Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 Stars)
Title: Dearly Beloved
Author(s): Mary Jo Putney
Character(s):
― Diana Lindsay: 24-25 years old, Brunette, Blue Eyed
― Gervase Brandelin: 31 years old, Gray Eyed
Setting: London, England
Tag(s): Romance, Historical
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “A woman as beautiful as you could become truly powerful if she chose to.”
Overall Opinion:
An overall pleasant experience reading this historical romance filled with twists and turns I wasn't expecting and it was definitely worth the read. The characters were well executed and the storyline had me interested from the get-go. The only downside to reading "Dearly Beloved" was how long the read was and how it could have easily ended sooner than it original had but that didn't taken away from the read.

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This book was originally published in 1990. I read it at that time but I had very little memory of it. Really enjoyed this one. I generally have a low tolerance for historical novels where gentlewomen want to be mistresses but it made sense here. Loved both the hero and the heroine. ( )

I have read quite a few of Mary Jo Putney's books and some of them I really really liked. This book is so far away from any of those that I can't even begin to describe what was wrong with it.
The villain rapes a 14 year old girl because he is too drunk to realize that she is not who he thought she was, he is not in his room and has actually barged into another room and that she is not actually in her senses because she is drugged. Now if that was indeed the villain, it might make sense but its actually the hero. With that hero who needs a villain!! Honestly after that, it's just all downhill.
The heroine having been raped at 14 and given birth at 15 decides after a number of years to be a courtesan. That honestly doesn't make sense.It wasnt even as though her first sexual experience was enjoyable so why would you want to do that. Then while she is deciding whom to associate herself, she meets her rapist(husband) and decided she wants to explore romance with him. The reason she gives is her son is so nice so perhaps the father of her child can't be all bad.
There was nothing in story to make these characters convincing, to make their actions justifiable and book was so bad, i am a little stunned I actually finished it.
If you havent read it, I would suggest giving it a miss ( )

Good book about two emotionally wounded people. It opens with a young Gervase who, in a moment of drunken idiocy, compromises a young woman. He retains enough of his gentleman's code to marry the girl but also takes revenge for what he sees as entrapment. Devastated when he realizes the truth, he takes steps to care for the girl, yet also to avoid ever having to see her again.

I will say that Gervase did not endear himself to me in these opening pages. He was selfish, thoughtless, and cruel. I wasn't sure that he was at all redeemable. He is rightfully haunted by what he did, which drives him to find ways to ease his conscience. When the story resumes eight years later, Gervase is back in England after inheriting the title and continuing his service to England. He is emotionally closed off, allowing no one past the walls around his heart. So he is surprised and dismayed by the strength of his attraction to London's newest courtesan.

When we first meet Diana, she and her son and a friend live in a cottage in Yorkshire. It is the middle of winter, and during a vicious snowstorm, she rescues a woman who was a former courtesan. After nursing Maddy back to health, they become friends. Diana discovers that the stories Maddy tells appeal to the restlessness she feels. Something tells her that if she takes up that life, maybe she will find the love that she craves. But the man she is most drawn to is the least likely to give her what she needs.

The development of the relationship between Diana and Gervase is a rollercoaster of emotions. Both are wary of the strength of their attraction and the depth of the connection they feel. Gervase is a man whose trust in women was destroyed long ago in a most devastating way. He is determined to protect himself and uses that distrust like a shield. Though part of him wants to believe in Diana's goodness and the happiness he feels when he is with her, his skepticism is never far away. Diana is frequently overwhelmed by the strength of her feelings for Gervase, but also fears that giving in to those feelings without an equal return will cause her to lose sight of her own needs.

This is not a fast-paced romance. Instead, Gervase and Diana spend time together over many months, both in bed and out of it. I liked seeing Gervase slowly begin to exhibit his emotions. I especially enjoyed his connection with Diana's son. There were some pretty sweet scenes between them. However, Gervase's demons still made frequent appearances, most notably in his outbursts of jealousy. Diana is not free of her own issues. There are parts of her past that she needs to share with him, but she's afraid that it will drive him away. The longer she puts it off, the harder it becomes. When matters come to the points where both reveal their pasts, it is just as bad as she feared. Both of them frustrated me because of their attitudes. Diana made some excellent points about Gervase's actions, and I liked that he accepted the truth of them and sought to make changes. But she wasn't free of guilt herself, and the way she revealed her past only made things worse. Everything she said ran up against Gervase's fears and beliefs, causing him to believe the worst of her. I wondered how they could ever get past the things that were said and done.

Gervase did his usual shove everything he didn't want to think of behind a locked door in his mind and tried to lose himself in work. On the other hand, Diana still didn't give up hope that they could overcome it all and have that future she dreamed of. I enjoyed her arrival at the house party, and the after-dinner scene was marvelous. I loved how she handled herself and turned things her way. I still wanted to shake Gervase for his blindness and loved seeing his cousin tear into him. But it took nearly losing her for Gervase to finally let down his walls and allow Diana into his heart.

Running through the book was also an element of suspense. As a spymaster, Gervase actively works to help Britain in its efforts to bring down Napoleon. There is one particular French spy that he is determined to stop if he could only get the proof needed. This particular spy also has an unhealthy interest in Diana. The depth of his depravity and his determination to have Diana are another element of tension throughout the book. The final confrontation with him was a nail-biter and I genuinely feared for the safety of both Diana and Gervase. The way the spy was brought down was poetic justice and extremely satisfying. ( )

Diana Lindsey is raising her young son in the countryside of Yorkshire when she rescues a woman lost in a snowstorm. It turns out the woman is a courtesan; her lifestyle intrigues Diana who feels that being ruined doesn't allow for a future marriage. They go to London where Diana meets Gervase Brandelin, Viscount St Aubyn, and current spymaster for the English against Napoleon. She becomes his mistress, but they are both harboring deep secrets. And there's danger from a French spy who wants to destroy them both.
This is a reprint from 1990, one of Ms. Putney's older books. It's a very dark book with rape, incest, and other scenes that will disturb some readers. It's also a story about redemption for two damaged souls. It is hard to like both characters at first. I didn't really get Diana's need to become a courtesan, and Gervase is a hard man, cold and unlikeable. As the book goes on, the reader realizes that Diana is driven by a strong belief in fate. Gervase unbends, though it takes him quite a while.
The story is a bit soap-opera ish (the villain especially), but Ms. Putney is a compelling writer who takes the reader into the story, even if one's stomach is a bit queasy in places. ( )