The Secret Mistress by Mary Balogh

If you devoured the decade-old tales of Tresh and Ferdie, the brothers formally known as Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham and Lord Ferdinand Dudley, you will be thrilled to hear that Mary Balogh has responded to fan requests by penning their sister’s story. And what a sister! Ready for her debut into society at 17, Angeline is forced to delay her come-out for one year to mourn her mother’s death, and she suffers a second year wait when she breaks her leg. Her brother refuses to let Angie make her curtsy to the Queen on crutches. Now 19, Angie is impatient to leave her sheltered existence in Acton Park for London’s marriage mart. Her ideal mate is not a dashing rakehell like her father and brothers. She wants an ordinary man who will value her and family life. He will be a refined gentleman, but one not drawn to gaming, duels and dandy clothing. He is what her brothers call “a dry, old stick,” that Balogh brings to life.

Angie herself has a tendre’ for bright colors, fancy hats and behavior not suited to a debutante; “. . . a large, wide-brimmed bonnet in varying shades of green and orange—and not subtle shades at that—laden with artificial fruit and flowers and ribbons and bows and Lord knew what other bells and whistles . . .” This is not the typical attire of a sniveling society miss. Angie rides in the rain on Rotten Row with Ferdie and his friends rather than simpering along in a lady-like carriage. She is a Dudley, after all, albeit a female.

Here lies Mary Balogh’s strength as an author. She takes Regency England seriously, but not too seriously. Humor is mixed with romance and intrigue in a satisfying blend, and the books are not uncomfortably sexy. A New York Times best-selling author known for her historical romances displaying wit and compelling characters, Balogh wrote the first two titles detailing the Dudley dynasty in 2000--More Than a Mistress and 2001--No Man’s Mistress. The Secret Mistress (2011) is actually a prequel to the other Mistress titles, and when I finished Angie’s story, I had to go back and reread Tresh and Ferdie’s books to see how the stories all fit together. The six books in her Slightly Series about the Bedwyn family, the Simply Quartet, and the five titles in the Huxtable Series are popular enough that many of her older series romances are being re-released. I enjoy the overlapping characters and interlocking stories as well as being carried away to a different era and continent. Here’s an interview with Balogh from Romantic Times. Light reading for sure, but just what I need for a breezy summer evening.

~Michelle, Adult Services

Staff Review: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

I do not understand why The River of No Return doesn't have a dozen people on the hold list. Sure, this is Bee Ridgway's first novel, and you probably don't spend a portion of your work and free time tracking new books, seeing what's getting good advance reviews, judging the cover art for books that won't be available for sale for months, etc. etc.

Maybe this is the first you're hearing about The River of No Return. That's fair, but now you need to place a hold on the library's copy or go out and buy your own because this is a book worth reading.

Let me walk that back a little. I usually wait a few weeks before posting a book review on the library's blog, and I only just finished this book on Saturday, so I'm maybe still bubbling over with those good book emotions. So! Walking it back, you need to check out The River of No Return, at your earliest convenience, if you are the sort of reader who enjoys:

• Time Travel
• Globe Spanning Conspiracies and Secret Societies
• Love Stories
• Characters Who Aren't Dimwits
• Complicated Morality

In 1812, Lord Nicholas Falcott is presumed dead at the Battle of Salamanca, but instead he finds himself transported into the distant future and the welcoming arms of The Guild. Left in the past is Julia Percy, granddaughter of the Earl whose estate borders Nick's own, and with her grandfather's death in 1815, Julia is truly an orphan. How their paths come to cross again, and all of the manipulation and complications that requires is where the story lies.

If, like me, you enjoy historical romances, you won't be disappointed there. I wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Ridgway hasn't read her share of Julia Quinn's, Mary Balogh's, and all the other authors whose books have "duke" in the title. Never fear, a prior love of steamy romance novels is by no means a must to pick up this book, but if you find you enjoy the love story, you might want to browse around our Romance collection!

My only complaint is that the book ends with a couple of dangling plot threads. On the one hand, I'm happy for the idea that I might get to explore this world of time travelers again in some future sequel. On the other hand, I'm going to be wondering... Well, that would be a spoiler, so go! Read the book, and come back and we can discuss what we think is going to happen next!

Other books to read, in case I succeed in creating a wait list for The River of No Return:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (read alikes for Outlander)
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (staff review for The Rook)
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (staff review for Discovery of Witches) (read alikes for Deborah Harkness)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

The Malloren World Series by Jo Beverly

New York Times bestselling author Jo Beverley wrote her first Malloren book in 1993.  Her most recent title in the series, Seduction in Silk, published in August 2013, introduced me to the Malloren world, and I was compelled to go back to the beginning.

In very short order I read the original five books that tell the stories of Beowulf Malloren, Marquess of Rothgar, and his half-siblings, Arcenbryght, Brand and the twins Cynric and Elfled.
 
Although Beowulf, Bey to his family, is oldest, his story comes last.  His father and step-mother die when Bey is 19, and he refuses to let his family be separated.  When Bey was a toddler, he was unable to prevent his mother from killing his infant sister Edith.  He does not want his heir to have this taint of madness.  Throughout the first four books, readers learn more and more about the Malloren family and, as his brothers and sisters find adventure and love, speculate if Bey will break his vow never to marry.  Bey is the most complicated character I’ve met so far in the series, and I like Devilish best.  He is haughty and dictatorial, politically astute and still a devoted brother.

Beverley, a five-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America's RITA Award, and a member of the RWA Hall of Fame, has a degree in history from Keele University.  She imbues her Georgian historical romances with well-researched and accurate details.  She has a lively website and is one of eight authors blogging since 2006 as The Word Wenches.  While I like the interlinking characters in the Malloren world, it is Beverley’s ability to create distinct character and plot elements for each title that kept me reading.  She joins Mary Balogh, Eloisa James, and Julia Quinn as authors that are part of my Author Alerts service, so I am notified when a new book is released.

~ Michelle, Adult Services