The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh
The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh
You want to know what irony is? How I came to re-read THE TEMPORARY WIFE. Read on...
As I've mentioned ad nauseum, in the past six months my blogging, commenting and lurking have been sporadic to say the least. However last week on the merest chance I was at Tumperkin's blog, Isn't it Romance?, and read this post about her experience/review of reading THE TEMPORARY WIFE by Mary Balogh. Being in a reading funk at the time I immediately checked my keeper shelf to see if I had the book. I did. Thank God.
After picking up book after book for several days and not being able to engage my interest in anything, this delightful book did the trick. Hallelujah, I was reading again.
Noting that it was May 1997 this book was first released, and despite Ms. Tumperkin's review, I cracked it open with trepidation. Knowing from experience that some books, even historical in bent, don't hold up over time because we readers get used to different writing rhythms and trends, I thought the book might suffer in my hands because I've recognized I do like a pretty decently paced story. Thank goodness, my worries were unwarranted.
Impoverished Charity Duncan answers an ad for governess only to find herself offered marriage to Lord Anthony Earheart. Anthony is heading back to his family home after an 8-year absence. Having left home shortly after his mother's death and an inevitable and volatile split from his father the Duke of Withingsby, Anthony wants to return home on his own terms, with a wife of his choice, a choice that will most certainly insult his ailing father.
Subtly written and yet a full and hearty read, I thoroughly enjoyed picking up this treasure from my keeper shelf. I triumphantly declared to my husband that it proved my theory that I would have an abundance of such books to re-read in my old age when I may no longer be able to afford new ones. I'm so glad this was happily shelved and waiting for me when I read Tumperkin's post.
Where's the irony? Well, I visited Tumperkin's blog today. As I said earlier, it was the merest chance in my erratic blog hopping that I read her review. However, in her post of July 2nd, she notes that she, like many of us, is struggling with where and how she wants to continue blogging, or if she's going to continue at all.
With this review already in the works I can't help be struck that I would not have pulled THE TEMPORARY WIFE off my book shelf without reading her post. I'm grateful that for whatever reason she chose to write about THE TEMPORARY WIFE and that I happened to see it. It changed my whole week.
In the whole world scheme of things, my reading funk rates next to zero, AND, I want Tumperkin to do whatever works best for her and her life, of course. But, I can't help but think that her post and my reading it and re-reading that book is why I hang on to my blogging. When it works the way it's supposed to, well, it rocks.
As I've mentioned ad nauseum, in the past six months my blogging, commenting and lurking have been sporadic to say the least. However last week on the merest chance I was at Tumperkin's blog, Isn't it Romance?, and read this post about her experience/review of reading THE TEMPORARY WIFE by Mary Balogh. Being in a reading funk at the time I immediately checked my keeper shelf to see if I had the book. I did. Thank God.
After picking up book after book for several days and not being able to engage my interest in anything, this delightful book did the trick. Hallelujah, I was reading again.
Noting that it was May 1997 this book was first released, and despite Ms. Tumperkin's review, I cracked it open with trepidation. Knowing from experience that some books, even historical in bent, don't hold up over time because we readers get used to different writing rhythms and trends, I thought the book might suffer in my hands because I've recognized I do like a pretty decently paced story. Thank goodness, my worries were unwarranted.
Impoverished Charity Duncan answers an ad for governess only to find herself offered marriage to Lord Anthony Earheart. Anthony is heading back to his family home after an 8-year absence. Having left home shortly after his mother's death and an inevitable and volatile split from his father the Duke of Withingsby, Anthony wants to return home on his own terms, with a wife of his choice, a choice that will most certainly insult his ailing father.
Subtly written and yet a full and hearty read, I thoroughly enjoyed picking up this treasure from my keeper shelf. I triumphantly declared to my husband that it proved my theory that I would have an abundance of such books to re-read in my old age when I may no longer be able to afford new ones. I'm so glad this was happily shelved and waiting for me when I read Tumperkin's post.
Where's the irony? Well, I visited Tumperkin's blog today. As I said earlier, it was the merest chance in my erratic blog hopping that I read her review. However, in her post of July 2nd, she notes that she, like many of us, is struggling with where and how she wants to continue blogging, or if she's going to continue at all.
With this review already in the works I can't help be struck that I would not have pulled THE TEMPORARY WIFE off my book shelf without reading her post. I'm grateful that for whatever reason she chose to write about THE TEMPORARY WIFE and that I happened to see it. It changed my whole week.
In the whole world scheme of things, my reading funk rates next to zero, AND, I want Tumperkin to do whatever works best for her and her life, of course. But, I can't help but think that her post and my reading it and re-reading that book is why I hang on to my blogging. When it works the way it's supposed to, well, it rocks.
Labels: Book Review, Mary Balogh
Posted by Rosie at 12:01 AM
5 Comments:
It does rock--and now I'm going to be on the hunt for this one as well! *adds to list*
So... how did you like Skin Tight? :grin:
I have exactly two Balogh trads in my TBR - and, oh happy day!, this is one of them.
I've had a bit of the malaise lately when it comes to blog hopping. So many of my favorites seem to either have vanished, or they're so sporadic these days that I obsessively stalk them for every new morsel they might offer. Thank the good Lord for Google Reader!
(I've thought about blogging on this topic, but haven't figured out a way to write about it without sounding like a bitter old hag - *sigh*)
And so, so true. When blogging "works the way it's supposed to," 'tis an awesome thing.
AL. you won't regret tracking down THE TEMPORARY WIFE, especially if you like well written regencies. This is a very traditional well done regency. As for SKIN TIGHT, it didn't rock me as much as SKIN GAME, but you know that Ava Gray (Ann Aguirre) is a very good writer. I'm struck again and again how clear and distinct her voice is in each of her series. That's pretty awesome. *sigh* Maybe someday I'll be reviewing again.
Wen, I love talking books with you because you always have some frame of reference to the conversation. I know you've been burnt out for a while on regencies, but this was a good one. Ms. Balogh is at her subtle best here.
Well I'm still here... These old keepers deserve to celebrated more in blogs. I get fed up reading about new releases all the time.
Miss Tumperkin, I'm sure glad you decided to write about THE TEMPORARY WIFE. It was a truly a God send.
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