Lady Jessica Archer, daughter of the late and sister to the current Duke of Netherby, has decided that this will be the year she finally marries. At 25, she has had many opportunities, but when her dearest friend and cousin Abby’s life was upended by scandal, Jessica stood by her in solidarity, but Abby married two years ago and Jessica realizes romance is probably not in the cards for her. She decides that she will make a practical match, much to Abby’s dismay. But little does she know that fate has something else in store for her!

Gabriel Thorne first sees Jessica at a small inn in the middle of nowhere and immediately dislikes her, as she is the reason he has to give up the private parlor he paid handsomely for! Gabriel is back in England not by choice, he left 13 years ago under a cloud of suspicion and made a new life for himself in America. His mother’s cousin adopted him and took him under his wing, leaving Gabriel a prosperous shipping business, that Gabriel turned into an even more prosperous shipping empire. But when the past comes back to haunt him and the fate of someone he loves is caught in the balance, Gabriel leaves Boston and returns to England to claim his birthright. Gabriel is actually Gabriel Rochford, the Earl of Lyndale and is soon to be declared dead. Gabriel was happy to let the title pass on to his cousin Manley Rochford, despite their past, but when Manley starts making changes that hurt people Gabriel loves, he will do his duty. Part of that duty will be to marry and he decides that haughty Lady Jessica is perfect for the job! He goes to London and meets with his godfather Sir Trevor Vickers, due to the accusations leveled against Gabriel when he left, they decide to keep his identity a secret until Gabriel can clear his name. But they do sponsor him and introduce him to the ton.

Jessica begins the season hoping that there will be some new prospective suitors in town and is surprised (and intrigued) to see Gabriel, but he is not the only new face, she is also impressed and attracted to the soon-to-be Earl of Lyndale’s son, Anthony Rochford. When Gabriel tells Jessica he intends to marry her, she is annoyed and tells Gabriel that if he wants to marry her, he will have to romance her! They spend more time together and it is not long before Jessica figures out who Gabriel really is and vows to help him claim his title and clear his name.

This was a well written, slow paced love story with a dash of mystery. The book chock full of betrayal, lies, murder, secrets, likeable characters, mild to warmish love scenes, a bit of intrigue, a vile villain, the entire Westcott family and lots of my personal favorite AVERY! I enjoyed the story, but I really didn’t feel the “romance”, it was definitely an unstated, slow burn type of love story – I did believe they loved each other – but that love did not leap off the page at me. This book is the eighth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title, I really enjoyed the story and would happily recommend it!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by the publisher*

Although I find I enjoy this series in a comfortable kind of way, after the next book (which should be Harry's) I think Mary Balogh needs to move on to something new. It's getting to the point where it all kind of feels the same and I am seriously struggling to remember who all of these characters are and why I care about them. The cast is huge, unwieldy, and frankly unnecessary. It's particularly a problem because of the author's penchant to begin so many names with the letter A: Avery, Anna, Abby, Alexander... Archer. Even if I wanted to keep consulting the huge family chart at the beginning of the book, what's the point if I don't get the spark of excitement from truly remembering their books?

Anyway, this is Jessica Archer's story. She is best friends with one of the Westcotts who lost their legitimacy from the events of the first book. She is rich and noble and unmarried despite her 25 years of age, having chosen to eschew marriage early on when her BFF Abby had no prospects. Now that Abby is married, Jessica is ready to settle down. Fortunately, she is beautiful and sister of a duke, so every man wants her.

Including Gabriel, a secret long lost earl who has spent the past 13 years in America. He is about to be declared dead, and would be happy to give up his title, but the guy who is inheriting in his place is a tool and is mistreating the tenants and his aunt. So Gabriel is back to marry and reclaim his inheritance.

When he first sees Jessica, he thinks she is a spoiled snot. He doesn't like her, but he... wants her anyway? He decides he has to have her, basically for no discernible reason and tells her so. She demands to be romanced. He sends her a single rose every day and that somehow suffices. She accepts his suit as he works to clear his name from some bogus charges against him and reclaim his birthright.

It was...okay. Balogh uses a lot of exposition in her writing and I found myself skimming to get to the action. The connection between the hero and heroine was kind of weak, and I think it was more the formula of Balogh's storytelling pulled me through to the end more than any specific thing I liked about it.

I also didn't really understand the setup for the climax. (What was Gabriel really going to do to the villain if he wasn't going to duel him?) I felt like it was just a setup for the deus ex machina that gave us "justice."

Eh. I know there's a lot of complaining here, but it wasn't bad. It just wasn't a big hit for me. Your mileage may vary.

Another excellent book in the Westcott series from Mary Balogh. It is an inheritance story with a twist. Gabriel Thorne left England for America after he was accused of a rape and murder. During his time away his relative dies and he is the heir to an earldom. Meanwhile in England other relatives are about to have him declared dead and claim the earldom. Gabriel secretly returns and realizes he should marry well to secure his place. Lady Jessica Archer, sister of a duke, is getting older and decides it is time to choose someone to marry.

This rather complicated plot provides the vehicle for a warm and sexy love story in which two unlikely people find they have much more in common that it seems. Gabriel is a terrific hero -- caring and loyal. Jessica has been keeping people at bay with a kind of hauteur, but Gabriel finds and releases the warm woman within. There was a bit of intrigue and we are reacquainted with the most of the Westcott clan. Great writing.

ARC provided through Netgalley.

I'll read anything by Mary Balogh. Hands down one of my favorite historical romance authors. This book is no exception. I found Lady Jessica to be thoughtful and caring. I loved Gabriel Thorne - just enough mystery and so much to love hiding underneath. If you are a Mary Balogh fan, this one will not disappoint!

Thank you to Net Galley for sending me an advanced copy of this book. Mary Balogh for me is one of those authors that you will pick up to read not knowing a thing about the book, yet receiving the expected excellent story. This book as usual does not disappoint. Jessica's story is a lovely story about a young girl that made many sacrifices for family and ended up being somewhat left behind. What a wonderful thing that she finally received her happily ever after and it is very much deserved. Likewise, Gabriel was also disappointed and betrayed by many family members and it was nice that he finally was able to get his justice and at the same time find his special someone. The Westcott series by Ms. Balogh has been enjoyable and entertaining right from the first book. She was able to make each family member different in personality and needs which makes for each story having their own unique tale. I will never tire of reading Mary Balogh. She is an amazing writer!!

Lady Jessica Archer is 25-years-old and on the verge of being on the shelf, even if she is a duke's sister. But when her family sees her talking to Rochford, the heir presumptive to the Earl of Lyndale, they immediately fly into romance mode. Of course she should end up with an earl. Too bad she is more taken with the mysterious Gabriel Thorne. He seems to be a wealthy merchant from Boston and he set his eyes on her when she kicked him out of a private sitting room. Well, her brother's secretary did, but in her name. Gabriel needs a powerful wife to help him reclaim his birthright and he figures that Jessica will do. Too bad Jessica wants to be wooed for herself. But maybe that wooing will lead to something they can both love with... for the rest of their lives.
Regular Balogh fans will love this book. Gentle as always, with great character development. There are a LOT of characters from previous books in the series but Balogh actually makes them fit in pretty well. At least for regular readers. The denouement was a little rushed and expected but did not detract much from the overall joy of the book.

Four stars
Follows Someone to Remember
This book comes out August 25th
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I believe that I’ve read all of Mary Balogh’s books, and Someone to Romance is very near the top of my favorites list. Her strong characters, well-crafted plot, and narrative tension hold the reader spellbound throughout. I think that her style has improved over the years though it is still distinctive. Certainly a book I’d recommend.

"Interview?" she said. "As though for employment? As my husband? Very well, Mr. Thorne. Prepare to make yourself irresistible to me. This may be your only chance."

Oh, I do so love the Westcott family and series! It's nice to be back with a full-length title (although I did love that Matilda got her own HEA, despite her "advanced" age), and I'm thrilled that it was Lady Jessica Archer, now all grown-up and on the lookout for a husband. Not that I would've been any less thrilled with any other members of the family, to be fair. I simply enjoy reading Mary Balogh's brand of historical.

And this historical was very on brand for Ms. Balogh. If you, like me, love her books and find comfort in them, then Someone to Romance is an especially lovely book, particularly so in these uncertain times. It's all banter and sass and pomp and grandeur and that unbreakable family bond that is the hallmark of this series. And really, what else does it need to be?

For me, nothing. I savored every page of this one. Loved it, in fact. It wasn't perfect, nor was it my absolute favorite of the series (not that I could easily pinpoint which one is, but it's another excellently written, remarkably enjoyable, and easy to read installment in one of my favorite series. I look forward to whatever comes next.

This is my first book by Mary Balogh, though I know that she's written a lot of historical romance books. It was a little tricky understanding the family relations, and eventually I just ignored when some of the extended family was mentioned. Overall it was a nice story with a sweet romance. I really liked the main characters Gabriel Thorne and Jessica Archer, though Jessica's introduction was a little weird, with some comments about how she had to do what her brother, and his secretary, thought was best as the traveled to London. I couldn't tell if these comments were meant to be sarcastic or not, and it wasn't really something that was addressed later in the story. It was just a strange way to introduce her character.
I did enjoy Someone to Romance. It was a slow burn and I enjoyed watching how Gabriel and Jessica eventually came together and fell in love.

I've enjoyed most of the Westcott books thus far, so I was glad to see that Balogh had finally gotten around to Lady Jessica, and that she was not going to be paired up with Harry! (I want Harry to get his own story.) Balogh's writing tends more towards the introspective side, and sometimes it feels like the characters get trapped in their own heads. But the romance was a bit more active in Someone to Romance, primarily because Gabriel has to actually put in the effort to understand the true Jessica. I also appreciated that Jessica figured out his "secret identity" early on, and that Gabriel was so honest with her. The first half felt especially strong because of this.

The second half seemed a little weaker, though, mostly because we were suddenly flooded with Westcotts from past stories. While I love their family dynamic, there are way too many of them! Avery especially took the focus away from Jessica and Gabriel. That said, I expected Abby to play more of a role in this story, since Jessica and she are so close, but Jessica was likewise out of the loop for Abby's romance so *shrugs*.

I also wasn't keen on the justice subplot, mostly because there didn't seem any legal way for the villain to pay for his actions. He raped a girl and shot her brother, and the best you can come up with is to threaten him with fisticuffs??

In short: I really liked Jessica and Gabriel! I just wish that some of the other Westcotts had stayed home for this story.

First of all, a big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this ARC. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was an enjoyable episode in Ms. Balogh's latest Westcott series. There was considerably more 'action' (of a historical romance sort) than the last few books seemed to have, and a bit less navel-gazing. For example, Gabriel was required to actually romance (AKA, put in some kind of effort into getting to know and like) Jessica, which was a welcome development by the author. So welcome, in fact, that I was happy to round up my 3.5 star rating to 4.

Jessica made a big deal out of the fact that Gabriel, like every other man, made no effort to get to know the 'real' her under her public mask, which I liked. And he was man enough to admit it was true and then try his best. I really liked both Jessica and Gabriel as characters and I am very very very pleasantly surprised at (a) how much I enjoyed them together and (b) that this book wasn't an excuse to shove Jessica at Harry.

I will say the following items bothered me a little:

(a) I'm not clear on how the characters thought they could bring the perpetrator "to justice". I don't know what the statute of limitations was in 1800s England but obviously at that time the legal system was demonstrably different than it is now. However, I'm not sure even in that time period what "justice" they realistically could have enacted other than either beating the guy up or actually executing him. And why on earth would he have shown up in the park just to get beat up (let alone killed)? The entire situation felt a bit constructed in a way that didn't bear much scrutiny.

(b) Gabriel kept *thinking* about how his aunt, his tenants, his servants, his property and his house were suffering under his uncle, and castigating himself for not having done anything... and then continuing to not do anything about it. I guess he had decided that wooing Jessica was top priority? I get WHY, plot wise, it had to happen that way, but it struck me as odd for someone of Gabriel's character to allow.

(c) It's clear to me that Avery, Duke of Netherby, is far and away Ms. Balogh's favorite character of this series. Every time he pops up, he 'sounds dangerous' or uses his flashing rings and well-manicured fingers to remind the reader that he is Deceptively Masculine and Really Quite Authoritative and INTIMIDATING AND DANGEROUS. Okay, already, we get it. This is not Avery's book. Let Avery take a back seat in a back row and pipe down already.
(hide spoiler)]

Altogether though I very much enjoyed this episode of the Westcotts. I loved that the characters went places and did things and didn't just rusticate around a country home thinking deep thoughts. It was a nice change and basically reinvigorated my affection for Ms. Balogh.

Someone to Romance by Mary Balogh is the 8th book in her wonderful Westcott series. As I have said before, I do not read a lot of Historical Romance, but I can’t say enough of Mary Balogh and this fabulous series, as she just continues to give us fantastic wonderful romances in each and every book of this series. Just when you think she can’t do better than the previous books (and they are all great), I become enthralled once again, unable to put the book down. Make no mistake, I absolutely love this series, love the Westcotts and Balogh’s fantastic writing.

In Someone to Romance, Lady Jessica Archer, our heroine, is the sister of Avery (previous book hero), and best friends with her cousin, Abby (another previous book heroine). At one time both were content to never find a husband, but now that Abby is happily married, Jessica decides it’s time for her to find someone to marry, even if she never finds love. Jessica heads home to prepare to attend the balls to find herself a husband.
Gabriel Thorne, has returned home to England, after 13 years making his fortune in America. He is forced to go home, as a dear friend needs his help, and it was time for him to claim his inheritance, as well as right some wrongs.

When Jessica is traveling home, on an overnight stop, she is given a suite in the hotel. Turns out the suite had been promised to Gabriel, but since Jessica is the sister of the Duke of Netherby, the hotel gave her the suite. Neither was impressed with each other, and went their own way, until she met up with him during one of the balls in England; especially since he tells her he intends to marry her, which totally turns her off of him.
As Jessica begins to get courted, she is surprised when Gabriel also plans on courting her, and she responds that he will need to do so in a romantic way; which he begins by sending her a rose every day. Even though Jessica is now being courted by two men, she finds herself learning more about Gabriel and begins to suspect the truth, that he is the real Earl, who is presumed dead.

What follows is a wonderful slow build romance that has Jessica accepting a possible marriage to Gabriel, even if she is not sure of love. But she plans to help him get his inheritance, as well as clear his name. It is always wonderful to see the Westcott family again, and how they all stick together when they learn the truth about Gabriel and the need to help him regain what is his. The ending was very exciting as we raced to the finish. I love when the family plots together. I also loved watching Gabriel and Jessica slowly realize that they are falling in love. Very nicely done.

Someone to Romance was a great read. As always, it is wonderful to see all the Westcott’s again. Again, I can’t say enough about Mary Balogh’s writing, as the Westcott series is a ‘do not miss’. If you enjoy regency romance with great couples and secondary characters, you should be reading this one. Someone to Romance is another fabulous fun heartwarming story in this fantastic series.

The Netherby clan is fascinating and complex, so Jessica's story should be interesting and surprising and it does not disappoint. Gabriel has to reclaim an inheritance he never wanted and certainly did not expect, Jessica has finally decided that if she wants a family, and she does, practical steps must be taken.

Unfortunately Gabriel has decided Jessica will meet his needs for this new part of his life. This may be just a bit to practical for Jessica. Both are harboring hurst from the past and not forthright with their future plans. The extended family involvement makes this an engaging and entertaining installment in this must read series.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence my review.


Mary Balogh delivers reliably enjoyable Historical Romance. Someone to Romance, the 8th book in the Westcott series, is light-hearted fare (despite some dark backstory) with a smart heroine and hero who are fun to root for.

Jessica Archer is the younger sister of the Duke of Neverby, whose love story was told in the first book of the series. At that time, the Westcott family was turned upside down when Jessica’s cousin’s father, the Earl of Riverdale, was revealed to be a bigamist. His children were thus illegitimate. Jessica’s cousin/best friend was disinherited and snubbed by the ton. Although Jessica had been looking forward to her first season, she gave it all up because her cousin could not take part.

Now years have passed and Jessica realizes it’s time for her to seriously consider getting married and taking her place in the world. The problem is, while she has many admirers, she wants love. She wants romance.

Gabriel Thorne is not, at first glance, a likely candidate. Although he is a titled gentleman, he fled England many years earlier and found a place with his mother’s cousin in Boston. He is now a very wealthy member of the American merchant class. He has no desire to return to the country of his birth; however, duty calls him home.

The two cross paths under unfavorable circumstances and there is a rather instantaneous mutual dislike. But they meet again in London in ton settings and an attraction builds. Jessica slowly learns the truth about Gabriel’s past. She is able to harness her training as a duke’s sister to support him as he returns to society and as he seeks to displace the cousin who is trying to usurp his place.

Although the plot lines and character traits can become repetitive over the course of too much Regency Romance reading, authors with Balogh’s skill can keep stories fresh and readable. This is a delightful series that continues to hold my interest.

I have really been enjoying the Westcott series. This latest entry has a really strong first half, but peters out somewhat in the second half. I really enjoyed Gabriel and Jessica's courtship and thought that they had interesting chemistry. Unfortunately, after they get married, I felt like Jessica's personality gets muted and becomes secondary to the justice plot storyline, and that justice is actually not quite as satisfying as I would have liked. I also found that I wished Mary was a more well rounded and fleshed out character. I didn't completely understand why she was so important to Gabriel. I also think that it would have been more interesting to see Gabriel and Jessica make it to the estate and see how they worked together to make it a home rather than spend all their time in London. What I did enjoy was seeing all the Westcotts work together again and evidence of all their happy marriages.

Lady Jessica Archer, duke's daughter and dukes sister is blue blooded to the extreme. American Gabriel Thorne despite his wealth is hardly a suitable match for Lady Archer despite the fact that she has determined that she is finally ready to give her quest for romance and set up her household with one of her myriad suitors. Gabriel hardly endears himself to her at their first meeting when he's rudely ejected from his private parlor to make way for Jessica and then at their second meeting when he declares that she'll be his wife given that she has another handsome new suitor who's seeking her hand.
Gabriel is a fantastic character and Jessica warms up about half way through but I have to say I loved Avery her ducal brother and his deep insightful witticisms despite his languid dandyish airs. I have not read Ms. Balogh for a while but I thoroughly enjoyed her style of writing that transported me back to the various regency romance authors that I once read avidly.
I would definitely recommend this book.

Well, it looks like our little Lady Jessica is all grown up! It's been so fun following the characters in this series. Jessica started out like a typical teenager...moody and a little self-absorbed, but she has fully emerged into a graceful lady. And of course, it's always fun visiting with the main characters from other books in the series. The author did a fantastic job of reminding the reader how this wonderful family came together in the first place. Lady Jessica and Gabriel meet in the most obscure and off-putting of circumstances, but find a way to make romance blossom. Another solid novel in this well loved series.

A woman determined to make her own choices. A man torn between his chosen home and his duty

Someone to Romance by Mary Balogh is book #8 in the Westcott series but can be read as a standalone.

Gabriel Thorne left for America, intending never to come back. Not even the fact that he succeeded to his uncle’s title was temptation enough to return home.

But a single letter from a beloved aunt changed everything.

Once in London, Gabriel had until the end of summer to fix things and return to America incognito, or present himself and claim the title, becoming the new Earl of Lyndale.

He was torn between the desire to return to America, and his duty to his aunt and tenants.

To complicate things, the very haughty and beautiful Lady Jessica Archer was being courted by his cousin’s son, and she was not precisely the practical and cold aristocrat he had imagined.

Jessica was strong and determined to live her life on her own terms.

Both Gabriel and Jessica were very layered characters. I love how their relationship evolved through the story. How their views and feelings became more complicated as they got to know one another.

The side characters were charming, especially Avery, Jessica’s brother, and the Duke of Netherby. His love and respect for Jessica’s wishes were very endearing. For those following the series, Avery’s happily-ever-after is told in Someone to Love, the book that opens the set.

Mary Balogh is my favorite historical romance author because of her exceptional talent in translating emotion into words. The characters feel real, their feelings believable and relatable.

Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 08/25/2020*

Mary Balogh's latest book in the Westcott/Archer series is a pleasure. Balogh can be counted on for interesting and well-developed characters, and skillful handling of twisting plots. It is romance with a bit of mystery as well.
A satisfying read.

A charming light-hearted romance, filled with Balogh's signature insight and humor. Well-rounded characters with believable problems and hangups make for a fun read.