I've read many Mary Balogh books over the years and often reread. I much prefer her earlier books although I think my personal favorite is still "A Precious Jewel" (despite some love scenes). I'll probably do a review in the future when I, inevitably, reread it again.
While its not my favorite, "One Night for Love" is close to the top of my list of favorite Mary Balogh books. It reads almost like a Carla Kelly (my favorite romance author) book because of the war background of both the Hero and Heroine.
Book summary (from publisher)
It was a perfect morning in May . . .
Neville Wyatt, Earl of Kilbourne, awaited his bride at the altar—when a ragged beggar woman raced down the aisle instead. The cream of the ton saw him stare, shocked, then declare that this was his wife! One night of passion was all he remembered as he beheld Lily, the woman he'd wed, loved, and lost on the battlefield in Portugal. Now he said he'd honor his commitment to her—regardless of the gulf that lay between them.
Then Lily spoke her mind . . .
She said she wanted only to start a new life—wanted only a husband who truly loved her. She had to leave him to learn how to meet his world on her terms. So Lily agreed to earn her keep as his aunt's companion and study the genteel arts. Soon she was the toast of the ton, every inch a countess fit for the earl, who vowed to prove to his remarkable wife that what he felt for her was far more than desire, that what he wanted from her was much more than . . . One Night for Love.
Pros
- I love that the hero has a dorky-ish name! Neville! It seems like the type of name that people always give to the somewhat geeky friend of the hero like Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter series. Or the somewhat dim fellow such as Julia Quinn's Neville Berbrooke. And I don't really blame them since there's something about the name Neville that sounds so... undashing. And I think that's what I like about Mary Balogh. She's never afraid to let her heroes be not quite so perfect.
- Both Neville's and Lily's love for one another was very deep. It was not founded on just physical attraction alone. While there were some sex scenes, it wasn't a central point of their relationship. At one point, all of the secondary characters acknowledge the depth of their love for each other to the point that everyone realized the inevitability of their union. They genuinely care for each other and their love was not at all selfish. While Neville did have some feelings of jealousy and possessiveness towards Lily, he was generous enough to let go of Lily when she needed it.
- The conflict was real and not at all contrived. I admire Lily's sensibility in realizing how their marriage could not work the way it was in the beginning. Mary Balogh very sensibly portrayed the difficulties of a marriage between a commoner that was not gently bred and a lord. I absolutely love stories that actually show the difficulties that a couple may encounter after a fairy tale marriage. I hate it when people assume that wedded bliss would defnitely follow once a couple gets married.
- I thought that the sensitivity that Mary Balogh displayed in writing about Lily and her reaction to what happened to her was amazing. What happened to Lily during the war was respectfully given just enough coverage in the story. While it is made clear that she was, naturally, quite affected by her experiences, she didn't dwell in self-pity. I love that Lily was determined to heal herself. I love that Neville's very alpha-atypical fear of knowing the details of Lily's experiences. I can definitely relate to not wanting to know the details of a loved one's horrific experiences. But he wasn't a coward by no means. He did what he had to do to help Lily heal.
- I love the concept of equality in a marriage that Mary Balogh was pushing for here. I hate damsel in distress stories where the hero just basically saves the damsel and the damsel just lets the hero protect and provide for her.
Cons
- The alignment of Lily's personal ambitions to the duties of a countess/lady of the realm, seemed a little too convenient. While I respected Lily's determination to become her own person, it felt like she was just trying to become a suitable countess for Neville.
- The subplot about the attempts on Lily's life... I could have done without it. It didn't add much to the story really.
- I wanted to know more about the Aunt Elizabeth's story! There seemed to be so much potential there!
In a nutshell, this is one of Mary Balogh's best books in my humble opinion. It is a bit serious and dramatic so I wouldn't read it if you're in the mood for some fluff material. It's a beautiful love story and is unique in that it dares to question the fairy tale romance of a prince and a cinderella.
Story: 8.5/10.
Characters: 9.5/10
Drama Score: 8/10 (higher: more drama)
Sensuality Score: 4/10 (higher: more sensual)
Overall Score: 8.5/10
