This book was released in 1997 and most of Balogh's Signet Regencies I've read have been from the early 90s. SO this does feel like a later-stage Balogh in the sense that family reconciliation plays a large role. This was complex and juggled the multiple love stories well in comparison to some of the earlier Signets (which I still adore). This has a similar premise as The Ideal Wife (aristocrat needs a wife to keep his family off his back, woman needs a job/money for survival) however this book is light on humor and deals with loss.

I really am enjoying these backlist reads. ( )

The depressing variation on [b:The Ideal Wife|969599|The Ideal Wife (Stapleton-Downes, #1)|Mary Balogh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333882588l/969599._SY75_.jpg|954496]

I usually appreciate Mary Balogh and that she is not afraid to handle some tough subjects but my heart and mind wasnt engaged for this one. ( )

The Marquess of Staunton, Anthony Earheart, wants a wife to annoy his dying father (and help him avoid marrying the young lady everyone expects him to marry) so he advertises for a governess and asks the meekest, most desperate one to apply to be his wife. His mother's seventeen pregnancies left him with a near-pathological fear of impregnating anyone, so he doesn't intend to sleep with her, or even live with her, past the week they spend together at his father's house. Charity Duncan is distraught that the idea of marrying for money, but equally horrified at her siblings' desperate financial straits. She signs his contract and they marry the next morning.

But when they arrive at the Duke of Withingsby's estate, nothing is as Anthony expected, least of all his new wife. She is far more beautiful, empathic, and strong-willed than he'd thought. She, in turn, has resolved to bring the estranged Earheart family back together. Her dogged persistance and personal charm begin the process--but the secret of their marriage might not only tear her and her new husband apart, but destroy the fragile relationships between the other Earhearts.

I really enjoyed this. Anthony isn't a rapey asshole like Regency Alpha Heroes often are, and I could understand why Charity was attracted to him. The Earhearts were a tangled bunch, each damaged in their own way by their parents' personalities and conflict. Balogh does an excellent job of portraying their psyches. ( )

Great second chance story. Meg and Jason are brought back together for the sake of Molly but soon realize their love for each other has never died. This debut book is wonderful and I recommend it for everyone. So glad to have discovered this new talented author and can't wait for more from her. Certainly hope this is the beginning of a series...so many interesting characters with stories waiting to be told. ( )

Review to come. ( )