Hello, and welcome back! Somehow the end of May got incredibly crazy here, so all the plans I had got pushed back just a bit. The weather here is more like mid-summer than spring, too, which hasn’t helped matters. The hot and sticky air outside makes me want to do nothing but stay indoors where it’s nice and cool, though that isn’t always possible. The storm systems that continue rolling through with the humidity keep giving me headaches, and those are not conducive to spending lots of time reading or writing. Nevertheless, the May books are finished, and I have just a couple more to share with you here, starting with one that is absolutely fantastic.
Mary Balogh’s A Secret Affair (Delacorte) rounds out her Huxtable series, this time with roguish cousin Con Huxtable meeting his match in Hannah Reid, the widowed Duchess of Dunbarton, who is set on finding herself a lover now that she’s able. Con is perfectly content to simply acquire a new mistress, rather than a bride, and in Hannah, he finds a delightful companion, in and out of bed. And that is the trouble. He doesn’t want to enjoy her nearly so much out of bed, but Hannah is irresistible. Hannah had no intention of anything more than a fling, but it’s impossible to keep her heart protected from the sexy, funny Con. Ms. Balogh is a master at creating characters you’ll fall in love with while they fall in love with each other. Hannah is a believable heroine, limited by Society in her choices and activities, but still able to stretch her wings in some ways, including her relationship with Con. Everyone who’s been reading this series since the beginning knew Con isn’t the villain he was sometimes portrayed to be, and getting to know him better in this final installment of the series is a real joy, finally getting to understand his motivations and secrets. And watching him fall in love with Hannah is amazing. Then there’s the opportunity to revisit the rest of the Huxtable family, which is a delight for fans of the series. Balogh really is one of the best, and I always look forward to reading her books, simply to see what fabulous trip she’ll take readers on. Readers can believe in her stories and her characters. I’ve never been disappointed by one of her books, and I don’t believe you will be disappointed by this one. I’m borrowing four and a half of Cupid’s five arrows for this one. Con was worth the wait, though I almost wish I had his story to read for the first time all over again.
Don’t forget, too, that any of the review books I read but don’t post a full review for can be found in the forum, many with short, quick reviews for you. You can also talk books with other readers, plus we do regular giveaways there for our readers.
Until next time, happy reading!
