Several of my romance lists have been rhapsodizing about a Regency from the UK - I'm always a little wary of books with this much "buzz", but I was pleased to be able to borrow a copy and judge for myself.
The Mysterious Miss M by Diane Gaston
(2004, Regency) 3/26/05
Grade: 5
Madeline was forced into prostitution as a young girl, and the only light in her life was the night she spent with Devlin Steele - and the child that came from it. But when Devlin returns and takes her away, how will she adjust to living in the “real world”? Devlin’s inheritance depends on his marriage to a suitable lady - can he give up Maddie, to save her?
A wonderful book - although it did have flaws, it appealed to so many of my personal preferences and desires, it had to be a keeper. I loved the characters - they both had depth and weren’t the stereotypical romance hero and heroine. It was especially refreshing to read about a prostitute and mistress who was depicted with some realism. The book surprised me several times, and went in unexpected directions. The ending was more stereotypical, and I became impatient with the coincidences that tied everything up neatly. And even though the child was important to the story, I got tired of her cutesiness. But these are small flaws - overall, this is one of the best books I’ve read in some time.
Although this book is currently out of print in the UK (it was originally published by Mills & Boon), it's coming out as a Harlequin Historical in November. I'll be buying a copy for my keeper shelf.
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2 comments:
Karen, I completely agree with your assessment that The Mysterious Miss M was a regency that was much better than average. I agree with other posters who have said that fans of Mary Balogh should definitely put this romance on their November To Buy list.
Alyson
Nice review. I will put it on my wishlist. Love to read your blog.
Jeanette
www.romancenovels.nl
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