At Last Comes Love (Huxtable Family Quintet #3) by Mary Balogh (2009)

Meg finds love and we're treated to a gem of a tale 😊

Out of all the romances I have read, I never expected Meg, aka Maggie, to be the most like myself. Nor did I expect so much in the story to resonate so deeply. In the previous books, Meg was a little boring. In fact, I almost skipped the book since I knew that Stephen's story is next. But I stuck to my habit of reading series in order and this book proved me wrong in the best way. 

Out of all the romances I have read, I never expected Meg, a.k.a. Maggie, to be most like myself. Nor did I expect so much in the story to resonate so deeply. In a the previous three books, Meg was a little boring. In fact, I almost skipped the book since I knew that Stephen’s story was next. But I stuck to my habit of reading series in order and this book proved me wrong in the best way. So if you’re struggling with the same apprehension, fear not. You won’t be disappointed.

We quickly find that Meg feels a little boring, as her siblings describe her as a paragon of righteousness and steady character. She’s ready to move on from the parental mantle she voluntarily donned and to start living again. Even if she’s 30 and most assuredly on the shelf. Meg’s problem, or rather her hindrance, is her strength and steadiness of character. It’s odd that it should make her seem boring, especially since I see myself so much in her, once I got to know her. But, just like with her siblings, Meg’s habit of being the impassive, inscrutable bedrock, risen out of her sense of duty, is what keeps her hidden from us. Just like me, she’s been hurt by disappointment in romance (and love), worries that she quite dull and too serious, and has forgotten how to be anything but the staid, serene spinster destined to be dependent on her brother for the rest of her life.

As Meg‘s character is revealed, so is Duncan’s. The book starts not with Meg but with Duncan’s meeting with his grandfather, where he is told that, not only is he cut off, but he’s about to lose the only place that’s ever felt like home to his annoying, pompous cousin, Norman. (And Norman is truly a bombastic blowhard. We have no love lost for him. Or is horrid wife!!! Who happens to be Duncan’s jilted bride.) Which is what motivates him to (1) find some courage at White’s in more than one glass of Port, before he (2) crashes a ton ball, where he (3) runs in to Meg (or rather she collides with him and is only saved from falling by his wherewithal to grab her and hold her upright). He immediately realizes that (4) Meg is beautiful, (5) upset and in a hurry, fleeing someone, and (6) seizes the opportunity to propose. From there, he proves himself to be honest, patient, practical (which makes him humble), and quite deserving of Meg as a wife. Because we also quickly understand just what an incredible woman she is and how deserving she is of her siblings’ love and loyalty.

We finally get to meet the oft-referred-to dreaded ex, Crispin, and, boy, did he turn out to be more of a smarmy weasel than I originally thought. He’s used to being liked. He’s used to charming people out of being mad at him and getting his own way. He thinks telling Meg that he’ll spend time with her *when he gets a chance* is a prologue to sweeping her off her feet. He’s basically unapologetic and unrepentant for his behavior 5 years ago, not to mention the scandal he causes Meg by having loose lips. It was necessary, you see, because he was distressed. Most of all, he has the arrogance to think that his self-indulgent excuses would in anyway excuse the way he treated her, since he got lonely, got a girl pregnant and had to marry her. It was really Meg’s fault for not following the drum, especially because he loved her the whole time. (But didn’t write, even when he was single.) Just like Meg, it takes a bit for his lack of ‘a strong chin’ to sink in, but just like Meg, we figure out what an absolute loser he would’ve been to be married to. Which is slower than Crispin would’ve liked.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars