Mary Balough is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Slightly novels: Slightly Married, Slightly Wicked, Slightly Scandalous, Slightly Tempted, Slightly Sinful, and Slightly Dangerous, as well as the romances No Man's Mistress, More than a Mistress, and One Night for Love. She is also the author of Simply Magic, Simply Love, and Simply Unforgettable, the first three books in her dazzling quartet of novels set at Miss Martin's School for Girls. A former teacher herself, she grew up in Wales and now lives in Canada.
Stranded in a remote country inn by a blinding snowstorm, music teacher Frances Allard and Lucius Marshall, Viscount Sinclair, give in to one night of unforgettable passion that blossoms into something unexpected-and that Frances knows can never be. A persistent hero who refuses to settle for less than love, a conflicted heroine running from a scandalous past, and a memorable cast of well-defined secondary characters refresh a classic Regency plot with humor, wit, and the sizzling romantic chemistry that one expects from Balogh. Well-written and emotionally complex, this is the first in a projected quartet of novels about four female teachers at a girls' school in Bath. Balogh (Slightly Dangerous), a veteran writer, currently of Regency-set historicals, lives in Canada. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
What happens when a haughty, rakish aristocrat and a prim, beautiful schoolteacher are stranded in a deserted country inn together during a snowstorm? They fall in love, of course. But as all this takes place in fewer than 100 pages-and as this is a fairly conventional Regency-era romance-the story doesn't end so quickly or easily. Instead, Frances Allard denies her feelings, pushes Lucius Marshall away by refusing his offer to join him in London and, when they're coincidentally thrown together again in Bath, attempts to ignore him-all of which makes Lucius try even harder to get her attention. A devastating secret from Frances's past keeps her from giving in, even when Lucius proposes marriage, but this secret turns out to be so unsurprising and so easily surmountable that Lucius's 200 pages of pursuit hardly seems worthwhile. Readers will feel some satisfaction when this well-matched duo eventually come together, and as usual Balogh peppers her tale with vibrant, amiable secondary characters, including a handful of Frances's colorful schoolteacher friends and Lucius's merry sisters. However, this romance, which launches a new series focusing on the young ladies' academy where Frances works, is far more forgettable than Balogh's popular Bedwyn family Regencies. (Apr.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
"Balogh is queen of the spicy Regency-era romance."
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