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wildflowerleahg's review
3.5
I find myself eating this somewhere between a 3 and a 4 star novel.
Both too long and I wanted more, this was quite an interesting experience. I was a huge fan of the first half. I know that a lot of characters and going over mundane life might bore something, but I enjoyed the writing so much.
I think what falls flat is the romance (which sucks in this instant). I loved the family elements and friendships but I have no idea why Gwen waited for this man. Second chance romance has slowly become one of my favorite tropes but it only works when they’re worth the wait.
I’ve been there’s better titles under her name so I’m going to check some other selections by this author.
Both too long and I wanted more, this was quite an interesting experience. I was a huge fan of the first half. I know that a lot of characters and going over mundane life might bore something, but I enjoyed the writing so much.
I think what falls flat is the romance (which sucks in this instant). I loved the family elements and friendships but I have no idea why Gwen waited for this man. Second chance romance has slowly become one of my favorite tropes but it only works when they’re worth the wait.
I’ve been there’s better titles under her name so I’m going to check some other selections by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Infidelity
Moderate: Fatphobia
haley49's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really enjoyed this over the course of a long car ride. The first half was really good but the second half fell a bit flat. I didn’t understand why the mc’s fell back in love and it didn’t have the slow-burn angst I wanted. It was more miscommunication and odd pacing. However, I liked the setting of the book and how the mmc came into his development and reconciliation with his family. (Except his mom, she needed to do better) His character development was just so strong that hers was lacking and boring in comparison.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content and Fatphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, War, and Sexism
sharkbrarian's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If you read romance to enjoy the main characters’ on-page time together, this series-opener from veteran Regency author Mary Balogh may prove to be a challenge. A significant part of this historical is devoted to setting up the premise and introducing the secondary characters that will no doubt become the pairings for Balogh’s future books. In contrast, the opening work of Balogh’s Westcott Saga, Someone to Love, was plotted out to throw Anna and Avery together frequently, making for a more satisfying romance inside the series set-up work that was being also being accomplished.
Plot choices - the hero’s decision to join the British army for several years of the timespan of the book; the attraction between them being written as a long-standing-but-unexpressed connection formed in their childhoods - mean that the reader is often being told, rather than shown, that Gwyneth and Devlin have feelings for each other. As a reader, I kept hoping for flashbacks, perhaps, or, by the end, an epilogue that would show them on-page. As a teen, Devlin thinks of Gwyneth as a ‘wild child’ (she climbs trees and rides astride in breeches) - this character trait could have been used to bring in a few more moments from their time ‘Before the Incident’ to sell their connection more convincingly to the reader.
Even understanding that they were symbolic of the values correction they represent, as Devlin ascends to his place as the head of the family, I felt I was spending a lot of time reading about organizing social events; it felt, to me, that the ‘cost’ of scenes was a lack of scenes in which the principals interact.
While I am still feeling that I will keep an eye open for Book 2 in this series (my guess is Phillipa and the Marquess of Roath - and may I put in a request, Ms. Balogh, that the Dowager Countess get a story of her own? I think that your readership would be uplifted by a woman’s journey back from such a traumatic exposure), I am happy that I waited to read the public library copy of this novel, rather than investing in a personal purchase, as I know (unlike a handful of favourite Balogh stories) this won’t be a re-read, for me.
Plot choices - the hero’s decision to join the British army for several years of the timespan of the book; the attraction between them being written as a long-standing-but-unexpressed connection formed in their childhoods - mean that the reader is often being told, rather than shown, that Gwyneth and Devlin have feelings for each other. As a reader, I kept hoping for flashbacks, perhaps, or, by the end, an epilogue that would show them on-page. As a teen, Devlin thinks of Gwyneth as a ‘wild child’ (she climbs trees and rides astride in breeches) - this character trait could have been used to bring in a few more moments from their time ‘Before the Incident’ to sell their connection more convincingly to the reader.
Even understanding that they were symbolic of the values correction they represent, as Devlin ascends to his place as the head of the family, I felt I was spending a lot of time reading about organizing social events; it felt, to me, that the ‘cost’ of scenes was a lack of scenes in which the principals interact.
While I am still feeling that I will keep an eye open for Book 2 in this series (my guess is Phillipa and the Marquess of Roath - and may I put in a request, Ms. Balogh, that the Dowager Countess get a story of her own? I think that your readership would be uplifted by a woman’s journey back from such a traumatic exposure), I am happy that I waited to read the public library copy of this novel, rather than investing in a personal purchase, as I know (unlike a handful of favourite Balogh stories) this won’t be a re-read, for me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Death of parent, Infidelity, and War
tostita's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved this book, absolutely adored it. When I had to put it down I could not wait for the moment I was able to pick it up again and resume reading. At the same time, I have to acknowledge that Balogh does a number of things in this book that I would absolutely hate if any lesser author tried to pull them off. If you are not already a Balogh fan, this book might not be a best place to start.
This is a story about the relationship between Devlin Ware, son of an Earl, and his neighbor Gwyneth Rhys, whose budding young romance was abruptly cut short by crisis and who reconnect years later when he returns from war. But it is also very much the story of Devlin learning to trust and to love again after the devastating event hinted at in the book blurb. (That event occurs about a third of the way through the book.) This is much more Devlin’s book than Gwyneth’s, and the title reflects that. Remembering love—what it means, what it requires, how it feels—is the essential mission that Devlin needs to complete in the text.
The first chapter of the book is devoted to describing in intimate detail the breathtaking estate, the charming community, every member of the Ware family and many of their neighbors. The heroine gets only the briefest of mentions and even the hero is not singled out from his family in his own book, not in the first chapter anyway. Balogh is clearly laying the groundwork for an entire series. With another author I would grumble about getting on with the story already, but because Balogh is so masterful and has earned my trust I’m fully here for this. Part of the reason this works here is because ultimately this is not just the story of two individuals but rather the story of them navigating the competing demands of their families, community and their own consciences. They do not exist in isolation, so their community is absolutely essential to tell the story.
In typical romance hero fashion, Devlin is a bit of a dummy when it comes to navigation emotions, familial as well as romantic. He tends to be an all-or-nothing thinker, and when his family’s facade of perfection crumbles he decides to go scorched earth and never speak to any of them ever again—except his half-brother Ben, who takes that decision out of Devlin’s hands and stays by his side for years whether Devlin wants it or not. (Ben is the stand-out side character is this book and I eagerly await his own story.) Gwyneth, on the other hand, basically has her shit together even if she had never fully gotten over her youthful feelings for Devlin. While seemingly opposites, the two balance each other exquisitely.
One side note—I would dearly love romance authors to quit waxing on and on about how very many meaningless sexual encounters their hero has had before ultimately getting together with the heroine. It does not convince me he’s virile, only that he is irresponsible and treats women like disposable objects. Especially in a historical without reliable contraceptives, that behavior is unjustifiable. While in the army, Devlin could conceivably have fathered dozens of bastard babies by lower-class women trapped in a war zone without knowing or taking responsibility for any of them. I don’t necessarily need or want the characters to be celibate, but I do want them to be considerate and responsible—see Ben’s behavior in this same book for a good example. I glossed over Devlin’s behavior here because I’ve done the same in countless other romance books before so why start drawing the line now, but really I would like authors to just stop this, please.
This is a story about the relationship between Devlin Ware, son of an Earl, and his neighbor Gwyneth Rhys, whose budding young romance was abruptly cut short by crisis and who reconnect years later when he returns from war. But it is also very much the story of Devlin learning to trust and to love again after the devastating event hinted at in the book blurb. (That event occurs about a third of the way through the book.) This is much more Devlin’s book than Gwyneth’s, and the title reflects that. Remembering love—what it means, what it requires, how it feels—is the essential mission that Devlin needs to complete in the text.
The first chapter of the book is devoted to describing in intimate detail the breathtaking estate, the charming community, every member of the Ware family and many of their neighbors. The heroine gets only the briefest of mentions and even the hero is not singled out from his family in his own book, not in the first chapter anyway. Balogh is clearly laying the groundwork for an entire series. With another author I would grumble about getting on with the story already, but because Balogh is so masterful and has earned my trust I’m fully here for this. Part of the reason this works here is because ultimately this is not just the story of two individuals but rather the story of them navigating the competing demands of their families, community and their own consciences. They do not exist in isolation, so their community is absolutely essential to tell the story.
In typical romance hero fashion, Devlin is a bit of a dummy when it comes to navigation emotions, familial as well as romantic. He tends to be an all-or-nothing thinker, and when his family’s facade of perfection crumbles he decides to go scorched earth and never speak to any of them ever again—except his half-brother Ben, who takes that decision out of Devlin’s hands and stays by his side for years whether Devlin wants it or not. (Ben is the stand-out side character is this book and I eagerly await his own story.) Gwyneth, on the other hand, basically has her shit together even if she had never fully gotten over her youthful feelings for Devlin. While seemingly opposites, the two balance each other exquisitely.
One side note—I would dearly love romance authors to quit waxing on and on about how very many meaningless sexual encounters their hero has had before ultimately getting together with the heroine. It does not convince me he’s virile, only that he is irresponsible and treats women like disposable objects. Especially in a historical without reliable contraceptives, that behavior is unjustifiable. While in the army, Devlin could conceivably have fathered dozens of bastard babies by lower-class women trapped in a war zone without knowing or taking responsibility for any of them. I don’t necessarily need or want the characters to be celibate, but I do want them to be considerate and responsible—see Ben’s behavior in this same book for a good example. I glossed over Devlin’s behavior here because I’ve done the same in countless other romance books before so why start drawing the line now, but really I would like authors to just stop this, please.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Minor: Pregnancy
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