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A Matter of Class

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 2,105 ratings · 445 reviews

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Balough comes a classic historical tale that sizzles with romance and unforgettable drama.

Reginald Masson is wealthy refined and by all accounts, a gentleman.However, he is not a gentleman by birth, a factor that pains him and his father. Bernard Mason, with the Regency society that upholds station love all else.That is, until an...more

Mass Market Paperback, 186 pages

Published December 7th 2010 by Vanguard Press (first published December 8th 2009)

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Aug 23, 2010 Sherri *The Lady Hillindale* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Regency romance

Shelves: 2010, historical-romance, best-of-2010, hero-to-die-for, heroine-i-loved, made-me-cry, love-the-cover

Listening to this on Audio CD is not quite as good. The narrator leaves much to be desires on such a great story. 8/2010

Original review:
This is my first Mary Balogh and it will not be my last! I simply loved this book! I really cannot review the story because I don't want to give even a HINT of the plot.

If you've ever read a book that just drew you in from page 1, that made you tingly all over, that made you laugh, cry and smile and that had an HEA that was deliciously smart yet so satisfying...more

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May 02, 2013 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-rom, reviewed, regency

Shorter than Balogh's typical novel, but every bit as good. Even better than some! Poignant, sweet, sexy, and surprising. Be prepared for a twist or two. I agree with Lady Wesley, who remarked that it has an O'Henry feel.

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May 12, 2011 BamaGal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

Edit: Came across this novella today and re-read it. Lovely story.

This was the most lovely, heartfelt, romantic short story I've read in a long time. Absolutely beautiful, classic Balogh regency. While I agree with others that it was too short for the price; DO get your hands on this story, it is that good. Yes, the ending is meant to be figured out by the reader long before it comes; it doesn't make one brilliant to have done so, or the story any less captivating. It is a great little story, an...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Aine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Description from dust flap
From New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh comes a classical historical tale that sizzles with romance and unforgettable drama. Reginald Mason is wealthy, reined, and by all accounts, a gentleman. However, he is not a gentleman by birth, a factor that pains him and his father, Bernard Mason, within the Regency society that upholds station over all else. That is, until an opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton. Daughter of the E...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Annette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I do not want to say too much because it would give away the plot, but I will give this a good try.

Annabelle is the daughter of an Earl. She has led a protected life of privilege. Reginald is the son of an extremely wealthy coal magnate. He too has led a life of privilege.

Due to an extreme situation, the two of them are betrothed. It is in spite of the disregard the two fathers have for one another. The story, though a short one, is of the two children growing up in their different worlds and si...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Anna D. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: absolute-favorites, re-read, sweet-moments

Oh wow..the flashbacks alone in this book is worth 5 stars! Which makes the “present” story and the HEA ending feel like icing on an already delicious cake!

I have not read a childhood friendship turned HEA story in a long time and I don’t know if I’ve read one quite like this because usually the childhood friendship theme start out with the H/h being rambunctious children with their other siblings or the H is the h’s brother’s friend or some other similar connection. In this story, their friends...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Miranda Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genuinely-great-fun

A novella but choice. The author unspools a charming romance between mismatched people: he is the scion of a wealthy if vulgar coal magnate from northern England and his reckless spending has forced his father to take him in hand; she is a cash-strapped earl’s beautiful daughter recently ruined in a failed attempt to run off with the handsome coachman. Their families have ignored each other for decades though their properties share a common border. But the two have a history we learn about inter...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1800s-period-of-history, fast-read, friends-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience, regency-romance, times-of-setting-flip-back-and-fort, love-amongst-the-working-class

Mary Balogh's A MATTER OF CLASS is a Regency romance about two people who haven't a prayer for a happy ending. Reginald Mason is the product of a happy marriage with a working class father who made a fortune. Unfortunately he wagered at the gaming tables and spent monies to improve his wardrobe but his father controls the purse. And his 'da' has had enough.

Annabelle Ashton is the daughter of a cold Earl who had lost a good portion of his fortune. His estate will suffer unless he finds a way of...more

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May 06, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fluffy-reading, general-fiction

In this charming short novel by Mary Balogh, the children of two rival neighbors are forced into an arranged marriage. Reggie Mason, the son of the wealthy but untitled Bernard Mason, is an extravagant young man who has spent more than his fair share of time gambling and shopping. His father, in an attempt to rein in his heir, has decided that Reggie must marry into nobility. However, the only noblewoman who is even a remote possibility is Lady Annabelle Ashton, who recently disgraced her family...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Alice rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a delightful historical romance that reminds me of Jane Austen's books though it is much shorter and more light-hearted. Lady Annabelle Ashton has disgraced her family and forfeited a probable marriage to a marquis by running off with her father's coachman. The elopement is unsuccessful and she is back home, secluded in her room. In the meantime Mr. Mason, a wealthy neighbor who aspires to become part of the gentry, has had it with his son's philandering, wild ways. He mandates that Regi...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Social stratification in England is a frequent subject of historical romances, but rarely have I seen a book handle the topic in such a entertaining manner. This tale of an Earl's daughter and the son of a coal merchant is concise and fun. I don't usually give romance novels four stars but it was that fun.
At the beginning of the story our heroine had just attempted to elope with a servant just as she had been poised to become engaged to a boring Marquess. Her father, a proud earl who can't stan...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Hilcia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite, impressions-blog-review, my-bookshelf

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh immediately caught my eye when I saw the above blurb. There's something about the story and the characters' actions that seemed different from other Balogh stories I've read.

We begin with Reginald Mason, a young man who is the epitome of the dissipated ton buck. He is more concerned with fashion and his matched pair of grays than he is with paying gambling debts or responsibilities. He is not Balogh's usual hero -- the man of honor whose family is most important...more A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh immediately caught my eye when I saw the above blurb. There's something about the story and the characters' actions that seemed different from other Balogh stories I've read.

We begin with Reginald Mason, a young man who is the epitome of the dissipated ton buck. He is more concerned with fashion and his matched pair of grays than he is with paying gambling debts or responsibilities. He is not Balogh's usual hero -- the man of honor whose family is most important and whose judgment is impeccable, if questionable when it comes to love. Instead, Reggie is meeting with his father who is giving him an ultimatum -- he must marry whoever his father chooses or his funds will be cut off. Things have gone too far.

We then meet Lady Annabelle Ashton, the beautiful daughter of an Earl who opted to run away with her lover -- a coachman -- instead of marrying the man her father chose for her. She is another departure for Balogh whose heroines are usually women of character willing to sacrifice themselves and their love for their families. But not Annabelle, she would rather be ruined than marry the wrong man. However, Annabelle is alone and has gone too far to have any real choices left opened to her. Her father is shutting her away in a Scottish country state, alone. After none other than Reginald Mason, Senior offers his son Reggie up for marriage, Annabelle must agree to marry this "lesser" man or end up as a shut-in in Scotland.

The enmity between the two fathers in the story is key. The Earl is arrogant and entrenched in the class system that makes him superior to Mr. Reginald Mason, Senior. Mr. Mason is a coal merchant and although his wealth is vast, he is considered presumptuous when he purchases the estate next door to the Earl. For thirty years these two men and their families ignore each other, and the enmity and resentment grows with the years on both sides. After all, the Masons are not considered good enough to be acknowledged by the Earl or his family -- not even in church. Mr. Mason, Senior has been waiting for just such an occasion to make the Earl pay for years of public humiliation.

This novella was quite short and a quick read -- 196 pages, 1.5 spaces between lines, slightly bigger font than usual -- yet, this little book is a complete romance. Reggie and Annabelle's characters and their story are both developed through a series of small flashback chapters weaved throughout the book. We go from the present to the past and get progressively close to the present as we reach the end, closing the circle and getting a complete picture. I don't usually like flashbacks in a book, but it worked beautifully in this little story.

This begins as an antagonistic relationship since the main characters are being forced into a marriage. Yet because of the way it is written, there's no question of believing Reggie and Annabelle's "happily ever after" when it comes. The class structure in the Regency era is central to this story and central to all the relationships. Ms. Balogh uses this exploration in class differences as the main conflict in the romance and it works quite well. There's a twist at the end that I won't give away, but it made me love this couple.

A Matter of Class is a little gem of a book that I've already re-read. I thoroughly enjoyed Reggie and Annabelle's short, but complete little romance. This novella by Balogh is a keeper for me.(less)

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Jan 09, 2010 KarenH rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks-that-rock, keepers, audiobook, unusual-storyline, audiobook-5-stars-plus

Don't ever let it be said that all authors who have written many novels run out of new ideas. While it may be true of some, A Matter of Class proves it isn't true about Mary Balogh.

What can I say about this short story other than it was a delight, especially as an audio book. There are certain writer/narrator teams that bring out the best in each other and a Balogh novel narrated by Anne Flosnik is just about as good as it gets. From the very beginning I was captivated by this story as it was im...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Shelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook-version, novella, regency-victorian-era, romance-historical, set-in-england

At first I was not very happy I chose to listen to this on audio, the narrator Anne Flosnik is not a particular favorite of mine. For the most part she does an acceptable job, but certain words she accents too heavily, her voice is slightly nasal and she just doesn't excite me. On the other hand, I have heard a lot worse, so while at work, with only this audio book to listen too, I stuck it out.

I really didn't like the story itself in the beginning either. First, the hero is only 25, and the her...more At first I was not very happy I chose to listen to this on audio, the narrator Anne Flosnik is not a particular favorite of mine. For the most part she does an acceptable job, but certain words she accents too heavily, her voice is slightly nasal and she just doesn't excite me. On the other hand, I have heard a lot worse, so while at work, with only this audio book to listen too, I stuck it out.

I really didn't like the story itself in the beginning either. First, the hero is only 25, and the heroine is 23. Nothing unusual about the heroine's age, but usually the hero is closer to 30, and this bothered me just a bit. No particular reason, just preference I guess. I didn't mind the fact that Reggie is a commoner, the son of a wealthy coal merchant, in fact I rather like commoner heroes. What I can't stand is lazy heroes altogether. We are led to believe from the beginning that Reggie is a profligate and maybe a little too concerned with appearances, purchasing 10 pairs of boots in 10 weeks! I began to think he might turn out to be too dandyish for me. Anna on the other hand, I enjoyed right from the beginning. An over-protected and precocious child, she just wanted to go outdoors and have fun. Meeting Reggie at the riverbank became something for her to look forward too. Initially I didn't understand why the story was going back and forth between 'present' tense and showing pieces of their past, and it really annoyed me. But since this is a novella, it went fast and we got to the point soon enough.

I don't want to give anything away, not even in hidden spoilers, so all I can say is after about halfway you begin to realize the story isn't quite what you thought it was. I really enjoyed the sneak attack! And it was so well done too! Unfortunately, Reggie doesn't quite fully redeem himself, as it does not really mention what he does, except manage his estate, which I guess is enough, but it was sort just a blip on the radar. I would have liked to see him be a little more organized in a sense we get to understand his work ethic better or something to completely blow the dandy profligate image away. Anna is really adorable all throughout, and I loved her eternal optimism and that she didn't want to give up on her dreams, and that she didn't have to!

Totally worth the time, definitely a great novella to read, and it's light and sneaky! If you love Mary Balogh, unexpected plot twists (which are hard to find in Regency) and actually read the book instead of listening to the audio, you won't be sorry! If you have to listen to the audio, or don't mind Anne Flosnik, you still won't be sorry!(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Fourborne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-book-list

Reginald Mason is not a gentleman by birth but is wealthy due to his father’s success in the coal mining business. Reginald has been educated in the best schools, has all of the manners of a gentleman and is very handsome. He does not plan on marrying until he is thirty-five.
His father’s arch enemy the Earl of Havercroft has a daughter named Lady Annabelle who has disgraced her family by running off with their coachman to stop her father from marrying her off to a balding rich man with very bad...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Iliada rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star, novella, regency-georgian-victorian, historical-romance, i-ve-loved-you-for-years, mary-balogh

This was a great story, though I can't really say anything about the plot because I will spoil it. I really liked it very much. From the beginning you get the feeling that you're missing something, but you don't quite expect what happens, at least not until later that is.

However, I can't call this one a novel. It was really short. More like a short story or a novela. I can't understand why. I honestly believe this book had great potential. I can see how Balogh could have added many more details...more

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Mar 19, 2010 CLM rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, regency, uk, historicalromance

This is a charming but slight novella about an appealing couple separated by class: he the handsome son of a self-made man whose merchant status has prevented him from being accepted socially, and she the daughter of an arrogant but impoverished titled member of the ton. When Annabelle's reputation is destroyed, Reginald Mason is bullied by his father into proposing to her. In this way, he will gain entry to the social milieu sought but never achieved by his father, and Annabelle is saved from s...more

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Feb 22, 2010 Linda G rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 1

Recommended to Linda G by: myself

Shelves: historical-romance

**spoiler** Generally, Mary Balogh's novels are much longer but this is a short sweet read. Reginald Mason (not born within ranks of the gentry, his father is a self made man and earned his wealth thru coal) and Lady Annabelle Ashton (is the daughter of the Earl of Havercroft). Reggie and Anna both father's estates are adjacent and their parks are partially separated by a small river. Their fathers hate each other and the Earl has forbidden his wife and Annabelle to acknowledge any members of th...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Corinne Yee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

As usual, I loved this book by Mary Balogh. She is one of my favorite authors for a reason.

“A Matter of Class” features Mr. Reginald Mason and Lady Annabelle Ashford. Reggie is the son of a man who made his money in coal. Annabelle is the daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, who owns the estate next to Reggie’s fathers. The two fathers despise one another and forbid their families to intermingle in any manner. However, when Havercroft suffers a financial setback and Lady Annabelle is compromised...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Nadine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, regency, stayed-up-way-too-late

This one starts off a bit slow, but quickly develops into a delightful, fun little novella. I can see now that the first chapter was needed to set up the plot.

Reggie Mason's father made all his money in coal. Their estate neighbor, Earl Somethingorotherford, despises the Masons since they are not "gentlemen." The Earl's daughter, Annabelle, disgraces herself by attempting to elope with the coachman. There's nothing else for it but for these two to get married!!! But they have secrets! oooh ......more

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Sep 22, 2012 Patrice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books-read

Lady Annabelle Ashton has done the unthinkable… she ran off with her father, the Earl of Havercroft’s, coachman and was brought back to the family in disgrace. Luckily, they had not made it as far as Gretna Green and actually tied the knot. Now, her intended, the Marquess of Illingsworth, a man quite older than her, has called of the betrothal. The Earl of Havercroft had been counting on the marriage to help bail him out of some financial difficulties.

Mr. Bernard Mason, entrepreneur, and neighbo...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Mti Librarian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, adult, emily-s-2011-reading-challenge, historical, marriage, misbehave, regency, romance, stolen-kiss, river, trickery, teen

This is not fluff. It seems like fluff and I have read lots of fluff by this author, but this particular book is not. I feel like this book will appeal to a wider audience of teen and adult readers than Regency Romance usually does. And it helps that it is only 190 pages and has an absolutely fabulous and fearless main female character with a backbone on steel. (That's as much of a spoiler as you are going to get from me.)

Lord Havercroft and Mr Mason have been neighbors for more than thirty year...more

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Jan 22, 2010 Yannie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a surprisingly wonderful book. I'd never read a Mary Balogh book before and now think I may have to.
Reginald Mason "Reggie" is the son of a middle class family. He is a gentleman but not a gentleman by birth in Regency England. Finally an opportunity hits his family when he is offered into an arranged marriage to Lady Annabelle Ashton, daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, who has always been a neighbor and enemy to the Mason family. She has disgraced her family by almost running off wit...more

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Jan 11, 2010 Nely rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Reginald Mason is, by all accounts, a gentleman - he is well-educated, courteous, handsome and very wealthy. However, the ton doesn’t see it that way, much to his and his father’s dismay. For Reginald Senior was not born a gentleman. He worked hard for this station even if it is said that their money is tarnished by coal. When the opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton, daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, a neighbor and enemy of the Mason family, he finds the op...more Reginald Mason is, by all accounts, a gentleman - he is well-educated, courteous, handsome and very wealthy. However, the ton doesn’t see it that way, much to his and his father’s dismay. For Reginald Senior was not born a gentleman. He worked hard for this station even if it is said that their money is tarnished by coal. When the opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton, daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, a neighbor and enemy of the Mason family, he finds the opportunity too hard to resist.

Lady Annabelle is in quite the predicament. She tried to elope with her father's footman and now finds herself disgraced by scandal, even thought of as damaged goods. Her father, the Earl, is none too happy with her and will gladly marry her off to anyone willing to have her.

Reginald Senior sees this as the moment he's been waiting for to move his family up the social ladder. But young Reggie does not see it as ideal, for he enjoys single life too much. When his father gives him an ultimatum: marry Annabelle or be cut-off from the family funds - he has no choice but to consent to the marriage. But no one said either one of them had to be happy about their new predicament.

This was such a sweet story. It was rather short, but nonetheless, it was delightful. I am a fan of Regency England, but even more than that, the way the story is written was brilliant. For starters it is very tame. There aren't any blush worthy moments - which gave it a timeless feel. The romance was light but as the relationship between Annabelle and Reggie grew, it steadily became more and more... sigh worthy.

I really must give kudos to Ms. Balogh for keeping me in the dark for most of the story as to the "twist" (everyone keeps mentioning). I didn't peak and I tried not to think too much of it and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It was very witty of her and by far what made this short story so pleasurable. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a feel-good love story.(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 C.B. Wentworth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Regency England, the upper echelons of society thrive on outward appearances and intrigue. Reginald Mason has the look of a gentleman, but his recent behavior of "sowing his wild oats" and accruing massive gambling debts is making it more difficult for his "new money" family to fit into wealthy society. As it stands, Reginald's father is in the midst of a feud with the Earl of Havercroft, whose estate abuts his lands. Gambling debts and less than appropriate behavior is only giving the Earl m...more In Regency England, the upper echelons of society thrive on outward appearances and intrigue. Reginald Mason has the look of a gentleman, but his recent behavior of "sowing his wild oats" and accruing massive gambling debts is making it more difficult for his "new money" family to fit into wealthy society. As it stands, Reginald's father is in the midst of a feud with the Earl of Havercroft, whose estate abuts his lands. Gambling debts and less than appropriate behavior is only giving the Earl more ammunition to persuade proper society to snub the Mason family as a whole.

When the young daughter of the Earl runs off with a coachman in a mad dash to the Scottish border, the scandal soils the family name and leaves Lady Annabelle virtually untouchable to any prospective suitor. To make matters worse, the Earl of Havercroft is in a precarious financial situation as he is going broke.

The Mason family sees an opportunity to elevate their status by marrying their son off to the disgraced Lady Annabelle. They have the money to save the Earl of Havercroft from bankruptcy and they have leverage over their son. Reginald will lose all claim to the family fortune if he does not settle down and marry Lady Annabelle, while the Earl realizes he has no choice but to hand over his daughter to the only eligible bachelor who will have her.

On the surface, Reginald and Lady Annabelle appear hostile to one another and resent the ultimatums presented by their parents. However, not all is as it seems. Beautifully rendered flashbacks offer a tantalizing trail of breadcrumbs that quickly allows readers to become willing accomplices in the ruse.

Balogh scores high marks for capturing the atmosphere of the English gentry and conceiving a delicious twist ending. However, several passages in the novel suffer from chronic repetition of phrases and plot points. For such a short book, the reader can be trusted to remember what happened just a few pages ago. Despite this flaw, A Matter of Class offers a satisfying take on historical romance.(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Rosario (http://rosario.blogspot.com/) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The families of Bernard Mason and the Earl of Havercroft have lived in neighbouring estates for decades, ever since Mr. Mason bought his property, after making enough money to leave behind his early life. Mr. Mason started out in life as a coal miner, and the Earl was shocked that such a man would dare to buy the property next door to his. He forbid his family to ever speak to anyone in the Mason household, and for over 20 years, the families have completely ignored each other.

At 24, Reggie Maso...more The families of Bernard Mason and the Earl of Havercroft have lived in neighbouring estates for decades, ever since Mr. Mason bought his property, after making enough money to leave behind his early life. Mr. Mason started out in life as a coal miner, and the Earl was shocked that such a man would dare to buy the property next door to his. He forbid his family to ever speak to anyone in the Mason household, and for over 20 years, the families have completely ignored each other.

At 24, Reggie Mason has become a complete wastrel. He does nothing useful with his life and his gambling debts are getting out of hand. His father is sick of it, and he presents Reggie with a ultimatum: get married to a young woman of Mr. Mason's choosing. But that's so unfair, Reggie protests. At least he hasn't caused the sort of scandal that Havercroft's daughter Annabelle has, running off with the family coachman. And of course, on hearing that, Mr. Mason has a bright idea about who to get Reggie married to.

I'm reluctant to say too much about the plot, as this is one Balogh book where the concept of spoilers is actually relevant. However, in order to properly discuss what worked and didn't work for me, I'm going to have to go into some detail (although trying to stay relatively cryptic!). So be warned if you continue reading this, you might enjoy the book more if you don't know some of these details!

Anyway, with no choice in the matter, Reggie and Annabel become engaged, and their families finally start to mix (with no little reluctance, on Havercroft's part). But as we follow them in the lead-up to the wedding, we start getting flash-back scenes, starting when Reggie and Annabelle were children. It quickly becomes clear that, contrary to what their parents think, this is very definitely not the first time these two have met, and there might be more to things than first meets the eye.

What Balogh tries to do here is clever, but it didn't quite work for me in its execution. I had a niggling feeling that Balogh hadn't played fair. I like a twist, but it didn't feel quite natural that, having been in the relevant characters' heads, certain information that would have been pretty prominent in their minds had been withheld from us. Balogh has these people thinking in a way that they wouldn't have, really, in those circumstances. Even more importantly, I felt that I didn't really get to see Reggie and Annabelle fall in love (possibly because of the restrictions the coming twist placed on the author), and as a result, the romance wasn't as satisfying as it might have been.

So, for me, the experiment didn't quite worth. It's probably worth a try if you normally like Balogh, though, since quite a few people whose taste is usually in line with mine did enjoy it. Just get it out of the library, it's way overpriced for a hardcover.

MY GRADE: A B-. (less)

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May 22, 2010 Melissa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://gerberadaisydiaries.blogspot.c...

Smmary:
Library Journal
Her scandalous near elopement with a coachman and his habitually drunken and spendthrift ways have brought Lady Annabelle Ashton and Mr. Reginald Mason to a pretty pass. Their families have had nothing to do with each other for 30 years, ever since the coal merchant Masons moved next door to the Earl of Havercroft's estate. But the highly successful Mr. Mason would like nothing better than to bring his aristocratic neighbor low by res...more

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Mar 20, 2010 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read, regency-romance, starcrossed-lovers, friends-to-lovers, marriage-to-avoid-scandal, arranged-or-mail-order-marriage, beautiful-heroine

I'm not a big Mary Balogh fan. At all.

I read Lord Carew's Bride and was left feeling very.. meh.

But, I've had friends on my back to give her a second chance, and since this was short (it really felt like a novella not a novel), I figured I'd give it a go.

It was short and sweet. No villain or anything trite like that -- just a very straight forward, mildly angsty love story.

There's a distinct "twist" but I had it figured out in the first third of the book, so no real surprises, though it did make...more

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Feb 11, 2010 Ana T. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, trad-regency

Ms Balogh is one of my favourite writers. Lately I have enjoyed some of her books more than others and while I was curious about this one it was only when a friend mentioned having loved it that I decided to pick it up.

At first glance the story deals with one of the regency romance genre favourite themes, the marriage of convenience. And in this case a marriage of convenience between two people with different status, Annabelle is an Earl's daughter and Reginald the son of a man who made is fortu...more

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May 27, 2010 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who like historical romances

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

This slim little novel is not what it seems. Usually, thinner means less depth, more fluff, and a pretty generic plot. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, so all I'll say is that as soon as I finished, I turned around and started re-reading all the "present-day" parts. (The chapters alternate between the past and present, both of which take place in England's Regency period.)

The story begins with Reggie Mason enduring a lecture from his father who is furious about Reggie's extravagant lifestyle...more

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“You are my flesh and blood and I have always doted on you, but right now I would have to say you deserve a haughty, ruined chit for your own and she deserves you.” — 2 people liked it

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A Matter of Class

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