The Secret Mistress

Mistress Series, Book 3

By: Mary Balogh

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

While Lady Angeline Dudley’s pedigree dictates that she must land a titled gentleman, the irrepressible beauty secretly longs for a simple, ordinary suitor. No wild rakes like the men of her family, just a kind heart and good nature. So when Edward Ailsbury, the new Earl of Heyward, rescues her with unmatched civility from the advances of a scoundrel, Angeline thinks that she has found her true love. Persuading the earl is another matter entirely.

Edward has his future neatly mapped out. He hopes to wed his steadfast companion, a woman who shares his values of loyalty, respect, and decorum. But arriving in London to take his seat in the House of Lords, he is derailed by Angeline, an exquisite bird of paradise seemingly devoted to sending his predictable life into chaos.

From the brilliant hues of her fashion to her hoydenish antics, Angeline is the last woman on earth for Edward. And yet a stolen kiss in the moonlight awakens something deep and primal within him. Naturally, being a gentleman, he does the right thing after compromising a lady: He offers marriage.

Angeline knows that Edward’s proposal is born of duty, not love. But denying something so provocative and passionate is easier said than done. Deep down, Angeline believes that Edward’s dedication to convention will melt behind closed doors, where sensuality and seduction play wicked games. For a proper wife by day can become a husband’s secret mistress by night, when delicious desire rules.

Listen to more in the Mistress Series.

©2011 Mary Balogh (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Georgette Heyer would have like this

The plot twists and turns, the gentle humor, all very entertaining. As a dedicated Heyer fan, I could see an influence there, although she usually stops with the first chaste kiss, we get the reward of the consummation :-)

Disappointing!

The love story was created too fast and the characters were not developed as well as expected. Angeline was a simple minded chatter box the hero would have never liked prior to meeting her. A forced love and a far below par story I have ever read written by Mary Balogh. Don't purchase. Move on to a better book.

Book 3

I was a little disappointed that this was book 3 felt that it should be book one. I thought narrator of the 1st 2 books was better.

needs a different narrator

Narrator rushes through skipping over punctuation in most places, returned by third chapter. hard listen

Why whisper?

I preferred the narrator in the first two books in the series. But it was good nonetheless. Enjoy!

Surprisingly Good!

I'm not a huge fan of Romance Novels and this is admittedly my first. This was very well written and I found it increasingly difficult to stop listening to it.

Hats!

Although Angeline is considered a twit brain by some her thoughts finally wind around to clever logic enhancing the relationship with her "dry old stick"

Don't Give Up...

The story was very slow in gathering my interest. I'm not sure if it was the story or the narration or both. I did have to go back several times to listen again. However, about half through it did seem to pick up and bid me listen to the end, which I found delightful. Depending on the reader, this story may be perfect or it may be found slow as I did. Therefore, I'm reluctant to make a recommendation. If the summary and other reviews capture your interest, then go for it.

first two in series better

This one was not as good, but I wanted to finish the trilogy. Stop at 2 and ignore this one.

Mary Balogh is usually wonderful

Buuuuutttt, not this time.
This reads like a second draft after a copy editor has had a go at it.

Balogh’s usually nuanced characters and masterfully plotted stories are... missing.

It's as though someone else wrote it. Really.
If you are new to this author, start with something else. Some of them are wonderful!