He is the illegitimate son of an Earl, and she is the daughter of a Duke confined to a wheelchair.
Always Remember by Mary Balogh is book #3 in the Ravenswood series but can be read as a standalone.
Our thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.
Book Details
Title: Always Remember by Mary Balogh
Publisher: Berkley (January 16, 2024)
Print Lenght: 368 pages
Language: English
ASIN: B0C2P5VX5H
Book Description
Lady Jennifer Arden and Ben Ellis know that a match between them is out of the question. Yet their hearts yearn for the impossible. Discover a new heartwarming story from New York Times bestselling author and beloved “queen of Regency romance” Mary Balogh.
Left unable to walk by a childhood illness, Lady Jennifer, sister of the Duke of Wilby, has grown up to make a happy place for herself in society. Outgoing and cheerful, she has many friends and enjoys the pleasures of high society—even if she cannot dance at balls or stroll in Hyde Park. She is blessed with a large, loving, and protective family. But she secretly dreams of marriage and children, and of walking—and dancing.
When Ben Ellis comes across Lady Jennifer as she struggles to walk with the aid of primitive crutches, he instantly understands her yearning. He is a fixer. It is often said of him that he never saw a practical problem he did not have to solve. He wants to help her discover independence and motion—driving a carriage, swimming, even walking a different way. But he must be careful. He is the bastard son of the late Earl of Stratton. Though he was raised with the earl’s family, he knows he does not really belong in the world of the ton.
Jennifer is shocked—and intrigued—by Ben’s ideas, and both families are alarmed by the growing friendship and perhaps more that they sense developing between the two. A duke’s sister certainly cannot marry the bastard son of an earl. Except sometimes, love can find a way.
From the Publisher’s Blurb
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Review
As a huge fan of Mary Balogh, every new book she publishes is precious to me. I’m an avid reader, and there are many good romance authors out there, but I’m still trying to find someone who transfers emotion to paper like she does.
That being said, Always Remember has all the elements I love in a romance: vulnerability, strength of character, and passion.
Ben is the illegitimate son of an Earl who was raised as part of the family but can never be a full member due to the societal rules of the time. Caught in between two worlds, he doesn’t really belong to any of them.
Lady Jennifer is the sister of a Duke and, due to an illness, is confined to a wheelchair. Despite her position, or because of it, she cannot trust anyone to love her for who she is.
Mary brings these two together and explores all the impossibilities they face while the reader keeps turning the pages for more. Ben’s daughter, Joy, was like the cherry on this delicious cake. I can’t resist a little matchmaker.
My favorite in the Ravenswood series so far!
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
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About the Author
Mary Balogh is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Slightly novels: Slightly Married, Slightly Wicked, Slightly Scandalous, Slightly Tempted, Slightly Sinful, and Slightly Dangerous, as well as the romances No Man’s Mistress, More than a Mistress, and One Night for Love. She is also the author of Simply Love, Simply Unforgettable, Simply Magic, and Simply Perfect, her dazzling quartet of novels set at Miss Martin’s School for Girls. A former teacher herself, she grew up in Wales and now lives in Canada.
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