There is nothing all that spectacular about this book. I really liked the cover and it's certainly true that you can't judge a book by its cover. Not enough story line to finish, and I'm someone that always finishes a book. Not this time.

I liked this book, did not love it. I usually enjoy "series" romances i.e. The Rogue Books, but in this series, I think I am doomed for disappointment. The first book in the series, "In the Thrill of the Night", was Adam and Marianne's story. What was good about that book was decent descriptions of the Merry Widows. This book did not have those same images so unless you go back and re-read the first, the visual gets lost. Also what is nice about series romances is that they follow one another and you get an idea of what happened to the previous hero and heroine. That is not happening here. The stories are running at the same time. For instance, at the beginning of this book, Adam and Marianne are not even married yet! I also know the next book features Grace and Rochdale in that same old lame plot, the nasty rake accepts a bet to woo and bed the virtuous widow, and that plot has already started in this book so, too bad for me, the next book also is same time period and we wont' find out any new info our the previous couples. Said widow, of course, is doomed to find out just when she thought he really loved her...That story line has been done to death. What a bore. But to get back to this story, Thayne, our hero, is great. I liked his confidence and how he came to realize how he loved Beatrice. Her niece, Emily, the beauty of the season, is shallow and frankly, remains shallow at the end. I would have enjoyed more on the relationship with Thayne and Beatrice i.e. his interactions with her girls. Beatrice is 6 years older than Thayne, at 35, so there would have to be some concern that Thayne, as an only child, would not get an heir from her. In realty, sure, you can have children after 35 and I know many who do so but it is also true that fertility lessens so it is not always possible. So what will happen if they don't have a baby or a girl? Who would his heir be? This is just one loose end and I hate bad endings. Marianne and Adam do not really have a presence in this book which is too bad as it would be nice to know how they are doing. Also, Thayne has a wealth of sexual experience made obvious in this book. It would have been interesting to find out where all that info came from!!

Although I cut my novel-reading teeth on all of Georgette Heyer's books and later read my way through all of the older Signet line of Regencies, as I grew more experienced, I found this genre to be too narrow and rather tiresome. The ultimate goal of marriage to a noble and producing an heir/plus one seemed a dreadful future to wish on the sparkling female characters I grown to like from their novels. This charmer spins the genre around and now has the "Merry Widows" enjoying they newfound freedom to the fullest! Though the sensuality is blatant, it's never thoughtless. For example, when our two adults try to find a spot for a romantic afternoon away from all their family commitments/responsibilities, they are stuck when an obliging friend is unable to loan them her home. Additionally it's nice to see how trapped the noble males were as well in this system, as when our male lead gives up control of choice of his bride to his mother when his OWN choice refuses him...again...Good touches of Indian culture and a preview of the next novel to come in this series make this an enjoyable expense of time and $$$.

A settled widow with two teenage daughters has her world upended after an impulsive one-night fling with a slightly younger man. This is the second book in the Merry Widow series, about five titled widows seeking lovers, but not marriage, and centers on the very proper Beatrice, Lady Somerfield. In her three years of widowhood, 35-year-old Beatrice has enjoyed personal freedoms never permitted by her late controlling husband, and she is loath to ever again be under a man's power. However, she has lately begun to think about the physical side of her life. She is drawn to a stranger at a masquerade ball and, in a reckless moment, secretly goes off with him and has an intense intimate encounter. But Beatrice panics and leaves before they are unmasked or learn each other's names. The evening has left them both shaken, however, and neither can stop thinking about or trying to identify the other.

Soon thereafter, Beatrice and her niece Emily are introduced to Gabriel Loughton, the Marquess of Thayne, who recently returned after many years in India. Gabriel promised his family that he will marry by age 30 - which is soon - and he is thus actively seeking a bride. Handsome, titled and wealthy, Gabriel is considered quite a catch. The very pretty and self-confident (if somewhat vain) Emily immediately sets her sights on him. They begin to spend a good deal of time in each other's company, always with Beatrice along as Emily's chaperone. Oddly, Gabriel finds himself much more attracted to Beatrice than to her niece, and before long he realizes that she is the secret masked lover for who he has been searching. However, expectations have already been raised about his marrying Emily, and the party where he must announce his betrothal is rapidly approaching.

This story bolted right out of the gate and never lost my interest. Beatrice and Gabriel were clearly in love, even though they took a while to realize it. Their conversation was immensely enjoyable, and I liked the respectful and tender way they treated one another despite their rather scandalous beginning. The age difference added to the story's charm, and made Gabriel a more appealing hero for his patent disregard of it. A woman looking for an affair instead of marriage does not usually appeal to me, but I liked Beatrice' character and felt she had legitimate reasons for avoiding another marriage. Beatrice' rejection after Gabriel poured his heart out to her - and then stood gallantly by her - did not ring true, but this is a minor point. Overall, very well done...and a nice ending.