reading_historical_romance's reviews
451 reviews

Ben Ellis should be one of the most desirable gentlemen in England, as he is a wealthy farm owner, widower, and doting father of precocious three year old Joy. But he is also the bastard son of the late Earl of Stratton. Although he grew up surrounded by the love of his father, stepmother, and half-siblings on the Earl’s vast country estate of Ravenswood, and was never treated as less than equal, Ben has lived with the stigma of illegitimacy all of his life. His struggle to make peace with his identity and his place within his family is only complicated further when he meets Lady Jennifer Arden, daughter and sister of a Duke. The same Duke who married Ben’s sister Philippa, who also happens to be Lady Jennifer’s best friend.

I love everything about this book, a true Mary Balogh novel in all of the best ways that her novels can be. The quiet, peaceful vibe, the wistful angst running throughout the narrative. The large, loving, real family with multiple generations all playing an important part in each other’s lives. The fated romance that you’re rooting for from page one between the strong, gentle, and devoted single father Ben, and the equally strong and gentle Jennifer. The dreams they inspire in one another, and how they bring out the very best in their families. The lush English countryside, and the luxurious park, gardens, and interior of the Ravenswood estate. The way that all of the characterizations and dialogue are so genuine and true to life that you can see and hear every scene in your mind like you’re watching it unfold before your eyes. The many interwoven themes, like the development of self-worth and identity, the many forms and facets of love, what really makes a family, finding true happiness, and the healing power of forgiveness.

Some specific highlights for me were the first kiss between Ben and Jennifer; the moments that Devlin has with Ben, and the way this book shows us the manner of man he has become since marrying Gwyneth; the sensuality of the scene in the summerhouse; and the scenes with Nicholas and Owen so we get to know them better. I'm most intrigued by Nicholas!

Honestly, this novel is simply beautiful, and so soft and flowing that the words wrap around you and suspend you in that otherworldly place that can only be found within a Mary Balogh book. Her storytelling is pure magic.

Tropes: Regency romance, forbidden love, single dad, slow burn, hurt/comfort
 

Hannah is a stressed out mom to infant Bowie, and despite the mental haze born of too many overnight feedings and diaper changes, and too little time for her own hygiene, she’s excited about the prospect of family life with her live-in boyfriend, Killian. After being unexpectedly and unceremoniously fired by her abusive boss, and then dumped by Killian on their three year anniversary, Hannah has one viable option: a temporary move to the small resort town of Blue Ridge, Georgia to help her parents renovate their cabin rental property. She quickly discovers, however, that the most important repairs she needs to make are within herself.

This rom-com/women’s fiction book spills over with humor, optimism, and warmth. The relationships that Hannah has with her family and friends aren’t perfect, but they are brimming with genuine love and affection. Female readers with children will laugh-cry right along with Hannah as she navigates the highs and lows of new motherhood. I loved the way that Hannah’s circle stepped up to support her without judgment when times got rough. Hannah has been a victim of emotional and psychological neglect and abuse throughout her life, and this was handled with appropriate concern and reflection within the narrative. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation. There’s a legit Country Bear Jamboree reference which I loved because nostalgia!

Like many other reviewers, I agree that the weakest plotline in the book is the relationship between Hannah and River. It was hard not to view River as Hannah’s rebound given their insta-love-lust story, and the fact that she is learning to navigate her evolving relationship with Killian throughout the book. The cringy third-act breakup with River caused by miscommunication made it even harder to root for them.

I also think the book is too long. There are too many characters (e.g. Small Business 101 classmates, the Queer Mountaineers) and mini subplots that could have been edited out without having any effect on the overarching narratives, such as Kira and Mattie’s second-baby woes and River’s estrangement from his mother. I didn’t like that Killian is transformed overnight from an emotionally abusive, selfish jerk to a fully realized mature father who realizes the error of his ways and is now determined to make things right for Hannah and Bowie no matter what. There shouldn’t have been so much page time devoted to Hannah’s relationship with Killian, given that the romance we are supposed to be invested in is with River.

There are also several scenes in the book that are so over the top that they’re at the level of slapstick. Similarly, many of the characters themselves are exaggerated stereotypes, e,g. Darryl “Big Daddy” the backwoods Southern mountain man; Trish “G-Ma” the dysfunctional and multiple divorcee Southern mom; the yoga at sunrise, living in an actual treehouse, refuses to own a phone, free spirit River; the bleached blonde, gum smacking, pencil thin on 4” heels Southern gal Madison; and River’s thin-lipped, self-righteous bigoted Southern mother who huffs and puffs on the page.

And the title of the book is awful, quite frankly.

This was a hard review for me to write, because I was genuinely entertained and enjoyed a large part of the book, especially given that this is the author's debut novel. The author’s voice is unapologetic, fun, fast, and bright, despite the issues in execution. I’m rating this one a 3-3.5 stars. It was a harmless and fun read, but one that I won't revisit. Additionally, I think that this book skews to a pretty narrow female Millennial demographic, as mothers of young children are the ones who will really be able to relate to Hannah’s story.

Tropes: rom-com, single mom, small town, hurt/comfort, neighbor next door, insta-love

Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co. for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own. 

This poignant fantasy romance casts a tender spell!

Wherever you fall on the Bridgerton love/hate scale, please do not pay attention to comments about comparisons! I am a Bridgerton fan, and this book does not have a Bridgerton vibe. It doesn’t share similar settings, time period, or themes. There is one plotline involving an anonymous society columnist. But Lady Whistledown and the mysterious Lovelace of this book do not have the same motivations for their actions. In sum, this novel really deserves to be read and reviewed without being tied into whatever expectations that have been set by Bridgerton and/or be lumped into the Regency romance renaissance.

The novel is set in the make believe kingdom of Avaland, which is undergoing societal unrest due to economic inequality. Jack, the prince regent of Avaland, has arranged a politically advantageous marriage between his younger brother, Kit (Christopher), and the Princess Rosa of Castilia, in an effort to restore stability. As part of the wedding preparations, Jack hires Niamh (an Irish name that is pronounced Neee-v in English) to design and sew Kit’s wardrobe, and Rosa’s wedding gown. What makes this world unique is the existence of magic. Magical abilities run in powerful families, to include members of the royal families. Less commonly, rank and file citizens, like Niamh, have inherited magical blood.

There are truly so many things to love about this novel. Niamh’s magical ability is to weave memories and emotions into the fabric she embroiders. The person who wears the fabric will then experience those emotions through their own memories evoked by Niamh's enchantments. This was a completely original plot for me so I really enjoyed reading about how Niamh uses her powers and how the enchantments work. The novel’s minor characters were incredibly well written. The author’s prose is absolutely lovely. The HEAs were satisfying, even if predictable. There is LGBTQ representation in the characters and plotlines.

The aspect that took this novel from a 5-star to a 3.5 to 4-star read for me was the romance arc between Kit and Niamh. It would be best characterized as a “grumpy/sunshine” pairing, which I typically like, but in this story our sweet, earnest Niamh did 100% of the work. By the end I was convinced that Kit did not deserve her whatsoever. It’s not that he didn’t meet her halfway. He was unwilling to do so much as meet her out on the front porch. At one point in the 3rd act, one of the characters outright asks Niamh: “You truly care for Kit this much? I don’t mean to offend you, but surely you could have chosen more wisely. You have unfortunate taste in men.” And I CHEERED because YES finally someone said it!
The biggest cringe (and disturbing) part of the story for me was the final declaration scene itself, when Kit asks Niamh: “Don’t you get it by now, you fool? Are you really going to make me say it? Fine. Fine. Now listen carefully, because I’m not going to repeat myself. I love you.” Niamh answers: “What?” And Kit's response is: “I said I wasn’t going to repeat myself.” Honestly? That’s not grumpy. That’s straight-up a**h***e. In that moment I was not squeeing. I was inwardly screaming RUN, Niamh. RUN.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.