Fortune's Mistress

Back Cover description: To the outside world, Maggie and Finn's marriage seemed very modern. Maggie dispensing her favours indiscriminately, and Finn indulging his playboy tendencies. But then Finn fell genuinely in love--with Laurie, daughter of financier and jeweller Nicholas Fortune--and the house of cards Maggie's scheming had wrought fell about her ears. Nick thought Laurie wanted to be friends with Maggie, and was set on wresting her away from this 'scarlet woman'...and Maggie was horrified to realise that her response to Nick was returned in full measure. I wasn't going to read this, I didn't care for the way it seemed as everyone was committing adultery. However, it is just a paper marriage formed because Maggie and Finn's grandfathers were losing control of their companies. The author states this in the first chapter. Good solid story, likable characters. My only objection is that Nick at times was nasty, and I would have liked the characters to be a little older--Maggie and Finn are 25? but Laurie is 17!!! A little too young to be married. Try it, another good one from Ms. Napier.

Maggie Cole is a stylish socialite with a reputation for loose living, based on her open marriage with Finn. They appear to be a loving couple, but openly date other people. In reality, there marriage is on paper only. They married to put an end to their families' feud, before the family businesses went to ruin. Now Finn falls genuinely in love, with Laurie Fortune, the daughter of a hard-nosed financier who fought his way to the top and is very protective of his daughter. Maggie is willing to get a divorce, but meantime is convinced by Finn to go around in his company to prevent Nick Fortune from finding out that Laurie and Finn are involved. He nevertheless becomes suspicious that the couple is trying to corrupt his daughter. A great book, one that can be read many times.

This is the best M & B I've ever read. I think because of the time when it was written it had something that the others did not. It's more risque is terms of plot than some of the other older M & B's out there. I love Susan Napier and how she writes and I've read almost all her books but this one remains my fave.