Rating: 
Summary: Intense and Engrossing:
Review: This book starts off with an "incident" that occurs in chapter 1 that shapes the future lives of both main characters in enormous ways. The hero is "tortured" (psychologically) and the heroine is strong yet also "wounded." For those of us who like "dark characters" and intensity, plus the author's gift for writing, this is a near-perfect book. It is one of my personal favorites.
Rating: 
Summary: She became her husband's mistress!
Review: This is another moving and very readable book from Putney. The main plot, as shown in the synopsis above, has Diana travelling to London with her son to become a courtesan; she is immediately attracted to Gervase Brandelin, Viscount St Aubyn, and becomes his mistress. What he doesn't know - and nor do we at the time - is that Diana is actually the woman Gervase was forced to marry more than eight years earlier, when she was fifteen, and whom he raped in his fury immediately after the ceremony. Ever since, he's been haunted by guilt.I wish the cover synopsis had been phrased differently, because Diana's surname was given as 'Brandelin'; this gave away the plot. Had it not been for that, while I might have had my suspicions I would have only found out at the same time as Gervase that Diana was actually his wife. However, this element of the plot was revealed by the use of her married surname - as it is by the synopsis on this site. One aspect which I found unconvincing was Diana's attitude to Gervase when they met in London, however. As we discover later, she still harboured a lot of anger and resentment against him for what he'd done to her; yet her reaction on meeting him seemed to be mostly attraction. I would have found it more convincing had she also been wary, afraid, cautious, reluctant to risk getting involved with him. This would have been more in keeping with her previous knowledge of him. That aside, I enjoyed this book very much, and especially liked Putney's relating of Diana and Gervase's first few months as lovers - particularly her time with him at Aubynwood. Putney knows how to portray lovers, both in terms of physical lovemaking and the development of an emotional bond.
Rating: 
Summary: A Real Turn-Off
Review: This is the first Mary Jo Putney book I've ever read, and if this is her best then it will definately be the last one I read. I was immediately turned off by the hero when he brutally rapes the heroine. Despite his own feelings of self-loathing, I had a hard time forgiving him. I initially liked the heroine when we meet her six years after that violent encounter. She seems to have grown into a very sensible, capable woman. However, I found her reasons for becoming a courtesan weak and totally unbelievable. I can't imagine any woman--especially an innocent virgin--who is raped and then bears a child would be eager to enter into a life where her financial security (and that of her child) depends on how well she sexually satisfies a protector. The hero also harbors a deep, dark secret. I was totally repulsed when that secret was revealed -- sorry!! I read romances to escape from the horrible things that occur in our world, not to be reminded of them, and certainly not to have my hero and heroine completely victimized by them. Although Mary Jo Putney is a craftsman with words and creates scenes where you can see, smell, hear and feel what is happening, I really hated this plot. It was all I could do to continue reading it through to the end. If you're looking for a romance that will sweep you away, stay away from this one. It will only bring you down.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This was my 2nd MJP book. After reading The Bargain, I was looking forward to Dearly Beloved but I basically had to force myself to finish this book. I found many of the several plot twists and subplots to be excessive, distasteful and exploitative. Really, is it necessary to incorporate rape, incest, sadism and prostitution (etc.) into one little story? I was very turned off by much of this. That said, I did think that the homosexual subplot was handled with sensitivity. Finally, I just couldn't bring myself to like the two main characters or find their actions and responses to be even remotely realistic. I will probably give MJP another try since I enjoyed The Bargain, but this time I will definitely get her books from the library, not the bookstore.
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