The Temporary Wife/A Promise of Spring: Two Novels in One Volume

by Mary Balogh

In two classic tales of Regency-era romance from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh, the vagaries of love have a way of challenging the most convenient arrangements.
 
THE TEMPORARY WIFE
Miss Charity Duncan has no illusions about Lord Anthony Earheart’s proposal. The arrogant aristocrat has made it painfully clear what he wants: a wife who will enrage the father he despises and then disappear from his life. In exchange, Charity’s family will receive the money they desperately need. But after Charity agrees to this mockery of matrimony, she soon discovers a startling fact: She has fallen for Anthony, and breaking their marriage vows may also break her heart.
 
A PROMISE OF SPRING
Grace Howard has every reason to be devoted to Sir Peregrine Lampman. After all, the gallant gentleman rescued her from poverty by making her his bride. Even more nobly, he did not withdraw his affection after she confessed to a youthful folly that had compromised her virtue. But Grace did not tell the whole truth about the handsome lord who betrayed her—and now the one thing she’s kept from Perry threatens to destroy her last chance at true love.

• ISBN10: 0440245451
• ISBN13: 9780440245452
• Publish Date: 28 February 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dell
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 528
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780440245452

Reviews

[wyvernfriend]

The Temporary Wife was originally published in 1997 and A Promise of Spring in 1990 and while she has improved as a writer, I found this duet quite a good read.
A Temporary Wife: Charity Duncan wants to help her brother support their other siblings by working as a governess but the last place she worked she was thrown out of for defending a maid from the man of the house. When Lord Anthony Earheart offers her marriage instead and a rather large stipend afterwards for annoying his father by her very presence she agrees. But then love gets in the way of the plotting and I was drawn in and couldn't put it down.
A Promise of Spring is the story of Grace Howard and the younger (!) Sir Peregrine Lampman who rescues her when her brother dies and leaves her without a future. She has secrets in her past that could come back to haunt her and an ex-lover who won't take no for an answer may spoil her chances at happiness.
Both were fun, light reads.