Web of Love

Re: Description from back of book...Hmm. I'm trying to figure out what they mean by that description, everything after and including "But Ellen has a secret..." WTF? I have read this book and I have no idea what they're talking about! Anyway, "Web of Love" is the second in the "Web" trilogy. These books are very different than Mary Balogh's other books. They're slower moving, a bit more detatched emotionally, and yet at the same time very beautiful books. This book is a little slow getting into it (Ellen's husband doesn't die until page 130), but the buildup helps with the book later. I really like Dominic - I've liked him since "The Gilded Web" - and it's nice to see him finally grow up and get away from the silly little girls he was show more courting all through "The Gilded Web." Ellen - well, I'm not so sure if I like her or not. She seems at the beginning like a really great character, but after Charlie dies and she makes love to Dominic, she turns rather cold, and never really warms up again. Despite this, though, this is a good book with a good, solid story, and worth reading. show less

In some ways, this is a better book than my rating would suggest, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as many other Baloghs.

The first one-third or so takes place in Brussels before the Battle of Waterloo. Ellen Simpson is happily married to Charlie and has been "following the drum" for five years. We know, just from the book blurb, that Charlie will die, but they are so happy, and their scenes together are so sweet, that it's hard to read.

Our soon-to-be hero, Dominic, is Charlie's best friend, and after Charlie dies, Ellen nurses a severely wounded Dominic back to health. They have a passionate one-week affair, but then Ellen suddenly decides that she's being unfaithful to Charlie by not mourning him longer. She's ashamed of her show more conduct and sends Dominic away.

The rest of the story finds everyone back in England, where Ellen hates Dom but secretly still loves him. And Dom loves her, but that's a secret too. And everybody knows that Ellen's expected baby was fathered by Dom and not Charlie, but nobody seems to mind or even give it much of a second thought. There's a houseparty with lots of people, most of whom seem superfluous to the plot. It all just didn't work for me.

The Earl and Countess of Amberly appear frequently in this book, and I liked them a lot. Perhaps I'll go back and read their story in [b:The Gilded Web|42634|The Gilded Web (Web, #1)|Mary Balogh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320510270s/42634.jpg|42106]. show less

I really like the characters and the first half of this book, but it doesn't untangle as organically as it tangles.

Not one of my favorite MB titles. I'm not a big fan of the "I hate you" couple who realizes in the last five pages that they're in love.

Ellen Simpson met her husband, Charlie, when she was with her father, following the British Army. When her father was killed, she begged Charlie to marry her and they had been happily married for 5 years. Charlie's best friend, Lord Eden, was Ellen's friend, too, and the three of them spent many happy times together. When Ellen's husband is killed and Dominic is injured in the Battle of Waterloo, Ellen finds herself falling in love with Dominic as she nurses him back to health.Balogh creates a tender love story, filled with familiar characters from previous novels. This is Book #2 in her Web Trilogy.

Like Krentz's booka a lot. Disposing of this one because I have run out of space. I wouldn't have kept it this long unless I had really liked it.

Mary Balogh's historical romance book are always delightful - and a perfect beach read!