A review by yvette_bookworlder
Always Remember by Mary Balogh

hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

Eight years have passed since the fateful events of the last festival at Ravenswood that led Ben Ellis to follow his younger brother, now the Earl of Stratton, as his batman. Widowed during the Napoleanic wars, he now cares for his three year old daughter and is considering re-marrying. The question is, which of the single women in the village would be the wisest choice?

I’ve been waiting for Ben’s story, wondering how Mary Balogh would find him a match when his illegitimacy would preclude a match with someone of his family’s standing in Regency England. I never suspected that it would be Lady Jennifer Arden, after she was introduced in the previous outing in the Ravenswood series. Any previous doubts I had about the portrayal of her character were put to rest in Always Remember, as her personality and disability were further fleshed out and critical thinking gave way to simply enjoying her as a character and in particular enjoying her interactions with Ben and his daughter Joy immensely. 

It seems ages since I read Remember Love and Remember Me, so I was glad to see that the beginning of the book was crafted as a lovely refresher and that all of Ben’s siblings, two with growing families, were included throughout. 

Remember Me is a gently paced story of a budding friendship that soon turns to love, despite the resistance of the two parties and against the advice of family. It is a delightful story and my favorite of the series so far. 

Please note that this is a Regency Romance written for the general market with a scene of intimacy on the page.

This review refers to a temporary digital galley that I voluntarily read through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.