Need recs: Balogh's Huxtable series

MEK · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 225

Hi all, I've enjoyed many Mary Balogh books, but have not read any in her Huxtable series. I'm not sure I want to read all five. Which ones did you like the most?

Here they are to refresh your memory:

First Comes Marriage (Vanessa)
Then Comes Seduction (Katherine)
At Last Comes Love (Margaret)
Seducing An Angel (Stephen)
A Secret Affair (Constantine)

Thanks!

PWNN · Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 819

First Comes Marriage (Vanessa) - Liked this one and a good setup of the series without future book pushing. Best part is the prologue though with Con. Solid Balogh. B-/B

Then Comes Seduction (Katherine) - Loved this one, mostly for the hero but also the entertaining dialogue between the leads. The end drags a bit though. A-

At Last Comes Love (Margaret) - Liked the hero but he wasn't enough since I really hated the martyrish, sanctimonious know it all controlling heroine C-

Seducing An Angel (Stephen) - Skipped because wasn't up for another difficult heroine so soon after the last

A Secret Affair (Constantine) - Adored this one for the very well matched leads. Con is a great character and the heroine was my favorite of the series. Only niggle is wondering what Con's story would have been like if written by the darker more angsty Balogh of the mid 90s as glimpsed in the Book One Prologue. A-
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Susan/DC · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 1598

Rosie · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 278

I liked them all except the first one (slow, boring, no chemistry). Plus I couldn't get past the heroine named Vanessa Huxtable (Cosby Show).

The last one, A Secret Affair, was definitely my favorite.

Lizzie · Joined: 12 May 2010 Posts: 53 Location: Northeast Georgia

Just looked back in my book journal. Here goes.

First Comes Marriage--B--good, not great

Then Comes Seduction--C+--Just OK

At Last Comes Love--A+--Loved it--A keeper

Seducing An Angel==A--Very good

A Secret Affair--A+--A great book--very romantic--Constantine was to die for.

Nothing scientific, Just my personal thoughts!
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Natalie · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 1566

First Comes Marriage - somewhat boring and too much like Slightly Dangerous, one of my favorites. Nothing new here.

Then Comes Seduction - I enjoyed this one the most. It certainly wasn't run of the mill.

At Last Comes Love - Forgettable. Don't even remember what it was about.

Seducing An Angel - Ok, but nothing special.

A Secret Affair - Started out great. I liked the seemingly femme fatale heroine who knew what she wanted and went for it. But then Balogh almost ruing the whole thing by

SPOILER

making her a virgin heroine! Seriously, we should be past using virginity as a proof of the woman's morals.

MEK · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 225

Thanks, everyone! I may have to read them all to see where I fall in the differing opinions. I truly love it when we all rate books so differently. That's what makes it fun. At least I've learned there are no obvious ones to avoid.

On a side note, one Balogh book most people panned that I thought was great was Slightly Wicked (Rannulf's book). I'm a sucker for a Cinderella heroine who's mistreated by her relatives who wins in the end. To each their own!

Happy reading.