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Daring Masquerade
BETWEEN TWO FIRES
Beautiful young widow Katherine Mannering vowed that no man would ever again possess her. Her brief but brutal forced marriage left her with profound distaste for what went by the name of love.
But that was before she met Nicholas Seyton, a devilishly dashing highwayman who kidnapped her person and stole her heart. And that was before she met the infuriating yet attractive Sir Harry Tate, whose manner made her blood boil yet whose touch lit flames of passion.
The outlaw and the lord...Katherine knew so little about either, except that each taught her a different lesson in love- and presented her with a more and more difficult choice...
Beautiful young widow Katherine Mannering vowed that no man would ever again possess her. Her brief but brutal forced marriage left her with profound distaste for what went by the name of love.
But that was before she met Nicholas Seyton, a devilishly dashing highwayman who kidnapped her person and stole her heart. And that was before she met the infuriating yet attractive Sir Harry Tate, whose manner made her blood boil yet whose touch lit flames of passion.
The outlaw and the lord...Katherine knew so little about either, except that each taught her a different lesson in love- and presented her with a more and more difficult choice...
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 3, 1989
207 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,359 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 9, 2010
I must start this review by saying that this not one of my favourite Balogh's. I dislike deception and people masquerading as others and deceiving their loved ones, although here that is suppose to lead to some funny encounters I never could let go of my dislike to fully appreciate it.
The story is entertaining but it is not as funny as some of the farces Mary Balogh wrote, or as emotional as some other of her books. Kate is a widow and has found a job as a companion. On her way to her new job she is kidnapped by Nicholas Seton who, she discovers later, is the cousin of her current employer and the only thing that bars him from claiming the title is his illegitimacy. But he suspects he maybe legitimate after all and is decided to investigate further...
Kate ends up decided to help him. After she is released she goes back to her employer’s home and decides to discover what she can about the affair. But Nicholas also wants to have a closer look at what is going on at his cousin's home and arrives with a friend pretending to be Sir Harry Tate, a gentleman of the ton.
As I said before I couldn't get past the fact that Kate doesn't recognise Sir Harry and he doesn't tell her the truth. Not only that but he starts pursuing her and I felt it hard to believe that Kate wouldn't recognise Sir Harry as Nicholas even after they made love. Or that in the end she would accept so easily that she had been duped and had slept with "both" of them thinking they were different people.
In the course of the story Kate gets involved with smugglers, they find out that Nicholas mother was paid to hand him over to his grandfather and that his cousin in the one behind this scheme to gain the inheritance and the title for his family. Quite ironically his children weren’t that interested in their new life as the Earl's children and Nicholas ended up doing them a favor, and easing the way of true love, by reclaiming his rights.
So, although I'm happy to have read another Balogh, this one is definitely at the bottom of my preferences.
Grade: 3.5/5
The story is entertaining but it is not as funny as some of the farces Mary Balogh wrote, or as emotional as some other of her books. Kate is a widow and has found a job as a companion. On her way to her new job she is kidnapped by Nicholas Seton who, she discovers later, is the cousin of her current employer and the only thing that bars him from claiming the title is his illegitimacy. But he suspects he maybe legitimate after all and is decided to investigate further...
Kate ends up decided to help him. After she is released she goes back to her employer’s home and decides to discover what she can about the affair. But Nicholas also wants to have a closer look at what is going on at his cousin's home and arrives with a friend pretending to be Sir Harry Tate, a gentleman of the ton.
As I said before I couldn't get past the fact that Kate doesn't recognise Sir Harry and he doesn't tell her the truth. Not only that but he starts pursuing her and I felt it hard to believe that Kate wouldn't recognise Sir Harry as Nicholas even after they made love. Or that in the end she would accept so easily that she had been duped and had slept with "both" of them thinking they were different people.
In the course of the story Kate gets involved with smugglers, they find out that Nicholas mother was paid to hand him over to his grandfather and that his cousin in the one behind this scheme to gain the inheritance and the title for his family. Quite ironically his children weren’t that interested in their new life as the Earl's children and Nicholas ended up doing them a favor, and easing the way of true love, by reclaiming his rights.
So, although I'm happy to have read another Balogh, this one is definitely at the bottom of my preferences.
Grade: 3.5/5
May 20, 2019
What a delight in form of a book. Mary Balogh did that to me again. This book has it all...Romance, sex, mistery, deceit, smugglers, vilains, and a brave and yet vunerable heroine, and a very male, handsome and sweet hero. The dark haired, blue eyed heros of Mrs. Balogh are the very best. And I simply loved this book. Nicholas is strong, and witty, and he has a mistery attached to his past, and he is anxious to discover what the truth is. Katherine is a widowed, working as companion to a earl's daughter. And they met in a very funny and eventful manner, and Kate feel bound to help Nicholas with the secrecy of his past. And then Mary Balogh bring us this very sweet and funny story, with all the elements that make a good book. Well done again, Mrs. Balogh. I love your work.
August 9, 2018
Katherine and Nicholas
I love Mary Balogh’s literary voice. I can hear the beginning echoes of Freyja Bedwyn in some of the self reflection of Kate Mannering throughout this piece. Every time that Sir Harry Tate fingers his quizzing glass, my mind’s eye goes to scenes of Wulfric doing the same thing.
The antagonists of the story garnered varying degrees of scorn from me, though Lord Uppington was simply the worst. I believe he may have been the most reprehensible Balogh antagonist I’ve ever experienced. I disliked him more than the rapey cousins in the Secret Pearl and More than a Mistress (both were totally reprehensible).
This was a wholly original and fabulous slow burn story. It appears to be written in a style that encourages the reader to meander through rather than devour. Even when I knew that I had untangled the mystery, there was still plenty of detail left to surprise and delight me. I am fairly new to historical romance and it makes me so happy to see these older gems being rereleased in ebook format.
I love Mary Balogh’s literary voice. I can hear the beginning echoes of Freyja Bedwyn in some of the self reflection of Kate Mannering throughout this piece. Every time that Sir Harry Tate fingers his quizzing glass, my mind’s eye goes to scenes of Wulfric doing the same thing.
The antagonists of the story garnered varying degrees of scorn from me, though Lord Uppington was simply the worst. I believe he may have been the most reprehensible Balogh antagonist I’ve ever experienced. I disliked him more than the rapey cousins in the Secret Pearl and More than a Mistress (both were totally reprehensible).
This was a wholly original and fabulous slow burn story. It appears to be written in a style that encourages the reader to meander through rather than devour. Even when I knew that I had untangled the mystery, there was still plenty of detail left to surprise and delight me. I am fairly new to historical romance and it makes me so happy to see these older gems being rereleased in ebook format.
October 1, 2018
This could have been 4 star read if it was 200 pages instead of 400, Can you imagine more than 200 page length dragging ? I finished this book only because I hate abandoning them after partial-reads. This could have been so much more, it turned out dreadful.
September 2, 2019
It's really true what that shoutline from Jayne Anne Krentz (a.k.a. Amanda Quick) on new Mary Balogh books and reissues says: "Mary Balogh sets the gold standard in historical romance." Other historical romances just don't possess her magic. Her writing is such a pleasure to read and true to the spirit of Regency times. I can't sing her praises enough. Who else has that sharp sparkling wit combined with heartfelt emotion and balances the deeply romantic with serious issues & realities? In Daring Masquerade, all the elements come together in a perfect mix. It's also a different kind of Mary Balogh, like how Heartless (my new favorite of hers) stands out among her novels. She has so much originality and variation across books, which makes binge-reading them so enjoyable. Each one is fresh and exciting.
Katherine Mannering was a young bride and now she's a young widow. After her abusive marriage to a much older man, she's sworn never to remarry and never to give herself to another man. The idea of being with a man repulses her. She prizes her independence and ability to earn a living. On her way to her new employer's estate as a lady's companion, the carriage is stopped by a highwayman and Kate is abducted. The highwayman, Nicholas Seyton, is not what he seems. By the end of her sojourn with him, Kate feels sympathy for the young man who claims to have been wrongfully disinherited. Once he's released her, she begins investigating the mystery of his birth in the surrounding area. A house party is underway at the country estate in Dorsetshire where Kate's staying. Among the party is the infuriating Sir Harry Tate, a snobby, conceited aristocrat who has nothing but contempt for her. Kate finds herself engaged in a battle of wits with Sir Harry. And she finds herself very confused when she feels an attraction to both the highwayman and the baronet.
Kate is a breath of fresh air. She's a dope heroine who's not to be trifled with. I love her fake-it-'til-you-make-it attitude. She's bold, brave, fierce, and sharp-tongued, with mettle and fire to burn. When someone challenges her, she'll give it right back. And you get all this from her character in the first chapter! This is how you set up a story and introduce characters. Once again, reading Mary Balogh is a masterclass in writing. Daring Masquerade is fantastic right off the bat. The excitement starts up right away after a skillful & engaging intro to Kate and her circumstances. The first two chapters set everything up beautifully, while leaving enough unanswered questions to carry us through the novel. The hero's family history is laid out in chapter two, in a flashback to 1786, which reminds me of the narrator's style in my favorite movie Barry Lyndon. It's a deliciously old-fashioned and informative section. There's dramatic irony in the reader knowing things from that chapter that even the hero is unaware of.
Nicholas is charming, fun, and good. He's a man of the people. I love the network of locals in this book—servants, fishermen, gentlemen farmers, and villagers. There's a nice sense of community with good, ordinary folk coming together with a common aim. It reminds me of what I love about Thomas Hardy. Nicholas is like Ross Poldark, if Ross was, ya know, actually a nice guy. (One of the villains in this book even reminds me of Monk Adderley from Poldark!) Harry, to borrow a word from Ms. Balogh herself, is deliciously "toplofty." With Kate and Harry, there are shades of Pride and Prejudice. The comedic elements are really strong and delightful. There are some classic funny names, like the Marquess of Uppington, son of the Duke of Oakleigh. The witty dialogue that goes back and forth offers much entertainment.
The chemistry between the hero and heroine is sizzling as soon as they meet. Their building attraction is sexy and simmers off the page. They are incredibly well-suited to one another. They're evenly matched verbal sparring partners. They want to be friends, and to help each other in all their endeavors & through all their tribulations. They both have adventuring spirits and a taste for danger. This is an exquisitely romantic and sensual love story. You can feel their wonderful connection.
Of course I ate up the whole English country house party on a lush estate thing. But this book also features an intriguing plot and extra excitement with some crime elements. This is a complex historical romance, with a complex and layered antagonist. There are two main villains who are very different from each other, both chilling in their own ways.
I loved Daring Masquerade with its wonderfully drawn characters and extremely entertaining story. I was inspired to make them a playlist (naturellement) and have dubbed "King of My Heart" to be the hero and heroine's song: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0OD... With the great narration and intelligent dialogue, Daring Masquerade is really reminiscent of Jane Austen. This tender love story is a veritable treat and I can't recommend it enough.
Katherine Mannering was a young bride and now she's a young widow. After her abusive marriage to a much older man, she's sworn never to remarry and never to give herself to another man. The idea of being with a man repulses her. She prizes her independence and ability to earn a living. On her way to her new employer's estate as a lady's companion, the carriage is stopped by a highwayman and Kate is abducted. The highwayman, Nicholas Seyton, is not what he seems. By the end of her sojourn with him, Kate feels sympathy for the young man who claims to have been wrongfully disinherited. Once he's released her, she begins investigating the mystery of his birth in the surrounding area. A house party is underway at the country estate in Dorsetshire where Kate's staying. Among the party is the infuriating Sir Harry Tate, a snobby, conceited aristocrat who has nothing but contempt for her. Kate finds herself engaged in a battle of wits with Sir Harry. And she finds herself very confused when she feels an attraction to both the highwayman and the baronet.
Kate is a breath of fresh air. She's a dope heroine who's not to be trifled with. I love her fake-it-'til-you-make-it attitude. She's bold, brave, fierce, and sharp-tongued, with mettle and fire to burn. When someone challenges her, she'll give it right back. And you get all this from her character in the first chapter! This is how you set up a story and introduce characters. Once again, reading Mary Balogh is a masterclass in writing. Daring Masquerade is fantastic right off the bat. The excitement starts up right away after a skillful & engaging intro to Kate and her circumstances. The first two chapters set everything up beautifully, while leaving enough unanswered questions to carry us through the novel. The hero's family history is laid out in chapter two, in a flashback to 1786, which reminds me of the narrator's style in my favorite movie Barry Lyndon. It's a deliciously old-fashioned and informative section. There's dramatic irony in the reader knowing things from that chapter that even the hero is unaware of.
Nicholas is charming, fun, and good. He's a man of the people. I love the network of locals in this book—servants, fishermen, gentlemen farmers, and villagers. There's a nice sense of community with good, ordinary folk coming together with a common aim. It reminds me of what I love about Thomas Hardy. Nicholas is like Ross Poldark, if Ross was, ya know, actually a nice guy. (One of the villains in this book even reminds me of Monk Adderley from Poldark!) Harry, to borrow a word from Ms. Balogh herself, is deliciously "toplofty." With Kate and Harry, there are shades of Pride and Prejudice. The comedic elements are really strong and delightful. There are some classic funny names, like the Marquess of Uppington, son of the Duke of Oakleigh. The witty dialogue that goes back and forth offers much entertainment.
The chemistry between the hero and heroine is sizzling as soon as they meet. Their building attraction is sexy and simmers off the page. They are incredibly well-suited to one another. They're evenly matched verbal sparring partners. They want to be friends, and to help each other in all their endeavors & through all their tribulations. They both have adventuring spirits and a taste for danger. This is an exquisitely romantic and sensual love story. You can feel their wonderful connection.
Of course I ate up the whole English country house party on a lush estate thing. But this book also features an intriguing plot and extra excitement with some crime elements. This is a complex historical romance, with a complex and layered antagonist. There are two main villains who are very different from each other, both chilling in their own ways.
I loved Daring Masquerade with its wonderfully drawn characters and extremely entertaining story. I was inspired to make them a playlist (naturellement) and have dubbed "King of My Heart" to be the hero and heroine's song: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0OD... With the great narration and intelligent dialogue, Daring Masquerade is really reminiscent of Jane Austen. This tender love story is a veritable treat and I can't recommend it enough.
May 29, 2019
*snores*
A Daring Masquerade wasn't bad exactly, but it super wasn't my kind of romance novel, and I found it approximately twice as long as it needed to be. Tedious af.
The book opens with the heroine being kidnapped by a highwayman while impersonating the girl she worked as companion for. The highwayman, Nicholas, ends up revealing his whole back story to her with very little pressing: his uncle stole the title by not telling anyone that his older brother had in fact married the woman who birthed Nicholas. He's out to find proof and get what he deserves. Balogh makes the...interesting...decision to make this not a mystery at all. You know from chapters in the uncle's POV at the very beginning exactly what happened. This might have worked better with suspense.
The entire plot hinges on a Superman/Clark Kent type disguise which fools the heroine for almost the entirety of the book. I mean, yeah, Nicholas wore a mask and a golden wig, but once she'd seen him naked in both identities, you'd think she would notice that his nipples and freckles and body shape were literally identical. But no dice. I couldn't get over how stupid I thought that was.
And, for all that Kate cannot recognize the same man if he keeps his eyes half open all the time, she is the only reason that everything works out. Nicholas literally accomplishes nothing in the investigation of the truth, where Kate figures it out two separate ways AND ends up being the one to stumble over Nicholas' French relatives. It was cool that she got to be the smart one, but it would have been more convincing had she put together who he was way earlier.
The romance did not work for me at all, maybe because she could not recognize that she'd had sex with the same man. It also didn't help that her love for Sir Harry Tate (aka Nicholas' second identity) forms as a result of him constantly saving her from a titled man intent on raping her.
There was one thing that I did like more than the rest: the ending. That sounds like a burn, but actually the resolution had some unique elements that made it stand out. For a book with an absurd and melodramatic premise, the ending's realistic and pleasing.
This is only the second Mary Balogh that I've found truly not fun to read. Most of the ones I didn't like that well were still fun, but this one was a bore. Maybe if you're more okay with the general premise, though, it will be more your thing.
A Daring Masquerade wasn't bad exactly, but it super wasn't my kind of romance novel, and I found it approximately twice as long as it needed to be. Tedious af.
The book opens with the heroine being kidnapped by a highwayman while impersonating the girl she worked as companion for. The highwayman, Nicholas, ends up revealing his whole back story to her with very little pressing: his uncle stole the title by not telling anyone that his older brother had in fact married the woman who birthed Nicholas. He's out to find proof and get what he deserves. Balogh makes the...interesting...decision to make this not a mystery at all. You know from chapters in the uncle's POV at the very beginning exactly what happened. This might have worked better with suspense.
The entire plot hinges on a Superman/Clark Kent type disguise which fools the heroine for almost the entirety of the book. I mean, yeah, Nicholas wore a mask and a golden wig, but once she'd seen him naked in both identities, you'd think she would notice that his nipples and freckles and body shape were literally identical. But no dice. I couldn't get over how stupid I thought that was.
And, for all that Kate cannot recognize the same man if he keeps his eyes half open all the time, she is the only reason that everything works out. Nicholas literally accomplishes nothing in the investigation of the truth, where Kate figures it out two separate ways AND ends up being the one to stumble over Nicholas' French relatives. It was cool that she got to be the smart one, but it would have been more convincing had she put together who he was way earlier.
The romance did not work for me at all, maybe because she could not recognize that she'd had sex with the same man. It also didn't help that her love for Sir Harry Tate (aka Nicholas' second identity) forms as a result of him constantly saving her from a titled man intent on raping her.
There was one thing that I did like more than the rest: the ending. That sounds like a burn, but actually the resolution had some unique elements that made it stand out. For a book with an absurd and melodramatic premise, the ending's realistic and pleasing.
This is only the second Mary Balogh that I've found truly not fun to read. Most of the ones I didn't like that well were still fun, but this one was a bore. Maybe if you're more okay with the general premise, though, it will be more your thing.
April 4, 2019
An enjoyable story, and one that I have not reread for quite some time. The main characters are likeable and engaging, the plot is intriguing, and the villains—there are two—are different, as are their motivations.
October 2, 2018
3 Mary Balogh stars are like 20 stars for other authors, so bear that in mind. Still, the arguing got old. Read this years ago.
September 3, 2018
Another books where mom’s and myself’s reading to the end made a difference. When the book started out mom was happy to see it had all the action it promised, but got a little disappointed as everything quieted fown just a little to quickly for her liking, which left her wonder how much she truly enjoyed the characters. As things stared to progress and the characters became more flushed out and started to show not tell, mom started to like the characters. She especially liked how the book delet with the subject of rape and how unseriously it can be taken. That is something mom like a lot as she kept reading. She liked how problems where never left and always addressed and end with a firm conclusion which is why by the end of the book mom loved reading the book so much.
November 6, 2014
Alhoewel dit verhaal niet het meest romantische van M.B is vind ik het toch 4 sterren waardig .
De held van het verhaal gaat regelmatig bij zichzelf te rade of hij de heldin wel of niet moet laten weten wie hij werkelijk is . Alles wat hij doet doet hij om haar te beschermen en tja dan is het aan de lezer of je daarin mee kunt gaan of niet . Ik had denk ik liever gehad dat hij haar van het begin af aan in vertrouwen had genomen maar zijn redenen om dat niet te doen kon ik wel begrijpen . Al met al was ik begaan met de lotgevallen van de hoofdpersonen en dat maakt een boek voor mij net boven gemiddeld .
De held van het verhaal gaat regelmatig bij zichzelf te rade of hij de heldin wel of niet moet laten weten wie hij werkelijk is . Alles wat hij doet doet hij om haar te beschermen en tja dan is het aan de lezer of je daarin mee kunt gaan of niet . Ik had denk ik liever gehad dat hij haar van het begin af aan in vertrouwen had genomen maar zijn redenen om dat niet te doen kon ik wel begrijpen . Al met al was ik begaan met de lotgevallen van de hoofdpersonen en dat maakt een boek voor mij net boven gemiddeld .
June 24, 2020
Wear and contrived plot. Far below her usual standard. I think she had a minimum number of words she had to submit, so she put in a lot of padding, telling what each character was thinking, or doing, or wearing; essentially boring her readers to death. If this were the first Balogh novel I had ever read, I probably wouldn't read another; however, I have read many of her other works and know that she is capable of much better writing.
I didn't look at the publication date, but have to wonder if this is perhaps an early effort.
I didn't look at the publication date, but have to wonder if this is perhaps an early effort.
July 23, 2020
A mediocre romance by this author is still a better than average one. It took me awhile to find what I usually like in a Balogh story, a sense of real humanity, characters who are as unique and flawed but still lovable as people generally are, a psychological honesty. I’m not used to working as hard as I did to find that in one of her stories, but eventually I did. It is interesting in that respect to read the early work of someone I started following mid-career.
January 24, 2016
This was a not quite satisfactory Balogh novel. First
, I felt it dragged on and I guess I had trouble suspending my disbelief that the heroine would not recognize someone she fell in love with if he appeared to her in another guise.
, I felt it dragged on and I guess I had trouble suspending my disbelief that the heroine would not recognize someone she fell in love with if he appeared to her in another guise.
September 30, 2021
Spoilers.
I finished this book last night and now I’m struggling for the first line of my review..which is a bad sign…I’m just kind of indifferent to this book.
The blurb seemed unusual which is what drew me in, a character in disguise or mistaken identity is a favourite trope of mine. This book it quite old so I was bearing that in mind when reading it, it was earlier in Balogh’s career so the writing style might be different or it might have some old fashioned ideas.
You have Kate who is widowed and has a negative attitude towards sex because of the way she was treated by her husband. Then you have Nicholas who has been denied his birth right by his Uncle and is trying to unearth the truth about his mother and his legitimacy.
The book begins when he (in disguise) accidentally kidnaps Kate instead of his cousin with the intention of ransoming her for the information he requires. He tells Kate his story and they grow close over the course of a few meetings. He then infiltrates his Uncles home under an assumed name and interacts with her without her knowing who he is. He plays a contemptuous character to keep her at arm’s length and she doesn’t like him…but she kinda does.
The characters were great, the villain was well developed, I appreciated the little backstory at the beginning and getting scenes from the villains POV as it fleshed him out as a character and made him multi-dimensional. I’ll admit even with 80% to go I wasn’t able to predict how it would end. Obviously happily ever after but how would we get there? The final reveal I didn’t see coming so points for that. I liked the side characters and I was invested in a happy ending for them all. The other villain was delusional to the point of disbelief and I cheered when he got his face smashed in! I liked it that Nicholas kicked the shit out of him for Kate, call me a barbarian but that shit is romantic AF! #justiceforkate
Some of the problems were, it was just too long for the amount of action there was. A lot of scenes would play out and then they would be recounted from both the hero and heroines POV which wasn’t really needed. The deception when on for too long, Kate need to find out the truth much sooner and have more time to come to terms with it. It needed to be revealed in a more dramatic way too. I had all these ideas at various points about how it would be revealed but the finale is kind of flat.
I thought perhaps Nicholas would get discovered and arrested and then somehow rescued or maybe his identity would be revealed by Lord Uppington and he would have to flee the house party and then he could storm back in with the evidence he needs once he found it. What actually happens is all very polite. I understand not wanting a scandal but his Uncle just gets away with it scott free! I wanted more of a comeuppance for him.
Also because Nicholas is playing the part of Sir Harry for most of the book they keep each other at arms-length. He protects Kate every step of the way but they rarely get to interact as a couple would and because of that the book is missing some tenderness and swoon worthy moments. It felt a bit more like a fiction with a romance than a romance book to me.
What annoyed me slightly was that the beginning and middle of the book were quite drawn out, some scenes could have been cut without sacrificing the story, yet the final scenes felt slightly rushed – they could have been flushed out more. I think Kate needed more time to know Nicholas just as himself. He deceived her so much and she was rightly angry but she seemed more angry than hurt. I would have been hurt more than anything I think. I didn’t really see her journey from anger to some level of understanding, like, she never really looks back on the situation and thinks, here was this guy who was deceiving me but at every step he was watching out for me and protecting me. He was trying to push me away but was obviously drawn to me at the same time. I would have liked to have seen her reflect on that as it would have made her forgiveness seem more earned. She just seems forgive him because she loves him more than anything else.
Nicholas’ conviction that he couldn’t offer for Kate was a bit convoluted too, she wasn’t particularly high up the social ladder, she would not have refused him without his title, she wasn’t that kind of woman. Not once did she talk about wanting to be in society etc. He claimed to love her more than anything but he wasn’t prepared to abandon his quest for his title for her. Which is fine, he shouldn’t, it is rightly his and his motivation changes part way thought the book – he wants the title so he can be with Kate, but don’t bullshit you know.
A positive about this book is that for the era it is set in and although it quite old, it has a healthy attitude towards a woman enjoying her sexual nature. Obviously we know Kate is sleeping with the same guy but she doesn’t know that and she never feels ashamed which is great.
I was never bored reading this book and I never skimmed but I cant say I was riveted either. There is no denying it was well written but I know wouldn’t re-read this so I’m giving it 3 stars.
I finished this book last night and now I’m struggling for the first line of my review..which is a bad sign…I’m just kind of indifferent to this book.
The blurb seemed unusual which is what drew me in, a character in disguise or mistaken identity is a favourite trope of mine. This book it quite old so I was bearing that in mind when reading it, it was earlier in Balogh’s career so the writing style might be different or it might have some old fashioned ideas.
You have Kate who is widowed and has a negative attitude towards sex because of the way she was treated by her husband. Then you have Nicholas who has been denied his birth right by his Uncle and is trying to unearth the truth about his mother and his legitimacy.
The book begins when he (in disguise) accidentally kidnaps Kate instead of his cousin with the intention of ransoming her for the information he requires. He tells Kate his story and they grow close over the course of a few meetings. He then infiltrates his Uncles home under an assumed name and interacts with her without her knowing who he is. He plays a contemptuous character to keep her at arm’s length and she doesn’t like him…but she kinda does.
The characters were great, the villain was well developed, I appreciated the little backstory at the beginning and getting scenes from the villains POV as it fleshed him out as a character and made him multi-dimensional. I’ll admit even with 80% to go I wasn’t able to predict how it would end. Obviously happily ever after but how would we get there? The final reveal I didn’t see coming so points for that. I liked the side characters and I was invested in a happy ending for them all. The other villain was delusional to the point of disbelief and I cheered when he got his face smashed in! I liked it that Nicholas kicked the shit out of him for Kate, call me a barbarian but that shit is romantic AF! #justiceforkate
Some of the problems were, it was just too long for the amount of action there was. A lot of scenes would play out and then they would be recounted from both the hero and heroines POV which wasn’t really needed. The deception when on for too long, Kate need to find out the truth much sooner and have more time to come to terms with it. It needed to be revealed in a more dramatic way too. I had all these ideas at various points about how it would be revealed but the finale is kind of flat.
I thought perhaps Nicholas would get discovered and arrested and then somehow rescued or maybe his identity would be revealed by Lord Uppington and he would have to flee the house party and then he could storm back in with the evidence he needs once he found it. What actually happens is all very polite. I understand not wanting a scandal but his Uncle just gets away with it scott free! I wanted more of a comeuppance for him.
Also because Nicholas is playing the part of Sir Harry for most of the book they keep each other at arms-length. He protects Kate every step of the way but they rarely get to interact as a couple would and because of that the book is missing some tenderness and swoon worthy moments. It felt a bit more like a fiction with a romance than a romance book to me.
What annoyed me slightly was that the beginning and middle of the book were quite drawn out, some scenes could have been cut without sacrificing the story, yet the final scenes felt slightly rushed – they could have been flushed out more. I think Kate needed more time to know Nicholas just as himself. He deceived her so much and she was rightly angry but she seemed more angry than hurt. I would have been hurt more than anything I think. I didn’t really see her journey from anger to some level of understanding, like, she never really looks back on the situation and thinks, here was this guy who was deceiving me but at every step he was watching out for me and protecting me. He was trying to push me away but was obviously drawn to me at the same time. I would have liked to have seen her reflect on that as it would have made her forgiveness seem more earned. She just seems forgive him because she loves him more than anything else.
Nicholas’ conviction that he couldn’t offer for Kate was a bit convoluted too, she wasn’t particularly high up the social ladder, she would not have refused him without his title, she wasn’t that kind of woman. Not once did she talk about wanting to be in society etc. He claimed to love her more than anything but he wasn’t prepared to abandon his quest for his title for her. Which is fine, he shouldn’t, it is rightly his and his motivation changes part way thought the book – he wants the title so he can be with Kate, but don’t bullshit you know.
A positive about this book is that for the era it is set in and although it quite old, it has a healthy attitude towards a woman enjoying her sexual nature. Obviously we know Kate is sleeping with the same guy but she doesn’t know that and she never feels ashamed which is great.
I was never bored reading this book and I never skimmed but I cant say I was riveted either. There is no denying it was well written but I know wouldn’t re-read this so I’m giving it 3 stars.
January 2, 2020
This is the first book of MB that I've ever disliked...and I've read them all.
This is the first time I've ever disliked on of MB books. I actually started to get a bit sick at my stomach. I know there is a warning at the beginning of the story about rape...but it just didn't feel right or necessary. It wasn't how it was written but because of how the character reacted and felt. It could have been handled differently or really just have been left out of the book and written differently. When I read one of MBs books I get emotionally attached to the characters and will laugh and cry and in general get all the feels. I love all the angst and resolving the issues on the last page before a HEA. She's amazing like that and I will always read her works. But I finally found a book that I really dislike. I give it 3 stars because it's written well. It had an interesting plot and simply because it is a Mary Balogh book.
Why I dislike this book Spoilerish
Spoiler - if someone tried to rape you repeatedly in multiple chapters and locations you don't suck it up and go on your do da day. Or become intimate with someone else you hate. The hero did have redeeming qualities but not enough to keep me from disliking him or understanding why she was so drawn to him. First time that's happened for me in one of her books. The heroine has a split personality disorder and is strong one minute, weak the next then starts to act crazy like her hormones just spiked. I can't believe I'm typing this but I read other reviews and they were mixed so I ignored them and I wish I hadn't. I'm a huge fan of Mary Balogh and she's one of my top five favorite others. I've enjoyed reading these old rereleased books tremendously. This is just the exception and I'm grateful for years and years of entertainment. I'm so happy she's moved beyond this story. I just can't love or recommend this to anyone. I hope this is helpful to someone. I would personally still read it if I read this review because I would think the reviewer would be crazy to dislike something so much written by MB. But I did text to speech as soon as I finished to give an honest if somewhat sloppy review.
This is the first time I've ever disliked on of MB books. I actually started to get a bit sick at my stomach. I know there is a warning at the beginning of the story about rape...but it just didn't feel right or necessary. It wasn't how it was written but because of how the character reacted and felt. It could have been handled differently or really just have been left out of the book and written differently. When I read one of MBs books I get emotionally attached to the characters and will laugh and cry and in general get all the feels. I love all the angst and resolving the issues on the last page before a HEA. She's amazing like that and I will always read her works. But I finally found a book that I really dislike. I give it 3 stars because it's written well. It had an interesting plot and simply because it is a Mary Balogh book.
Why I dislike this book Spoilerish
Spoiler - if someone tried to rape you repeatedly in multiple chapters and locations you don't suck it up and go on your do da day. Or become intimate with someone else you hate. The hero did have redeeming qualities but not enough to keep me from disliking him or understanding why she was so drawn to him. First time that's happened for me in one of her books. The heroine has a split personality disorder and is strong one minute, weak the next then starts to act crazy like her hormones just spiked. I can't believe I'm typing this but I read other reviews and they were mixed so I ignored them and I wish I hadn't. I'm a huge fan of Mary Balogh and she's one of my top five favorite others. I've enjoyed reading these old rereleased books tremendously. This is just the exception and I'm grateful for years and years of entertainment. I'm so happy she's moved beyond this story. I just can't love or recommend this to anyone. I hope this is helpful to someone. I would personally still read it if I read this review because I would think the reviewer would be crazy to dislike something so much written by MB. But I did text to speech as soon as I finished to give an honest if somewhat sloppy review.
January 21, 2020
God, what an utter bore and chore.
I feel depressed that I closed out 2019 with such a dreadful book — but there it is. Nothing that can be done about it now. I've read a great many historical Regency romance novels before (it's one of my favorite genres) and I'd always heard high praise for Mary Balogh. This was my first foray into her work and I remain thoroughly unimpressed. The book was a slog to get through and far too long. It should have been cut by half. Neither the hero nor heroine were interesting or exciting characters. The plot meandered and felt absurd at times. The romance lacked sparks and intrigue.
What a dud!
Perhaps I'll try a better-rated Balogh at some point in the future, but for now...I'll stick to my Heyers, Austens, and Kleypas'.
I feel depressed that I closed out 2019 with such a dreadful book — but there it is. Nothing that can be done about it now. I've read a great many historical Regency romance novels before (it's one of my favorite genres) and I'd always heard high praise for Mary Balogh. This was my first foray into her work and I remain thoroughly unimpressed. The book was a slog to get through and far too long. It should have been cut by half. Neither the hero nor heroine were interesting or exciting characters. The plot meandered and felt absurd at times. The romance lacked sparks and intrigue.
What a dud!
Perhaps I'll try a better-rated Balogh at some point in the future, but for now...I'll stick to my Heyers, Austens, and Kleypas'.
August 23, 2018
I'm so glad this was re-released as an ebook with a new cover (this good reads one is sadly outdated and probably wouldn't have inspired me to pick up the book.
It's so nice to read an older Balogh and realise that she was always a good writer, some other giants of the romance world have pretty underwhelming first novels.
I enjoyed the characters, the dialogue and the intrigue. The setting was really well written and overall I just enjoyed reading it.
It's so nice to read an older Balogh and realise that she was always a good writer, some other giants of the romance world have pretty underwhelming first novels.
I enjoyed the characters, the dialogue and the intrigue. The setting was really well written and overall I just enjoyed reading it.
January 9, 2019
An early, and very unusual, Mary Balogh, with a hero who pretends to be a highwayman and kidnaps the heroine (mistaking her for her charge), then masquerades as a friend of a friend to get invited to a house party held by the man who falsely assumed his inheritance & title. And keeps it a secret from the heroine almost until the very end of the book. Very different from most Balogh fare, even her early books!
June 10, 2020
This is one of Mary Balogh's older books. I have to say that she was just as good a writer when she first started out as she is now!
This book has a few twists and turns that were unexpected. There were more than a few times when I would have loved to reach out and shake Kate's shoulders and ask her what in the world she was thinking! If you enjoy Mary Balogh, this is one you should add to your must-read list!
This book has a few twists and turns that were unexpected. There were more than a few times when I would have loved to reach out and shake Kate's shoulders and ask her what in the world she was thinking! If you enjoy Mary Balogh, this is one you should add to your must-read list!
November 6, 2021
Me encanta la autora, entiendo que este es uno de sus primeros libros, pero es desesperante, lo leí porque me hice el propósito de leer toda la obra de Balogh en orden de publicación, casi la abandoné la protagonista es insoportablemente estúpida, se quiere manejar la idea de una mujer valiente y decidida, pero termina siendo malcriada y tonta y la verdad el heroe también es insoportable, es una historia absurda y extremadamente larga
February 16, 2023
I’m a big fan of Balogh’s books with dastardly schemes. Notable in this one with get an FMC widow who is not scared of her feelings of attraction despite limited and bad previous experience. Refreshing that she doesn’t cringe away despite her confusion.
My biggest complaint was this could’ve shorter, there were some repetitive internal monologues, which is expected to some degree in romance, but this was too many and too long. This was early in her career so, understandable. 3.5 stars
My biggest complaint was this could’ve shorter, there were some repetitive internal monologues, which is expected to some degree in romance, but this was too many and too long. This was early in her career so, understandable. 3.5 stars
October 2, 2018
A digital reissue of a book written in 1989. It's definitely an early work, about 50% longer than it needs to be. But I enjoyed comparing its treatment of women in service, and the relationships between classes, especially beside A Chance Encounter (which is also a reissue).
It's sort of, a little bit, based on The Taming of the Shrew.
It's sort of, a little bit, based on The Taming of the Shrew.
August 18, 2018
What a plot!
Convoluted and improbable as the plot is, the characters are charming and fiery. The twists and turns of this story are resolved happily for all the main characters except the two who deserve it not.
Convoluted and improbable as the plot is, the characters are charming and fiery. The twists and turns of this story are resolved happily for all the main characters except the two who deserve it not.
December 26, 2022
This book was cute but it could have been so much better. I hated the ending. I wish he would have told her the truth or I wish she would have realized who he was on her own and the fight at the end could have been skipped.
August 29, 2023
One of her early works, so it has a degree of farce in it. It took me awhile to see it, but I finally figured it out. There was one rather unpleasant villain. He caused me to put the book down a time or two, but I persevered and was thrilled I did.
August 15, 2018
Fun plot!
August 30, 2018
I liked the plot and thought the dialogue was quite funny. The book, however, was just too long.
October 8, 2018
Historical romantic comedy
I have to use twenty words just to say I enjoyed this book. It was funny and slightly dramatic. Historical romantic comedy
I have to use twenty words just to say I enjoyed this book. It was funny and slightly dramatic. Historical romantic comedy
February 23, 2019
Much too long. Skipped a lot of pages. I think this is one of Mary Balogh first novel. She definitely got better. I read most of her books that I usually enjoy greatly.
February 14, 2021
Another older book that is okay, but not great. I'm never clear in most of these 'mistaken identity' tropes why the person can't recognize the other person; I've only read a few that are successful.
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