Simply Unforgettable
Mary Balogh
Delacorte, Apr 2005, $22.00, 352 pp.

Frances Allard travels from Miss Martin's School for Girls in Bath to spend the Christmas holidays with her beloved great-aunts in Mickledean. However a rare holiday snowstorm strikes; while her coach crawls, Viscount Lucius Marshall goes full speed cuasing a near accident. Her coach is stuck in the drifts and though she the tortoise and he the hare argue he takes her to a nearby inn. Shockingly they share an incredible night of passion.

In the morning light, Frances knows he is way above her station and besides even if he was not her past makes her unsuitable for him; she must move on, but she will never forget the greatest night of her life. Lucius refuses to take no for an answer as he realizes that he has found his soulmate although she is far from the perfect wife, love makes her even better suited for him, but he must persuade her one kiss at a time.

The opening of the "Simply" delightful Regency series is a reason to rejoice as the great Mary Balogh starts off with a terrific tale of two individuals who by Ton standards could never be together except as his mistress. The storyline is character driven as the determined male protagonist knows what his perfect spouse should be, but his ideal wife will share one trait with him: love. Anything less is unacceptable. Frances is his wonderful counterpart who rejects him out of her love for him. The secondary cast adds depth and humor while also deftly introducing us fans to future lead characters. This is no slightly diverging novel as sub-genre readers will simply treasure this unforgettable romance.

Harriet Klausner