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87 of 93 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Constantine's Story, March 26, 2010
This review is from: A Secret Affair (Hardcover)
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This is the fifth book in the Huxtable Series and it is probably the most highly anticipated of the series. (See details below.) It is Constantine's story. We first met Constantine in book one when he was standing over the grave of his newly deceased younger brother, Jonathan (The Earl of Merton). Jonathan died young, being born with what we now refer to as Downs Syndrome. Through unfortunate circumstance (he was born two days before his parents married) Constantine was cut off from the line of succession and so with Jonathan's death the title and estates pass to a distant relation. Constantine is understandably bitter, the only person he truly loves has died and his unworthy successor is on the way to usurp his position. Constantine is directed to clear off the estate by his cousin Viscount Lyngate (who regards him as a blackguard, capable of stealing from his disabled brother). By all appearances, Constantine is the black sheep of the family. Ah, but then in the following books we began to get peeks behind the black mask. Constantine proves himself a ready friend to the future Earl and a constant support to his sisters. Hints are dropped that the villainous acts attributed to Constantine might not be as they seem.
"A Secret Affair" opens with the devastating Duchess of Dunbarton (Hannah) returning to town for the season. The Duchess has just cast off her blacks after a year of mourning her elderly husband. The Duke was 70 years old at the time of their marriage and for the entirety of their relationship (10 years) he openly indulged his beautiful young Duchess. Gowns, jewels, landed estates; nothing was too much for her. He instructed her in an attitude of entitlement and by all appearance she was an apt pupil. Rumors abound that during their marriage the Duchess indulged herself in ways the Duke might not have intended. Her court of virile young men and her flirtatious manner lead many to conclude that she is "no better than she ought to be." The Duchess has returned to town with a childhood friend, the vicar's daughter, who is scandalized by the Duchesses proclaimation, she is intent on embarking on a secret affair and, moreover, she has already selected "the devil" to be her partner. The devil's more proper name - Mr. Constantine Huxtable.
As the book progresses we come to see that the "secret affair" referred to in the title is not in fact the affair between Constantine and Hannah. As always, Ms. Balogh tells us a deeper story. Hannah and Constantine each hide behind a simple facade: Hannah is the care-for-nothing overly indulged Duchess and Constantine is the untrustworthy "devil". In truth these two characters are anything but simple, each being shaped by past associations. The back-story of Constantine and Jonathan is deeply moving. One is tempted to wish that Ms. Balogh had shown us their story in real time rather than reflection but perhaps that would have been too heartbreaking for this genre. Hannah's story is also affecting but does not resonate as deeply with the reader.
As is true with most of the books in this series, the pace here is a bit slow and may well be too plodding for some readers. The story is greatly enhanced by past acquaintance with the secondary characters from other books (all the Huxtables come out to play) and I would strongly recommend reading them. The books in this series are (in order): First Comes Marriage: Huxtable Series, Book 1 (Unabridged), Then Comes Seduction: Huxtable Series, Book 2 (Unabridged), At Last Comes Love: Huxtable Series, Book 3 (Unabridged), Seducing an Angel: Huxtable Series, Book 4 (Unabridged)
Recommended for fans of this genre and most particularly for those who appreciate Ms. Balogh's past efforts.
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliantly Written Trad Regency in Disguise, April 23, 2010
This review is from: A Secret Affair (Hardcover)
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Nearly a decade ago I finally "got" traditional Regency Romances, and fell in love with Mary Balogh. Not her single title historicals, but trad Regencies such as The Ideal Wife, The Obedient Bride, The Plumed Bonnet, and The Temporary Wife. Before "getting" trads, I'd tried one of her early single title historicals - it left a bad taste in my mouth. While I have bought the earlier entries in her Huxtable series because a good friend called them great examples of Regencies in Disguise, I've not yet read any of them. After being enthralled by A Secret Affair, I'll be moving them closer to the top of my massive TBR pile. It's the best book by far that I've read in nearly a year, and though it ends a series and reunites the reader with couples met in earlier books, the reunion is never saccharine and never overshadows the current story.
What I like best about Balogh is her writing's spare quality. No extra prose - or extra plot - mucks up her books so that every word and plot twist needs to be there, even those in her mild yet extremely effective love scenes. She does tend to write certain themes often, such as the prostitute heroine, but she tackles subjects other authors don't, and can convince readers to read things they normally might refuse to, such as infidelity in marriage.
A Secret Affair doesn't feature infidelity or a prostitute heroine, but it does feature a heroine rumored to have been unfaithful to the very old Duke she'd married 11 years earlier. A year after his death, now out of her widow's weeds, she is on the lookout for a lover for the Season. She has set her cap on Constantine Huxtable, whose parents failed to marry until after his birth. So, although he is the first son, he did not become his father's heir and has a reputation as a careless, heartless rake.
The beautiful Hannah Reid is not at all who she seems to be, something that becomes apparent during her first romantic tryst with Con. Most of her diamonds are paste because she cashed them out to donate money for things she believed in. She loved her husband, wasn't unfaithful to him, and she's not selfish. Burned by other people's reactions to her beauty, she accepts the doors it opens and learned well the lessons the 51-years-older duke taught her about being a strong woman in a man's world.
But Con isn't all who he seems to be either, and my one niggle with A Secret Affair is that, secretly, this man and this woman are too good to be true. And yet, they are not perfect. They are, in a word, stubborn, and that stubborness prevents them from allowing the world to see their goodness. And so, thank goodness, they are not truly flawless after all.
In Hannah and Con Balogh has crafted two strong, unique characters who are a perfect match for one another. Viewed through the stereotypical lenses of others, each hides a true self as a badge of honor, willing to accept the rumors and subsequent mystique surrounding them. Neither planned to fall in love with the other, which makes their story all the more romantic and compelling. Equally compelling is that the author shows their love through action, particularly in the sub-plot involving Con and his cousin, Elliott, the Duke of Moreland, to whom he has long been estranged. Balogh, unlike many romance authors who tend to tell rather than show true love if outside of the bedroom, does so here in a manner that leads to some spectacularly grand moments...and wonderful small ones as well.
While I long for the return of the trad Regency, if Balogh can continue with her Regencies in Disguise, I'll be there to read them.
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful conclusion to a great series., March 28, 2010
This review is from: A Secret Affair (Hardcover)
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A Secret Affair is the conclusion and culmination of one of the most well-written series that Mary Balogh has crafted. The Huxtable series has been almost perfect in length, number of characters, publication sequence and timing, and in plot and story line. (Unlike the Bedwyn series, which was bogged down by too many characters, too many plots, and publications spread over too long a period). I have enjoyed the entire five-book series; I am sorry to see it end; but I am delighted that it ended with this endearing and thoroughly fulfilling book.
Con has been my favorite character from the very beginning of the very first book even though I really didn't get to know him well until now. Hannah, is his perfect soul mate. They are alike in what they need to share and different in what they need to compliment. They are two people who bring out the best in each other and fill the empty parts of each other's hearts. Is there a better definition of love? Their path to understanding and accepting this truth is mired by old hurts, past betrayals, and fear of letting go of the masks they each wear for protection. It is a joy to see the insecurities and vulnerabilities gradually recede and see them both embrace life fully.
As in all Balogh books, it is more character-driven than event-driven. The characters become people you know and can relate to (faults and all). They have virtues, but are not perfect. They have regrets, they make mistakes and they become better persons because of them. Through it all, there is love and family well-grounded in a sense of honor and simple human decency that is both uplifting and reassuring. This has been one of the best recent examples of Balogh's ability to create a multi-layered story that flows gently, develops believably, and culminates in a serene yet exuberant celebration of life and love and values--all without preaching, psychobabble, or passing moral judgment.
I set the book aside sometimes for no other reason than I just didn't want it to end. I can recommend it without any reservations. I, especially, recommend that you read it as the last book in the series. It isn't that it can't stand on its own. It can and does. But the experience, the anticipation, and the enjoyment is much enriched by savoring all aspects of the sequence and saving the best for last.
For your convenience, the five-book Huxtable series, published between February 2009 and May 2010 in order of appearance: "First Comes Marriage", "Then Comes Seduction," "At Last Comes Love," "Seducing an Angel," and this book, "A Secret Affair." Note: "Seducing an Angel" was originally only issued in hard cover, but is now available in paperback. Enjoy!
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