Booklist Reviews
*Starred Review* Inspired by the warmth of a Westcott family Christmas at Brambledean Court, Colin Handrich, Baron Hodges, decides he is ready to find a wife of his own. As one of England's most eligible bachelors, Colin knows he will have his pick of the current crop of eligible misses, but the one woman with whom he truly feels a romantic connection is Elizabeth Overfield. After the death of her abusive and alcoholic husband, Elizabeth is just beginning to contemplate the idea of marriage again. One kiss with Colin and Elizabeth realizes just how easy it would be to fall for him. Their age difference, however, means society would never approve of the match. Logically, both Elizabeth and Colin know they need to seek more suitable spouses, but might love actually triumph over reason? The sheer perfection of Balogh's prose in the fifth superbly written installment (following Someone to Care?, 2018) in the Westcott series marries her rare gift for crafting realistically nuanced characters to produce another radiant Regency historical romance by one of the genre's most resplendent writers. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.
BookPage Reviews
Someone to Trust
Another member of the Westcott family finds true love in Mary Balogh's Someone to Trust. The setting is snow-covered and the company jolly, but two people at the holiday family gathering are feeling gloomy. Widow Elizabeth Overfield, at 35, wonders if now might be the time to find another husband and try for children. Eligible bachelor Colin Handrich, Lord Hodges, is 26 and contemplates doing his duty in the New Year and beginning the business of finding a wife. The pair enjoys each other's company and feels an undeniable attraction, but the age difference makes them incompatible—or does it? Colin and Elizabeth bring out the best in each other, but on the way to a happy-ever-after they must confront ugly gossip, societal expectations and manipulative relatives. The quiet, authentic intensity of the characters' emotions is a hallmark of Balogh's work, and it is a pleasure to experience each heart-wringing moment in this romance made for warming a winter night.
This article was originally published in the December 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
Copyright 2018 BookPage Reviews.Kirkus Reviews
A widow who survived an abusive marriage is afraid to choose love, especially with a younger man grappling with his own childhood sorrows. In the fifth installment of Balogh's Westcott series, the widowed Lady Elizabeth Overfield and Colin Handrich, Baron Hodges, who's her brother's brother-in-law, intend to be just friends. After all, she's nine years older than him, and they each have sensible plans for marriage—she is considering the proposal of an older gentleman while he is being paired with a young debutante. Yet neither of those relationships contains the mix of easy conversation and erotic attraction that Elizabeth and Colin experience with each other. Nevertheless, they are determined to make practical matrimonial decisions. An ugly public episode in which her fiance baselessly accuses them of impropriety, however, persuades them that levelheaded betrothals no more guarantee marital bliss than love condemns one to loss. While Elizabeth's family is taken aback b y her decision to marry Colin, they offer their support. The obstacle is Colin's mother, introduced in Someone to Wed (2017), a scheming narcissist who refuses to age gracefully. Balogh presents her as an unnatural contrast to our heroine's dignified matronhood. This structure is an unfortunate throwback to old-school romances that resorted to a misogynistic virgin/seductress dichotomy. Indeed, the romance here is overshadowed by the time devoted to vilifying Colin's mother, who has a lover and many youthful beaux. This dilutes the story's romantic intensity, as does the slow pace and the overlong family Christmas celebration that starts the book. For readers who enjoy watching lovers conquer trauma and fans of the series who would like to revisit characters from the Westcott family. Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Reviews
From the first time they meet, Elizabeth Overfield and Colin Handrich, Lord Hodges, have enjoyed a special connection. Nothing romantic, of course—after all, she is a 35-year-old widow and he is a dashing young buck of 26. They simply like being together as friends—or so they tell themselves until they land in a snowbank on Christmas Day and an impulsive kiss surprises them both. Naturally, they agree it was nothing, but when they return to London for the Season to begin their separate matrimonial quests, it soon becomes clear that what each looks forward to most is the first waltz of the evening, which they have promised to share at every ball they both attend. Beautifully rendered characters; a solid blend of spirited banter and serious conversation; and the expert handling of emotionally draining issues (abuse, social obligations, cruelty, family dysfunction, personality disorders, and gossip, among others), tempered by love and support, fill in a few blanks and make this another wonderful addition to Balogh's compelling series.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
Balogh's emotionally rich fifth Westcott Regency (after