eBook At Last Comes Love ePub

Elizabeth

I'm re-reading the Huxtable Quintet this week and of course, although I've read this book previously I didn't write a review. It's a worthy read if you like Balogh's style. Margaret was the sister who put her family above all others after her parents passed away. She has three younger siblings - Vanessa, Katherine and Stephen. They lived quietly in a small village, their father having been the vicar before he passed away. At the young age of 17 and both parents having passed, Margaret kept faithfully to her promise to her parents to raise her siblings.

Margaret is a strong person to say the least. Time goes by and the family eventually learns their younger brother, Stephen is heir to an earldom. This dramatically changes the family's social life since Stephen must now be trained to take up his position in Society. You can read about this early part of their lives in First Comes Marriage (Huxtable Quintent) which is Vanessa's story. I adored Elliott and Vanessa's book. The next book in the series features the younger sister, Katherine, in Then Comes Seduction (Huxtable Quintent), which I confess to not having read, but plan to do so this week. Last book is Stephen's story in Seducing an Angel (Huxtable Quintent) which I'm currently reading and the fifth book about the oh so intriguing Constantine, the illegitimate cousin A Secret Affair (Huxtable Quintet, Book 5) completes the quintet.

So, there you have convenient links to the books. One thing that I particularly enjoyed about the characters in these books is that they actually do have character - at least the ones I've completed. Margaret's time has finally come now that all her siblings are happily married. However, for a woman who seems to have it all together, thinks everything over carefully before making a decision and has learned to set aside her youthful dreams, this book takes off with a big bang - literally.

Margaret finds herself in a situation where her anger, frustration and pride from what is without doubt a jilt from a seven year old unfilled relationship with a former true love, results in a betrothal with a total stranger. This is, of course, the scandal of the year among Society. I found the storyline intriguing all the way through. The hero, Duncan Pennethorne, the infamous Earl of Sheringford, although cast as a total bad guy, is not. In fact, as his backstory is revealed over the course of the book, we learn what an awesome man he actually was although Society will never know the truth surrounding what is perceived about his past.

However, although the storyline overall was great, I felt that the romance elements in the story took second place to the larger story. It takes Duncan and Margaret quite some time to actually come to the place where they liked, then eventually loved one another. In fact, I didn't feel the romance between the two until the very end. However, their individual commitments to family was in the end, the trigger that brought them together. That much, they had in common - the fact they both put family first even through the hard times. The Huxtables all seem to have one thing in common - they are simply, good folks.

Xanzay

This is the third book in Ms. Balogh's Huxtable series and it is the best so far. In the first two books ("First Comes Marriage" and "Then Comes Seduction") we watched the Huxtable family adapt to life among the ton after the youngest member of the family, Stephen, unexpectedly inherited a title and a fortune. The first and second books were the the middle and youngest sister's (Vanessa and Katherine) stories. In these books we were also introduced to the eldest sister, Margaret. For many years Margaret functioned as the mother figure for her brother and younger sister. (They were orphaned when Margaret was 17 years old and she promised her father on his death bed that she would raise the younger children.) This book is Margaret's story.

In her youth Margaret was a beauty who could have had her pick of country gentlemen. Her family, while not wealthy, were genteel. She fell in love with Crispin Dew, the squire's eldest son, a friend from childhood. When Crispin chose a military career, he asked Margaret to follow the drum and join him in service as his wife. Margaret explained to Crispin that she could not leave the children but she would wait for him. Years passed and Margaret put her desires second to those of her sisters and brother. Then one day Margaret learned that while she had remained true to Crispin, he had forsaken her. Crispin had married someone else while on campaign and was expecting a child with this other woman. Margaret was by then at an age to be firmly on the the shelf. She buried her hurt and devastation and continued on as the cornerstone of her family, even refusing attentions and offers by other eligible gentlemen. Until at long last Margaret woke up and realized that she was thirty years old with two happily married sisters and a soon to be independent young brother. The family did not need her support any longer, in fact, soon she would become a burden upon them. When Crispin returns to town, newly widowed, he makes overtures to Margaret. Unfortunately these gestures speak more of pity than of long lost love. Margaret lashes back at him - his gestures will surely be unwelcome by her (imaginary) betrothed. Frantic that her lie will be easily uncovered, Margaret resolves to make this fantasy betrothal a reality by accepting the offer of one of her long time suitors, a good man who is more friend than potential lover. Alas, when she catches up with her intended fiancee (at an assembly) she discovers him already pledged to another. She spies Crispin on his way over to make the man's acquaintance and she rushes off plowing headlong into her future, in the person of Duncan Pennethorne, the infamous Earl of Sheringford.

Duncan Pennethorne (Duncan) is alleged to be the worst sort of scoundrel, deserting his bride on their wedding day to run off with the brides, very much married, sister-in-law. He has only very recently returned to society, having lived abroad with the woman until the time of her death, four months past. Duncan is in attendance at this assembly for one reason and only one reason: he must find and marry a woman who is acceptable to his grandfather, the Marquess of Claverbrook, He has less than 16 days to accomplish this task or he will be cut off. After Margaret nearly bowls him over, he steadies her and inquires, "Why not stay and dance with me?" "And then marry me and live happily ever after with me?" Her response? "Does it have to be in that order?" And so their story begins.

As always, Ms. Balogh tells an emotionally complex tale. Duncan and Margaret have each lovingly sacrificed their own happiness for the sake of others. Duncan is in a position where it appears he must do so once again, as in his case all is not at all what society perceives. Once Margaret gets a glimpse of the man behind the infamous facade, she realizes just how much Duncan needs her in his life and she begins to believe she just might find happiness with him. She married him expecting not love but contentment. Duncan comes to believe that Margaret might just be the woman he needs but he hesitates to trust her with all of the secrets of his past. He resolves to make her happy and even ventures a challenge, "Let us be rebels then." . . . "Court me too, Maggie,as I will court you. Make me fall in love with you. I will make you fall in love with me. There will be magic." Ah, no one writes dialog or constructs a romance like Mary Balogh. This is the story of two people who, while unafraid to give love, are hesitant to allow themselves to be open enough to be loved in return.

So, why not five stars? The villain(s), yes it seems there must be one in every piece. The tangible villains presented here are one dimensional at best. They pop up briefly engage in ridiculous antics and then go away. Even the back story associated with their villainy is ludicrous. Better to simply have left them out or made slight mention of their association. Ms. Balogh is talented enough to have made the intangible challenges Margaret and Duncan face villain enough for this piece.

While not a perfect book, this novel is one of Ms. Balogh's better works and that is saying something indeed.

one life

Margaret, the eldest of the Huxtable's, took care of her siblings when she was only 17 after their parents died. She passed love by because she didn't want to relinquish a promise made to her father, that she would take care of her siblings. 2 sisters are now wed and the youngest, Stephen, the Earl of Merton, is responsibly attending to his duties; and, now Margaret is 30 and she wants to marry and have a family of her own. Duncan Pennethorne, Earl of Sheringford, left England 5 years ago, under scandalous circumstances. His return is marked by his grandfathers ultimatum to marry in 14 days or loose everything he has. Margaret literally runs into him at the first event he attends. I liked both characters. There is major conflict in the story, but the crisis turns out pretty bland. Ms. Balough could have made the story so much more exciting given the circumstances involved, but instead the resolution is anti-climatic.