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The Double Wager
An impudent young beauty wagers her most precious possession that she can become the wife of the most handsome, worldly and bored lord in London. In this high-risk game of love, what will happen if she loses . . . or wins? Mary Balogh is the winner of the Romantic Times Award for Best New Regency Writer in 1985.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 4, 1985
173 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,345 followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
January 27, 2022
Loved this hilarious, fastpaced book.
The heroine Henry was so stubborn, at times it was hard for me to get her motivations to go on as she pleased, especially the more I saw how Marius was hurt by her actions. I wanted to shake her.
Nevertheless Marius cared for her, stood by her and wanted to protect her.
4,5 stars.
The heroine Henry was so stubborn, at times it was hard for me to get her motivations to go on as she pleased, especially the more I saw how Marius was hurt by her actions. I wanted to shake her.
Nevertheless Marius cared for her, stood by her and wanted to protect her.
4,5 stars.
August 28, 2012
1.5/5; 2 stars; D
This was a very poor example of Mary Balogh's writing. I have read and loved many books by this author but I didn't like this at all. The main problem was the heroine's steadfast stupidity and determination to bury herself deeper and deeper in trouble by making bad choices.
This was a very poor example of Mary Balogh's writing. I have read and loved many books by this author but I didn't like this at all. The main problem was the heroine's steadfast stupidity and determination to bury herself deeper and deeper in trouble by making bad choices.
February 8, 2010
Maybe imitation is the sincerest form of flattery ... There were too many plot and character similarities with some of Georgette Heyer's books (April Lady, The Convenient Marriage) to allow me to enjoy this book. By the time the heir, whose nose was put out of joint by the hero's marriage, and the mistress, who was upset because the hero discarded her, were introduced, I figured out the rest of the plot and only skimmed through the rest of the book.
July 6, 2021
So cute!! One of the best farcical romances by Mary Balogh. On par with Lady With A Black Umbrella.
~Full review~
A great farcical romance but it might be too sweet, upon reflection. Jaded hero marries a quirky heroine that makes him laugh. They both do this, unaware that the other has made a bet to be married by a certain time period. This was lighthearted and it did win me over in the end with its money-lender nonsense. It was very funny how they dug themselves in a deeper hole with that. At times, this felt like what I love about Amanda Quick novels with a serious hero, and a silly heroine.
~Full review~
A great farcical romance but it might be too sweet, upon reflection. Jaded hero marries a quirky heroine that makes him laugh. They both do this, unaware that the other has made a bet to be married by a certain time period. This was lighthearted and it did win me over in the end with its money-lender nonsense. It was very funny how they dug themselves in a deeper hole with that. At times, this felt like what I love about Amanda Quick novels with a serious hero, and a silly heroine.
March 19, 2012
What can I say, I'm on a Mary Balogh kick, but this was not one of the great ones. At first it was cute with the tomboy heroine and the bored duke that never smiled, but it quickly turned into foolishness. The heroine turned from endearing to TSTL and ruined any chance of me enjoying the book. The hero and heroine did not really grow as a couple. The second half of the book was too focus on the stupid money lending plot involving the heroine and the duke's cousin. I would have liked to see the leads relationship develop properley without that added plot device.
October 4, 2023
I loved this! A completely farcical and outrageous comedy in (I presume) the style of Georgette Heyer*. The charmingly tomboyish heroine was the perfect match for the droll, never-serious duke. What a goofy, delightful story.
*(Some reviewers complain about how similar/derivative of Heyer this is, but I can't speak to that. A) I've only read 2 Heyer novels and B) I hated both of them.)
*(Some reviewers complain about how similar/derivative of Heyer this is, but I can't speak to that. A) I've only read 2 Heyer novels and B) I hated both of them.)
April 19, 2019
When an author introduces the heroine as an intelligent and wise woman then spends the rest of the book with heroine making one stupid mistake after another.
March 25, 2023
Nice and short, not one of her long drawn out melodramas. Lots of cool dialogue and interesting activity, and passion. The heroine is rather a selfish ditz and I despise her, similar to Horatio/Horry in Heyer’s The Convenient Marriage, but I love the hero, Lord Eversleigh. I think the author was also inspired by Heyer’s Arabella,— there are several similarities, and some distinct differences. Notably — both heroines are named Miss Tallant. In both books, there is compassion for the oppressed — including a climbing boy chimney cleaner. Both brothers —Bertram in Arabella and Giles here — gambled into debt. This book has young preteen siblings and a big dog, as does Heyer’s Frederica. Anyway, Heyer is the better writer, in my opinion, but I did enjoy this book, especially the hero:
… turning everyone’s attention to the man who was lounging elegantly against the mantel. He was a tall man, dressed all in black, with the exception of his white shirt points, which were not as high as those of the dandified Darnley, and the white neckcloth, which was not as intricately tied as that of Rufus Smythe. Beneath dark hair, brushed forward in a fashionable Brutus style, his face was thin and sharply drawn. He had a strong jawline, lips that were habitually drawn into a thin line, a straight nose, and blue eyes that were usually partly hidden behind half-closed eyelids. His whole stance suggested a lazy boredom. Only a close observer would have noticed that the broad shoulders, slim waist, and muscled calves owed nothing to a tailor’s tricks—corsets and padding and such. A close observer might also have noticed that the eyes behind the lazy lids were unusually keen.
July 17, 2019
This work gets three stars because it’s got Mrs Balogh’s clear neo-Heyerian prose and plot. Unfortunately, as most other reviewers have noted, the similarities to Heyer are a little too pronounced, leaving one with a sense of déjà vu and a the vague idea that the first time you read the story it was better.
Perhaps as a result of smashing together the plots and characters of two better novels, the plot and characters are more than a little muddled and, like everything else pale in comparison to their predecessors.
The heir is jealous and vaguely sinister and teams up with the jealous former mistress, providing much of the story’s drama. About two thirds through the book the jealous heir says something like ‘it’s all going according to my plan’ and it was honestly the most confusing moment in the book, because I was genuinely unsure of what his plan was or why he decided it was a good idea to ruin the current duke’s wife. The aforementioned wife is supposed to be reckless and naive, a la Convenient Marriage’s Horatia, but mostly just seems woefully childlike and a little too stupid to live, and her complete lack of sexual knowledge (she apparently doesn’t know what kissing is? Come on, she’s sheltered, not a five) makes everything just a little gross and creepy, even though the Duke gets an a+ in consent.
One cannot help but feel that this story would have been infinitely more interesting if it instead focused on the romance between the much abused governess and the Duke’s secretary, which is twice as compelling as the main romance (mostly because neither party behaves like a five year old) despite little attention being paid to it.
Perhaps as a result of smashing together the plots and characters of two better novels, the plot and characters are more than a little muddled and, like everything else pale in comparison to their predecessors.
The heir is jealous and vaguely sinister and teams up with the jealous former mistress, providing much of the story’s drama. About two thirds through the book the jealous heir says something like ‘it’s all going according to my plan’ and it was honestly the most confusing moment in the book, because I was genuinely unsure of what his plan was or why he decided it was a good idea to ruin the current duke’s wife. The aforementioned wife is supposed to be reckless and naive, a la Convenient Marriage’s Horatia, but mostly just seems woefully childlike and a little too stupid to live, and her complete lack of sexual knowledge (she apparently doesn’t know what kissing is? Come on, she’s sheltered, not a five) makes everything just a little gross and creepy, even though the Duke gets an a+ in consent.
One cannot help but feel that this story would have been infinitely more interesting if it instead focused on the romance between the much abused governess and the Duke’s secretary, which is twice as compelling as the main romance (mostly because neither party behaves like a five year old) despite little attention being paid to it.
April 3, 2017
What Ilze said.
Early Balogh, but even so. Forget this and head to the source The Convenient Marriage or April Lady.
Early Balogh, but even so. Forget this and head to the source The Convenient Marriage or April Lady.
August 7, 2010
This is so much like Heyer's A Convenient Marriage and I didn't really like it either. Not that I would ever give it up ... I like having a complete shelf of one of my favourite authors.
August 4, 2024
41/2 stars Made me smile and a sweet HEA. Her frankness and spirit were so entertaining, supporting players of family and pets added to the charm of a story that only Balogh could write. Relieved that this was a Balogh hit for me since i never know with her.
The Duke was old school debonair and the OM/OW got their just desserts. FMC got herself into a mess but events held true to her character and a thumbs up to female empowerment that did not feel forced or a bow to political correctness.
MMC’s strength was subtle and showed how to be a HR alpha without being overbearing and a bully.
Very entertaining.
(As one reviewer mentioned, it did have “an inconvenient marriage” by Heyer vibe, though for me that was a positive)
The Duke was old school debonair and the OM/OW got their just desserts. FMC got herself into a mess but events held true to her character and a thumbs up to female empowerment that did not feel forced or a bow to political correctness.
MMC’s strength was subtle and showed how to be a HR alpha without being overbearing and a bully.
Very entertaining.
(As one reviewer mentioned, it did have “an inconvenient marriage” by Heyer vibe, though for me that was a positive)
March 11, 2019
Venturing way, way back into Mary Balogh's backlist made me nervous, because I grew up on romance novels from this era, and, though I didn't realize it at the time, they are immensely problematic as a general rule. The Double Wager goes a bit over the top on the plotting and certainly isn't up to later Balogh novels, but it's also much cleverer and more unique than I would have anticipated for a romance novel of its time.
The double wager of the title is cute, though it actually only makes up the first two chapters, after which Henry (Henrietta) and Marius are wed, both winning their wagers. This is where the book took a turn to the unexpected: Marius comes in on the wedding night, Henry's terrified, and so he leaves her alone. He does not force attentions on her as months pass. This should not be something I feel stunned by, but honestly I feel like few modern guys would even respond this way.
Marius reminds me of Avery from Balogh's later Someone to Love. He doesn't usually get mad, and he rarely wields his strength, instead destroying people with a cutting look through his quizzing glass. He's charmed by Henry's outspokenness, and he commits to the relationship from the very beginning, and, though he does make a couple of rules, he's always kind. Even when Henry makes very terrible decisions, he doesn't get mad at her, which is impressive; he merely helps and builds trust.
The weakest aspect for me was definitely the plot and all the incredibly stupid things it makes Henry do. That's one thing that I miss from her later books, because Marius is roughly twice Henry's age. She's young, and that does make her actions semi-believable, but oh boy is it frustrating to read. The plot involves a ton of blackmail, and it would be predictable and deeply problematic if not for Balogh's handling, in which Henry's saviors are generally her twin brother and sister rather than her husband.
The secondary cast is pretty delightful, given the brevity of the novel. Henry's incorrigible twin siblings, Penelope and Philip, are adorable scamps, and Marius' treatment of them is heart-warming. He has a light but firm hand with everyone that gets them to improved behavior without dimming their spirits or personalities. The dog, cat, and bird are also excellent fun. One of my favorite romance tropes is when there are animal companions, and this delivered.
My initial plan was to skip most of Balogh's backlist, just because she has so many, and the reviews weren't hugely encouraging, but there was enough in here to make a deep dive possibly seem worth it, even if they're not as good as later works, especially since Hoopla has so many of them.
The double wager of the title is cute, though it actually only makes up the first two chapters, after which Henry (Henrietta) and Marius are wed, both winning their wagers. This is where the book took a turn to the unexpected: Marius comes in on the wedding night, Henry's terrified, and so he leaves her alone. He does not force attentions on her as months pass. This should not be something I feel stunned by, but honestly I feel like few modern guys would even respond this way.
Marius reminds me of Avery from Balogh's later Someone to Love. He doesn't usually get mad, and he rarely wields his strength, instead destroying people with a cutting look through his quizzing glass. He's charmed by Henry's outspokenness, and he commits to the relationship from the very beginning, and, though he does make a couple of rules, he's always kind. Even when Henry makes very terrible decisions, he doesn't get mad at her, which is impressive; he merely helps and builds trust.
The weakest aspect for me was definitely the plot and all the incredibly stupid things it makes Henry do. That's one thing that I miss from her later books, because Marius is roughly twice Henry's age. She's young, and that does make her actions semi-believable, but oh boy is it frustrating to read. The plot involves a ton of blackmail, and it would be predictable and deeply problematic if not for Balogh's handling, in which Henry's saviors are generally her twin brother and sister rather than her husband.
The secondary cast is pretty delightful, given the brevity of the novel. Henry's incorrigible twin siblings, Penelope and Philip, are adorable scamps, and Marius' treatment of them is heart-warming. He has a light but firm hand with everyone that gets them to improved behavior without dimming their spirits or personalities. The dog, cat, and bird are also excellent fun. One of my favorite romance tropes is when there are animal companions, and this delivered.
My initial plan was to skip most of Balogh's backlist, just because she has so many, and the reviews weren't hugely encouraging, but there was enough in here to make a deep dive possibly seem worth it, even if they're not as good as later works, especially since Hoopla has so many of them.
March 24, 2015
I love almost everything about this story. I love the initial premise. I love the first encounter. I love the heroine's family. I love the hero's secretary. I love the hero and the heroine. I love the villains (as much as I can love villains). What I don't love about it is it reminds me so much of Georgette Heyer's "April Lady" and maybe some other novel by Heyer too that I can't remember right now. Still an enjoyable read. And the conclusion scene is not to be missed. At least if you're like me who likes fun and witty scenes.
April 16, 2017
A lot like convenient marriage by Heyer which I also didn't like. A young and stupid heroine an indifferent hero, a pair of 12 year old twins, a pair of villains, a dog and a parrot. I gave up.
September 15, 2020
Balogh's second novel (June 1985). Balogh takes Georgette Heyer's young female silly heroine and older wiser hero formula and brings it into the 1980s, by making her female protagonist a more active and independent participant in her own rescuing.
September 26, 2020
The lack of communication was truly mind-boggling. Although this was written over two decades ago, so it is probably more of a testament to how far the romance genre has come since then.
I did enjoy the progressive portrayal of consent in this book though. Even is some more modern books, the hero is less worried about enthusiastic consent than this one was. The 4-star rating is for this reason alone.
I did enjoy the progressive portrayal of consent in this book though. Even is some more modern books, the hero is less worried about enthusiastic consent than this one was. The 4-star rating is for this reason alone.
October 28, 2023
4.5/5
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/0...
Henry est une jeune femme qui a toujours été critiquée notamment pour son côté garçon manqué. Les robes, les bonnes manières et le silence n'ont jamais été son dada. Elle aime dire haut et fort ce qu'elle pense et n'a pas peur de froisser la gent masculine. Pourtant cette fois elle va devoir faire ses débuts à Londres et on attend d'elle qu'elle soit comme toutes les jeunes femmes. Un ennui mortel pour elle jusqu'à ce qu'on la mette au défi de recevoir une demande au mariage dans les 6 semaines. Henry est bien déterminée à prouver qu'elle y arrivera. Même s'il s'agit de l'improbable Duc Eversleigh. Eversleigh de son côté à décidé de trouver une épouse et ses fidèles amis célibataires le soumette à un défi. Voilà que ces deux là on avoir le même objectif, sans même le savoir. Mais comme tout bon jeu, il est aisé de se faire avoir par son propre jeu.
Henry est une jeune femme avec un caractère. Elle n'a pas peur de dire ce qu'elle pense et est persuadée que la gent masculine ne lui apportera rien si ce n'est des problèmes. Elle ne compte pas épouser qui que ce soit et compte bien garder sa liberté. Mais Eversleigh va la surprendre et ce sur tous les points. J'ai aimé son caractère mais aussi son côté buté. Elle ne va pas tomber en pamoison devant ces messieurs enfin surtout face à son époux. Elle se méfie de tout mais pourrait bien ne pas voir le véritable danger en donnant sa confiance à ceux qui ne la mérite pas.
De son côté Eversleigh s'est révélé bien différent de ce à quoi je m'attendais. Je l'imaginais frivole, hautain et assez dédaigneux mais il n'en est rien. En vérité il se révèle profondément loyal, attentif, attentionné et d'une patience que je pensais pas lui trouver. Et j'aime beaucoup son évolution aux côtés de Henry. J'aime aussi également son comportement vis à vis de ceux qui l'entoure et sa morale.
Le couple qu'ils forment est pleins de non dit. J'ai été surprise que le fameux mariage ait lieu si vite mais au final j'ai trouvé cela surprenant et bien plus intriguant par la suite. Car le couple qu'ils forment offre encore plus de surprise et de moments forts ensuite. Disputes, non-dits, petits secrets et moments de rapprochements ajoutent en profondeur à leur histoire. On a envie de leur ouvrir les yeux et en même temps, c'est un parfait slow burn qu'on apprécie à sa juste valeur. J'ai aussi beaucoup apprécié l'humour et les petites piques qu'ils se lancent de temps en temps. Une belle évolution pour ce couple.
Les jumeaux, la gouvernante et leurs animaux sont des personnages tout aussi attachants. Un petit groupe pleins d'humour, de petites galères qui ajoutent un plus à l'histoire. J'ai aimé ce lien entre eux et la volonté d'Henry de les protéger mais également inversement.
Le double pari joue aussi sur le suspense. Car si nos deux personnages ont fait des paris au tout début du roman, reste encore à attendre le moment où cela se saura. De même, la romance mettant du temps à s'installer, laisse planer le doute quant à son issue. J'avoue avoir eu peur à quelques reprises de la tournure pour eux et j'ai trouvé ça particulièrement bien amené de la part de l'autrice.
Quant à la fin, elle est clairement à la hauteur de mes attentes. Je n'aurais pas laissé mon téléphone en sonnerie et donc été dérangé au moment du dénouement, j'aurais sans doute verser ma petite larme. A l'image de nos personnages haut en couleur, on apprécie cette fin pleine de révélations et rebondissements qui casse avec les clichés et nous remplie d'amour pour le couple.
Je n'ai fais qu'une bouchée de ce roman de Mary Balogh. Après La lady au parapluie noir qui était jusque là mon préféré, Le double pari vient se hisser à la première place sans hésitations. De l'humour, de l'amour, un soupçon de suspense et des personnages qui m'ont énormément plu. J'ai adoré et je ne peux que vous conseiller cette collection Regency.
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/0...
Henry est une jeune femme qui a toujours été critiquée notamment pour son côté garçon manqué. Les robes, les bonnes manières et le silence n'ont jamais été son dada. Elle aime dire haut et fort ce qu'elle pense et n'a pas peur de froisser la gent masculine. Pourtant cette fois elle va devoir faire ses débuts à Londres et on attend d'elle qu'elle soit comme toutes les jeunes femmes. Un ennui mortel pour elle jusqu'à ce qu'on la mette au défi de recevoir une demande au mariage dans les 6 semaines. Henry est bien déterminée à prouver qu'elle y arrivera. Même s'il s'agit de l'improbable Duc Eversleigh. Eversleigh de son côté à décidé de trouver une épouse et ses fidèles amis célibataires le soumette à un défi. Voilà que ces deux là on avoir le même objectif, sans même le savoir. Mais comme tout bon jeu, il est aisé de se faire avoir par son propre jeu.
Henry est une jeune femme avec un caractère. Elle n'a pas peur de dire ce qu'elle pense et est persuadée que la gent masculine ne lui apportera rien si ce n'est des problèmes. Elle ne compte pas épouser qui que ce soit et compte bien garder sa liberté. Mais Eversleigh va la surprendre et ce sur tous les points. J'ai aimé son caractère mais aussi son côté buté. Elle ne va pas tomber en pamoison devant ces messieurs enfin surtout face à son époux. Elle se méfie de tout mais pourrait bien ne pas voir le véritable danger en donnant sa confiance à ceux qui ne la mérite pas.
De son côté Eversleigh s'est révélé bien différent de ce à quoi je m'attendais. Je l'imaginais frivole, hautain et assez dédaigneux mais il n'en est rien. En vérité il se révèle profondément loyal, attentif, attentionné et d'une patience que je pensais pas lui trouver. Et j'aime beaucoup son évolution aux côtés de Henry. J'aime aussi également son comportement vis à vis de ceux qui l'entoure et sa morale.
Le couple qu'ils forment est pleins de non dit. J'ai été surprise que le fameux mariage ait lieu si vite mais au final j'ai trouvé cela surprenant et bien plus intriguant par la suite. Car le couple qu'ils forment offre encore plus de surprise et de moments forts ensuite. Disputes, non-dits, petits secrets et moments de rapprochements ajoutent en profondeur à leur histoire. On a envie de leur ouvrir les yeux et en même temps, c'est un parfait slow burn qu'on apprécie à sa juste valeur. J'ai aussi beaucoup apprécié l'humour et les petites piques qu'ils se lancent de temps en temps. Une belle évolution pour ce couple.
Les jumeaux, la gouvernante et leurs animaux sont des personnages tout aussi attachants. Un petit groupe pleins d'humour, de petites galères qui ajoutent un plus à l'histoire. J'ai aimé ce lien entre eux et la volonté d'Henry de les protéger mais également inversement.
Le double pari joue aussi sur le suspense. Car si nos deux personnages ont fait des paris au tout début du roman, reste encore à attendre le moment où cela se saura. De même, la romance mettant du temps à s'installer, laisse planer le doute quant à son issue. J'avoue avoir eu peur à quelques reprises de la tournure pour eux et j'ai trouvé ça particulièrement bien amené de la part de l'autrice.
Quant à la fin, elle est clairement à la hauteur de mes attentes. Je n'aurais pas laissé mon téléphone en sonnerie et donc été dérangé au moment du dénouement, j'aurais sans doute verser ma petite larme. A l'image de nos personnages haut en couleur, on apprécie cette fin pleine de révélations et rebondissements qui casse avec les clichés et nous remplie d'amour pour le couple.
Je n'ai fais qu'une bouchée de ce roman de Mary Balogh. Après La lady au parapluie noir qui était jusque là mon préféré, Le double pari vient se hisser à la première place sans hésitations. De l'humour, de l'amour, un soupçon de suspense et des personnages qui m'ont énormément plu. J'ai adoré et je ne peux que vous conseiller cette collection Regency.
January 2, 2023
This book wasn't light and fun. It was frustrating and anger inducing because it had one of the worst kinds of heroine's I've ever read.
1. Makes the worst choices possible
2. Goes willingly into bad situations because she refuses to "ask for help from a man"
2. Doesn't take advice because she thinks she knows better
3. Lies to her spouse
4. Believes lies about him even though she knows the person telling the lie is untrustworthy
5. Disrespectful to a spouse who has been kind and patient even when he catches her sneeking around with the man he's asked her to stay away from.
Her need for "independence" bordered on stupidity. The fact that she would rather get herself into the worst situations possible instead of asking her husband for help made me root for her downfall. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This is the kind of toxic feminism that makes feminists look bad. Everyone needs help sometimes and it has nothing to do with gender.
But I can't forget the hero's idiocy either. He was too nonchalant about everything. He should have tried harder to prevent her stupidity since he knew she was a naive country fool. He just watched from a distance and didn't question her hard enough. And he didn't dissuade her when she accused him of having a mistress which just caused more misunderstandings 🤦🏽♀️. It's almost like he didn't care enough.
At around 60% I couldn't take it anymore. Things were just getting progressively worse so I skimmed the rest. Not the best book to end the year unfortunately 😪.
1. Makes the worst choices possible
2. Goes willingly into bad situations because she refuses to "ask for help from a man"
2. Doesn't take advice because she thinks she knows better
3. Lies to her spouse
4. Believes lies about him even though she knows the person telling the lie is untrustworthy
5. Disrespectful to a spouse who has been kind and patient even when he catches her sneeking around with the man he's asked her to stay away from.
Her need for "independence" bordered on stupidity. The fact that she would rather get herself into the worst situations possible instead of asking her husband for help made me root for her downfall. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This is the kind of toxic feminism that makes feminists look bad. Everyone needs help sometimes and it has nothing to do with gender.
But I can't forget the hero's idiocy either. He was too nonchalant about everything. He should have tried harder to prevent her stupidity since he knew she was a naive country fool. He just watched from a distance and didn't question her hard enough. And he didn't dissuade her when she accused him of having a mistress which just caused more misunderstandings 🤦🏽♀️. It's almost like he didn't care enough.
At around 60% I couldn't take it anymore. Things were just getting progressively worse so I skimmed the rest. Not the best book to end the year unfortunately 😪.
September 2, 2016
I feel like I spent too much on this title. This is not the Mary Balogh I know and love. Henry was a stupid smart woman who could have used some maturation while Eversleigh is perhaps the most condescending hero I've ever encountered. Example, his secretary, by all accounts is of an age but he continually (excessively perhaps) refers to him as "my boy." The titular double wager figures very little into the story and the time line is disjointed.
The ebook copy is poorly editing for punctuation and at one point the contents of a letter were bracketed "she read." So not only was the content less than satisfying, the formatting and editing made it that much less of an enjoyable read. Would not recommend.
The ebook copy is poorly editing for punctuation and at one point the contents of a letter were bracketed "she read." So not only was the content less than satisfying, the formatting and editing made it that much less of an enjoyable read. Would not recommend.
June 6, 2012
Old fashioned fun - and basically a fusion of Heyer's The Convenient Marriage and Frederica, with a touch of The Grand Sophy and maybe elements of a few others I'm not catching at the moment. I almost wish it was still possible to get away with this kind of pastiche, but then I doubt many others besides Balogh could handle it so deftly. And I suppose we have a taste for stories with more angst and less impersonal narration now. Anyway, a fun read that quite suits my tastes; features more a mix of types than characters, but capably thrown together in a well-written story.
March 20, 2015
it was not dat bad but I was bored with heroine's stupidness and naivety. she really took the gold medal for the worst fool ! I was extremely annoyed when she did not listen to marius and persisted in mixing wid oliver. marius really did not have to marry her! he had all women at his feet. add to dat, he was really kind to her; did not force her to have sex and took in her siblings and governess as well as pets. he also treated them impeccably. she was just an ungrateful little bitch and when I guess the author was trying to make her funny, she just got on my nerves!
February 12, 2022
Le début de l'histoire était chouette. Puis l'héroïne enchaine les décisions toutes plus stupides les unes que les autres. Elle m'a franchement agacée. J'ai par contre beaucoup aimé le héros. Et les jumeaux.
April 20, 2019
Two unusual wagers result in a marriage that turns into a love match.
January 4, 2016
Almost disconcertingly Heyeresque. April Lady with touches of Frederica and a little Cotillion.
June 22, 2025
3.5 stars. I am loving these early works by Balogh. However, she seems to be reusing some plots from Georgette heyer. This was one a mix of heyer's the convenient marriage and Frederica. Even so, she did a fabulous job with retelling for the first 3/4 of the book. I did not really like the way the last part went though. it seemed a little forced and lost some of its romance and charm. The first half of the book was a 5, but the second half brought it down to 3.5 stars overall.
March 20, 2024
3.75. This one reminded me of Georgette Heyer’s Frederica, so much so, in fact, that I paused in the middle of reading this and went back to reread Frederica, which confirmed its place in my top five all-time favorites. While this one doesn’t quite live up to Heyer at her finest, it was a fun read!
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February 15, 2022Review also available at The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: Like Georgette Heyer if there were ever a hint of sex in one of her books
Character Chemistry: it’s gonna be a tough sell, but it worked for me
Plot: Protagonists enter into separate wagers that result in marriage of (inadvertent) convenience
Overall: I don’t want to have this argument with Holly again
What was I thinking?
I finished an ARC and needed something short and sweet before diving into my pile of library books, so I picked up this republished Signet Regency Romance by Mary Balogh thinking, “This was the one that didn’t stress me out.” Let me tell you, now that I have to read books somewhat critically, it is much harder to let things slide in books. Also, Holly and I have previously discussed this plot line in the context of Georgette Heyer (April Lady and The Convenient Marriage, if you’re curious), and since I have only ever convinced her that one Heyer novel is good, I hesitate to jump down this rabbit hole. But for you, gentle readers, I will.
First of all, this book was written in 1985, and it is definitely a mildly sexed up version of …I think The Convenient Marriage more than April Lady, but it has some of its own little quirks, and those two books are quite similar themselves. You won’t be surprised, anyway. But isn’t it more about the journey than the destination (given the destination is assured) in romance novels?
Here is what you need to know:
1. Our hero, Marius Devron, is a duke. The Duke of Eversleigh.
2. Goaded by a friend, Marius bets that he will propose to a woman (as yet unknown) within a month and wed her within six weeks.
3. Our heroine, Henrietta (Henry) Tallant, is a willful young lady who has never conformed to society’s or anyone else’s dictates.
4. Goaded by a friend, Henry bets that she absolutely can bring the Duke of Eversleigh to propose to her.
5. There is at least a 15 year age difference between our protagonists.
6. Marius is charmed by Henry’s spirit.
7. Henry has no idea what she’s getting into.
Here is what might be hard to swallow for a modern audience:
1. There is at least a 15 year age difference between our protagonists.
2. Marius is domineering in a paternalistic way. He simply does not allow others to do as he does not wish them to do, without appearing to exert any control over them whatsoever.
3. He is always in control and, as such, is inscrutable.
4. Henry is…pretty dumb. Led by emotion rather than reason, she manages to land herself in a scrape that gets deeper and deeper the more she attempts to extract herself. Rather than talk to her husband about it, she alternates between rage at him and shame at her own behavior.
5. Since Henry doesn’t know anything about sex at all, there’s a consent gray area when they finally do have sex.
6. If one trusts one’s husband and has a good marriage, one should be able to confess problems to said husband. How good is this marriage, really?
That last issue was one Holly raised during a conversation about one of the Heyer books, and I absolutely agree. If the marriage is good, this should not be an issue. But if the marriage is good, there’s really no need for a romance novel, is there? It’s also really easy for people who have been in a relationship for many years to forget how unsure one can be of another’s affections early in a relationship. Trust is built in a relationship, and usually we like to see it happen before the marriage, but there are whole tropes dedicated to when it comes after.
So, okay, Marius and Henry barely know each other, and on top of that Marius is inscrutable, and Henry is willful. They live in a society in which men control the lives of women. …I’m just gonna stop. This book is not going to be for everyone. In all honesty, I’m not sure it was for me. I feel much more emotionally engaged with the characters in Heyer’s books than with these characters, although the similarities are striking.
Marius is marginally more readable and modern than Heyer’s heroes, so if you want to buy in to the fantasy of a powerful hero trying to manage marriage to an imp who’s much younger than him without breaking her spirit, this book might be for you. If you want to enter the struggle of a young woman in a marriage of convenience trying to figure out what to do with her husband while at the same time coming to terms with her feelings for him as she keeps getting into more and more trouble, this book might be for you. If you like an innocent heroine locked in the middle of an ongoing battle between an inscrutable alpha hero and a smarmy villain, this book might be for you. Otherwise, give it a hard pass, because this book definitely won’t be for you.
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Heat Factor: Like Georgette Heyer if there were ever a hint of sex in one of her books
Character Chemistry: it’s gonna be a tough sell, but it worked for me
Plot: Protagonists enter into separate wagers that result in marriage of (inadvertent) convenience
Overall: I don’t want to have this argument with Holly again
What was I thinking?
I finished an ARC and needed something short and sweet before diving into my pile of library books, so I picked up this republished Signet Regency Romance by Mary Balogh thinking, “This was the one that didn’t stress me out.” Let me tell you, now that I have to read books somewhat critically, it is much harder to let things slide in books. Also, Holly and I have previously discussed this plot line in the context of Georgette Heyer (April Lady and The Convenient Marriage, if you’re curious), and since I have only ever convinced her that one Heyer novel is good, I hesitate to jump down this rabbit hole. But for you, gentle readers, I will.
First of all, this book was written in 1985, and it is definitely a mildly sexed up version of …I think The Convenient Marriage more than April Lady, but it has some of its own little quirks, and those two books are quite similar themselves. You won’t be surprised, anyway. But isn’t it more about the journey than the destination (given the destination is assured) in romance novels?
Here is what you need to know:
1. Our hero, Marius Devron, is a duke. The Duke of Eversleigh.
2. Goaded by a friend, Marius bets that he will propose to a woman (as yet unknown) within a month and wed her within six weeks.
3. Our heroine, Henrietta (Henry) Tallant, is a willful young lady who has never conformed to society’s or anyone else’s dictates.
4. Goaded by a friend, Henry bets that she absolutely can bring the Duke of Eversleigh to propose to her.
5. There is at least a 15 year age difference between our protagonists.
6. Marius is charmed by Henry’s spirit.
7. Henry has no idea what she’s getting into.
Here is what might be hard to swallow for a modern audience:
1. There is at least a 15 year age difference between our protagonists.
2. Marius is domineering in a paternalistic way. He simply does not allow others to do as he does not wish them to do, without appearing to exert any control over them whatsoever.
3. He is always in control and, as such, is inscrutable.
4. Henry is…pretty dumb. Led by emotion rather than reason, she manages to land herself in a scrape that gets deeper and deeper the more she attempts to extract herself. Rather than talk to her husband about it, she alternates between rage at him and shame at her own behavior.
5. Since Henry doesn’t know anything about sex at all, there’s a consent gray area when they finally do have sex.
6. If one trusts one’s husband and has a good marriage, one should be able to confess problems to said husband. How good is this marriage, really?
That last issue was one Holly raised during a conversation about one of the Heyer books, and I absolutely agree. If the marriage is good, this should not be an issue. But if the marriage is good, there’s really no need for a romance novel, is there? It’s also really easy for people who have been in a relationship for many years to forget how unsure one can be of another’s affections early in a relationship. Trust is built in a relationship, and usually we like to see it happen before the marriage, but there are whole tropes dedicated to when it comes after.
So, okay, Marius and Henry barely know each other, and on top of that Marius is inscrutable, and Henry is willful. They live in a society in which men control the lives of women. …I’m just gonna stop. This book is not going to be for everyone. In all honesty, I’m not sure it was for me. I feel much more emotionally engaged with the characters in Heyer’s books than with these characters, although the similarities are striking.
Marius is marginally more readable and modern than Heyer’s heroes, so if you want to buy in to the fantasy of a powerful hero trying to manage marriage to an imp who’s much younger than him without breaking her spirit, this book might be for you. If you want to enter the struggle of a young woman in a marriage of convenience trying to figure out what to do with her husband while at the same time coming to terms with her feelings for him as she keeps getting into more and more trouble, this book might be for you. If you like an innocent heroine locked in the middle of an ongoing battle between an inscrutable alpha hero and a smarmy villain, this book might be for you. Otherwise, give it a hard pass, because this book definitely won’t be for you.
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November 24, 2022
such a delight. from judgy angry looking marius (when one can feel he is a softie on the inside from the beginning) to bright henry (whose mantra is i don't need any stupid man except a big softie of a duke) with the addition of the cirque of siblings, animals, gouvernant and secretary, this romance offers a funny and sparkly cast.
the "forced" mariage was a very light trope (the synopsis might have overplayed it a bit) as it is more on the line of husband and wife falling in love after getting married the second after they met. it has sweet fleeting scenes and a lot of magnificient comical ones. the reader simply can't read and keep a straight face thanks to the monocle, the parrot or simply marius and henry's interactions.
i might have been influenced by the gorgeous cover drawn by Magalie Foutrier but it also has strong autumnal vibes with promenades in the park, horse riding moments, a "règlement de compte" in the country... as i said, a TRUE delight.
the "forced" mariage was a very light trope (the synopsis might have overplayed it a bit) as it is more on the line of husband and wife falling in love after getting married the second after they met. it has sweet fleeting scenes and a lot of magnificient comical ones. the reader simply can't read and keep a straight face thanks to the monocle, the parrot or simply marius and henry's interactions.
i might have been influenced by the gorgeous cover drawn by Magalie Foutrier but it also has strong autumnal vibes with promenades in the park, horse riding moments, a "règlement de compte" in the country... as i said, a TRUE delight.
April 19, 2017
For an amateurish ripoff of Georgette Heyer, this book is readable enough; it doesn't much resemble Balogh's later work and I can see why it's been out of print. The clownishly manipulative villains don't accomplish much for their pains, nor does Balogh bother to make them particularly consistent. She hints at past murdering but doesn't follow through, and then the smarmy charming man becomes a violent rapist type rather suddenly. Meanwhile in the good-guy camp, our perfectly noble hero does everything entirely correctly, and our impossibly silly and childish heroine romps around creating frivolous conflict and not understanding how sex works. Still, the hero treats his baby-wife with lavish kindness, remains faithful even though she screams and hits him every time he kisses her (causing him to endure a sexless marriage for months), financially supports and personally cares for her younger siblings and nanny and huge untrained dog and foul-mouthed parrot, and doesn't even stop her when she disregards his reasonable request not to hang out with his horrible cousin alone. Surprise, surprise, the cousin turns out to be up to some transparent villainy, but the heroine's too dopey to notice until it's too late. Balogh makes the (extremely common) mistake of rushing the ending, but in this case it left me feeling relieved rather than robbed.
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