What do you think?
Rate this book
A Certain Magic
A Certain Magic is the digital reissue of a previously published and long out-of-print novel by New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh. Piers Westhaven and Alice Penhallow have always been close friends, even during their marriages to other partners. Now they are both widowed, and Piers, who needs an heir, has asked his friend to help him choose a new bride. Alice has always been in love with him herself, but hiding her feelings has become second nature to her. As a boy, he dearly loved her too until his best friend announced his intention of courting and marrying her. Soon their mutual passion begins to break through the careful bonds each has imposed upon it just as Piers is being trapped into offering marriage to someone else. Will honor permit them to speak the heart's truth before it is too late? Or is it already too late for them--again?
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1991
189 people are currently reading
670 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,337 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 27, 2016
This is definitely a well written earlier work of MB and I enjoyed reading it.
However, I'm going to rate it only 3 stars mainly due to the hero. He just didn't stand out like so many other MB heroes. He was too weak and easily manipulated by everyone, especially two evil players. Everyone else could see the trap being set for him, yet he blindly walked right into it. . Other than looks, there wasn't much more to him. I wondered how Allie could have loved him. Seemed like hubby truly was the better man.
A shame because this could have been a 5 star read.
However, I'm going to rate it only 3 stars mainly due to the hero. He just didn't stand out like so many other MB heroes. He was too weak and easily manipulated by everyone, especially two evil players. Everyone else could see the trap being set for him, yet he blindly walked right into it. . Other than looks, there wasn't much more to him. I wondered how Allie could have loved him. Seemed like hubby truly was the better man.
A shame because this could have been a 5 star read.
February 21, 2018
Read for the Feb 2018 TBR Challenge, Backlist Glom.
A Certain Magic is one of thirty Regency Romances that Mary Balogh wrote for Signet between 1985 and 1998. Most of those have been out of print for some time, but fortunately for those of us who missed them when they first came out, a number of them are gradually making their way back into circulation as ebooks. Dating from 1991, A Certain Magic is a charming friends-to-lovers romance exhibiting the thoughtful characterisation and insight that are among the author’s trademarks.
Alice Penhallow has been a widow for two years. She loved her husband dearly, but is moving on with her life and is comfortably settled in Bath, where she has made new friends and enjoys the sights and activities the city has to offer. A summons from her brother sees her travelling to London and to the house she owns in Cavendish Square – much to her brother’s dismay as he had wanted her to move in while his wife and children are ill. But much as she loves her nieces and nephews, Allie sticks to her guns and insists on staying at her own house and going back and forth; she has no intention of dwindling into the role of widowed and put-upon aunt.
She is pleased when her oldest friend, Piers Westhaven pays a call on her as they haven’t seen each other in some time. Alice, Webster (her late husband), and Piers grew up together, and continued to be close friends even after Alice and Web married, paying regular visits to each other in the country where their estates were next door to each other. Not long after Alice married his best friend, Piers, too, got married, to a sweet young woman named Harriet who, sadly died in childbirth a number of years earlier. Now aged thirty-six, Piers has reluctantly decided it’s probably time for him to look about him for another wife, especially as he has recently learned he is heir to a barony for which he will, at some point, need to provide an heir.
Breezily, he informs Alice – Allie - of his intention, and almost jokingly talks about looking over the current crop of debutantes to see if one will suit him – but Allie is not amused. She is afraid Piers will repeat the mistake he made with Harriet, choosing someone young, timid and biddable, who will not suit him at all. There is also the fact that Allie is now able to admit to herself that she has loved Piers since she was fourteen; she loved her husband and their life together, but, given no sign that Piers would ever return her feelings, she married Web and subjugated her feelings for Piers into friendship. She admits to being the tiniest bit jealous at the idea of Piers taking a wife – but more importantly, she wants him to be happy and knows a schoolroom miss will make him miserable.
Allie has no idea that Piers is as much in love with her now as he has been for the last fifteen years. He fell for her when she was just fifteen, but by then, Web had made his determination to marry her known, and being an honourable chap, Piers backed off and never let either of his dearest friends know the truth. He married Harriet in an unsuccessful attempt to forget Allie, and still carries a burden of guilt over her death; if she hadn’t been pregnant, she wouldn’t have died, but worse, he never really loved her and he can’t forgive himself for it.
Unlike so many heroes in his situation, Piers isn’t your typical grumpy, brooding sort, and instead, buries his deeper feelings beneath a blanket of conviviality and general good humour. He’s always ready with a joke or bon mot and is never serious – although Allie knows that about him and she is the one person with whom he ever drops the façade. Unfortunately, his tendency to look for the ridiculous in pretty much everything around him leads to make a huge mistake; one of the current crop of debutantes is the granddaughter of a cit who wants to secure a titled husband for her. Piers is handsome, wealthy and relatively young (albeit twice the girl’s age) and Mr. Borden has him firmly in his sights. Piers, who is amused by the man’s gaucherie and his stories of How I Made My Fortune in Fish, fails to see the trap being set for him until it’s too late.
I’ll admit that Piers’ willful blindness is a bit hard to swallow; he’s far from stupid and he knows he’s playing with fire, but in spite of his own knowledge and Allie’s warnings, he just can’t stop himself from doing things he knows are unwise – although I suspect he is still somehow beating himself up about his first wife and deep down, feels he doesn’t deserve to be happy.
But I enjoyed the book in spite of that niggle. It’s not a flashy story; nothing much happens other than that we follow these two people as they try to work out whether it’s worth risking years of friendship in order to see if there’s a chance there could be something more between them. Both Allie and Piers are likeable, attractive and mature characters (he’s thirty-six, she’s thirty) who have a wealth of shared experience behind them as well as a shared sense of humour. They obviously know each other extremely well and like each other a great deal; they banter back and forth quite beautifully and their friendship is wonderfully written. But the author also imbues their exchanges with a palpable sense of longing which grows as the story progresses, creating a quiet, gentle and touching love story that left this reader with the warm fuzzies.
A Certain Magic is one of thirty Regency Romances that Mary Balogh wrote for Signet between 1985 and 1998. Most of those have been out of print for some time, but fortunately for those of us who missed them when they first came out, a number of them are gradually making their way back into circulation as ebooks. Dating from 1991, A Certain Magic is a charming friends-to-lovers romance exhibiting the thoughtful characterisation and insight that are among the author’s trademarks.
Alice Penhallow has been a widow for two years. She loved her husband dearly, but is moving on with her life and is comfortably settled in Bath, where she has made new friends and enjoys the sights and activities the city has to offer. A summons from her brother sees her travelling to London and to the house she owns in Cavendish Square – much to her brother’s dismay as he had wanted her to move in while his wife and children are ill. But much as she loves her nieces and nephews, Allie sticks to her guns and insists on staying at her own house and going back and forth; she has no intention of dwindling into the role of widowed and put-upon aunt.
She is pleased when her oldest friend, Piers Westhaven pays a call on her as they haven’t seen each other in some time. Alice, Webster (her late husband), and Piers grew up together, and continued to be close friends even after Alice and Web married, paying regular visits to each other in the country where their estates were next door to each other. Not long after Alice married his best friend, Piers, too, got married, to a sweet young woman named Harriet who, sadly died in childbirth a number of years earlier. Now aged thirty-six, Piers has reluctantly decided it’s probably time for him to look about him for another wife, especially as he has recently learned he is heir to a barony for which he will, at some point, need to provide an heir.
Breezily, he informs Alice – Allie - of his intention, and almost jokingly talks about looking over the current crop of debutantes to see if one will suit him – but Allie is not amused. She is afraid Piers will repeat the mistake he made with Harriet, choosing someone young, timid and biddable, who will not suit him at all. There is also the fact that Allie is now able to admit to herself that she has loved Piers since she was fourteen; she loved her husband and their life together, but, given no sign that Piers would ever return her feelings, she married Web and subjugated her feelings for Piers into friendship. She admits to being the tiniest bit jealous at the idea of Piers taking a wife – but more importantly, she wants him to be happy and knows a schoolroom miss will make him miserable.
Allie has no idea that Piers is as much in love with her now as he has been for the last fifteen years. He fell for her when she was just fifteen, but by then, Web had made his determination to marry her known, and being an honourable chap, Piers backed off and never let either of his dearest friends know the truth. He married Harriet in an unsuccessful attempt to forget Allie, and still carries a burden of guilt over her death; if she hadn’t been pregnant, she wouldn’t have died, but worse, he never really loved her and he can’t forgive himself for it.
Unlike so many heroes in his situation, Piers isn’t your typical grumpy, brooding sort, and instead, buries his deeper feelings beneath a blanket of conviviality and general good humour. He’s always ready with a joke or bon mot and is never serious – although Allie knows that about him and she is the one person with whom he ever drops the façade. Unfortunately, his tendency to look for the ridiculous in pretty much everything around him leads to make a huge mistake; one of the current crop of debutantes is the granddaughter of a cit who wants to secure a titled husband for her. Piers is handsome, wealthy and relatively young (albeit twice the girl’s age) and Mr. Borden has him firmly in his sights. Piers, who is amused by the man’s gaucherie and his stories of How I Made My Fortune in Fish, fails to see the trap being set for him until it’s too late.
I’ll admit that Piers’ willful blindness is a bit hard to swallow; he’s far from stupid and he knows he’s playing with fire, but in spite of his own knowledge and Allie’s warnings, he just can’t stop himself from doing things he knows are unwise – although I suspect he is still somehow beating himself up about his first wife and deep down, feels he doesn’t deserve to be happy.
But I enjoyed the book in spite of that niggle. It’s not a flashy story; nothing much happens other than that we follow these two people as they try to work out whether it’s worth risking years of friendship in order to see if there’s a chance there could be something more between them. Both Allie and Piers are likeable, attractive and mature characters (he’s thirty-six, she’s thirty) who have a wealth of shared experience behind them as well as a shared sense of humour. They obviously know each other extremely well and like each other a great deal; they banter back and forth quite beautifully and their friendship is wonderfully written. But the author also imbues their exchanges with a palpable sense of longing which grows as the story progresses, creating a quiet, gentle and touching love story that left this reader with the warm fuzzies.
"There has to be mutual respect and liking, a mutuality of mind, a companionship, a friendship."
"And that is it? That is all?" he asked, smiling at the top of her head.
"And something else," she said quietly. “Something in addition to all those things. Something that words cannot express. A certain magic."
November 9, 2016
On this dark day, this book was just the balm I needed. Watching the BBC last night with an unholy dread that actually HRC would be beaten by the orange, pussygrabbing, sociopathic asshat, I turned to my Kindle and sunk into Balogh's world. It was such good respite.
There is nothing too challenging about this book. Certainly, nothing groundbreaking. Really, there's no big drama, or angst. It's just one of those lovely love stories which wraps itself around you and makes you glow inside.
Allie and Piers have been friends forever and it shows in their interactions. They're both in love with the other but think it's unrequited. Allie married Piers's best friend Web in the belief Piers would never want her and Piers never pursued Allie because his best friend declared his feelings first. It's a neat conflict.
It's fairly unusual in romance to be plunged into an existing relationship (friendship, in this case) between a H/h. They don't have to get to know one another, they don't need chaperones or to be forced together by events. It's not that they dislike each other either - they're not a married couple torn asunder. In fact, at the start of this book they're where many a H/h are at the end of their stories, just without the declarations of love and the sex. And yet, their love story is still one which is intriguing to watch and engrossing to the reader. It delicately develops in slow increments. It's expressed in small words and small gestures and it takes a long time for them to find a way to one another.
This is a gentle book, quiet and doesn't have the indefinable fireworks for five stars, but it's a wonderful read. It's been a while since I really didn't want to put a book down, desperate to see the H/h get together. This one drew me in though. And, Trump's acceptance speech on the radio across the room, I had a little weep as love won, even if it was only in fiction.
There is nothing too challenging about this book. Certainly, nothing groundbreaking. Really, there's no big drama, or angst. It's just one of those lovely love stories which wraps itself around you and makes you glow inside.
Allie and Piers have been friends forever and it shows in their interactions. They're both in love with the other but think it's unrequited. Allie married Piers's best friend Web in the belief Piers would never want her and Piers never pursued Allie because his best friend declared his feelings first. It's a neat conflict.
It's fairly unusual in romance to be plunged into an existing relationship (friendship, in this case) between a H/h. They don't have to get to know one another, they don't need chaperones or to be forced together by events. It's not that they dislike each other either - they're not a married couple torn asunder. In fact, at the start of this book they're where many a H/h are at the end of their stories, just without the declarations of love and the sex. And yet, their love story is still one which is intriguing to watch and engrossing to the reader. It delicately develops in slow increments. It's expressed in small words and small gestures and it takes a long time for them to find a way to one another.
This is a gentle book, quiet and doesn't have the indefinable fireworks for five stars, but it's a wonderful read. It's been a while since I really didn't want to put a book down, desperate to see the H/h get together. This one drew me in though. And, Trump's acceptance speech on the radio across the room, I had a little weep as love won, even if it was only in fiction.
June 29, 2019
Mary Balogh's novels are generally pretty fantastic, but this one was not. Go read another one.
A Certain Magic is a friends to lovers romance, and initially it seemed to have real promise. Piers and Alice have been besties since childhood, along with their third musketeer, who Alice married and who has sense died. Alice and Piers have both been in love with each other since childhood, which is not my preference in friends to lovers. Still, at the outset, they had a really adorable light banter going, and I actually thought I would like this book.
BUT THEN. THE PLOT HAPPENED.
Allie has come to London for the season to assist her brother and sister-in-law with their sick kids and chaperoning the eldest at events. Her family sucks, but she's a bit of a doormat so she does whatever she can to help out. Piers, meanwhile, has recently inherited a title, and, as a widower, now needs a new bride to make some heirs. He asks Allie to help him choose a bride, since he didn't do a great job last time.
Piers, who you need to remember IS IN LOVE WITH ALLIE, proceeds to flirt endlessly with all the brand new debutantes. Note, please, that Piers is 36. He's 9 years older even than Allie, and he is courting 18 and 19 year-old girls. Gross. Piers is a bit of a goofball, so I didn't totally hate him even here, and he does tell Allie over and over that he likes her better than the rest, but she thinks he's being silly and flattering her.
Piers ends up sort of accidentally courting one debutante in particular, as a favor to her mother who married a friend of his from school (that guy has since died). The girl's shy and brings out manly, protective urges, even though he mostly finds her kind of dull. But he does like her crass, offensive cit of an uncle. Allie suspects that the girl is pretending to be shy and retiring to trap Piers into marriage, and she warns him lightly to keep some distance there.
This is where things get awful.
- While walking in Vauxhall, Piers escorting the girl, he tries to keep her with the others but she claims she's seen a kitten, and they end up having to shelter alone together through a rainstorm for about an hour, everyone knowing they're alone. He kisses her, even though he knows he's not really interested in her. He takes her home when the rain stops, promising to come by the next day implicitly to make his offer.
- Depressed at having to marry someone he does not love once again, he goes to stand sadly outside Allie's house. She spots him, lets him in, and they bang on the floor.
- He leaves the next morning to propose to the girl and so now he's engaged, despite having sex with his best friend the night before who now might be pregnant.
- Allie goes back to Bath. Non-surprising twist: she's definitely pregnant.
- Piers' fiancée quickly proves herself to be the worst (she only wants to go out and flirt with other men now), so he goes to visit his friend in Bath, since he's not needed for the wedding planning.
- Allie and Piers spend an emotional few days together, and Allie's best friend is like 'why aren't you two together?' and it's all awful.
- Piers suspects that she's pregnant but goes back to marry the manipulator anyway!!!
- Because he's sad about it, he stops off to fuck a prostitute on the way. WHYYYYYYY
- VERY CONVENIENTLY, his fiancée decides to elope with a different man on the advice of her uncle (advice that honestly makes no sense whatsoever), leaving Piers free to marry Allie.
- Allie's not mad about any of this, and they get married and are happy forever.
BARFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
My issues with are myriad, but I'll take it down to the top two.
1. Piers, despite his supposedly immense love for Allie, absolutely would have married the girl and left Allie pregnant, alone, and doomed to be outside society for the rest of her life, had the plot not conveniently had the girl elope with someone else. If she had not, he would have married her. One hundred percent. That's no kind of love story to my way of thinking.
2. Every single female character of note in this book, aside from Allie, is scheming, manipulative, and horrible.
I recommend this book to no one, except to other people like me who are determined to get through the backlist out of stubbornness. Not sure what happened with this book, but it's baaaaaad.
A Certain Magic is a friends to lovers romance, and initially it seemed to have real promise. Piers and Alice have been besties since childhood, along with their third musketeer, who Alice married and who has sense died. Alice and Piers have both been in love with each other since childhood, which is not my preference in friends to lovers. Still, at the outset, they had a really adorable light banter going, and I actually thought I would like this book.
BUT THEN. THE PLOT HAPPENED.
Allie has come to London for the season to assist her brother and sister-in-law with their sick kids and chaperoning the eldest at events. Her family sucks, but she's a bit of a doormat so she does whatever she can to help out. Piers, meanwhile, has recently inherited a title, and, as a widower, now needs a new bride to make some heirs. He asks Allie to help him choose a bride, since he didn't do a great job last time.
Piers, who you need to remember IS IN LOVE WITH ALLIE, proceeds to flirt endlessly with all the brand new debutantes. Note, please, that Piers is 36. He's 9 years older even than Allie, and he is courting 18 and 19 year-old girls. Gross. Piers is a bit of a goofball, so I didn't totally hate him even here, and he does tell Allie over and over that he likes her better than the rest, but she thinks he's being silly and flattering her.
Piers ends up sort of accidentally courting one debutante in particular, as a favor to her mother who married a friend of his from school (that guy has since died). The girl's shy and brings out manly, protective urges, even though he mostly finds her kind of dull. But he does like her crass, offensive cit of an uncle. Allie suspects that the girl is pretending to be shy and retiring to trap Piers into marriage, and she warns him lightly to keep some distance there.
This is where things get awful.
- While walking in Vauxhall, Piers escorting the girl, he tries to keep her with the others but she claims she's seen a kitten, and they end up having to shelter alone together through a rainstorm for about an hour, everyone knowing they're alone. He kisses her, even though he knows he's not really interested in her. He takes her home when the rain stops, promising to come by the next day implicitly to make his offer.
- Depressed at having to marry someone he does not love once again, he goes to stand sadly outside Allie's house. She spots him, lets him in, and they bang on the floor.
- He leaves the next morning to propose to the girl and so now he's engaged, despite having sex with his best friend the night before who now might be pregnant.
- Allie goes back to Bath. Non-surprising twist: she's definitely pregnant.
- Piers' fiancée quickly proves herself to be the worst (she only wants to go out and flirt with other men now), so he goes to visit his friend in Bath, since he's not needed for the wedding planning.
- Allie and Piers spend an emotional few days together, and Allie's best friend is like 'why aren't you two together?' and it's all awful.
- Piers suspects that she's pregnant but goes back to marry the manipulator anyway!!!
- Because he's sad about it, he stops off to fuck a prostitute on the way. WHYYYYYYY
- VERY CONVENIENTLY, his fiancée decides to elope with a different man on the advice of her uncle (advice that honestly makes no sense whatsoever), leaving Piers free to marry Allie.
- Allie's not mad about any of this, and they get married and are happy forever.
BARFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
My issues with are myriad, but I'll take it down to the top two.
1. Piers, despite his supposedly immense love for Allie, absolutely would have married the girl and left Allie pregnant, alone, and doomed to be outside society for the rest of her life, had the plot not conveniently had the girl elope with someone else. If she had not, he would have married her. One hundred percent. That's no kind of love story to my way of thinking.
2. Every single female character of note in this book, aside from Allie, is scheming, manipulative, and horrible.
I recommend this book to no one, except to other people like me who are determined to get through the backlist out of stubbornness. Not sure what happened with this book, but it's baaaaaad.
February 6, 2023
An earlier beautiful historical romance by Mary Balogh.
4 stars.
Lots and lots of internal musings, but with Mary Balogh these rarely seem to bother me.
There wasn't so much character development in this story as both MCs had loved each other and cared for each other for years without the other MC knowing. It just took them nearly too long to admit to their feelings, due to their inner convictions of not being what the other needed and not believing their feelings were reciprocated. And that was a bit frustrating to read, as a honest conversation would have resolved everything much earlier.
But Mary Balogh kept me glued to the pages nevertheless.
The happy ending was sadly very short and we didn't get an epilogue, either, but all in all this was a very satisfying and entertaining read.
4 stars (not more because of the negative motivations being such a big part of the plot).
4 stars.
Lots and lots of internal musings, but with Mary Balogh these rarely seem to bother me.
There wasn't so much character development in this story as both MCs had loved each other and cared for each other for years without the other MC knowing. It just took them nearly too long to admit to their feelings, due to their inner convictions of not being what the other needed and not believing their feelings were reciprocated. And that was a bit frustrating to read, as a honest conversation would have resolved everything much earlier.
But Mary Balogh kept me glued to the pages nevertheless.
The happy ending was sadly very short and we didn't get an epilogue, either, but all in all this was a very satisfying and entertaining read.
4 stars (not more because of the negative motivations being such a big part of the plot).
October 18, 2021
Some of Balogh's earlier work can be hits or misses for me, and this one was a hit. A nicely done second chance, friends-to-lovers HR, with two MCs who have been mutually pining for each other silently for over a decade! Good stuff :)
May 30, 2011
Sad to see such low reviews for this book. It's one of my favorite Mary Balogh books (and I like many of hers).
I really liked the friendship they'd developed over the years. That it wasn't some "met you at a dance once and decided I liked you" or some 30 year old rake who suddenly falls for some innocent debutante.
It was refreshingly mature.
I really liked the friendship they'd developed over the years. That it wasn't some "met you at a dance once and decided I liked you" or some 30 year old rake who suddenly falls for some innocent debutante.
It was refreshingly mature.
December 31, 2016
This was entirely a competent book. A bit dull honestly. Nothing much engaging about the characters and it featured one of those men who annoy you because he can't see when he is being played by a female even though it's clear to everyone around him.
It was too dry for my tastes. I didn't particularly identify with anyone and the whole friends to lovers trope took too long to manifest. It was slow burn with minimal pay off. It was however interesting to see mention of SID incorporated in the story.
Also I found the heroine's actions near the end to be completely illogical. I think her predicament adamantly trumped any possible scandal, previous or to come, and that she should have brought it to his attention.
Lines I liked-
“Piers,” she said, dabbing the comers of her mouth with her napkin. “This is all a joke to you, is it not? This searching for a bride, I mean. It is not a joke. Your whole future happiness is at stake.”
“And you think I could not be happy with a blushing infant?” he asked.
“Be serious, Piers,” she said. “You know you could not. What would you talk about with the girl for the rest of your life?”
“I imagine I could make cooing noises to amuse her for most of the time,” he said. “It could be vastly diverting, Allie.”
---
“Theirs had been everyone’s dream of the perfect marriage. For the last several years before his friend’s death he had ceased to think of them as separate individuals. They had been Web-and-Allie, his dearest friends”
---
“If he had expected to have to entertain his young guest with coos during the interval, Mr. Westhaven was agreeably surprised.
Three young gentleman with whom he remembered to have only the most passing acquaintance had decided that they were his boon companions and called upon him in his box. It was very civil and sporting of them, as he remarked to Alice before the play resumed, when he had the chance to exchange a few words with her. He could not imagine what he had done to earn such cordial treatment.
All three young men exhibited identical surprise that their friend, Mr. Westhaven, was escorting a pretty young lady. They had not noticed her from the pit when they spotted their friend and decided to pay him their respects. But they all swallowed their disappointment at not being allowed ten minutes of the pleasure of his conversation, and set themselves to charming the little beauty.”
---
“And do you realize how very improper it would be for me to entertain you alone at this hour?” she asked. “No, you do not, do you?”
“What nonsense,” he said. “We are such very old friends, after all.”
“You can keep your ‘old’s’ to yourself, thank you,” she said. “Oh, come along, then. I shall not sleep for guilt if I turn you away.”
It was too dry for my tastes. I didn't particularly identify with anyone and the whole friends to lovers trope took too long to manifest. It was slow burn with minimal pay off. It was however interesting to see mention of SID incorporated in the story.
Also I found the heroine's actions near the end to be completely illogical. I think her predicament adamantly trumped any possible scandal, previous or to come, and that she should have brought it to his attention.
Lines I liked-
“Piers,” she said, dabbing the comers of her mouth with her napkin. “This is all a joke to you, is it not? This searching for a bride, I mean. It is not a joke. Your whole future happiness is at stake.”
“And you think I could not be happy with a blushing infant?” he asked.
“Be serious, Piers,” she said. “You know you could not. What would you talk about with the girl for the rest of your life?”
“I imagine I could make cooing noises to amuse her for most of the time,” he said. “It could be vastly diverting, Allie.”
---
“Theirs had been everyone’s dream of the perfect marriage. For the last several years before his friend’s death he had ceased to think of them as separate individuals. They had been Web-and-Allie, his dearest friends”
---
“If he had expected to have to entertain his young guest with coos during the interval, Mr. Westhaven was agreeably surprised.
Three young gentleman with whom he remembered to have only the most passing acquaintance had decided that they were his boon companions and called upon him in his box. It was very civil and sporting of them, as he remarked to Alice before the play resumed, when he had the chance to exchange a few words with her. He could not imagine what he had done to earn such cordial treatment.
All three young men exhibited identical surprise that their friend, Mr. Westhaven, was escorting a pretty young lady. They had not noticed her from the pit when they spotted their friend and decided to pay him their respects. But they all swallowed their disappointment at not being allowed ten minutes of the pleasure of his conversation, and set themselves to charming the little beauty.”
---
“And do you realize how very improper it would be for me to entertain you alone at this hour?” she asked. “No, you do not, do you?”
“What nonsense,” he said. “We are such very old friends, after all.”
“You can keep your ‘old’s’ to yourself, thank you,” she said. “Oh, come along, then. I shall not sleep for guilt if I turn you away.”
January 21, 2017
3.5 stars
They were both widowed and buried a child. Alice's husband was Pier's best friend. Alice fell in love with Pier when she was 14, and Pier loved Allie since she was 15 but they believed their feelings were not returned. Allie loved her husband in a different way. It was a dependable, comfortable love.
Pier fell right in to the marriage trap a businessman who made his money from fish and her niece set for him. The uncle wanted the highest rank his money could buy his niece and he got what he wanted.
Pier was naive in comparison to all the other characters in the book. I couldn't understand why Allie loved him so much.
They were both widowed and buried a child. Alice's husband was Pier's best friend. Alice fell in love with Pier when she was 14, and Pier loved Allie since she was 15 but they believed their feelings were not returned. Allie loved her husband in a different way. It was a dependable, comfortable love.
Pier fell right in to the marriage trap a businessman who made his money from fish and her niece set for him. The uncle wanted the highest rank his money could buy his niece and he got what he wanted.
Pier was naive in comparison to all the other characters in the book. I couldn't understand why Allie loved him so much.
September 3, 2022
I think it was the high-octane website Smart Bitches, Trashy Books that suggested that, for Courtney Milan, there should be two rating scales - the first would show her general superiority to most other romance writers (so, probably an automatic 5 stars) , and the second would rate her books only...
[Here GoodReads lost the rest of my review.]
[Here GoodReads lost the rest of my review.]
February 2, 2022
3.75
This book was more frustrating than anything, but since it's MB, and her writing is so superb, I will give it a little extra love.
I liked both MCs, but this was me the entire time....
We all know a little bit of that is good in HR books, but a lot of it pisses me off.
This book was more frustrating than anything, but since it's MB, and her writing is so superb, I will give it a little extra love.
I liked both MCs, but this was me the entire time....
We all know a little bit of that is good in HR books, but a lot of it pisses me off.
August 7, 2010
Altho I was happy that they eventually found each other, most of the book was the h/h spent apart. I liked that her "secret" was not one for long -- the hero was no an idiot. If you have to read everything by Balogh then you'll want to read this too.
January 10, 2025
I was not expecting this friends-to-lovers romance to have me sweating up until the very last pages - things started off easy enough: lifelong friends, Alice and Piers, both widowed, reunite after a few years apart. They grew up together, along with Webster, Alice's husband who died a few years before the novel begins. Piers is hoping to find a wife so his family stops pressing him for an heir (Classic Signet Balogh). Alice is helping her brother's family during illness and a niece who is having her first outing. Turns out, Piers and Alice have been in love with each other since they were younger, however they also both loved Webster in different ways - Piers loved him as a friend, Alice as a husband and partner. They all grew up together and remained close very close as adults. This was probably the most touching of the book: Webster sounds like he was an incredibly kind and funny man, a good friend, and a good husband. The love Alice and Piers have for Webster really touched me - it's hard not to get everything you want but sometimes you end up happy anyway.
Oh god, I'm crying writing this (just as I was screaming and crying the last 50 pages)! What am I gonna do when I run out of Mary Balogh Signets??
Oh god, I'm crying writing this (just as I was screaming and crying the last 50 pages)! What am I gonna do when I run out of Mary Balogh Signets??
March 26, 2019
Not my favorite book by Mrs. Balogh, but an enjoyable one in which love finds a way to unite two people who are perfect for each other and have loved each other since they were in their mid-teens (her) and early twenties (him). Marriage and the deaths of their respective spouses have not altered their feelings, even though they seldom see each other, until they meet unexpectedly in London during the Season, which neither usually attends.
March 5, 2017
I did like the friendship between the characters but felt their hea was left too much to fate...
November 8, 2018
3,5 stars rounded to 4
The story is emotional and well written. Piers and Allie are childhood friends who always loved each other but she ended up married to his best friend. His best friend is now dead and Piers is also a widow looking for a bride.
The problem is Allie and Piers are friends and because of that they both ignore the true feelings of the other.
Piers is not the brightest of human beings and I lost my patience with him several times.
He ends up betrothed to a young and opportunistic girl. This happens right when he finally realizes he wants to be with Allie.
Allie is a saint. I wouldn’t marry Piers even if he was the last man alive (ok, maybe I would in this case).
The story is emotional and well written. Piers and Allie are childhood friends who always loved each other but she ended up married to his best friend. His best friend is now dead and Piers is also a widow looking for a bride.
The problem is Allie and Piers are friends and because of that they both ignore the true feelings of the other.
Piers is not the brightest of human beings and I lost my patience with him several times.
He ends up betrothed to a young and opportunistic girl. This happens right when he finally realizes he wants to be with Allie.
Allie is a saint. I wouldn’t marry Piers even if he was the last man alive (ok, maybe I would in this case).
November 18, 2018
Who would love this man? He is not only an idiot he is also a wimp. He let the love of his life go not only once but twice without utterance of a word.
April 6, 2022
A lot of goofy frustration with some eye rolling but overall sweet.
February 4, 2024
plot: 0%
slow burn and one liners: 100%
slow burn and one liners: 100%
February 15, 2016
da www.sognipensieriparole.com
Alice, Web e Piers sono cresciuti insieme. Poi i primi due si sono sposati e Piers ha dovuto accettarlo. Per tutti e tre sono arrivati i lutti, le tragedie, le separazioni. Ma prima che ciascuno riprenda a vivere tra le braccia di qualche estraneo, il destino concede ad Alice e a Piers un’ultima incredibile possibilità.
In questo romanzo la Balogh mette al centro non una coppia di giovanissimi sognatori, ma due vedovi che hanno già sofferto e si sono induriti, facendosi smaliziati oppure non più illusi – a seconda di come si guardi la cosa – rispetto a quel mistero indecifrabile che continua ad essere l’amore.
E’ molto interessante, a tale proposito, il dialogo che hanno i due sull’idea del matrimonio. In un’epoca di matrimoni combinati, dove si soppesano titolo, patrimonio e rendite future, Alice si spinge a parlare di “magia”, anche se poi persino lei non può dire di aver davvero toccato la felicità.
Non so per gli altri lettori, ma io ho percepito un costante velo di tristezza in questa storia; magari non è evidente, però c’è un tocco amaro. E’ uno degli aspetti che adoro nella scrittura baloghiana: parlare di sentimenti, di passioni, regalare un lieto fine senza dimenticare l’anima, i ricordi, il passato. Ciò che è stato e non potrà più essere.
(Adesso smetto, perché questa recensione sta diventando più straziante di quanto non sia il libro in sé.)
“Cos’è l��amore, allora? Dammi la tua opinione, Allie.”
“Ebbene, è anche attrazione fisica, naturalmente” rispose lei. “Ma non solo. Se solo fosse una questione di bellezza, cosa accadrebbe quando una coppia invecchia? Nell’amore entrano anche stima e rispetto reciproco, vicinanza, condivisione delle idee e un’amicizia così profonda da superare ogni ostacolo.”
“Tutto qui? Non c’è altro?” le chiese Piers, sorridendole anche se Allie aveva chinato la testa.
“Sì, c’è molto altro, ma è impossibile descriverlo a parole” affermò lei a bassa voce. “La definirei … una certa magia. E poi, molto importante, ci dev’essere fin dall’inizio la determinazione a rendere l’altro felice, ad anteporre la gratificazione e la gioia di chi sta accanto alla tua.”
“Allie, buona parte del mondo sarebbe ancora scapolo o nubile se ci si basasse solo su questi principi.”
Alice, Web e Piers sono cresciuti insieme. Poi i primi due si sono sposati e Piers ha dovuto accettarlo. Per tutti e tre sono arrivati i lutti, le tragedie, le separazioni. Ma prima che ciascuno riprenda a vivere tra le braccia di qualche estraneo, il destino concede ad Alice e a Piers un’ultima incredibile possibilità.
In questo romanzo la Balogh mette al centro non una coppia di giovanissimi sognatori, ma due vedovi che hanno già sofferto e si sono induriti, facendosi smaliziati oppure non più illusi – a seconda di come si guardi la cosa – rispetto a quel mistero indecifrabile che continua ad essere l’amore.
E’ molto interessante, a tale proposito, il dialogo che hanno i due sull’idea del matrimonio. In un’epoca di matrimoni combinati, dove si soppesano titolo, patrimonio e rendite future, Alice si spinge a parlare di “magia”, anche se poi persino lei non può dire di aver davvero toccato la felicità.
Non so per gli altri lettori, ma io ho percepito un costante velo di tristezza in questa storia; magari non è evidente, però c’è un tocco amaro. E’ uno degli aspetti che adoro nella scrittura baloghiana: parlare di sentimenti, di passioni, regalare un lieto fine senza dimenticare l’anima, i ricordi, il passato. Ciò che è stato e non potrà più essere.
(Adesso smetto, perché questa recensione sta diventando più straziante di quanto non sia il libro in sé.)
“Cos’è l��amore, allora? Dammi la tua opinione, Allie.”
“Ebbene, è anche attrazione fisica, naturalmente” rispose lei. “Ma non solo. Se solo fosse una questione di bellezza, cosa accadrebbe quando una coppia invecchia? Nell’amore entrano anche stima e rispetto reciproco, vicinanza, condivisione delle idee e un’amicizia così profonda da superare ogni ostacolo.”
“Tutto qui? Non c’è altro?” le chiese Piers, sorridendole anche se Allie aveva chinato la testa.
“Sì, c’è molto altro, ma è impossibile descriverlo a parole” affermò lei a bassa voce. “La definirei … una certa magia. E poi, molto importante, ci dev’essere fin dall’inizio la determinazione a rendere l’altro felice, ad anteporre la gratificazione e la gioia di chi sta accanto alla tua.”
“Allie, buona parte del mondo sarebbe ancora scapolo o nubile se ci si basasse solo su questi principi.”
March 17, 2016
She had far too much to lose. She had a friendship to lose that was more dear to her than anything else in her life. A friendship that was agony to continue but that would be a living death to lose.
Yes. It's that kind of a book. It has everything I love about Mary Balogh's writing: great characters, almost no drama or angst, and a story that I'm pretty sure most people would find incredibly boring because nothing much happens other than two people trying to decide whether to continue as friends, or to risk it all for a chance for more, but that I cherish for that exact reason.
"There has to be mutual resepect and liking, a mutuality of mind, a companionship, a friendship." "And that is it? That is all?" he asked, smiling at the top of her head. "And something else," she said quietly. Something in addition to all those things. Something that words cannot express. A certain magic."
I LOVE that this wasn't a "we've been 'friends' all our lives and suddenly one of them sees the other in a totally different light" story. Both Piers and Alice have been in love with the other one since their were kids, but Piers and Alice's husbands were best friends, and so Piers hoped it was nothing more than a crush and moved on with his live. At the start of the story, both are in their 30s, widowed, and have long since buried a child each. Because of the deaths of a few distant cousins, Pierce is now next in line to inherit a title and feels pressured to marry again. While he is trying to decided which debutante would make him a decent wife, he renews his friendship with Alice, never once considering that she might love him. They don't actually get together until the second half of the book, and I loved that their new relationship was given engough time to grow, even if it might make the book boring for some readers.
Yes. It's that kind of a book. It has everything I love about Mary Balogh's writing: great characters, almost no drama or angst, and a story that I'm pretty sure most people would find incredibly boring because nothing much happens other than two people trying to decide whether to continue as friends, or to risk it all for a chance for more, but that I cherish for that exact reason.
"There has to be mutual resepect and liking, a mutuality of mind, a companionship, a friendship." "And that is it? That is all?" he asked, smiling at the top of her head. "And something else," she said quietly. Something in addition to all those things. Something that words cannot express. A certain magic."
I LOVE that this wasn't a "we've been 'friends' all our lives and suddenly one of them sees the other in a totally different light" story. Both Piers and Alice have been in love with the other one since their were kids, but Piers and Alice's husbands were best friends, and so Piers hoped it was nothing more than a crush and moved on with his live. At the start of the story, both are in their 30s, widowed, and have long since buried a child each. Because of the deaths of a few distant cousins, Pierce is now next in line to inherit a title and feels pressured to marry again. While he is trying to decided which debutante would make him a decent wife, he renews his friendship with Alice, never once considering that she might love him. They don't actually get together until the second half of the book, and I loved that their new relationship was given engough time to grow, even if it might make the book boring for some readers.
June 30, 2022
The book started off well, with a lifelong friendship between the MC and their banter. Their banter continues intermittently through the rest of the book and I enjoyed it. But I didn't like the rest of the plot. No spoilers, as its quite outlined in the blurb - they have been in love with each other forever. I find that less palatable than if they had grown to love each other, because it gives a tinge of unfaithfulness even if they believed and behaved with loyalty while their spouses were alive. Their restraint in confessing their feelings to each other is foolish but pardonable, but the hero is a big idiot for falling into a trap that he himself senses and everyone else knows, and even more so for continuing the farce after certain truths are brought home to him. Moreover, he comes across as a weakling, failing to stand up for anything he believes in.
Though I have been enjoying the genre, especially the ones with subtle, charming novel and witty banter, certain patterns of deep prejudice that keep recurring (with different authors), troubles me. One of the most prominent of these is the portrayal of the non-titled people - they are referred to as 'not gentleman', 'not genteel', or most degradingly, 'cit', and they are most often characterized as vulgar, scheming, dishonorable or immoral.
Though I have been enjoying the genre, especially the ones with subtle, charming novel and witty banter, certain patterns of deep prejudice that keep recurring (with different authors), troubles me. One of the most prominent of these is the portrayal of the non-titled people - they are referred to as 'not gentleman', 'not genteel', or most degradingly, 'cit', and they are most often characterized as vulgar, scheming, dishonorable or immoral.
July 23, 2013
A quick read and one I really enjoyed for its condition, rare to find something on Ebay in such pristine shape. I may be the first to actually open it and read it.
I've said before that I think Mary Balogh's books are better when her characters, especially her heroines are "older" (in the world of the ton, 30's is nearly ancient). That's a plus in this book, Alice "Allie" and Piers have been friends since childhood sharing Alice's late husband as their strongest bond. Web has died as has Piers' wife so the two friends are now free to find new mates.
Piers also has newly inherited the prospect of a title after distant relatives dies so he's very attractive on the marriage market. Alice is being pursued by the usual "oily" suitor.
One of the things I liked best, the realistic turns in the plot: Piers' wife and his infant daughter die during childbirth. Alice's husband dies young after the couple has already lost a baby to what we'd now call SIDS. Very common for the time as is the decision by Piers to marry a young woman suitable for breeding and ornamentation.
Of course, that never happens for which we're all grateful especially Alice who gets one night of passion and much more. Worth finding to read if you can.
I've said before that I think Mary Balogh's books are better when her characters, especially her heroines are "older" (in the world of the ton, 30's is nearly ancient). That's a plus in this book, Alice "Allie" and Piers have been friends since childhood sharing Alice's late husband as their strongest bond. Web has died as has Piers' wife so the two friends are now free to find new mates.
Piers also has newly inherited the prospect of a title after distant relatives dies so he's very attractive on the marriage market. Alice is being pursued by the usual "oily" suitor.
One of the things I liked best, the realistic turns in the plot: Piers' wife and his infant daughter die during childbirth. Alice's husband dies young after the couple has already lost a baby to what we'd now call SIDS. Very common for the time as is the decision by Piers to marry a young woman suitable for breeding and ornamentation.
Of course, that never happens for which we're all grateful especially Alice who gets one night of passion and much more. Worth finding to read if you can.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2016
Modern e-book release of an old classic.
Traditional Regency from around 25 years ago. I am really enjoying these early books by Mary Balogh and this one was no exception. You feel like you are in this time period - everything is so proper. I usually like books with lots of sizzle/steam, but this one has more romance than sizzle and reads way better than a lot of newer books. It is beautifully written and emotional.
My only negative is that this Kobo e-book (released Feb 2016) has a lot of typos which should be corrected by the publisher. Small words that have obviously been incorrectly re-substituted by spell check. It's the same for the other couple of this Author's books just released as well (I have both Kobo and Kindle editions)
I am now reading the next one (Red Rose) Then I'm starting on the newer books.
Traditional Regency from around 25 years ago. I am really enjoying these early books by Mary Balogh and this one was no exception. You feel like you are in this time period - everything is so proper. I usually like books with lots of sizzle/steam, but this one has more romance than sizzle and reads way better than a lot of newer books. It is beautifully written and emotional.
My only negative is that this Kobo e-book (released Feb 2016) has a lot of typos which should be corrected by the publisher. Small words that have obviously been incorrectly re-substituted by spell check. It's the same for the other couple of this Author's books just released as well (I have both Kobo and Kindle editions)
I am now reading the next one (Red Rose) Then I'm starting on the newer books.
March 14, 2016
Tedious
While you can see sparks of the witty and charming dialogue that makes Ms. Balogh's recent books a joy to read, I found this reprint to be tedious. The characters thoughts become repetitive and after the inevitable happens halfway through the book, I just skimmed through to see how it ended.
While you can see sparks of the witty and charming dialogue that makes Ms. Balogh's recent books a joy to read, I found this reprint to be tedious. The characters thoughts become repetitive and after the inevitable happens halfway through the book, I just skimmed through to see how it ended.
July 7, 2016
This must have been one of Ms. Balogh's first novels. I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her others. The characters were always smiling or being amused by something. There was very little deviation in their personalities. It could have used another proofread, too. Overall, this was okay, but I'd recommend reading one of her other, more polished works, instead.
July 10, 2016
Bland
A poor outing for Ms. Balogh. The hero and the heroine are dense as bedposts. A lot of the book is devoted to their interior musings regarding their love for each other. . Silly and unbelievable. There are also many typos. This book and others in this group of reissues needs careful proofreading. Some of the sentences are unintelligible. .
A poor outing for Ms. Balogh. The hero and the heroine are dense as bedposts. A lot of the book is devoted to their interior musings regarding their love for each other. . Silly and unbelievable. There are also many typos. This book and others in this group of reissues needs careful proofreading. Some of the sentences are unintelligible. .
January 13, 2017
This was a re-read after many many years. The set up was a familiar Mary storyline, however the two Allie and Piers were very sweet. The only downside is that each spent the entire book hiding their love and thinking the other only felt friendship. It did get tiresome reading the same thing up till the almost last page :)
May 31, 2016
There is a reason this book was long out of print. The happy couple are almost too stupid to live.
February 5, 2023
Hard to believe I am giving Mary Balogh a 2 star review but good god even her lovely way with words can not overcome what a totally useless person the hero is.
I should have loved this book. Alice and Piers have been friends their whole lives and who have stood by each other through both their firsts marriages and subsequent mourning. They are both older than the average and genuinely nice to one another. But Alice's ceaseless selflessness was just a bit too much, and Piers inability to navigate even the most basic of situations made me want to stab him.
Alice, Piers, and Web grew up together in the same village. The boys were8-9 years older than Alice. She was the daughter of the rector while they were clearly from wealthy families. Alice falls in love with Piers when she is 14 and he is 22. He falls in love with her the next year but doesn't think he has a chance so he keeps it to himself. Then his best friend, Web, declares his interest so Piers never says anything. Web and Alice get married and she learns to love Web even though she always feels that little bit of magic for Piers. Piers is so in love with her he drowns his sorrows by marrying a young lady he has nothing in common with who conveniently dies in childbirth. Alice also loses a child and then years later her husband. The book starts 2 years later when they run into each other in London. He is there searching for a new bride and she is there helping her thoughtless family temporarily. Instead of pursuing Alice, the woman he has loved for 14 years here is what our idiot does:
*repeatedly promises himself as escort/dance partner/ etc for an 18 year old girl he thinks of as an infant and that he repeatedly reminds himself he must avoid as he knows she will not make him happy as his wife. He literally asks himself every time "how did I end up agreeing to this, I really must not do so again"
*ends up following this girl down a dark path at Vauxhaul just as it is about to rain because she "saw a kitten" and then consoles this child he has no interest in by kissing her for an hour.
*Knowing he has been tricked by the girl and that he will have to propose in the morning he heads to Alice's house and tells her about this kissing and how he will be getting engaged in the morning.
*He then ends up kissing Alice and then sleeping with her. No protection, no withdrawal, and really no thought about it beyond a wee niggle a few times later. A niggle he can and should follow up on but doesn't because he is a useless tit.
*Having slept with the love of his life and his best friend he goes off to propose to the young girl all the while telling himself he really should at least go say something to Alice before she leaves town that afternoon. Naturally he is even too useless to manage getting to her house before she leaves.
*Upon discovering that his meek little fiance is not remotely interested in him and is not so meek he follows Alice so he can be comforted by her.
*He spends several days attached to Alice like a limpet and just before he never asks about the possibility of a child or indicates to her what to do should that be the case. He has a niggle about her missing a morning meeting and then looking a bit off the next day but of course he does not follow up.
*He returns to London and his bride to be who is just as uninterested in him as before so he gets drunk and sleeps with a former mistress. Somehow as hung over and miserable as he is when this event takes place he is somehow still satisfies her physically and also gives her way way too much money as a gift for the one night. (If he had done this with purpose I probably would not be bothered, but even this sort of accidentally happens to him)
*Much like his first wife the bride to be takes herself out of his life conveniently, this time by eloping with a better prospect. So Piers goes rushing off to Alice's home only tp discover she has left to stay with Web's relatives. Something Piers is finally smart enough to realise is a lie and the reason for the lie.
*Instead of discreetly finding her or keeping an eye on her homes until she returns he lets staff in both her houses, and her best friend, know that he can't find her and of course they will easily piece things together later on given his bumbling.
*When he finally does meet up with her he does not tell her he loves her and is delighted she is likely with child. No he just tells her they have to marry. It is only after she tells him that she has loved him for 14 years that he finally tells her.
The book then abruptly ends. Not even a plan for how they will get to a HEA much less an epilogue.
ugh
I should have loved this book. Alice and Piers have been friends their whole lives and who have stood by each other through both their firsts marriages and subsequent mourning. They are both older than the average and genuinely nice to one another. But Alice's ceaseless selflessness was just a bit too much, and Piers inability to navigate even the most basic of situations made me want to stab him.
Alice, Piers, and Web grew up together in the same village. The boys were8-9 years older than Alice. She was the daughter of the rector while they were clearly from wealthy families. Alice falls in love with Piers when she is 14 and he is 22. He falls in love with her the next year but doesn't think he has a chance so he keeps it to himself. Then his best friend, Web, declares his interest so Piers never says anything. Web and Alice get married and she learns to love Web even though she always feels that little bit of magic for Piers. Piers is so in love with her he drowns his sorrows by marrying a young lady he has nothing in common with who conveniently dies in childbirth. Alice also loses a child and then years later her husband. The book starts 2 years later when they run into each other in London. He is there searching for a new bride and she is there helping her thoughtless family temporarily. Instead of pursuing Alice, the woman he has loved for 14 years here is what our idiot does:
*repeatedly promises himself as escort/dance partner/ etc for an 18 year old girl he thinks of as an infant and that he repeatedly reminds himself he must avoid as he knows she will not make him happy as his wife. He literally asks himself every time "how did I end up agreeing to this, I really must not do so again"
*ends up following this girl down a dark path at Vauxhaul just as it is about to rain because she "saw a kitten" and then consoles this child he has no interest in by kissing her for an hour.
*Knowing he has been tricked by the girl and that he will have to propose in the morning he heads to Alice's house and tells her about this kissing and how he will be getting engaged in the morning.
*He then ends up kissing Alice and then sleeping with her. No protection, no withdrawal, and really no thought about it beyond a wee niggle a few times later. A niggle he can and should follow up on but doesn't because he is a useless tit.
*Having slept with the love of his life and his best friend he goes off to propose to the young girl all the while telling himself he really should at least go say something to Alice before she leaves town that afternoon. Naturally he is even too useless to manage getting to her house before she leaves.
*Upon discovering that his meek little fiance is not remotely interested in him and is not so meek he follows Alice so he can be comforted by her.
*He spends several days attached to Alice like a limpet and just before he never asks about the possibility of a child or indicates to her what to do should that be the case. He has a niggle about her missing a morning meeting and then looking a bit off the next day but of course he does not follow up.
*He returns to London and his bride to be who is just as uninterested in him as before so he gets drunk and sleeps with a former mistress. Somehow as hung over and miserable as he is when this event takes place he is somehow still satisfies her physically and also gives her way way too much money as a gift for the one night. (If he had done this with purpose I probably would not be bothered, but even this sort of accidentally happens to him)
*Much like his first wife the bride to be takes herself out of his life conveniently, this time by eloping with a better prospect. So Piers goes rushing off to Alice's home only tp discover she has left to stay with Web's relatives. Something Piers is finally smart enough to realise is a lie and the reason for the lie.
*Instead of discreetly finding her or keeping an eye on her homes until she returns he lets staff in both her houses, and her best friend, know that he can't find her and of course they will easily piece things together later on given his bumbling.
*When he finally does meet up with her he does not tell her he loves her and is delighted she is likely with child. No he just tells her they have to marry. It is only after she tells him that she has loved him for 14 years that he finally tells her.
The book then abruptly ends. Not even a plan for how they will get to a HEA much less an epilogue.
ugh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews