Reviews

Though his five younger siblings are now happily wed (see, e.g., Slightly Married, Slightly Sinful), Wulfric Bedwyn, the Duke of Bewcastle, isn't looking for a mate when he accepts an invitation to a country house party in Balogh's finale to the Bedwyn series. Having been duke since age 17, Wulfric has earned the reputation of being cold, distant, harsh, and imperious. What can a man who uses a quizzing glass (magnifier) to subordinate those in his presence do for two weeks at the Schofield Park home of Baron and Lady Renable, now that the suggested fortnight of intellectual conversation has turned into a hen party as the guest list burgeons with young debs seeking husbands? Among the women, though, is an older widow, Mrs. Christine Derrick, bosom "bow" to Melanie Renable. With no marriage expectations of her own, Mrs. Derrick offers mature companionship to the duke. And in turn, after a mutual kiss in a garden maze, he asks her to become his mistress. No one has ever refused the Duke of Bewcastle-until now. With this series, Balogh has created a wonderfully romantic world of Regency culture and society. Readers will miss the honorable Bedwyns and their mates; ending the series with Wulfric's story is icing on the cake. Highly recommended. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/04.]-Bette-Lee Fox, "Library Journal" Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

The long-awaited conclusion to Balogh's Regency-era romance series, focusing on the eccentric Bedwyn family, possesses the same charm and richness of character as her previous books (Slightly Tempted, etc.), but its plot is slightly more conventional. Balogh's fans have longed to see Wulfric, the imperturbable duke of Bewcastle, fall in love, and Balogh has created the perfect heroine to fell him-Christine Derrick, a lively but lowborn young widow who has a habit of getting herself into very improper situations. The two meet at a sedate house party, where Christine accidentally spills lemonade on the duke and then dares to laugh at him. Wulfric disapproves of Christine's working-class background and unladylike manners, but he can't help being enchanted by her effervescent personality. For her part, Christine disdains Wulf's icy, superior attitude, but she's drawn to him physically. As fans of the genre will anticipate, opposites attract no matter how hard the hero and heroine fight against it, and an unplanned sexual encounter complicates their feelings even further. Although the story lacks some of the dramatic tension of its predecessors, particularly Slightly Sinful, this book rings with humor and delightful echoes of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. All in all, it's a memorable conclusion to a charming series. Agent, Maria Carvainis. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.