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Horsemen Trilogy #1
Indiscreet
A beautiful, young widow seemed like easy prey for the Viscount Rawleigh. In the country visiting his twin brother, Rex longed for a little diversion. But Catherine Winters was a lady of virtue, and she roundly rejected his improper proposal to become his mistress. Since the handsome lord would not be daunted, Catherine fought the feelings he aroused—feelings that brought to life a past she had sought to escape. One kiss could bring her to ruin. But temptation proved a worthy foe—and Catherine could not ignore the beating of her treacherous heart...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Mary Balogh
208 books6,079 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 379 reviews
September 17, 2016
I've given this an A+ for narration and an A for content at AAR.
I’ve been delighted to see a number of Mary Balogh’s older titles are at last being released in audiobook format, and have eagerly pounced on each one as soon as they have been released.
The most recent to appear is Indiscreet, which was originally published in 1997 and which is the first in the author’s Horsemen Trilogy in which the heroes are all linked by bonds of comradeship forged during their military service. An added bonus is that the supremely talented Rosalyn Landor has been engaged to narrate these backlist titles, and it’s always such a relief to discover the work of a favourite author paired with a performer who can truly do it justice.
Rex Adams, Viscount Rawleigh, is one of a small party of guests who are travelling into the country to stay with his brother and family at their annual house-party. As the cavalcade of riders and equipages passes through the local village, Rex is gratified and intrigued when an attractive woman smiles at him, seemingly in invitation, and determines that, as life in the country can be very dull, a dalliance with this woman will be just the thing he needs to liven things up a bit and pull him out of the ennui into which he has fallen of late.
Catherine Winters is a widow who has lived quietly in the small village of Bodley-on-the-Water for the past five years. She is a liked and respected member of the community, spending her days teaching music to the local children, visiting the sick and elderly and living a useful life; but all that changes with the arrival of the viscount - and not for the better.
Rex and his brother, Claude, are identical twins, but even though Catherine had mistaken the viscount for his brother when they first arrived, she now wonders how she could ever have done so. Claude is a good friend to her, and while she has always recognised that he is a very handsome man, she has never been attracted to him and is surprised by the intensity of the pull she feels towards Rex. Even though she is lonely and recognises the stirrings of lust for what they are, she is determined to resist his advances and tries to deter him without actually being rude whenever they encounter each other - which is fairly often given that she is regularly invited to dinner at the Adams residence in order to make up the numbers.
But Rex will not be put off that easily; he knows Catherine is attracted to him and hopes that she will eventually succumb, even going so far as to offer her marriage – but she has her reasons and will have none of him. Furiously, he at last takes her at her word and leaves the area, but it’s too late. The damage has been done. Rex is seen leaving Catherine’s cottage late at night, and it’s not long before the village rumour mill is working at full speed, leaving her reputation in tatters. Faced with the prospect of having to leave the only place she has ever been able to call home, Catherine is scared and uncertain, knowing she has nowhere else to go. It’s only when Claude returns from a day-long meeting with his tenants that he realises what has happened and immediately sends for Rex, who must put things right in the only way possible – by marrying Catherine.
This is a wonderfully romantic story, even though it might not seem that way at the outset. Rex is quite an unappealing hero for the first part of the book because of the way he is so persistent in his pursuit of Catherine, even when makes it clear several times that she is not interested in becoming his mistress or in associating him in any way. The second part of the book is where Rex really emerges as a thoroughly worthy hero; he and Catherine have been forced together by circumstance and must make something of their marriage; and he rises to the challenge most admirably. Later, when he learns the truth about her past – which is utterly heart-breaking – he is deeply affected by her story and realises the extent of the misery he must have caused her by his selfish focus on his own desires. This part of the story is brilliantly done, as Ms Balogh has Rex not only own his poor behaviour, but come to a greater understanding of how unfairly women are treated by society through no fault of their own.
There is a strongly drawn cast of secondary characters in the book, not least of which are Claude and his wife, whose marriage receives some interesting scrutiny. While they have been married some years, are content and clearly enjoy a robust sex life, Clara’s actions towards Catherine sour things between them – or rather, they bring some problems that have existed for a while into sharper focus. Claude is very easy-going, Clara is a controlling snob; they are both going to have to make adjustments in their relationship in order to repair it, and I appreciated the maturity of the author’s approach to this aspect of the story.
Rosalyn Landor has done terrific work in all her recent recordings of Mary Balogh’s work, whether in her current Survivor’s Club series or in the newly recorded backlist titles. The excellence of her pacing and her character differentiation are always impeccable, she imbues narration and dialogue with just the right degree of emotion and expression, and her acting choices are all spot on. I particularly like the way she is able to characterise the two brothers so distinctly while leaving the listener in no doubt that the two men are related – Rex’s deep tones sound suitably haughty or aristocratically bored when necessary, while Claude’s voice has a much lighter feel to it. You can hear the sneer in the voice of Clara, Claude’s snobbish wife, and the pomposity in the vicar’s; in fact, all such little touches in the character roles add a wonderful variety of colour and nuance to the story and enhance the listening experience as a whole. One of the things I always appreciate greatly about Ms Landor’s work is that she really knows what romance listeners want to hear, whether it’s in the more intimate moments in a story, or in the verbal interactions between hero and heroine. She’s one of a handful of narrators whose name practically guarantees an audiobook purchase every time on my part, and amazingly, she’s just getting better and better.
Indiscreet is an absolutely treat in terms of both story and narration, and if you’re a fan of author, narrator or both, you won’t be disappointed. I really hope the other two books in this series (Unforgiven and Irresistible) will follow shortly, and if Ms Landor narrates them, I will definitely be pouncing as soon as they become available.
I’ve been delighted to see a number of Mary Balogh’s older titles are at last being released in audiobook format, and have eagerly pounced on each one as soon as they have been released.
The most recent to appear is Indiscreet, which was originally published in 1997 and which is the first in the author’s Horsemen Trilogy in which the heroes are all linked by bonds of comradeship forged during their military service. An added bonus is that the supremely talented Rosalyn Landor has been engaged to narrate these backlist titles, and it’s always such a relief to discover the work of a favourite author paired with a performer who can truly do it justice.
Rex Adams, Viscount Rawleigh, is one of a small party of guests who are travelling into the country to stay with his brother and family at their annual house-party. As the cavalcade of riders and equipages passes through the local village, Rex is gratified and intrigued when an attractive woman smiles at him, seemingly in invitation, and determines that, as life in the country can be very dull, a dalliance with this woman will be just the thing he needs to liven things up a bit and pull him out of the ennui into which he has fallen of late.
Catherine Winters is a widow who has lived quietly in the small village of Bodley-on-the-Water for the past five years. She is a liked and respected member of the community, spending her days teaching music to the local children, visiting the sick and elderly and living a useful life; but all that changes with the arrival of the viscount - and not for the better.
Rex and his brother, Claude, are identical twins, but even though Catherine had mistaken the viscount for his brother when they first arrived, she now wonders how she could ever have done so. Claude is a good friend to her, and while she has always recognised that he is a very handsome man, she has never been attracted to him and is surprised by the intensity of the pull she feels towards Rex. Even though she is lonely and recognises the stirrings of lust for what they are, she is determined to resist his advances and tries to deter him without actually being rude whenever they encounter each other - which is fairly often given that she is regularly invited to dinner at the Adams residence in order to make up the numbers.
But Rex will not be put off that easily; he knows Catherine is attracted to him and hopes that she will eventually succumb, even going so far as to offer her marriage – but she has her reasons and will have none of him. Furiously, he at last takes her at her word and leaves the area, but it’s too late. The damage has been done. Rex is seen leaving Catherine’s cottage late at night, and it’s not long before the village rumour mill is working at full speed, leaving her reputation in tatters. Faced with the prospect of having to leave the only place she has ever been able to call home, Catherine is scared and uncertain, knowing she has nowhere else to go. It’s only when Claude returns from a day-long meeting with his tenants that he realises what has happened and immediately sends for Rex, who must put things right in the only way possible – by marrying Catherine.
This is a wonderfully romantic story, even though it might not seem that way at the outset. Rex is quite an unappealing hero for the first part of the book because of the way he is so persistent in his pursuit of Catherine, even when makes it clear several times that she is not interested in becoming his mistress or in associating him in any way. The second part of the book is where Rex really emerges as a thoroughly worthy hero; he and Catherine have been forced together by circumstance and must make something of their marriage; and he rises to the challenge most admirably. Later, when he learns the truth about her past – which is utterly heart-breaking – he is deeply affected by her story and realises the extent of the misery he must have caused her by his selfish focus on his own desires. This part of the story is brilliantly done, as Ms Balogh has Rex not only own his poor behaviour, but come to a greater understanding of how unfairly women are treated by society through no fault of their own.
There is a strongly drawn cast of secondary characters in the book, not least of which are Claude and his wife, whose marriage receives some interesting scrutiny. While they have been married some years, are content and clearly enjoy a robust sex life, Clara’s actions towards Catherine sour things between them – or rather, they bring some problems that have existed for a while into sharper focus. Claude is very easy-going, Clara is a controlling snob; they are both going to have to make adjustments in their relationship in order to repair it, and I appreciated the maturity of the author’s approach to this aspect of the story.
Rosalyn Landor has done terrific work in all her recent recordings of Mary Balogh’s work, whether in her current Survivor’s Club series or in the newly recorded backlist titles. The excellence of her pacing and her character differentiation are always impeccable, she imbues narration and dialogue with just the right degree of emotion and expression, and her acting choices are all spot on. I particularly like the way she is able to characterise the two brothers so distinctly while leaving the listener in no doubt that the two men are related – Rex’s deep tones sound suitably haughty or aristocratically bored when necessary, while Claude’s voice has a much lighter feel to it. You can hear the sneer in the voice of Clara, Claude’s snobbish wife, and the pomposity in the vicar’s; in fact, all such little touches in the character roles add a wonderful variety of colour and nuance to the story and enhance the listening experience as a whole. One of the things I always appreciate greatly about Ms Landor’s work is that she really knows what romance listeners want to hear, whether it’s in the more intimate moments in a story, or in the verbal interactions between hero and heroine. She’s one of a handful of narrators whose name practically guarantees an audiobook purchase every time on my part, and amazingly, she’s just getting better and better.
Indiscreet is an absolutely treat in terms of both story and narration, and if you’re a fan of author, narrator or both, you won’t be disappointed. I really hope the other two books in this series (Unforgiven and Irresistible) will follow shortly, and if Ms Landor narrates them, I will definitely be pouncing as soon as they become available.
December 13, 2020
A re-read
Just re-read and overall my rating and comments stay the same except to add that the hero does change his behavior and way of thinking not just about the heroine but the damage women took in this era. It takes him a while, but eventually he realizes the damage he caused as well as what could have been fatal damage to heroine because of her circumstances. So kudos to a changed man.
Caution:
Long winded review.
Another book that makes me thankful for being born in this era. When Mary Balogh wants to push the harshness and reality of Regency she does an effective job. Oh, we get our happy ever after, but the social dynamics that set it up are wretched and depressing.
The heroine is a widow in the small village and is respectable enough to teach the lady of the manor’s children (without pay) and to occasionally even out dinner parties with the dreaded odd numbers. Mrs. Adams, the lady in question, is spiteful, manipulative, too aware of her own status and power and is not a caricature which makes her all the more awful. For modern reference, she is a Regina George.
The hero, oh yuck, the hero. In our first scene or so with him he ponders the kinds of women he is willing to bed. Widows are great as he can have an enjoyable ONS. No virgins or debutantes. Even mistresses are too much work. As he approaches his twin brother’s estate he and his friends wonder who they can bag or if possibly find a barmaid or something. So when his eyes alight the beautiful widow it’s a big hurrah. He knows the hussy wants him because she gave him a big smile. Let me remind you…twin. On the basis of the smile and the high neck gowns she must wear to be provocative, he sneaks out to make her a dirty offer. Like Queen Victoria, she is not amused. We’re getting into rape apology and Harvey Weinstein area here as he puts the blame on his attraction to the heroine on the heroine’s come-hither-ness. The heroine is quite clear she wants nothing to do with him and her smile was for what she thought was his brother who she likes and admires.
It doesn’t help that Mrs. Adams is on a ripping tear as well, slut shaming the shameless heroine for her basic existence. She wants the H to marry her sister and has no qualms in wrecking vengeance when she doesn’t get her way. She enlists the straight-from-Jane-Austen Mr. Collins type obsequious vicar to help her.
So MOC is engaged much to the heroine’s dismay, but as far as the H is concerned he finally gets to bed her. Their attraction grows to affection and the truth comes out.
I really over-thought this! So on one level you can read this as an angsty Regency romance that ends in a HEA, or it’s a cautionary tale and probably a better representation of the Regency era than more frivolous and more enjoyable books. Have we really come that far with William Kennedy Smith, the Stanford rapist etc.
Three stars for authenticity and angst, but a one star for enjoyment.
Sorry to be a BUMMER.
Just re-read and overall my rating and comments stay the same except to add that the hero does change his behavior and way of thinking not just about the heroine but the damage women took in this era. It takes him a while, but eventually he realizes the damage he caused as well as what could have been fatal damage to heroine because of her circumstances. So kudos to a changed man.
Caution:
Long winded review.
Another book that makes me thankful for being born in this era. When Mary Balogh wants to push the harshness and reality of Regency she does an effective job. Oh, we get our happy ever after, but the social dynamics that set it up are wretched and depressing.
The heroine is a widow in the small village and is respectable enough to teach the lady of the manor’s children (without pay) and to occasionally even out dinner parties with the dreaded odd numbers. Mrs. Adams, the lady in question, is spiteful, manipulative, too aware of her own status and power and is not a caricature which makes her all the more awful. For modern reference, she is a Regina George.
The hero, oh yuck, the hero. In our first scene or so with him he ponders the kinds of women he is willing to bed. Widows are great as he can have an enjoyable ONS. No virgins or debutantes. Even mistresses are too much work. As he approaches his twin brother’s estate he and his friends wonder who they can bag or if possibly find a barmaid or something. So when his eyes alight the beautiful widow it’s a big hurrah. He knows the hussy wants him because she gave him a big smile. Let me remind you…twin. On the basis of the smile and the high neck gowns she must wear to be provocative, he sneaks out to make her a dirty offer. Like Queen Victoria, she is not amused. We’re getting into rape apology and Harvey Weinstein area here as he puts the blame on his attraction to the heroine on the heroine’s come-hither-ness. The heroine is quite clear she wants nothing to do with him and her smile was for what she thought was his brother who she likes and admires.
It doesn’t help that Mrs. Adams is on a ripping tear as well, slut shaming the shameless heroine for her basic existence. She wants the H to marry her sister and has no qualms in wrecking vengeance when she doesn’t get her way. She enlists the straight-from-Jane-Austen Mr. Collins type obsequious vicar to help her.
So MOC is engaged much to the heroine’s dismay, but as far as the H is concerned he finally gets to bed her. Their attraction grows to affection and the truth comes out.
I really over-thought this! So on one level you can read this as an angsty Regency romance that ends in a HEA, or it’s a cautionary tale and probably a better representation of the Regency era than more frivolous and more enjoyable books. Have we really come that far with William Kennedy Smith, the Stanford rapist etc.
Three stars for authenticity and angst, but a one star for enjoyment.
Sorry to be a BUMMER.
March 28, 2016
Wow, what can I say? This is an extremely powerful and emotional story. I read the entire book in one sitting and was frustrated I had to stop and make dinner. This definitely falls into the top five best romances by MB and definitely one of my personal favorites by her.
If you are a fan of regency romances, I highly recommend. Recently republished after years of being out of print, this book along with the others in The Horseman Trilogy are now finally becoming available.
If you are a fan of regency romances, I highly recommend. Recently republished after years of being out of print, this book along with the others in The Horseman Trilogy are now finally becoming available.
July 27, 2016
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I don't normally go in for fluffy regencies like this, but Mary Balogh came highly recommended to me by Jenn Young, and I really liked the other Balogh story I read, so I figured, Why not?
Catherine Winters is a virtuous widow who rents a small cottage from the local "royalty", Mr. and Mrs. Adams. Mr. Adams is the twin brother of a viscount, and rather fond of Catherine, and Catherine is sometimes invited to parties at their estate whenever they have odd numbers, because of her manners and quiet charm.
One day the viscount comes to town and Catherine, mistaking him for his brother, smiles and curtsies at him. The Viscount Rawleigh, Rex, takes this as a proposition and immediately sets out trying to bed Catherine & make her his mistress until he returns home. But Catherine refuses him staunchly, which perplexes him as much as it makes him angry, and even more determined to have his way.
The attraction between Catherine and Rex is undeniable, but Catherine reacts oddly to his overtures. It's very clear that something is wrong, and that this "something" has a great deal to do with Catherine's lovely manners, her widow status, and the reason that she is so utterly, unequivocally alone.
I really wasn't expecting to like INDISCREET as much as I did. It starts off very slowly, and while I could appreciate the comedy of manners, it did start to get a bit dull. So did the constant bickering between the hero and the heroine. Rex does border on an alphahole at times, but he is self-aware in a way that many alpha-holes are not. By the end of this book, I was a Rex Fan.
Fans of slow burn romance and romance with substance will like INDISCREET, if they're willing to settle in for a bit of a wait. The sex scenes in this book are rather tame, but quite sexy, and fairly frequent. It was quite fun to see the hero and heroine fall in love slowly, empathizing with one another before exchanging vows of undying love - that's far more realistic, and all the more romantic because of it! Also, that ending was tense. I was NOT expecting that! o.o
3 stars!
April 9, 2021
4.5
This was such a great book. Here is shown how horrible a man can act and not suffer any consequences from his actions because it is the woman who will bear all of them.
People will call them whore, no one will talk to them, they will not be welcome anywhere, not even in church even though it was all the man's fault. It was nice seeing what gossip did with woman in that time. (Well not nice in the sense that I liked what happened or even agreed, just nice in the sense that it is nice seeing how things worked once upon a time)
The hero was portraited as an arrogant gentleman, but in my opinion he acted like a 16 year old green boy in the throes of passion with his first girlfriend. He just could not take no as an answer and oh my, just to think that some people really are like that. It took me a great deal of time to like the hero, I am still not sure I like him but he redeemed himself a bit by the end.
The heroine on the other hand was a very courageous woman. It must not have been easy to deal with the things that took place in this book.
I am looking forward to read the next books of this series!
This was such a great book. Here is shown how horrible a man can act and not suffer any consequences from his actions because it is the woman who will bear all of them.
People will call them whore, no one will talk to them, they will not be welcome anywhere, not even in church even though it was all the man's fault. It was nice seeing what gossip did with woman in that time. (Well not nice in the sense that I liked what happened or even agreed, just nice in the sense that it is nice seeing how things worked once upon a time)
The hero was portraited as an arrogant gentleman, but in my opinion he acted like a 16 year old green boy in the throes of passion with his first girlfriend. He just could not take no as an answer and oh my, just to think that some people really are like that. It took me a great deal of time to like the hero, I am still not sure I like him but he redeemed himself a bit by the end.
The heroine on the other hand was a very courageous woman. It must not have been easy to deal with the things that took place in this book.
I am looking forward to read the next books of this series!
December 4, 2016
I really enjoyed the first half of Mary Balogh's regency romance, Indiscreet. Her description of an English country village, with all its hypocrisy, pettiness, secrets, gossip, and worst of all intolerance was well balanced with the charms that a life in the country can hold, including the surrounding beauty of nature, the real, deep, self-sacrificing friendships, the solace, peace, and contentment.
Balogh's characterizations are also spot on. Elegantly worded, sharp, and full of half-smiling irony, a style which reminded me naturally of Jane Austen. The chatelaine of this little village, Mrs. Adams, in particular, who sits in her carriage, "while the favored recipient of her attention was summoned from the house by a liveried footman in order to stand on the path curtsying or bowing to her," was so real that I could picture everything from her haughty coiffure down to her dainty slippers.
The first half of the story concerns itself with the troubled courtship of sorts between Viscount Rawleigh, a typically arrogant, entitled aristocrat, down from London to enjoy a few weeks diversion in the country, and the widow Winters, who has resided in this hamlet for five years with no one being able to find out what exactly her origins are. Is she a lady, down on her luck? Or a lady's maid who has been able to ape her superiors. No question that she is beautiful, smart, and brave. So does Viscount Rawleigh find out when he finds his generous offer to take her up as mistress for the few weeks he is staying in the village being quite indignantly flung back in his face.
I would have enjoyed this book more if the author had explored this relationship more organically, without resorting to the plot contrivances and melodrama that marred the second half of the novel. Both the story and the characters faded in the second half and what felt like an extremely promising beginning did not pan out as best as I could hope.
Balogh's characterizations are also spot on. Elegantly worded, sharp, and full of half-smiling irony, a style which reminded me naturally of Jane Austen. The chatelaine of this little village, Mrs. Adams, in particular, who sits in her carriage, "while the favored recipient of her attention was summoned from the house by a liveried footman in order to stand on the path curtsying or bowing to her," was so real that I could picture everything from her haughty coiffure down to her dainty slippers.
The first half of the story concerns itself with the troubled courtship of sorts between Viscount Rawleigh, a typically arrogant, entitled aristocrat, down from London to enjoy a few weeks diversion in the country, and the widow Winters, who has resided in this hamlet for five years with no one being able to find out what exactly her origins are. Is she a lady, down on her luck? Or a lady's maid who has been able to ape her superiors. No question that she is beautiful, smart, and brave. So does Viscount Rawleigh find out when he finds his generous offer to take her up as mistress for the few weeks he is staying in the village being quite indignantly flung back in his face.
I would have enjoyed this book more if the author had explored this relationship more organically, without resorting to the plot contrivances and melodrama that marred the second half of the novel. Both the story and the characters faded in the second half and what felt like an extremely promising beginning did not pan out as best as I could hope.
January 26, 2014
Un libro que me ha super enganchado... sobre todo al principio, con la "caza" que me tenía totalmente atrapada jajajaja.
La historia es de las que, a mí, me ha tocado la fibra sensible... durilla, de superación... el único problema es la falta de coherencia cuando personajes del pasado aparecen en el presente, para mí ese tema se ha quedado bastante cojo.
El protagonista es uno de los personajes más tozudos, creídos y prepotentes que he leído de esta autora.
Altamente recomendable
La historia es de las que, a mí, me ha tocado la fibra sensible... durilla, de superación... el único problema es la falta de coherencia cuando personajes del pasado aparecen en el presente, para mí ese tema se ha quedado bastante cojo.
El protagonista es uno de los personajes más tozudos, creídos y prepotentes que he leído de esta autora.
Altamente recomendable
August 17, 2017
2.5 STARS.
I could not like the hero. Rex was such an arrogant, selfish bastard who ruined a woman's life because he did not understand the word "no". He called her a tease. He called her a bitch. Lovely. Kill him now.
I get the moral- that men SHOULD understand this word, and that when they refuse to, they damage the woman. Catherine's carefully reclaimed life went to shit after Rex bullied his way into it. So (foolishly) I expected a Road to Damascus moment, where he fell to his knees, begging her forgiveness and acknowledging all the sexist, macho baggage he was carrying around. (sigh!)
IT NEVER HAPPENED.
I felt he really did not suffer enough to actually learn his lesson: he thought that by deigning to marry her (where she also initially said "no", btw) he was somehow making up for what he had done. What a hero. No real grovelling or abject remorse ARTICULATED necessary. Don't COMMUNICATE, whatever you do. FFS. (exasperated grunt)
Rex was so cold to Catherine after they married, she was so freaked out when he forced her to go to London, never explaining his plan so that she thought he was just being cruel as usual, and he presumed to judge a rapist when he had not behaved a whole lot better. My hero! (sarcastic tone)
Our heroine Catherine was very brave and very strong, but too passive and long-suffering for my liking. Her father's behaviour was unforgivable, yet "she still loved him". Who says you HAVE to love your parent? If they behave really badly towards you, I think there is justification in dismissing them from your life and your affections.
I listened through to the end, contained my wincing at the usual mechanical by-numbers sex scenes that MB writes (they are just not SEXY) and 3 days later I am still angry. Yep, I am a judgemental, unforgiving be-ahtch. Maybe I'm no better than our alleged hero.
If nothing else, this book is memorable for me. And maybe that is something good about the book- it certainly did not leave me unmoved!
I could not like the hero. Rex was such an arrogant, selfish bastard who ruined a woman's life because he did not understand the word "no". He called her a tease. He called her a bitch. Lovely. Kill him now.
I get the moral- that men SHOULD understand this word, and that when they refuse to, they damage the woman. Catherine's carefully reclaimed life went to shit after Rex bullied his way into it. So (foolishly) I expected a Road to Damascus moment, where he fell to his knees, begging her forgiveness and acknowledging all the sexist, macho baggage he was carrying around. (sigh!)
IT NEVER HAPPENED.
I felt he really did not suffer enough to actually learn his lesson: he thought that by deigning to marry her (where she also initially said "no", btw) he was somehow making up for what he had done. What a hero. No real grovelling or abject remorse ARTICULATED necessary. Don't COMMUNICATE, whatever you do. FFS. (exasperated grunt)
Rex was so cold to Catherine after they married, she was so freaked out when he forced her to go to London, never explaining his plan so that she thought he was just being cruel as usual, and he presumed to judge a rapist when he had not behaved a whole lot better. My hero! (sarcastic tone)
Our heroine Catherine was very brave and very strong, but too passive and long-suffering for my liking. Her father's behaviour was unforgivable, yet "she still loved him". Who says you HAVE to love your parent? If they behave really badly towards you, I think there is justification in dismissing them from your life and your affections.
I listened through to the end, contained my wincing at the usual mechanical by-numbers sex scenes that MB writes (they are just not SEXY) and 3 days later I am still angry. Yep, I am a judgemental, unforgiving be-ahtch. Maybe I'm no better than our alleged hero.
If nothing else, this book is memorable for me. And maybe that is something good about the book- it certainly did not leave me unmoved!
August 23, 2022
No one writes traditional regencies like MB. She writes so effortlessly and elegantly that one can almost believe she’s an author from that era. Actually I enjoyed the writing more than the story, which tends to sag and draw out at times.
I love the characterization of one and all in the book. I like and admire this very wonderful h, especially knowing all that she’s undergone in the past. The H is a self-centered pleasure-seeking rake of the first order – not really caring if he hurts her or her reputation in his pleasure seeking. Her reputation tarred, they marry for convenience not expecting much of each other but are content enough till her past rears up its ugly and potentially destructive head. Thankfully, he recoups in time to be a deserving enough of her. I liked the way he avenges her.
His siblings are wonderful people, the sister in law, a b*tchy but well written character – snobbish and class conscious, lording over the village that loves to be lorded over by their minor but only connection to nobility. Toby, the dog is delightful and oh so adorable. The ow, his ex is to pitied and I wish a hea was shown for her as well.
I love the characterization of one and all in the book. I like and admire this very wonderful h, especially knowing all that she’s undergone in the past. The H is a self-centered pleasure-seeking rake of the first order – not really caring if he hurts her or her reputation in his pleasure seeking. Her reputation tarred, they marry for convenience not expecting much of each other but are content enough till her past rears up its ugly and potentially destructive head. Thankfully, he recoups in time to be a deserving enough of her. I liked the way he avenges her.
His siblings are wonderful people, the sister in law, a b*tchy but well written character – snobbish and class conscious, lording over the village that loves to be lorded over by their minor but only connection to nobility. Toby, the dog is delightful and oh so adorable. The ow, his ex is to pitied and I wish a hea was shown for her as well.
July 11, 2022
I actually tried reading Remember Love, the latest release by Mary Balogh, couldn't feel it and didn't want to DNF it just after reading 10% so to compensate myself started this series. This one is written in 1997 and I had seen my friends rating it quite highly. But, for me, it was mixed baggage. I adored the first part of the story but didn't care much for its second half.
Catherine was a widow. living in a small cottage near the river in a village with his dog, Toby. No one knew anything about her past but people liked her because she was beautiful and caring. Then came the Rake, Lord Rowleigh aka Rex who is hell-bent on pursuing Catherine to become his mistress till he stays in the countryside. The book had a promising start. I felt as if I have got another h like Christine from Slightly Dangerous.
I was falling in love with the h, but then came the MOC trope. See, it's my favorite trope in the HR genre but it's handled so badly here. First came the silly misunderstandings, silly because the h is portrayed as smart in the 1st half then she suddenly has a personality transplant. And, let's not start the nonexistent relationship development. Although. Actually, I don't understand how the 2nd half could be so badly written after such a great start.
Catherine was a widow. living in a small cottage near the river in a village with his dog, Toby. No one knew anything about her past but people liked her because she was beautiful and caring. Then came the Rake, Lord Rowleigh aka Rex who is hell-bent on pursuing Catherine to become his mistress till he stays in the countryside. The book had a promising start. I felt as if I have got another h like Christine from Slightly Dangerous.
I was falling in love with the h, but then came the MOC trope. See, it's my favorite trope in the HR genre but it's handled so badly here. First came the silly misunderstandings, silly because the h is portrayed as smart in the 1st half then she suddenly has a personality transplant. And, let's not start the nonexistent relationship development. Although. Actually, I don't understand how the 2nd half could be so badly written after such a great start.
June 10, 2019
DNF at 41% because of THIS:
"Well, this woman prefers insanity to becoming your possession." "Why, you bitch," he said quietly and almost pleasantly. "I do believe you are enjoying yourself. I will give you no further opportunity. You will be plagued with me no longer after tonight, ma'am."
AND OF COURSE SHE FREAKING MARRIES THIS MAN IN THE END!
*takes deep breath*
I know this is an old book. I was prepared to make allowances, even after this charming sentence:
His loins ached in pleasurable anticipation. He wondered if the late Mr. Winters had been a good teacher of bedroom skills. But no matter. He would just as soon teach her himself.
So our main male character meets this woman. She smiles at him, mistaking him for his much nicer twin, and of course a poor guy has to kill time in the country, so why not run after the first woman to smile at him. Thing is, she says NO. Emphatically. And repeatedly. But, because this is a romance novel, of course she doesn't really mean it because she is secretly attracted to this rude and arrogant stranger who keeps seeking her out. Ah, the secret longings of her body she MUST ignore. But can't. Because… Well, I'm guessing because rudeness is oh so attractive.
Then there was this:
"You have led me to this moment," he said, "only to tell me to get out? Have I misread the signs? There have been too many for me to be mistaken."
And this:
"You have whetted my appetite, ma'am, and I hate to have my appetite aroused when there is no feast with which to satisfy it."
Add to that the insult from the very first quote, and I am out and getting my money back.
P.S.:
I apologize for the rant. I love Mary Balogh's books, and I try to be fair, but this is just too awful for my taste
"Well, this woman prefers insanity to becoming your possession." "Why, you bitch," he said quietly and almost pleasantly. "I do believe you are enjoying yourself. I will give you no further opportunity. You will be plagued with me no longer after tonight, ma'am."
AND OF COURSE SHE FREAKING MARRIES THIS MAN IN THE END!
*takes deep breath*
I know this is an old book. I was prepared to make allowances, even after this charming sentence:
His loins ached in pleasurable anticipation. He wondered if the late Mr. Winters had been a good teacher of bedroom skills. But no matter. He would just as soon teach her himself.
So our main male character meets this woman. She smiles at him, mistaking him for his much nicer twin, and of course a poor guy has to kill time in the country, so why not run after the first woman to smile at him. Thing is, she says NO. Emphatically. And repeatedly. But, because this is a romance novel, of course she doesn't really mean it because she is secretly attracted to this rude and arrogant stranger who keeps seeking her out. Ah, the secret longings of her body she MUST ignore. But can't. Because… Well, I'm guessing because rudeness is oh so attractive.
Then there was this:
"You have led me to this moment," he said, "only to tell me to get out? Have I misread the signs? There have been too many for me to be mistaken."
And this:
"You have whetted my appetite, ma'am, and I hate to have my appetite aroused when there is no feast with which to satisfy it."
Add to that the insult from the very first quote, and I am out and getting my money back.
P.S.:
I apologize for the rant. I love Mary Balogh's books, and I try to be fair, but this is just too awful for my taste
May 19, 2010
Boy do I ever love Mary Balogh. Not only are her stories engaging, but they evoke strong emotions and are entirely believable stories that stay true to the regency era.
Indiscreet is no exception to this rule. This is a cleverly thought out plot that I have to admit is slow in the beginning. In my opinion, the true mastery of this novel doesn't come out until after Catherine and Rex are married. After this happens, a little over half way through, things really start to unfold.
Mary Balogh does not rush a story. Slowly she starts to reveal Catherine's story of her past. We are brought through the process of her revelation TO Rex WITH Rex. The moment that Catherine finally reveals herself to her husband, she is also revealing herself to the reader. Those few pages are incredibly moving and emotional.
I loved Rex's maturation from a self gratifying rake to a protective and caring husband. It was a slow and believable transformation, and I loved how justice was served in the end.
A strong 5 star book.
Indiscreet is no exception to this rule. This is a cleverly thought out plot that I have to admit is slow in the beginning. In my opinion, the true mastery of this novel doesn't come out until after Catherine and Rex are married. After this happens, a little over half way through, things really start to unfold.
Mary Balogh does not rush a story. Slowly she starts to reveal Catherine's story of her past. We are brought through the process of her revelation TO Rex WITH Rex. The moment that Catherine finally reveals herself to her husband, she is also revealing herself to the reader. Those few pages are incredibly moving and emotional.
I loved Rex's maturation from a self gratifying rake to a protective and caring husband. It was a slow and believable transformation, and I loved how justice was served in the end.
A strong 5 star book.
June 26, 2018
While I liked Catherine and Rex, I had some issues with other parts of the story. I kind of enjoyed Rex's misread of her interest and her handling of it was consistent and forthright and I liked how it showed the character of both in all their complexity. I particularly liked how upset Rex was with himself after finding that he had so terribly misread Catherine's intentions, even though he does so repeatedly. I also like that he really does seem to have learned by the time the crisis hit and that all worked very well, I think.
What didn't work so well is a spoiler mainly because Balogh puts off the reveal until late in the novel. She does a good job with it and the delay is not unreasonable so I'll preserve that with the spoiler tag even though it means you can't know what I found off-putting without it.
And Balogh compounds the spoiler above by having a lot of anachronistic attitudes in many of the side characters. Indeed, pretty much all of the sympathetic/good characters had the same reaction to the titular scandal—not caring if it were true or not because they like Catherine and anyway, it's not their business. This was so uniform a reaction that it strained credulity to the breaking point.
And if you read all that, it sounds like I hated the book but I really didn't. As I said above, I liked both leads and I really liked their interactions as they read and misread each other and still come back, learning to do better along the way. And I particularly liked that Rex took care of the problem Catherine's father couldn't be bothered to handle. So this is still a four-star read and yes, they really were just that engaging for me.
A note about Steamy: There are some explicit sex scenes but I let the review go too long to remember how many. It was the middle of my steam tolerance, so a few but not lots.
What didn't work so well is a spoiler mainly because Balogh puts off the reveal until late in the novel. She does a good job with it and the delay is not unreasonable so I'll preserve that with the spoiler tag even though it means you can't know what I found off-putting without it.
And Balogh compounds the spoiler above by having a lot of anachronistic attitudes in many of the side characters. Indeed, pretty much all of the sympathetic/good characters had the same reaction to the titular scandal—not caring if it were true or not because they like Catherine and anyway, it's not their business. This was so uniform a reaction that it strained credulity to the breaking point.
And if you read all that, it sounds like I hated the book but I really didn't. As I said above, I liked both leads and I really liked their interactions as they read and misread each other and still come back, learning to do better along the way. And I particularly liked that Rex took care of the problem Catherine's father couldn't be bothered to handle. So this is still a four-star read and yes, they really were just that engaging for me.
A note about Steamy: There are some explicit sex scenes but I let the review go too long to remember how many. It was the middle of my steam tolerance, so a few but not lots.
October 22, 2020
An older Mary Balogh. I'm aware some readers don't like the hero. He does come across as an arrogant ass to begin with. But for me, Balogh did a great job of convincing me that there was more to this guy than appeared at first. As Catherine's sad back story was slowly and carefully revealed, he showed real understanding, support and love for her. He also had a lovely relationship with his twin, and a great friendship with his old war buddies. I liked that the twins were so very different but they were still so close. I grew to like both MCs.
The story realistically explores the devastating effects on some women of the social mores of the time, and how some men, no matter how nasty, could get away with almost anything if they had a position in society. Innocent young women who were taken advantage of, on the other hand, had so little control over their lives. I respected Catherine's decisions at the time - it was hard, but IMO she totally did the right thing.
The book also showed how in a small community such as the country village, gossip, along with a little bit of spite, can have devastating effects on a person's life.
As always with Balogh, the book feels historically correct. Different values to today, and people take different actions than we would. But I don't read HR to read about 21st century heroines in long dresses.
I really enjoyed this emotional and rewarding read.
The story realistically explores the devastating effects on some women of the social mores of the time, and how some men, no matter how nasty, could get away with almost anything if they had a position in society. Innocent young women who were taken advantage of, on the other hand, had so little control over their lives. I respected Catherine's decisions at the time - it was hard, but IMO she totally did the right thing.
The book also showed how in a small community such as the country village, gossip, along with a little bit of spite, can have devastating effects on a person's life.
As always with Balogh, the book feels historically correct. Different values to today, and people take different actions than we would. But I don't read HR to read about 21st century heroines in long dresses.
I really enjoyed this emotional and rewarding read.
October 27, 2015
I am so happy the book is going to be released in e-format in February! This is one of my favorite MB's stories and my paper copy is falling apart :).
January 15, 2023
Sooooo good in every way!!!! I don't hear about it often, which is surprising. It went out of print then was re-released in paperback. One of the best Mary Balogh books I've read, and I'm a huge fan.There was so many layers to the MC's and plot that compelled the head and heart to be fully invested in the story. I just loved this book immensely. Highly recommend for Balogh fans. If you love a highly persistent, confident, protective, and dedicated Hero then this is the book for you! It seems like this book has just about everything one would want in a historical romance IMO.
...If you can find a copy with the sweet original 1997 cover, even better📚❤️
...If you can find a copy with the sweet original 1997 cover, even better📚❤️
January 23, 2018
So...that was a disappointment.
My main problem here is that the H, Rex, is an arrogant, entitled ass for a good portion of the book. Everything starts because Catherine, the h, smiles at him twice, and he takes that to mean she wants to have an affair. Say what? He won't leave Catherine alone, even after she repeatedly tries to get him to. The whole mess that ensues is his fault, and there is one scene in particular that I just couldn't forgive.
Yeah, that doesn't work for me. After that, I honestly didn't really care what happened to him. Problem is, I didn't find the 180 realistic or even satisfying. Also, Yeah....nope.
I really liked Catherine as an independent woman in her cottage with her own life. I think it sucks that Rex had to go and spoil it for her. I mean, she seemed happy enough when it was all said and done, but I just can't see how one could forget how he treated her initially. I just can't forgive H's that act crappy. There are too many books out there to read where they don't. Plus, super silly melodramatic nonsense right before the ending. Blargh.
My main problem here is that the H, Rex, is an arrogant, entitled ass for a good portion of the book. Everything starts because Catherine, the h, smiles at him twice, and he takes that to mean she wants to have an affair. Say what? He won't leave Catherine alone, even after she repeatedly tries to get him to. The whole mess that ensues is his fault, and there is one scene in particular that I just couldn't forgive.
Yeah, that doesn't work for me. After that, I honestly didn't really care what happened to him. Problem is, I didn't find the 180 realistic or even satisfying. Also, Yeah....nope.
I really liked Catherine as an independent woman in her cottage with her own life. I think it sucks that Rex had to go and spoil it for her. I mean, she seemed happy enough when it was all said and done, but I just can't see how one could forget how he treated her initially. I just can't forgive H's that act crappy. There are too many books out there to read where they don't. Plus, super silly melodramatic nonsense right before the ending. Blargh.
May 13, 2022
Reread again-2022. I can not say that I loved the romance between the two, but I find myself rereading to explore how the author did such a wonderful job of exploring this a painful topic. We, the reader are let in on the secret before the hero so it was again viewed through his eyes so to speak. I was happy that their desire for each other turned into love after they married. I actually wished to know more about his first love and to know that she is okay too. (I usually prefer to keep the exes in the past-but in this story I felt for her too especially since she is believed to still be in love with the hero.)
Another interesting, but unsettling layer, is of the hero's twin brother and his wife. Seeing him adapt to things his wife did and trying to keep his love for her intact was so well done.
So, in short, to me the romance is 3 star but the story as a whole is a 4 stars. Adjusting my 3 star rating to 4 stars to reflect how I rate the whole story.
Another interesting, but unsettling layer, is of the hero's twin brother and his wife. Seeing him adapt to things his wife did and trying to keep his love for her intact was so well done.
So, in short, to me the romance is 3 star but the story as a whole is a 4 stars. Adjusting my 3 star rating to 4 stars to reflect how I rate the whole story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2012
Catherine lives a simple life in a little cottage. Although she is poor she was clearly brought up a lady, and so when the lord and lady of the manor need an extra seat filled at dinner she gets an invitation. This is how she meets the lord's rakish younger twin brother Rex, who is immediately smitten. A few misunderstandings based on his resemblance to his twin ensue, and Rex thinks she's flirting. He forces her to let him walk her home after a ball, and then tries to sleep with her. She rigidly declines, and Rex leaves feeling hard done by. But alas, he was observed coming out of her cottage, and as the gossip spreads Catherine's life grows rapidly more and more miserable, until at last the vicar refuses to let her come to church and demands she leave the village forthwith. Rex is long gone, but his brother demands he come back and marry Catherine to repair the damage.
They have a cold wedding and an awkward marriage, but slowly come to like each other. Then one of Rex's friends recognizes Catherine, and her dark secret comes out. Rex is deeply upset, not least because it reminds him of how similarly he behaved toward her: how casually he treated her reputation and how little he listened to her actual words. Rex and Catherine discuss the future, and eventually decide that they have to brazen it out instead of hiding Catherine away. They go to London and
I was surprised at how much I liked this. Early on in the book, Rex was very pushy and kept assuming Catherine was flirting with him when she clearly wasn't. It made me dislike him a lot, and feel very uneasy about the romance. But luckily, the book and the other characters agreed with my viewpoint--numerous characters tell Rex to his face that he behaved badly, and he himself has a long, painful period where he's consumed with guilt.
The relationship between Rex's brother and his wife is a rare treat as well. It's rare to find side characters who are given so much characterization, or whose relationship troubles are so interesting. He has always been easy-going, perhaps to a fault, whereas her pride and controlling nature have grown with time. When matters come to a head, they each realize what the other person's true nature is like, and have a hard time staying in love.
The best part of this book, for me, was how it had no illusions about the sexism inherent in Regency society. There are serious consequences when someone bucks tradition and social mores, and Balogh doesn't let her characters off the hook. It's not self-flagellating, but it is at least partly a deconstruction of the popular romance tropes in which the hero won't take no for an answer, the lady secretly means yes, and the entire ton cheers on their illicit relationship.
They have a cold wedding and an awkward marriage, but slowly come to like each other. Then one of Rex's friends recognizes Catherine, and her dark secret comes out. Rex is deeply upset, not least because it reminds him of how similarly he behaved toward her: how casually he treated her reputation and how little he listened to her actual words. Rex and Catherine discuss the future, and eventually decide that they have to brazen it out instead of hiding Catherine away. They go to London and
I was surprised at how much I liked this. Early on in the book, Rex was very pushy and kept assuming Catherine was flirting with him when she clearly wasn't. It made me dislike him a lot, and feel very uneasy about the romance. But luckily, the book and the other characters agreed with my viewpoint--numerous characters tell Rex to his face that he behaved badly, and he himself has a long, painful period where he's consumed with guilt.
The relationship between Rex's brother and his wife is a rare treat as well. It's rare to find side characters who are given so much characterization, or whose relationship troubles are so interesting. He has always been easy-going, perhaps to a fault, whereas her pride and controlling nature have grown with time. When matters come to a head, they each realize what the other person's true nature is like, and have a hard time staying in love.
The best part of this book, for me, was how it had no illusions about the sexism inherent in Regency society. There are serious consequences when someone bucks tradition and social mores, and Balogh doesn't let her characters off the hook. It's not self-flagellating, but it is at least partly a deconstruction of the popular romance tropes in which the hero won't take no for an answer, the lady secretly means yes, and the entire ton cheers on their illicit relationship.
October 7, 2022
Cuando Rex Adams, vizconde Rawleigh, visita a su hermano mellizo, conocerá a la joven señora Winters, Catherine de nombre. Este tipo tan arrogante decide, después de echarle una ojeada (o dos), que esta atractiva viuda le puede amenizar las noches, y lo que haga falta, durante su estancia en el casoplón de su hermano.
Ella dice que no. A pesar de que la atracción es mutua. Solo que al final él acaba comprometiéndola, a su pesar. Y la cosa se lía más. Porque ella tiene un pasado, doloroso, tremendo, y por eso busca una vida aislada, muy sencilla y alejada de la sociedad. Hay razón para ello.
Con poquita cosa, Balogh te monta novelas interesantísimas, en las que prevalecen los dilemas emocionales y hasta morales de los personajes. Si te gusta la histórica clásica, ésta es una apuesta segura.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
Ella dice que no. A pesar de que la atracción es mutua. Solo que al final él acaba comprometiéndola, a su pesar. Y la cosa se lía más. Porque ella tiene un pasado, doloroso, tremendo, y por eso busca una vida aislada, muy sencilla y alejada de la sociedad. Hay razón para ello.
Con poquita cosa, Balogh te monta novelas interesantísimas, en las que prevalecen los dilemas emocionales y hasta morales de los personajes. Si te gusta la histórica clásica, ésta es una apuesta segura.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
June 23, 2019
I am a huge Mary Balogh fan. I've read all of her books. I think I might have read this series, too, but I am re-reading because I don't recall the characters.
That should have told me something. A warning, perhaps.
Balogh is the queen of slow burn romance. Even when it's lust at first sight it's slow burn. There's more "sense" than "sensibility" in her books. And I do appreciate it when I'm in the mood.
But this one missed the mark for me. I understand why H and h are the way they are. Rex and Catherine. But I just didn't feel either of them truly falling in love with the other, except suddenly, she was thinking she LOVED! him and he was calling her "my love."
And I was like... when did this happen????
So, despite the good writing, I really can't give this more than 3 stars. I just didn't feel it. And Hopefully this review will stop me from re-reading it in the future.
That should have told me something. A warning, perhaps.
Balogh is the queen of slow burn romance. Even when it's lust at first sight it's slow burn. There's more "sense" than "sensibility" in her books. And I do appreciate it when I'm in the mood.
But this one missed the mark for me. I understand why H and h are the way they are. Rex and Catherine. But I just didn't feel either of them truly falling in love with the other, except suddenly, she was thinking she LOVED! him and he was calling her "my love."
And I was like... when did this happen????
So, despite the good writing, I really can't give this more than 3 stars. I just didn't feel it. And Hopefully this review will stop me from re-reading it in the future.
January 3, 2018
Me ha gustado mucho. Me encantan los personajes como Rex (que parecen unos rufianes pero en el fondo son un cacho pan con mala pata) <3, y Catherine es una mujer fuerte, capaz de enfrentarse a la sociedad aún no siguiendo las normas.
Hacía bastante tiempo que no me picaba tanto con una novela de romance... yo no sé que tiene Mary Balogh que cuando empiezo un libro suyo no puedo parar de leer.
Solo hubo una pequeña parte, un poco antes de llegar a la mitad del libro, que se me hizo algo pesada.
La verdad es que me encantó tanto la parte en el campo como en Londres.
Más adelante a lo mejor me animo a leer el siguiente.
Hacía bastante tiempo que no me picaba tanto con una novela de romance... yo no sé que tiene Mary Balogh que cuando empiezo un libro suyo no puedo parar de leer.
Solo hubo una pequeña parte, un poco antes de llegar a la mitad del libro, que se me hizo algo pesada.
La verdad es que me encantó tanto la parte en el campo como en Londres.
Más adelante a lo mejor me animo a leer el siguiente.
October 2, 2019
HAlf of the book, I almost hated the hero for what he did to heroine. She suffered because of his action. He was so arrogant, so sure of himself. Yet I should add, he made amends very well. Also, it made their affection and love more plausible and sweet.
March 30, 2016
I hated the hero Rex so much that the only way he could have redeemed himself would have been to set himself on fire. The heroine Catherine is living in disgrace through no fault of her own. She has carved out an life of peace and quiet as a respectable widow in a small town where no one knows who she is or where she came from. Enter Rex the Viscount visiting his twin brother who decides on first glimpse of her that she would be a fun lay for a couple of weeks while he is visiting his brother. To that end he starts stalking her. Though she repeatedly tells him no he keeps propositioning her. He finally gets it through his thick skull that no means no and leaves town but by that time his open pursuit of her has left her reputation in shreds.
Catherine holds onto her virtue but it is hard. She feels attracted to this sub hero. Why? He is an arrogant jerk with no respect for women.
We are now at the lat 25% of the book where Rex starts the turnabout that turns him into a hero. He marries her. Then he forces her to go back to London where everyone knows about her sullied reputation but is willing to overlook it because --? Well because she is with him I guess. He even gets her father who is another arrogant jerk to attend a ball with her. While she is dancing with dear old dad she thinks to herself that she still loves him because after all he is her father. Why?
Dad wanted her to marry her rapist and when she refused sent her off to the country to live alone in near poverty without even a maid and then told people she was dead. No fathers' day gift for this A hole.
I've read many Balogh books I've liked but this was a total miss for me.
Catherine holds onto her virtue but it is hard. She feels attracted to this sub hero. Why? He is an arrogant jerk with no respect for women.
We are now at the lat 25% of the book where Rex starts the turnabout that turns him into a hero. He marries her. Then he forces her to go back to London where everyone knows about her sullied reputation but is willing to overlook it because --? Well because she is with him I guess. He even gets her father who is another arrogant jerk to attend a ball with her. While she is dancing with dear old dad she thinks to herself that she still loves him because after all he is her father. Why?
Dad wanted her to marry her rapist and when she refused sent her off to the country to live alone in near poverty without even a maid and then told people she was dead. No fathers' day gift for this A hole.
I've read many Balogh books I've liked but this was a total miss for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2021
4.5!!
RTC 🙌🏽
~Full review~
The beginning was fantastic. Loved the premise of the hero flirting with the town widow, thinking he can indulge in a summer affair while he is stuck in the countryside. Unfortunately for him, widow has a backstory that cannot allow her to jeopardize her good standing.
Found the middle to end a little boring.
Another highlight was the treatment of Claude and Clara, and honestly, I like this couple and would read a full-length story featuring characters like them. They are another example of how characters are written with an unflinching eye. In another romance novel, Claude would have either also been a snob like Clara so that they were the cartoonishly unsympathetic villains, or Clara would have had to do a complete 160, crying and repenting to all, reconciling with the heroine at the end of the novel. I liked that Claude and Clara both realized they had work to do on themselves if they were to have a good marriage.
RTC 🙌🏽
~Full review~
The beginning was fantastic. Loved the premise of the hero flirting with the town widow, thinking he can indulge in a summer affair while he is stuck in the countryside. Unfortunately for him, widow has a backstory that cannot allow her to jeopardize her good standing.
Found the middle to end a little boring.
Another highlight was the treatment of Claude and Clara, and honestly, I like this couple and would read a full-length story featuring characters like them. They are another example of how characters are written with an unflinching eye. In another romance novel, Claude would have either also been a snob like Clara so that they were the cartoonishly unsympathetic villains, or Clara would have had to do a complete 160, crying and repenting to all, reconciling with the heroine at the end of the novel. I liked that Claude and Clara both realized they had work to do on themselves if they were to have a good marriage.
February 1, 2021
This was my first Mary Balogh book and I actually read it in Romanian years and years ago :) I still love it on this reread :)
5*
I've come to the conclusion that I love this book as much as the first time I've read it :) Mrs. Balogh writes some cool romances :)
5*
I've come to the conclusion that I love this book as much as the first time I've read it :) Mrs. Balogh writes some cool romances :)
March 27, 2020
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
This was my first Mary Balogh novel and I have to say it was such a pleasant surprise! Given that it was published in the 1990's I didn't know quite what I was going to get, but the premise was intriguing. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it to be very ahead of its time in terms of addressing consent, sexual assault, victim-blaming, and gaslighting. It also completely sucked me in and I didn't want to put it down. Indiscreet is a smart and thought-provoking historical romance that still feels very relevant.
Viscount Rawleigh (Rex) is in the country visiting his twin brother and looking for a diversion of the female sort. He notices the understated yet beautiful young widow Catherine Winters and pursues her with the intent of making her his mistress. Catherine finds Rex attractive, but refuses the proffered arrangement. But Rex won't simply back down.
I won't say too much more about the plot because I don't want to spoil it, but Catherine has a complicated past and Rex has a lot to learn about believing women when they say "No" regardless of whether they seem otherwise interested. Also, while there are discussions of past sexual assault, Rex does NOT rape or sexually coerce the heroine. He does overstep some boundaries and there are some (intentionally) uncomfortable scenes, but it ultimately doesn't go farther than a kiss without Catherine's consent. This definitely isn't a frothy historical romance, but I think it successfully wrestles with big issues involving gendered power dynamics, unequal expectations of men and women in their sexuality, the tendency to victim-blame or assume women were "asking for it", and the ramifications of toxic masculinity that prioritizes male desire over female choice.
I know that conversations surrounding these issues in the late 1990's were often not so progressive, so I find this book to be quite impressive in the way it handles things. I also could not put it down! I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
CW include past sexual assault and rape, misogyny, victim-blaming, public slut-shaming, loss of an infant
This was my first Mary Balogh novel and I have to say it was such a pleasant surprise! Given that it was published in the 1990's I didn't know quite what I was going to get, but the premise was intriguing. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it to be very ahead of its time in terms of addressing consent, sexual assault, victim-blaming, and gaslighting. It also completely sucked me in and I didn't want to put it down. Indiscreet is a smart and thought-provoking historical romance that still feels very relevant.
Viscount Rawleigh (Rex) is in the country visiting his twin brother and looking for a diversion of the female sort. He notices the understated yet beautiful young widow Catherine Winters and pursues her with the intent of making her his mistress. Catherine finds Rex attractive, but refuses the proffered arrangement. But Rex won't simply back down.
I won't say too much more about the plot because I don't want to spoil it, but Catherine has a complicated past and Rex has a lot to learn about believing women when they say "No" regardless of whether they seem otherwise interested. Also, while there are discussions of past sexual assault, Rex does NOT rape or sexually coerce the heroine. He does overstep some boundaries and there are some (intentionally) uncomfortable scenes, but it ultimately doesn't go farther than a kiss without Catherine's consent. This definitely isn't a frothy historical romance, but I think it successfully wrestles with big issues involving gendered power dynamics, unequal expectations of men and women in their sexuality, the tendency to victim-blame or assume women were "asking for it", and the ramifications of toxic masculinity that prioritizes male desire over female choice.
I know that conversations surrounding these issues in the late 1990's were often not so progressive, so I find this book to be quite impressive in the way it handles things. I also could not put it down! I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
CW include past sexual assault and rape, misogyny, victim-blaming, public slut-shaming, loss of an infant
May 16, 2016
2.5 stars. A little too Tra la la and Alas! Woe is Me for my taste. And the narrator, Rosalyn Landor, who is a favorite with many people, didn't work for me. Her female lead voice is beautiful, but her male voices are atrocious, and the over-acting is like a Shakespearean tragedy. By today's standards, the angst is very low-level and the story is a little boring. The sexual tension is almost non-existent and I really didn't care about any of the characters. Blah.
May 14, 2016
Hmm, this one started out slow, and at one point, I thought I had finally found a book by Mary Balogh that I could not like. As I continued to listen, I got pulled in and by the end, I loved the book.
I liked the heroine but the hero was so arrogant that I didn't think MB would be able to redeem him, but in the end, she worked her magic and turned him into a great hero. Happy reading!
I liked the heroine but the hero was so arrogant that I didn't think MB would be able to redeem him, but in the end, she worked her magic and turned him into a great hero. Happy reading!
February 27, 2019
4 stars. Narration 5 stars.
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