Mary Balogh

A Precious Jewel had a few precious moments and overall was a sweet and simple romance with an emphasis on the simple. Some of the things I appreciate about Balogh's style of writing is her more nuanced world. Her books tend to have some symbolism and are a bit more "literary", for lack of a better term. The plot of this was fairly straightforward, but it was intriguing and fun. I like the idea of a mistress turned wife. Since her stories are simple, so are her characters, but this is where she falls short. While they do have layers, there's an over-arching dimness to them that doesn't dissipate, mainly because there's no great trial to rid them of it.

Take the hero Gerald: we are immediately told that he's not particularly strong or handsome. Just average looking. Later on, we learn he's not particularly smart, quick, a good dancer, athletic, nor brave or generous. Normally, I like reading about realistic characters, and there's nothing more realistic than an average person all too aware of their shortcomings and who are self-conscious of them. But when I read romance, I want the exciting fantasy. I don't need a hero who's both Hercules and Prince Charming, but I want someone with redeeming qualities. Gerald has none. Just a tale of woe that should make me pity him but doesn't. It doesn't help that he continually sees the heroine as his property, an object, and refuses to see her as a human being with a past and feelings.

Which brings me to the manic pixie dream girl heroine. Priscilla Wentworth certainly has a past, hobbies, a personality, desires, fears, strengths and weaknesses. She can play the piano and can balance accounts. She's a very compelling character. I like her, but I can't for the life of me understand why she falls for Gerald. The only reason I can think of is that he's easy to please in bed. She literally just lies there. After a few sessions of this, she falls in love. Even after he's rude and dismissive towards her, she still loves him. It's beyond my comprehension.

This book is a missed opportunity. With Balogh's style of writing and world-building, this should've been a home run. Instead, we have a male wish-fullfillment fantasy novel, which has no place in the romance industry. Sorry not sorry. There are already enough of those out in the world.… (more)

I preferred The Plumed Bonnet over The Famous Heroine. The former was a solid 4 for me with an intelligent if somewhat flighty heroine and a hero who goes back and forth between dashing and rakish. In spite of all his faults, Stephanie wasn't a pushover, and I appreciated that about her. I really believed their happily ever after, and I think they're a good match.

When you like a book, it's easy to praise, but disliking a book is so much more complicated. There are a few reasons why I didn't like The Famous Heroine that contributed to its 2 stars that I gave it. First of all, Cora (the heroine) is the most insipid character I have read in a while. I can't stand stupid women, and she is as stupid as they come. Readers are supposed to see her good heart because she's willing to dash into danger to save someone, but she ends up being reckless and endangering everyone more. Her inability to think under pressure is extremely aggravating to read about.

The second thing I disliked was her relationship with Francis. Throughout the story, Balogh shows us how Francis is never taken seriously by his friends and family in anything because of how he dresses and because he can always laugh away a bad situation. He's supposed to love Cora because she constantly makes him laugh at silly situations. What I wish is that Cora had the ability to see the hero in all his dimensions. She never appreciated or even noticed his more introspective moments. She never saw anything behind the mask he showed society. That's not an equal relationship, and I was disappointed in her shallowness of character.

Overall, this installment was middling for me. Perhaps someone else will enjoy reading about a hero who carries the emotional weight of the relationship and prefers a simple story. If you want something a little more complex and interesting (but not overly so), I recommend The Plumed Bonnet.… (more)