"Strong Regency romance"

With no protection any longer from lecherous relatives, penniless Isabella Fleur Bradshaw flees for London, but her only means of money is her body. Outside Drury Lane Theater, the recently war scarred and angry Duke of Ridgeway Adam Kent sees her standing nearby so assuming she is a whore, he buys Fleur's services. Though married and feeling guilty for breaking his vows, Adam roughly takes the street harlot; his hooker shows no reactions at all. He leaves her extra money and leaves.

Later Adam feels guilty about how harshly he took the young woman who now reflecting on her he realizes she is quality who must have fallen to poverty. He sends his secretary Houghton to find her to offer her the job of governess to his five years old daughter Lady Pamela. Fleur struggling with her only assignment as a whore accepts the job though she fears her duke only wants her as his mistress. However, on his estate the duke realizes he wants the governess not his cold termagant wife Sybil.

THE SECRET PEARL is a reprint of a strong Regency romance starring two fully developed characters. The key to this fine drama is how much the audience understands what drives Fleur and even more penetrating into his soul what demons move Adam. The villains (his wife and brother and her cousin) contain no redeeming qualities as they are self-indulged hedonists (have problems envisioning selfish Sybil pregnant even if that was her duty). Still Mary Balogh's novel was a bold historical when it first was released in 1991 and remains a powerful tale that sub- genre fans will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted November 15, 2005

Summary

Mary Balogh has no equal when it comes to capturing the complex, irresistible passions between men and women. Her classic novel, The Secret Pearl, is one of the New York Times bestselling author's finest--a tale of temptation and seduction, of guarded hearts and raw emotion...and of a love so powerful it will take your breath away.... He first spies her in the shadows outside a London theatre, a ravishing creature forced to barter her body to survive. To the woman known simply as Fleur, the well-dressed gentleman with the mesmerizing eyes is an unlikely savior. And when she takes the stranger to her bed, she never expects to see him again. But then Fleur accepts a position as governess to a young girl...and is stunned to discover that her midnight lover is a powerful nobleman. As two wary hearts ignite--and the threat of scandal hovers over them--one question remains: will she be mistress or wife?