A Precious Jewelby Mary Baloghreviewed by Cheryl SneedDecember 2009, 336 pages, Publisher: Dell, ISBN: 0440244633 Back Cover Blurb: She was unlike any woman he'd ever met in the ton or the demimonde. But Sir Gerald Stapleton frequented Mrs. Blythe's euphemistically dubbed “finishing school” for pure, uncomplicated pleasure - and nothing else. So why was this confirmed bachelor so thoroughly captivated by one woman in particular? Why did he find himself wondering how such a rare jewel of grace, beauty, and refinement as Priss had ended up a courtesan? And when she needed protection, why did Gerald, who'd sworn he'd never get entangled in affairs of the heart, hasten to set her up as his own pampered mistress to ensure her safety - and have her all to himself?
For Priscilla Wentworth, the path leading to Sir Gerald's bed had been as filled with misfortune as it suddenly seemed charmed. But Priss couldn't allow herself to believe she'd ever be more to a man like Sir Gerald than a well-cared-for object of pleasure. Now, despite Gerald's deep distrust of marriage, neither scandal nor society's censure can keep them apart - only the fear of trusting their hearts.
A Precious Jewel, Mary Balogh's classic Traditional Regency, broke many Romance novel boundaries when it was released in 1993, and has become one of her most hard-to-find Trad titles. It is being reissued this month and it was interesting to revisit it after all these years.
The book opens, shockingly, with Sir Gerald Stapleton visiting a brothel where he tries out the new girl, Prissy. Gerald likes his women to be quiet and passive - he doesn't like a lot of "show" - and Prissy's calm demeanor and mantra of "It shall be exactly as you wish, sir. I am here to give you pleasure." suits him to a tee. She does please him, and soon Gerald is visiting the brothel to see Prissy several times a week. Prissy's violent encounter with another customer spurs Gerald into action to set her up in her own house as his exclusive mistress. But what happens when a business arrangement turns into love?
Prissy was born into the gentry, but when her family died, leaving her no money and nowhere to go, she looked up her old governess in London, thinking to find a position as a teacher at Miss Blythe's "Finishing School." She is surprised to find that the "school" is really a brothel and, after having no success in finding a governess position with no references, decides to become one of "Kit's Girls." Make no mistake about it, Prissy is not a "faux ho," she is a working prostitute for two months before Sir Gerald arrives on the scene - something unheard of in a romance novel heroine.
Gerald is … how can I put this? … slow. He's not stupid, but he is the first to admit that he is not the quickest guy on the uptake. He doesn't grasp situations quickly and needs time for words or another's actions to settle into his subconscious before he understands what is going on. And so it takes him an inordinately long time to realize that he loves Prissy and what to do about it. Again, not your standard Alpha Male romance hero.
The relationship between Gerald and Prissy can be precisely tracked through the sex scenes, which begin almost clinically, with Prissy being solely a receptacle for Gerald, and transforming into love scenes where she begins to be an active participant. There isn't one sexual encounter in this book that isn't vital to the story and to understanding the status of the relationship between Gerald and Prissy. It is subtle and superb writing.
A Precious Jewel will not be to everyone's taste. There will be people who read this book and wonder what the fuss is all about. Prissy and Gerald are not larger-than-life characters; theirs is not an exciting, drama-filled romance. But, if you like a quieter story, a character-driven story with two very rare romance archetypes, then rejoice that A Precious Jewel has now been reissued.
Reviewed by Cheryl Sneed, December 8, 2009
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