Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Balogh Makes Me Like Freyja

SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS is the third book in the Bedwyn series. It is the story of the oldest Bedwyn sister Freyja. Readers of the prequels will have encountered Freyja as woman who was in love with Kit and had expected to marry him. Freyja was particularly nasty in that book and it was hard to imagine that she could be made into a sympathetic heroine. Balogh does a great job of giving the reader an understanding of Freyja’s character. Her brashness hides a soft heart.

She meets her match in Joshua Moore, Marquees of Hallmere. Joshua is a smiling, laughing rake who challenges Freyja and encourages her free spirit. The two end up in a fake engagement. Some readers may not like this old standard, but Balogh does particularly well with them because it allows the characters enough time and togetherness to really investigate their feelings for one another.

I really enjoy these slow developing relationships. Balogh does such a great job allowing the relationship to develop slowly and the characters change and grow.

Definitely worth a read. I’d rate it 4.5 stars.

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Slightly Tempted by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Story of Revenge and Forgiveness

SLIGHTLY TEMPTED is the fourth novel in the Bedwyn series. It is the story of Morgan, the youngest Bedwyn sibling. In Brussels, she meets Gervese Ashford, the Earl of Rosthorn. The clever, smiling Gervese approaches Morgan at a ball and ends up wooing her. What Morgan doesn’t know is Gervese is seeking revenge against her brother, the Duke of Bewcastle because of events that lead to Gervese’s exile from England nine years ago. Because of the return of Napoleon, war is coming to the continent. Morgan and Gervese end up spending a week together where they become genuine friends. Once returning to England, Gervese’s desire for revenge and the events of 9 years ago threaten to tear the two apart.

The First part of this book is simply magnificent. It is beautiful and poignant. Gervese struggles with his desire for revenge and his feelings toward Morgan. Once they are back in England, I loved the scene where Morgan confronts Gervese with his perfidy. Although young, Morgan is strong and no one’s fool. I also very much enjoyed the idea expressed in this book that forgiveness is a conscious choice that can give peace.

I really enjoyed the scenes with the various Bedwyn siblings who I have become fond of in this series.

I would rate this one a 4.5.

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Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Classic Romance from Balogh

SLIGHTLY WICKED is the second book in the Berwyn series. It is the story of Rannulf Bedwyn and Judith Law. The two encounter one another while traveling to the same area. Judith is on her way to be a poor relation in her aunt and uncle’s house. She knows that she will have no future once there. Ralf is on his way to his grandmother’s house to be presented with a potential bride. The two end up spending two nights together in an inn. Both are shocked to encounter one another again at their destination.

This book was enjoyable. The beginning where Judith and Ralf meet was great. The book slows down in the middle while the two begin to feel their way towards love. Once Ralf figures out his feelings, the book picked up again. I thought the relationship between Ralf and Judith is different and interesting. Judith is a strong woman and while she is sometimes rescued by Ralf, she is never a damsel in distress.

For fans of the series, this book is a must. While the first book in the series is not necessary, it helps with the family dynamics to have read it and the prequels.

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Slightly Married by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Classic Marriage of Convenience Story

SLIGHTLY MARRIED is the first book in the Bedwyn series (although there are two prequel books ONE NIGHT FOR LOVE and A SUMMER TO REMEMBER). SLIGHTLY MARRIED is the story of Colonel Aiden Bedwyn, the second son in the Bedwyn family. When one of his soldier’s dies, Aiden makes a promise to care for the soldier’s sister. Eve Morris is in serious trouble with the death of her brother. She is about to be evicted from her home if she is not married in a week. Aiden offers Eve a marriage of convenience in order to satisfy his promise. Fate intervenes, however, and the two are constantly drawn back together.

I absolutely loved this book. Balogh has a wonderful way of allowing her characters to fall in love slowly. The emphasis in these stories is on the characters’ romantic journey. I love that part of her novels. I feel that at the end of the book, I understand these characters who are complex and multifaceted.

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Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nice End To the Series

SIMPLY PERFECT is the final book in the Simply series. It is the story of Claudia Martin, headmistress of the girls school central to the series. Claudia is in her mid 30s and satisfied with her life. She meets Joseph Fawcitt, Marquees of Attinghorough when he arrives with a message from one of her friends and an offer to escort her and two of her students to London. Claudia is inclined to dislike the aristocratic Joseph, but soon he shows her that is not not a superficial man. While the two cannot even think about a romance because of the difference in their social classes, but they soon are sharing their inner lives. The two fall in love, but there are many external obstacles to overcome before they can be happy together.

I really enjoyed the romance between the two. It was mature befitting the ages of the protagonists. I really liked Claudia, who is strong and independent but still caring. I really liked Joseph even though I was really annoyed by his engagement. I did manage to understand that he was evolving himself — moving from a man completely enmeshed in society’s rules to one who tosses off the rules to acknowledge love in his life. The book overall was a little uneven to me, but I ultimately liked it based on the strength of the love story.

I also was happy that secrets that have existed since the early Bedwyn books were finally revealed. It was also nice to get a look a the happy marriages of favorite characters from past books.

I’d rate this a 4.25.

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Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Didn’t Like The Secret

SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE is the first book in the Simply Quartet that is also related to the Bedwyn series. This series is the story if four teachers at a girls school in Bath. This book is about Francis Allard, the music teacher at the school. Coming from from Christmas holidays, Francis ends up stranded with Lucius Marshall, Viscount Sinclair. The two have a wonderful two days together but there seems to be no way that a Viscount and a schoolteacher could ever have a relationship. However, the two end up encountering each other again and again.

Evaluating this book is difficult to me. I loved the beginning of this book. I also loved how Lucius could not let Francis go. However, I did not like that the conflict between the characters was based on an incident in Francis’ past that was so easily resolved once Francis told Lucius the truth. I was really annoyed and it diminished the rest of the book for me.

I can only give this one a 3.5.

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Simply Love by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful Story of Two Survivors

SIMPLY LOVE is the second book in the Simply Quartet. It is the story of Anne Jewel. Readers of Balogh will know Anne from SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS. Anne was raped while a governess and bore an illegitimate son as a result. She teaches at the all girls school that features in the series. While vacationing with the Bedwyns in Wales, she meets Sydnam Butler. Sydnam was introduced in A SUMMER TO REMEMBER. He is the younger brother of Kit,the hero in that book. Syd was tortured and disfigured in the war. He lost an arm and an eye, but has learned to adapt to almost everything although h has lost his ability to paint. The two meet and these wounded souls find refuge in one another.

Loved, loved this book. These two souls slowly learn to find beauty and happiness with one another. They have to deal with their pasts, but for each, the past is something that will never go away. I really like how Balogh shows the strength of these two souls. They have both healed enough from their past enough to have created lives for themselves. However, together they move to a higher level of happiness. This is a theme in many of Balogh’s books, the difference between contentment and joy.

This book was especially satisfying because there were special appearances by the Bedwyns. I recommend this book. While it may be read alone, it is certainly better to read at least the books mentioned above first.

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The Arrangement by Mary Balogh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Love Story About Growing To Love Another

THE ARRANGEMENT is the second novel in The Survivor’s Club series. It is the story of Vincent Hunt, Viscount Darleigh, who flees his overprotective mother and sisters in order to live his own life. Vincent is blind after the war and wants to take control of his life. He meets Sophia Fry, the poor relation who is being treated badly by the family she lives with. When Sophia helps save Vincent from the attempts by her family to force him into marriage, she is cast out from the family. Vincent offers to marry her in order to satisfy both their needs. They agree to marry and stay together for a year. They do not plan on falling in love.

I really loved the love story between these two. There is no lightning strike of love. These two have a slow sweet developing love. They are both young and find a way to build a life and love together. The love story is not blazing hot and some may criticize it because it violates many of the rules of romance. The two have to learn to have a fantastic sex life. They don’t immediately click together. But I enjoyed the more realistic love story.

My only complaint is that the two are ultimately pushed together by some misunderstanding which goes against the relationship that they build through the whole story. It downgraded the rating a little but I still recommend it.

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Only a Promise: A Survivors’ Club Novel by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another Wonderful, Deeply Emotional Survivor’s Story

“We can all be hurt.”

THE STORY: Chloe Muirhead has given up on her dream of marriage and children. Twice she has been in London and twice scandal has followed her. Instead, she has taken on the role of companion to a duchess. When the duchess’ grandson, Ralph Stockwood, Earl of Berwick, comes to visit, Chloe recognizes him as the childhood nemesis of her brother. Ralph returned from war injured and also depressed. He encouraged his childhood friends on join him in war only to watch them blown to bits. Ralph knows that as the future Duke of Worthingham, he has the obligation to marry and produce an heir, but he knows that he has nothing to give a wife. Soon Ralph and Chloe have a deal, they will have a marriage of convenience without expectations so that neither will be hurt. Through marriage, however, they both discover that it is not so easy for either of them to stick to the emotionless bargain that each intended to make.

OPINION: Balogh’s Survivor’s Club series is incredibly deep and emotional. ONLY A PROMISE is no different. This is a serious story about wounded people. Chloe and Ralph begin their story as emotional damaged people. They cannot hope for more than a marriage of convenience.

Chloe has been slapped down by life too many times for her to hope for more even as she wishes for a husband and children. She does not believe that she can have love so she thinks that she will be satisfied with an unemotional marriage. She makes tremendous growth in this story as she confronts her deepest fears and becomes more than she imagined she could be.

Ralph has locked away his emotions after his experiences in war. He deeply blames himself for the death of his friends and cannot find forgiveness in himself. His physical wounds are damaging but his emotional wounds are deep and dark. He is unwilling to open himself up emotionally again because he fears attachment and doesn’t believe himself worthy of a happy future.

The relationship between Chloe and Ralph slowly evolves from the cold bargain that they thought they were going to have. Their journey is difficult and dark and they hurt one another on the way. This is a brave book that begins with a cold bargain but allows the space and time for the two protagonists to open up to one another and to life.

Beautiful, compelling and ultimately about redemption, strength and forgiveness, ONCE A PROMISE is incredibly painfully real.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are some nice updates on characters for fans of the series.

FINAL DECISION: Balogh’s Survivor novels are a wonderful emotional exploration of damaged individuals and their discovery of love. Chloe and Ralph are both damaged by life and yet more to find such joy and love with one another. Beautiful and dark and ultimately redeeming.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ONLY A PROMISE is book 5 of the Survivor’s Club series. It can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this story 4.5 stars.

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Beyond the Sunrise by Mary Balogh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poignant Story of Two People Who Cannot Have a Future

THE STORY: Robert and Jeanne met at teenagers at his father’s estate. Robert is the bastard son of a marquess who is unwelcome in his father’ home. Jeanne is the daughter of a French noble. Both excluded from the activities in the house, Jeanne and Robert spend several days together talking, exploring and kissing. They fall in love but both know that it cannot be because of the difference in their stations in life. Over a decade later, the two meet again during the Pennisular Wars. Robert has made his own way in life and is a captain in the British army. Jeanne is now known as Joana and a wealthy widow. The two meet again and the forces of the battles between the English and the French put them both in jeopardy. While they both have changed, their love is as doomed now as it was when they were teenagers.

OPINION: BEYOND THE SUNRISE is deeply emotional book. Robert and Jeanne have a long road before they can find happiness and throughout their journey there is a overwhelming sense that the two have no future which adds a sense of urgency and sadness to the book. Robert and Jeanne have a sad story because it is so often limited by lies and deception. My one complaint was that Jeanne is often the author of the problems between the couple and it comes from her pride. After a while, I tired of the constant misunderstandings between the couple. I enjoyed the book because it is deeply emotional and full of angst and sadness that is ultimately uplifting.

WORTH MENTIONING: This story is told deep in the Pennisular Wars which is a critical part of the novel not just a background.

FINAL DECISION: I liked this book. The story is dark and emotional. My only complaint is that I thought that most of the problems in the book were caused by the heroine’s actions and after a while I found that a bit annoying.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BEYOND THE SUNRISE is a standalone book.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

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