historical

I was only "Slightly Tempted" to continue on to the next novel in the series after Morgan's dull, dull story, but I'm very gald I did!

Slightly Sinful is the best in the series so far, in my opinion. It pretty much summed up everything I look for in a romance novel: A hero with a sense of humor and a good dose of good looks, an endearing heroine, one of the best cast of supporting characters I've ever encountered, and a lively and original plot.

Mrs. Balogh knows how to write with class. Her heroes are rarely domineering, her heroines are rarely argumentative just for its own sake, and the love scenes (towards the end) are always touching. Another thing to appreciate: Mrs. Balogh isn't afraid to let her heroes show some emotion. (Gasp! A man actually cries?! Can express himself clearly? Isn't afraid to say "I love you"? Thank goodness!).

I saw that this book only recieved 4 stars in Romantic Times, and I really don't understand why. Perhaps this book isn't as emotionally compelling as some of the author's other works. Most of the depth in the story comes from Alleyne's search to discover who he really is, which serves as a great tool for developing his character and the story. So I suppose, if you're looking for something a bit heavy, try Slightly Tempted, which deals with the gravity of war (and weighs the story down until I could barely persuade myself to pick it up again). However, if you read romance novels for the pure joy of entertainment, this one won't fail.

Arguably, the most rewarding romances feature heroines with whom one can identify and heroes with whom one can fall in love. "Slightly Sinful," the latest entry in Mary Balogh's ongoing Bedwyn series, provides both.

Overlapping somewhat with the action of Balogh's previous book "Slightly Tempted," "Slightly Sinful" begins during the climactic battle of Waterloo. Lord Alleyne Bedwyn, aspiring diplomat, has been sent to the front with a personal message for the Duke of Wellington. Riding back to Brussels to deliver the reply, Alleyne is shot in the leg, then topples from his horse, suffering a severe head injury in the process.

On awakening, Alleyne finds himself ensconced in a brothel, being tended by its inmates; more alarmingly, he has no memory of who he is or where he belongs. Cut off from his past, Alleyne forms an attachment to Rachel York, the young woman who rescued him from the battlefield. Rachel herself faces an uncertain future, thanks to the wiles of a con artist who has robbed her and her friends--a quartet of enterprising prostitutes--of their savings. All five women are out for revenge against the thief, now fled back to England, but they need funds if they are to pursue him. Not a little smitten with the lady he views as his guardian angel, a recuperating Alleyne proposes a scheme to retrieve Rachel's fortune, which is in the keeping of her estranged uncle. The catch? They have to pose as a devoted married couple to convince Rachel's uncle to release her inheritance into her keeping. Rachel's friends insist on taking part in this charade, as does the one-eyed army sergeant who aided in Alleyne's rescue and has now assumed the position of a gentleman's gentleman. Soon this lively entourage is bound for England--and an adventure that will exceed everyone's wildest expectations.

Despite some of the plot's seeming improbabilities, everything works in "Slightly Sinful." The romance between Alleyne and Rachel unfolds with a pleasing mixture of sweetness and sensuality. Although an early misunderstanding makes them wary of each other for a while, their continuing attraction and growing affection help them to overcome the obstacle in a timely fashion. Thankfully, they do not spend the majority of the book bickering. Rachel is a sympathetic heroine, neither a doormat nor a shrew, and Alleyne is a revelation here. An amiable lightweight in the earlier books, the youngest Bedwyn brother comes of age in "Slightly Sinful." The reader learns about Alleyne as Alleyne learns about himself, and the results are worth the wait. Despite trying circumstances, Alleyne retains his courage and sense of humor; his memory loss may cause him frustration and panic at times, but he never forfeits the reader's sympathy by becoming surly, whiny, or ungrateful.

Secondary characters are also well-drawn. Rachel's friends and the former Sergeant Strickland are likable and resourceful; it is satisfying to read how their fates are resolved too. "Satisfying," in fact, is the word that best sums up "Slightly Sinful" for me: I was entertained from first page to last, not wanting the story to end. "Slightly Dangerous," the finale of the series, is yet to come and the included excerpt looks promising indeed. However, "Slightly Sinful" is going to be a tough act to follow.

Slightly Sinful is the fifth book in the Bedwyn series and my fourth read. Slightly Wicked and Slightly Scandalous were light, airy and fun to read, whilst Slightly Tempted was a great chore. I had been fascinated by Alleyne(more so than Wulfric) since SW, and was anxious to know what had happened to him during Morgan's tedious book. And so, when this book arrived on my doorstep, I was expecting a spectacular book that would make up for the very,very disappointed previous installment.

But it didn't. Balogh is a masterful weaver of stories and here, she is at her best. But there was no heart behind the words. The book left me feeling cold and unemotional. There was too much introspective between the characters and not enough action. Coupled with the lack of emotional intensity and the scorching sexual tension that SW and SS had, I couldn't get into this book. In fact, I found myself skimming chapters, not really interested in what was going to happen to Alleyne and Rachel.

The premise of the book was quite interesting, but the execution was poor. Another reason I found myself skimming was because the amnesia/hidden heiress/what-ifs of the book became very predictable. Even though I am not a fan of Wulfric's, I was touched to see his reactions to Alleyne's return, but that scene as well as the reactions of the Bedwyn family seemed disjointed from the very slow equilibrium of the rest of the story.

I am holding out hopes that Wulfric's story will satisfy my reasons for reading this series, but I am not too sure.