Customer Reviews

The Secret Pearl

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

There aren't many writers of historical romances - especially set in the English Regency period - who can make their heroine a prostitute, have the reader know about it right from the start of the book, and not only get away with it, but have the readers on the heroine's side from the beginning. But Balogh's done it, and more than once too. The Secret Pearl opens with Adam, Duke of Raybourne, emerging from the Drury Lane Theatre, parting from his friends, and seeing a sad-looking prostitute standing in the shadows. Something makes him approach her; despite the fact that she isn't throwing out any lures to him at all, he hires her. And, despite the fact that sleeping with prostitutes isn't something he makes a habit of, he takes her to a room in a run-down inn to use her.

This, we find, is Fleur's first night as a prostitute; having gone two days without food and unable to get a job, she has decided to sell the only remaining asset she has: herself. Her client, though, makes the experience almost as bad as it could possibly be: he is clinical and direct about what he wants, and - not knowing that Fleur is a virgin - he hurts her.

Afterwards, Adam does feel some guilt, and he feeds Fleur as well as giving her three times as much money as she asked for. And then he sends his secretary to ensure that she is offered a job - as governess to his daughter. His motives, he assumes, are simply philanthropic: he hates the thought of a gentlewoman down on her luck having to survive on the streets, and he feels guilty for not having realised before it was too late that she wasn't accustomed to her trade.

So Fleur takes up residence in the Duke of Raybourne's estate, delighted to have found a refuge both from her life in London and from the horrors from which she ran in the first place. Until the Duke of Raybourne comes home, and she discovers that he is the same man who fills her nightmares, the man who hurt her, the man who, in her dreams, rapes her nightly. And yet, as the days go by, he is also the man who comforts her, who protects her and who offers her a safe refuge.

And there are many more complications in what is already a complex story: Adam, of course, is married, and he is an honourable man who will not betray his marriage vows, despite his lapse in London - the only time he has ever been unfaithful. And Fleur is running from a murder charge. And her tormentor is even closer than she imagines.

Balogh creates a wonderful, believable portrait of what seems to be an impossible relationship. Adam, appallingly scarred both internally and externally as a result of Waterloo plus private torments, and who was cruelly rough with Fleur when he hired her as a prostitute, does not seem to be the ideal romantic hero - and yet he is, in every way. Fleur, a possible murderer, a prostitute, does not seem to be the ideal heroine, either - and yet she isn't at all what she seems, although she did certainly sell herself on the streets. But how is it possible that she could fall in love with the man who haunts her nightmares? How could a decent, married man fall in love with another woman? But Balogh pulls it off so convincingly that I could barely put the book down.

The Secret Pearl is a classic which will have you reading breathlessly, eager to find out what happens next. It's poignant, heartwrenching and utterly romantic, and it's a classic. I can't for the life of me imagine why Balogh's current publisher hasn't tried to reissue this; it would be yet another best-seller for her. As it is, the best you can do is to buy it second-hand, if you can get hold of it - and that's not easy, because those of us who do have it will NOT let go of it!

The Secret Pearl is Mary Balogh at her best. The Secret Pearl is romance at it's best! I finished this book last night hours after I should have been asleep. When I can't put the book down like this, I know it's a 5 star read.

Adam is scarred from his battle in Waterloo but he is scarred on the inside too. When this Duke sees a quiet unassuming prostitute standing in the shadows of a theatre, he is drawn to her although he has remained faithful to his marriage vows since he married the current duchess 5 years before. He doesn't know why the prostitute stays on his mind after their fateful night but we find out as he eventually does that he was meant for her and she for him. The prostitute is Fleur, a lady down on her luck or so it would seem. Fate, it seems had let Adam and Fleur down for many years but smiles on Adam and Fleur on this fateful night. Of course Adam and Fleur would disagree then that fate was smiling on them. For that is the night that Fleur decided she was not going to go without food for the 3rd day in a row. She can live or die and she makes her choice to live knowing that the only thing she had to sell at that point was her body. The employment agency had all but laughed in her face when she sought employment without references. She tells Adam that she had been standing there for a day or so but noone else had wanted her. Adam doesn't wonder why as he looks Fleur over and notices her dull scraggly hair, her thin and drawn body, and her dried cracked lips.

Adam and Fleur are complex characters, much more than the usual two dimensional characters we get from your average romance that is churned out every month. Even the villians aren't just evil for the sake of being evil. They are also complex and most have their reasons for their weaknesses.

Adam is not a martyre. Nor is he perfect. He is simply an honorable man. (I don't want to spoil anything for those about to read the book but I don't like men who cheat so don't think you'll have to accept any less in this book if you're of the same nature. When I say honorable, I mean it in every way) Fleur has every reason to believe Adam is a monster based on her first impression of him. The romance is about how Fleur gets to know Adam and he her. But more than anything it's about two people who should have nothing in common but has one main thing in common: Neither have been loved nor cared for in a very long time although they are themselves loving and caring people.

I love it when the man shares his feelings with the love of his life. And I love the way the story is told. You get her side and then his side but it's done so smoothly you don't feel any inturruptions or jerks in the telling of the love story. When he declared his feelings to Fleur and her vision became blurred, so did mine. I'll admit it. I cried. But I cried because it was such a well written book. But Mary always draws me in emotionally like that. And it's not the heavy drepressing felt emotions, the kind that I can only handle now & then. (this is a true romance, not a tear-jerker docu-drama) This is light enough for a warm all over kind of feeling. But don't be misled about this being a complex book as far as reading it goes. There are no prerequisite readings, you don't have to recall your history lessons, you do not have to read the first 100 pages before you get to the real story. This book allows one to escape to a different world that Mary is so good at delivering and as usual, you're already involved in the story from Chapter one.

If you're a Mary addict like I am, then this is a must read for you. This book is definitely one of my top 5 Mary Balogh books from a list of 43 books I've already read of hers. If you're new to Mary, I urge you to get this book and catch up on your sleeping and chores before you start THE SECRET PEARL because you won't be able to put the book down once you start!

Last spring, I read Mary Balogh's More Than a Mistress and loved it, but was disappointed with No Man's Mistress and decided not to bother with Balogh again. However, someone told me about The Secret Pearl and how I should read it because it is a beautiful story that is also quite historically accurate to boot. I couldn't find this so-called gem for a while and gave up. But I bought it the second I heard that the book had been reprinted. My friend had been right! This is one beautiful, tragic, heartbreaking love story of star-crossed lovers and unrequited love with an amazing eye on historical detail. Isabella Fleur Bradshaw has reached her last resort. Having escaped from her home after tragedy strikes, she is starving and penniless and has resorted to the last and most unwanted option: to become a whore. She meets a dark, brooding, scarred gentleman one evening outside a theater. She sells her body for the first and only time. The experience is dark and sordid and one she doesn't wish to repeat again. She especially doesn't want to see the scary scarred man again. But when she accepts the position as a five-year-old girl's governess one week later, she discovers that not only is the scarred man her new employer, but that he is also Adam Kent, the Duke of Ridgeway, husband and father. Seeing him awakens her nightmares from that terrible night and she fears him and is repulsed by him. Slowly, however, she discovers a different side of the duke. Reluctant, these two tortured souls find themselves becoming closer to one another, but they both have secrets, secrets that are worse than breaking the rules of propriety. There are many twists throughout the novel.

As I read this novel, I remembered the reason why I enjoyed More than a Mistress so much -- Balogh's beautiful, fluid prose. She makes you feel the time period and the emotions the characters go through. This is Regency England through and through and at times I felt as though I was reading Jane Eyre. Rules of propriety are brought up a lot in this novel, and some people may find it overwrought, but those were the ways of the time and I for one am glad that Balogh hadn't ignored them. Some authors choose style over substance when it comes time to writing a historical romance novel, and that is why most of said novels only succeed in pulling the reader out of the story. Fleur is kind of frustrating at times. For a large portion of the book, you will read about her fear of Adam and how she thinks that all of his selfless acts are attempts to turn her into his mistress, though that is not the case, for Adam is an honorable man who, aside from that one night, has been faithful to his selfish wife. I understood Fleur's fear and wariness of the duke, for their first encounter is quite dark and awful. In fact, that opening chapter sets quite a dark tone for the novel and that scene of them together at the inn was, as said earlier, sordid (to put some potential readers at ease, Adam does not rape Fleur). But I forgave Adam for his behavior quite soon. Yes, what he does at the inn is hurtful and wrong, but he had his own personal reasons for behaving the way he did. Adam becomes almost a saint in his efforts to make up for his mistake, and his efforts go a long way towards endearing him to the reader, but when you get right down to it, he's too good to be true. Men like that don't really exist. (If only!) But that is what makes him appealing. I wish he had more backbone when it came to handling his wife though. All in all, he is a redeemed hero in more ways than one. The secondary characters -- namely Lady Pamela (Adam's daughter), Sybil (the duchess), and Thomas Kent (Adam's brother) and Matthew (Fleur's obsessed guardian) -- are well-drawn and have many layers and nuances. Matthew, Sybil and Thomas aren't sympathetic characters by a long shot, but they aren't cardboard cutout villains either, not in the slightest. I think readers will love this heart wrenching romance of two star-crossed lovers who fall in love despite numerous obstacles, but readers will also be drawn to the historical aspect of the novel. Mary Balogh is a master storyteller that pulls you into the story and doesn't let go until its final pages. The Secret Pearl is a memorable gem and I look forward to reading more of the author's books. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Several friends had given me raving reviews of this book, so I was a little afraid to have too many expectations and be disappointed. I shouldn't have! This was no doubt one of the most enthralling novels I've ever read -- I was still up at 4 am last night trying to finish it, because it is impossible to put it down once you start this book.

The story starts with a difficult, raw scene of a man using the services of a prostitute in a seedy London hotel. For the first time since he married, Adam Kent, Duke of Ridgeway, is being unfaithful and giving in to the temptation of needs that his wife doesn't fulfil. He hadn't planned to hire the girl's services, but something beyond his own understanding beckons him to her that night.

Fleur was once a Lady, until dreadful events forced her to run away from her home and left her alone and without resources. That night, selling her body is the last choice she has. She accepts her fate with courage and doesn't even flinch or show her disgust towards her customer's badly scarred body or his emotionless treatment.

It's too late when Adam Kent realises that Fleur was a virgin who is selling her body as the only alternative to starvation. Moved by what poverty can lead to, the Duke orders his secretary to find Fleur and offer her a post as his daughter's governess.

So it is a surprised and suddenly hopeful Fleur who settles in Willoughby a few days later, unaware that her new employer is her one and only customer. And for a couple of weeks, she allows herself to relax and put both the heavy secrets that sent her away from her home and the dreadful night in London to the back of her mind... until the Duke comes home and she discovers the truth of his identity.

It's difficult to put into words what is so exceptional about The Secret Pearl. It's amazing that someone who appears like an anti-hero in the beginning of the book, a careless man who pays the services of a prostitute despite his married state, and treats her with so much contempt at first, turns out to be a vulnerable, tender, loving and romantic hero. We progressively discover a man who has been badly scarred by life, not just physically but also emotionally, and who still puts his loved ones' happiness before his own. We fear for Fleur when she's cornered, caught between what made her run from her home and the secret that links her to Adam. Her fear of him, seen both through her eyes and Adam's, is remarkably real. The change of feelings between Fleur and Adam, whom she sees as the brutal man who took her virginity in her nightmares, then as the only person who can save her from losing herself completely, flows very naturally until it culminates in one of the most poignant love scenes I've ever read.

I had been impressed by several books by Mary Balogh before, but this one is simply outstanding.

If you're a fan of tearjerky romances, The Secret Pearl is a must-read... and must-re-read. :)

I actually wanted to rate this book as a 4 ½ star read. I loved it - couldn't put it down and was up to the wee hours finishing it - truly a mark of a great story. However, I did have a few issues with the characters that held it back from a full five stars.

The plot is unique. The heroine, Fleur has reached a desperate state and is left with no other course than to sell her body for the few coins needed to buy food and pay the rent on her slum-level room. Depending on how you look at it, by either bad luck or incredibly good luck, her first and only customer is Adam, Duke of Raybourne. Suffering his own emotional and physical scars, Adam initiates Fleur into the art of sex with no awareness and therefore no consideration toward her inexperience, leaving her in agony both mentally and physically. Out of his guilt, Adam arranges for Fleur to serve as his daughter's governess. Over the course of several weeks spent at his home, Willoughby, Adam finds himself drawn more and more to Fleur even as she continues to fear him. But when Fleur finds her past catching up to her, she is surprised to discover not only an ally in Adam but a comfort as well.

As I said, I loved the story, and for the most part, I loved both the hero and heroine. But a few issues kept me from giving this book a five star rating. First of all, I found Adam far too forgiving and accepting of his wife and her disrespect for him as her husband. While I admire his determination to honor his marriage vows, he teetered on the edge of doormat for me because he suffered so much with little defense for himself, willing to sacrifice his own life and happiness for a woman who was far from deserving of such a man.

And honestly, I thought that Adam didn't need the scars he'd received during Waterloo to make him a haunted and tormented hero. He had enough emotional baggage from his dysfunctional marriage that his physical disfigurements seemed almost over-the-top. In fact, I would have like to see Adam as a very handsome man who constantly fought off the attentions of women because he felt honor-bound to his wife.

I found Fleur a bit too passive for me. She endured unwanted advances from more than one character with no complaint, and at a crucial point in the story, she fled when she should have remained, causing herself more pain and worry. Granted, her history and situation did much to show us how trapped she was and how powerless to help herself. Her motives for prostituting herself were sound, and I admired her spunk in not giving up. I just wish she'd had a little more fire rather than resigned acceptance of the hand fate had dealt her.

I agree very much with SJM's review regarding Fleur's continual feelings toward Adam. While I completely understand her initial revulsion and fear, the fact that these feelings continued through a good healthy portion of the story set me to wondering if these two would ever find a loving place. Then, when her feelings did turn, it was rather sudden and abrupt. Kind of like a light switch. I would have preferred a more gradual thaw that progressed a bit more rapidly.

All that being said, the romance between these two characters was excellently drawn. The sexual tension was at a fever pitch, and I really wanted these two to find happiness with each other. Too, within some of the least sexually intense scenes I've ever read in romance novels (kissing only), I felt an incredible heat between Adam and Fleur. A romance of epic proportions, I really ached for them when they were separated.

Add to this the fact that I couldn't put the book down, I do highly recommend it. A fabulous read all the way around.

Mary Balogh doesn't seem able to write a bad book, although some of her earlier books feel a little less rounded than the later ones (her "Slightly" series and "Simply" series). The Secret Pearl is an older book, written in 1991, but in no way does it fail to match up with her newer books - this is a brilliantly written and touching story, although it probably wouldn't appeal as much to the person who just wants to read a straight romance of the "wham, bam, thankyou mam" variety.

Tell me, when was the last time you read a book which had, as its heroine, a prostitute who is also a murderess? And when was the last time you read a book where the hero was ugly, scarred, used said prostitute (being unfaithful to his wife) and then, when she was terrified of him, contrived to keep her close at hand so that she got over her fear? Hmmm, takes a while but no, haven't read any other books like this one. And, having read what I've said there, our hero and heroine don't seem very heroic at all. Far from it!

But Mary Balogh's books always seem to delve deeper into the realities of life in Regency England - not just the gowns and balls and glamour but the seedier underside, particularly for those who have no money or have fallen foul of society in some other way. These books aren't straight "Girl meets Duke, they fall in love and get married" - there is always a lot more to overcome for the characters and consequently the books are far more satisfying.

So.... Fleur Hamilton finds herself on the streets soliciting for the first time, having run away from the scene where she has accidentally killed a man. And her first customer is the scarred Duke of Ridgeway who decides, after the event, that he has to make amends to her in some way, and so Fleur ends up becoming Governess to Lady Pamela Ridgeway, not realising it is her customer's daughter and his household. The Duke's wife instantly takes a dislike to Fleur and Lady Pamela isn't much more willing to be taught so Fleur doesn't have an easy time and yet it is much better than earning her living on the streets.

And then the master of the house comes home and she recognises him as the man who has been giving her nightmares ever since her experience with him. He is wrestling with his own demons - his unfaithful wife and inability to come to terms with the scarring he received in battle - and finds himself circling round the wary Fleur. He has no further designs on her, but as they interact he begins to see her in a different light.

There's a lot of darkness in this story - both of events and of circumstances; our hero is married, for example, and is unfaithful to his wife. We can't entirely sympathise with any of the characters which is what makes the book more of an achievement - just like us, the characters are flawed, and yet they are trying to work through these flaws. The Duke turns out to be a very good person to have helping you when you're trying to discover the truth about the death at your hands and it is good that the resolution is resolved over time and not an instant fix which so often happens in this genre of book.

I strongly recommend this book if you enjoyed Balogh's "More than a Mistress" (another excellent read) and if you like your romances with a bit more to them than most. I can't recommend the cover art at all - once again a cheesy cursive script on a shockingly pink background - but if you look beyond the outward appearance you'll find a lot more than you expected; rather like our characters in this book.

This is, by far, the most powerful, most wonderful book I've ever read.

Even though, I do admit, Fleur's reluctance for more than half the book is irksome and unbelievable, I still have enjoyed this book over and over and over again for the past year.

Now, I know when I say this next paragraph, it will be revealing the end, so if you don't want to know what happens, even though it's obvious, don't read the next paragraph.

I remember reading through maybe the last 50 pages, and I kept on having to tell myself, "Now, you know they're not EVER getting back together. They can't. He's married. He always will be. They will have to stay apart." And I have never had that happen to me. All the rest of the romance books that I've EVER read, I knew they'd get together. But I though Mary was making an exception this time. To make the story more interesting. I was more than pleasantly surprised when Adam's wife died. I'll just be honest. I started crying and jumping around my room. At 3 o'clock in the morning. Yeah, I was that ecstatic.

Any way, I know this review does not give the book any reward, but this book should be honored and honored FOREVER. That's how much I love this book.

And if you haven't figured it out already, I'LL HURT YOU IF YOU DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! GRRRRRARGH!!!!!!!!!!

Heh.

Yeah, so I DO recommend it, by the way. ;]

OK, I won't rehash everything the other readers have already said, but I will make a few statements that are probably not unique and tell you why I give it five stars and what my reservations are.

WHY I GAVE THE BOOK FIVE STARS:
Because Mary Balogh can write her ass off! Some authors have good plots, good premises, good characters and can't tell the story. There are those authors whose plot and story surpasses their ability to actually write it. (That's why I'm so disappointed with the current crop of romance novels that are out right now--the back cover looks good, but inside it's all crap.) Not so with Mary Balogh. Not only does the inside of the book match the promise of the back cover, but many times she tells the story you don't even want to hear. I mean, she takes the most horrible situations, worst personalities, circumstances and characters and writes with such skill that you actually care. (That's why I'm at work with bags under my eyes right now! I stayed up late reading last night, and I was an hour late to work for reading this morning.) She makes her characters come alive. And many times it's one or two poignant scenes in a book that make a character come to life, such as when Adam hands Fleur a cloth and her hands are shaking so badly that she can't even function. Oh my Gosh! That was like page 5 and I was hooked.

WHY I HAVE RESERVATIONS:
Fleur: Girl, stop running away from Adam all the time; He's a hottie if you give him a chance! Ok, really, I got a little tired of the heroine literally fleeing from the hero for the major part of the book. And the time she did spend with him, she was terrified of him which I thought was unfair because while the sex wasn't tender, it was consentual (she prostituted herself for him) and he didn't rape her.
Adam: Boy, grow some balls! While you don't necessarily have to kick your crazy, selfish, (...) of a wife out of the house, you can send her to another estate or stop her morally loose friends from coming to your home or at least disabuse her of the notion that the man she's in love with (your half brother) really loves her. You should have given both her and your brother an ultimatum much sooner. Something along the lines of... you don't have to go to hell, but you can't stay here. And as soon as Thomas refused to "have" Sybil, He'd have been permanently barred from the house. I'd have just slapped Sybil silly a few times, told her to close her legs and shut up. And I can't believe she called our heroine a (...)

THE SECRET PEARL is a Signet SUPER Regency story -- SUPER meaning small font and 347 pages. It is a story charged with hidden secrets, which is how Mary Balogh lures her reader. The story's major strength -- the writing - Mary Balogh can write a story. The story's major weakness - the length -- repetition prowls.

Gently born, Isabella Fleur Bradshaw has a secret -- a terrible secret. She flees her sheltered country life and seeks refuge in London. To survive - she sells all that she owns -- her body. Her first customer is the wealthiest lord in England, the scarred and bitter Duke of Ridgeway.

Adam Kent, the Duke of Ridgeway, approaches the common street harlot, his marriage is essentially non-existent, yet the sin of adultery threatens. Furthermore, the duke is angry. He is angry with his own weakness, and angry with the strumpet's strength. He is angry that he feels self-conscious and ashamed, and angry she shows no revulsion. So angry is Kent, the Duke of Ridgeway, that he brandishes brute force as he takes her.

Now Adam Kent feels guilt. He is unable to rid his mind of the girl's thin body, her dark-circled eyes, or her calm courage. He now feels responsible and sets the course -- Fleur will become his daughter's governess. All is well, until the duke returns to his country estate -- to his wife, to his daughter, and to the governess . . .

Overall: an excellent story. Mary Balogh can draw a tale. She knows how to set a scene, she knows how to create a ghastly villain, and best of all she knows how to play her reader. This author can hold a reader with her heart-rending words and THE SECRET PEARL has an abundant supply of gentle, touching words. Nevertheless, it is the length and the demand to fill this story that IS a problem. Therefore, THE SECRET PEARL is classified as a splendid read, not phenomenal but splendid!
Grade: A-

MaryGrace Meloche.
Reviewer for: RomanceDesigns

I really love it when a historical romance author can break the "rules" of the genre and make it work, and Mary Balogh definitely does that with "A Secret Pearl". This is a great book (a read-all-night, can't-put-the-!#*&@-book-down-to-feed-the-kids type of book).

The hero of the book is Adam, the Duke of Raybourne, a veteran of Waterloo and a man who is scarred both physically and emotionally. Exiting the theater one evening, he notices a quiet, pathetic-looking prostitute and impulsively engages her for the night--not realizing that this is her first night on the job. Unaware of her inexperience, unnerved by her silence and angry at himself for hiring a prostitute, Adam treats Fleur roughly and ends up hurting her. When he realizes that she is a gentlewoman who has been driven to prostitution by poverty and desperation, he initially feeds her and overpays her and then later sends his secretary to find her and offer her a job as his young daughter's governess.
Fleur is thrilled to get the job until she realizes the her employer is the man who once treated her so callously and still haunts her nightmares. She is worried that he has only brought her down to his estate to make her his mistress and is horrified at the prospect.

It takes a very bold and talented author to create a physically scarred, *married* hero and a heroine who begins as a prostitute and to make the reader care about them so deeply. Instead of the philandering creep that he initially appears to be, Adam is almost *too* honorable and self-sacrificing--a man living as well as he is able with the broken dreams of his youth, and Fleur is a courageous but vulnerable heroine. The characters of both Adam and Fleur are complex, well-drawn and believable and their unlikely romance is beautifully developed and truly *romantic*. Some of the secondary characters are well-drawn as well, especially Adam's daughter and his valet. In contrast, the villains of the story are a bit more one-note. Adam's wife, Sybil, is portrayed as a selfish, shockingly ungrateful b****, Adam's brother is an amoral cad and Fleur's nemesis, her cousin, is an obsessed lecher. As usual for a Mary Balogh book, the story is very well-written with never a false note in the plot or dialogue (except perhaps Adam's seemingly endless patience with his incredibly annoying wife!)

This is angsty romance at its best and a must-read for anyone who loves Mary Balogh. "A Secret Pearl" is a romance novel, so I was pretty sure that it was going to have a happy end, but I found myself fretting anyways as the final pages spun out.
*Very* highly recommended!