Precious Jewel / Mary Balogh 316 p.

Mary Balogh continues to add depth to her sensuous romances by having characters with big challenges.  In A Precious Jewel, Sir Gerald Stapleton frequents Mrs. Blythe's "finishing school" for sexual pleasure without any entanglements.  There he finds Priscilla Wentworth to be a good match.  Her life is filled with misfortune; and his with family experiences that leave him distrustful of marriage.  Yet, he establishes her as his mistress.  He gradually is drawn ever closer to her despite internal thoughts of weaning himself away from her.