Search - Tangled

I enjoyed this book very much, even though it was not one of Mary Balogh's regency period novels, which is the era I prefer. As always, the characters were believable and well-drawn and the story was intriguing.

I loved this book! It is my favorite from Mary Balogh and probably always will be.
From back of book
Her beautiful eyes flashing with hate, Rebecca faced Lord David Tavistock. He had come back, wounded but still vibrantly, sensually alive, from the Crimean War. Julian Cardwell, her sweet, gentle bridegroom-and David's foster brother-had not. She blamed wild, reckless David for Julian's decision to enter the Queen's Guards, and for the devastating loss of her perfect young husband, whose memory even now broke her heart and filled her dreams.
His blue eyes shadowed by dark secrets, David had come to claim the woman he had always loved. All his life he had protected the charming Julian, hiding the truth from Rebecca about the women Julian dallied with, the child he had fathered, the scandalous way he died. Now David offered Rebecca a life of privilege and wealth-as his wife.
She wanted a marriage of convenience, but he intended to awake her deepest passions, to make her forget Julian Cardwell...and to find in his bed all the ecstasy of a man's true love.

Everything Mary Balogh writes is worth reading, but this is one of her earlier efforts I believe, and it shows a bit. It takes place during the Crimean War, about 50 years after the Regency era. I thought the obstacles and misunderstandings keeping the H&H apart were too dragged out. The heroine especially was kind of thick-headed about realizing the truth of the situation, and distressingly conventional in her attitudes. It was all a bit too Victorian for me. The hero was too self-sacrificing and long-suffering to be true, and the ending that allowed them to be together was hardly believable, unless you think a person can undergo a sudden character change overnight. Still, Balogh's trademark style is here, and she writes very well. I'd give it 3 stars.

I love Mary Balogh's books, but this older one is not up to par. The main characters are dreary and the ending is contrived. Still, I do enjoy Mary Balogh.

Great book. Love Mary Balogh's writing and awesome love stories!