Gift of Daisies

Rating:
Summary: Silly, superficial heroine, condescending, pious hero.
Review: ...

I am a very great fan of Mary Balogh. So much so that I am tracking down her out-of-print backlist and buying second-hand copies at large multiples of their cover prices. Therefore I would not usually write negative reviews of one of her books. This time I have to.

On other occasions, a Balogh book has hooked me right from the first page. I'm sucked in and can barely put the book down. A Gift Of Daisies felt nothing like a Balogh book. Reading the first few pages, I actually had to look again at the back cover to check that it was actually Rachel who was the heroine, not her much nicer and more interesting friend Celia...

I can't recommend A Gift Of Daisies in any way, and will probably hide it at the very back of my Balogh collection so I'll never be tempted to read it again.

Rating:
Summary: A nice reversal of positions for hero and heroine!
Review: Even with so many books in print, Mary Balogh still comes up with a new twist to the delicious formula we all know and love. In this case, we have a beautiful Lady Rachel Palmer, sought after by all the men. She has never known love until she meets the one man who resists her charms. The man is a Reverand David Gower. Here is the reversal; often it is the woman who is a governess or some other gently born lady of little means, who is pursued by the wealthy high born lord). This is a classic story of love at first sight (even if he doesn't know it yet). The characters of Rachel Palmer and David Gower are two imperfect people who help each other to grow and change. If you like your romance with a heroine who knows what she wants and pursues him, then this book is for you. A fun read!

Rating:
Summary: Only Mary write a book with a poor&humble vicar for a hero
Review: This book has a poor vicar for the hero.I loved this book
for its undercurrent of faith&spirituality,without it being hea-
vy handed.David Gower is a complete anathema to the best known
literary vicar,Jane Austen's Mr.Collins.He actually lives his
faith,and will not faulter,or let himself be tempted from his
values.Ms.Balogh has said that she caught a lot of fire from her
fans for this book,but I myself loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Only Mary write a book with a poor&humble vicar for a hero
Review: This book has a poor vicar for the hero.I loved this book
for its undercurrent of faith&spirituality,without it being hea-
vy handed.David Gower is a complete anathema to the best known
literary vicar,Jane Austen's Mr.Collins.He actually lives his
faith,and will not faulter,or let himself be tempted from his
values.Ms.Balogh has said that she caught a lot of fire from her
fans for this book,but I myself loved it.