Romance Annotation

 

 

Title: Unforgiven

Author: Mary Balogh

Hardcover: 315 Pages

Publisher: Jove Publisher (1998)

Language: English

Genre: Romance

Time Period: Regency Era

Moira is a self-described independent woman who, ironically, is dependent on her distant cousin to avoid poverty.  Moira chooses to marry Sir Edwin Baillie in order to save her and her mother from being destitute after her father suddenly becomes ill and dies. Finding an isolated spot to contemplate her future, she has a chance meeting with the arrogant, entitled Earl of Haverford after he returns to take his place on his nearby estate.  Bitter old memories start to resurface of the betrayal that ultimately lead to the death of her brother.  Moira's resentment and anger pushes her to take great pains to avoid the earl at all cost.  

Moira is not the only person who wrestles with resentment.  Kenneth Woodfall, the Earl of Haverford, is recently returned from the Napoleonic War and for months has avoided taking the reins of the family estate just so he could avoid Moira.  He considered himself in love with her all those years ago and was disabused of that notion when she pulled a gun and threatened to shoot him as her brother smuggled contraband onto the local beach.  Now he must come to terms with the past if they are to endure the prospect of residing in the same vicinity.

Sir Baillie has recently arrived in the area and after securing the hand of the charming Moira, begins to make plans to introduce himself to all of his new neighbors.  Now Moira is trapped into associating with the earl as her fiancé is determined to make his acquaintance and put aside the family feud that has been brewing for generations. The earl graciously invites the couple to attend a ball given for all the local gentry. Things go disastrously wrong when Sir Baillie is called away for a family emergency in the middle of the ball leaving Moira to fend for herself as a blizzard threatens to make the estate her temporary prison. Finding themselves alone for the first time in years, Moira and Kenneth confront the past and find forgiveness as the old anger begins to melt away into passion.

Genre: Romance

The story begins with the two protagonists seething with resentment for one another. The author allows the reader to experience and feel the anger while slowly unraveling the cause of the emotion.  Both viewpoints of the protagonists are represented as the story unfolds and the reader is allowed to feel empathetic to both causes.  The author also allows the characters to evolve, first relating their relationship eight years prior when they were in their teenage years, then again when they meet as mature adults with the experience of seeing the harsher side of life.

After a series of fortunate events, both characters are able to expel their anger and communicate their feelings of mutual adoration.  This book was a quick read due to the author's ability to unravel information expertly which keeps the reader's interest throughout the story.  The reader knows the couple will come together at the end and are eager to see how they are able to reconcile.

Series: Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Trilogy

1. Indiscreet (1997)
2. Unforgiven (1998)
3. Irresistible (1998)

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

1.      The Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

2.      Ready, Set, Rogue by Manda Collins

3.      Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

1.      Gentlemen's Sons by Ian Fletcher (1992).

2.      Wellington The Iron Duke by Richard Holmes (2007)

3.      The Empire of the French by Brian Taylor (2006)

Similar Authors: 

The authors listed below write historic romance fiction that feature the  protagonists often in conflict with underlying simmering latent passion. Somehow the characters are able to overcome their differences at the end of the story to form a happy union.                                                                                                            

·         Victoria Alexander

·         Jo Beverly

·         Anne Gracie

·         Eloisa James

·         Stephanie Laurens

·         Johanna Lindsey

·         Julia London

·         Kat Martin

• Amanda Quick
• Julia Quinn
• Lauren Willig