Rating: 
Summary: Definitely vintage Mary Balogh
Review: I really loved this book very much.Lord Ferdinand Dudley&Viola Thornhill are two of Mary's best characters yet.I was wondering just what sort of emotional baggage Mary afflicted such an engag- ing person as Lord Ferdinand Dudley with.I also enjoyed the very surprising revelation that was made post first love scene.I also enjoyed the fact that due to her dubious past,Viola was more ex- perienced.I also enjoyed Mary's continuing fascination with names and labels,as she was in "More Than a Mistress".I also liked new glimpses of Jane,Jocelyn,&Angeline.You will truly enjoy this book in the extreme.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly Disappointing
Review: If you are steeped in the customs of Regency genre, as I am, you may find it difficult to get over the faulty premises on which this book is based. First, there is no way that the son of a duke would compromise a presumably gently-born woman (and thus force himself into matrimony) by moving into her house, nor would said woman allow it without an appropriate chaperone, if at all. And if Ferdinand is supposed to be such an honorable gentleman, he would not have done this, so it's very easy to start out disliking him, as well as completely losing respect for Viola, who has spent two years building her respectable reputation in the country after years of being an infamous prostitute in London and allows this to happen without a protest. The reader's credulity is further stretched by Ferdinand's being a 27 year old virgin.These are not particularly appealing nor plausible characters, and the plot is for the most part very thin. Things pick up a bit when the protaganists finally get to London, and then you can see why Mary Balogh is generally a highly dependable and talented writer, because the last part of the book is much better than the first, if you can suspend disbelief that long. It's nice to see the characters from More than a Mistress, Balogh's previous book (which is an excellent read). In short, save your money on this one and borrow it from the library if there is nothing better around.
Rating:
Summary: This was SO good!
Review: In More Than A Mistress the author introduced Tresham, the Duke of Tresham. Now comes the story of the younger brother, Byronic Ferdinand Dudley! The Dudley family was always different from most of the Ton. Ferdinand was the brother who had always lived recklessly, and with much zest! He won Pinewood Manor from the Earl of Bamber. When he went to inspect his new estate, he found out that Miss Viola Thornhill had been living there for two years! She claimed the late Earl had left a codicil to his will, leaving Pinewood Manor to her! A copy of the will was sent for. Until it came, Viola refused to leave her home. Ferdinand felt badly for her and had given her several options (which she refused) before he declared he would not leave his home! War between the two began! The servants and nearby villagers were all on Viola's side. She had been so generous to them all, like their own guardian angel. But the more Ferdinand was around, the more they (reluctantly) began to respect him too. Enter Tresham, with news of Viola's past secrets! Tresham believed he was rescuing his brother from a schemer. He ended up making the war worse! Soon the roles were reversed. Viola and Ferdinand were in London with him among friends and family. However, where Ferdinand's war was about property, Viola's war was about love for her family, honor, and survival. She had more to lose! She would fight dirty if need be! ***** Oh, this was soooo good! The perfect ending to the lives of the three Dudley siblings! I will place this story in my Keeper Bookcase. I proudly recommend this book, and this author, to everyone! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch
Rating:
Summary: Captivating! If I could give it more than 5 Stars...
Review: In NO MAN'S MISTRESS Lord Ferdinand Dudley wins Pinewood Manor in a card game from the Earl of Bamber. He arrives at Pinewood Manor to find Viola Thornhill living there, believing she owns Pinewood. The late Earl of Bamber promised to leave it to her in his will, so when he died 2 years before, she assumed she was the new owner. With neither one of them willing to concede ownership to the other, they decide to both live there for the week it will take to get a copy of the late Bamber's will sent down to Pinewood. While this is happening, Ferdinand and Viola begin to fall in love. About halfway through the book the plot changes. We find out more about Viola and Ferdinand. I don't want to give away the plot change, beyond to say that it's different than what you get in a typical historical romance novel. The characters in this book are human. In the end, it is so much more rewarding when they end up together, because you believed them so much and you believed their pain and what they each went through to get to that point (that's not giving anything away, it is a romance novel - you know they'll be together in the end). It's a credit to Ms. Balogh that they do come off as people, rather than as "characters." If the change of plot hadn't worked, I would still commend this book for taking a chance and being a little different from so many others. But it works so well I don't have to commend the effort, I can wholeheartedly recommend the result. This book follows MORE THAN A MISTRESS the only other Mary Balogh book I've read. I liked MORE THAN A MISTRESS enough to get this book right away. What I feel about NO MAN'S MISTRESS is different. I more than liked this book. It moved me. I've written a few negative reviews to warn off other readers from making some mistakes I made. This is the first book that inspired me to write a positive review. To encourage people I don't even know to that they have to read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Regency
Review: In this regency era romance, Viola Thornhill is thoroughly ensconced in her life as lady of the manor at Pinewood, the home given her by the late Earl of Bamber. At the annual May Day celebration, Viola becomes enchanted by the handsome stranger she dances with at the maypole. Little does Viola know that the stranger is none other than Lord Ferdinand Dudley who shows up on her doorstep the following morning. Thinking that he is paying a social call, Viola is pleasantly surprised. Surprise quickly turns to anger as she discovers that Lord Dudley has come to inform her that he won Pinewood in a game of chance from the present Earl of Bamber. Viola is incensed and insists that the deceased earl changed his will to deed her Pinewood for the rest of her life. Neither Viola nor Ferdinand wants to yield, so they agree to both reside at Pinewood Manor until a copy of the will can be found and its contents disclosed. Though Viola enlists the aid of the villagers to try to scare Lord Dudley back to London, he does his best to win them over. Even though they are attracted to one another, both Viola and Ferdie try to keep their distance mainly because they both want the estate that neither is willing to give up. Will love prevail when seemingly unsurmountable obstacles get in the way? Though this novel begins as a classic Balogh regency, there are quite a few twists and turns along the way. Neither hero nor heroine are what they first appear adding a fresh new spin to the regency. The love scenes are incredibly tender and unique to this hero and heroine. Readers will recognize the Duke and Duchess of Tresham from Ms. Balogh's previous work, MORE THAN A MISTRESS. NO MAN'S MISTRESS is clearly Mary Balogh at her best.
Rating: 
Summary: Emotionally satisfying
Review: Life seems just about perfect for Viola Thornhill. She owns a profitable English estate, makes enough from the rents to support her family, and is respected in the community. When Lord Ferdinand Dudley arrives and announces that he has won her estate in a card game, she reacts with disbelief, then increasing horor. If she doesn't really own Pinewood Manor, then her future is in danger--and she may have to return to the horrors of the past. As a younger son, Ferdinand sees property, even a minor estate, as something special. He is surprised to find a woman living in his estate, but firm that the title lawfully rests with him. He is an English gentleman and that means that he'll make sure that Viola finds some suitable situation, but his leniency goes only so far. The undeniable attraction Viola holds for him--an attraction he's never felt for another woman--is something to be denied. One thing Ferdinand knows--marriage and love are myths, not reality. Talented author Mary Balogh continues where she left off in MORE THAN A MISTRESS. Using the backdrop of Regency England, where reputation matters more than reality, Balogh spins a fine story of love and doubt. One aspect of NO MAN'S MISTRESS weakened the otherwise compelling novel, however. Even when Ferdinand knew the worst about her, Viola never explained her motivations and her danger to him. While this device may have enhanced the conflict between them, the conflict seemed contrived. Balogh's strong conclusion delivered a strong and satisfying emotional impact.
Rating:
Summary: Balogh at her best!
Review: Mary Balogh is known for her emotional, entertaining, and frequently somewhat steamy Regencies, and this book is no exception. Although one could certainly quibble about the historicity in some of the actions of our heroine (a seemingly proper lady of the manor) and hero (a good natured and wealthy second son of a duke), as the plot unfolds the reader cannot help but be drawn in. As soon as Viola and Lord Ferdinand met, I was utterly enthralled, and their motivations and actions seemed to be entirely consistent within the frame of the story. Others have written more about the details of the plot, so I won't repeat them, but I can say that I was never once thrown out of the story by anything said or done. Balogh writes a very particular sort of Regency, and she frequently deviates from the norm of the sub-genre (for example, her Signet Regency _The_Precious_Jewel_ features a heroine who is a prostitute in a brothel when we meet her). I believe that some die-hard Regency fans are uncomfortable with the sensuality and powerful emotion found in her books, but she is definitely worth a try. She writes beautifully, and her characters come alive. With the gut-wrenching decisions made by the characters in this book (including the heroine, who is extremely likeable despite her unorthodox past), Balogh works her charm to perfection in _No_Man's_Mistress_. If you like romances with depth, emotion, a bit of sizzle, and a lot of heart, you simply cannot go wrong with this book. She is a master (mistress?) in her field, and I am delighted that she has risen to writing hardcover novels, as much as I loved her Signet Regencies. She cannot be praised enough, and this book can be ranked as one of her finest.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Mary Balogh's latest book No Man's Mistress is an absolute delight, featuring a brave (if somewhat overly stubborn) heroine and one of the kindest, most heroic heroes to grace a romance novel in quite awhile. The basic premise is that Viola Thornhill believes Pinewood Manor to be hers while Lord Ferdinand Dudley comes to claim it as a prize from a card game. As usual, tempers flare at first and exciting arguments reveal the main characters' stubborn streaks as well as their immediate strong attraction to one another. Certain scenes had me smiling or laughing out loud: the opening scene at the village fair, the escapade on the roof and in the chimney and the cricket game involving the local children. We start getting cozy in the new friendship developing between our likable hero and heroine when the plot suddenly takes a sharp and twisted turn. Terrified to admit feelings of love and trust, Ferdinand and Viola grow close and then retreat numerous times before the book reaches its (more than) satisfying ending.
I enjoyed this book better than its predecessor More Than a Mistress. The Duke of Tresham and his wife Jane appear significantly in this sequel, (Ferdinand being the Duke's brother) and in fact I think I liked their characters and behaviour better here than before.
Balogh writes a powerful, likable story. This one can be easily compared to her other high calibre works such as Tangled, One Night for Love and Temporary Wife. Read and Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Sequel to More than a Mistress
Review: No Man's Mistress, a regency historical, is the sequel to More than a Mistress by Mary Balogh. I adored the character of Ferdinand, the hero, a refreshing change from the usual rakes that seem to dominate regencies and regency historicals (for a brilliant regency historical featuring another such hero, I recommend Forbidden by Jo Beverley). Ferdinand Tresham is a man unconsciously in search of something missing in his life (he has been leading the aimless life of a fashionable Corinthian). He arrives in the country village, where Viola, the heroine, is living on her estate. And we see him falling in love with the country lifestyle of a landed gentleman farmer with close ties to a country community. Finally, Ferdinand has found something that matters. However, I couldn't relate to Viola, the heroine, immediately. She is one of those rather difficult heroines, and it's not because of her past either. I have found other Balogh heroines much more sympathetic or easier to understand. However, a slightly imperfect Balogh is still head and shoulders above most regency/regency historicals around. By the way, I must congratulate the publishers on a gorgeous cover, based on an actual historical portrait. It indicates the level of expensive fashion that women of the highest society, including the most expensive courtesans, wore. It's refreshing to see such a classy cover on a Regency/Regency historical.
Rating:
Summary: One of her best!
Review: OK, I was prepared to be lukewarm about the lead character; after all, his name is Ferdinand for pity's sake, and he was portrayed as a rather useless fellow in _More than a Mistress_.
But he turns out to be quite adorable; much more a Regency beau than the usual dark-'n-dangerous main character. The author's plot twists and teasers are remarkably well-rendered and keep you turning pages. Sure, you have to suspend some disbelief, but I find I do for most fiction. I think this comes off as a very-well written, entertaining story and great escapism. :-)
| 
