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No Man's Mistress (Mistress Trilogy #2)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 2,042 ratings · 110 reviews

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Mary Balogh's The Secret Mistress.

Critics call her “a veritable treasure, a matchless storyteller” (Romantic Times). Readers have fallen in love with Mary Balogh’s sparkling blend of wit and romance. Now this dazzling writer sweeps us back to Regency England, into a world of dangerous secrets and glittering intrigue, as a dashin...more BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Mary Balogh's The Secret Mistress.

Critics call her “a veritable treasure, a matchless storyteller” (Romantic Times). Readers have fallen in love with Mary Balogh’s sparkling blend of wit and romance. Now this dazzling writer sweeps us back to Regency England, into a world of dangerous secrets and glittering intrigue, as a dashing lord meets his match in a fiery beauty who vows to be ... No Man’s Mistress.

The dark, devastating stranger rode into the village fair and wagered twenty pounds at the throwing booth — for a chance to win the daisies in Viola Thornhill’s hair. The Gypsy fortune teller had warned: “Beware of a tall, dark, handsome stranger. He can destroy you — if you do not first snare his heart.”

Recklessly Viola flirted, then danced with him around the Maypole. And then came his delicate, delicious kiss. Viola did not regret that she had let down her guard — until the next morning, when he appeared at her door to claim her beloved Pinewood Manor.

Lord Ferdinand Dudley won her home in a game of cards!

Viola hated him for trying to take everything, including her soul. She was mistress of Pinewood Manor. Yet Dudley refused to leave, even as his conscience rebelled at compromising this beautiful innocent whose only proof of ownership was a dead earl’s promise. Dudley held the deed, but at what cost?

Each day under the same roof brought its share of temptation, intimacy, and guilt. But Viola knew it was a battle she could not afford to lose. Marriage was out of the question, and she would be no man’s mistress. Even as Dudley’s unnerving presence, his knowing smile, threatened to melt her resolve.

Against his better judgment, Lord Ferdinand Dudley was beguiled. This maddening beauty had stirred him as no woman had before. And he was bound and determined to make her his own.

At once sensuous, whimsical, and wonderfully romantic, Mary Balogh’s new novel holds us in thrall, bringing to life a love story that sizzles with passion and originality.(less)

ebook, 384 pages

Published December 10th 2008 by Dell (first published 2001)

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Aug 17, 2009 Rane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romance-napoleonic-era, keeper

For the past two years Viola Thornhill life has been peaceful and calm. After picking up the pieces of her life and starting anew, Viola’s life seems almost perfect. Until she meets a handsome stranger at a May Day celebration and is warned by a fortuneteller there, to beware of him as he could destroy her life if she doesn’t snare his heart first. Not taking the warning to heed, Viola finds herself attracted to this stranger and at the end of the fair, kisses from him. Thinking nothing more of...more For the past two years Viola Thornhill life has been peaceful and calm. After picking up the pieces of her life and starting anew, Viola’s life seems almost perfect. Until she meets a handsome stranger at a May Day celebration and is warned by a fortuneteller there, to beware of him as he could destroy her life if she doesn’t snare his heart first. Not taking the warning to heed, Viola finds herself attracted to this stranger and at the end of the fair, kisses from him. Thinking nothing more of this stranger, she’s surprised to see him at her door and telling her that he’s the new owner of her home! Lord Ferdinand Dudley has always had a wild streak in him, always willing to take up any challenge. After he wins in a card game, no less, the picturesque Pinewood Manor, he feels mighty happy for himself. That is until he goes toe to toe with the resident and so called owner of the manor. With the owner scheming along with the neighbors to have him booted out, Ferdinand charms, and outwits anything thrown at him. While trying to fight the growing temptation to his unruly opponent.
But when a wager is thrown down by Viola between her and Ferdinand, there’s more at stake then the manor but their hearts are now on the line.

It’s hard to have a sequel that can hold up to it’s beloved predecessor, No Man’s Mistress does this and more, holding it’s on. The story takes place four years later after “More Than A Mistress” with Ferdinand the younger brother of Jocelyn. The first half of the book is charming as Viola tries to protect her home by pulling childish pranks to get Ferdinand out, but time and again she can’t help but admire his will to prove her wrong, as slowly she sees he’s not the big bad wolf she thought him to be. Viola’s past haunts and torments her deeply, and to save not only her family but her sense of self, Viola throws down a wager she quickly regrets.

I liked Viola, at first I thought she was very childish in trying to kick Ferdinand, then later just down right bullheaded that I wanted to smack her upside the head a few. I felt her running away to many times somewhat tiresome and really dragged down the story toward the end. Plus, how she kept throwing hurtful words into Ferdinand’s face was a low-blow (although the first time he did deserve it!) But as the puzzle pieces fall into place, Viola wasn’t thinking about herself or even her well-being but her beloved family and the shame she felt she would bring to Ferdinand if he knew the truth about her.

Ferdinand, Ferdinand...I adore his name as much as I adore him. While his brother was cold and sometimes coming across as unfeeling. Ferdinand is happy-go lucky, but has had his share of past hurts from his parents but mostly his mother which caused him to look at sex differently. Carefree and charming with a innocence about him made him such a great hero, I totally fell in love with him, cried when he cried and hurt when Viola turned him away. Ferdinand was a lot stronger than he first appears, and willing to sacrifice even his heart for his lady love to be happy.. I cheered for Ferdinand when he finally was able to get through Viola’s thick skull. It made me mad that she had such little trust in him, after all he did for her. But leave it to Ferdinand to win any challenge he puts his mind to!

The love scenes between Viola and Ferdinand were so touchy and sweet, they were true love scenes in ever form and fashion. Together, both are great and bring something to the table the other lacks. The love between them gives you that warm fuzzy feeling long after.

It was also great to revisit the Dudley family, Jocelyn has become a totally different man, showing how much he loves his family and his brother whom he’s very proud of. Makes me wish to see the next gen of Dudleys!

I was also happy that the villain got his just desserts by the hands of Ferdinand with some help from his brother.

Overall: one of those books that surprise and delight you, that makes you smile and get a little teary eyed at the end as you read the happy ever after of this beloved couple.(less)

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Oct 19, 2009 Adrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-loan

Ummmm love,love,loved it. This story just grabbed me and took me along. Other reviewers have given story details (I think) so I'm just going to say I really wasn't expecting the two surprises Mary Balogh has given us with this story, and they made it all the more special for me! A great story and a nice romance.

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Sep 10, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romance

Too much stupidity. I hated it. Viola did too many stupid things which ruined the story for me.

She was the illegitimate daughter of an Earl who promised her ownership of an estate. (view spoiler)...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Dawn rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-books, historical-romance

Lord Ferdinand has won a small country property, Pinewood, in a game of cards. The day he goes to check it out he finds the town is very quaint and enjoys himself at a carnival. It is there he meets a very beautiful and mysterious woman. The next morning he arrives at Pinewood expecting a run down property and instead finds it thriving and occupied by the very same mystery woman, Viola Thornhill. Ms Thornhill is a woman of many secrets and refuses to leave her home, but Ferdinand believes he has...more Lord Ferdinand has won a small country property, Pinewood, in a game of cards. The day he goes to check it out he finds the town is very quaint and enjoys himself at a carnival. It is there he meets a very beautiful and mysterious woman. The next morning he arrives at Pinewood expecting a run down property and instead finds it thriving and occupied by the very same mystery woman, Viola Thornhill. Ms Thornhill is a woman of many secrets and refuses to leave her home, but Ferdinand believes he has won the property fair and square and insists on moving in.

The story is a sequel to More Than a Mistress.Perhaps this is why the story really did not work, to be fair it did start out well. But then by chapter 3 or 4 Viola decides the best thing is to run Ferdinand off by making his life miserable and telling everyone in the town how awful he is and how he is out to destroy her. She fights for her home by acting like a petulant child, because you know mistreating people is more important than oh say a deed or the law. I am not so sure the book ever really recovers from here. Viola is very unreasonable, nasty, petty and stupid...did I mention REALLY NASTY?? Her and her maid seem to have some deep rooted issues, I mean I get trust is hard to come by but the one guy who is willing to help or compromise you treat like this? Viola tell Ferdinand that he just is not "man" enough for her as if that is not enough after she has kicked Ferdinand like a sad puppy she then proceeds to get pissed off because he does not come running to her. Alas Ferdinand is the true fool because he keeps coming back.

What I did like about this story was the male virgin with the female courtesan nice change of pace. I also liked seeing the Duke (Jocelyn) as a daddy. While I liked Ferdinand I was looking forward to seeing his transformation of dealing with childhood demons similarly to what the Duke went through in More Than a Mistress. That transformation did not occur in this story Ferdinand remained a constant character never really changing and to this reader he never quite became the hero he strives for.

The writing was good, but there were quite a few holes in the plot, for example the mother actually believes she was a governess?? No one had any idea of the step-father's debts? The ton would befriend a high class courtesan, men and women alike...can you see it at a ladies brunch "I say dear, Charles just does not seem very vigorous whatever do you suggest??" To me as a historical romance it does not really work, to me it felt more like a contemporary romance based in Regency England. In this time period women just did not have a lot of rights but Viola seemed to think she and Ferdinand are on equal footing...said another way the bastard prostitute is on par with the son/brother of a Duke. Go figure this one just did not work out well for me.
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Jul 31, 2012 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, regency

Ferdinand Dudley is pleased to win a small estate while playing at cards. But when he visits his new mansion, he finds the supposedly deserted property already has a resident--a young, beautiful, and demure woman named Viola Thornhill! Viola is as sure that the property is hers as he is that it's his, and she sets out to prove to him that he wouldn't be comfortable in the country. To her consternation, the interloper laughs off the badly cooked food, roosters-at-dawn, and smoky rooms, and even w...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ferdinand MADE this book for me!! His brother may be the epitome of the alpha, brooding male and Ferdinand may be completely opposite of him, but he is just as manly and sexy. Jocelyn is the perfect type of man to read in a story, that makes Ferdinand the perfect type of man for me in real life. If there was a man like him around me I'd probably swoon! He's charming, silly & funny, intelligent, caring, giving, sexy, NOT a man whore which is AWESOME & still has that raw masculinity (beati...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Elena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Hüten Sie sich vor einem großen, dunklen, gut aussehenden Fremden. Er kann Sie vernichten – wenn Sie sein Herz nicht zuerst erobern.” Nie hätte Viola Thornhill gedacht, dass die Prophezeihung eintreffen würde – und das so schnell. Doch der unbekannte Fremde, von dem sie sich einen Kuss auf dem Dorffest rauben ließ, steht am nächsten Tag vor ihr auf Pinewood Manor und behauptet, dass Landgut bei einen Kartenspiel gewonnen zu haben. Viola weigert sich, Lord Ferdinand Dudley das Feld zu überlassen...more “Hüten Sie sich vor einem großen, dunklen, gut aussehenden Fremden. Er kann Sie vernichten – wenn Sie sein Herz nicht zuerst erobern.” Nie hätte Viola Thornhill gedacht, dass die Prophezeihung eintreffen würde – und das so schnell. Doch der unbekannte Fremde, von dem sie sich einen Kuss auf dem Dorffest rauben ließ, steht am nächsten Tag vor ihr auf Pinewood Manor und behauptet, dass Landgut bei einen Kartenspiel gewonnen zu haben. Viola weigert sich, Lord Ferdinand Dudley das Feld zu überlassen – und dieser weigert sich zu gehen und quartiert sich kurzerhand selbst ein. Als sie nach und nach ihre Vorurteile über ihm korrigieren muss, wird die Lage immer aussichtsloser – kann sie ihm doch niemals ihr Herz schenken …

Die Protagonisten des zweiten Teil der Mistress-Reihe sind der jüngeren Bruder von Tresham und Viola Thornhill, die nach dessen Eintreffen alles dransetzt, den ungebetenen Eindringling loszuwerden. Hat sie doch eine Menge zu verlieren und nicht nur das Gut, wie nach und nach deutlich wird. Auch Ferdinand hat zu kämpfen mit den unangekündigten Bewohner, nicht zuletzt wegen seiner Gefühle für Viola, was die Lage nicht unerheblich verkompliziert.

Ein Buch, dessen Wertung mir äußerst schwerfällt. Einerseits sind einige unerwartete Wendungen vorhanden, die beiden Hauptcharakter durchaus sympathisch und es gibt einen strukturierten Erzählrahmen. Besonders schön ist das Abweichen von den üblichen Regency-Schema des Womanizer und des hässlichen Entlein. Andererseits wurde ich nicht richtig warm mit den beiden und fand die Wortwahl öfters missglückt. Nicht, dass total daneben gegriffen wurde, aber zwischen sprachlicher Eleganz und diesem Buch besteht doch ein Unterschied. Dies ist wohl der Übersetzerin anzulasten, hinderte mich aber erheblich beim Eintauchen in die Geschichte. Was durchaus reizvoll sein kann, mich aber in diesem Fall eher gestört hat: Die enge Verknüpfung mit den Vorgängerband. Wirklich gefesselt hat mich die Geschichte auch nicht, trotz eigentlich spannender offener Fragen. Für mich ist es wohl der vorläufig letzte Balogh, irgendwann werde ich die Dame noch einmal auf Englisch versuchen. Apropos Englisch: Der Originaltitel ist sehr schön und fast schon ein Spoiler.

Ich vergebe trotzdem noch 4 Sterne, denn objektiv habe ich wenig auszusetzen. Das Buch lag mir bloß (zumindest in der Übersetzung) nicht wirklich. Vielleicht war es auch einfach das Buch zur falschen Zeit.(less)

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May 19, 2010 Crista rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star, regency, series

Okay, here's the deal. This book is just not in the same league as More Than A Mistress, but to be fair, is was very entertaining and interesting. I enjoyed reading it, but it lacked the emotional depth and feeling that the prequel embodied.

Ferdinand is a 27 year old virgin. That's right.....a male virgin in a romance novel. Let's just say, without giving too much away, that Viola is not. This premsie alone, in my opinion, is worth reading. How often have we read the counter to this plot. Femal...more

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Apr 17, 2010 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kiss-me-now-you-fool, i-cried-i-ll-admit-it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After being disappointed by my first MB novel, which was a re-release, I decided to give her another try and chose this book from the library at random. There is a world of difference in the quality of writing and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It starts off in a light-hearted vein and progressively gets more angsty and heartfelt. I liked the way you don't find out until later what Viola's dark past is and how puzzle peices into her motives keep falling into place. There were a couple times I go...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Andrea Jackson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, favorites, historical, books-in-series

I gave this 5 stars because I not only couldn't put it down and read half the night away, but also I sobbed through the second half of the book. That's not an easy thing to do with a romance that you know will have a HEA. I read the first in the series a few days ago. I liked it a lot but it didn't move me nearly as much. This is the second in a trilogy about the siblings of a prominent and wealthy Regency family. The first brother was dark and icy, but Ferdinand is opposite in his personality....more

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May 24, 2012 Krista D. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This had a pretty slow beginning and I admit I ended up skipping two or three chapters before I got to the real story.

The premise is great, though the entire double personality thing grated on me. However, it was nice to see an attempt to address a touch of how prostitution worked in this era. A lot of the details were glossed over, of course, but perhaps that might have made the book too dark.

I was good up until the sappy ever after, my overall complaint with Balogh, who always takes things one...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

MB has become a favorite author of mine. I enjoyed the story of Lord Ferdinand Dudley, (brother to Duke of Tresham in Book #1 of the series). I think is it unexpected for the heroine to be a mistress then marry the hero for the HEA--at least in the books I had read. Viola Thornhill was an unsusal heroine not because she was a bastard, but because she sacrificed her honor to pay off her step fathers gambling debts and save her mother and step siblings from debtors prison. An "gentleman" persuades...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Setting:
1800’s Pinewood Manor, Village of Trellick (river valley in Somersetshire);

Theme:
Woman’s lack of power, choices, love and sacrifice for family, love

Characters:
Viola Thornhill – bastard child of an earl, loved by the earl but when her mother (former governess to the earl’s son) marries, she cuts her father off – no contact, no gifts, no education. Her husband is a gambler, and dies when Viola is 17… they go to live with her mother’s uncle at the inn he owns, and when a skuzzy man comes...more Setting:
1800’s Pinewood Manor, Village of Trellick (river valley in Somersetshire);

Theme:
Woman’s lack of power, choices, love and sacrifice for family, love

Characters:
Viola Thornhill – bastard child of an earl, loved by the earl but when her mother (former governess to the earl’s son) marries, she cuts her father off – no contact, no gifts, no education. Her husband is a gambler, and dies when Viola is 17… they go to live with her mother’s uncle at the inn he owns, and when a skuzzy man comes to collect on her stepfather’s debts, Viola goes with him to become a well known and expensive courtesan (with a different name)… after 4 years of this (very little of what she makes actually goes against the debts), she comes across her father in the park, and calls to him… their reunion finds that he always wanted to help her, but her mother forbade it… when he found out her circumstances, her father goes to the skuzzy man and pays the debts, gets a note that they are cleared, and he sends her to Pinewood, his country manor, and assures her that he will deed it to her in his will – and he is dies a month later …
Earl of Bamber – Viola’s half brother, gambler, drinker, does the honorable thing at the end.
Lord Ferdinand Dudley – Jocelyn’s brother… did not do the expected of a 2nd son of a manly duke and go into the army… by nature he’s a bit academic, reflective, easy going, friendly… but as a good Dudley, he steps up to any challenges.
Summary:
Ferdinand wins Pinewood at the gambling table, when he is asked to sit in when his friend is called home because his wife is giving birth… he expects to find a neglected, rundown estate… but on his way, he stops the night in the village of Trellick, where the town is celebrating May day with a fair, competitions, food, and a dance… and Viola catches his eye… they dance (though she is reluctant), she seems familiar (she was a well known courtesan 2 years earlier), they kiss…
And the next day, he rides up to Pinewood to claim it, only to find that Viola is convinced it is her home… she won’t leave, and she decides to get the town to help her to not like country living… but he takes it all in stride… rooster wakes him up, he goes out horse riding, many come to set their complaints before him, he is amicable, he is willing to spend his money on the tenant’s homes… it looks helpless to Viola… and then she gets a letter from her 15 year old sister that her skuzzy friend has come to the inn and asked her to pass on a message to Viola – that he found another note… and that perhaps he could help her sister find a position as a governess… and Viola sees the threat for what it is… making her all the more invested in keeping the house and its income…
But Jocelyn shows up with legal statement that Pinewood was not left to her… and he recognizes her courtesan self… and Ferdinand insists he leave the problems to him to solve, so he takes off the next day…
And a desperate Viola challenges him to a bet – that she can seduce him in one week, and will stay for one week more… and he says yes… but Viola can’t bring herself to take on her courtesan persona… he decides he can’t take her home away from her, but before he can tell her, on day 6, and she comes onto him, but stops herself… and he follows her outside, and they make love… she concedes the house to him… he asks her tves there is more to her story, but she doesn’t tell him…he asks her to marry him… she says no… she leaves the next morning before he is up, he chases down her coach, and he asks her to be his mistress, and she agrees.

They go to London, he takes her to Jocelyn’s mistress house and leave her… They make love, and she leaves the next morning - she goes to her half brother to ask after the will and the payoff proof, but he reiterates it was not in his will – she asks if there would be a different lawyer, which gets her brother thinking, but he lets it be… she returns to the inn… in the mean time, Ferdinand has Pinewood transferred to her… is depressed when she is gone… but Jane talks him in to tracking her down if he loves her… He and Jocelyn have figured out the skuzzy guy is involved… Ferdinand tracks down the inn… and she has made another agreement with skuzzy guy to go back to work to keep her sister free,and she has a week with her family… then Angelina and Sara/jane show up to extend their friendship… and she thinks to go to Jocelyn to ask for a loan to pay off skuzzy and for him to deliver it and to threaten him to leave her alone once and for all… Jocelyn says he’ll take care of it… but then the half brother shows up, and he did find the will change and the payoff guarantee – his father filed it with his wife’s lawyer because his was out of town, and the wife’s lawyer conveniently forgot about it… and Ferdinand sends her the paperwork, and he implements his plan to vindicate her, to show himself as her champion, he gathers 50 people together at Hyde Park… Jocelyn goes to skuzzy guy and negotiates for Viola’s time next week – and Jocelyn takes him to Hyde Park… and Ferdinand champions Viola, telling all how he abused and forced a young woman into prostitution … and Ferdinand beats him up royally and they tell him to leave London.
And he goes to Violaand tells her she is free… and asks her again to marry him… and she says yes… ahhh

Memorable scenes: sensitively written scenes as we feel Viola’s conflict in the sacrifices she made for her family, and was called on to make again…
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Nov 07, 2012 Manuela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought I had read it before but I had not. I must have read the beginning though probably a teaser in one of Mary Baloghs other books. I took my mp3 version and listened to it while I read. It takes quite a bit longer as if I had read it on my own but it is a much more relaxed reading and I also find out the proper pronounciation of some of the words.
I loved the hero and could have pummeled the heroine into good sense for her pride and stubbornness but then I myself tent to have to come to ce...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Sadia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: heroes-i-love, romance, historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 29, 2010 Sherri Needs A Maid rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, historical-romance, hero-to-die-for, made-me-cry

"Now what are you doing hiding here," he murmured to her, "when you should be out there dancing?"

"I have been waiting for the right partner, sir," she replied. And, more softly, "I have been waiting for you."

With these words begins a wonderfully romantic yet turbulent relationship between Lady Viola Thornhill and Lord Ferdinand Dudley. Mary Balogh created a wonderfully complex story that draws you in from the first chapter. Viola is both a strong, determined woman and a loving but incredibly in...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Ssil rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Llevaba tiempo sin leer nada de Mary Balogh. Me había desencantado de la autora sin saber muy bien las razones, así que después de tanto tiempo me animé a probar algo suyo de nuevo, y el resultado final ha sido más que satisfactorio. Comencé la novela sin expectativas, las primeras parecían indicar que se iba a tratar de una novela sencilla y agradable, pero según fui avanzando en la trama y descubrí el secreto de Viola, la protagonista, mi opinión cambió bastante.

Lord Ferdinand ha ganado en una...more

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Jun 11, 2013 CandyCorn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(Contains SPOILERS.)

I'm new to the historical genre, but I have to say that this has been the MOST FRUSTRATING read I have ever had so far.

(view spoiler)...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Lori McD rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-lit, chick-lit, easy-read, romance, regency, dark, 2011_read

This book reminds me of the scene between Shrek and Donkey in "Shrek", when Shrek is trying to tell Donkey that ogres have layers -- like an onion. This book is all about the layers. Just when you think you know who's who and what's going on (or perhaps even that this plot seems familiar), another layer is peeled back.

What starts as a charming contest of wills and a possible frothy romance turns dark and a bit dangerous... And while the ending is highly inventive, it's completely unrealistic, re...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: balogh-mary

I read this as part of a book which included the first book, More Than A Mistress.

Also a wonderful romantic read. This is the story about the brother of the previous book. It is about Ferdinand Dudley and Viola Thornhill, aka Lilian Talbot, a very famous courtesan. Viola had given up her previous life which she had been forced into and was living happily in the country at an estate she had been given by her natural father, an earl. The problems begin when Ferdinand shows up with the deed to the...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Joy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Since it’s been covered already I’ll share one or two thoughts.

(view spoiler)...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Ania rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

1. Viola is not my type of heroine. I did not like her at all and I feel guilty for not liking her at all given how incredibly twisted, tortured, and convoluted her past is, but there you go. Stop being so unnecessarily secretive and stubborn but not in the ways I like people stubborn but like painfully stubborn with a healthy side of martyrdom.
2. I didn't care much for Frederick, either, that swizzle-poop.
3. I didn't like how negative the whole thing was towards sex workers or how the author...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Judy Goodnight rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, regency

This book continues the story of the Dudley family, first introduced in More Than a Mistress. The hero of this book is Ferdinand, the younger brother of the Duke of Tresham featured in volume one.

Ferdinand goes to the country to examine an estate he's won in a card game. Arriving in time for the May Day church fete, he meets & flirts with a young woman from the village. The next day he goes to the estate only to find the young woman, Viola Thornhill, in residence there and claiming that the...more

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Jun 03, 2009 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Although well-written, the characters and story line did not resonate with me. Ms. Balogh has a habit of making her characters' backgrounds and histories uncomfortable, and in this case, almost jarring, although probably more realistic than most other authors. I can take it most of the time, but for some reason this time was a bit much for me. The situation of the heroine, Viola Thornhill, otherwise known as Lillian Talbot, is horrific, and I spent most of the book wanting to throw Lord Ferdinan...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Kay Bolton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Duke's brother, Lord Ferdinand Dudley wins a house in a card game, and hies off to have a look around....stopping only briefly the day before to have a fit of sport at the village fair and a stolen kiss with a country miss.

Unfortunately, when he arrives at his newly acquired property he finds he has a sitting tenant, Viola Thornhill ... who maintains that the deceased Earl of Bamber had left her the property in his will .... she refuses to leave and so does Ferdinand .... who's in the right?...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Sababa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-romance-novels-i-ve-read, best-female-characters, my-future-athenaeum

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 04, 2012 Jess rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-all, 2012-new, romance-historical, library-ebook, romance

Okay, so in the DA review of Scandal Wears Satin, Jane said something about having to bite on the premise of dressmaker finds love with aristocrat twice in the same family a bit hard to swallow. I disagreed wildly about that book, but here, I get that argument in spades. Because really, how many times in the same family is someone going to fall in love with/marry their mistress?

And this is only a sort of related to this book annoyance, but why in historicals if you happen to have a virgin hero,...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-historical, part-of-a-series, re-read

3/5; 3 stars; B

The first time I rated this book I gave it four stars but after re-reading it i changed my rating slightly. The writing is awesome, as it always is when Mary Balogh is the author. Its just that a fundamental character trait of the heroine bothered me so much that I could barely stand it. The martyrdom and pride were too heavy for the first 250 pages or so. I thoroughly enjoyed the last one hundred pages or so when the villain gets his comeuppance. That definitely saved the book. S...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: historical romance fans, Mary Balogh fans

Shelves: historical-setting, romance, story-and-character-doorways

Viola Thornhill has owned her home, her refuge, for two years, and then one day a tall, dark, handsome stranger arrives claiming that Pinewood Manor is actually his, and the battle of wills begins. She is determined to show Lord Ferdinand Dudley that he is just not cut out for country life...except that it seems he is.

The premise of the beginning of the book seemed so familiar to me that I almost stopped reading it, thinking I'd read it before (it was first published in 2001). I'm glad I kept g...more

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Apr 10, 2010 astried rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, potato-chips

More romantic than bodice ripping, I like how Viola really meant what she said when she declare herself being an independent woman. Everything that came to her had been fought by herself. Ferdinand might have revenged her on Kirby but how certain important paper came to light was all her doing and even if it had not happened her other plan involving Tresham would have secured her future. I applaud you Mary Balogh for creating a woman character truly in control of herself even as her world came t...more

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About Mary Balogh

Mary Balogh 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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“The worst thing about loneliness is that it brings one face to face with oneself.” — 30 people liked it

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