A Secret Affair

March 1, 2010
Balogh's final entry in the Huxtable family saga focuses on enigmatic cousin Constantine, long the most maligned of the Huxtables. Hannah, widowed duchess of Dunbarton, has set her sights on Constantine as the ideal lover—a handsome man of experience that she can seduce and set aside once she is done with him. Constantine, meanwhile, is thrilled by Hannah's beauty, but scornful of her reputation, and though the intention is just to have a little fun, they fall in love. Balogh has saved the best for last; Constantine—dark, wicked, and cryptic—has a perfect foil in Hannah, and their encounters are steamy, their romance believable. Though series fans will be disappointed to see it come to a close, they couldn't ask for a better way to go out.

Starred review from April 15, 2010
Wealthy, beautiful, and newly widowed, Hannah Reid, Duchess of Dunbarton, does exactly what the ton expects her to doshe decides to take a lover. Her choice? The sinfully handsome and perennially single yet untitled Constantine Huxtable, a man as dangerously appealing as he is unmarriageableand perfect for her needs. Naturally, nothing goes as either had planned in this neatly choreographed romance that will fascinate readers as Balogh ("Seducing an Angel") gradually peels away the layers of this complex, secrets-laden story with tantalizing skill and sympathetic care. VERDICT Poignant, thought-provoking, deliciously sensual, and completely enthralling, this polished gem is the last in the Huxtable quintet and one that Balogh's fans have been anxiously awaiting. Balogh lives in Canada. [See also our Q&A with the author, "LJ" 2/15/09, p. 90.]

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2010
One year after her husbands death, Hannah Reid, Duchess of Dunbarton, decides its time to take a lover. Of course, being Hannah, she has already chosen her paramour: tall, dark, and sinfully sexy Constantine Huxtable. Hannah may have already decided they were meant to be together, but Con is a man used to making up his own mind. At first Con is amused by Hannahs blatant campaign of seduction. Then he becomes intrigued by the enigmatic beauty. Finally, because he always takes a lover during Londons social season, he begins to ask himself why shouldnt it be Hannah? Although Hannah and Con might have agreed to become lovers, neither one expected to fall in love, which, of course, greatly complicates their secret affair. The exquisitely crafted chemistry that develops between Hannah and Con is pure passion deftly leavened with tart wit, which ensures that A Secret Affair, the concluding volume in Baloghs Regency historical Huxtable series, is a sweetly romantic, deliciously sexy triumph.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)