Mary Balogh, At Last Comes Love

At Last Comes Love

Mary Balogh

Dell, May 5 2009, $6.00

ISBN: 9780440244240

Five years ago, Lord Duncan Pennethorne caused the scandal of the decade when he jilted his fianc to run away with her sister-in-law. He stayed away from London until now. His grandfather has written him to find a wife in fifteen days or he will inherit nothing but a name. Desperate not for himself but for four years old Toby, Duncan moves into the home of his mom and stepfather as he has a fortnight to marry a proper spouse.

At a ball, almost thirty and obviously on the shelf, Margaret Huxtable flees an unwanted suitor only to crash into Duncan. He quickly realizes she is perfect to satisfy his grandfather, but she proves to be a stubborn spinster. As he courts her and she rejects him, they become friends and soon fall in love. As each reveals their past secrets, they find hope in each other's arms until his scandal re-explodes. With her extended family in their court the lead couple believes love will bring justice to those who unfairly were punished and those who should have but were not.

The third Huxtable Regency romance (see FIRST COMES MARRIAGE and THEN COMES SEDUCTION) is simply great as the story line takes a deep look at values that were powerful in the early nineteenth century and remain so today. The lead couple is a delightful pairing of two intelligent caring souls who try to always do the right thing even when the cost is their reputation. Fans will enjoy this superb entry while awaiting the last single Huxtable tale to be told.