Christmas Beau (Signet) [Paperback]

Mary Balogh (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Signet (December 3, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451171020
• ISBN-13: 978-0451171023
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #861,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Balogh 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 Love, Simply Unforgettable, Simply Magic, and Simply Perfect, 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Balogh's best, January 28, 2001

By 

"rudyoliver" (Toledo, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas Beau (Signet) (Paperback)

Eight years ago, Judith Easton eloped, breaking her betrothal to the Viscount Evendon. Now newly widowed, she is maneuvered into spending the Christmas holidays with him, along with her two children and sister-in-law. She doesn't trust the now Marquess of Denbigh, and for good reason; he is setting her up to break her heart, in revenge for his earlier heartbreak. Both have loads of pain and guilt to deal with. A reconcilliation would take a miracle. But, fortunately, Christmas is a time for miracles..... This shows Mary Balogh at her best - no contrived plots with runaway heiresses or French spies, just two people who fight the overwhelming odds to reach for love. The final scene is heartrending, and truly inspired. Both display a newly-found maturity that allows them to put aside their past mistakes and start again. I truly love this book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revenge is sweet... or is it?, December 28, 2002

By 

Dr W. Richards "wmr-uk" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Beau (Signet) (Paperback)

Eight years ago, Max, then Viscount Evendon, was engaged to Judith Blakeford. But, with a month to go until the wedding, she eloped with Andrew Easton. Judith found her fiancé cold and forbidding, whereas Andrew tempted her with romance and passion. Yet marriage disillusions her: her husband is a drunken debaucher who spends most of his time away from her and their children, engaging in seduction.

Eight years later, Judith, now widowed, returns to London, and encounters her former fiancé once more. Max, now the Marquess of Denbigh, has nursed a desire for vengeance for the entire eight years since she ran off, leaving her father to break the news that he'd been jilted. His once-time love for Judith has turned to hatred, and he wants revenge.

Max ensures that his and Judith's paths cross as frequently as possible, doing his best to charm his way into her children's good graces and those of her sister-in-law, Amy - that seems to be the easiest way to get Judith to spend time with him. When he succeeds in getting her to accept his invitation to spend Christmas at his estate he knows that his plan is succeeding. All he needs to do is to make her fall in love with him, the way he once loved her, and then abandon her, just as she once abandoned him. Then his revenge will be complete.

But this is Christmas, a time for love and peace and forgiveness, not a time for darkness and hatred. Can Max really sustain his desire for vengeance in the face of the woman he still loves? Can Judith overcome the memory of her fear of Denbigh and her guilt for what she once did to him - and her conviction that he means only to hurt her? Can these two people ever learn to trust one another?

This is a lovely book, and one of Balogh's better Christmas novels, a period she does so well. Its theme is very seasonal, with love, forgiveness and hope at the core of the book, and a cast of supporting characters who are alone and in need of love. There is also a very sweet secondary romance featuring two characters both of whom thought themselves never likely to fall in love or marry. The book is very hard to find, but well worth it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching story, November 9, 2002

By 

TooManyHobbies "too_many_hobbies" (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Christmas Beau (Signet) (Paperback)

One of Balogh's best. Lovely story with believable characters, believable problems, and best of all touchingly believable conclusion.

Eight years previously Judith Easton had jilted the Marquess of Denbigh to elope with another man. Now recently widowed she returns to London, and into the sights of the waiting Marquess. Max has had eight years to plan his subtle revenge. He will worm his way into her heart; shower her with affection and warmth. Then, when she least expects it, he will abandon her without a word. It is a good plan, a perfect plan, but as Max slowly discovers it is very hard to hurt the woman that still holds his heart.