The Proposal by Mary Balogh is 2.99
Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has been a secondary character in some of Mary Balogh’s most beloved books. Her story has been one hotly anticipated by fans. It can be hard to deliver under that kind of pressure, but Mary Balogh shows herself to be up for such a daunting task. Not only was I delighted with Gwen’s story and pleased with her hero, my appetite for the other Survivor’s Club members books is now whipped to a fever pitch.
Gwen is never impulsive, and it is precisely because impulsiveness leads to the sort of situation she is in now. She received a letter from an old acquaintance, Mrs. Parkinson, who had lost her husband. Understanding all too well the feelings of loss, grief, exhaustion, and loneliness that accompany widowhood, Gwen accepted her offer to visit. However, Gwen’s dream of providing comfort and consolation is swallowed by her “friend’s” bitterness and jealousy. Desperate to leave the house, Gwen follows impulse once more and finds herself on a cold beach in Cornwall. The walking is hard and leads to disaster as Gwen’s damaged leg turns dangerously under her, resulting in a painful sprain.
It had been a silly joke. Hugo wanted a wife. Ralph had assured him that finding one was “quite simple”: Approach “the first reasonably personable woman you see, tell her that you are a lord and indecently wealthy to boot” and ask for her hand in marriage. Hugo assures his friends he will do just that come morning. But when morning arrives it brings the last sort of a female Hugo would wish to marry, a damsel in distress. A lovely lady who simply breathes class and wealth and introduces herself haughtily as Lady Muir. Hugo carries Gwen to help but is convinced she is not at all the woman destiny has in mind for him. Proud of his humble beginnings, he assures himself that Gwen is a pampered, proud, and persnickety aristocrat. But he wants her – desperately.
As Gwen recuperates at the home of George Crabbe, Duke of Stanford, she is able to disabuse Hugo (somewhat) of that notion. The week passes slowly as she regains her ability to walk and becomes slowly closer to Hugo. The two are aware that neither is what the other is looking for in a relationship. The strong mutual attraction they feel – as well as the budding camaraderie – has them crossing lines they would normally leave well enough alone. When Neville arrives to escort Gwen home to finish her recuperation, she assures herself she is relieved and happy. Hugo assures himself of the same as he carries her out to the waiting coach. Yet mere weeks later he finds himself looking for her once more. There is a need in his life that only Gwen can fulfill. But will she be willing?