Customer Reviews

Just One of Those Flings (The Merry Widows)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For me, reading Candice Hern is oftentimes similar to reading a history book, only one that is going to deliver a much juicier and stimulating version of what goes on behind the staid doors to some of the lofty grand mansions of jolly ole England! Ms. Herns remarkable new trilogy featuring the wealthy `Merry Widows' who choose to remain independent while embracing their newfound freedom to discreetly take lovers and enjoy themselves is proving to be a `treasure trove' of sensual delights!

Beatrice, Lady Somerfield had yet to even think about taking a lover, so busy acting as a chaperone for her very beautiful but headstrong niece whose outrageous flirting at a masquerade ball bears some careful watching. What Beatrice soon became aware of was that someone was intently watching her, and as their eyes met a shiver of awareness ran up her spine. Her masked admirer whisked her away to dance, then to the gardens for a very sensual dance of a different nature that left her shaken but horrified at her lack of control and wanton behavior.

The Marquess of Thayne had returned to England to honor a vow made to his father to marry. Thoroughly captivated by his woodland nymph Artemis he couldn't concentrate on the young ingénues that would make respectable matches for him even Miss Emily Thorkill the Catch of the Season that Beatrice was pushing into his orbit. When Thayne finally discovers that the very proper Lady Somerfield is his Artemis, they are both shaken although their passion for each other cannot be denied they embark on a clandestine love affair. When disaster strikes and their affair comes to light lives are turned upside down and Beatrice who swore never to marry must rethink her vow to never marry again.

*** This reviewer has come to cherish the stories that Ms. Hern puts her indelible stamp on that continue to deliver impressive historical detail as well as providing endearing characters, wit, and charming sensual delights. She puts an uncommon twist to this story with a rare occurrence of a titled lord attracted not to the younger `Diamond of the first water' but to an older beautiful but more accomplished widow. High marks go to the author who was wise enough to fashion the character of Thayne as intelligent and mature enough to make the relationship feel real enough to be believable. The secondary characters all came into play in most convincing supporting roles in providing momentum to further the story into a fast paced read that kept this reviewers interest without having to resort to using a villain or mystery to carry the story. Anyone whose love of a well-written traditional regency with a delicious dose of beautifully inspired sensuality will surely find this a treat not to be missed!

Marilyn Rondeau - RIO, Reviewers International Organization

If your looking for a regency historical that centers on the romance, this is it. There's no evil-do'ers scheming to keep the couple apart, no mystery, no murder and no kidnapping (that one is slightly debateable). Its hard to imagine that a book could be written and hold the reader without at least some of these ingredients, but Hern manages to do so with very well drawn characters and well written dialogue.

This is the second book of the Merry Widows society (In The Thrill Of The Night was Marianne's book). The ladies get together to talk about their upcoming charity balls and -of course- their lovers or their attempt to get one. Beatrice meets a man at a masquerade and has impromptu sex with him, embarrassed at her behavior, she flees before her identity is revealed. Gabriel, fresh from an eight-year stint in India, is stunned by the beauty and can't get her out of his mind -he vows to find her.

For the first 100 pages, neither know the identity of the other. Beatrice meets Gabriel, who's a very eligible marquis, several times with her niece and is determined to make them a match. When Gabriel realizes that Beatrice was actually the woman at the masquerade, all hell breaks loose. He's determined to have her again, she wants nothing to do with him especially since her obnoxious neice has set her cap on him. Love prevails in the end of course, but there are some interesting twists and turns in between as a result of assumptions and misunderstandings.

If you liked Hern's first Widow book, you'll like this one even better. The prude-like/do-gooder widow of a bishop, Grace is next to be matched up with the most notorious libertine of the ton, Viscount Rochdale.-that sounds very interesting.

Candice Hern takes a classic romantic situation and makes it fresh and fun. I won't re-explain the story; the synopsis is above. But I love "surprise surprise!" stories, and Ms. Hern plays this one out with a deft hand. The characters are engaging, and I especially connected with Lady Beatrice as an older heroine. I've been collecting Candice Hern's books on my new Kindle, and I'm glad to add this one! I know I'll read it again.

A settled widow with two teenage daughters has her world upended after an impulsive one-night fling with a slightly younger man. This is the second book in the Merry Widow series, about five titled widows seeking lovers, but not marriage, and centers on the very proper Beatrice, Lady Somerfield. In her three years of widowhood, 35-year-old Beatrice has enjoyed personal freedoms never permitted by her late controlling husband, and she is loath to ever again be under a man's power. However, she has lately begun to think about the physical side of her life. She is drawn to a stranger at a masquerade ball and, in a reckless moment, secretly goes off with him and has an intense intimate encounter. But Beatrice panics and leaves before they are unmasked or learn each other's names. The evening has left them both shaken, however, and neither can stop thinking about or trying to identify the other.

Soon thereafter, Beatrice and her niece Emily are introduced to Gabriel Loughton, the Marquess of Thayne, who recently returned after many years in India. Gabriel promised his family that he will marry by age 30 - which is soon - and he is thus actively seeking a bride. Handsome, titled and wealthy, Gabriel is considered quite a catch. The very pretty and self-confident (if somewhat vain) Emily immediately sets her sights on him. They begin to spend a good deal of time in each other's company, always with Beatrice along as Emily's chaperone. Oddly, Gabriel finds himself much more attracted to Beatrice than to her niece, and before long he realizes that she is the secret masked lover for who he has been searching. However, expectations have already been raised about his marrying Emily, and the party where he must announce his betrothal is rapidly approaching.

This story bolted right out of the gate and never lost my interest. Beatrice and Gabriel were clearly in love, even though they took a while to realize it. Their conversation was immensely enjoyable, and I liked the respectful and tender way they treated one another despite their rather scandalous beginning. The age difference added to the story's charm, and made Gabriel a more appealing hero for his patent disregard of it. A woman looking for an affair instead of marriage does not usually appeal to me, but I liked Beatrice' character and felt she had legitimate reasons for avoiding another marriage. Beatrice' rejection after Gabriel poured his heart out to her - and then stood gallantly by her - did not ring true, but this is a minor point. Overall, very well done...and a nice ending.

I loved this book even more than the 1st book in the series. Beatrice, the Countess Somersfield meets Gabriel, the Maquis of Thayne at a masquerade and He is turned on by her arms. Wow, that's certainly different, a man who is turned on by a woman's arms. They make love and she disappears, because she has never done something like this before. He next meets her again when he is introduced to meet her niece as a possible wife. They like each other but do not understand the attraction since she is five years older than him. Gabriel then discovers she is his mystery lover, Artemis and he tries to woo her into an affair. They then start one fun affair that eventually leads to the happy ending, but with a slight deterent cause by Beatrice's own sister.
I think Candice Hern enjoyed writing about Gabriel and Beatrice much more than Marianne and Adam since she wrote their relationship as a more vivid, and active relationship. I liked them not only when they were together, but also when interacting with the other characters. Most romances seem to focus on the hero and heroine as a couple, but you don't really get to read that much of them as individuals.
I also especially liked the scenes and relationships not only of the other Widows, but also the secondary characters that were Beatrice's daughters, Gabriel's bestfriend, Beatrice's niece, and Gabriel's parents. Those characters were also more alive in this book than in Adam and Marianne's story.
I'm now looking forward to the next book in the series and hopefully more.

'Just One of Those Flings' by Candice Hern was the story of Beatrice Lady Somerfield who finds a loves a masquerade ball. This series of 3 books is about a group of respectable widows who act as patronesses for charity balls. They start start talking about take lovers but not give up their independence as a widow.Check out the whole Merry Widow series; In the Thrill of the Night (1), Just One of Those Flings (2) and Lady be Bad (3 - coming out August 2007)

candice hern done it again loved this book! once i picked it up i couldnt put it down.... thank you candace for another wonderful book....

your fan jennifer t

I found that it did lack some thing's in the story but yet it was a story you could feel that is real...and I love the fact that the author made it easy to understand an older women with a younger man....It really was nice to see no one is ever to old to taste love.....at least give the book a try ....its worth a read

I liked this book, did not love it. I usually enjoy "series" romances i.e. The Rogue Books, but in this series, I think I am doomed for disappointment. The first book in the series, "In the Thrill of the Night", was Adam and Marianne's story. What was good about that book was decent descriptions of the Merry Widows. This book did not have those same images so unless you go back and re-read the first, the visual gets lost. Also what is nice about series romances is that they follow one another and you get an idea of what happened to the previous hero and heroine. That is not happening here. The stories are running at the same time. For instance, at the beginning of this book, Adam and Marianne are not even married yet! I also know the next book features Grace and Rochdale in that same old lame plot, the nasty rake accepts a bet to woo and bed the virtuous widow, and that plot has already started in this book so, too bad for me, the next book also is same time period and we wont' find out any new info our the previous couples. Said widow, of course, is doomed to find out just when she thought he really loved her...That story line has been done to death. What a bore. But to get back to this story, Thayne, our hero, is great. I liked his confidence and how he came to realize how he loved Beatrice. Her niece, Emily, the beauty of the season, is shallow and frankly, remains shallow at the end. I would have enjoyed more on the relationship with Thayne and Beatrice i.e. his interactions with her girls. Beatrice is 6 years older than Thayne, at 35, so there would have to be some concern that Thayne, as an only child, would not get an heir from her. In realty, sure, you can have children after 35 and I know many who do so but it is also true that fertility lessens so it is not always possible. So what will happen if they don't have a baby or a girl? Who would his heir be? This is just one loose end and I hate bad endings. Marianne and Adam do not really have a presence in this book which is too bad as it would be nice to know how they are doing. Also, Thayne has a wealth of sexual experience made obvious in this book. It would have been interesting to find out where all that info came from!!

I bought this book looking for an afternoon of escape without stress and the book delivered that.
Character driven plots are my favorite usually as I find suspense to be distracting. This book had just the right amount of sexual tension, angst and resolution. The writing is great quality and the characters are unique and likeable.
I am very partial to historicals but find the same cliched plot devices to be boring at times...you know..how every titled man's father is dead and they all fall in love with willowy, perky breasted young but somehow wise beyond her years 18-23 year old girls. All these men are somehow wicked and jaded and never dally with innocents until *the h* comes along. This book is different. The H has a functional family and seems to a normal likeable guy (except he was a tad too cavalier at first about taking a mistress while he was married..though he gives up that idea fairly quickly...to his credit). The h is older, not a virgin (thank God!) and has a regular body. The chemistry between has less to with lightning striking him from her perfect bosoms and more to do with two people who understand and like each other and see something special in each other.
If you like this book you may also enjoy Loretta Chase and Mary Balogh.