purple_dragon's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
teaandspite's review against another edition
1.0
I flat-out refuse to re-read this one for a more thorough review because I remember hating it just that much. Who thought this book was a good idea? Who approved this plot? And why on earth does it not have more one-star reviews?
First off, 18-year-old, newly out Morgan is paired up with 30-year-old Gervase. That alone would have been enough to make me sceptical because there is just no good reason for a grown man to have any interest in a girl who at that point in time wouldn't have even been considered a proper adult. And, of course, there isn't a good reason. Gervase wants revenge on Morgan's brother by embarrassing and compromising her.
At some point in there, we're supposed to believe that he's begun to care for her, but as a practical matter, this man has spent their entire acquaintance manipulating a naive teenager. That she thinks herself grown-up and worldly enough to handle him is not remotely a good enough explanation. She is 18. She knows absolutely nothing. It is demonstrated that she knows absolutely nothing when she. She is young and naive and at no point does she seem remotely Gervase's equal in maturity and understanding. If anything, she spends the entire book demonstrating just how young she is. Capable for her age, yes. To a certain extent. But still barely more than a child and not at all on the same level as her supposed love interest.
That Gervase never comes off as anything other than creepy and slimy doesn't help. Even when he's supposedly falling in love with her, he just exudes pervy vibes. The French isn't charming, the way he continuously views and treats Morgan like a child isn't cute. He's a gross old man who needs to leave the teenage girls alone.
This is all already infuriating enough. More than enough for me to give the book one star because it was all just so terrible. But then Balogh had to go and.
So yeah. This is a terrible addition to the Bedwyn series. I wish I'd skipped it entirely. The impromptu trip to Waterloo it spurred was not worth the rage I feel toward it.
First off, 18-year-old, newly out Morgan is paired up with 30-year-old Gervase. That alone would have been enough to make me sceptical because there is just no good reason for a grown man to have any interest in a girl who at that point in time wouldn't have even been considered a proper adult. And, of course, there isn't a good reason. Gervase wants revenge on Morgan's brother by embarrassing and compromising her.
At some point in there, we're supposed to believe that he's begun to care for her, but as a practical matter, this man has spent their entire acquaintance manipulating a naive teenager. That she thinks herself grown-up and worldly enough to handle him is not remotely a good enough explanation. She is 18. She knows absolutely nothing. It is demonstrated that she knows absolutely nothing when she
Spoiler
only realises she's been manipulated after her brother points it out to herThat Gervase never comes off as anything other than creepy and slimy doesn't help. Even when he's supposedly falling in love with her, he just exudes pervy vibes. The French isn't charming, the way he continuously views and treats Morgan like a child isn't cute. He's a gross old man who needs to leave the teenage girls alone.
This is all already infuriating enough. More than enough for me to give the book one star because it was all just so terrible. But then Balogh had to go and
Spoiler
make the woman who falsely accused Gervase of raping her a lesbian. Because of course. That's a totally rational response a lesbian might have to her father marrying her off to a duke. Absolutely no other reasons Gervase and Bewcastle might hate each otherSo yeah. This is a terrible addition to the Bedwyn series. I wish I'd skipped it entirely. The impromptu trip to Waterloo it spurred was not worth the rage I feel toward it.
annsilver's review against another edition
3.0
This one had so much potential. I really loved the way the war changed her youthful outlook on life…put things in perspective for her…changed her perception of class. I was so pleasantly surprised because I wasn’t expecting to like this one…it was just filler for me on the way to Wulf’s book.
But then they returned to England and it all fell apart…the character arcs were half formed. It was disappointing and the HEA was not enough to salvage my good opinion of Morgan or the book in general.
But I remain optimistically excited for Wulf’s story.
But then they returned to England and it all fell apart…the character arcs were half formed. It was disappointing and the HEA was not enough to salvage my good opinion of Morgan or the book in general.
But I remain optimistically excited for Wulf’s story.
leonora's review against another edition
3.0
There's so much about this that I liked, but I was just really turned off by the "falsely accused of rape" subplot.
muguete's review
2.0
Even less than 2 stars. Boring, lacking emotion, bland. And I couldn't relate to hero and heroine (and I usually enjoy guilty-feeling heroes immensely). Were it not part of the Bedwyn Saga, I wouldn't finish it. But I love the family, so...
julianaphilippa's review against another edition
3.0
Lacking the normal Balogh spark; relationship didn't leap off the page or pull me in as much as I would have liked
SUMMARY (Bedwyn Family, Book 4):
The first half of the book takes place in Brussels after Napoleon has escaped Elba and is trying to make a last stand; the second half takes place in England. Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn is thirty years old and has not set foot in England for nine years after being banished by his father after a mysterious event (don't want to spoil); all we do know is that it somehow involves the Duke of Bewcastle and Gervase has sustained a deep hatred for the man ever since. When he sees a beautiful young lady at a ball in Brussels and learns that she is none other than Lady Morgan Bedwyn, the youngest sister of the Duke of Bewcastle, he sees the perfect way to exact his revenge.
Morgan does not know why the Earl singles her out for his attentions and chalks it up to his notorious reputation as a rake and nothing more. What starts as a mild flirtation (with sparks flying) becomes much deeper and more personal with the backdrop of the Battle of Waterloo and Morgan's worry and subsequent grief at Alleyne's presumed death. A true friendship develops during an intense week filled with death and sorrow and Gervase begins to appreciate Morgan for the woman she is, not for whose sister she is.
Gossip regarding Morgan and Gervase's relationship precedes them to England, so when he escorts her back (with a seasick maid stuck in the cabin during the trip), the ton is already titillated by the brewing scandal. To cut through some of the back and forth that occurs in London, basically Morgan discovers what prompted Gervase's attentions to her and decides to punish him by accepting his (twice-necessitated) proposal of marriage, making him fall in love with her, and then breaking his heart by ending the betrothal. Old demons are faced, broken relationships mended, Bedwyn siblings and their spouses appear, and (of course) a HEA results.
REACTION:
Balogh is a *big* fan of these fake/will-be-broken-off betrothals and she's such a good writer that I honestly wouldn't have minded another one, except for the whole premise of this one is ridiculous and aggravating: Morgan accepts his umpteenth offer in order to punish him? She's going to play the part of the happy bride-to-be just so that she can humiliate him by breaking off the engagement (hopefully after he's fallen in love with her)? Just doesn't seem logical, and as/after she makes the decision we don't know much of Morgan's thoughts for a while, so I was at a loss as to why she took that route. Slightly Tempted is my least favorite of the series, but Balogh is a talented writer so she has set a high standard for herself to live up to. All in all, it's at least an entertaining read if not the normal stellar-keeper that Balogh delivers and you won't want to skip Morgan's story if you're reading all the Bedwyn books.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
There is a huge age difference between them - Morgan is 18 ("fresh out of the schoolroom") and Gervase is 30 - but I thought that Balogh dealt with it well. Gervase had been wounded by past betrayals and become so cynical and jaded during his years of exile, that a young, optimistic woman seems like a good fit for him. Also, it was nice to see a relationship where a friendship developed between the hero and heroine; I think that the week Morgan and Gervase spend together in Brussels helping the wounded soldiers and trying to find out what happened to Alleyne was one of the better parts of their romance.
Aside from that, I had problems with the hero and heroine. They both had wonderful potential, but Balogh didn't do as thorough a job in her character development and exploration as she normally does. It's hard to explain, but one example is what I said about Morgan's betrothal decision above. Another example: Gervase's character is similar to Joshua's (Freyja's husband and the hero of [b:Slightly Scandalous|71661|Slightly Scandalous (Bedwyn Saga, #3)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386928346s/71661.jpg|1111586], Bedwyn Book 3), in that they both seem to be roguish devil-may-care flirts and nothing more (they also have the same laughing/mocking eyes). However, in [b:Slightly Scandalous|71661|Slightly Scandalous (Bedwyn Saga, #3)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386928346s/71661.jpg|1111586], Joshua's persona and his inner struggles were fully explored and depicted in a way that created a believable three-dimensional character. Here, I found it hard to get a handle on Gervase - so much of the time when he was conversing with Morgan he seemed to be flirtatious and trivial, so that I could never really appreciate (or tell!) when he was supposedly being serious and authentic.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you're reading all the Bedwyn books you won't want to skip Morgan's story, but don't expect the excellent romance that Balogh normally delivers. However, if you're looking for Balogh keepers and re-reads, buy [b:A Summer to Remember|35334|A Summer to Remember (Bedwyn Prequels, #2)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388203927s/35334.jpg|1591953] (Bedwyn prequel), [b:The Secret Pearl|124830|The Secret Pearl|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320414690s/124830.jpg|120215], and/or [b:Slightly Married|110295|Slightly Married (Bedwyn Saga, #1)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403178352s/110295.jpg|344054] (Book 1) and [b:Slightly Dangerous|71648|Slightly Dangerous (Bedwyn Saga, #6)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388236511s/71648.jpg|69382] (Book 6) (the two **best** Bedwyn books!).
SUMMARY (Bedwyn Family, Book 4):
The first half of the book takes place in Brussels after Napoleon has escaped Elba and is trying to make a last stand; the second half takes place in England. Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn is thirty years old and has not set foot in England for nine years after being banished by his father after a mysterious event (don't want to spoil); all we do know is that it somehow involves the Duke of Bewcastle and Gervase has sustained a deep hatred for the man ever since. When he sees a beautiful young lady at a ball in Brussels and learns that she is none other than Lady Morgan Bedwyn, the youngest sister of the Duke of Bewcastle, he sees the perfect way to exact his revenge.
Morgan does not know why the Earl singles her out for his attentions and chalks it up to his notorious reputation as a rake and nothing more. What starts as a mild flirtation (with sparks flying) becomes much deeper and more personal with the backdrop of the Battle of Waterloo and Morgan's worry and subsequent grief at Alleyne's presumed death. A true friendship develops during an intense week filled with death and sorrow and Gervase begins to appreciate Morgan for the woman she is, not for whose sister she is.
Gossip regarding Morgan and Gervase's relationship precedes them to England, so when he escorts her back (with a seasick maid stuck in the cabin during the trip), the ton is already titillated by the brewing scandal. To cut through some of the back and forth that occurs in London, basically Morgan discovers what prompted Gervase's attentions to her and decides to punish him by accepting his (twice-necessitated) proposal of marriage, making him fall in love with her, and then breaking his heart by ending the betrothal. Old demons are faced, broken relationships mended, Bedwyn siblings and their spouses appear, and (of course) a HEA results.
REACTION:
Balogh is a *big* fan of these fake/will-be-broken-off betrothals and she's such a good writer that I honestly wouldn't have minded another one, except for the whole premise of this one is ridiculous and aggravating: Morgan accepts his umpteenth offer in order to punish him? She's going to play the part of the happy bride-to-be just so that she can humiliate him by breaking off the engagement (hopefully after he's fallen in love with her)? Just doesn't seem logical, and as/after she makes the decision we don't know much of Morgan's thoughts for a while, so I was at a loss as to why she took that route. Slightly Tempted is my least favorite of the series, but Balogh is a talented writer so she has set a high standard for herself to live up to. All in all, it's at least an entertaining read if not the normal stellar-keeper that Balogh delivers and you won't want to skip Morgan's story if you're reading all the Bedwyn books.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
There is a huge age difference between them - Morgan is 18 ("fresh out of the schoolroom") and Gervase is 30 - but I thought that Balogh dealt with it well. Gervase had been wounded by past betrayals and become so cynical and jaded during his years of exile, that a young, optimistic woman seems like a good fit for him. Also, it was nice to see a relationship where a friendship developed between the hero and heroine; I think that the week Morgan and Gervase spend together in Brussels helping the wounded soldiers and trying to find out what happened to Alleyne was one of the better parts of their romance.
Aside from that, I had problems with the hero and heroine. They both had wonderful potential, but Balogh didn't do as thorough a job in her character development and exploration as she normally does. It's hard to explain, but one example is what I said about Morgan's betrothal decision above. Another example: Gervase's character is similar to Joshua's (Freyja's husband and the hero of [b:Slightly Scandalous|71661|Slightly Scandalous (Bedwyn Saga, #3)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386928346s/71661.jpg|1111586], Bedwyn Book 3), in that they both seem to be roguish devil-may-care flirts and nothing more (they also have the same laughing/mocking eyes). However, in [b:Slightly Scandalous|71661|Slightly Scandalous (Bedwyn Saga, #3)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386928346s/71661.jpg|1111586], Joshua's persona and his inner struggles were fully explored and depicted in a way that created a believable three-dimensional character. Here, I found it hard to get a handle on Gervase - so much of the time when he was conversing with Morgan he seemed to be flirtatious and trivial, so that I could never really appreciate (or tell!) when he was supposedly being serious and authentic.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you're reading all the Bedwyn books you won't want to skip Morgan's story, but don't expect the excellent romance that Balogh normally delivers. However, if you're looking for Balogh keepers and re-reads, buy [b:A Summer to Remember|35334|A Summer to Remember (Bedwyn Prequels, #2)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388203927s/35334.jpg|1591953] (Bedwyn prequel), [b:The Secret Pearl|124830|The Secret Pearl|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320414690s/124830.jpg|120215], and/or [b:Slightly Married|110295|Slightly Married (Bedwyn Saga, #1)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403178352s/110295.jpg|344054] (Book 1) and [b:Slightly Dangerous|71648|Slightly Dangerous (Bedwyn Saga, #6)|Mary Balogh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388236511s/71648.jpg|69382] (Book 6) (the two **best** Bedwyn books!).
sonni89's review against another edition
3.0
I definitely liked this one the least in this series so far. I still mostly enjoyed it, but the revenge plot made me really uncomfortable in parts and overall, it just took me way too long to get into this one. I already started Slightly Sinful and even though I'm less than 1/5 in, I'm already enjoying it so much more than I did this one, so I'm only giving this three stars, though I should almost upgrade it to four just based on
Spoiler
all of the Wulfric scenes in this book, because they were all utter perfection. GOD, I CAN'T WAIT FOR HIS BOOK NOW. WHEN MORGAN SEES HIM LOSING IT IN THE LIBRARY AFTER ALLEYNE'S MEMORIAL, I CANNOT, I AM DEAD AND ON THE GROUND, ETC.andra_mihaela_s's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Medical trauma