The Beauty of Bond Street

Gideon was truly a magnificant man. He could be Alan Shore, of the TV show "Boston Legal" played by James Spader, reincarnated!! They are so much alike! This book was extremely interesting from the get go, not a boring moment anywhere. I loved Sophie, too. Not only was she lovely, she was smart. I didn't care for the drastic turn the story took-although it seemed in line with Gideon's attempt at reform, it seemed to come out of nowhere and suddenly everything changed and there was much heartache. I'm of the opinion that if these people would have just spoken plainly, they would have ALL been much happier.

THE BEAUTY OF BOND STREET by Jacqueline Navin August 7, 2005 Rating: 4/5 stars THE BEAUTY OF BOND STREET by Jacqueline Navin centers on a young woman who poses as someone else in order to survive. Sophie Temple has nowhere to live after the death of her aunts, and decides to replace Sophie Kent who is a missing heiress, an illegitimate child of Aunt Millicent. After she presents herself to her new family, Sophie is invited into the home of Lady May, while Sophie lives with the guilt of having deceived this very hospitable woman and her family. In the mean time, Lady May's handsome brother-in-law, Gideon, is recovering from a shooting accident which occurred during a duel. He is laid up at Lady May's home and Sophie decides she wants to get to know him, a man with a reputation of being a rogue. Secretly, the two forge a friendship, and unfortunately fall in love, realizing that this can never result in anything more than a flirtation. Sophie is to be presented to the ton and Gideon is deemed not suitable for marriage to someone like her, a woman of wealth and honor. Little does Gideon and Lady May know, that Sophie is not who she appears to be. A subplot has Lady May dealing with her own romantic troubles. She loves Lord Marcus Roberts, but she is not quite ready to marry again, although her husband has been dead for many years. Lady May has a secret that she is afraid to reveal, for it will affect the family as well as herself. THE BEAUTY OF BOND STREET kept this reader interested, especially because of the amusing characters that filled this book. But Sophie stood out as a character that the reader will empathize with, and will wish that she does find the peace of mind and the respectability that she craves. She was a woman that was born on the wrong side of the tracks, a daughter of an actress. She wanted respectability as well as comfort, and knew that her only way out was to marry a man that could bring her all this. Gideon was a man that enjoyed living the life of the rogue, a man that in the past had no qualms with having affairs with other men's wives. When the two meet, you know that both will find their lives will change for the better. But how does Sophie find a way to get rid of all her other suitors, so she can be free to marry Gideon? The reader will want to root for her. I am giving this book 4/5 stars.

The Beauty of Bond Street is the third in this series of historicals about a woman, Lady May, finding her late brother's illegitimate children and launching them into society ( & , incidentally, finding them spouses). The best thing about The Beauty of Bond Street, for me at least, was the emotional development, which really rang true. All three main characters (Sophie, Gideon, and Lady May) have deep emotional wounds, and those are explored fully, without either lapsing into melodrama or sidestepping difficult issues. The more Sophie falls in love with Gideon, the more her secret weighs on her, yet the harder it is for her to tell him because his regard is so important to her. And the same goes for Gideon and Lady May. And the ending.... Heart-wrenching and satisfying. In addition to the romance between Sophie and Gideon, there are two secondary romances, which are like icing on an already scrumptious cake. The cover, as well, is very appropriate: The mask, hiding the characters' secrets. Seems I can't find anything to complain about at all.

With the help and encouragement of her lover Robert, Widow Lady May Hayworth continues her search for the illegitimate children of her late wastrel brother in hopes of establishing them in society. She has met with success with Michaela (see PRINCESS OF PARK LANE) and Trista (see HEIRESS OF HYDE PARK), loving both of her nieces. She has also found a third offspring, Sophie Kent, who is a bit more aloof than her two half-sisters. Her late husband's rogue nephew Gideon Hayworth, an Earl, is badly injured during a duel. He is brought to May's home to heal. When Gideon and Sophie meet sparks fly and soon love blossoms. However, she has a secret that will leave him distrusting her and besides he fears commitment, which is how they end up engaged to others. The third Mayfair Bride Regency romance is a terrific historical starring two delightful protagonists whose verbal battles are worth the price of admission. The return of Lady May is a reason to rejoice in of itself, but unlike the first two novels in which she steals the show from her nieces, this time the lead couple takes charge. The story line centers on the growing affection and internal concerns between Gideon and Sophie. Fans of the series will enjoy the latest "offspring" whose behavior as May has noticed is quite different from her siblings, who along with their husbands are welcomed back. Harriet Klausner