Mary Balogh - A Secret Affair

Born a commoner, Hannah Reid has been Duchess of Dunbarton since she was nineteen years old. Now her husband is dead and, more beautiful than ever at thirty, Hannah has her freedom at last. To the shock of a conventional friend, she announces her intention to take a lover—and not just any lover, but the most dangerous and delicious man in all of upper-class England: Constantine Huxtable. Constantine’s illegitimacy has denied him the title of earl, so now he denies himself nothing. Rumored to be living the easy life of a sensualist on his country estate, he always chooses recent widows for his short-lived affairs. Hannah will fit the bill nicely. But once these two passionate and scandalous figures find each other, they discover that it isn’t so easy to extricate oneself from the fires of desire—without getting singed. 

Comment: This is the fifth and final installment in the Huxtable series by Mary Balogh, which I've started in January and have read one book each month, being this the last one at last. This is an historical series about the Huxtable siblings and their cousin Constantine, after they discover their brother Stephen is the heir for a earldom. Throughout the stories we've watched each sibling finding love and this last book is all about Constantine.

In this last story, we find the whole family settled well into family life, except Constantine, who is once again going to look for a mistress for the Season. He is also considering the fact he is getting older so he probably should think about marrying but perhaps not just yet, even if he does feel a little envy of the fact all his cousins found a love match.

Hannah Reid is one of the most famous widows of the Season, finally after her mourning of the much older husband everyone thinks she married for his money. Everyone is mistaken for she did love her husband, even he was old enough to be her grandfather. There was just one think she didn't have while married and that she wants to experience fully, which is to have a lover. She sets her sights on Constantine for his looks and demeanor.

The problem is these two have hidden depths they don't show to anyone else, including close friends. What will happen when they start to confide in and trust each other?

Once more, this book was what I expected from the author in terms of tone and style so I can say I liked it. 

The author also uses her usual tactic of letting the characters be aware of a certain fact regarding the protagonists at the same time the reader also gets aware but although the reader can assume a new information will be revealed to elevate them in our eyes, the other characters don't and that is part of the conflict and why it takes time for the plot to move forward.

Despite the fact this is a familiar tactic for fans of this author (and of romance in general) and that the protagonists do have some hidden depths and emotions which can seem doubtful but as anyone reading romance would obviously know that would be proven misplaced, I must say this book wasn't as appealing as the first three of the series have been.

The thing is, unlike those three, this is more similar to the fourth, the previous one, in relation to the female protagonist and how she is portrayed. For me, that is actually a minus in my consideration.

I think it's quite amazing that the author thought about including women in her stories who are bright and have independence streaks and many other things that could make a woman - constricted by her time - into someone fresh and free within her limits. Hannah is a widow so she is permitted some freedom other types of woman don't have.

In real life, I must say, I'm all for that freedom at all levels and sexually too, if the woman wants to. But to be honest, even if that sounds too old skool or silly or not feminist at all, I prefer my heroines to be less worried about sex. They can have it all they want but why should it matter? Even in a romance story, for obvious reasons, I can accept it as being part of the expectations, but in this case because Hannah anted sexual freedom so much, she acts manipulative and cynical with Constantine. Ok, he didn't have to accept but he does for plot purposes. I just don't find it empowering nor sexy to be that obvious she just wanted to use the hero.

Anyway, it's just a pet peeve of mine. I prefer stories with more balance sexual decisions from both protagonists or when sex is just a good extra and the not the driving force.

Of course, as the story moves on from the initial awkward situation of Hannah and Constantine becoming lovers, things improve as they get to know more about one another and confiding personal things to the other.

Their personalities do match after they start being more honest and even interacting with other characters. These are often my favorites parts, how the family unites and is an important part of the others' lives as well.

Hannah and Constantine achieve happiness, as one can imagine. Hannah is able to find what she really wanted and so does Constantine, to the also expectant reconciliation with his cousin, something readers have wanted to see from book #1.

The HEA did seem a little rushed, all things considered, but overall, I think it was a good enough installment, just not as thrilling or appealing as the first three.

Grade: 6/10