Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Delacorte Press (2007), Hardcover, 336 pages
Description
Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML:BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Mary Balogh's The Secret Mistress. On a splendid August afternoon Susanna Osbourne is introduced to the most handsome man she has ever seen . . . and instantly feels the icy chill of recognition. Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf, is utterly charming�??and seemingly unaware that they have met before. With his knowing smile and seductive gaze, Peter acts the rake; but he stirs something in Susanna she has never felt before, a yearning that both frightens and dazzles her. Instantly she knows: this brash nobleman poses a threat to her heart . . . and to the secrets she guards so desperately. From the moment they meet, Peter is drawn to Susanna�??s independence, dazzled by her sharp wit�??he simply must have her. But the more he pursues, the more Susanna withdraws . . . until a sensual game of thrust-and-parry culminates in a glorious afternoon of passion. Now more determined than ever to keep her by his side, Peter begins to suspect that a tragic history still haunts Susanna. And as he moves closer to the truth, Peter is certain of one thing: he will defy the mysteries of her past for a future with this exquisite creature�??all Susanna must do is trust him with the most precious secret o… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Anniik
"Simply Magic" is the third book in Mary Balogh's "Simply" Quartet. Following "Simply Love" - one of the best romance novels I have ever read - was a difficult thing to do, but this book did an admirable job. While not as emotionally intense as that book, this book certainly has its own charms.
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Fans of Mary Balogh will recognize Peter, Viscount Whitleaf, as Lauren Butler nee Edgeworth's cousin from "A Summer to Remember." Peter is an utterly charming character. Gentle, kind, and almost obsessed with making other people happy, he comes across as a rather shallow rake until Susanna comes to know him better and finds out that things are not always as they seem. Susanna's journey through this book comes with revelations of and confontrations with her past - both which draw her closer to Peter and push her apart. But the best part of this book is how the relationship between Peter and Susanna is allowed to grow - it is not love at first sight, but a strong friendship (with attraction, of course) that is allowed to grow and blossom into love. A beautiful book, and I look forward to the conclusion of this series! Show Less
LibraryThing member tigerlilyoz
I like her kind of writing, set in the 1800's a love story. I read a;; the "Slightly series" and fell in love with the era
LibraryThing member lrobe190
Haunted by tragedy, fiery Susanna Osbourne is determined to keep her distance from all men, including handsome Peter Edgeworth, an aristocrat who is determined to overcome the secrets of the past to build a new future with her.
This is the third in Balogh's Simply series, featuring teachers from
This is the third in Balogh's Simply series, featuring teachers from
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Miss Martin's School for girls. As always, this is a delightful Regency Romance, but not quite as frivolous as some of the genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member lollypop917
I really didn't care for this story. It was the second Mary Balogh I've listened to and will be the last. This story was trying to be a lot of things and failed in every way. The interactions between Susanna Osbourne and Peter Edgeworth are really just plain silly. The love scenes fall short and
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they don't make you pine for the couple to get together. Peter is, for lack of a better word, a wuss who doesn't grow a backbone till the very end of the novel. I really didn't care for the too proud Susanna either regardless of her tragic past. There was no depth to the story and everything was too highly predictable. Overall I would recommend you not waste your time. Show Less
LibraryThing member odkins
I am a fan of Mary balogh, but i don't find the "Simply" series as compelling as the "Slightly" series. Whenyou get down to it they are all cinderella tales. I suppose that is what most of her readers want. Balogh always makes an effort to give her characters more dimension than is usual for this
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genre. The main character Peter,for example, is a pleasant young man pampered by his mother and sisters. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
When Susanna Osbourne meets Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf she recognises him, he doesn't recognise her. She falls for him, but feels that the secrets in her life can never allow her to marry him. They have to open the old wounds of the past to heal her. Peter has to realise what he wants out
It's pretty predictable but quite an interesting read.
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of life.It's pretty predictable but quite an interesting read.
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LibraryThing member missk2u
had a hard time getting into this book
LibraryThing member readnb
Predictable but pleasant. Very Sexy!
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
What I found most sad about this book was that all the heartache that Susanna experienced after the death of her father could have been avoided if she hadn't been eavesdropping and if she hadn't been impulsive. There are some interesting themes of family and forgiveness and the damage that can have
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far reaching effects because one person's selfishness. Show Less
LibraryThing member mom2lnb
Simply Magic is the third book in Mary Balogh’s Simply Quartet that follows the teachers at Miss Martin’s School for Girls in Bath. In this one, we have Susanna, the youngest teacher, who started out as a student at the school. She’s paired with Peter, a viscount she met once as a child when
Susanna’s mother died when she was born and her father passed when she was twelve. Her father had been a secretary to a titled gentleman and she’d become close with the family. But after her father’s death, she overhead remarks by the lady of the house that made her suspect she would be a burden on them, so she ran off to London and applied for a job with an employment agency. Unable to find work in spite of lying about her age, Susanna faced an uncertain future until someone offered her a spot as one of the charity pupils at Miss Martin’s School where she’s lived ever since. She was a star student and eagerly took up a position as a teacher when she was of age, a job which she loves. When Susanna visits her friend and former teacher, Frances, and her titled husband over the summer, she chances to meet Peter while out walking with her friends. Upon hearing his title, she instantly remembers him, and although she only briefly met him once before, she has a rather sordid and tangled history with his family, making her instantly dislike him. But Peter is nothing is not persistent, charming his way into a friendship with her that makes her realize her preconceived notions about him were wrong. However, in spite of her growing feelings for him and their status changing to that of lovers before their summer sojourn is over, she can’t bring herself to even entertain any kind of future with him. I admired Susanna for her dedication to the girls she teaches and for not being in any way influenced by Peter’s title and wealth. Still, I don’t think I could have made the same choices she did when up against his considerable charm, especially after admitting to herself that she loved him. I did understand, though, that she wanted his love in return, and perhaps more importantly that she was a young woman still suffering from past wounds that hadn’t quite healed and that needed to be confronted before she would be ready to share her life with someone else.
Peter was the youngest child in his family, the surprise son finally born after five daughters. His father died when he was only three, so he was raised by his mother and all his older sisters, who coddled him as the heir. His uncles and other male relatives stepped in to teach him his duty, but rarely allowed him to make his own decisions until he finally tossed them all out upon reaching his majority. However, because of his gentle temperament and how he was brought up, he has a serious aversion to conflict and has a hard time standing up for himself even when his mother is redecorating the sitting room of his estate in frothy pink lace that he abhors. Perhaps because he’s been surrounded by women all his life, he genuinely adores them and is an outgoing, consummate flirt, although refreshingly not a rake. When he meets Susanna, he’s instantly smitten, but she presents a challenge in that she’s completely inured to his charms. Therefore, he must work hard to gain her trust, but is rewarded with a beautiful friendship that turns into something more. Despite that, though, Peter struggles with exactly what his feelings for Susanna are. At first, he thinks it’s mere infatuation and let’s her get away, believing they’ll never see each other again, but as fate brings them together once more, he slowly gains insight into the true nature of his emotions where she’s concerned and gradually comes around to being more proactive. Peter is definitely a sweet, beta hero, unerringly kind and gentle, but sometimes a bit of a pushover, particularly where his mother is concerned. I enjoyed watching him grow and come into his own, while learning to like himself, and in doing so, he became totally worthy of Susanna. When he finally stands up for what he wants, I was cheering for him, and yet he somehow does it while still maintaining his good-hearted nature which I loved.
Simply Magic has a number of supporting characters that are seen in other books of the Simply Quartet, and since it’s also a spin-off of the Bedwyn Saga, we see a few of those characters as well. I believe that Peter was first introduced in the Bedwyn Prequel, A Summer to Remember, as he’s a cousin to the heroine of that book. Parts of Simply Magic take place concurrently with the previous book, Simply Love, so we get to see Anne immediately after her return from her summer holiday in Wales, as well as her and Sydnam’s wedding breakfast through Susanna’s eyes. Since both Peter and Susanna are in attendance at the celebration, we also get to see a few of the Bedwyns, namely Wulfric and Christine (Slightly Dangerous), as well as Freya and Joshua (Slightly Scandalous). When she was a girl, Susanna unsuccessfully sought employment with Freya, who she believes may have had a hand in getting her accepted to Miss Martin’s School. During Susanna’s summer holiday, she visits with Frances and Lucius (Simply Unforgettable), and of course, the head teacher at Miss Martin’s, Claudia Martin, herself is seen in a number of scenes. Her book is the final one of the series, Simply Perfect. I’ll be eagerly looking forward to seeing what type of man it takes to catch this independent lady’s eye and finally pin her down.
Throughout her books that I’ve read so far, I’ve come to realize that Mary Balogh is masterful at creating subtle romantic entanglements, and such is the case in Simply Magic. Readers who are looking for something grand and audacious won’t find it here. This is a story that is heavily reliant on past secrets and habits that have to be overcome in order to make room for an HEA ending between our hero and heroine, as well as their individual hang-ups regarding a possible permanent relationship. Stories like this can be dicey for me, because I often find myself becoming frustrated by the various excuses and perceived stubbornness of the characters. But here, it was done well enough that I remained nicely engaged in the story. Even when Peter and Susanna parted ways on more than one occasion, leaving me slightly irritated each time, it didn’t last for long before they were thrown back together again. Each time that happened, their connection deepened, and during their time apart, they seemed to learn things about themselves, making the separations more worthwhile. Although my emotions never reached the soaring highs and lows while reading this book that they have with others, I still very much enjoyed it. I knew that Peter and Susanna loved one another and it merely took time and patience for them to realize it themselves and finally come together once and for all. For readers who can appreciate a more artful, nuanced romance with delicate and refined undertones, Simply Magic is most definitely worth the read and one that I can certainly recommend. It has left me very much looking forward to reading the final book of the series.
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he briefly visited the family for whom her father worked. The two chance to meet up once again while visiting mutual friends over a magical summer holiday. During that time, they become close friends, and by the time they both must return home, they’ve also become lovers. But the differences in social station loom between them, as well as Susanna’s desire to remain independent and her love for her job, keeping them from making any further commitment. But fate has other plans in store for them as it brings them together again and again, until it becomes clear that they’re meant for each other. There’s a great deal of beauty in the subtle simplicity of this story. The two week summer holiday that Peter and Susanna spend together truly is magical and I could feel deeper emotions passing between them. However, their respective difficulties in identifying and admitting those feelings could become just a tad tedious at times. This knocked my rating down just a bit, but I did still enjoy the story overall.Susanna’s mother died when she was born and her father passed when she was twelve. Her father had been a secretary to a titled gentleman and she’d become close with the family. But after her father’s death, she overhead remarks by the lady of the house that made her suspect she would be a burden on them, so she ran off to London and applied for a job with an employment agency. Unable to find work in spite of lying about her age, Susanna faced an uncertain future until someone offered her a spot as one of the charity pupils at Miss Martin’s School where she’s lived ever since. She was a star student and eagerly took up a position as a teacher when she was of age, a job which she loves. When Susanna visits her friend and former teacher, Frances, and her titled husband over the summer, she chances to meet Peter while out walking with her friends. Upon hearing his title, she instantly remembers him, and although she only briefly met him once before, she has a rather sordid and tangled history with his family, making her instantly dislike him. But Peter is nothing is not persistent, charming his way into a friendship with her that makes her realize her preconceived notions about him were wrong. However, in spite of her growing feelings for him and their status changing to that of lovers before their summer sojourn is over, she can’t bring herself to even entertain any kind of future with him. I admired Susanna for her dedication to the girls she teaches and for not being in any way influenced by Peter’s title and wealth. Still, I don’t think I could have made the same choices she did when up against his considerable charm, especially after admitting to herself that she loved him. I did understand, though, that she wanted his love in return, and perhaps more importantly that she was a young woman still suffering from past wounds that hadn’t quite healed and that needed to be confronted before she would be ready to share her life with someone else.
Peter was the youngest child in his family, the surprise son finally born after five daughters. His father died when he was only three, so he was raised by his mother and all his older sisters, who coddled him as the heir. His uncles and other male relatives stepped in to teach him his duty, but rarely allowed him to make his own decisions until he finally tossed them all out upon reaching his majority. However, because of his gentle temperament and how he was brought up, he has a serious aversion to conflict and has a hard time standing up for himself even when his mother is redecorating the sitting room of his estate in frothy pink lace that he abhors. Perhaps because he’s been surrounded by women all his life, he genuinely adores them and is an outgoing, consummate flirt, although refreshingly not a rake. When he meets Susanna, he’s instantly smitten, but she presents a challenge in that she’s completely inured to his charms. Therefore, he must work hard to gain her trust, but is rewarded with a beautiful friendship that turns into something more. Despite that, though, Peter struggles with exactly what his feelings for Susanna are. At first, he thinks it’s mere infatuation and let’s her get away, believing they’ll never see each other again, but as fate brings them together once more, he slowly gains insight into the true nature of his emotions where she’s concerned and gradually comes around to being more proactive. Peter is definitely a sweet, beta hero, unerringly kind and gentle, but sometimes a bit of a pushover, particularly where his mother is concerned. I enjoyed watching him grow and come into his own, while learning to like himself, and in doing so, he became totally worthy of Susanna. When he finally stands up for what he wants, I was cheering for him, and yet he somehow does it while still maintaining his good-hearted nature which I loved.
Simply Magic has a number of supporting characters that are seen in other books of the Simply Quartet, and since it’s also a spin-off of the Bedwyn Saga, we see a few of those characters as well. I believe that Peter was first introduced in the Bedwyn Prequel, A Summer to Remember, as he’s a cousin to the heroine of that book. Parts of Simply Magic take place concurrently with the previous book, Simply Love, so we get to see Anne immediately after her return from her summer holiday in Wales, as well as her and Sydnam’s wedding breakfast through Susanna’s eyes. Since both Peter and Susanna are in attendance at the celebration, we also get to see a few of the Bedwyns, namely Wulfric and Christine (Slightly Dangerous), as well as Freya and Joshua (Slightly Scandalous). When she was a girl, Susanna unsuccessfully sought employment with Freya, who she believes may have had a hand in getting her accepted to Miss Martin’s School. During Susanna’s summer holiday, she visits with Frances and Lucius (Simply Unforgettable), and of course, the head teacher at Miss Martin’s, Claudia Martin, herself is seen in a number of scenes. Her book is the final one of the series, Simply Perfect. I’ll be eagerly looking forward to seeing what type of man it takes to catch this independent lady’s eye and finally pin her down.
Throughout her books that I’ve read so far, I’ve come to realize that Mary Balogh is masterful at creating subtle romantic entanglements, and such is the case in Simply Magic. Readers who are looking for something grand and audacious won’t find it here. This is a story that is heavily reliant on past secrets and habits that have to be overcome in order to make room for an HEA ending between our hero and heroine, as well as their individual hang-ups regarding a possible permanent relationship. Stories like this can be dicey for me, because I often find myself becoming frustrated by the various excuses and perceived stubbornness of the characters. But here, it was done well enough that I remained nicely engaged in the story. Even when Peter and Susanna parted ways on more than one occasion, leaving me slightly irritated each time, it didn’t last for long before they were thrown back together again. Each time that happened, their connection deepened, and during their time apart, they seemed to learn things about themselves, making the separations more worthwhile. Although my emotions never reached the soaring highs and lows while reading this book that they have with others, I still very much enjoyed it. I knew that Peter and Susanna loved one another and it merely took time and patience for them to realize it themselves and finally come together once and for all. For readers who can appreciate a more artful, nuanced romance with delicate and refined undertones, Simply Magic is most definitely worth the read and one that I can certainly recommend. It has left me very much looking forward to reading the final book of the series.
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LibraryThing member spinsterrevival
So many feels happening here in Susanna and Peter’s story, and I loved it. I adored them becoming friends and thinking that’s enough and not realizing the love happening. Also there were tons of secrets that we don’t really get to completely find out about until the end, and needless to say
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it’s the Regency equivalent of super awkward. But I think they’re going to have a truly lovely HEA. Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
The part of the quartet that continues the 6 volume Bedwyn series. Sweet, delightful, but not as funny as the Slightly series. This one stars Susannah Osbourne and Viscount Whitleaf, and leaves us with only the hardened schoolmistress's story to follow. I'm looking forward to that one.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2007-04
Physical description
336 p.; 9.1 inches
ISBN
0385338236 / 9780385338233
Local notes
From Author's Website:
Susanna Osbourne and Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf, meet when both are visiting friends in the country, but only Susanna remembers that they have met before--at a time in her life she would really rather not remember. She rejects his flirtation but finds the growing friendship between them harder to resist. And then there is the added pull of an attraction. There is a long, hard road ahead for these two, though, before the past can be resolved and love acknowledged.
Susanna Osbourne and Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf, meet when both are visiting friends in the country, but only Susanna remembers that they have met before--at a time in her life she would really rather not remember. She rejects his flirtation but finds the growing friendship between them harder to resist. And then there is the added pull of an attraction. There is a long, hard road ahead for these two, though, before the past can be resolved and love acknowledged.