marcus and Olivia hadn't seen each other since fourteen years after Marcus broke their idealistic couple with one absurd mistake; mistake that his passionate wife can't live with... not that she can't forgive him but she can't find in herself to live with a man who is not as perfect as he seemed to be. She can't reduce herself to live a normal life after the innocent passion they shared.
So, they live separately for fourteen years, Sophia becoming the center of their life. So when their daughter tells them she wants to marry Lord Francis, they can't do anything less than to try to dissuade her thinking she will ruin her life as they did. They meet again trying to solve the situation and to preserve their daughter's heart. But what they hadn't expected was that seing each other again will ignite the love they never forget. They will have to learn how to deal with this passionate, strong and destructive love until they finally face the inevitable: they can't live apart anymore because they are each other's life.
This book is also the first time we have a glimpse of Lady Mary Mornington, Marcus's best friend that everyone seems to believe is so much more. I really appreciate this character and was happy knowing she had her own story, "The Notorious Rake".
"A Counterfeit Betrothal" is full of humor, passion, angst, tenderness and love. I couldn't help crying at the deep feelings Marcus and Oliva share and at the despair they had to face so many times before growing enough to be able to accept the idea that you don't have to be perfect to be truly in love and to be truly happy with the one you choose to share your life with.
As always Mary Balogh proves to be a wonderful author and a great teller of character. She is so talented to describe human's feelings an to share them with us.
Sophia wants nothing more than to finally see her estranged parents reunited after having been appart for fourteen years. She is ready to do anything to achieve her goal and so, she launches herself in a counterfeit betrothal with the man she knew since her childhood Lord Francis. She is certain her parents will not be pleased with her desire to marry Francis with his stained reputation and so they will have to meet together to find a solution. The naive and romantic young woman feels deeply in her heart that when her parents will be face-to-face again their love will burst into flame anew and they will not be able to part again. The only thing she hadn't thought of is that she will find herself deeply involved in her betrothal, wishing to become Francis's wife for real. And while she thinks she is the one trapping Francis in a unwanted wedding she finds herself becoming the real "victim" of this scheme as her childhood foe wanted nothing more than to become her husband for real.
Marcus and Olivia hadn't seen each other since fourteen years after Marcus broke their idealistic couple with one absurd mistake; mistake that his passionate wife can't live with... not that she can't forgive him but she can't find in herself to live with a man who is not as perfect as he seemed to be. She can't reduce herself to live a normal life after the innocent passion they shared.
So, they live separately for fourteen years, Sophia becoming the center of their life. So when their daughter tells them she wants to marry Lord Francis, they can't do anything less than to try to dissuade her thinking she will ruin her life as they did. They meet again trying to solve the situation and to preserve their daughter's heart. But what they hadn't expected was that seing each other again will ignite the love they never forget. They will have to learn how to deal with this passionate, strong and destructive love until they finally face the inevitable: they can't live apart anymore because they are each other's life.
This book is also the first time we have a glimpse of Lady Mary Mornington, Marcus's best friend that everyone seems to believe is so much more. I really appreciate this character and was happy knowing she had her own story, "The Notorious Rake".
"A Counterfeit Betrothal" is full of humor, passion, angst, tenderness and love. I couldn't help crying at the deep feelings Marcus and Oliva share and at the despair they had to face so many times before growing enough to be able to accept the idea that you don't have to be perfect to be truly in love and to be truly happy with the one you choose to share your life with.
As always Mary Balogh proves to be a wonderful author and a great teller of character. She is so talented to describe human's feelings an to share them with us.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews