Simply Perfect, by Mary Balogh

Once upon a time, a wee innocent reader discovered a used book by one Mary Balogh. A couple of days later, an obsessed reader scoured used book stores, libraries and bookstores (both online and brick and mortar) for Ms Balogh’s backlist. After a long glomming session, my appreciation of this author’s work became somewhat mixed-there are books I can re-read often and others that left me so indifferent I have to read a few pages in the middle to remember whether I read them or not.

Fourth and last title in Ms Balogh’s Simply series, Simply Perfect harkens back to what I like about her writing. The conflict is realistic for the characters involved-even if some of the reactions from secondary characters were a tad too accepting, open-minded, happy, and so on, to be consistent with the main character’s motivations for his secrecy.

Here’s the truly awful back cover blurb: (more…)

Slightly Married, by Mary Balogh

As many of you know, I’ve been introducing (gently, I hope 😀 ) my significant other to all and sundry subgenres of romance. Given that he has always been an avid and discerning reader in many genres (the man owns and has read repeatedly multiple copies of Shakespeare’s complete works and Good Omens, as well as Pratchett, Gaiman, Asimov, Heinlein and many more), I have taken pains to chose the better writers and novels in each subgenre.

So far, he tells me I’ve succeeded.

*pause for cheers* Yes, little ones, we will convert every other person to romance *evil cackle in background*

Occasionally, though, there’s a dud.

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The Ideal Wife, by Mary Balogh

With very few exceptions, I’ve enjoyed every Balogh novel I’ve read, to different degrees. The Ideal Wife, while not one of those exceptions, is not a book I’ll reread often (if at all). It is a fun quick read, but it’s definitely not without problems if one stops to think.

Here’s the (horribly melodramatic) back cover blurb:

When Abigail Gardiner knocks at the door of Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, the last thing she expects is a marriage proposal. Desperate, she’d come to this charismatic stranger’s home to plead for her future. Instead, she shocks them both by saying yes. Her impulsive decision will have consequences neither she nor her new husband can foresee. For Miles has his own reasons for marrying her. And Abigail is harboring a secret of her own. As distrust gives way to desire… as, together, they give in to the pleasures of the marriage bed, a devastating scandal threatens their future. Now these two wary hearts will risk ruin and disgrace for a love that has changed both forever—the kind all seek, but few ever find.

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