Someone Perfect is part of a series but is fine as a stand alone. It is a regency romance which is delightful. It is a book thatis easy to recommend.

This is a great historical romance. I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope. I would highly recommend this book and author.

A lovely read for those who love quality and enjoyable historical romances. I am such a fan of second chance romance along with enemies to lovers and this one had it in spades! A lovely book!

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. Mary Balogh is a classic for a reason, and Someone Perfect is a classic Mary Balogh. While not quite as funny as some of her previous offerings, this book is still very readable. I had trouble getting into it, but that was mostly my mood, not the book, so your mileage may vary. If you are a fan of the author, then you will know what to expect from her, and I think you will be satisfied with Someone Perfect.

This book is slow moving and takes a while to get to the main event but once it does get there it picks up speed and before you know it, you're at the end. 
Lady Estelle and her twin brother live happily in the countryside with visits to the city for the season and events as needed by their large family.  Estelle has befriended a neighbor Maria who has been coping with the loss of her mother and now the possible loss of her lady's companion. When Maria's brother, Justin the Earl of Brandon arrives to escort Maria to her family seat things seem to take a few topsy turvy turns.
Estelle and Justin's first meeting is not exactly what one might consider proper for the times and status of the people involved. Then Justin decides that Estelle would make a perfect Countess for him not exactly something that endears him to Estelle. Also, what's the mysterious reason why Maria hates her stepbrother?
However, when Justin invites the twins to a house party at his country seat to help Maria settle in with people that she knows and likes, Estelle is too kind to refuse. What a tangled tale emerges when the truths are unraveled. Also, it seems that hate is quite kin to love, and Estelle doesn't dislike Justin as much as she thought she did. 
A slow moving, slow burn romance where all is well that ends well.

As a boy, Justin Wiley, had an ideal childhood, with fun and loving parents who lavished him with affection and attention. Much of the light went out of Justin’s life when his mother died when he was only ten, but he and his father became closer because of their shared grief. It shocked Justin when four years later, his father announced he would be immediately remarrying, and to a young woman only four years older than Justin. When this marriage produced a daughter, Maria, Justin fell in love with his young half-sister. For eight years he protected, played with, and cared for Maria, while doing his best to tolerate his stepmother. Then the incident happened – one that tore the family apart. Justin has been forever banished from his father’s sight, ordered away from the home, and not even allowed to tell his beloved sister goodbye. The intervening twelve years have been hard for Justin, now thirty four. He had to become a manual laborer, and live a life totally unlike the one he was brought up in. When he learned that his father had died, he sent his stepmother and sister off to live elsewhere and returned home to take up the duties of Earl of Brandon, a dour, sober, and joyless man. Upon learning of his stepmother’s death, he decides it’s time to bring Maria home. Maria, however, hates the brother she once loved, and has put up barriers which won’t let him get close to her.

Lady Estelle Lamarr also knows the pain of family loss. She and her twin brother, Bertrand, lost their mother in a terrible accident when they were only a year old. Their guilt ridden father abandoned them to the care of their aunt, only visiting them briefly and sporadically, never becoming close to them. It was only when Estelle became an adult that she confronted her father, cleared the air of misunderstandings, and set in motion a loving relationship. Now twenty-five, Estelle wonders if she’ll ever meet her SOMEONE PERFECT – a light, joyful, caring man, one who will definitely have blue eyes. When Estelle’s friend, Maria, is about to be removed to her brother’s home, Justin invites Estelle and Bertrand to visit for a while, hoping the presence of friends will ease some of the awkwardness between the estranged siblings. Estelle’s initial opinion of Justin is intense dislike, but her desire to aid her friend overcomes her reluctance. She and Bertrand set off for Justin’s house party, which will also be attended by members of both Justin’s and Maria’s extended families.

A house party has the distinction of putting guests in close proximity for an extended period of time, making it hard to avoid people. This can be good, or, very, very bad. Maria went in with a chip on her shoulder, with preconceived notions, thanks to her mother. She believes the worst of Justin, his relatives, and her own relations. As truths begin to be revealed, albeit, quite painfully, it becomes clear that Justin was the victim, not the villain.

SOMEONE PERFECT is yet another example of Mary Balogh’s excellent writing. Justin’s story is truly heartbreaking, especially as we see glimpses of the joyful family he had as a boy. The sunny, happy child he was became a sad, somber man, one who makes no effort to defend himself against false accusations. He immediately was attracted to Estelle, but she made no secret of her dislike of him. As the days pass, Estelle sees the caring side of Justin, and even before the past is revealed, she comes to believe that he was not the guilty party. It soon becomes clear that Estelle’s supposed dislike is her own fear of the intense attraction she feels for Justin. I adore how their love developed, and how Estelle’s light brought life and light back to Justin. Seeing him smile, and hearing him really laugh brought some happy tears. I especially love how the story didn’t end with their mutual declaration of love, but told of the days leading up to their wedding, and the beautiful notes Justin sent Estelle every day. The families are as essential as characters as the two leads are, not only Justin’s, but Estelle’s, as she is connected to the Westcott family. I suppose it’s helpful to have read previous Westcott novels in this series, just to keep track of who’s who, but it’s not necessary. SOMEONE PERFECT is a heartwarming, romantic, and sentimental novel, one which touched my emotions. Family, romance, redemption, and reconciliation make this a keeper novel for me.

When the publisher invited me to read an e-galley of the newest in Mary Balogh’s Westcott series, I said yes - partly out of curiosity about a new-to-me author and partly due to the book’s description. What I found in reading Someone Perfect was a multi-layered Regency written with assurance.

Primarily set at a house party filled with extended family, what unfolds is a story of reconciliation in the aftermath of one toxic person’s influence as well as a slow burning, reluctant romance. With a large cast of secondary characters, there are passages where many names and relations are given that would have more meaning and enjoyment contained in them if the reader had experienced the previous Westcott books, but are not so onerous as to put off a first time reader. Rather, they provide a feel for just how large the extended families involved are.

Justin and Estelle make for interesting and appealing characters, while Justin’s half-sister Maria and Estelle’s twin brother Bertrand increase the depth and humor of the story. For fans of Regency romance, Mary Balogh is certainly an author to try. I’m looking forward to reading more of her Westcott series, though I’m tempted to jump into her upcoming Ravenswood first. Recommended.

This review refers to a digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

Someone Perfect is a general market, open door romance.

Janine: Kaetrin and I have been reviewing Mary Balogh since her Westcott series of historical romances began eight books ago and this review continues the tradition.

Someone Perfect is Westcott-adjacent and the start of Balogh’s “Friends of the Westcotts” series; its heroine, Lady Estelle Lamarr, is Viola Westcott’s stepdaughter.

Estelle and her twin Bertrand are living in the country. Estelle has turned away many a suitor; if she can’t “find herself,” she’s content to live with brother. As the book begins, the sun is shining after days of rain and Estelle celebrates by going for a walk. The scenery tempts her into sitting by a nearby river and dipping her feet, even taking off her bonnet. Her hair comes down by mistake.

Her moment of bliss is interrupted when a panting, menacing dog races toward her. The dog—Captain—is called to heel by a huge, dour man. When he rides away without a word Estelle is shocked by his rudeness and embarrassed by her improper appearance.

Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon, is ashamed and consternated by his behavior, which was brought on by broodiness and unexpected lust. He dreads a confrontation with his sister that awaits him in nearby Prospect Hall. Justin (age 34) and Maria (20) are half-siblings who once adored each other. That and every other facet of Justin’s life, was shattered twelve years ago and they haven’t seen each other in all that time. When he inherited his father’s title and country seat six years earlier, Justin had Maria and her mother sent to Prospect Hall.

Kaetrin: I had to laugh at the description of Justin’s age. I felt like it was one of those maths exam problems where you have to do algebra to work out the answer.

Maria was the daughter of his father and his father’s second wife, now deceased. She was fourteen years younger than Justin. He had not seen her for twelve years. She had been a child then, eight years old, thin and pale, with fine blond hair and big blue eyes, and he had adored her. And she him. But he had left home abruptly and been gone for six years before he inherited the title and properties and fortune upon the death of his father.

Let me just say there are not many authors I willingly do maths for.

Janine: In the intervening years Maria’s mother sickened, cared for by the teenaged Maria (the nurses Justin sent were turned away). When she died, Justin became Maria’s guardian and wrote his sister to invite her home. All his letters met with chilly and polite refusals. Justin loves Maria and decides to give her the chance to meet young people, come out in society, and marry by bringing her back.

While he is at Prospect Hall, Estelle and Bertrand, friends of Maria’s, pay a call. Justin and Estelle’s second meeting isn’t any smoother. Each feels awkward, embarrassed, and resentful. Estelle’s concludes that Justin is rude and unpleasant and that she dislikes him intensely. Though Justin is aware of it, he invites Estelle and Bertrand for a visit. Maria’s companion can’t move due to family demands and Justin doesn’t want Maria to be isolated.

Kaetrin: The rest of the story, for the most part, takes place at Everleigh Park, where Justin has invited Maria’s relatives, his own and their shared relations too, to try and give Maria a better sense of family and belonging. (The cast is extremely large and it took me quite a while to remember who everyone was – and as none of them were Westcotts (apart from Estelle and Bertrand) they were all entirely new.)

Janine: I didn’t feel impatient with the family gathering, and I often do with Balogh. New bonds were forged, sometimes across gaps of social class, and shared interests discovered. There was genuine warmth and interest on all sides. It may require suspension of disbelief that no one was a snob over the class divisions, but I was glad of that.

Kaetrin: Over the course of the novel, Justin finds himself reconnecting with a family he’s been largely estranged from for a dozen years and we find out what really happened that caused Justin’s father to throw him out of the house.

In terms of the romance, Justin is immediately attracted to Estelle but it is only when he allows himself to consider that to take his full role as Earl he needs to marry and have heirs, not to mention that he will be responsible for launching Maria into society the following spring and wouldn’t it be more convenient if he had a wife to help him that he contemplates doing anything about it. When he does, he is particularly ham-handed about it. It reminded me somewhat of the first proposal scene in Pride & Prejudice – and received about the same response from the lady to whom it was directed.

Janine: Yes. I was also reminded of the proposal scene in Slightly Dangerous.

Kaetrin: Details of what Justin did after he was kicked out of home (with only a horse and twenty pounds and what he could put together quickly in a small bag) for the six years until his father passed away are also revealed.

As Estelle and Justin spend time together during the house party, he realises that it is far more than convenience that make him want to marry her and she opens her eyes to her own feelings about him. Justin is not perfect – nobody in the book is (it is one of the overt themes) but, as it happens, he is perfect for her.

Janine: I liked Justin and Estelle. Balogh’s characters sometimes indulge in too much hand-wringing but Justin and Maria are confident. They know their minds, behave like adults, and act on their convictions. Sometimes they regret it but not excessively.

The book centers on the mystery of Justin’s past and whether he can ever heal and find happiness. Estelle serves as a catalyst, as a sounding board, and a filter through which readers see Justin (even when she assesses him inaccurately, we see him accurately). All that was well done, and I also give Balogh kudos for developing Estelle well beyond that in what is a hero-centric book. I liked that Estelle was beautiful and neither vain nor demurring about it. Her twinship connection with Bertrand enhanced both with insights into each other and sympatico sentiments. The only aspect of Estelle I didn’t buy was her search for herself; she plainly didn’t seem that lost on what she wanted out of life and when she named it I thought she should have known it all along.

Kaetrin: All of the heroines in the Westcott series are seeking to assert their personhood in some way so this fit with my expectations.

Janine: In that sense it fit with mine as well. I just didn’t feel it was well-executed. On the whole, though, Estelle was believable and more than a prop.

Kaetrin: I admit I was a bit surprised at how she didn’t seem to be under any pressure from society or her family to marry. At 25 she’s practically on the shelf! Given the interference the Westcotts tried with Harry I’m a little surprised they weren’t banging down Estelle’s door about it. I did like her too though. Justin needed someone a little more mature to walk beside him in life and Estelle’s own history meant that she had a personal understanding of difficult family dynamics and the pain caused by an errant father. While their circumstances were very different, it gave them some common ground.

Luckily for Estelle, Justin’s own unusual trajectory in life meant that he’s especially open to women being independent and capable and deserving of self-determination.

Janine: There is more focus on physicality than usual for Balogh. Estelle notices Justin’s huge hands, wide shoulders, and powerful thighs. That kind of thing often feels rote and costs me patience but here it was fresh because Estelle’s awareness of Justin unsettled her. He was sometimes dour, clouded with darkness, and reluctant to open up, all things Estelle didn’t want in her life, yet she still desired him. That gave the attraction stakes and made Justin’s hotness palpable.

Kaetrin: I had mixed feelings about this. On the one hand Justin has the kind of physicality I find very attractive on a personal level. However, I found the repeated references to his bulk and his calloused hands and his muscles as a bit othering. Those things only developed after he was sent away and had to work manual labour to support himself. (On that note, I did wonder just how all those muscles had been maintained in the six years since he’d inherited. A couple of months a year wouldn’t seem to be enough?)

Janine: Yes—it *is* othering–but I saw in a way that was similar to how Alexander was put off by Wren’s “mannishness” when he first met her in Someone to Wed. Alexander needed to see her as other in order to come around to seeing (and Balogh frequently does this well) her and realizing he’d been wrong. Estelle saw Justin as other because his unusual physicality stemmed from his missing years and his (in her eyes) dark and unknowable past. This initial othering underscored the resolution of their inner light/darkness differences. Instead of being someone so different as to be almost alien to Estelle, Justin became the man beside whom she wanted to live her life. (And LOL, I had the same thought about his muscles.)

Justin is, in my opinion, one of Balogh’s better heroes. His past backstory and actions him likeable. I loved how he put Maria first whenever faced with a choice and that his selflessness never felt like martyrdom.

Kaetrin: I agree with you about the martyrdom and I really liked Justin too. But… he’s almost too good. He’s almost always noble and self-sacrificing. If not for that his pursuit of Estelle turned out to be mainly for selfish reasons (i.e., that he wanted her for himself, that he was attracted to her and then that he loved her), he’d have been a saint. But Justin’s romance with Estelle, notwithstanding his initial proposal mostly being about how it would help Maria and be good for the earldom and, given Estelle’s age he’d almost be doing her a favour (he said it a little more nicely than that but he really mucked things up that first time) was really all about him. I was happy to see Justin wanting something for himself. It made him far more relatable. To further that theme (and going back to the first proposal) it was really only with Estelle that Justin was less than perfect.

Janine: I felt past thoughtlessness toward loving (extended) relatives made him imperfect too. Also, Justin knew that he might not be able to make Estelle happy, yet he didn’t let that deter him. She was what he needed (as welcoming and cheerful as he was dour and closed) more than he was for her. Balogh walked a fine line between making Justin needy and making him strong enough to stand on his own but she pulled it off.

Kaetrin: And that brings me to what I see as the main theme of the book. There are many overt references to perfection and how what something (or someone) looks like from one perspective may not in fact be as perfect and amazing as it first appears. How the pursuit of perfection can lead to alienation, sadness and despair. Indeed, even [Justin’s stepmother] Lilian didn’t lead the happy life she really wanted I gather. Rather than perfection, seek love and relationship and honesty is the book’s thesis.

Janine: The part of Justin’s backstory that connects to why he was banished didn’t fully work. It was tragic and although it and its resolution made sense in context, I didn’t buy that it would allow Justin complete happiness.

Spoiler: Show

Justin and Maria lost twelve years of sibling love. Justin had some compensations, though he suffered, but Maria had none. And there are also all the loving extended relatives who, during Justin’s absence, missed him and worried over him and suffered.

Spoiler: Show

Kaetrin: I felt bad for Maria. What happened to her wasn’t Justin’s fault.

Janine: Absolutely. It still made the book very melancholy, though.

Kaetrin:

Spoiler: Show

Janine: I also really did not love the way a disabled character was portrayed and used in the story. First, the depiction of disabled people as noble-hearted and innately good is stereotypical and othering. Second, I do not like it when a character with a disability is portrayed as a figure in need of the protagonist’s rescue or intervention. Typically, the disabled character is there to make the hero or heroine shine or catalyze them into action, rather than developed with genuine personalities of their own. That was the case here too. This whole aspect of the book was just…ugh for me.

Kaetrin: Yes, I had misgivings about the portrayal here as well. Additionally, there was some language used to refer to this character that I was dubious about.

Janine: I felt the same but made allowances for the vocabulary of the period.

Early in the book, it’s mentioned that Avery (hero of Someone to Love) became Justin’s friend after making a cryptic remark to Justin. I was certain the strangeness of the remark would be explained (I had a theory about what the reason for it might be) but it never went anywhere.

Kaetrin: Oh yes. I expect we have the same theory. It may even be correct! But nothing was ever made of it. I think the broader point was that Avery liked and approved of Justin despite rumors of a very nefarious and unsavory past and readers could feel assured that Justin was really a good guy as a result. (I mean, he’s the hero so I sort of knew that already but, okay.)

Janine: I wondered if maybe Balogh did more with it in an earlier draft and that plot development had to be cut to make room for things to play out differently, but who knows.

Kaetrin: I really was expecting Avery to waltz in and save the day like he usually does.

Janine: I noticed more anachronisms than I typically do in Balogh’s novels, including glaring ones such as, “family unit” (1860, per the Oxford English Dictionary), “therapeutic” in a psychological sense (use from 1970 according to the OED), “drive me mental” (this usage of “mental” is from 1927 per the OED), “I stepped out of my own…bubble,” “stereotypical” (1949), “by getting ahead of rumors,” “his head hit the pillow,” and “super finder of the missing” (this usage of “super” is from 1932).

Kaetrin: For the most part I don’t get too fussed about this stuff. I tend to assume that I’m wrong if anything strikes me as too modern (I see so many threads and tweets where things that seem really modern turn out to be really old) but I know it’s an issue for some readers.

Janine: I have a good ear for anachronistic language and when I look stuff up in the OED I usually am correct! And if I can look things up, so can authors. I realize anachronistic language is a nonissue for many but I see it as part of the world-building. I’m okay with a few misplaced words and a bit of artistic license but it got jarring here. Most examples (“get ahead of rumors,” for instance) could have been conveyed in the period’s language just as well. It was unnecessary to disrupt the reading experience by using them.

There was also hymen misplacement. Not uncommon in Balogh novels, and not actually a big pet peeve for me, but I know that it is for other readers, so I’m mentioning it.

Kaetrin: I’d be very happy if everyone could agree that the hymen is outside the body. *sigh*

Janine: Someone Perfect is a strong book on many fronts but there were the disability issues and the tragedy and melancholy overwhelmed the joy a bit. Despite all that was said to the contrary, I feel the past could still shadow Justin’s future happiness. It’s a B-/B for me.

Kaetrin: I didn’t mind the melancholy so much – It’s not uncommon in this series or with Balogh books in general. I did dislike what Justin’s dad chose to do and I had those misgivings about the disability representation. The romance however did work for me. Someone Perfect gets a B from me.

Mary Balogh has become such a comfort author for me! I love all of her historical romances including this one and can't wait for her next one!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Sometimes, just one person can pull a whole family apart. And sometimes, it just takes one person to pull it back together. For fans of Bridgerton, New York Times bestselling Regency Romance author Mary Balogh shows how love truly conquers all in this new Friends of the Westcotts novel.

As a young man, Justin Wiley was banished by his father for mysterious reasons, but now, his father is dead, and Justin has been Earl of Brandon for six years. A dark, dour man, he, nonetheless, takes it as his responsibility to care for his half-sister, Maria, when her mother dies. He travels to her home to fetch her back to the family seat at Everleigh Park.

Although she adored him, once, Maria now loathes Justin, and her friend, Lady Estelle Lamarr, can see, immediately, how his very name upsets her. When Justin arrives and invites Estelle and her brother to accompany Maria to Everleigh Park to help with her distress, she begrudgingly agrees, for Maria's sake.

As family secrets unravel in Maria's homecoming, Justin, too, uncovers his desire for a countess. And, while he may believe he's found an obvious candidate in the beautiful 25-year-old Lady Estelle, she is most certain that they could never make a match...

Another entertaining visit with the Westcotts…

On the periphery, anyways, and it was still smashingly good! Estelle was a lady and Justin her Lord, their courtship morphed from frenemies to lovers in a sweet, meandering stroll…

Justin had almost reluctantly taken up his title but was definitely making the most of it. When he needed help though, Estelle, and her twin Bertrand, stepped in to assist. The dialogue, the progression of the story, felt even more real to me, as I just finished off the first season of Downton Abbey (fab, by the way). You may have heard of it…

This author loves to invite me in, the reader, so I can practically feel the tension, hear the conversations. And revel in it. Which I did, whole-heartedly. From their arguments to the progression of their glimmers of attraction to more, were spoken and felt within the decorum of the day. Does it feel a touch old-fashioned? Definitely. Delightfully so…

If the magic is in the words, this installment had all the hats and the rabbits.

The Westcott series has been a heartwarming family saga that launched when a recently deceased head of family left some stunning surprises after he was gone. The last of the younger generation got his romance in the previous book and I thought it might be over, but I lived in hope that there might be a few more stories to tell like the adult twins, Bertrand and Estelle who became connected to the Westcotts when their father married in. My wish was granted and Mary Balogh gives us Estelle’s story.

Someone Perfect is the ninth in the Westcott series. It has a standalone romance and introduces a plethora of new characters as it takes a step away from the Westcott family at the center of it all. However, it does retain all those connections and backstory so that might muddy the water for new readers.

Someone Perfect introduces Justin Wiley as the new earl who was banished at a young age and never reconciled with the father he has succeeded. Before his banishment, he was close to his father and mourned his dead mother. He struggled when his father remarried, but then he adored his new half-sister.

Now, years later, he is her guardian and discovers that she bitterly hates him and is reluctant to move back to the family estate after her mother passes away. Justin is hurt and has become aloof to protect his heart from anyone hurting him like what happened when he was banished from all he had known and held dear. He is determined to reconnect with family and particularly his sister so invites Maria’s neighbor friends, Estelle and Bertrand, to come with her even though they have ranged against him with their friend. Justin brings together a host of family from his extended family and his step-mother’s family. After all the years, the family secrets begin to pour out and Justin learns the truth he has sought and much more. Meanwhile, the bright and beguiling Lady Estelle is in his thoughts and he knows she will make his perfect countess if he can convince her that he is her someone perfect, too. Because Estelle will not get married for anyone less.

Someone Perfect, like other Mary Balogh books before it, tackles a specific issue. In this case, it is second marriages and step-families from the child of the first marriage’s perspective, and, to a lesser extent, the perspective of the child from the second marriage. It portrays a family in which people love, but there is also betrayal, lies, and pain. There are a plethora of surrounding family and I was hurting my head trying to keep them sorted after a time, but family has a great place in this series and now, besides the quirky, energetic Westcotts, there is Justin’s blended families, too. The book is also vastly descriptive of setting and historical backdrop.

The romance takes its time in the background of all this. Justin is the one with the obvious personal demons. He was basically abandoned as a youth and never knew why. He had to rebuild his life with a circle of friends of his own making. He is zealously protective of his heart even if he must reach out and take a wife. He is drawn to Estelle, but must unload his baggage first- oh, and change her opinion of him after she only knows what Maria has shared and how Maria feels about her older, cast off half-brother. But, Estelle also has high ideals and she uses that to protect her from making any mistakes. It takes them some time to fan any flames into active interest, but they get there.

Now, I want Bertrand, Estelle’s engaging twin to get his story. Justin’s friends are also interesting and I wouldn’t mind seeing them again. All in all, it was gentle mover and slow burn with family mysteries to solve. I would recommend it to those who like it with a pinch of spice and gradual build against a well-described historical background.

Someone Perfect is a wonderful example of a connection based on trust, fairness and honesty. There is certainly an attraction between Estelle and Justin, but more importantly, there is a meeting of minds. Their relationship develops through frank, heart-to-heart conversations, a good example of which is when, early on in the book, Justin proposes to Estelle, thinking she would make a suitable countess, and she refuses. As their relationship moves along, they open up their hearts to each other, revealing things from their pasts they have never shared with another soul. They want to believe the best of each other, both realizing that kindness and thoughtfulness lie underneath their hard, protective exteriors.

Even beyond its well-drawn main couple, Someone Perfect hums with joy, with the feeling of life unfolding on the page. It is an intimate tale, rich in detail and images, the sort of book to be read in one long, breathless sitting.

Full review: https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/someone-perfect/

Bertrand and Estelle are the twin children of Marcel Lamarr, Marquess of Dorchester , the hero of Someone to Care. Their father, griefstricken when their mother died, left them in the care of their aunt and uncle for seventeen years. Their aunt and uncle were rather strict and pious but they loved Estelle and Bertrand and gave them a good life. She is enjoying a perfect summer day (and straying a bit out of the bounds of propriety by wading in a stream) when a dog comes leaping in her direction only belatedly called off by the owner who doesn't even acknowledge Estelle's fright.
It turns out the owner is the brother of Estelle's friend, Maria, and he ends up inviting them both to join Maria in London. He hasn't been in Maria's life for a long time but he seems to be trying to make amends for the past and up for lost time.
His back story is a little melodramatic but I did enjoy seeing he and Estelle fall in love and I look forward to Bertrand's story.

Four half stars
Follows Someone to Cherish
This book comes out November 30th, 2021
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

This was posted on the release date but my feedback for NetGalley didn't go through. So sorry for that.

Someone Perfect is the ninth novel in Ms. Balogh’s Westcott series. Characters from the previous volumes are spoken of and a few make appearances in this tale, especially the hero and heroine of Someone to Care. While you don’t have to have read those other works to enjoy this one, purists may wish to tackle the series in order.

Lady Estelle Lamarr has just finished an extended visit with family members and is enjoying the peace and solitude of an unseasonably hot country day by being exceedingly unladylike and cooling her stockingless, shoeless feet in the river which runs near her estate. That’s when it happens; a massive growling, barking beast who looks like he could swallow her in one bite bounds out of nowhere and frightens her half to death. His owner is little better, a massive man on a massive horse who calls his dog to heel and politely tips his head in greeting but makes no effort to acknowledge Estelle in any other way or check how she is after being responsible for giving her such a terrible fright.

Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon, is in a foul mood. As a young man, his stepmother had caused his banishment from home and family. Now she has died, leaving him responsible for his half-sister Maria, a young woman he has not seen or communicated with for years. He is reluctantly travelling to the small country estate where she has been spending her mourning period to bring her back to the family seat at Everleigh Park. He will need to see her launched into society – something her mother had neglected to do – and hopefully quickly married off, absolving him of all further responsibilities.

Maria had once loved her brother dearly but the odd events surrounding his banishment have left her believing the worst about him. As a result, she does not want to leave her home, and the fact that her surrogate guardian/companion, who has been with her for many years, is unable to make the journey makes the situation even more wretched. Seeing her distress and hoping to ease it, Justin rides over to visit Maria’s closest friends and invites them to Everleigh for a house party he’s planning. Those friends happen to be none other than Bertrand Lamarr and his sister Estelle, the nymph Justin and his dog had encountered frolicking in the woods. Having heard bad things about Justin from his sister, the Lamarrs are reluctant to go, but begrudgingly accept his invitation for Maria’s sake.

The house party, involving his step-mother’s relatives as well as his own parents’ families, turns out to be a time of shocking revelations for Justin, not least of which is the startling discovery that he has fallen head over heels for Estelle, who seems to hold him in complete contempt. Will he be able to change her mind and win her heart in the brief amount of time they have together?

While this book is marketed as a romance, I would say it is more family-centric fiction with romantic elements. That’s not necessarily a negative – Balogh does a fabulous job of capturing family dynamics and creating a touching tale that captures the importance of having loving relatives in our lives. It does, however, mean that Justin and Estelle get little time alone. The story revolves around the various extended clan members telling Justin and the rather vapid and naive Maria the truth about their history, the details of which change both how they view each other and how they view Justin’s banishment. The centrality of these truths to the narrative, and the fact they have to be imparted by the other guests means our hero and heroine have to spend a lot of time around said guests.

Considering how important they are to the design of the tale I would have expected the secondary characters to be vividly fleshed out and three dimensional, but they are actually quite underdeveloped. I honestly forgot who was who among the aunts and uncles from scene to scene, had no clue as to who was related to whom, couldn’t keep track of the young people (with the exception of the scholarly bookworm Nigel) and find that I can tell you little of even Maria except that she is not particularly intelligent. The good news is that everyone is very warm, charming, loving and happy to be together, which creates a positive tone overall.

Adding to the characterization issues is the fact that the author leans heavily on stereotypes. A young man named Ricky, who is cognitively challenged and described as having the mind of a four or five year old is a good example of this. Other than that he is skilled at finding things, and is allowed only to be a positive, sunny person, there isn’t much to him. Balogh does avoid the pitfall of making him a complete dependent by showing his capability in several areas but I wish she’d made him more realistic by letting him display a full range of emotions beyond worry for friends and endless cheer. I also wish there had been a reason for him to be in the story. As presented, he seems to exist only to show us what a great, caring and egalitarian individual Justin is

My biggest problem with the novel is the reason behind Justin’s banishment. We aren’t given the details until near the end of the book, but I will say that his father’s reasoning surrounding that issue is ludicrous. It showed the elder Lord Brandon as lacking any kind of integrity or common sense and it was deeply frustrating that in spite of that, he is lauded by his family.

The book does have some real strengths. Balogh has an elegant, evocative prose style that perfectly captures the essence of the era she writes about. The plotting is smooth, as is the pacing. The romance may not be plentiful but Estelle and Justin do form a nice connection through their conversations and while they may be a bit bland, they are also likable, decent people. I especially appreciated how astute Estelle is. While she initially believes Maria’s negative characterization of Justin, she tempers that against her own assessment of Maria’s mother’s behavior and recognizes there may be more to the story than what “mama” had said. She is also self-reflective enough to recognize what she does and doesn’t want in a partner and aware enough not to confuse her initial desire for Justin with love.

Justin is essentially a paragon, a kind, honorable individual with a slightly gruff exterior and a heart of gold. His courtship of Estelle is lovely (after a few rough starts) and my only complaint regarding their love story is how brief it is. I wish the tale had concentrated on them a bit more.

I would recommend Someone Perfect to fans of the author, especially those enjoying the Westcott series. While not Balogh’s best work, it’s a good book and definitely worth reading.

BOOK REVIEW: Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh
Series: A Westcott Novel | Book 9

T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read
Most Anticipated Books of 2021

Rarely does an Historical Romance make the cut for my T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read list... But this book hits the mark! Stunning visual descriptions and settings. Dual perspective narration with dimensional characters that are both historical while still challenging a modern reader to open their heart and mind to the timeless issues faced by humanity in any time or place... Absolutely loved it!... T.I.M.E. TIP: Book 9 was my first read within the series. I was able to pick up the story. But, there are tons of character references within the story that has me excited to go back and meet the Westcotts from the beginning... ✨😎✨

T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating: 🌶 (Very Mild)

Pages: 432
Genre: Historical Romance
Sub-Genre: Enemies To Lovers Romance | Steamy Romance Novels
Time Period: Regency Era
Location: England

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Along Came A Lady by Christi Caldwell (All The Duke’s Sins Series | Book 1)
TV Series: Howard's End

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Perfectly sublime!

So I finished reading this with a soppy smile on my face, exhausted from trying to remember all the various members of the involved families.
And that’s what this story is about. Families, loss, hurt, misunderstandings, forgiveness and gain. A mystery threads throughout covered with lies and revealed with truth.
Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon was banished from home at twenty-two. Years later, without reconciliation to the father he adored, he finds himself the Earl of a place he doesn’t feel comfortable in. Too many memories!
His half-sister and his step-mother have repaired to another property, Prospect Hill in East Sussex, after his father’s death. His stepmother (a piece of work!) was ill and eventually died. His half sister Maria has been living with her governess turned companion. It’s well past her time of mourning. As Maria’s companion is under thirty she’s regarded as unchaperoned. Justin decides that it’s time for Maria to return to Eversleigh Park in Hertfordshire, and to take up her role as an Earl’s daughter, in preparation for her introduction to society.
Whilst at Prospect Hill he comes across Lady Estelle Lamar and her twin Bertrand, Viscount Watley. They are related to the Westcott’s. Justin has acquaintanceship with Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, whose a roundabout relation of the twins. When I say come across. He and his dog Captain, literally do come across Estelle by a stream enroute to his sister’s home.
Estelle is waiting for someone perfect to marry—of course with blue eyes. That rules out the Earl, a big man with a broken nose and work worn hands. No blue eyes here!
Justin asks the twins to come to Eversleigh as a support for his sister. They agree. He also asks family on his father’s side and his stepmother’s side to come and meet Maria.
The story goes on from there. Maria finds out more about her mother and her brother. The brother she’d adored before he’d been banished.
I could mention Wesley Mort and his family, a stone cutter and Justin’s best friend. Or Ricky, Wesley’s brother. But I won’t except in passing. These are important connections though!
A warm hearted story that begins with varying tensions eventually resolved, not without pain, and with Family playing a huge part.

A Berkley penguinrandomhouse ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Reviewed on Dear Author on December 1st. Here is an excerpt from the review:

Janine: Kaetrin and I have been reviewing Mary Balogh since her Westcott series of historical romances began eight books ago and this review continues the tradition.

Someone Perfect is Westcott-adjacent and the start of Balogh’s “Friends of the Westcotts” series; its heroine, Lady Estelle Lamarr, is Viola Westcott’s stepdaughter.

Estelle and her twin Bertrand are living in the country. Estelle has turned away many a suitor; if she can’t “find herself,” she’s content to live with brother. As the book begins, the sun is shining after days of rain and Estelle celebrates by going for a walk. The scenery tempts her into sitting by a nearby river and dipping her feet, even taking off her bonnet. Her hair comes down by mistake.

Her moment of bliss is interrupted when a panting, menacing dog races toward her. The dog—Captain—is called to heel by a huge, dour man. When he rides away without a word Estelle is shocked by his rudeness and embarrassed by her improper appearance.

Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon, is ashamed and consternated by his behavior, which was brought on by broodiness and unexpected lust. He dreads a confrontation with his sister that awaits him in nearby Prospect Hall. Justin (age 34) and Maria (20) are half-siblings who once adored each other. That and every other facet of Justin’s life, was shattered twelve years ago and they haven’t seen each other in all that time. When he inherited his father’s title and country seat six years earlier, Justin had Maria and her mother sent to Prospect Hall.

Kaetrin: I had to laugh at the description of Justin’s age. I felt like it was one of those maths exam problems where you have to do algebra to work out the answer.

Maria was the daughter of his father and his father’s second wife, now deceased. She was fourteen years younger than Justin. He had not seen her for twelve years. She had been a child then, eight years old, thin and pale, with fine blond hair and big blue eyes, and he had adored her. And she him. But he had left home abruptly and been gone for six years before he inherited the title and properties and fortune upon the death of his father.

Let me just say there are not many authors I willingly do maths for.

Janine: In the intervening years Maria’s mother sickened, cared for by the teenaged Maria (the nurses Justin sent were turned away). When she died, Justin became Maria’s guardian and wrote his sister to invite her home. All his letters met with chilly and polite refusals. Justin loves Maria and decides to give her the chance to meet young people, come out in society, and marry by bringing her back.

While he is at Prospect Hall, Estelle and Bertrand, friends of Maria’s, pay a call. Justin and Estelle’s second meeting isn’t any smoother. Each feels awkward, embarrassed, and resentful. Estelle concludes that Justin is rude and unpleasant and that she dislikes him intensely. Though Justin is aware of it, he invites Estelle and Bertrand for a visit. Maria’s companion can’t move due to family demands and Justin doesn’t want Maria to be isolated.

Kaetrin: The rest of the story, for the most part, takes place at Everleigh Park, where Justin has invited Maria’s relatives, his own and their shared relations too, to try and give Maria a better sense of family and belonging. (The cast is extremely large and it took me quite a while to remember who everyone was – and as none of them were Westcotts (apart from Estelle and Bertrand) they were all entirely new.)

Janine: I didn’t feel impatient with the family gathering, and I often do with Balogh. New bonds were forged, sometimes across gaps of social class, and shared interests discovered. There was genuine warmth and interest on all sides. It may require suspension of disbelief that no one was a snob over the class divisions, but I was glad of that.

This is only part of our joint review. All of it can be found here: https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-minus-reviews/joint-review-someone-perfect-by-mary-balogh/

A story that will capture the readers heart and mind as it plays out. Two families both with their own baggage weighing them down begin a delicate dance and balancing act. But in the end they begin to see that what they perceive to be the truth is false. At this point true love and adoration come to the forefront and both parties melt into each others arms.

I have never been disappointed with an offering from this author and this was no different. I would purchase this book for others. I have rated it four stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

A beautifully written historical romance from one of the genre’s finest talents, Mary Balogh’s latest installment in her Westcott family saga, Someone Perfect, is simply superb.

Having been banished by his father when he was younger, Justin Wiley had matured into a dour and brooding man. Now the Earl of Brandon, Justin takes his duties very seriously and despite the fact that he had been ill-treated by his family in the past, when he receives news that his half-sister Maria has just lost her mother, he decides to do the responsible thing and bring her back to the family seat at Everleigh Park. Justin and Maria had once been very close, but his half-sister’s feelings towards him have certainly changed in the interim and her friend Lady Estelle Lamarr can certainly attest to this fact.

Estelle cares deeply for her friend Maria and she finds it distressing that the mere mention of her brother’s name upsets her so much. When he sweeps back into her friend’s life and asks her to return home to Everleigh Park, Estelle vows to do whatever she can to protect Maria. When Justin asks Estelle and her brother to accompany Maria on the journey to his family seat, she begrudgingly accepts. But little does Estelle realise that the Earl of Brandon is a man with hidden depths and that there is far more to him than meets the eye…

As long-buried family secrets come to light, Justin realizes that at long last he can let go of the past and look to the future. With Everleigh Park in need of a countess, Justin sets out to look for a suitable bride to fill this vacancy and the more time he spends with Lady Estelle Lamarr, the more he wonders whether she could be the one for him.

With Estelle certain that they would not be well suited, will Justin manage to convince her otherwise? As their feelings for one another intensify and deepen with each passing day, will Justin and Estelle take a chance on love? Or will fear and hesitancy cost them their future happiness?

When it comes to Regency romances, Mary Balogh is truly in a class of her own and she is at the height of her storytelling powers with her latest novel, Someone Perfect. A spellbinding charmer about second chances, healing from the past and everlasting love, Someone Perfect is a captivating slow-burn romance that effortlessly brings the Regency period to life and enthralls readers with its beautiful evocation of the past, richly drawn characters, intense emotion and compelling drama.

An immensely enjoyable treat for historical romance readers everywhere, Mary Balogh knocks it out of the park yet again with Someone Perfect.