Es el tercer libro de la serie «Simplemente» de la autora Mary Balogh que tiene como protagonista a Susanna, la joven maestra de la escuela St. Martin para señoritas. No supe que era el tercer ejemplar de una serie hasta que lo tuve entre mis manos y me empecé a informar. Pero no me importó, me moría por leérmelo y no podía esperar para conseguir los demás. Sin duda, después de haberme leído este leeré los anteriores, bien en español o bien en inglés.El argumento comienza cuando Susanna, que está verando en la mansión de Frances, se reencuentra de casualidad con un el joven vizconde Lord Whitleaf que conoció cuando solo era una niña. Peter, que es un hombre conquistador y se encanta a sí mismo, se encapricha automáticamente de la muchacha. Pero ella le devuelve solo rechazo. Él no reconoce quien es ella. Sin embargo, ella sabe muy bien quién es él, no ha olvidado el doloroso pasado que vivió por culpa de él.A partir de ahí, sus caminos comienzan a entrecruzarse peligrosamente. Las intrigas, los secretos y las mentiras se suceden en las vidas de ambos entretejiendo una complicada relación. Va naciendo una amistad entre ellos, o quizá algo más. Pero ella solo guarda rencor en su interior hacia él, lo toma por un hombre superficial y adulador, alguien a quien solo le importan sus conquistas amorosas. La joven vive en un mar de sentimientos encontrados. Pero en el fondo, el lord es mucho más. Es un caballero, honrado y bien educado. Es cierto que le gusta gustar pero también le gusta ser agradable con las mujeres y tratarlas bien. Así es como fue criado.Me ha encantado la relación de los protagonistas porque es pura tensión. Un continuo tira y afloja que se va sucediendo a lo largo de todos sus encuentros. Él se muere por ella y quiere convencerla de su amor, ella no cree ni una de sus palabras. ¿Vencerá la razón al corazón?También me parece muy interesante la evolución que experimentan los personajes a lo largo de la obra. Por un lado, Susanna, tímida y reservada, una maestra dedicada a su vocación, se va abriendo al amor y otro tipo de vida. Por otro lado, Peter, deja atrás sus inseguridades, su pose y sus miedos para avanzar y mejorar como persona.La historia se centra fundamentalmente en la pareja protagonista y aunque aparecen otros personajes que completan el argumento, no me parece que tengan papeles muy relevantes en esta novela. Sin embargo, sí que me gustaría leer las anteriores para conocer un poco más de sus vidas.Además, algo que me ha maravillado es que la trama tiene detalles muy dulces y tiernos. De narración sencilla y ágil, la autora sabe cómo contar las cosas de forma sosegada pero interesante. Sin duda, me ha atrapado la narración de Balogh, a quien no conocía antes de este ejemplar y a quien voy a seguir muy de cerca de ahora en adelante.Esta novela me ha dejado muy buen sabor de boca y, por supuesto, pienso leerme las anteriores de esta misma serie. Si te gusta la novela romántica ambientada en otro tiempo, esta es simplemente mágica.
Si poteva scegliere un titolo più azzeccato per questo romanzo? Non credo, perché anche io l'ho trovato semplicemente magico.La serie Simply, a cui appartiene essendone il terzo, è meravigliosa, all'altezza di quella dei Bedwin per me. I personaggi bucano le pagine e diventano vivi, con le loro storie toccanti e drammatiche, con i loro dubbi e incertezze, che li rendono imperfetti e intensi. Peter e Susanna hanno lasciato il segno nel mio cuore per questo amore che cresce piano, si confonde nell'amicizia e nella passione, parole che nascondono ben altro. Peter è un uomo di mondo, nobile e gentiluomo di lignaggio ma anche di spirito, simpatico e arguto, gentile con tutti e disponibile, in cerca del suo posto nel mondo, in cerca di sogni da realizzare, piccoli sogni che nulla hanno a che fare con il ton, di cui però è esemplare esponente. E poi c'è Susanna, una ragazza che nasconde un terribile segreto che le ha condizionato la vita, la sua forza interiore l'ha portata comunque a costruirsi un presente di cui va fiera e di cui si sente appagata, fino a che non conosce il visconte e tutto il suo mondo collassa su se stesso, mentre nuove paure e un nuovo sentimento la travolgono. Lo sviluppo della trama è come sempre impeccabile, come anche la costruzione dei personaggi e delle ambientazioni. Ed è sempre bellissimo per me ritrovare i riferimenti ad altri personaggi da me tanto amati, facendo sì che la Balogh costruisca un universo coerente in cui i beniamini degli altri romanzi vivono e sono felici.Un piccolo sogno per una lettrice e fan come me.Ora aspetto la storia di Claudia Martin, non vedo l'ora!
What do You think about Simply Magic (2007)?
I liked the first part much more than the second.The first half was a sweet, tender love story. Old-fashioned, but still nice. In the second part, the shadow of the heroine's past, concerning her father's death, is cast and darkens the mood considerably. Little by little we learn the secrets behind his death, but though a huge tragedy is always hinted, it seems rather mudane to the reader (at least this one). When the truth comes out, it is indeed more shocking than expected, but by then I had already classified the heroine as overdramatic and bitter (wrongly as it proved) and a large portion of the story had already been ruined for me. Had the writer made the truth known to her readers early on, I would have been more sympathetic towards the heroine and her actions. Also, the hero is a beta male, which is not my favorite kind anyway and few times have I been persuaded to leave this prejudice of mine behind; this was not one of them. He was not bad, but he was far from interesting as well.Even thus I might have rated it with 3 stars, had it not been for one obnoxious detail: the narrator, keeps mentioning "he said or she said" in every other sentence. For example, "It is cold here, she said. I'll light the fire, he said.<<...>>I'm sorry, she said. Did you know I was here? I did, he said. Why do you think I came? T said something about an invitation, she said. For all of you, he said." One in every two sentences is just like that. After a while, this repetition became very tiring to my ears. I noticed the exact same thing in Then Comes Seduction, which I also read in audio format. I'm wondering whether the books are written like this, or did the narrator took the initiave to add those phrases, that have shred my nerves to pieces?
—Fani
Sweet RomanceSIMPLY MAGIC is the third book in the Simply series. It is the story of Susanna Osbourne and Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf. Susanna is a teacher at the girls school that is the center of the series. Peter is a flirt and since he grew up with so many women in his life, has a knack for making them feel good about themselves. He meets Susanna and is puzzled by her lack of response to his compliments. For two weeks he begins a friendship with Susanna. He is drawn by her intelligence and independence. The two come from different worlds and it doesn't seem that the two can have a future.I liked the romance between Peter and Susanna. It was sweeter and a bit more immature, but it fit these characters who are younger. They are still working out their identities. I was a little annoyed at times with their immaturity, but I understand it. I did like the two characters together.
—Sheila Melo
Susanna and Peter are a couple who run into one another as adults after one previous short meeting as children. They are both young and beautiful. They are both very kind and well meaning and generous with their time and activities.The story was well developed, and the characters are as always very well rounded and human. But, I feel that this book went on too long.Susanna is an orphan who teaches in a girl's school. Peter is of the nobility, wealthy and about to take control of his estate.I am unable to describe much of the story because it would give away important parts of the plot. I will just say, Peter seems to have a weakness of determination. He is forgiving of someone who has done terrible and hateful things to other people.This is a sweet romance. And the two main characters are people about whom the reader will have tender feelings. They both deserve happiness and love, and that is what we want for them.Mary Balogh writes so much better than most regency authors that even when her book is not her very best, it out shines the competition. I think that her readers have higher expectations than they do for other authors.I am glad I read this book, not just because it is third in a series of four. Because the characters are as always people I would like to meet.
—Annette
