I have to say I wouldn’t have read this book if not for two things – the review at AAR and I like Mary Balogh’s writing.

I have a real hard time with cheating. Now it doesn’t bother me if it is before the h meets the hr. I can get past it if it is before they are sexually involved. But once the main characters are having sex, the whole mistress thing pisses me off.

I don’t read romance novels because I want to read about real life, for that I will watch oprah. (kidding) I don’t mind angst and drama – as long as I get my HEA. But leave out the cheating damn it.

That aside, I liked this book. really… I liked how she handled him being a creep and keeping a mistress. I even liked that he went back to screw the woman again, after the big ‘omg you are cheating on me?’ scene. I liked it even more that he didn’t (couldn’t) have sex with ginny. I did think the mistress threatening him was a lil over the top. She had to know her ‘place’ and if he wanted to, I dare say he could fuck her over much better than she could have him. But I took it as a ‘heat of the moment’ type thing to say.

I was very happy that it didn’t just wrap up – dump mistress – make love to wife – hea all in the last two pages. The way he informed Arabella of Ginny’s need for new employment was smooth and the one-bed house party was perfect.

It is a great book. If you can find a copy buy it, hell buy it even if you don’t want to read it. It is one damn hard book to come by.