Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Classic Balogh: Romantic, Emotional and Strong

Mary Balogh continues her wonderful historical series about a group of seven survivors of war dealing with devastating physical and mental injuries.

THE STORY: Flavian Arnott, Viscount Ponsonby suffered a traumatic brain injury during the war. He returned insensible and his fiancee ended up marrying his best friend. Flavian recovered but still suffers from stuttering and memory problems. Now his former fiancee has been widowed and his mother and sister are determined to match them up again.

Agnes Keeping is a widow who has never been in love. She is haunted by her mother’s actions and thus is determined to live a life of moderation where passion has no place. When she meets Flavian, she ends up falling in love with him.

Five months after their first meeting, the two encounter one another again and the passion between the two grows. Flavian knows that he cannot have Agnes unless he marries her and thus he proposes to her feeling that he will be “safe” with Agnes. When Agnes finds out about his former fiancee, she believes that Flavian married her out of vengeance shattering their new marriage.

OPINION: I loved the structure of this book. Flavian suffers from memory problems which leads of a mystery about what happened wtih his former fiancee. His problems with expressing himself lead to questions about what his intended relationship with Agnes is. The story is complex and I have appreciated the way that Balogh seriously explores the injuries that each of the survivors’ have. The honest and undramatic way that the ravages of war are explored give this book a realism and emotional heft. I am also a great fan of Balogh’s measured exploration of the relationships in her book. The emotional depth of the book comes from the slow and steady exploration of the ordinary interactions between her characters. By the time the happy ending arrives for these characters, the journey has made the ending feel satisfying and complete. I know who Flavian and Agnes are by the end of the book and I have complete confidence that the two will truly be happy. The book is not flashy or fast paced, but rather feels like a walk through a lovely garden.

WORTH MENTIONING: I loved that this book paused and gave us an update on all the survivors. The series began with one of the “retreats” of the survivors and this middle book gives readers a new retreat elevated by the addition of three wives which brings life to these haunted people even as their difficulties remain.

FINAL DECISION: I think this book is a beautiful addition to the series. I have come to deeply appreciate the care that Balogh gives to the damage that war causes for each individual survivor. That care elevates the romance as each couple deals with the aftermath of pain and disillusionment in their lives.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ONLY ENCHANTING is the fourth book in the Survivors’ Club series. The book can be read independent of the others in the series, but the whole of the series elevates each book as readers are introduced to the pain of each survivor in turn.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars. I might have given it 4 stars, but I appreciate its beauty within the series itself with gives it extra value.

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Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Survivor’s Guilt and the Story of Opposites Who Definitely Attract

“Life is made up of opposing pairs — life and death, love and hatred, happiness and misery, light and darkness, and on and on to infinity. Finding balance and contentment is like trying to walk a tightrope between all those opposites without falling off one side or the other and believing that life must be all light or all darkness, when neither one is truth in itself.”

“You and me” he said, turning fully to face her. “Another pair of opposites.”

FINAL DECISION: Beautiful, sad but ultimately joyful, this book is about the guilt of surviving and learning to live again. The pain that Imogen has gone through has caused her to cut herself off from the possibility of joy and love in her own life. When she meets a man who has known little but easy times, the two are immediately at odds and yet recognize in one another something that each needs. Fans of the Survivor’s Club series will be pleased with this book (It is nice to see they whole group together again).

THE STORY: Imogen, Lady Barclay witnessed the death of her husband who was captured by the French during the war. In the years since, she has managed to regain a fragile peace that allows her to live her life. Now a man has come into her life that threatens her peaceful existence. Percival Hayes, Earl of Hardford has inherited the title and land that should have been Imogen’s husband. After years of ignoring the property, he has decided to visit and is shocked to realize the widow is living on the estate. Percy considers himself “the most fortunate man on earth” as he has had no dark past or deep secrets or sadness in his life. He and Imogen could not be more opposite when they first meets. Percy is cheerful and bright and he sees Imogen as cold and marble-like. Percy’s unwilling attraction to Imogen, however, threatens to pull him into her darkness while Percy threatens to pull Imogen unwillingly back into life.

OPINION: Truly the story of living versus surviving. At times painful and sad, but ultimately life affirming, this is the story of a woman who has merely been surviving for years and the man who ends up pulling her from the darkness. I loved how Imogen was the haunted one here and Percy was the golden boy. I also liked how their interaction challenges and changes both of them. By becoming involved with Imogen, Percy open up his charmed life to danger and darkness.

Surprisingly, both had been living half lives. The lesson of this book is that life can neither be all darkness nor all light. Only the contrasts and the tension between them make life worth living.

Percy and Imogen’s story does not start off well. The two seriously annoy one another when they first meet. All Percy sees in Imogen is coldness and all Imogen sees in Percy is superficiality. The book is a glorious journey of how they get to truly know one another and open themselves up to one another.

The sweetness of the story where Percy finds joy in making Imogen laugh and smile. Imogen’s ability to make Percy see complexity and accept imperfection. These are the driving forces of this book. As with many of Barlogh’s books, this one is a slow unfolding of the relationship between these characters. Trust, love and hope take time to develop with these characters and the journey is well paced.

To give the story some momentum, there is also the story about uncovering smuggling that is happening on and around the estate. This story at times feels unnecessary but is neatly folded into the whole by the end of the book.

WORTH MENTIONING: The Survivor’s Club is composed of six men and one woman (Imogen) who were all somehow changed by the Napoleonic War. They all were deeply harmed (emotionally and/or physically) by the war and its consequences. I have loved the relationship between these survivors. Imogen thinks of the six men as brothers and they are clearly protective of her while treating her at a full and equal member at all times.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ONLY A KISS is book 6 of the Survivor’s Club series. It can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.25 stars.

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The Escape by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE ESCAPE is the third novel in the Survivor’s Club Series. The Survivor’s Club is a group of people who recovered together from injuries they received during the Napoleonic Wars. They recovered at the estate of the Duke of Stanbrook and meet annually to reconnect. They constitute what would in modern times be considered a support group. The prior two books were THE PROPOSAL and THE ARRANGEMENT.

This book is about Sir Benedict Harper who received serious injuries to his legs during the war and has struggled against being crippled both physically and mentally because of his injuries. At the beginning of the book, Ben has reached a crossroads. He has finally accepted his limitations but doesn’t know what he will do with his life now that he is accepted that he will never be able to live the life he expected to live before his injuries.

Samantha McKay is a widow of four months. She was married for seven years. For five years, Samantha had nursed her husband because of wounds that he suffered in the war. His constant demands meant that Samantha had no life except for acting as a nurse. Samantha is now being suffocated by the demands that her father-in-law and sister- in- law impose upon Samantha in the name of mourning properly.

Ben and Samantha meet when Samantha escapes her de facto prison to take a walk. Their meeting was not auspicious for the start of a romance but soon they have found out that both have damaged souls that they are trying to rebuild. They are drawn together even as they know that neither is ready to have a long term relationship.

What I loved about this book is how the relationship between Ben and Samantha is realistic and mature. Finding a kindred spirit is not enough for either of them to be completely healed of their emotional scars. Their relationship opens each of them to the possibility of being complete people, but they cannot heal one another. What this book posits is that in order for their love to last, they must be complete people on their own. They must each rebuild their lives and find healing inside before they can share themselves completely with each other.

This book is a slow journey. It’s not boring, but rather an intricate look at the lives of these two people. They have a long journey to travel and part of the journey must necessarily be taken alone. The slow journey allows the characters to get to know one another. It also allows the knowledge that these two are not concerned about superficial concerns with one another. Once they have committed themselves to one another at the end of the book, it is clear that these two will have a long, happy loving relationship. Ben and Samantha have a complicated adult relationship. There is definite beauty in that these people come together at the end as whole people who have fulfilling lives and not ones who are needy and looking for escape in another person.

Balogh has done a wonderful job with this series. There are no simple answers for these characters. They are mature and independent and wounded. The books in this series is not just about the romance between two characters but the story of building strength and a life after devastating circumstances.

I’d rate this book a 4.25 because of the emotional impact.

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest opinion.

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The Proposal by Mary Balogh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Slowly Developing Romance That Sinks Into Your Heart

THE PROPOSAL is the first book in the Survivor’s Club series. The Survivor’s Club is a group of six war survivors who recovered under the auspices of the Duke of Stanbrook who also had his life crushed by the war. THE PROPOSAL is the story of Hugo Emes who was born to a middle class family and whose father’s businesses have made him rich. Hugo joined the army and distinguished himself as a war hero. Hugo was never physically injured but was emotionally damaged by the war. Based upon his war feats, he is now Lord Trentham. He decides to marry and ends up meeting Gwendoline Grayson, Lady Muir. Gwen is not the wife Hugo is looking for. He wants a middle class wife not an aristocrat. Gwen, recovering from a difficult marriage, does not expect to marry again. Despite their different worlds the two recognize the wounds that each has and keep finding one another.

I really loved this love story. It is slow to develop, but the ultimate journey is incredibly beautiful. Hugo is a sweet man who hides his emotions. As Gwen begins to see Hugo’s depth, she falls in love with the sensitive man she uncovers. I liked how these two are cautious about committing to one another. They are very different people who come from different worlds and are wise enough to. take the time to find out if they can live together even though they love one another because love alone without commitment is not enough.

These are mature strong willed characters and I absolutely loved Hugo. The discussion of the wounds that people have both physical and emotional gives this book great depth. I also really like the relationship between the members of the Survivor’s Club. I’d rate this one a 4.5.

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

Very Short Story But Sweet

THE SUITOR is a short story connected to the Survivor’s Club series. It does not, however, deal with the main characters of the series. Instead it is a prequel to Viscount Darleigh’s story. The short story involves Philippa Dean who loves one man but whose family wants her to marry Darleigh. It is real the story of her and her love Julian Crabbe. The story has no sex and is merely sweet. I enjoyed it as background for THE ARRANGEMENT. I would rate it a 3.5.

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Christmas Gifts by Mary Balogh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sweet Christmas Stories

This book contains three short stories that were previously published in Signet Regency Christmas anthologies in the 1990s.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER — Edwin Gwent, Viscount Radbrook has a five year old daughter who hasn’t spoken in the two years since her mother’s death. What she wants most for Christmas is a new mother. She has picked out Emma Milford. A potential romance between Edwin and Emma is complicated because they have a history together — 9 years ago she rejected Edwin’s suit. I liked this short story. The best ones of these are where there is a pre-existing relationship because of the short time period involved. I loved how these two adults interacted with Edwin’s daughter and the little girl is incredibly cute. Even though the story was short, I thought the relationship between Edwin and Emma was sweet. Rating: 4 stars.

PORCELAIN MADONNA — Cynical Darcy Austin, Earl of Kevern is walking down Bond street when he spies a woman looking in a window. When he sees that she is about to be robbed by a young boy, he comes to her aid. Julie Bevan insists that the potential thief be forgiven. Darcy finds himself drawn into the lives of Julie and the young boy despite this determination. The story itself was sweet and the characters were interesting, but the short time period in which these characters know one another made the quick romance a little difficult to accept. Rating: 3 stars.

THE SURPRISE PARTY — Ursula, Lady Carlyle is a widow who is notified that her brother has died and left three children orphaned. She comes to claim them and encounters Timothy, Viscount Morsey who is the brother of the children’s mother. As the two attempt to bring some spirit of Christmas to these children, they unwillingly draw closer. This is complicated by the fact that years ago Ursula and Timothy had been betrothed to one another. This story worked for me because of the existing relationship between these two. I did feel that this would have been a better story if it were longer. I did like the relationship between the characters and the children. I think the highlights of this story are the strong integration of the Christmas theme and the cute children. Rating: 3.5 stars.

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