This book is actually a reprint edition and was originally published in 1989. (Gosh, that sounds like a long time to me!) Anyway, I’m fascinated with the blurb and decided to pick up this book, since I have never read anything by Mary Balogh.

The Gilded Web is the first book of the Web trilogy, and the story begins with the heroine, Alexander Purnell who decides to escape from the hot, crowded London ballroom for a moment of privacy. She is then seized away by two people under Dominic, Lord Eden’s instructions, who think his sister, Madeline Raine is planning for an elopement and he is trying to stop her from doing so.

Alexander is then bound by the bed at Madeline’s room, until their elder brother, Edmund, Earl of Amberley heard her cries and went to her rescue. Thinking she will be ravished, she never expects she will be at the mercy of a man who will save her from certain scandal. Not wanting the others to think her position is compromised, he asks for a betrothal.

Alexander, on the other hand, feels she is smothered not only by her father’s strict rule, but by the society ton as well. Both Alexander and Edmund feel they are quite satisfied with their life and don’t need a marriage to trap them, but Edmund lives a life of service to others and he decides to end the relationship with his mistress and devotes his attention to Alexander. Edmund’s offer of marriage takes Alexander by surprise, and she resists his charm and thinks their marriage will not work and that she is not the one for him.

There are lots of conflicts and tension in this story. I can’t wait to read till the end, hoping that Edmund will do something extraordinary or romantic to make Alexander changes her mind. There are some times that I am frustrated with Alexander and feels she doesn’t worth Edmund’s love… but nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this book and will be waiting for Web of Love (Lord Eden and Ellen Simpson's story) and Devil's Web (Lady Madeline Raine and James Purnell's story) to be reissued.