Mary Balogh reconfirms her reputation as a superlative writer of Regency romance in this well-drawn, ultimately moving love story between a war hero's widow and her longtime friend. Nathaniel Gascoigne knew Sophie as a colleague's supportive wife when he fought in the Peninsular War. Now, meeting the widowed Sophie in London after a long separation, Nat is surprised by her unexpected agreement that they share discreet lovemaking, no strings attached. But a secret involving Sophie's former marriage has left her vulnerable to a blackmailer, and just when the satisfaction she offers to Nat makes him most eager to prolong their dalliance, Sophie decides she has no choice but to break it off. Nat's gradual insights into Sophie's character, and the couple's struggles to act honorably yet remain true to themselves, are beautifully handled. As a delightful contrast, there's the barbed repartee between Nat's independent-minded cousin and his marriage-shy best friend, which develops into a witty and satisfying secondary romance. Balogh's masterful command of the Regency period, and her skill at dramatizing subtle nuances of character, endow her books with rare and rich rewards.
--Ellen Edwards(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:09 -0400)
Wikipedia in English
At the beginning of the book, Nathaniel is returning to London from the country to present his sister Georgina and cousin Lavinia to society. His hope is that they will find husbands quickly so that he can return to the inviting solitude of his country estate which would then be free from troublesome women. While in London, he meets up with the other three of the "Four Horsemen" - a band of officers who friends during the war. They have all changed a great deal (two of them are married with children), but the friendship still remains. Sophia, at the same time, is living a quiet life in a house provided to her by the government in recognition of her husband's bravery at Waterloo. She is struggling to make ends meet because, as we find out later, she is being blackmailed. Sophie meets Nathaniel and the other three Horsemen in the park, and renews an acquaintance with them. She had always had feelings for Nathaniel, and those feelings reignite into a crazy night of lovemaking which changes everything...
This is a fantastic book. Like in most of Mary Balogh's books, I found myself caring about the characters very much - they are like real people who come alive in the pages. Sophie's fear and loneliness and love for Nathaniel are emotions that the reader is almost forced to feel internally, as is Nathaniel's realization that he cannot recapture the crazy days after Waterloo and his slow understanding that he has grown since then and actually wishes to settle down. The plot device (the blackmail) adds to the love story rather than takes away from it, and the love between Sophie and Nathaniel feels real, not forced upon us. A beautiful book that made me cry in the last pages! (