Rating: 
Summary: Best of the best
Review: Everything fits in this book. No emotion out of place. No action that makes the reader think the character is too stupid to live (happens all too often in romance novels unfortunately). It's also a nice twist to find the usual roles reversed. In this book, it is the heroine who had a dark past, whereas the hero is the virginal (literally) counterpart. It is a testament to Mary Balogh's skill as a writer that she pulled this role reversal off without making Ferdinand seem like a sissy. Oh no, quite the contrary! I also felt like Balogh really thought through how a woman in Viola's situation would act. Her actions made complete sense to me, and the characterization is superb. What an unconventional romance novel, and one to be remembered years later.
Rating: 
Summary: I'd prefer 3 & 1/2 stars, but I won't go down to 3
Review: Ferdinand is a warm, generous, kind, and cheerful person--utterly charming--which is interesting since he seemed so immature in the previous book "More than a Mistress" which took place 4 years earlier. What a difference in maturity 4 years can make. He's just splendid.Viola is loving, spirited, and generous...until he arrives to take away her home. As the story progresses, the shocking truth is revealed: Viola has an alter ego, the most expensive courtesan in London. Ferdinand shatters her new life by winning her home in a card game, but she is determined to fight back. As she falls in love with him, however, can she bring herself to use her wiles on him and seduce the house away from him? The book is not always pleasing; the thread where she agrees to be his mistress (even though he wants to marry her) even though she doesn't really plan to is somewhat muddled. But the ending is a resounding success. The best part of this book, to me, is Ferdinand--he's not your average Regency romantic hero, and as much as I like them, he's more the kind of guy you could actually live with. As a bonus, you get to check up on Tresh and Jane from "More than a Mistress" and see how marriage and family have continued to change the dear Duke.
Rating:
Summary: I'd prefer 3 & 1/2 stars, but I won't go down to 3
Review: Ferdinand is a warm, generous, kind, and cheerful person--utterly charming--which is interesting since he seemed so immature in the previous book "More than a Mistress" which took place 4 years earlier. What a difference in maturity 4 years can make. He's just splendid. Viola is loving, spirited, and generous...until he arrives to take away her home. As the story progresses, the shocking truth is revealed: Viola has an alter ego, the most expensive courtesan in London. Ferdinand shatters her new life by winning her home in a card game, but she is determined to fight back. As she falls in love with him, however, can she bring herself to use her wiles on him and seduce the house away from him? The book is not always pleasing; the thread where she agrees to be his mistress (even though he wants to marry her) even though she doesn't really plan to is somewhat muddled. But the ending is a resounding success. The best part of this book, to me, is Ferdinand--he's not your average Regency romantic hero, and as much as I like them, he's more the kind of guy you could actually live with. As a bonus, you get to check up on Tresh and Jane from "More than a Mistress" and see how marriage and family have continued to change the dear Duke.
Rating:
Summary: Great Cover
Review: I bought this book for the cover, and boy and I glad I did. It's a great story, with wonderful characters and (for once) a believable scenario for a man and his mistress to end up married! Highly recommended!!!
Rating: 
Summary: BORING
Review: I cannot believe this author is the same who wrote "More Than A Mistress". Where is the tension and plot? This book is so boring that I couldn't even finish it. I don't like either of the main characters because they are not suitably matched. I hate weak men!!
Rating: 
Summary: How gullible does Balough think readers are?
Review: I completely agree with some of the other readers who expressed disbelief over this plot. A man who's a virgin at age 26 (or 28, I can't remember)?? Come on! He's a wealthy man who could have set up a mistress and many men of his station did. Why would he remain a virgin unless he was religious, which he wasn't. Balough clearly put this plot twist in to shock readers. It's such a turnaround to have the heroine experienced and the hero a virgin that Balough figured it would be interesting; instead, it was unbelievable. Another unbelievable thing was that Viola would have been so readily accepted. No way. Not during that time. Additionally, I just couldn't figure out why Ferdinand loved her so much. What was with her rule about becoming no man's mistress. So, she'll prostitute herself for many men and thinks that's better than being with just one man?? Also, she would have jumped at the chance to get out of her situation by marrying him instead of making excuses not to as she does in the novel. All in all, this was so bad I couldn't even finish it.
Rating:
Summary: A moving character study
Review: I have always been a fan of Mary Balogh's books, so I was surprised by some of the negative reviews in this column. More than a Mistress had been a book that was interesting, but not one of my top favorites. I approached No Man's Mistress with some trepidation, afraid that one of my favorite authors had changed greatly.
To my relief, I found a very moving story about two characters whom I liked very much. Ferdinand was an absolute delight. So often romance heroes are a bit like James Bond, skilled sexually, knowledgeable about seemingly everything,and very very repetetive. Ferdinand was unique, charmingly refreshing, and a great favorite of mine. In counterpoint to him, Viola's life had been very difficult, and she had had to make some disgusting choices. I was moved by her disgust of herself, and yet her continuous struggle to choose what was right for all those whom she knew and loved, and not just for herself.
This book is not for the simple; one must have a genuine interest in the complexities of human nature and the realities of life for 19th century women.
Rating:
Summary: Yeah, he's a virgin, so what?
Review: I know there are some things in this story that make us stretch our disbelief a little far, but don't be turned off by the negative reviews here. The characters are taken down paths not of their own choosing because of *pride* which makes people do stupid things all the time (even in the 21st century!) I loved this book, my first by this author, and ran out to get more the minute I finished it. I read about his brother's romance after I finished Ferdinand's so it was great to see him in more innocent times, then see how he had matured. I'd recommend you read them in order though... ;-)
Rating: 
Summary: Great until Viola turns on him
Review: I really liked this novel, Viola sounded so sweet & believable, and Ferdinand was a real gem. Everything seemed to be going so well for them, especially when they finally "get together," but Viola gets so incredibly mean!! I mean, telling Ferdinand he doesn't know how to satisfy her with his inexperience, come on! Viola shared so much with Ferdinand and he was so easy to talk to, I found it hard to believe that she would reject him this way. I found it even harder to believe that he would continue to come back to her after she was so abusive. If the tables were turned, I wonder if readers would have been so understanding of a man speaking to a woman in such a way.
Rating:
Summary: Great until Viola turns on him
Review: I really liked this novel, Viola sounded so sweet & believable, and Ferdinand was a real gem. Everything seemed to be going so well for them, especially when they finally "get together," but Viola gets so incredibly mean!! I mean, telling Ferdinand he doesn't know how to satisfy her with his inexperience, come on! Viola shared so much with Ferdinand and he was so easy to talk to, I found it hard to believe that she would reject him this way. I found it even harder to believe that he would continue to come back to her after she was so abusive. If the tables were turned, I wonder if readers would have been so understanding of a man speaking to a woman in such a way.
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