Seducing an Angel

March 23, 2009
Balogh continues her chronicle of the Huxtable family in this so-so Regency. Stephen Huxtable, earl of Merton, is dashing, wealthy and unattached, which makes him a juicy target for widow Cassandra Belmont, but she soon learns that heartless seduction is not as easy as she’d hoped. As Stephen begins to probe her past, they find themselves actually falling in love. Surprisingly for a Regency romance, Balogh tackles themes like alcoholism, domestic violence, miscarriage and female independence. Cassandra’s mistrust and vulnerability is understandable, and Stephen is a surprisingly mild, modern type who seems miscast as a Regency hero. While their conflict is believable—she fears a loss of freedom, he fears that she will never be able to trust—the conclusion feels overly contrived. Fans of the series will enjoy, though genre purists may find something off about the modern sensibilities.

Starred review from April 15, 2009
Cassandra Belmont, the widowed Lady Paget, is in London on a desperate mission. Rumored to have killed her husband and banished penniless from his estate by the heir, Cassie has no option but to find a protector for herself and her small householdand wealthy, young, angelically handsome Stephen Huxtable, Earl of Merton, seems the perfect choice. Marriage is definitely not her goal, nor is it his, until an impulsive public kiss changes everything. The gradually developing relationship between these fully realized, three-dimensional characters is complex, believable, and exquisitely rendered. This tender, sultry, and thoroughly satisfying volume is the next in the author's Huxtable siblings series. Balogh ("At Last Comes Love") has added another jewel to her collection. She lives in Canada. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 2/1/09.]

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2009
Cassandra Belmont has reached a decision: she is going to become a courtesan. Now all she hasto do is select the right (incredibly wealthy) patron, which may be a bit difficult since the rumor that Cassandra took anax to her late husband is still busily circulating throughout the ton. Fortunately, dazzling and rich Stephen Huxtable, the Earl of Merton, is one of the few people in London who completely dismisses the idea that Cassandra could be a murderess. Getting Stephen to fall in love with her proves to be ridiculously easy, but the one thing Cassandra hasntcounted on is that her new lover might demand more from her than a simple business arrangement. With her inimitable, brilliantly nuanced sense of characterization, elegantly sensual style, and drollwit, best-seller Balogh continues to set the standard to which all other Regency historical writers aspire while delivering another addictively readable addition to her Huxtable family series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)