I preferred The Plumed Bonnet over The Famous Heroine. The former was a solid 4 for me with an intelligent if somewhat flighty heroine and a hero who goes back and forth between dashing and rakish. In spite of all his faults, Stephanie wasn't a pushover, and I appreciated that about her. I really believed their happily ever after, and I think they're a good match.

When you like a book, it's easy to praise, but disliking a book is so much more complicated. There are a few reasons why I didn't like The Famous Heroine that contributed to its 2 stars that I gave it. First of all, Cora (the heroine) is the most insipid character I have read in a while. I can't stand stupid women, and she is as stupid as they come. Readers are supposed to see her good heart because she's willing to dash into danger to save someone, but she ends up being reckless and endangering everyone more. Her inability to think under pressure is extremely aggravating to read about.

The second thing I disliked was her relationship with Francis. Throughout the story, Balogh shows us how Francis is never taken seriously by his friends and family in anything because of how he dresses and because he can always laugh away a bad situation. He's supposed to love Cora because she constantly makes him laugh at silly situations. What I wish is that Cora had the ability to see the hero in all his dimensions. She never appreciated or even noticed his more introspective moments. She never saw anything behind the mask he showed society. That's not an equal relationship, and I was disappointed in her shallowness of character.

Overall, this installment was middling for me. Perhaps someone else will enjoy reading about a hero who carries the emotional weight of the relationship and prefers a simple story. If you want something a little more complex and interesting (but not overly so), I recommend The Plumed Bonnet. ( )

This book is a reissue of two Mary Baolgh Signet Regency stories from 1996. Early Balogh is not as good as later, but even so these are sweet, enjoyable stories. As I understand it, the Dark Angel series (no idea what that name is supposed to imply) is about four friends who embark upon forced, or nearly forced, marriages to women they don't love, or who don't love them. Naturally, they all end up happy.

In The Famous Heroine, Cora Downes rescues a duke's young nephew from drowning in Bath and is brought to London by the grateful grandmother. Since Cora is a wealthy Bristol merchant's daughter, she is clearly out of her element, but the ton, is intrigued by her heroism (and her dowry) and is rather accepting of her anyway. Lord Francis Kneller, a friend of the duke's, agrees to help squire her about to meet an eligible husband, and they become good friends. Because Lord Francis dresses in lace and bright colors, like a dandy (a macaroni, perhaps?), while all the other gentlemen have adopted Beau Brummel's austere look, Cora assumes that he is probably a man who does not perfer women. (It's rather odd that Cora even knows about such things and that she's so accepting of him, but hey it's Romancelandia.) Purely by accident, he compromises her in public, twice, and feels honor-bound to offer for her. Why she accepts is never entirely clear, except that she likes him and enjoys his company. They hie off to the country; misunderstandings ensue; happiness results.

The Plumed Bonnet is about the Duke of Bridgwater (Lord Francis's friend from the previous story) and his marriage to a governess turned heiress, Stephanie Gray. He literally picks up Stephanie on a country road, when she is wearing a fuchsia cape and a pink bonnet with three feathers. He thinks she's an actress or a ladybird and invites her into his carriage, mostly because he's bored and she has concocted a far-fetched story about being robbed on the way to claim her vast inheritance at her grandfather's estate in Hampshire. After they have traveled three days together and arrived at the estate, he is shocked to learn that her story is true. He insists that she marry him, partly to assuage his honor and partly because she will otherwise be forced to marry a creepy relative in order to keep her inheritance. (The will is one of those where she has to marry within six months to get the money. Did people really do that back then?) She accepts and they go to London, where the dowager duchess (the grateful grandmother from the previous story) trains her to be a proper duchess. Indeed, she becomes so proper that her own personality disappears, but she is so grateful to the duke for rescuing her and treating her with respect that she is determined to be the wife he should have. After they're married, he confesses what he first thought about her, and offers her her freedom. I think we all know what happens next.

These books are relatively short, compared to Balogh's later works, so the characters are less well-developed. Like I said, though, they are sweet, fun stories for a quick read.

Kudos to Mary Balogh for working to see that her backlist is published in ebook format. ( )

THE FAMOUS HEROINE: Francis Kneller, heartbroken that Samantha married the Marquess of Carew, is asked by his friend the Duke of Bridgwater to show some attention to Cora Downes, a merchant's daughter who saved the Duke's nephew from drowning. They become friends, but Cora thinks Francis is effeminate and unserious because of his bright clothes--just what Samantha thought too so she never took his proposals seriously. Francis twice compromises Cora, so he proposes to her. Although her father and brother leave it up to her, she knows it would bring disgrace and does want a marriage and children. After their wedding, Cora learns with surprise that Francis does like women, and Francis deals with and puts behind him his affection for Samantha.

THE PLUMED BONNET: Alistair Munro, the Duke of Bridgwater, gives a ride to a woman in showy costume including a ridiculous plumed bonnet. Stephanie Gray tells him how she was raised simply by her mother and her father, a vicar. After their deaths, she became a governess, disdainfully treated. She just learned that she has inherited an estate, but to keep it she must marry within 4 months. Alistair thinks she is an actress, and plans to make her his mistress, and plays along right up until she arrives at her estate. Then he realizes that she was telling the truth, and honorably insists that she marry him since he has compromised her. His mother, in a month, brings Stephanie up to scratch. She feels that she owes Alistair everything, and tries to become the ice duchess she thinks she is supposed to be--no emotion, no passion, no enthusiasm. He sees glimpses of the real Stephanie and is enchanted, but she thinks he disapproves. Finally, after their wedding, he admits that he was not actually the only one who treated her with respect, and rather he had been prepared to use her. After her feeling of having to be his slave is eliminated, they can fall in love as two normal people with flaws.

These are two reissued Mary Balogh Classics. I recommend buying Dark Angel/ Lord Carew Brides before purchasing these. If not the back story might be slightly confusing. If you love Mary Balogh these books will satisfy you with their sweet heroines and uber honorable heros. ( )