Customer Reviews

INDISCREET

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What, if anything, could be better than a Regency romance by Mary Balogh? To be sure, it could only be a LONGER, more in-depth Regency romance by Mary Balogh. This was the first in a new series from Berkley as just such a lavish, extremely fulfilling treat. It is NOT a historical disguised as a Regency, but the very real thing.

From her first greeting to Viscount Rawleigh, Catherine Winters finds herself annoyingly attracted to the man, whom she had initially taken for his twin-brother and her near neighbor, Mr. Adams. The Viscount, on the other hand, makes erroneous suppositions about the lovely widow, and during the whole of this long and lovely book, sparks fly between these two strong and independent characters.

Against his better judgment, the Viscount accompanies his brother back to Bodley-on-the-water, for a change of scenery. His brother's wife is determined to make a match between her younger sister and the handsome Rex, refusing to believe he is not interested in the untried chit. He is equally determined to avoid her snares, protecting his heart from further damage, it having been broken once already.

Catherine is obviously a lady, or at least with some pretensions toward gentility, if a bit young to be a widow at the age of five-and-twenty. Content with her current existence, she has a dog for companionship, and enjoys the society (although knowing it for exactly the condescension that it is) of the occupants of the small village, from the Viscount's brother to the garrulous rector.

Of course, Rawleigh believes the toothsome widow to be eminently beddable, based on little more than a smile or two, and pursues his goal with admirable intent. She must certainly be interested in him, for how else could she so readily tell him apart from his identical brother? No one else ever could! No matter how impregnable any woman believes her fortress to be, the gates may nearly always be opened by the right key. He inadvertently compromises her; they must marry, and all the long-held secrets come tumbling out.

As usual, Mary Balogh does not disappoint the reader; this is truly (to borrow a word coined by her original publisher) a SUPER Regency!

If you are a lover of the regency period, this book is a must read for you.

When a bored young Viscount goes to the country to visit his twin brother he sees a beautiful young widow and is determined to have her as his "temporary" mistress. Just to pass the time. Viscount Rawleigh is shocked with beautiful Catherine Winters refuses him. Catherine is mortified when Viscount Rawleigh makes the inappropriate proposition to her, mostly because she was very, very tempted.

Determined to keep her reputation in tact, Catherine does all she can to stay away from the rake. Things don't turn out as Catherine plans and one night he is seen leaving her cottage after hours. Her reputation is ruined. Rex does the right thing and marries the young widow, but soon finds out that she is not as she appears. Catherine has many dark secrets. Secrets she would rather keep hidden.

This is a wonderful book that I'm sure the regency lover will adore. Catherine is charming and Rex is well, Rex is a rake. But don't we all love the rakes? Mary Balogh tells the story like no other can. Highly recommended.

Catherine Winters smiles and curtsies at a gentleman passing her in the street, thinking him to be her landlord, Mr Adams. Instead, he is her landlord's twin brother, Viscount Rawleigh, who assumes that she's throwing out lures. So he pursues her, and eventually makes an improper proposal, which she rejects angrily. Not that he gives up; he continues to pursue her. Although she is attracted to him, she has no wish to become anyone's mistress and keeps refusing him... until the night when he's careless and she's compromised utterly...

One of the things Balogh does really well in this book is to give us an excellent picture of the nature of English society in the Regency era. First we have the claustrophobic village atmosphere, and the incredibly judgemental inhabitants; it's hard to imagine how people could have coped with that. Later, we have London society: the ton, for whom an eternity would be a short time, and who were not likely to have forgotten Catherine's indiscretion in a mere six years.

Rex was at his best in the scenes after his and Catherine's marriage; up until that point he appeared shallow and uncaring, but it was after they arrived at his estate that I started to like him. And in the end this was a lovely love story.

Can't wait to read the sequel next, to find out why Ken had to hurry off so suddenly!

When Mary Balogh is good, she is very, very good, and here she excels. This love story is wonderfully written and wonderfully enjoyed. Balogh pulls the reader into her passionate story with her usual flare. This is the tale of the mysterious Catherine Winters, and the overpowering, bored Rex Adams, the Viscount Rawleigh.

Catherine is a compassionate woman living in the rural setting of Bodley-on-the-Water. She fills her peaceful days giving music lessons, baking for the sick, and reading to the elderly. Her only companion, in life, is a little terrier dog. Viscount Rawleigh is visiting his twin brother's country estate; he is titled, rich, handsome, blasé, and mistakes an innocent smile for a sexual invitation.

What is the story's true success? Mary Balogh does not allow our lovers to dwell in confrontation. Instead she chooses to tantalize her reader with the mystery surrounding Catherine Winters' past life. The author controls this intrigue with captivating skill, and when it comes to captivation, Balogh is in her element. The result? The reader is unable to put down the book.

Catherine's story is heartbreaking and her confession draws the reader to the edge of sadness. Viscount Rawleigh is the ultimate in a romance hero; he stands by his bride, and proceeds to rectify the injustice. Balogh wrote an incredible ending, with satisfying results. The villain got his just reward.

A rating of 5 stars, to me, suggests the book is perfect; however, I felt there was one stumbling block. In the end, was Catherine's father truly in her corner or not? And, if he was, why not the heartfelt begging of her forgiveness? It may not be a perfect story, but it does come close!

Oh, how I love a good book and this is a good book.

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

This is one of my favorite Baloghs, a real red-eye special that kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. I won't repeat the plot because others have done so, but the one comment I want to make is that this book endures. It bears up extraordinarily well under the acid test: re-reading. I have read this book 4 times since it came out, and each time it is just as electrifying and emotionally satisfying as the first. The only other author I can say that about is Georgette Heyer.

This is my first Balogh and it certainly won't be my last. If you crave historicals novels that are well written and characters that are perfectly drawn, you must read this book. Its fantastic! Very reminiscent of Georgette Heyer in the way Balogh can weave a tale and draw the reader in. This is not light-hearted fluff, but realistic view of regency society. The romance is wonderful and completely believable.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequels Unforgiven and Irresistable.

In most historical romances, a heroine has courage only if she fights like a man or can spar with the hero uselessly.Indiscreet is one of the few books where a heroine's courage is not defined by the above mentioned qualities but her belief in her honor and the decisions she makes.
Some great writing by Mary Balogh particularly when Catherine narrates her past to Rex. A book which truly makes you feel for its characters.

How does she do it? Mary Balogh has written historical romances for over 20 years and she is still able to continue to write excellent stories with different characters and situations who experience deep emotions. Her books aren't lightweight at all (although they may appear so at first glance) but she often deals with profound emotions and difficult histories of her characters.

Her newer books are generally in long series (6 for the 'Slightly' series, 4 for the 'Simply' series) and yet she wrote some other series previously, the 'web' series (currently being reissued) and also three novels based around the 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' (in the third in the series the remaining two horsemen got hitched). "Irresistible", the last of the three books, is still in print and is a very good read. However the other two books in the series, "Indiscreet" and "Unforgiven" are far harder to get hold of. But it's worth it - definitely! Well, at least getting "Indiscreet" is worth it, I haven't managed to find "Unforgiven" yet.

So why is "Indiscreet" so good? It's the normal Balogh formula of letting you deeply into the characters of flawed people and watching them learn and change. In some ways our hero isn't as heroic as he should be, at least at the beginning - Rex Adams, Viscount Rawleigh, believes that Mrs Catherine Winters, a widow, is inviting him to a liaison whilst he visits his brother Claude. When he propositions Catherine she turns him down but his interest is piqued and he pursues her. Unfortunately some of his behaviour isn't appropriate for a quiet village and he ends up being indiscreet and Catherine's reputation is ruined.

Catherine, it seems, is no stranger to ruin. As the story progresses we learn about her past and why she has buried herself in a small village for the last five years. Rex also begins to understand that women can be powerless against male importunate behaviour and that can have drastic results in their lives. He and Catherine are forced together by circumstances, neither wanting a relationship for their own reasons, and yet they have to make something of it. Rex finds his newfound responsibilities are the making of him and he certainly comes across better in the second half of the book as he works to restore relationships, dispense justice and to make something of his relationship with Catherine.

Sometimes Catherine seemed rather cold as a heroine when reading this story but the reasons become apparent as the tale progresses. She is an amazingly strong woman who is able to withstand huge pressure from family and society in her past but who is unable to withstand it a second time. She doesn't delve as deeply into Rex's history as he does to hers but it becomes apparent that they are what each other needs and the story, although lighter in tone than many of Balogh's other books (the subject matter is dark but we don't perhaps experience the emotions as strongly as we do in books such as "The Secret Pearl") it is still a very enjoyable read.

It has been a while since I've read this one, but if this is the book I think it is--the heroine went through hell. Considering her past and the time in which she is living, she has little hope. It was gratifying to see her not only survive but with the hero's help to triumph. She got her happy ending the hard way. She earned it.

Mary Balogh once again give us characters care about.

Catherine Winters is a woman who has started a life in the country to escape her past. However, when the principal landowner in the area has a house party, she meets Viscount Rawleigh who mistakenly thinks to take her as his mistress. Neither party counts on the intensity of their attraction to each other nor the circumstances that ultimately bring them together.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to read about well developled characters and an engrossing plot. Mary Balogh does it again!