5+ stars!

I like Mary Balogh, so I expected to enjoy this book; but I was surprised that I absolutely loved it!

Susanna Osbourne is a teacher at Miss Martin's school in Bath. She has no family, since her mother died in childbirth and her father died when she was twelve. She was sent to Miss Martin's by an anonymous benefactor as a charity student, and she remained to become a teacher. She is quite happy and content with her life.

While visiting a former teacher, who is now Countess o...

5+ stars!

I like Mary Balogh, so I expected to enjoy this book; but I was surprised that I absolutely loved it!

Susanna Osbourne is a teacher at Miss Martin's school in Bath. She has no family, since her mother died in childbirth and her father died when she was twelve. She was sent to Miss Martin's by an anonymous benefactor as a charity student, and she remained to become a teacher. She is quite happy and content with her life.

While visiting a former teacher, who is now Countess of Edgecombe (see Simply Unforgettable ), she happens to meet Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf. He is handsome and charming, and seems to feel it's his mission in life to flirt with all the ladies, even the elderly spinster Miss Honeydew. Susanna is immediately on her guard, not just because she thinks he's shallow and frivolous, but because she met him once as a child and his presence brings up unhappy memories. During their two weeks in one another's company, however, they strike up a genuine friendship, which culminates in an afternoon of lovemaking before they part.

Susanna expects never to see Peter again, but when he comes to Bath for a wedding of yet another teacher (see Simply Love ), Susanna realizes that she has indeed lost her heart to Peter. (And may I just add right here that being a teacher at Miss Martin's school looks to be a better way of finding a titled husband than attending dozens of balls in London.) Peter proposes, but Susanna turns him down, feeling that he has made the offer out of guilt and obligation rather than love. She also has strong feelings about remaining independent, and she truly loves her life at the school. Again, Peter leaves, and they don't expect to meet again.

I won't go into detail about the rest of their story, but their pasts turn out to be more complicated, and intertwined, than first suspected. Peter has a lot of maturing to do, and he needs to get out from under his mother's domination.

Peter is not a rake or an alpha hero; he's really more of an overgrown boy, but he truly wants to live a meaningful, productive life, having a family and running his estate successfully. At the same time, Susanna has to stop ignoring terrible events from her past, and with help from Peter (and sometimes a little interference from him), she comes to envision a future much different from that which she had long thought was inevitable.

The obstacles to their HEA are serious and real and don't seem contrived. This is just a really sweet story that will leave you feeling happy at the end.

I loved that this hero and heroine actually got to know each other to the point where they knew how to make the other one laugh, and they were comfortable with companionable silence, before even kissing. Instead of desperate, physical, "all I need is you" love, they actually were able to help each other be better people. Susanna recognized that Peter was putting off his responsibility to his estate for many reasons, even though being the Lord of the Manor was his dream. She helped him see tha...

I loved that this hero and heroine actually got to know each other to the point where they knew how to make the other one laugh, and they were comfortable with companionable silence, before even kissing. Instead of desperate, physical, "all I need is you" love, they actually were able to help each other be better people. Susanna recognized that Peter was putting off his responsibility to his estate for many reasons, even though being the Lord of the Manor was his dream. She helped him see that he needed to respect himself enough to face his problems in order to live a fulfilling life.

Peter was the first person ever to love Susanna enough to challenge her about her life, and get her to admit (even to herself) that she wanted a home and family of her own. He recognized that she also needed to stop running away from her past and seeing herself as a victim. I, for one, love the message that you need to know yourself well, and grow into a true adult before you can be a good spouse/parent.

I loved Peter's personality--considerate, optimistic, down-to-earth, understanding . . . Isn't that the kind of man any mentally healthy woman would want to be married to? When Susanna criticizes him, instead of getting angrily defensive, he has a sense of humor about himself, and he really thinks about what she's saying. He loves the fun and chaos of children, he respects Susanna's job and friends, he actually already knows how to help other people be happy. To me, Peter is a charming respite from heroes who are self-centered, aggressive, moody bullies until love miraculously tames them.

Why not five stars? These two characters would not have randomly had sex on a hillside with no intention of marrying. Peter has five sisters, and knows what it is to be fatherless. He would have ruined a woman, and risked an illegitimate child? Nope. Either the scene should not have happened, or Peter should have offered marriage immediately. The idea that Susanna would have sex with the man who's mother destroyed her father, but would not marry him makes no sense either.

But the story of them falling in love is beautifully done and reminded me of Georgette Heyer. For that, and the growth of both leads, four stars.

Mary has taken an impossible and implausible situation for these two and turned it into magic. I have enjoyed the entire series, but I think this is my favorite story. Both of the main characters and likable and lovable and I wish for a happily ever after for them that comes after their determined work and effort to achieve it. I sure hope we get some updates on their life in future novels.

Mary has taken an impossible and implausible situation for these two and turned it into magic. I have enjoyed the entire series, but I think this is my favorite story. Both of the main characters and likable and lovable and I wish for a happily ever after for them that comes after their determined work and effort to achieve it. I sure hope we get some updates on their life in future novels.

A wonderful story with a couple who had to overcome many trials before their love life could blossom. Mary, A great read.

A wonderful story with a couple who had to overcome many trials before their love life could blossom. Mary, A great read.