The Mistress Series (Trilogy) – by Mary Balogh
Jan 22, 2018 12:08:39 GMT -7
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Post by secretromancejunkie on Jan 22, 2018 12:08:39 GMT -7
The Mistress Series (Trilogy) – by Mary Balogh
The genre for all is HR.
These books are about three siblings and their separate roads to love and happiness. The order in which they were published is not the order in which they should be read. The first two books published were about the brothers. In those books the sister has been married several years. Ten years later the author went back and wrote the sister’s story, but it really should be read first.
The Secret Mistress
Rating 3/5
Heat 3/10
Angeline Dudley is the sister (and daughter) of a duke. Her father, and both her brothers, set terrible examples of how men treat women. Angeline has decided she wants someone as unlike her father and brothers as possible. She falls in love with the Earl of Heyward from their very first encounter, because he is exactly the kind of proper, upright man she wants. Her brother calls him a dry old stick.
Angeline is an odd duck. She is a bit insecure and this manifests itself in incessant chatter. She also has appallingly bad taste in hats and the color of her clothing. She thinks of herself as being silly and maybe not very bright. She has decided that she will please herself in her choice of hats no matter what anyone else thinks.
Heyward is annoyed when he finds out that the debutant he has been set up with is none other than the silly woman he had to defend earlier. But as they are thrown together in many situations he realizes that Angeline is unfailingly kind and may just bring the joy into his life that he needs.
This is almost a clean romance. There is one relatively short scene near the end of the book.
More than a Mistress
Rating 4/5
Heat 6/10
Jane Inglesby is on the run. About to be accused of theft and possibly murder, she never the less interferes in an impending dual. She ends up losing one job and being taken on as the Duke of Tresham’s nurse (as his being shot was her fault for interfering).
When he’s recovered from his wound, he offers her a position as his mistress. As she is now wanted for murder, she reluctantly accepts. Tresham finds he can be a different man with Jane. He relaxes and becomes simply Jocelyn.
Then Jane is exposed and Jocelyn’s anger results in actions he later regrets. The love that had blossomed turns to anger and hurt for both of them.
I loved the character of Jane. She is so strong. Tresham intimidates everyone with just a look. Except Jane. Jocelyn’s character is changed through the growing closeness with Jane. He becomes a man that can give and accept love. I felt a bit cheated by the abrupt ending of this story. Luckily, the author has included scenes that her publisher deleted in the bonus content of The Secret Mistress. Don’t peak at them till you’ve read this book though.
No Man’s Mistress
Rating 2.5/5
Heat 6/10
Viola is the mistress/owner of Pinebrook Manor. Until Lord Ferdinand Dudley shows up claiming that he won the property in a card game. Viola and her staff do everything they can to make Ferdinand miserable in the hopes that he’ll just leave. But he’s determined to stay.
When Ferdinand’s brother (the Duke of Tresham) shows up, Viola’s former identity is revealed. A bet is made. If Viola can seduce Ferdinand within a week, the property is hers. Likewise, she’ll leave quietly if she loses.
But as they develop feelings for each other the bet becomes moot. Until Viola learns that her sister is being threatened and she flees back to London.
I was disappointed by this book for a number of reasons. The antics of Viola and her staff could have been funny. But instead, it came across as mean spirited. I didn’t really like Viola and it had nothing to do with her former identity. It had to do with her attitude when she felt cornered or threatened. She turned mean. I wasn’t really rooting for this couple until the very end.
In The Secret Mistress (published 10 years after the other two) the author includes deleted scenes from the other two books. IMO the other two books would have been better if those scenes had been left in. There is also a seven years later epilogue. But it wasn’t much. Mostly a litany of names and ages of all the various children.
The genre for all is HR.
These books are about three siblings and their separate roads to love and happiness. The order in which they were published is not the order in which they should be read. The first two books published were about the brothers. In those books the sister has been married several years. Ten years later the author went back and wrote the sister’s story, but it really should be read first.
The Secret Mistress
Rating 3/5
Heat 3/10
Angeline Dudley is the sister (and daughter) of a duke. Her father, and both her brothers, set terrible examples of how men treat women. Angeline has decided she wants someone as unlike her father and brothers as possible. She falls in love with the Earl of Heyward from their very first encounter, because he is exactly the kind of proper, upright man she wants. Her brother calls him a dry old stick.
Angeline is an odd duck. She is a bit insecure and this manifests itself in incessant chatter. She also has appallingly bad taste in hats and the color of her clothing. She thinks of herself as being silly and maybe not very bright. She has decided that she will please herself in her choice of hats no matter what anyone else thinks.
Heyward is annoyed when he finds out that the debutant he has been set up with is none other than the silly woman he had to defend earlier. But as they are thrown together in many situations he realizes that Angeline is unfailingly kind and may just bring the joy into his life that he needs.
This is almost a clean romance. There is one relatively short scene near the end of the book.
More than a Mistress
Rating 4/5
Heat 6/10
Jane Inglesby is on the run. About to be accused of theft and possibly murder, she never the less interferes in an impending dual. She ends up losing one job and being taken on as the Duke of Tresham’s nurse (as his being shot was her fault for interfering).
When he’s recovered from his wound, he offers her a position as his mistress. As she is now wanted for murder, she reluctantly accepts. Tresham finds he can be a different man with Jane. He relaxes and becomes simply Jocelyn.
Then Jane is exposed and Jocelyn’s anger results in actions he later regrets. The love that had blossomed turns to anger and hurt for both of them.
I loved the character of Jane. She is so strong. Tresham intimidates everyone with just a look. Except Jane. Jocelyn’s character is changed through the growing closeness with Jane. He becomes a man that can give and accept love. I felt a bit cheated by the abrupt ending of this story. Luckily, the author has included scenes that her publisher deleted in the bonus content of The Secret Mistress. Don’t peak at them till you’ve read this book though.
No Man’s Mistress
Rating 2.5/5
Heat 6/10
Viola is the mistress/owner of Pinebrook Manor. Until Lord Ferdinand Dudley shows up claiming that he won the property in a card game. Viola and her staff do everything they can to make Ferdinand miserable in the hopes that he’ll just leave. But he’s determined to stay.
When Ferdinand’s brother (the Duke of Tresham) shows up, Viola’s former identity is revealed. A bet is made. If Viola can seduce Ferdinand within a week, the property is hers. Likewise, she’ll leave quietly if she loses.
But as they develop feelings for each other the bet becomes moot. Until Viola learns that her sister is being threatened and she flees back to London.
I was disappointed by this book for a number of reasons. The antics of Viola and her staff could have been funny. But instead, it came across as mean spirited. I didn’t really like Viola and it had nothing to do with her former identity. It had to do with her attitude when she felt cornered or threatened. She turned mean. I wasn’t really rooting for this couple until the very end.
In The Secret Mistress (published 10 years after the other two) the author includes deleted scenes from the other two books. IMO the other two books would have been better if those scenes had been left in. There is also a seven years later epilogue. But it wasn’t much. Mostly a litany of names and ages of all the various children.
