The Famous Heroine/The Plumed Bonnet

“Regency romance doyenne Balogh … pairs a staid young nobleman with a vivacious debutante in this top-notch tale.… An unusually accurate portrayal of Regency society, laden with colorful period detail, makes a sparkling backdrop, and the supporting characters are delightful.… The charming mixture of sensual passion and hilarious confusion makes Balogh’s delightful tale a must-read for Regency fans.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“A treasure … No one tells ‘secrets’ better than Balogh.”

—
Library Journal
(editor’s pick)

“This neatly choreographed romance … will fascinate readers as Balogh gradually peels away the layers of [the] complex, secrets-laden story with tantalizing skill and sympathetic care.… Poignant, thought-provoking, deliciously sensual, and completely enthralling, this polished gem is the last in the Huxtable quintet and one that Balogh’s fans have been anxiously awaiting.”

—
Library Journal

“Balogh has saved the best for last; Constantine—dark, wicked, and cryptic—has a perfect foil in Hannah, and their encounters are steamy, their romance believable. Though series fans will be disappointed to see it come to a close, they couldn’t ask for a better way to go out.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Mary Balogh has masterfully woven a romantic tale of the importance of family, of compassion, and of love and forgiveness in this fifth book in her series about the Huxtable family.
A Secret Affair
will not disappoint, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the ‘secrets.’ ”

—Fresh Fiction

“With her inimitable, brilliantly nuanced sense of characterization, elegantly sensual style, and droll wit, best-seller Balogh continues to set the standard to which all other Regency historical writers aspire while delivering another addictively readable addition to her Huxtable family series.”

—
Booklist

“One of [Balogh’s] best books to date.”

—A Romance Review

“Sparkling with sharp wit, lively repartee, and delicious sensuality, the emotionally rewarding
At Last Comes Love
metes out both justice and compassion; totally satisfying.”

—
Library Journal

“
At Last Comes Love
is the epitome of what any great romance should be.… This novel will leave you crying, laughing, cheering, and ready to fight for two characters that any reader will most definitely fall in love with!”

—Coffee Time Romance

“Exquisite sexual chemistry permeates this charmingly complex story.”

—
Library Journal

“Balogh delivers another smartly fashioned love story that will dazzle readers with its captivating combination of nuanced characters, exquisitely sensual romance, and elegant wit.”

—
Booklist

“Mary Balogh succeeds shockingly well.”

—Rock Hill
Herald

“Intriguing and romantic … Readers are rewarded with passages they’ll be tempted to dog-ear so they can read them over and over.”

—McAllen
Monitor

“Wonderful characterization [and a] riveting plot … I highly recommend you read
First Comes Marriage
.”

—Romance Reviews Today

“Peppered with brilliant banter, laced with laughter … and tingling with sexual tension, this story of two seemingly mismatched people struggling to make their marriage work tugs at a few heartstrings and skillfully paves the way for the stories to come.”

—
Library Journal

“The incomparable Balogh delivers a masterful first in a new trilogy.… Always fresh, intelligent, emotional and sensual, Balogh’s stories reach out to readers, touching heart and mind with their warmth and wit. Prepare for a joyous read.”

—
Romantic Times

“A warm-hearted and feel-good story … Readers will want to add this wonderful story to their collection.
Simply Perfect
is another must-read from this talented author, and a Perfect Ten.”

—Romance Reviews Today

“With her signature exquisite sense of characterization and subtle wit, Balogh brings her sweetly sensual, thoroughly romantic Simply quartet to a truly triumphant conclusion.”

—
Booklist

“Absorbing and appealing. This is an unusually subtle approach in a romance, and it works to great effect.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Balogh has once again crafted a sensuous tale of two very real people finding love and making each other’s lives whole and beautiful. Readers will be delighted.”

—
Booklist

“When an author has created a series as beloved to readers as Balogh’s Bedwyn saga, it is hard to believe that she can surpass the delights with the first installment in a new quartet. But Balogh has done just that.”

—
Booklist

“A memorable cast … refresh[es] a classic Regency plot with humor, wit, and the sizzling romantic chemistry that one expects from Balogh. Well-written and emotionally complex.”

—
Library Journal

“One of the things that make Ms. Balogh’s books so memorable is the emotion she pours into her stories. The writing is superb, with realistic dialogue, sexual tension, and a wonderful heart-wrenching story.
Simply Love
is a book to savor, and to read again. It is a Perfect Ten. Romance doesn’t get any better than this.”

—Romance Reviews Today

“With more than her usual panache, Balogh returns to Regency England for a satisfying adult love story.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“
Slightly Dangerous
is the culmination of Balogh’s wonderfully entertaining Bedwyn series.… Balogh, famous for her believable characters and finely crafted Regency-era settings, forges a relationship that leaps off the page and into the hearts of her readers.”

—
Booklist

“With this series, Balogh has created a wonderfully romantic world of Regency culture and society. Readers will miss the honorable Bedwyns and their mates; ending the series with Wulfric’s story is icing on the cake. Highly recommended.”

—
Library Journal

“Smart, playful, and deliciously satisfying … Balogh once again delivers a clean, sprightly tale rich in both plot and character.… With its irrepressible characters and deft plotting, this polished romance is an ideal summer read.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“Once again, Balogh has penned an entrancing, unconventional yarn that should expand her following.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Balogh is a gifted writer.…
Slightly Tempted
invites reflection, a fine quality in romance, and Morgan and Gervase are memorable characters.”

—
Contra Costa Times

“With its impeccable plotting and memorable characters, Balogh’s book raises the bar for Regency romances.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“The sexual tension fairly crackles between this pair of beautifully matched protagonists.… This delightful and exceptionally well-done title nicely demonstrates [Balogh’s] matchless style.”

—
Library Journal

“This third book in the Bedwyn series is … highly enjoyable as part of the series or on its own merits.”

—
Old Book Barn Gazette

“Sympathetic characters and scalding sexual tension make the second installment [in the Slightly series] a truly engrossing read.… Balogh’s sure-footed story possesses an abundance of character and class.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“
Slightly Married
is a masterpiece! Mary Balogh has an unparalleled gift for creating complex, compelling characters who come alive on the pages.… A Perfect Ten.”

—Romance Reviews Today

The Famous Heroine
and
The Plumed Bonnet
are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

2011 Dell eBook Edition

The Famous Heroine
copyright © 1996 by Mary Balogh
The Plumed Bonnet
copyright © 1996 by Mary Balogh
Excerpt from
The Proposal
by Mary Balogh copyright © 2011 by Mary Balogh

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Dell, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

D
ELL
is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc., and the colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

The Famous Heroine
was originally published in paperback in the United States by Signet, an imprint of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc., New York, in 1996.

The Plumed Bonnet
was originally published in paperback in the United States by Signet, an imprint of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc., New York, in 1996.

This book contains an excerpt of the forthcoming title
The Proposal
by Mary Balogh. The excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the published book.

eISBN: 978-0-440-33992-2

Cover design: Lynn Andreozzi
Cover photograph: © Herman Estevez

www.bantamdell.com

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Title Page

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